Chapter Ninety-Nine: Sacred Origin Energy and Sacred Power

Link listened in surprise and glanced at Lin Xi, thinking to himself how impressive her insight was—she could tell at a glance that such a method of enhancement would lead to the dangerous phenomenon of inner energy deviation. However, Lin Xi spoke a bit late; Link had long since experienced the crisis of inner energy deviation and already knew how to resolve it. Smiling, he nodded and said, “Sister Xi, what you say is absolutely right. I know what to do. The reason I sought you out to spar was precisely to stabilize the power within me.”

Lin Xi nodded in understanding. “I see, yes, it is indeed a good way to familiarize yourself with your own strength and consolidate your cultivation. In that case, Neil, give it your all. Only by fighting at full power can you quickly become accustomed to your current abilities.”

Hearing this, Link asked with some concern, “Is it safe to go all out?”

“Don’t worry, nothing will happen,” Lin Xi replied calmly, her expression radiating strong confidence.

Seeing her so assured, Link didn’t argue further. He immediately mobilized his energy and attacked with full force, using all his ancient martial arts skills except for magic.

Having mastered the technique of using an opponent’s strength against them, Link’s combat power had risen considerably. Now, even without magic, he could rival a mid-level fifth-rank warrior.

By Link’s own estimation, he was quite formidable, but after sparring with Lin Xi, he realized just how mistaken he had been.

No matter how he attacked, Lin Xi easily handled it. Most notably, she fought him using only early fifth-rank power, which was even lower than his own. Though she did not completely suppress him, it was still a blow to Link’s confidence, for it meant that if Lin Xi used power equal to his own level, she could easily overpower him.

As a martial artist, Lin Xi was truly formidable—not just because of her high cultivation but more so due to her exquisite use of techniques and the vast experience accumulated through countless battles. She always used the most effortless and efficient methods to block Link’s attacks, rendering them utterly ineffective.

Frustrated, Link couldn’t help but ask, “Sister Xi, if you used power equal to mine, how long would it take to defeat me?”

“Uh, well…” Lin Xi hesitated for a moment, her gaze wandering, “About a hundred moves or so.”

“A hundred moves? Do you really expect me to believe that?” Link pulled at the corner of his mouth, thinking it was just a soft answer to avoid hurting his feelings. By his estimate, even thirty moves would be miraculous.

Feeling uncomfortable under Link’s stare, Lin Xi hesitated again before finally saying, “If you have no other defenses, purely with fists and kicks, I could defeat you within three moves.”

“Three moves…” Link was crushed. He had thought himself quite strong, but against a peer like her, he was basically a sitting duck for three strikes.

Seeing his dejected look, Lin Xi quickly said, “Don’t be discouraged. I’m not like the average martial artist. My teacher once said that among peers, I surpass over ninety-nine percent of warriors. It’s only natural I can beat you. Besides, I think your foundation is weak. If you trained your basic fist and kick skills properly, your strength would be far beyond this. Even if you couldn’t surpass me, you could at least match me.”

She paused and then smiled. “And you don’t have to be fixated on fist and kick techniques anyway. Don’t you have many powerful spells? With your dual mastery of magic and martial arts, even if you’re weaker than me in one area, combining both should make you a formidable opponent. Most importantly, Neil, don’t forget—you are the Archbishop. There’s no need for you to be stronger than everyone else. Managing and developing the church well is what matters most. As for fighting, that’s what we protectors are for.”

After hearing Lin Xi’s words, Link’s mind cleared. He secretly laughed at himself for being so narrow-minded. If his martial skills were inferior, he still had various spells to rely on. With his extraordinary magic, he shouldn’t be afraid of any powerful warrior or wizard. More importantly, as the head of the church, as long as he developed it well, his subordinates could handle the enemies. His role was to maintain his own combat ability at a high standard within the church.

Having realized this, Link no longer obsessed over being weaker than Lin Xi and continued sparring with her. Lin Xi, meanwhile, corrected his deficiencies as they fought, and time slipped away unnoticed.

About two hours later, drenched in sweat, the two finally stopped and plopped down in front of the church to rest. Without ceremony, they picked up the tea brewed by Ling Meng and drank it, causing Ling Meng to pout and complain, “Are you two serious? You’re both richer than me, so why do you keep coming here to steal my tea every day?”

The two were momentarily stunned, then exchanged smiles. Link teased, “No choice. Your tea tastes better than ordinary tea, so we all like coming here to drink it.”

Hearing this flattery, Ling Meng was not pleased and retorted, “If it’s so good, then buy your own! You don’t want to spend money, huh? Fine. Just wait—I’ll brew the tea leaves over and over again so weak that you won’t want to come anymore.”

