Seeing the shock on Ma Jun's face, Lin Fengqian gave a bitter smile.
"Sir Ma… isn't it ironic?"
"I personally created a demon that could wipe out my entire clan."
His voice carried a faint trace of sorrow.
After drinking its fill of fresh blood, the Nethercraft of Separation from Loved Ones turned back into a streak of black shadow and slipped into a black wooden box.
Lin Fengqian looked at Ma Jun and sighed.
"Sir Ma truly lives up to the name of a young prodigy. After cultivating the Spirit-Summoning Sword Codex, you shook off the influence of the nethercraft in just an instant."
"Across Harbor Island, fewer than five people can reach your level."
"With you here, my family's safety should be assured."
Ma Jun asked, puzzled,
"What does this have to do with your family?"
Lin Fengqian let out another sigh.
"It's all my fault—for taking in a fine disciple."
As Lin Fengqian continued, Ma Jun gradually understood the whole story.
Lin Fengqian's descendants were, compared to him, quite ordinary in talent.
Making a bit of money with feng shui consultations was fine, but when it came to paper-effigy spirit arts, none of them reached even one-tenth of his level.
To preserve the lineage, he chose an adopted son.
The boy was named Lin Hetu.
He was the son of Lin Fengqian's close friend. After the friend passed away early, the child was taken in by the Lin family.
Lin Hetu was kind by nature, loyal and honest. More importantly, Lin Fengqian discovered that his talent was actually better than his own.
Thus, Lin Fengqian took him in as a disciple and taught him with utmost care.
Lin Hetu did not disappoint. In just a few years, he began to show signs of surpassing his master.
Everything changed after Lin Fengqian gave eyes to the nethercraft.
Paper-effigy spirit arts—could actually reach such terrifying heights!
After witnessing the power of Separation from Loved Ones, Lin Hetu slowly changed.
At first, Lin Fengqian didn't notice.
Until one day, he realized that three of his Eight Sufferings Nethercrafts were missing!
All three had been taken by Lin Hetu—and he had already awakened one of them.
Nethercraft of Aging!
Gray hair and wrinkled skin—achieved in a single thought.
Lin Fengqian was furious and tried to take the nethercraft back.
He still harbored a sliver of hope for Lin Hetu.
But intoxicated by power, Lin Hetu betrayed him outright.
They fought atop Mount Taiping.
Lin Fengqian paid a terrible price to drive Lin Hetu away.
As for himself—he could only cling to life for another ten years.
Now, he was at his limit.
His old, frail body was about to return to dust. And with Lin Hetu's mastery of divination, he would certainly calculate the exact time of his death.
Lin Hetu had already taken three of the Eight Sufferings.
Lin Fengqian still held five.
He knew that once he died, Lin Hetu would definitely come to seize the remaining five.
And when that happened, the Lin family would surely be annihilated.
That was why Lin Fengqian decided to conceal the heavenly secrets, lure Lin Hetu into the open—and perish together with him.
But he feared the aftermath of such a battle would harm his family.
That was why he asked Daoist Jingming to intervene.
And now—
This matter had fallen onto Ma Jun's shoulders.
"Sir Ma… I beg you."
Lin Fengqian struggled to bow.
"The Lin family's century-long legacy… cannot be destroyed in my hands."
Ma Jun hurried forward and held up the frail old man.
He spoke gently,
"I gave my word to Daoist Jingming. I'll see this through."
Inwardly, Ma Jun was calculating.
He had just witnessed the terrifying might of Separation from Loved Ones. It truly defied common sense.
If Lin Fengqian hadn't held back—and if Sword Heart Clarity hadn't reacted so quickly—he wouldn't even have had the chance to resist.
And that was just one Eight Sufferings nethercraft.
Lin Hetu had three.
With their combined power, Ma Jun wasn't even sure he could withstand them.
Fortunately, his mission wasn't to fight Lin Hetu head-on—only to protect others.
But if Lin Fengqian lost…
The consequences were impossible to predict.
Lin Fengqian gripped Ma Jun's hand tightly.
"I cannot thank you enough."
"If Sir Ma helps my Lin family survive this calamity, I will surely repay you generously!"
Ma Jun's eyes lit up.
"Heh."
He smiled.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony."
He was never the polite type.
Complete the mission, claim the reward—wasn't that only natural?
Lin Fengqian froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"Sir Ma truly is a fascinating person. It's a pity my days are numbered—otherwise, I would have insisted on befriending you properly."
He slowly sat back down, then suddenly seemed to remember something.
"Oh, right—Sir Ma, now that you've cultivated the Spirit-Summoning Sword Codex, do you happen to lack a suitable weapon?"
Chapter 077: Sword Sheath—Star Nurture. Five Days of Warming. The Blade Emerges Today!
Seeing Ma Jun's shock, Lin Fengqian gave a bitter smile.
"Sir Ma… isn't it ironic?"
"I personally forged a demon capable of destroying my entire clan."
His voice carried a faint, lingering sorrow.
After drinking its fill of fresh blood, the Nethercraft of Separation from Loved Ones turned back into a streak of black shadow and slipped into a black wooden box.
