Eternal Swordmaster Chapter 975 - 970: Storm II

Xu Rongyue, the fifth daughter of the Fourth Imperial Concubine, softly shut the geography book in her grasp and cast a glance toward Lin Xin standing at the entrance.

"Is this Xu Hong, the second son of Imperial Concubine Diliya?"

She quietly inquired of the young boy next to her.

"Do you recall it accurately?" The boy replied indifferently.

With over a thousand princes and princesses, who could possibly keep track of everyone?

"I didn’t remember earlier, but Mother Concubine brought it up once before, so it stuck with me somewhat." Xu Rongyue possessed an exceptional memory from birth, never forgetting what she encountered, making it natural for her to recall Lin Xin.

Yet the boy couldn’t fathom why this extraordinarily gifted elder sister would bother remembering someone like Xu Hong.

The boy himself was the son of the Fourth Imperial Concubine as well, serving as her sixth prince, Xu Fang.

These siblings followed an unusual route, both harboring a passion for martial arts, and from childhood, they dedicated themselves to training, now at ages thirteen and fourteen, standing as top-tier warriors among their peers.

Within the imperial clan of similar age, they ranked as outstanding talents.

"Why bother remembering him?" Xu Fang asked, puzzled.

"Because of my intuition," Xu Rongyue replied steadily, "I sense something off about this Xu Hong. He might turn out to be your and Xiao Jun’s fiercest competitor for entering the Constellation Pavilion."

"Really? How old even is he?" Xu Fang scoffed, clearly unconcerned.

"Maybe for Xiao Jun, but he’s incredibly talented, hitting the standard six-symbol level. Could this guy outdo him?" Xu Fang shook his head skeptically.

Xiao Jun, just five years old this year, was the youngest child of the Fourth Imperial Concubine and displayed remarkable martial arts aptitude.

The dirty schemes the Fourth Imperial Concubine set up during the aptitude tests weren’t aimed solely at Lin Xin, but at all offspring from lower-ranking concubines.

Everything was to clear the path for her own son and eliminate rivals.

Xu Rongjun, who placed in the top five for martial talent across the entire imperial clan, was a prodigy of rare caliber.

At that moment, he lingered before a data bookshelf, staring distantly at Lin Xin stepping through the door, overhearing his siblings’ exchange, a subtle smirk of arrogance crossing his features.

"A puny weakling like that—I could take ten at once with a single punch. My real target is Brother Xu Fang; no point wasting time on such trash opponents."

"Confidence is fine, but avoid arrogance," Xu Rongyue commented lightly.

"Sister Yue just doesn’t get it; anyone below five symbols is worthless noise to me!" Xu Rongjun dismissed with a wave.

This young prodigy radiated fierce edge even at his tender age, leaving Xu Rongyue and Xu Fang at a loss for further words.

Once Lin Xin stepped inside, he scanned the first-floor bookshelves.

These shelves held simulated volumes, stacked neatly without real books; instead, they were energy-based virtual semi-entities.

Each shelf featured a neural interface device on the side, and wearing it allowed instant content download by touching any volume.

Lin Xin eyed the labels on the bookshelf sides.

’Basic Palm Techniques,’ ’Basic Leg Techniques,’ ’Basic Swordsmanship,’ ’Basic Spear Techniques,’ ’Basic Endurance,’ ’Basic Burst’.....

Categories were meticulously divided, breaking down into cellular aspects from every human body angle, including a shelf marked ’Basic Genetic Development.’

Lin Xin strolled to a Basic Sword Techniques shelf and examined it casually.

Kinetic Sword, Round Star Sword, Square Qingming Sword, Nine Dragons Sword, Exploding Sword, Magnetic Control Sword.....

Blending tech with ancient ways yielded sword arts utterly unfamiliar to him.

Lin Xin skimmed through quickly; given his level, grasping the essence of these basics took mere glances.

Should he desire, this body could master them in an instant.

Yet such feats held no value, as their limits rigidly constrained the body’s foundational growth.

What he sought were expansive methods brimming with growth potential.

Lin Xin progressed along the shelves, inspecting palm arts, fist styles, sword methods, endurance drills, hardening skills, footwork, and more.

Options abounded, and he cataloged them mentally.

Repetitive ones he skipped, hunting for systems exclusive to this realm.

Revisiting familiar paths offered nothing new, but uncharted trails sparked his interest.

Before long, a method called Electromagnetic Technique caught his eye.

This served as the base for Magnetic Pole Golden Body, leading into advanced arts like Thunderstorm Celestial Base and Ninety-Nine Thunder God.

Mastering it to peak, per the records, placed one at the pinnacle of martial artists.

Lin Xin reviewed the Electromagnetic Technique guide, then climbed to upper levels, committing to memory the follow-up Magnetic Pole Golden Body, Thunderstorm Celestial Base, and Ninety-Nine Thunder God.

Without maxed attributes in this form, his recall was merely several times superior to average kids.

He could likely memorize the entire Martial Arts Pavilion’s contents in record time.

’No matter; I can return anytime if needed.’

Thinking so, Lin Xin approached the front desk, logging his selection: Electromagnetic Technique.

Xu Rongjun peeked at the big screen.

