The motive behind Zhao Yun’s sentence was a trivial matter as Shi Yu’s head was aching from figuring out what to do about Lin Xun’s duel against Hua Wuyou.
He didn’t doubt that Hua Wuyou would retaliate against Lin Xun through all means if he didn’t take the challenge given her unruly behavior!
Shi Yu couldn’t help but grumble, “Damn it. That woman is so troublesome.”
“I already said to leave me to handle it.” Lin Xun smiled.
His right arm was recovering at an astonishing speed and only a faint scar remained on the back of his right hand. The scar would soon fade, but Lin Xun would never forget the provocation and blow he had suffered from Hua Wuyou.
He had been through many dangerous battles ever since he started his cultivation. For example, Little Sword Lord Xie Yutang had pressed a sword against his throat to threaten him, and Chi Cangfeng contemptuously tried to suppress him.
Now, Hua Wuyou had unscrupulously attempted to kill him. If he continued to tolerate them, he would be no different from a cowardly turtle!
“I must take the challenge!” Lin Xun’s voice didn’t waver in the slightest.
“Then…” Shi Yu and Ning Meng both hesitated.
Regardless of how obnoxious Hua Wuyou was, she was still an extremely powerful and fierce figure among the younger generation. This was obvious from the fact that she had successfully entered the Dao Martial Department of Qinglu Academy as a formal student within one year of studying there.Even though she was only at the perfect intermediate Spirit Sea Stage, ordinary advanced Spirit Sea cultivators were no match for her!
Among the Spirit Sea Stage descendants of the aristocratic clans in the Forbidden City, Hua Wuyou was considered in the top one hundred in terms of strength!
Her ranking might not seem amazing, but there were countless remarkable cultivators from the aristocratic clans in the Forbidden City. She could be called a top figure among her peers to be able to rank in the top one hundred of the Spirit Sea Stage.
Lin Xun had just broken through to the initial Spirit Sea Stage. Although he possessed abnormal strength, he was still much inferior to Hua Wuyou.
Knowing that, neither Shi Yu nor Ning Meng particularly agreed with Lin Xun’s decision.
“This matter started because of me, and I should take care of it myself. Lin Xun, you don’t need to be troubled by it. You need to take charge of the Lin Family in the future so I can’t let anything happen to you!” Lin Xuefeng suddenly said through gritted teeth, his face bearing a look of determination.
Shi Yu and Ning Meng were taken aback. They never thought that Lin Xun wasn’t the one who caused the storm. Instead, it was his cousin!
However, Lin Xun said coldly, “If I thought that, I never would have saved you. We don’t need to discuss this anymore. I will be the one to deal with this matter!”
Lin Xuefeng’s expression changed indefinitely while complex emotions tumbled endlessly in his heart. There was resentment, self-blame, guilt, sadness and many unidentifiable emotions...It was indescribably complicated.
“I…” Lin Xuefeng was about to speak when Lin Xun clapped him on the shoulder.
“Don‘t worry, just leave everything to me.”
“Fine, since we can’t change your mind.” Shi Yu could tell that Lin Xun’s decision wouldn’t change no matter what they said.
“Then would you like us to help beat her up first so she can’t participate in the duel?” suggested Ning Meng.
Although it was a shady plan, it was effective, and it made Shi Yu and Lin Xuefeng’s eyes light up.
“No need.” Lin Xun shook his head. His dark eyes were narrowed like he was lost in contemplation. “This battle might be an opportunity for me.”
“What opportunity?” Ning Meng asked.
Shi Yu thought about it for a moment, and his eyes filled with realization. “Do you want to use this battle to make a name for yourself in the Forbidden City?”
“Kind of.” Lin Xun didn’t directly deny it.
If he won against Hua Wuyou, his prestige would no doubt soar and that would bring immeasurable benefits to him when he took charge of Mind Cleansing Peak in the future!
He could get rid of the title weakest aristocratic clan leader in the Forbidden City!
“I don’t mean to dampen your spirits but I want to ask you what if…”
Lin Xun interrupted Ning Meng like he knew what he was going to say, “I will not consider the possibility of failing.” His voice was sonorous.
“All right! When you win, I’ll hold another banquet at Precious Laughter House to celebrate for you!” Shi Yu exclaimed.
“I don’t dare to attend your banquets anymore. What if the same thing happens as it did tonight? I would go crazy.”
Shi Yu’s expression stiffened while Ning Meng burst out laughing.
……
It was late at night when Lin Xun left Precious Laughter House.
Third Old Zhu brought Lin Xuefeng back to the North Light Lin Clan and then steered the carriage to Mind Cleansing Peak.
On the way, Lin Zhong learned about the incident at Precious Laughter House and couldn’t help but feel angry and worried. Of course, Lin Zhong disagreed with Lin Xun’s decision to accept Hua Wuyou’s challenge in three days, but he also knew that he couldn’t persuade Lin Xun.
“Uncle Zhong, when we return to Mind Cleansing Peak, can you give Mister Spirit Vulture this bag of 1.9 million gold coins and tell him to raise the strength of Mind Cleansing Peak as quickly as possible no matter what method he uses?” Lin Xun handed a storage bag to Lin Zhong.
