The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

Lin Qian had not expected that his parents would leave him a letter, and he was even more surprised by the web-like pattern of blood-red lines covering the envelope.

The blood-red lines on the envelope were as fine as hair, densely wrapping around it.

Lin Qian understood that Ye Nanxin had carefully preserved this letter without attempting to open it, ever since he received it from Lin Qian's parents. This gesture spoke volumes about Ye Nanxin's integrity.

Lin Qian's master had once mentioned a pattern like this, known as a Bloodline Seal. Items sealed with this mark could only be opened by someone of the direct bloodline of the one who placed the seal.

If someone else attempted to force it open, the first attempt would cause the blood-red lines to thicken. On the second attempt, the blood-red lines would ignite, burning the envelope to ashes and completely destroying its contents.

With this in mind, Lin Qian reached out to open the letter.

As soon as he touched the envelope's seal, the blood-red lines retreated like a receding tide, shrinking back to the seal.

In the blink of an eye, the blood-red lines on the envelope had completely gathered at the seal, forming a single drop of blood.

Seeing this, Lin Qian could almost imagine his father letting a drop of crimson blood fall from his fingertip onto the leather envelope, where it spread out into the hair-thin lines that covered the entire surface, sealing it tightly.

"What did my parents write in this letter?" Lin Qian wondered as he opened the leather envelope, curious now that the Bloodline Seal had withdrawn.

The moment he opened it, Lin Qian was startled. The inside of the envelope revealed a storage space!

Although the storage space was not large—about the size of a watermelon—it was packed to the brim.

When Lin Qian saw what was inside the envelope, he quickly closed it, his face returning to its usual calmness despite the shock, and he hurried back to his courtyard.

Once inside his courtyard, Lin Qian locked the gate and rushed into his bedroom, closing the door tightly and drawing the bed curtains.

Only after taking these precautions did Lin Qian carefully open the envelope again and take out the object inside, which was larger than his head.

This object was a flawless, pure white crystal, almost like jade, and as soon as it was taken out, Lin Qian felt his entire body relax, his pores opening in comfort.

This crystal was a Soul Crystal!

A Soul Crystal is formed from the concentrated spiritual energy of heaven and earth and is mined from soul veins. It contains pure soul power that can be easily absorbed by Soul Martialists to aid in their cultivation.

Soul Crystals can also be used to power formations, assist in alchemy and weapon forging, and even serve as currency among Soul Martialists.

Soul Crystals are essential for Soul Martialists, but they vary in quality. One hundred low-grade Soul Crystals are equivalent to one medium-grade Soul Crystal, and one hundred medium-grade Soul Crystals equal one high-grade Soul Crystal.

Beyond this, there are supreme-grade and ultimate-grade Soul Crystals.

According to Lin Qian's master, there was a legendary crystal known as the Sacred Soul Crystal, a pure, flawless crystal that existed only in myths—no one had ever seen one.

But now, such a mythical crystal was right in front of Lin Qian, and it was a legacy from his parents.

The Soul Crystal before him was entirely pure white, without a single impurity, and the soul power it radiated brought Lin Qian immense comfort.

Based on his master's descriptions, this crystal, which was much larger than his head, was a genuine Sacred Soul Crystal.

A standard Soul Crystal is the size of a pinky finger.

A Sacred Soul Crystal of that size is priceless—if it were exchanged, it would be worth a thousand ultimate-grade Soul Crystals, or ten thousand supreme-grade Soul Crystals, or even ten million high-grade Soul Crystals!

The entire value of Bashan City was only equivalent to a hundred high-grade Soul Crystals.

But the Sacred Soul Crystal Lin Qian held could be divided into at least two thousand pieces!

In his previous life, Lin Qian had experienced the sudden wealth of inheriting a massive fortune. He never imagined that in this life, he would experience such wealth again.

"I always thought my parents were just a couple of Soul Martialists lodging with the Ye family, but now it seems they're far more than that," Lin Qian muttered, staring at the Sacred Soul Crystal in a daze, overwhelmed by the sudden influx of unimaginable wealth.

The value of the Sacred Soul Crystal before him was so terrifying that it exceeded Lin Qian's understanding.

"I must not let anyone know about this. Possessing such a large Sacred Soul Crystal is something I must keep secret," Lin Qian reminded himself, taking a deep breath before storing the Sacred Soul Crystal in his mysterious martial soul.

As soon as Lin Qian touched the crystal, it vanished into thin air, reappearing in his dantian within the twisted vortex of his martial soul.

However, Lin Qian was unaware that behind his vortex martial soul, the massive Sacred Soul Crystal suddenly landed in the hands of a man with disheveled hair like a bird's nest.

Seeing the Sacred Soul Crystal in his hands, the man's face twisted with a manic expression, and he began laughing wildly. "Hahaha, with this energy body, the empire's restoration can be completed soon."

The crazed man caressed the Sacred Soul Crystal and looked up at the twisted vortex in the sky. "Your Majesty, just a little longer, just a little longer, and we will be able to behold your supreme glory and kneel at your feet. Success is near, it's almost here, hahaha…"

But Lin Qian knew nothing of this. He couldn't even imagine that there was someone living behind his mysterious martial soul, and that this person was a madman!

