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Chapter 1689: A Strand of Horsetail Whisk

Listening to A’hu’s melodious voice as she imparted the knowledge, Lin Xun’s heart was filled with complicated emotions as he stared blankly at the straw-shod youth who was sound asleep with his head resting on the table.

Back then, Yun Qingbai had also been a poor village boy, but because of his innate sword bone, he had been targeted by quasi-Emperor Baqi from the North Sea Ancient Domain.

Since then, Yun Qingbai had embarked on a path of no return where his life was not his own.

To this day, Lin Xun still remembered Yun Qingbai’s words that had been said in an incredibly serious tone right before his death:

“In fact, we are the same kind of people. The only difference is you have a choice, while I…never had any…”

Indeed. He had been born with an innate sword bone that had astonished the world, allowed him to roam the Ancient Wasteland Domain freely, and was regarded as the top sword cultivator of the younger generation. Yun Qingbai’s life had been dazzling on the outside.

But when Lin Xun had learned the truth behind all that glory, it was clear to him that Yun Qingbai had been forced to cultivate…

Now, another youngster with an innate sword bone had appeared. And unlike Yun Qingbai who had been targeted by quasi-Emperor Baqi, this boy in straw shoes had met himself.

It was as if their fate was predestined. Many years after Lin Xun had ended Yun Qingbai’s life, a boy who resembled the young Yun Qingbai appeared in front of him.

“By the way, did you say that his sword bone is damaged?” asked Lin Xun suddenly.

A’hu nodded and sighed deeply, “This boy must have suffered some sort of disease when he was still an infant, causing his complete innate sword skeleton to have so many cracks.

“It originally can be ranked as a Saint-grade talent, but this kind of damage will likely be accompanied by great dangers in his future cultivation. A curse rather than a blessing.”

Lin Xun’s face looked slightly strange.

“What’s wrong?” A’hu keenly sensed that his mood was a little off.

Lin Xun finished his cup, and after a moment of silence, he said, “Like him, I was also only an infant when my innate talent was wrecked. But mine was forcefully taken by an enemy, so this boy is quite lucky in comparison.”

Speaking of this, Lin Xun entered a trance.

This straw-shod youth was indeed an interesting case. He had the same origin and talent as Yun Qingbai while also sharing similar experiences to the young Lin Xun himself.

If not for this, Lin Xun’s emotions wouldn’t be fluctuating so unusually at this moment.

A’hu smiled. “In that case, you two must have been brought to meet by fate. Why don’t you take advantage of this and accept a disciple?”

Lin Xun was stunned and then sank into deep thought.

The straw-shod youth’s talent might have been damaged, but repair still seemed possible. If he embarked on the path of cultivation, would he become another Yun Qingbai?

One who could make his own choices?

In the end, Lin Xun decided to have a talk with the youth after the latter woke up.

“By the way, you said that the innate sword bone is a Saint-grade talent? How is this thing classified?” asked Lin Xun.

A’hu answered, “On the Ancient Nebula Road, all known innate talents in existence are divided into five grades: Earth, Sky, King, Mythic, and Saint.

“Earth grade is the lowest and Saint-grade is the highest.

“Those who possess a King-grade talent are already extremely rare, as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

“Over the past years, I’ve learned quite a bit about the Ancient Wasteland Domain and figured that those core disciples of ancient lineages, who are regarded by the world as supreme heaven prides, pretty much all possess a King-grade talent.

“Those with a Mythic-grade talent, on the other hand, are brilliant geniuses born with the fortune of heaven and earth. They are one in a million and considered heaven's favorites.

“Most of the ancient-era eccentric geniuses who have awakened after tens of countless years of hibernation belong to this case.

“As for Saint-grade talents, they are rare across the whole universe. People who are born with one have been few and far between in the long river of history.

“It is said that some ancient Dao Courts on the Ancient Nebula Road still hold the method of appraising Saint-grade talents, but whether this is true or not is unknown.”

All of this information was new to Lin Xun.

Earth, Sky, King, Mythic, and Saint!

And this only applied for cultivators who possessed an innate talent, which were only a minority in every world.

When Lin Xun had begun his training in the Blood Kill Camp in the lower world, he had also taken a talent test. However, the standard back then was very vague.

In the Ziyao Empire, innate talents were simply divided to nine grades from one to nine, with grade one being the highest and grade nine being the lowest. This method was quite crude and far from being as clear as the one explained by A’hu.

The innate sword bone being classified as a Saint-grade talent took Lin Xun aback, and he realized how truly extraordinary Yun Qingbai’s talent had been.

“Honestly though, in seeking the dao, having an innate talent is merely having an advantage at the start of the race. Ninety-nine percent of cultivators aren’t born with an innate talent, but a great number of them have risen to be legendary, heaven-defying characters.

“In short, an innate talent is just a gift, and in the end, it’s one’s heart and mindset that are most important in the quest for the dao,” concluded A’hu.

With all the things that Lin Xun had gone through, his experience was quite rich. Moreover, as a supreme Big Saint, he naturally knew that A’hu was correct about the ‘mind’ being the most crucial thing in cultivation.

