Chapter 201

Heishan Town, Outer City.

Three members of the Mystic Eagle Sect, faces obscured by black eagle masks, waited in silence.

A moment later, a figure flashed into existence beside them with extreme speed—Tao Xuehai, fresh from Xinyu Town.

"Sixth Brother, you're late," a woman said indifferently. She was the tallest of the three, and despite the concealing black robe, her silhouette betrayed a fiery, almost exaggerated voluptuousness. This was Xie Xinlan, the First of the Mystic Eagle Sect's Six Elites.

"I'll be careful next time." Tao Xuehai sounded despondent.

Ever since hearing the name Typhoon Sword Technique, he had yearned for it. This trip back, he had pinned his hopes on learning it. The Master had been generous, holding nothing back and teaching him the introductory method directly.

But it was a pity...

He had watched the Master demonstrate it personally over a dozen times, yet when it was his turn, he couldn't execute it at all. Not even a tenth of it. The entry requirement demanded the instantaneous construction of over a thousand Internal Force circuits. He would get dizzy and collapse after barely managing a dozen.

The gap was so vast it bred despair.

"Sixth Brother, did you go back to Xinyu Town again? Is a mere martial arts teacher you once bowed to really worth such respect?" A rough-voiced man spoke up. Despite the gravel in his tone, his words were meticulous and concerned. This was Chen Ji, the Second of the Six Elites. "That place is too close to the Inner City. The risk is immense. You need to be more careful."

"Thanks for the reminder, Second Brother, but the grace of the Master teaching me his arts is something I will never forget. Besides, you don't understand. The Master... he is not an ordinary martial artist. He is very strong." Tao Xuehai nodded earnestly.

"Very strong? How strong can he be? The upper limit for martial artists is set in stone. Even if he can punch above his weight, so what?" Chen Ji scoffed. "I've heard the reputation of Lin Hui, the Temple Master of Clear Wind Temple—the Formless Sword. But at most, he's at the Circulation Realm. With our current strength, if we were to fight him, allowing him to make a second move would be an insult to the previous Sect Master's teachings."

"Second Brother, watch your words," Xie Xinlan warned, a frown evident in her voice.

"Fine, fine, I won't say it. I'm just worried because Little Six was almost surrounded and killed the last time he came back from Xinyu Town. Yet he dared to go alone again. Is he really not afraid of death? Dying is one thing, but delaying our great undertaking..."

"Second Brother!" Xie Xinlan interrupted sharply.

"He's talking nonsense again, Sixth Brother, don't mind him," she said, turning to comfort Tao Xuehai.

"I know Second Brother's temper; it's fine," Tao Xuehai said calmly, gripping the hilt of his sword. "He hasn't seen the Master in person. People cannot imagine things that exist outside their cognition, so I understand."

"Hey, are you calling me stupid?" Chen Ji bristled.

"I have no such intention, but if Second Brother insists on thinking so, that is also fine," Tao Xuehai replied flatly.

"Alright, enough, both of you." Xie Xinlan sighed. "Since everyone is here, let's start the next phase. While avenging the Sect Master is our goal, we must also consider how to maximize our benefits and expand the Mystic Eagle Sect's foundation. If our sect truly wants to step into the top tier, our cultivation must first reach a sufficient height. The Eagle God Statue held by the target family will be of great help to us."

She paused, her voice deepening. "Secondly, we need sufficient proficiency in imitation arts. Our current technology is too weak, the tier too poor. The effect after fusion is barely at the Circulation level. If we can upgrade it to the Divine Officer level, we can give our capable subordinates truly powerful life-saving methods in the future."

"This raid on the Lin family is our first full-scale invasion of a large aristocratic clan. The danger is extreme. Among those present, perhaps one of us is destined to stay there forever. This is not a joke, nor can it be compared to the medium-sized families we raided before. So... I will ask one more time. are you still going?"

"Go."

"I have long disregarded life and death."

"Don't ask if we're going, just tell us where."

The answers varied in tone, but the resolve was identical.

"Good... if I fall this time, the position of First will be passed down in order. Move out!" Xie Xinlan commanded.

…

Clear Wind Temple, Rear Manor.

Lin Hui nodded slightly as he watched Lin Xiaoliu earnestly practicing basic sword moves in the courtyard.

Huang Shan was responsible for her instruction.

Half a year ago, Lin Xiaoliu's speech had finally become clear. To lay a solid foundation for her future entry into the Inner City to complete the Called One training, the Lin family had unanimously agreed to let Lin Hui oversee her martial arts education.

Although Lin Hui's own cultivation ceiling was technically capped, his comprehension was so high that even the Nine Dreams Sect sent people to study under him, and the Inspectorate Division maintained a year-round exchange program. The martial arts standard at Clear Wind Temple was undeniably top-tier.

Moreover, even his elder brother, Liu Wujun, acknowledged that mastering speed and movement techniques—the ability to escape danger—would be Lin Xiaoliu's greatest trump card.

Thus, the family decided she would cultivate at Clear Wind Temple for two years, building a foundation in movement arts before entering the city.

Now, Lin Xiaoliu had grown to over a meter tall, resembling an elementary school student from Lin Hui's past life. Under Huang Shan's guidance, she wielded a wooden sword, moving somewhat clumsily as she learned how to draw the weapon and execute strikes without injuring her own wrist.

While monitoring her progress, Lin Hui sat cross-legged on a cushion in the corner, listening to Wang Hongshi report on current affairs.