Lin Qian's attention was entirely focused on the letter inside the leather envelope.

The letter had been pressed under the Sacred Soul Crystal and hadn't been visible when he first opened the envelope. Now that the crystal was gone, he could see the letter left behind.

The letter was long and detailed, covering many things.

After reading the letter, Lin Qian let out a long breath, his emotions churning for a long time.

The letter was divided into two parts. The first part was from his mother, mostly telling him to eat well, dress warmly, and sleep soundly. Her nagging brought a warm feeling to Lin Qian's heart.

The second part, from his father, was much more significant.

First, his father confirmed that the Sacred Soul Crystal was indeed left for him, and he instructed Lin Qian to scrape off some powder from it, dissolve it, and drink it. This would greatly enhance his physical strength.

Once Lin Qian consumed the crystal, his body would be as strong as someone at the Nirvana Realm, with a lifespan of five hundred years—long enough for them to return.

However, his father had no idea that his son had encountered an extraordinary fate and could actually cultivate.

Second, Lin Qian's parents were not originally from Qingzhou. They had to return to their homeland to cure his lack of a martial soul, and it might take a year or two, or it might take decades—they might even never return.

If they did not return within twenty years, Lin Qian was advised to live a peaceful life in Bashan City.

Third, if Lin Qian had another stroke of luck or managed to awaken a martial soul, he should refine the Sacred Soul Crystal and steadily improve his cultivation. He was not to deliberately search for them or mention that he was their son.

When the time was right, their family would naturally reunite.

Finally, his father briefly mentioned a relic in Bashan.

"Who exactly are my parents, and why can't I say I'm their son?" Lin Qian muttered, frowning as he clenched his fists. The intense pressure caused soul energy to flare up, shredding the letter in his hand.

After reading the letter and considering the priceless Sacred Soul Crystal, Lin Qian realized that the image he had of his parents was now shrouded in mystery, making them hard to discern.

"No matter what, I will find you," Lin Qian vowed, his expression determined as he clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. In his previous life, he had been an orphan, and in this life, he refused to be one again!

As Lin Qian got off the bed and walked into the front hall, his expression suddenly changed.

He was surprised to find that the spiritual energy being emitted by the vortex in his martial soul seemed to have increased significantly!

This unexpected change left Lin Qian puzzled. Normally, the spiritual energy emitted by the vortex would gradually increase, but the process was slow. Now, however, it was surging like a geyser!

"Why has this martial soul suddenly changed?" Lin Qian wondered. He had never fully understood the mysteries of his martial soul, and this sudden change left him uncertain whether it was a good or bad omen.

Suddenly, he thought of the Sacred Soul Crystal and how he had just stored it within his martial soul.

"Could it be that the Sacred Soul Crystal stimulated my martial soul, causing this change?" Lin Qian speculated, flexing his fingers as he pondered.

Then, a smile spread across his face. "I couldn't have used the Sacred Soul Crystal for cultivation anyway. Without sufficient cultivation, it would be slower than refining high-grade Soul Crystals. But now, with my martial soul enhanced, it's producing even more spiritual energy, which will actually help me cultivate faster."

Feeling the abundant spiritual energy within him, refining his body and enhancing his soul power, Lin Qian grinned as he pushed open the door and stepped outside.

Leaving the Ye Mansion, Lin Qian, dressed in simple robes, walked along Bashan Street, blending in without attracting any attention.

However, after passing through the city gates, Lin Qian veered off the main road and entered the dense forest. Only when he was sure he was alone did he let out a sigh of relief.

The powerful soul energy around Lin Qian swirled, pure and white without a hint of impurity, and his concealed strength of the fifth level of the Formation Realm became fully apparent.

Boom!

With a powerful stomp, Lin Qian launched himself forward like a whirlwind, leaving the ground behind him in a spray of dirt as he vanished from sight.

In the forest, Lin Qian moved with incredible agility, deftly dodging trees without losing any speed.

After sprinting for what felt like the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the forest suddenly opened up before him, revealing a riverside at the foot of Bashan.

Three people were already gathered by the river, two of whom were the Myriad Image Sect disciples Zhao Qiang and Zhao Jian, who were staying at the Ye Mansion.

The third person was a refined young man with fair skin and extraordinary looks. Anyone from Bashan City would immediately recognize him as Bai Ren, the son of the city lord, the young master of the Bai family, and the pride of Bashan City.

Seeing Lin Qian approach, the three were somewhat surprised but quickly turned to bow to him, including Bai Ren.

"Senior Brother Lin!"

Just as the three finished speaking, there was a sudden creaking sound from a nearby tree.

"Who's there?" Lin Qian, who had just arrived, immediately turned and thrust out his palm, sending a blast of soul power toward the treetop.

A startled cry followed as a small figure fell from the tree. When Lin Qian saw who it was, his expression turned odd, and he couldn't help but chuckle. "Ye Lin, what are you doing here, you little rascal?"