Those who had an amazing talent but unstable and fragile mind could not go very far on the path of cultivation.

Lin Xun commented with a smile, “Just like you, Miss A’hu, you have proved that even without a talent, you can still achieve extraordinary accomplishments on the path of the Great Dao.”

“You flatter me, Brother Lin.” A’hu smiled sweetly. Her ethereal but devilish aura stole the color from heaven and earth.

She said, “If Brother Lin is interested in learning more about talents, after traveling to the Ancient Nebula Road, you will want to pay attention to the Starry Sky Talent List. It lists the names and origins of the most famous talents in the Earth, Sky, King, Mythic, and Saint categories from ancient times.”

Starry Sky Talent List!

Lin Xun was quite surprised. “There seem to be quite a few rankings on the Ancient Nebula Road. We have the Starry Sky Talented Beauty Rankings, Starry Sky True Saint Rankings, Starry Sky Big Saint Rankings…”

A’hu smiled. With red lips and white teeth, her beauty was peerless. “They are all compiled through rigorous research by one of the Great Six Courts – the Mythical Huang Dao Court. By virtue of its influence, these lists are also popular in the Ancient Nebula Road, and all the cultivators there uphold them as the standard.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Xun inwardly made a judgment that the stunning and mysterious A’hu had very likely visited the Ancient Nebula Road before!

Otherwise, how could she be so knowledgeable about what was going on there?

A’hu’s smile faded into a solemn and otherworldly look. “Brother Lin, the entrance to Kunlun Dominion will reappear in less than half a year, which is why I’m here this time.”

Lin Xun nodded. Taking out a Flying Immortal Tablet, he handed it to A’hu. “This is yours. Fortunately, I did not disgrace myself in what you’ve tasked me with.”

A’hu accepted the tablet and said, “Back then in the Blood Kill Battlefield, I promised that as long as you just tried to do this favor for me, regardless of whether you’d succeed or not, I would give you something that will help you obtain an unexpected benefit in the Kunlun Dominion.”

Lin Xun was dumbfounded. “I never thought about this when I agreed to help you.”

A’hu said, “Don’t be in a hurry to reject it, Brother Lin. You definitely can’t guess what it is.”

She then flipped her hand, and something that resembled a snow-white strand of hair appeared on her palm, emanating a vast, pulsating dao aura.

It was a mere silky strand, but just a glance at it let Lin Xun feel a boundless, ancient, and occult breath.

With an unfathomable gleam in her limpid eyes, A’hu softly said, “This is a strand of horsetail whisk. It pertains to a forbidden place within Kunlun Dominion as well as your sect heritage, Brother Lin.”

Sect inheritance!

Lin Xun’s pupils constricted as he instantly thought of Fangchun Mountain.

A strand of horsetail whisk that not only involved a forbidden place in the Kunlun Dominion, but also had a connection with his sect. This was certainly something exceptional!

However, what had startled Lin Xun even more was the fact that A’hu actually seemed to have seen through his heritage long ago.

“There’s no need to be wary, Brother Lin. The first moment we met at the Spirit Burial Sea outside the Kunlun Dominion, I immediately recognized the aura of the Sacred Combat Art around you. That was why I took the initiative to greet you and give you the Grand Universe Ark so that you could leave the Spirit Burial Sea peacefully.”

A’hu picked up her cup and took a shallow sip before continuing in a clear voice, “As for why I did that, it’s not yet the right time to tell you yet, so I hope that you will forgive me.”

Lin Xun said helplessly, “I owe you too many debts to hold you accountable for anything.”

A’hu couldn’t help from smiling charmingly, “Anyway, you and I won’t be enemies. That’s all you need to remember.”

With that, she stretched her back and got up. “Brother Lin, during this preparation period before Kunlun Dominion, you best sort out your matters well. After all, returning to the Ancient Wasteland Domain afterward… Mhm, let’s say it will not be easy.”

“What do you mean by that?” Lin Xun also got up.

“The exit of the Kunlun Dominion leads to the Ancient Nebula Road.” A’hu smiled. “You get the idea.”

She then took to the sky and turned into a streak light that flew into the horizon. “I’ll come to join you before the Kunlun Dominion opens.”

As her clear and melodious voice like a murmuring stream water echoed, the yellow-dressed woman had long disappeared without a trace.

Lin Xun stood in silence for a moment before going to his desk and drinking by himself.

His mind, however, could not shake off of A’hu’s figure. It was nothing romantic, but that the feeling this woman gave him was like a fog: mysterious, unpredictable, and difficult to see through.

In the end, Lin Xun gathered his thoughts, and his eyes resumed its usual clearness and calmness.

Early the next morning.

When the straw-shod youth woke up from his sleep and opened his eyes, an incredibly refreshing feeling washed all over him.

“You’re awake?” rang a warm and calm voice.

The youth looked in its direction to see Lin Xun sitting in front of a desk and gazing at him with a smile.

He sprang to his feet. Only now when the groggy state was completely gone did the youth recall he was at Star Chess Sea.

It was the place where the legendary Lin Xun, the senior whom he most admired and respected, resided!