The two laughed and dismissed her words lightly, unaware that Ling Meng, the former Grand Priestess with little common sense and no scruples, actually did just that. Later, when they came to drink tea, they found it growing increasingly weak. Upon asking, they learned Ling Meng used magic to keep the tea leaves from spoiling, then repeatedly brewed them, changing the leaves only every ten to fifteen days, leaving everyone speechless.

After sipping the tea, Lin Xi suddenly asked, “Neil, I don’t see any fighting spirit in you. What kind of power do you use to drive your techniques?”

“Oh, I use inner energy, a new power granted to me by the Father God. It’s different from fighting spirit but has similar effects—it can be used to propel martial techniques and protect the body.”

“Inner energy? That’s truly a wondrous power, somewhat akin to fighting spirit,” Lin Xi nodded, then added, “Does this power have further upgrades?”

“Further upgrades? What do you mean?” Link asked, puzzled.

Lin Xi looked thoughtful. “Isn’t there? I would think the power you practice has reached a bottleneck. Even pushed to the extreme, it should only reach the pinnacle of the sixth rank. To advance beyond that, it should require an upgrade, just like fighting spirit.”

Link’s heart stirred. In the system, only Jin Yong-style martial arts existed, and after learning the Nine Yang Divine Skill, his inner energy had indeed reached its peak, making further advancement beyond the sixth rank impossible without a qualitative transformation.

Thinking this over, Link asked, “What is this fighting spirit upgrade about? Can you tell me?”

Lin Xi nodded. “The fighting spirit upgrade refers to the qualitative change from sixth to seventh rank, becoming a very special new power.” She shifted tone and said, “Neil, do you know what seventh-rank warriors and above have in common?”

“Commonality? They can fly?” Link guessed.

Lin Xi smirked. “Flying happens already at the sixth rank. At this level, one can perceive elements and unleash sudden bursts of power to achieve brief flight. At this rank, it’s not impossible to use a single leaf as a stepping stone to cross a river.”

“A single leaf to cross a river? That’s just like crossing a river on a reed,” Link thought to himself, gaining a better understanding of the sixth rank. At this level, nearly everyone has top-tier lightness skills.

He pondered a moment and asked, “If it’s not flying, then what exactly do seventh-rank warriors have in common?”

Lin Xi no longer held back and answered directly, “Seventh-rank warriors and above all practice dual cultivation of magic and martial arts.”

“Dual cultivation of magic and martial arts?” Link was stunned. After thinking it through, he said, “You mean when a seventh-rank warrior’s fighting spirit or magic advances, it becomes a power that can propel both magic and martial techniques simultaneously?”

“You got it,” Lin Xi nodded. “When a warrior breaks through the sixth-rank boundary and reaches the seventh, their internal power undergoes a transformation into a new energy called Saint Yuan Power. This energy surpasses both mana and fighting spirit in purity and strength. It can be used to fuel magic and martial arts alike, with power far greater than when using mana or fighting spirit alone. The pressure exerted by seventh-rank warriors comes from this new power. Or rather, it is this power that makes those below seventh rank feel overwhelmed.”

She spoke earnestly, “Neil, only upon reaching the seventh rank can you truly understand what it means to be strong. Among warriors of seventh rank and above, there is a saying: all below seventh rank are mere ants.”

“All below seventh rank are ants?” Link murmured, recalling the appearance of the dark demon that day. “That’s true. Against such monsters, even I now would be instantly defeated.”

Lin Xi continued, “However, the seventh rank is just the beginning. I’ve heard from my teacher that above the ninth rank lie even higher realms—those reached by legendary saints. To attain that level, Saint Yuan Power must undergo another transformation, shedding the ‘Yuan’ to become Saint Power.”

“Saint Power?” Link’s heart skipped two beats. He possessed Saint Power too, but wasn’t sure if it was the same kind Lin Xi described. If it was, this could be very interesting.

Link was not even seventh rank yet but already had Saint Power. If word got out, countless ancient monsters would likely emerge to dissect him. Especially those stuck at the pinnacle of the ninth rank, unable to become saints—they would do anything to break through.

Legendary saints lived for over a thousand years. Even ignoring their power, the allure of such longevity alone drove many great figures and saints to madness. Let alone those with petty ambitions.

The matter of Saint Power must not be revealed. Otherwise, not only Link but also those around him and the Father God Church would be in danger—Link silently warned himself, then smiled and thanked Lin Xi for explaining so much.

Lin Xi smiled back and then suddenly remembered something else. “By the way, Neil, can you tell me about the cultivation method you use to advance your strength?” Seeing the concern in Link’s eyes, she quickly added, “Don’t misunderstand—I’m just curious about this method, and I have no ulterior motives.”