Lin Fengqian looked at Ma Jun and sighed.
"Sir Ma truly deserves the title of a young genius. After cultivating the Spirit-Summoning Sword Codex, you shook off the influence of the nethercraft in just a fleeting instant."
"On Harbor Island, fewer than five people could achieve that."
"With you here, my family's safety should finally be assured."
Ma Jun asked, puzzled,
"What does this have to do with your family?"
Lin Fengqian sighed again.
"This is all my fault—for taking in an excellent disciple."
As he continued, Ma Jun gradually understood the whole story.
Lin Fengqian's descendants were, compared to him, fairly ordinary in talent.
Making some money through feng shui was manageable, but when it came to paper-effigy spirit arts, none of them reached even one-tenth of his level.
To ensure the continuation of the lineage, he chose an adopted son.
The boy was named Lin Hetu.
He was the son of Lin Fengqian's close friend. After that friend passed away early, the child was taken in by the Lin family.
Lin Hetu was pure-hearted and loyal. More importantly, Lin Fengqian discovered that his talent was actually better than his own.
Thus, Lin Fengqian accepted him as a disciple and taught him with utmost care.
Lin Hetu did not disappoint. In just a few years, he showed signs of surpassing his master.
Everything changed after Lin Fengqian gave eyes to the nethercraft.
Paper-effigy spirit arts—could actually reach such terrifying heights!
After witnessing the power of Separation from Loved Ones, Lin Hetu gradually changed.
At first, Lin Fengqian didn't notice.
Until one day, he realized that three of his Eight Sufferings Nethercrafts were gone!
All three had been taken by Lin Hetu, and he had already awakened one of them—
Nethercraft of Aging!
White hair and frailty—achieved in a single thought.
Lin Fengqian was furious and tried to take the nethercraft back.
He still harbored a trace of hope for Lin Hetu.
But drunk on power, Lin Hetu betrayed him outright.
They fought atop Mount Taiping.
Lin Fengqian paid a terrible price to drive Lin Hetu away.
As for himself—he could only cling to life for another ten years.
Now, he was at his limit.
His old, frail body was about to return to dust, and with Lin Hetu's mastery of divination, he would surely calculate the exact time of his death.
Of the Eight Sufferings, Lin Hetu had taken three.
Lin Fengqian still held five.
He knew that once he died, Lin Hetu would certainly come to seize the remaining five.
And when that happened, the Lin family would be wiped out.
That was why Lin Fengqian decided to conceal the heavenly secrets, lure Lin Hetu into the open, and perish together with him.
But he feared the aftermath of such a battle would harm his family.
That was why he asked Daoist Jingming to intervene.
And now, this matter had fallen onto Ma Jun's shoulders.
"Sir Ma, I beg you."
Lin Fengqian struggled to bow.
"My Lin family's hundred-year legacy… cannot be destroyed in my hands."
Ma Jun hurried forward and supported the frail old man.
He said gently,
"I gave my word to Daoist Jingming. I'll see it through."
Inwardly, Ma Jun was calculating.
He had just experienced the terrifying might of Separation from Loved Ones. It was truly unfathomable.
If Lin Fengqian hadn't held back—and if Sword Heart Clarity hadn't reacted in time—he wouldn't have even had a chance to resist.
And that was just one Eight Sufferings nethercraft.
Lin Hetu had three.
With their combined power, Ma Jun wasn't even sure he could withstand them.
Fortunately, his mission wasn't to face Lin Hetu head-on—only to protect others.
But if Lin Fengqian lost…
The consequences were impossible to predict.
Lin Fengqian gripped Ma Jun's hand tightly.
"I cannot thank you enough."
"If Sir Ma helps my Lin family survive this calamity, I will repay you generously!"
Ma Jun's eyes lit up.
"Heh."
He smiled.
"Then I won't refuse."
He wasn't the type to stand on ceremony.
Complete the mission, claim the reward—wasn't that only natural?
Lin Fengqian froze briefly, then burst out laughing.
"Sir Ma truly is a fascinating person. It's a pity my days are numbered—otherwise, I would have insisted on befriending you properly."
He slowly sat back down, then suddenly seemed to remember something.
"Oh, right—Sir Ma, now that you've cultivated the Spirit-Summoning Sword Codex, do you lack a suitable weapon?"
"I do happen to have a treasure here. Unfortunately, it's badly damaged and likely won't last much longer."
"Rather than letting it go to waste in my hands, I might as well give it to you."
Before Ma Jun could respond, Lin Fengqian raised his hand and beckoned.
A nimble little paper figure—like a toy—emerged from behind Lord Guan's statue, carrying a sword in its arms.
It respectfully presented the sword to Ma Jun.
Ma Jun was astonished by the paper figure's agility.
This was truly marvelous—training a paper effigy to such a level.
He couldn't help but wonder whether this technique could be used to refine a few silicone dolls…
A house full of "doll sisters" would certainly be a beautiful sight.
He turned his attention back to the sword.
The blade was formed from countless copper coins strung together, each coin exuding an ancient, chilling aura.
