บท 2: Chapter 2: Nine Yang Divine Art and the Mysterious Jade Pendant
Reaching the summit, Lin Ye took a moment to survey his surroundings.
The area was covered in lush green grass and scattered with large gray-white rocks. Beyond the cliff's edge, a vast expanse of verdant forest stretched as far as the eye could see.
Sitting cross-legged on one of the large rocks, Lin Ye faced the rising sun, closing his eyes and beginning to breathe rhythmically.
Faint traces of invisible energy flowed in and out of his body, forming a perfect cycle.
"Still not right... Why can't I break through the first level of the Nine Yang Divine Art? The inner energy in my body has already reached the limit of what the first level can hold..."
After a long while, Lin Ye opened his eyes, staring at his fair hands, his brows furrowed in confusion. A hint of doubt flashed across his bright eyes.
"Could it be because I haven't awakened the martial soul that Grandpa Jack always talks about?"
"I've heard that after awakening a martial soul and becoming a Soul Master, one's strength will eventually hit a bottleneck, and only by absorbing something called a spirit ring can one continue to improve."
"This situation... it seems similar to what I'm facing now."
Thinking about the strange power his grandfather had often mentioned, Lin Ye began to wonder.
The Nine Yang Divine Art was the technique Lin Ye was currently practicing, and the information about it had suddenly appeared in his mind one day.
He hadn't learned it from anyone. Instead, when he was three years old, while playing with the jade pendant he always wore, a ray of light had shot from the pendant into his head. After that, the technique known as the Nine Yang Divine Art had mysteriously appeared in his mind.
By cultivating this art, Lin Ye had developed a strange energy within his body known as Nine Yang True Qi.
This energy flowed through his body, granting him extraordinary physical attributes from a young age. Whether it was strength, speed, or reaction time, Lin Ye far exceeded the capabilities of most adults.
Beyond strengthening his body, the Nine Yang True Qi provided other benefits as well.
For example, it generated a warm energy, allowing Lin Ye to wear thin clothing even in the dead of winter without feeling cold.
It also strengthened his constitution, making him immune to illness and disease.
Additionally, it protected his body, making him impervious to injury from blades or swords and even capable of rebounding weaker attacks.
Due to the Nine Yang Divine Art, Lin Ye became highly interested in the jade pendant he had always worn.
In his attempts to understand the pendant, Lin Ye had tried many different methods. Eventually, he discovered that by injecting Nine Yang True Qi into the pendant, he could trigger some sort of energy barrier.
Lin Ye had a strong feeling that if he could break through this barrier, he might obtain other treasures, perhaps techniques like the Nine Yang Divine Art.
However, despite sensing that his internal energy was strong enough to break through the barrier, something always seemed to be missing. It was as if there was one crucial element he lacked, leaving him just short of success every time.
Based on what Grandpa Jack had told him, Lin Ye suspected that the reason he couldn't break the barrier might be due to not yet having awakened his martial soul.
"Today is the Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony... If I can awaken my martial soul, I can finally test my theory."
As Lin Ye considered the upcoming ceremony, another thought crossed his mind—discovering his true origins.
Lin Ye wasn't actually Grandpa Jack's biological grandson. According to Grandpa Jack, he had found Lin Ye by chance. After hearing a knock on the door, he had opened it to find Lin Ye left outside, wrapped in luxurious brocade.
That kind of high-quality brocade was something ordinary families couldn't afford, leading Jack to speculate that Lin Ye's background must be anything but simple.
But since Grandpa Jack had never met Lin Ye's real parents, everything was mere speculation. The only clue to Lin Ye's identity was the jade pendant.
Initially, Lin Ye had thought the pendant was just a simple identification mark.
However, ever since he acquired the Nine Yang Divine Art, he began to suspect that the pendant was far more than that. It had to be a valuable artifact left by his parents—something that could eventually reveal his true identity.
