Decaying World

Insights could accelerate the Blood Seal’s evolution time.

This was something Lin Hui had never discovered before.

To satisfy this condition, one must first have a project currently undergoing evolution. Secondly, one must generate an insight regarding the content of that project at the exact moment of evolution.

These were actually quite harsh conditions, as there was no standard to follow.

Coincidentally, Lin Hui had just met both.

He stood frozen in place for a good while, repeatedly confirming that the Blood Seal’s evolution time had indeed decreased, his heart filled with indescribable surprise.

Turning around, he hurried toward the Clear Wind Temple’s Black Dragon Gate branch.

If this worked, could he proactively shorten the evolution time by gaining insights from other aspects?

For instance, pondering over other sword techniques? The Typhoon Sword Technique —though called "Typhoon," the experiential contemplation of the sword technique itself might provide inspiration, generate insight, and further shorten the time.

While Lin Hui continued his daily routine of Body Tempering, cultivating Internal Force, and studying books, more than half a month passed. "Temple Master! Temple Master! Bad news!! Senior Brother Huang! Senior Brother Huang has been crippled!"

Lin Hui, who was cultivating his Internal Force, was suddenly interrupted by a rapid knocking on his door.

He opened his eyes, sensing the Internal Force cultivation within his body that had already reached the Third Layer, and frowned slightly.

With a flash of movement, he opened the door to see a white-robed disciple waiting outside, looking terrified and sweating anxiously on his forehead.

"Where is he?"

"Outside the main gate. Senior Brother Chen and the others have already gone over to check the situation!"

Lin Hui nodded. His figure blurred as he instantly exited the study and crossed the corridor.

He then leaped directly into the air, vaulting over the perimeter wall and traveling in a straight line until he landed in the Black Dragon Gate martial drill grounds.

A considerable number of disciples had already gathered on the drill grounds.

Those who were training and those who were not, preparing to eat, all crowded together.

Seeing Lin Hui arrive, everyone immediately and consciously cleared a path.

"The Temple Master is here!"

"Make way, quickly! Let the Temple Master take a look! Maybe there's still hope!"

"It’s too tragic! Who struck with such a heavy hand!?"

Whispered voices drifted into Lin Hui's ears.

He swept his gaze across the scene. Wang Hongshi and Chen Sui were present, as was Xue Meng of the Intent Blade Sect.

Seeing him arrive, Xue Meng's expression was grave as he signaled the surrounding people to back away.

"Huang Haiyin was the one sent to Fu'an Town to handle the apothecary trouble. He accepted the mission previously; the remuneration was two hundred thousand coins. It was a mission you issued personally. Now... see for yourself."

He sighed and stepped aside.

Lin Hui's face was as calm as water as he stepped forward and looked down.

On a stretcher in the center of the crowd, lying on a white cloth, was a weak man with a face like gold paper, his chin and the corners of his mouth covered in clots of black blood.

The man's chest had a heavily caved-in section, and his four limbs were twisted at unnatural angles.

Lin Hui reached out and grabbed an arm; it was limp and completely devoid of strength.

He checked the other limbs as well.

"All four limbs were crushed by someone using a heavy hand technique; the muscles and tendons were severed. The internal organs remain intact, and only the sternum was shattered from the front, yet strangely, the heart was not pierced."

"Very strong control!" Xue Meng nodded, his face heavy. "To achieve this requires extremely precise control. Furthermore, Huang Haiyin is a capable hand at the Seventh Rank of Body Tempering using the Black Dragon Claw. His Hard-Body Discipline makes him invulnerable to ordinary people. Even against someone of the same Body Tempering level, if he couldn't win, running shouldn't have been a problem. But..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but Lin Hui already understood his meaning.

"Killing someone is merely a moment's work. The other party's intent is obvious." Lin Hui felt a chill in his heart as he looked around at the crowd. "This is a demonstration of power."

"Indeed, it is a deliberate provocation against our Clear Wind Temple!" Xue Meng nodded in agreement. "To leave a man alive with such injuries and send him back is clearly meant for us to see."

Lin Hui exhaled. Looking at Huang Haiyin's pained yet hopeful eyes, he stood up.

"Has the medical apothecary arrived?"

"I'm here. I've already examined him." Chen Meng stepped out from the side and spoke respectfully. "Given the local conditions, it is basically impossible to reattach the limbs; they were crushed too finely. However, in the Inner City, a simple replacement surgery could be performed to swap the crushed parts with certain special materials found outside the city, substituting the human bone. But that would require a large sum of money."

"How much?" Lin Hui asked.

"About a million," Chen Meng replied. "The Three Major Powers and many large clans in the Inner City can perform this surgery. The average quote is about that amount."

"He was injured in the line of duty. The Temple will bear eighty percent of the cost; he will bear the rest. How do we find someone?" Lin Hui asked again.