"Electromagnetic Technique? Why skip the top-tier Nuclear Fusion Blade or Supernova Extinction Path for these mediocre scattered arts?"

A flash of disdain crossed him, then he ignored it.

Foundational arts carried rankings.

Elite ones like Nuclear Fusion Blade stood supreme,

With their advanced follow-ups equally formidable.

Electromagnetic Technique ranked in the second tier, simpler to practice, visually striking yet lacking true might.

Its later stages suffered from modern tech interference too.

Few ever picked it.

Typically, only showy martial artists chasing flash over substance went for such eye-catching paths.

"Am I seeing this right?"

Xu Rongyue frowned in mild confusion.

"No need to overthink it," Xu Fang said calmly. "With Xiao Jun bound for Constellation Pavilion, fewer rivals is a win."

"True..." Xu Rongyue agreed with a slow nod.

.............

Derin Palace.

Lin Xin positioned himself in the training ground.

This indoor field operated fully automated, overseen by optical brain systems.

Sponsored by Imperial Concubine Diliya’s homeworld for its build.

Derin Palace housed Lin Xin, his elder sister, and Mother Concubine Diliya.

They had resided here previously and must stay confined, barred from roaming freely.

Ever awaiting summons from the Great Emperor, their lord.

Diliya especially, though long erased from the lord’s memory, remained bound unless dead, unable to stray beyond Derin Palace or the Imperial Capital at farthest.

Such was the tragedy of Imperial Family life.

"Now that I’ve arrived, time to examine this world’s system."

Lin Xin centered himself in the field, shut his eyes, and started recalling Electromagnetic Technique’s basics.

Though a lesser art, Electromagnetic Technique spanned nine layers total, each offering modest power gains, with cultivation far simpler than rivals and minimal resource needs.

Challenges arose later; second-stage arts demanded pushing this one to advanced layers first.

Its sole edge lay in quick early progress and dazzling electric arcs, perfect for displays.

Easy entry but tough mastery, numerous layers, and drawn-out timeline deterred true geniuses.

Imperial Clan scions shunned it entirely, squandering their early resource advantages and firm foundations.

For Lin Xin, however, no such drawbacks existed.

"First Layer, Load. Merge spiritual power with muscle bioelectricity to spark initial micro-currents.

External electrotherapy aids progress. Below three symbols aptitude aside, standard completion takes one week."

Lin Xin evaluated briefly.

Eyes closed, his spiritual power seized control of all muscle bioelectricity, initiating fusion.

Lacking added attributes, his spirit remained five or six times peer average.

Yet his martial realm dwarfed these children’s grasp.

Merely a minute later.

Lin Xin’s white training garb billowed unsupported, gradually swelling as faint blue sparks danced across his form.

The arcs proved feeble, too weak to zap a fly.

After brief flashes, Lin Xin opened his eyes, sensing the budding bioelectric reserves within, and assessed.

"First Layer complete. On to the Second Layer."

He noted the shifts in his physique.

Cells throughout grew more vibrant, every muscle now capable of electric storage.

Bioelectric output surged beyond normal levels.

This marked true First Layer success.

Second Layer, Blue Arc.

Lin Xin grasped its core swiftly, mastering it fully in two minutes.

Third Layer, Fourth Layer, Fifth Layer...

Layers fell before him effortlessly.

They enhanced cellular electric potential from storage capacity to explosive release, current tolerance, and heat resistance.

At Sixth Layer, Lin Xin took longer; half an hour passed before breakthrough.

Yet full upgrade conditions demanded more than speed.

Sixth Layer Heart of Thunder marked the divide where body strengthening truly commenced.

Prior layers suited mere shows; from here, Electromagnetic Technique matched peers in potency.

Sixth Layer bodily overhaul proceeded gradually, unhurried.

Lin Xin couldn’t hasten it, forced to await completion.

Only post full Heart of Thunder transformation could he tackle Seventh Layer.

Two hours on, exiting the training chamber, Lin Xin first visited the monitoring room to review his cultivation footage.

"Where’s Mother Concubine?" he queried the AI steward Jack directly.

"Imperial Concubine Diliya, upon hearing your technique choice, rushed to the Imperial Logistics Department to secure your cultivation supplies."

Lin Xin halted, recalling after a beat what the Imperial Logistics Department handled.

It oversaw resources and perks for all Imperial Clan descendants.

"Patch me through to Mother Concubine’s private comm."

Lin Xin instructed evenly.

"One moment please."

Jack responded tonelessly. Per rules, Imperial Family stewards barred true AI, functioning as rigid programs sans genuine intellect.

Moments later, the wall screen before Lin Xin blinked, revealing Mother Concubine Diliya’s soft, pale visage.

She sat within a hover vehicle, clutching a compact vanity, dabbing at her features while donned in a sleek, smart dress baring much of her lengthy legs, striving for peak allure.

Heading to logistics this time for her son, she’d endure the lustful minister’s advances if needed.

For his prospects, this effort mattered most now.

"What’s up, Hong’er? Still in early cultivation? Guidance program glitch or what?"

These days, basic techniques came with tutorial programs, rendering masters obsolete as every step got detailed perfectly.

Lin Xin regarded Diliya, mulling his words.