"Fine sword!"
Just from its appearance, he could tell this was at least blue-tier equipment.
Ma Jun quickly picked it up.
[Green Cash Sword (Blue)]
Forged from imperial coins, nourished by a century of incense offerings.
Severely damaged. If warmed and nurtured by a sword sheath, it can temporarily recover its might.
[Remaining Uses: 3/3]
[Equip Requirement: Agility 10]
[Attack Power: 34–50]
Ma Jun's heart pounded.
This blue-tier weapon was incredibly strong!
Its attack power was roughly thirty percent higher than the heavy hammer he'd been using.
The only pity was its severe damage—it could only be used three times.
More importantly—
This weapon could be restored through sword-sheath nurturing!
A sword sheath… Ma Jun had one!
The Star-Nurturing Sword Sheath he'd just obtained from Daoist Jingming could finally be put to use.
Perfect.
After handing over the sword, Lin Fengqian visibly weakened.
He coughed repeatedly and sank back onto the meditation cushion.
"Sir Ma… this old body is frail. I won't trouble you further."
"Please rest well, Mr. Lin."
Ma Jun took the freshly acquired Green Cash Sword and left the room with Zhuang Xin.
The moment they stepped outside, Zhuang Xin grabbed his hand anxiously.
"You're really going to take this on?!"
"I've heard of Lin Hetu—he's extremely strong!"
"Back when he hadn't gone into hiding, he ranked in the top five on all of Harbor Island."
"He's been lying low for ten years. Now that he's returning… if you're not his match, what then?"
Ma Jun shot her a sideways glance.
"You can go back and wait. You don't have to stay here with me."
With that, he called over a servant and had them arrange a guest room for him.
Zhuang Xin stomped her foot angrily.
"Hmph!"
She clenched her teeth.
"I'm staying here with you. I'm not going anywhere!"
"If worst comes to worst and we can't beat him… then I'll use the Dual Cultivation Suppression with you!"
A faint blush crept onto her cheeks.
Thinking back to that soul-melting sensation, she suddenly felt that if she used Dual Cultivation Suppression together with Ma Jun, they might actually defeat Lin Hetu.
After all, the power of that technique depended on Ma Jun's ability…
…
Ma Jun entered the guest room and sat down on the soft bed.
He couldn't wait to take out the Star-Nurturing Sword Sheath and place the Green Cash Sword inside.
Sure enough, the orange-tier sword sheath could be equipped with any sword-type weapon.
He placed the sheath into the equipment slot.
Instantly, the Star-Nurturing Sword Sheath appeared on his back.
Ma Jun stood up and looked at himself in the mirror.
He had to admit—the orange-tier sheath's stats aside, its appearance alone was incredible.
The blue-tier Ash-White Hunter Set already looked impressive.
But compared to the sword sheath, it was completely overshadowed.
The sheath carried an ancient, chilling aura, engraved with elegant, archaic patterns. It felt as though long years of time were surging toward him.
It irresistibly drew the eye.
As Ma Jun checked the Green Cash Sword's status, he was pleasantly surprised.
Its damage seemed to be increasing!
The warming process really worked!
He eagerly anticipated what state the sword would reach by the time Lin Hetu arrived.
Over the next few days, Ma Jun went nowhere.
He stayed within the Lin residence the entire time.
Since he didn't know when Lin Hetu would appear, he couldn't leave to handle other matters.
So he devoted himself fully to cultivating the Spirit-Summoning Sword Codex.
For five straight days, aside from eating and sleeping, he did nothing but train.
Perhaps due to his exceptional comprehension, the experience gain was fairly quick.
To advance from the first layer to the second required 10,000 experience points.
In five days, he managed to gain 500 points.
At this pace, it would only take a few months to level up.
For an orange-tier technique, this speed was astonishing.
Cultivating the Spirit-Summoning Sword Codex wasn't about reading a manual—
It required earnest meditation.
For Ma Jun, this wasn't difficult at all.
When meditating, he would enter a profoundly mysterious state.
His mind became exceptionally calm.
Far calmer than when he was "deeply communicating" with big sisters or aunties.
He truly enjoyed this state.
On the fifth night, late at night, Ma Jun sat on the bed meditating as usual.
The qi around his body surged, and his entire being was tranquil.
Suddenly, amid the exchange of heaven-and-earth qi, he sensed a strange presence outside the Lin estate!
The aura was violent and ferocious.
And tinged with a sinister darkness.
"Bang!"
His door was flung open as Zhuang Xin rushed in.
"Lin Fengqian said—Lin Hetu is about to arrive!"
Ma Jun opened his eyes.
Within those clear black-and-white pupils, a sharp glint flashed past.
Zhuang Xin froze in place.
Why was Ma Jun's aura suddenly so fierce?
"Alright."
Ma Jun nodded calmly.
From the sword sheath on his back came a faint hum, trembling with anticipation.
He checked the Green Cash Sword inside.
After five days of warming, the once blue-tier Green Cash Sword had undergone a complete transformation.
"Five days of nurturing the blade…"
"The sword emerges today!"
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