The huge bag of money was from Shi Yu, and it contained the money he earned from the seven rare rune materials that Lin Xun had auctioned off a while ago. There had been a total of 2.2 million gold coins, but after paying back Shi Yu the 300,000 gold coins that Lin Xun borrowed from him, there were only 1.9 million gold coins left. On average, each rune material had sold for an astonishing price of three hundred thousand gold coins!
Lin Xun could solve many urgent matters with that huge amount of money. At least, he no longer had to worry about making money for a period.
“Young Master, why?” asked Lin Zhong.
“I have a hunch that more troubles will come to our door, and we don’t have much time left.”
Lin Xun took a deep breath, looking grim. ”If our Lin Family wants to rise, not only will we suffer from the repulsion and resistance of the collateral branches, but many outsiders will interfere. We...must be fully prepared for those situations.”
Lin Zhong’s eyes narrowed. He couldn’t help but feel emotional as he gazed at the calm and resolute face of the youngster beside him. Young Master has changed a lot from the first day he arrived at Mind Cleansing Peak.
He had begun to adapt to his identity and had started to form a majestic and imposing bearing.
This was precisely the path of transformation that every clan leader must walk!
……
When they returned to Mind Cleansing Peak, Lin Xun headed to the cliff at the top of the mountain. The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The sea of clouds was dark ,and the chilly mountain breeze ruffled the young man’s hair.
Clang!
After a while, Lin Xun swung his blade up and his figure fluttered in the air like a rainbow. He practiced his blade skills among the sea of clouds and mountainous wind.
The blade was the way, and the way was the blade.
After he stepped into the Spirit Sea Stage and began to comprehend the power of heaven and earth, his martial arts and cultivation base also started to change. He began to learn and manipulate the mighty power of heaven and earth.
Only then did Lin Xun realize that he could display the true powers of the Heavenly Yuan Blade Art.
Star-Gather was always powerful but it still couldn’t wound Spirit Sea Stage cultivators. This wasn’t because the cultivation art wasn’t strong enough. Instead, Lin Xun’s cultivation base wasn’t strong enough.
Now, he could draw upon the power of heaven and earth when he performed Star-Gather, and its power was more than double compared to before!
The power of Moon-Catch was even more marvelous. Once performed, it was as though a bright moon was walking in the air that could shake mountains and kill all things in the way.
Lin Xun was practicing and understanding Moon-Catch in nature.
Under the hazy moonlight, he maneuvered through the sea of clouds, his long hair fluttering in the breeze and his sharp blade reflecting the moonlight.
His expression was calm, and his black eyes were indifferent. It was as if he had long forgotten everything that had happened in Precious Laughter House and was fully immersed and losing himself.
In terms of cultivation, he was comprehending the meaning and was so elated to the degree that he forgot his form.
Lin Xun’s blade whizzed like the breeze under the bright moon moving with his mind. It was untraceable like flowing clouds and water.
“As before, he is practicing his blade skills again, but he isn’t eager for quick success to rapidly improve his cultivation. It seems that the duel in three days isn’t affecting him,” Spirit Vulture remarked thoughtfully.
Xiaoke nodded.
Lin Xun’s state was extremely natural, and his bearing was indifferent and leisurely. If he had any distracting thoughts in his mind, it would be impossible to appear so calm.
Lin Zhong was peering at the mountain summit from a thatched cottage on the other side of the mountain. From time to time, a strange glint flashed across his eyes.
“Martial Dao, Martial Dao, the Dao of Martial…Young Master has started to enter the Dao from the Martial and is grasping the true meaning of battle.” Lin Zhong murmured, “Back then, I only started to understand this when I was at the advanced Spirit Sea Stage. I wonder what sort of imagery power that Young Master will control when he breaks through to the Heaven Ascension Stage…”
“Who said that only those at the Heaven Ascension Stage can control the Great Dao Imagery Power?” a muffled voice rang out from the cottage.
There was no need to guess to know it was Third Old Zhu.
“When I was fighting on the battlefield back then, I once saw a young man who mastered the imagery of fire among the Great Dao of Five Elements despite being only at the intermediate Spirit Sea Stage. Under his sword, flames flowed thousands of miles and incinerated thousands of mountains. It was an unparalleled power in the world.”
Third Old Zhu’s voice remained as indifferent as a rock, but Lin Zhong’s expression dramatically changed. “Who was it?”
“He wasn’t a cultivator from the empire. I only know his name is Chen Xiandu.”
Lin Zhong fell silent, staring at Lin Xun who was brandishing his blade among the moonlit clouds at the summit. He finally said ruminatively, “So, do you think that Young Master can pry into the Great Dao Imagery Power before reaching the Heaven Ascension Stage?”
“I don’t know,” Third Old Zhu answered bluntly, making Lin Zhong’s expression freeze on his face.
After a while, Lin Zhong said confidently, “Even if Young Master can’t, at his current strength, he can stand proudly among Spirit Sea cultivators!” His voice was full of indescribable pride.