"The location you mentioned is too far. We only managed one safe transport of supplies. We were attacked by monsters more than ten times along the way. If not for Senior Sister Xia protecting us, the team might have lost half its members on a single trip," Wang Hongshi said helplessly.

"It doesn't matter. Xia Si is idle anyway. It's good to let her go out and be active. She has a restless nature," Lin Hui replied calmly.

"But Senior Sister Xia is... unambiguous when she fights. She kills the moment she says she will... what if she provokes some massive trouble?" Wang Hongshi, honest and steady by nature, was prone to worry.

"Don't worry about it; I will speak with her."

Xia Si had almost completed Body Tempering using the Clear Wind Sword Technique. In a single year, she had not only perfected the Seven-Section Swift Sword but also nearly finished the Clear Wind Sword Technique, condensing her Internal Force early on. Even Lin Hui called her speed monstrous. He had simply taught her the Wild Wind Sword Technique and let her develop freely.

Now, with the perfected Clear Wind Sword Technique, superimposed with Internal Force, her own naturally monstrous strength, powerful physique, and special movement methods... she had become a formidable combatant. Her movement was elusive, her sword strikes lightning-fast, and her strength terrifying.

No one in the sect could beat her. In fact, despite having joined only a year ago, this nine-year-old child easily thrashed everyone in Clear Wind Temple.

When mentioning Xia Si, Wang Hongshi, Chen Sui, and the others felt a mix of respect and fear. Respect, because this half-grown child helped escort Clear Wind Temple's teams everywhere, taking on the dangerous tasks in the sedimented Mist Zones that no one else wanted.

She didn't fear death. No—she didn't seem to understand what death meant. She was always the first to rush in when a monster appeared, often ending the battle before the rest of the team could react.

"Just tell me about the trouble encountered recently." Lin Hui narrowed his eyes, circulating the Internal Force within his body. He never wasted a moment, maintaining his cultivation even during these intervals.

"It was Junior Sister Qiu Yiren. She had a conflict in Huangjia Town. There were residual grievances from the last incident," Wang Hongshi explained. "Junior Sister took some people to dine at the local Yuqing Restaurant. During the meal, she heard people at other tables discussing Clear Wind Temple and mentioning your reputation... with much disdain. She was furious and fought them on the spot."

Wang Hongshi paused, waiting for questions. Seeing none, he continued.

"After knocking them all down, she led our people away. But halfway back, she was blocked by reinforcements the other party had called in. A second encounter broke out. This time, the opposition struck hard. Two of our disciples died, three were seriously injured, and fifteen suffered light injuries. Junior Sister Qiu Yiren was also heavily wounded."

"...Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Lin Hui sighed.

He had been preoccupied with exploring the maze in the Outer Mist Zone. After exhausting efforts over the past year, he had finally groped out a small, safe path penetrating a few hundred meters deep.

If not for the Wind Disaster Affinity being truly effective—cleansing his blinded senses and decomposing disturbances whenever he brushed himself with it—exploring even a short distance in that maze would have been impossible for another decade.

"You left early and returned late; we often couldn't find you, so..." Wang Hongshi trailed off.

"Let's go. We'll see Yiren together." Lin Hui stood up.

Qiu Yiren had always been his most fervent admirer in Clear Wind Temple, a diehard loyalist. Now that she was injured, he had to see her personally.

"Yes... only, the location of Junior Sister Yiren's injury is a bit... indecent. Actually, the reason it dragged on until now is that she asked me not to tell you..." Wang Hongshi whispered.

Lin Hui was speechless. He glanced at Huang Shan, whose expression made it clear she knew as well. He was the only one kept in the dark.

Not bothering with further words, he had Wang Hongshi lead the way to Qiu Yiren's private courtyard.

As Clear Wind Temple's scale expanded, they had purchased large plots of land in the neighborhood, adding many courtyard houses for disciples. As one of the top ten, Qiu Yiren naturally qualified for one.

Entering the courtyard, they found Qiu Yiren lying prone on a rattan chair. Her robe was hiked up, revealing bandages wrapped around her hips.

The injury was clearly on her buttocks.

Seeing Lin Hui, Qiu Yiren immediately bounced up, yanked down her robe, and looked at them with a flushed face.

"Temple Master! Why are you here!? Why didn't you say so in advance??"

"I'm here to understand the situation. How is it? Is the injury healing?" Lin Hui asked.

"It's okay, it's okay, just a flesh wound," she stammered, then her expression darkened with indignation. "It's just... Temple Master, those people from the Hongfei Sect and Myriad Medicine Villa are too disgusting! They talked nonsense outside, saying that you casually humiliate female disciples in Clear Wind Temple all day long, and that all the female members are... toys you play with at will. I couldn't listen to such filth, so I drew my sword. If they had just said it about me alone, I would have tolerated it, but they expanded the scope to the entire Clear Wind Temple! It was too excessive! The more I thought about it, the angrier I got..."

"Wait—what do you mean you'd have tolerated it if it was just you?" Wang Hongshi coughed loudly, quickly reminding his Junior Sister of her phrasing.

Qiu Yiren froze. Her pretty face turned crimson, and she instantly lowered her head, not daring to make a sound.

"..."

Lin Hui was speechless. He had known about Qiu Yiren's feelings for a long time, assuming they would fade with time. But now it seemed... not only had they not faded, but they had also evolved into something slightly perverse.

"Alright..." Lin Hui sighed, his voice hardening. "Tell me. Who exactly dares to touch us behind this matter?"