Tianxin Sword Technique

Zhang Ruochen remained calm, showing no emotional reaction. He replied indifferently, "Well then, congratulations, cousin. It seems we'll be even more closely connected by family ties in the future."

After speaking, Zhang Ruochen turned and began to walk away.

Meeting his beautiful cousin for the first time left him unimpressed. Their conversation felt tedious and uninteresting, so he saw no reason to linger.

The young martial artists of the Lin family were visibly disappointed by Zhang Ruochen's lack of reaction.

What just happened?

Even Lin Ningshan felt a sense of loss. Staring at Zhang Ruochen's departing figure, she asked, a bit unwillingly, "Don't you want to know why?"

Zhang Ruochen truly had no interest in her engagement. However, since she seemed so insistent, he stopped reluctantly, nodding slightly. "I'll be sure to attend your engagement ceremony and offer my congratulations. If there's nothing else, I'll go find my mother now."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Ruochen noticed Lin Fei emerging from the inner courtyard of the Lin Residence.

Her eyes were red and swollen, as though she had just been crying. Even though she had wiped away her tears, Zhang Ruochen could see through her facade.

Rushing over with concern, Zhang Ruochen asked, "Mother, what's wrong? Who upset you?"

Lin Fei shook her head. "It's nothing. Let's go home."

But seeing her like this, Zhang Ruochen knew it couldn't be "nothing."

After his encounter with Lin Ningshan, Zhang Ruochen had developed no fondness for the Lin family. Now, seeing his mother in this state, his dislike for them grew even stronger.

"Hold on!" Lin Fengxian, hands clasped behind his back, approached from the inner courtyard. With a glance at Zhang Ruochen, he pulled out an old beast-skin scroll from his sleeve. "This is a basic cultivation technique called Tai'a Secret Art, a low-tier Human-level technique. It can open seven meridians. Take it and use it for your training. Although it's not an advanced technique, it should be sufficient for you to complete marrow cleansing and meridian unblocking."

Lin Fengxian then instructed his servants to bring out two vials of Marrow Cleansing Elixir and added coldly, "Since you bear the Lin family's bloodline, you may also take these two vials."

Lin Fei gave her brother a long, grateful look and tugged at Zhang Ruochen's hand. "Chen'er, thank your uncle!"

Seeing Lin Fengxian's condescending expression, Zhang Ruochen felt a surge of anger. No wonder his mother's eyes were red. She must have endured all kinds of humiliation to secure this technique from him.

"There's no need to accept their charity. Let's go, Mother!" Zhang Ruochen ignored the offered technique and elixirs, pulling his mother away as they left the Lin Residence.

"Ungrateful! He really thinks he's still a prince," scoffed the young Lin martial artists, sneering and laughing derisively.

Lin Ningshan watched Zhang Ruochen's determined figure leave, her astonishment growing. The once frail cousin of hers seemed somehow different now.

"He's grown more confident since awakening his Divine Martial Seal. But he doesn't realize that awakening it at sixteen means he's already missed the prime age for martial cultivation. Why bother thinking about it? From now on, we'll be living in entirely separate worlds," Lin Ningshan sighed and returned to her training.

Outside the Lin Residence, Lin Fei gently scolded, "Chen'er, you were too impulsive. As long as you can become a martial artist and improve your health, I don't mind enduring any amount of humiliation."

Zhang Ruochen stood tall, turned, and stared at the golden plaque that read "Lin Residence," his voice firm. "Mother, don't worry. Even without their charity, I will become a martial artist—and not just any martial artist, but a powerful one."

Lin Fei sighed softly but said nothing more. After a moment, she seemed to remember something. "Chen'er, you've heard about Ningshan's engagement to the Seventh Prince, haven't you? Please, don't take it too hard."

Zhang Ruochen smiled. "Mother, don't worry. There are plenty of good women in the world. There are certainly better ones than Lin Ningshan."

"You're so mature now," Lin Fei said with a relieved smile.

Back at the Yunwu Royal Palace, Zhang Ruochen swallowed his last Blood Pill and entered the inner space of the Temporal Spirit Stone to continue practicing the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm.

After training to the point of exhaustion, he sat down to rest for a moment.

"The humiliation my mother suffered at the Lin family… I'll make sure they pay it back double someday. What really happened three years ago? I need to ask Sister Yun'er when I have the chance. But my immediate goal is to break through to the mid-stage of the Huangji Realm."

To reach the mid-stage of the Huangji Realm, Zhang Ruochen needed to use the Marrow Cleansing Elixir.

Each vial of Marrow Cleansing Elixir cost at least 200 silver coins—a significant amount of money for Zhang Ruochen.

Moreover, since he was practicing the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture, one vial would definitely not be enough for him to break through.

"I've got it!"

