True Solution of the Sword Dao

Merrill’s Residence

"Hey, Feil, what should we do next?"

Lin You sat on the living room sofa, holding Feil with a bored expression, looking across the room.

Merrill and Cheng Guang were clattering away at their keyboards, calculating something. The computer screen scrolled data like a cascading waterfall.

"Wait for the results," Feil answered, transformed into a black cat, nestled in Lin You’s arms. "We’ve already found four of the Energy Scepter combinations, we only need one more, the fusion and contractor of the Metal Scepter. They are currently using our collective effect to locate the position of the Metal Scepter."

"How long will that take?" Lin You yawned.

"What? Are you bored?" Merrill asked in a soft voice, glancing at the screen, "Then go train. The enemy could come knocking at any time." Her hands rapidly tapped on the keyboard.

"Chris went to take a shower. You can sleep first, Merrill, Lin You is still a child, don’t push her so hard," Cheng Guang said with a smile.

"Yeah! Cheng Guang knows me best," Lin You cheered, her voice sweet.

A flash of warmth crossed Cheng Guang’s eyes. Then her attention refocused on the computer.

"Wait!!" Her expression suddenly turned serious.

The computer screen flickered, and a small video window popped up, expanding to fill the entire screen.

On a crowded street, four or five people were all marked with a faint red color.

These people, marked in red, were continuously moving in one direction. Below each person, a number that was quickly changing.

"Everyone, we might be in trouble," Cheng Guang stood up and spoke in a low voice. "According to the United States standard energy level calculation, there are strong individuals with energy levels of 1.1, 1.3, and 1.02 approaching us."

"Standard energy levels reaching above 1 indicate D-class strength. So, does that mean three D-classes are approaching us?" Merrill asked, turning towards her with a grave voice.

"Yes. Everyone get ready to fight. Lin You, get the Barrier Sphere ready, and I’ll go get Chris," Cheng Guang stood up.

*****************

Lin Fei sat in the bedroom, slowly opening her eyes. She disconnected her mental link with the robed Yuan Yicheng.

The phone on her writing desk suddenly vibrated several times.

Lin Fei picked it up and looked at it.

"Someone approaching?"

True Force rapidly extended outward, instantly expanding her sensory range to hundreds of meters, thousands of meters around.

Five unusual auras immediately entered the range of her True Force.

"Three D-classes... two F-classes," Lin Fei closed her eyes again. "Just three little ants, a good practice for Lin You."

"Is everyone ready?"

"Ready. Already at the rallying point," responded the robed figure.

Yuan Yicheng’s voice also came through, "Already reached the designated point."

"Then, let’s begin."

Lin Fei slowly stood up. Her form suddenly turned illusory, gradually fading until she disappeared.

**************

Inner World, the Lawless Zone of Dalamenck

A desolate desert with no one in sight. The golden sand dunes stretched endlessly, with no end in sight. The scorching sun baked the land relentlessly. Waves of heat steamed up, distorting the air slightly.

Behind a sand dune, a figure in a white robe was kneeling, one hand pressed against the sand.

Hiss...

Faint red patterns radiated from his hand pressed against the sand, spreading around and forming a huge, semi-transparent thin film covering hundreds of meters.

After two soft sounds.

Two figures suddenly appeared within the semi-transparent thin film.

One was a young man, not very old, with fair skin and a vaguely androgynous face. The other was a sexy woman with a voluptuous figure, though a fine longsword hung at her waist.

"So this is the Inner World?" the young man said softly, looking up at the sky.

In the blue sky, aside from the dazzling, glaring sun, a huge white planet almost occupied half the sky, slowly rotating. It looked like a scene from a sci-fi movie.

At this time, the previous figure in the white robe stood up, and the surrounding semi-transparent film immediately dissipated. He pulled back the hood of his robe, revealing his face, a young man in his twenties.

"That’s Ramen, a famous giant star of the Inner World, it’s said to symbolize hope and death here. When it turns black, it signifies the time of death."

"Let’s go, this isn’t a good place to talk."

"The nearest place is Yellow Sand City in Dalamenck. Since this area is between the Inner Domain and the Original Domain, there’s no authority overseeing it. And the so-called city is actually just of town scale. But last time, my Energy Stone came from Yellow Sand City, supposedly locally produced," the seductive woman spoke softly. "Capable of producing purple Energy Stones, there must be a small Energy Stone vein here. But due to the high radiation levels and small reserves, probably no major force occupies this area."

"Let’s head to Yellow Sand City first. Jin Yi, you lead the way."

"Okay."

The three immediately began moving swiftly in a direction.

***********

Yellow Sand City

The towering stone walls, several meters high, enclosed a vast circle. White stone walls dazzled under the sunlight, reflecting a blinding luster.

A small gate that only allowed two people to enter side by side was the only entrance. With no guards in sight, people in cloaks or wearing tattered capes continuously moved in and out.

Among those entering and exiting, some carried grey cloth bags, while others were covered in bloodstains, carrying weapons and looking exhausted. Some were in ragged clothes, their faces thin and yellow, their hands and feet covered in thick, black calluses.

Lin Fei and his two companions similarly draped themselves in grey fabric cloaks and slowly emerged from behind a sand dune, heading toward the city gate.

Yuan Yicheng whispered to Lin Fei.