Since the pendant had given him the Nine Yang Divine Art, it might also hold information about his parents. The reason nothing had appeared yet was likely because he wasn't strong enough or hadn't met his parents' expectations.
Lin Ye firmly believed that his parents hadn't abandoned him.
If they had, they wouldn't have left him at Grandpa Jack's doorstep, ensuring he would be taken care of. It was more likely that they had faced some unavoidable circumstances, forcing them to leave him in someone else's care.
The jade pendant was the key his parents had left behind.
The energy barrier within the pendant was proof of that. Although Lin Ye could only sense one barrier now, there were likely more.
As long as he continued to break through these barriers, he would gain more valuable treasures.
Aside from techniques like the Nine Yang Divine Art, there were surely even more priceless gifts waiting for him. Once his strength reached a certain level, he might even receive messages from his parents.
Given the mystical nature of the pendant, Lin Ye was convinced that his parents couldn't have been ordinary people. They were probably powerful Soul Masters, figures of legend on the continent.
Once he awakened his martial soul and embarked on the path of a Soul Master, he was certain that in the future, as he encountered more people and opportunities, he would uncover more about his parents.
"It's getting late. I should head back."
Having finished his cultivation of the Nine Yang Divine Art, Lin Ye glanced up at the sky. It was growing late, so he stood and prepared to descend the mountain.
With agile movements, Lin Ye made his way down the steep path and returned to the village. By the time he arrived home, Grandpa Jack had already prepared a meal and set it on the table.
"Hurry up and eat. We'll need to go meet the Soul Master from the Martial Soul Hall soon," Jack said, sitting at the table and urging Lin Ye to eat quickly.
"Don't worry, Grandpa. I eat fast," Lin Ye replied as he sat down next to Jack, picking up his bowl and chopsticks.
Since they had to meet the Soul Master for the Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony, both Lin Ye and Grandpa Jack ate quickly, finishing their meal in less than ten minutes.
"Alright, let's head to the village entrance. The Soul Master from the Martial Soul Hall should be arriving soon."
After finishing their meal, Jack didn't bother washing the dishes. Instead, he placed the plates and bowls in the sink, filled it with water, and covered it with a lid before leading Lin Ye to the village entrance.
The two left the house and made their way to the entrance of Holy Soul Village.
By this time, the sun was beginning to rise, and the weather was warming up. As they stood in the shade of a tree, waiting, a figure slowly appeared in the distance along the road.
It was a young man, probably in his twenties, tall and handsome, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. He wore a gray-white uniform.
On his left chest was a symbol resembling a fist, while on his right chest was a badge engraved with three crossed swords.
Thanks to Grandpa Jack's explanations, Lin Ye knew that the number of swords on the badge indicated the man's rank—he held the third rank of Soul Masters, known as a Grand Soul Master.
The swords symbolized that this Soul Master specialized in combat as a Battle Soul Master.
A Soul Master was someone who had awakened a martial soul and cultivated soul power. This cultivation was similar to Lin Ye's practice of the Nine Yang Divine Art.
In the hierarchy of Soul Masters, there were ten levels: Soul Scholar, Soul Master, Grand Soul Master, Soul Elder, Soul Ancestor, Soul King, Soul Emperor, Soul Sage, Soul Douluo, and Titled Douluo.
It was said that the most powerful Soul Masters could shatter armies and determine the fate of entire nations. Such power had always been Lin Ye's ambition.
"Honored Battle Soul Master, you've arrived!" Grandpa Jack respectfully bowed to the young man in greeting.
"No need for formalities. Let's head inside. The sooner we conduct your village's Martial Soul Awakening Ceremony, the sooner I can move on to the next village," the young Soul Master replied, helping Jack up with a calm tone.
"Of course, Honored Battle Soul Master," Jack responded, still showing respect.
[A/N: The protagonist's Nine Yang Divine Art is a higher-level version, distinct from the one in the Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber series. It might have different or enhanced abilities, which is entirely normal for this setting.]
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