Zhang Ruochen slapped his forehead, cursing himself for being foolish. He possessed a massive treasure trove but had been worrying about how to earn money.

In his previous life, he had been the son of the Ming Emperor and had read countless high-level cultivation techniques and martial skills, all of which were stored in his memory. Just selling one of these techniques would fetch an astronomical price.

Of course, the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture and Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm were divine-level techniques, invaluable treasures of the Kunlun Realm, and could never be sold.

But he also remembered other lower-tier techniques. Even a casual one from his memory would cause a sensation in Yunwu Commandery.

Zhang Ruochen immediately found some paper and ink, transcribing a Spirit-level technique called Tianxin Sword Technique from memory.

The Tianxin Sword Technique was the lowest-grade technique in Zhang Ruochen's memory, a low-tier Spirit-level martial art.

"A low-tier Spirit-level martial art would be considered top-tier in Yunwu Commandery. Even a powerful family like the Lin family likely only possesses one or two low-tier Spirit-level techniques as their most treasured skills."

In Yunwu Commandery, many martial artists didn't even have the opportunity to learn martial techniques. To them, even a low-tier Human-level martial art was a priceless treasure.

The cheapest low-tier Human-level technique could sell for at least 300 silver coins, and the more powerful ones could fetch over 1,000 silver coins—far beyond the means of ordinary wandering martial artists. Some would even risk their lives to obtain a low-tier Human-level technique.

As for a low-tier Spirit-level martial art, selling it would make even the heads of noble families desperate to buy it at any cost.

With that thought, Zhang Ruochen carefully wrote down the cultivation method for the Tianxin Sword Technique and drew small diagrams illustrating each move.

He then concentrated his limited true energy at the tip of his brush, infusing both his true energy and martial understanding into the diagrams.

By the time he had exhausted his true energy, he had only finished one diagram.

Zhang Ruochen immediately sat down and began circulating the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture, replenishing his Qi Pool with true energy before continuing to draw the second diagram.

After half a day's effort, Zhang Ruochen finally completed all twelve diagrams for the Tianxin Sword Technique.

Though his cultivation level wasn't what it once was, his martial insight remained sharp. Each move he illustrated was precise, indistinguishable from the original.

"With my current level of martial understanding, transcribing a low-tier Spirit-level technique is my limit. If I tried to transcribe a mid-tier Spirit-level technique, I'd probably only capture about one-third of its essence."

Martial arts manuals couldn't be casually copied or mass-produced.

Even if an ordinary person wrote down the techniques and diagrams of the Tianxin Sword Technique, the essence would be missing. Even if someone mastered it, they would never achieve the power of a true Spirit-level sword technique.

In his previous life, Zhang Ruochen had been a supreme martial artist at the peak of the Heaven Extremity Realm. Even he could only capture the essence of a low-tier Spirit-level sword technique. Higher-level techniques were beyond his ability to fully replicate.

"A low-tier Spirit-level sword technique should fetch a decent price."

Zhang Ruochen didn't immediately head to the Martial Market to sell the Tianxin Sword Technique. Instead, he waited until nightfall before heading toward the palace gates.

"Ninth Prince, heading out this late?" The two guards at the gate asked casually.

The guards knew well that both Zhang Ruochen and Lin Fei had been moved to the outer palace, which meant they had lost favor. So, their attitudes were far from respectful, and they didn't even bother to bow to him.

Zhang Ruochen was no longer the timid prince he once was. His sharp gaze fixed on the two guards as he straightened his back. "I'm going to the Lin Residence to see my cousin Ningshan. Open the gates!"

Though Zhang Ruochen was a prince, the guards wouldn't dare offend him directly. They opened the gates and watched him leave.

"Arrogant little fool. If he weren't the son of the Yunwu King, he'd be long dead," one guard spat.

"I heard Lin Ningshan is about to marry the Seventh Prince. He's so foolish to still hold out hope," the other guard sneered.

Zhang Ruochen, of course, had no intention of visiting Lin Ningshan. It was just an excuse to leave the palace without arousing suspicion.

Once outside, he retrieved a large black cloak from the Temporal Spirit Stone, wrapping it around himself as he headed into the brightly lit capital city.

In the darkness, no one could see his face.

Before long, Zhang Ruochen crossed bustling streets and arrived at the Martial Market.

Unlike the other areas of the capital, which were filled with common merchants, the Martial Market occupied only one-tenth of the city's space but was by far the most prosperous.

The Martial Market was divided into five zones: the Pill Market, the Weapon Market, the Beast Market, the Slave Market, and the Central Auction House.

The fate of Yunwu Commandery was tied to the Martial Market, so its governance was strict.

Each entrance to the Martial Market was guarded by soldiers. Only martial artists or people of high status were permitted entry.