"Yellow Sand City is called a city, but it’s really only a supply point for personnel from the mines and travelers. The items sold here are limited, mostly essentials, local specialties, and maps. Ostensibly, it belongs to an organization called the Morning Violet Star. It’s said that they accept everyone, whether they’re from Earth, the Inner Domain, or natives of the Original Domain, as long as they have the power."

Lin Fei also noticed that among these people coming and going, there wasn’t a single person with strength beyond D-grade; even those at F-grade were few, and they were quickly approached by someone as soon as they entered.

As the distance closed, vague voices from the surroundings reached them. Most of these voices spoke English, specifically in a standard British accent.

As the trio casually walked into the city gate, a vast plaza with a wooden stage about one person tall at the center came into view, faintly emitting a stench of blood. The edges were surrounded by circles of stone grey-white small houses, with residents occasionally coming and going. A small path led from the plaza to areas deeper inside, and people carrying weapons and grey cloth bags continuously moved in and out of the alleyway entrance.

Some individuals dressed in grey or brown robes stood in the plaza, chatting.

As Lin Fei and his companions passed two men engaged in conversation, they overheard bits of their talk.

"...Andes’ people beat Hai Geya badly; he’s still bedridden. Looks like there’s going to be a war in town again."

"Isn’t he afraid of dying? Hai Geya is from the Gigantic Eagle Mercenary Corps. The moment their leader returns from the Sand Sea, it’s their time to die."

"Heard the Gigantic Eagle might not return... "

The two men talked quietly, completely ignoring the trio walking by.

Lin Fei scanned the area and noticed on the central platform of the plaza there were several thick ropes hanging, on which clung some dark red blood stains.

"That’s an execution platform, placed here to intimidate everyone coming and going from the town," said the man in gold softly.

"Medieval European old trick," Lin Fei replied indifferently. "Let’s go directly to the raw ore selling point."

"Excuse me! Excuse me! Please wait!!"

A skinny, short man with a forced smile squeezed through from the side and blocked their way.

"What is it?" Lin Fei surveyed the man, whose upper half was a dirty gray suit, revealing a gaunt chest, with gray shorts below, looking oddly mismatched.

On the side, the man in gold whispered softly.

"He’s likely what they call a broker, someone who draws customers to various shops to earn a cut."

"Are you gentlemen looking for raw ore?" the short man said with a smile, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Barto, and I’m thoroughly familiar with the local raw ore locations. If you need any specific type or kind of raw ore, I can directly take you there, saving a lot of time."

"This place is so small, we absolutely don’t need you to guide us, we can quickly see everything," Lin Fei said softly.

"You may not know, but generally, some special high-level raw ores are not sold here, nor is it allowed to trade them. Only people like us can pull the connections for you. You know, some things, even if they are not allowed by the higher-ups, are still... heh heh," Barto laughed in a sleazy manner.

"How did you know we came for the raw ore?" the man in gold asked.

"Your clothes are so neat and clean, anyone could tell you’re from the big cities. Here, other than raw ore, there’s nothing else worth the city folks’ trouble. Look, there come some more people, definitely here for the raw ore supplies," Barto pointed toward the entrance.

Lin Fei and the other two turned their heads.

At the town entrance, a group of people in white robes trimmed with silver were slowly walking in, their hoods up and faces veiled, making it impossible to see their features.

Seemingly aware of the gaze from this side, one of the white-robed people slowly raised their head, glancing over at Lin Fei’s group. The look carried a faint warning.

Lin Fei noticed that the person’s eyes were actually violet. Such eye color was unheard of on Earth.

"That sir must be from the Violet Family, only they have violet eyes around here," Barto whispered.

"What’s the circulating currency here?" Lin Fei whispered back.

"It’s Energy Stones, the used-up gray Energy Stones, the lowest level. Of course, you could also barter with goods."

"Then how do you exchange violet Energy Stones for gray Energy Stones?"

"Here, only gray Energy Stones and Energy Stone Currency circulate. Violet Energy Stones are considered precious materials and their trade is not allowed. However, last time I was also able to buy one through a broker here, costing about twenty thousand gray Energy Stones. Oh, and the Energy Stones here can be exchanged for various Earth currencies at the currency exchange center, one gray Energy Stone can exchange for about ten thousand Renminbi."

"Hmm," Lin Fei nodded slightly.

Barto, who was beside them, looked at Lin Fei eagerly, having already keenly felt that among the three, he was the leader.

"Sir, what level and type of raw ore do you need? We mainly produce all kinds of raw ore here," he said, pulling out a gray slip of paper from his suit pocket and handing it to Lin Fei.

Lin Fei slightly frowned, wrapping his hand in a layer of energy, and took the slip of paper.

It was written in English: white raw ore, black raw ore, yellow raw ore, black-spotted raw ore. All raw ore priced by weight.

"Our white raw ore here can reach the purity of the color of your companion’s clothes and is definitely not low in enhancing the Enhancement System. Also the black..." Barto gesticulated with his hands, beginning an endless introduction of various raw ores’ capabilities.

Lin Fei slightly furrowed his brow.

He had come here, to the Inner World, just to seek Energy Stones to break through his current Qi Cultivation bottleneck. According to what the man in gold had said, only violet Energy Stones could have the breakthrough effect.

"Do you have any violet Energy Stones?"

"Violet!" Barto was startled, his face suddenly showing uncontrollable ecstasy. "Yes, yes, of course, we have! The highest level here is the violet raw ore!! Do you really need it?"

"Of course," Lin Fei stated calmly. "Take us to the raw ore selling point." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to recommend and vote monthly at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)