Chapter 169 - Departure   The current state of affairs in Azure Sun County was weird. Many branches that belonged to the Blood Cloud Sect and Golden Flame Sect suffered bloodbaths. Even their subsidiary forces suffered the same fate.

But it had been over ten days and the retaliation from the two clans that everyone had expected did not arrive. The Azure Sun County was abnormally quiet, it was a situation that no one would have imagined. Everyone knew there must be a problem, but they couldn’t make sense of this.

The Blood Cloud Sect and Golden Flame Sect both lost an elder. Without their elders, they didn’t have the balls to touch the Radiant Pavilion or Lin Yun. They would thank the gods if the Radiant Pavilion did not come after them while they were down.

In the end, over the past ten days, Lin Yun’s fame had spread throughout the Azure Sun County. Many people guessed that he would join one of the four transcendent forces or the Heavenly Qin institute. With Lin Yun’s talent and young age, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that he wouldn’t stay in the Azure Sun County for long.

For a talent like him, his stage was the Great Qin Empire. Everyone knew that the small Azure Sun County couldn’t keep him.

Two men and a horse walked on the path outside the Azure Sun City. The horse was naturally the Dragon Blooded Horse, Lil’ Red. It had fully recovered after ten days and its aura had grown even more terrifying. The Dragon Blooded Horse had actually reached the sixth orifice of the Xiantian Realm. As for the two men, they were naturally Lin Yun and Ming Ye.

“Brother Lin, this is the path to the capital. I’ll be stopping here, take care of yourself.” Ming Ye was finally sending Lin Yun off. However, a complicated look was in his eyes that was accompanied by a grave expression.

No one knew what decision Lin Yun would make, but Ming Ye knew. However, he couldn’t figure out why Lin Yun would make such an unexpected choice.

“Thank you, Brother Ming,” responded Lin Yun.

The Great Qin Empire had four transcendent sects, excluding the Heavenly Qin Empire. Every winter, they would recruit new disciples in the capital. The empire had over a hundred counties. In fact, the Great Qin Empire was also known as the empire of hundred counties. The Azure Sun County, located at the borders, was insignificant in the Great Qin Empire.

The Azure Sun County was too chaotic and it wasn’t suitable for clans to manage it. Other counties had clans that had been there for over a millenia. Only those with this type of history could talk about foundation.

The clans that didn’t have history that stretched for over a millenia were considered households. As for the Great Qin Empire, there were four clans - the Zhou, Wang, Lin, and Li Clans. They were all aristocratic clans with significant status in the empire.

There were countless talents among the hundred counties and each one was like a dazzling star in the sky. The empire’s capital was situated at the Heavenly Qin County, where these stars gathered and the clans converged.

The Great Qin Empire situated their capital here mainly because of the Feng Shui and spiritual energy. It wasn’t limited to just the Great Qin Empire, even the four transcendent clans occupied this territory.

Despite being one county, it was filled with the top forces and clans of the Great Qin Empire. Everyone knew that the capital determined the entire Great Qin Empire’s fate. The closer one was to this county, the better their fate. So you could imagine the intense competition.

Those who could establish themselves in the Heavenly Qin County couldn’t be underestimated. Anyone who wanted their name spread far and wide in the Great Qin Empire would have to forge a name for themselves in this county.

Every winter, geniuses from all over the empire would gather. Even if they couldn’t enter the four sects or the Heavenly Qin Institute, it wasn’t bad if they could gain a footing in the county.

“I already told you about the capital’s situation. But Lin Yun, I’m curious, why did you pick the Sword Firmament Pavilion?” Ming Ye finally couldn’t help asking.

Why? With Bai Lixuan at the Sword Firmament Pavilion, Lin Yun would be courting death by going there.

“I thought of something ten days ago.” Lin Yun gently replied.

“What is it?” questioned Ming Ye.

“If I have the heart of a tiger, I can sniff roses anywhere I go,” said Lin Yun.

Ming Ye’s heart throbbed and he knitted his brows, “Yeah. Since you can sniff roses anywhere you go, why not the Profound Heavenly Sect?”

“That’s right. I can sniff roses anywhere I go, but have you seen a tiger ruling a group of monkeys? You’ll need the heart of a tiger first before you can sniff roses. My horse is the most violent Dragon Blooded Horse out there and my sword is the proudest sword as well. I naturally have the heart of a tiger,” explained Lin Yun.

Ming Ye froze. He finally understood what Lin Yun meant. Although he could still sniff roses in the Heavenly Profound Sect, would his heart still be considered the heart of a tiger? Not unless Lin Yun abandoned the sword dao. Otherwise, he could only head for the Sword Firmament Pavilion.

Aside from the Sword Firmament Pavilion, every other choice would make him seem like a coward. He could die and his sword could break, but he would never cower in fear.

Ming Ye suddenly smiled, “I understand now. With the heart of a tiger, why fear and cower before danger? Since that’s the case, why can’t you go to the Sword Firmament Pavilion?”

A dragon would never behave like a worm, nor would a tiger ever be a monkey. With the determination of a tiger, he naturally had to drink the strongest liquor and kill those he hated the most.

“You understand me well, Brother Ming. Half a year ago, someone sent me off as well. I initially thought that no one would understand the path that I’m walking and that I wouldn’t have anyone who would send me off. I never imagined that half a year later, I would have a friend like you.” Lin Yun smiled.

Half a year ago, when he left the Azure Sky Sect, Bai Yufa had sent him on his way. Half a year later, his cultivation reached the fifth orifice of the Xiantian Realm, easily achieving the four sects’ minimum requirement that seemed far from his reach back then.

But that achievement at sixteen years old did not amount to much in the Great Qin Empire. If anything stood out, it would be his cultivation technique, the Iris Sword Sutra.

He had been traveling by himself for half a year, so it didn’t feel bad to be sent off by someone.

“But I have no idea when we can meet again after this parting.” Ming Ye smiled bitterly. His cultivation was the same as Lin Yun, but he was three years older.

The four sects were strict in their requirements. If you couldn’t reach the fourth stage of the Xiantian Realm before seventeen, they would never accept you. Even if you could stay in the capital, you wouldn’t be any different than the ordinary citizens.

This parting between them could be considered eternal.

“Take care.” Lin Yun patted Ming Ye’s shoulder. Ming Ye will be cleansing the Blood Cloud Sect and Golden Flame Sect to dominate the Azure Sun County. The danger wasn’t any lower than Lin Yun trying to enter the Sword Firmament Pavilion.

“Have a safe trip,” replied Ming Ye.

Lin Yun jumped on the Dragon Blooded Horse and it sped off. It ran like a bolt of lightning, causing Lin Yun’s black hair to flutter in the wind. Sitting on the Dragon Blooded Horse, Lin Yun had a heavy thought. This could be considered his second departure and many people were left buried in the ground. That wasn’t all. He would forget more people and matters in the future as he progressed.

However, some matters would be engraved in his heart. Matters like Senior Hong’s revenge and Su Ziyao. He would resolve these things in the capital.

The capital was a door, a door that could lead him into the grand world of cultivation. Ming Ye looked at Lin Yun as he gradually disappeared into the horizon.