C31 Fourth Level of the Genuine Force!

Upon his return to Evergreen Town, Chu Yan secluded himself in his courtyard, venturing out only when summoned by Patriarch Lin Chongtian. His deliberate choice to remain inconspicuous led the Lin family members to gradually lose interest in him. After all, he was just an in-law who hadn't even formally joined the sect—hardly someone worth noting.

This lack of disturbance made Chu Yan's cultivation all the more efficient. Apart from appearing briefly to receive the three daily meals delivered by the Lin family's servants, he spent all his time in the time-space cage, immersed in rigorous training.

Additionally, he dedicated a portion of each day to reading the books he had brought back, expanding his knowledge.

Four days later, at noon, Chu Yan was drenched in sweat inside the time-space cage, practicing the Blood Yang Spear Art, when he suddenly felt a stirring in his heart. Without a moment's hesitation, he planted his silver scale spear into the ground, sat down cross-legged, and entered a meditative state.

In a short while, his sweat evaporated into a white mist that spiraled upwards. Chu Yan's chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, and if one listened closely, the sound of his blood coursing and his heart pounding vigorously could be heard.

The blood surged like a rapid stream, the heartbeat thundered like a drum. After about half a day of this intense process, Chu Yan let out a powerful yell, and his bones crackled like exploding firecrackers.

His eyes snapped open, shining as if the stars themselves had been ignited.

"Fourth Level of the True Martial Realm! I've finally returned to the Fourth Level of the True Martial Realm!" Chu Yan leaped to his feet, his face beaming with irrepressible joy as he savored the feeling. After half a year since leaving the Abyssal Demon Prison, he had not only reclaimed his former level but had grown even stronger.

Now, when Chu Yan clenched his fist, he could sense the power roaring within his arm.

"Though I'm at the same Fourth Level of the True Martial Realm, my strength now far exceeds what it once was," Chu Yan thought to himself. "It's a pity, though, that the Canghai Cloud Cracking Beast's blood essence was completely depleted during my recovery. To continue refining my body, I'll have to rely on the Swallowing Whale Spirit Hunting Art to draw in blood essence and spiritual energy from my food."

After pondering for a moment, Chu Yan shook his head. "The Lin Family may provide me with three meals a day, but it's all ordinary fare, offering little in the way of blood qi, let alone spiritual qi. I've got to find my own solutions, but foods rich in blood and spiritual qi come with a steep price tag, and I'm not exactly flush with cash right now..."

With that thought, Chu Yan let out a wry laugh. "It seems my earlier predictions were spot on. Using a false identity to infiltrate the Lin Family was just the start. There's a slew of challenges ahead, and time isn't on my side. If the information from Big Brother Feng is reliable, the Lin Family's selection announcement should be coming out soon. I've got to prove my worth to Lin Chongtian before that happens."

Brushing aside these concerns for the moment, Chu Yan's eyes gleamed with determination as he ascended the staircase leading to the Return to the Ruins Tower.

Having regained the fourth level of the True Martial Realm, he was now eligible to explore the fifth floor of the tower in search of treasures. Chu Yan was eager to discover what kind of treasures awaited there.

Upon reaching the stone door of the fifth floor, Chu Yan pushed with all his might. The door swung open with a resounding boom, revealing a dazzling array of lights that spilled forth in a riot of colors. The spectacle was brief, and calm soon returned.

Stepping inside, Chu Yan saw that the fifth floor of the Return to the Ruins Tower was dotted with floating orbs of light. About a dozen of them hovered in midair, neatly arranged and shimmering in various hues, reminiscent of glistening ice shards under a beam of light.

"What are these?" Chu Yan approached, his curiosity piqued as he examined them closely. Each orb was alive with light, casting enigmatic and beautiful colors.

The more Chu Yan observed, the deeper his amazement grew. This level of the tower bore some resemblance to the techniques of the Whale-Swallowing Spirit Hunter Great Art he had encountered before. After a brief inspection, Chu Yan reached out without a second thought and touched the nearest orb of light.

The moment his fingertip made contact, the orb quivered as if yanked by an invisible force, and in a swift motion, it zipped into Chu Yan's fingertip.

"Huh?" In an instant, Chu Yan felt a torrent of information rush into his mind like a raging river.

The influx was overwhelming, far surpassing the Swallowing Whale Spirit Hunting Technique by an unimaginable magnitude. His head felt like it was on the verge of bursting, prompting a muffled groan as he collapsed to the ground, his body coiling tightly, teeth grinding audibly. In just moments, his clothes were drenched with sweat.

But as intense as the pain was, it vanished just as quickly. Within moments, there was no trace of it left.

Lying there on the ground, Chu Yan couldn't shake off the suspicion that he might have been delusional.

However, he quickly confirmed that the agony and the flood of information were real, as new memories—ones that weren't his—had emerged in his mind.

Upon reflection, Chu Yan involuntarily gasped in shock.

These newfound memories pertained to the Inscription technique he had only recently learned about!

It was as if the memories of an Inscription Master had been directly implanted into his brain, detailing the initial stages of the craft.

In essence, Chu Yan now possessed an understanding of Inscription that surpassed that of the average warrior, despite lacking any practical experience.

Chu Yan was confident that with the right materials, he could achieve what other apprentices might only manage after ten or more attempts—in just two or three tries.

Still, Chu Yan recognized that the Inscription knowledge he had absorbed was quite basic. The more advanced concepts were likely contained within the remaining specks of light he had yet to explore.

The severe headache he had just experienced made him hesitant to proceed too quickly.

"That initial segment was so painful it nearly knocked me out. If I push too hard and damage my brain, it could be disastrous. I'll take it slow, advancing gradually. Once I've improved a bit more, I'll try absorbing the rest of the memories," he reasoned.

Additionally, Chu Yan noted a discrepancy between this memory and what Big Brother Feng had told him. Big Brother Feng had said that only weapons of at least medium quality could be inscribed, yet this legacy suggested any sharp weapon was suitable for Inscription. The two accounts didn't align, leaving Chu Yan puzzled about the truth.

For a moment, Chu Yan was at a loss for an explanation.

To verify his theory, he'd need to etch the inscription himself to find out the truth.

Moreover, given the materials, he was confident that after a few attempts, he could successfully craft the inscription.

The issue, however, was that he lacked both the materials and the Spirit Money to purchase them.

"When Mother arranged the information about Inscription techniques on this level, she probably never imagined I'd be without even a penny of Spirit Money to buy the necessary materials," Chu Yan said with a wry smile, touching his nose.