"Does the Villa Master not know?" Gongsun Li was also sowhat surprised; he had always known that Lin Xin had more than one channel for intelligence, and he couldn’t believe that Lin Xin was unaware of such a significant matter.
"What matter?"
Now it was Lin Xin’s turn to be startled.
Gongsun Li turned his face to look at the disciples practicing in the morning, the continuous shouts and calls echoing nonstop.
He let out a sowhat lancholic sigh.
"On the eighteenth day past, in the border region of the Song State, Young Master Zhen was investigating an incident where a manor disciple t with an accidental death. Unexpectedly, he encountered an ambush by the Star Calamity Hall operatives of the Red Mansion. They deployed thirteen Qi Refinent experts and also had a master from the Void Sword Cave hiding nearby. Fortunately, Young Master Zhen is versed in the Formation Path; using the Jade Array Plate, he concealed himself and fled all the way."
"Such a huge incident happened to Zhen’er!?" Lin Xin was also shaken, anger rising in his heart. "The Red Mansion, Star Calamity Hall has gone too far..."
"Young Master Zhen is safe; he escaped and returned. The matter was considered resolved, but after Young Master Qing learned about it, in a fit of rage, he disguised his identity and entered one of the main cities under the Red Mansion’s control, lody City, alone. He slew thirteen Foundation Establishnt experts. Afterwards, he was pursued for thousands of miles by the Alchemical Taoist Master and, although he was gravely injured, he managed to plunder the Red Mansion’s tribute treasures accumulated over the past decade from several dozen cities, along with various other items. Although we manage intelligence, had Young Master Qing not unintentionally withheld this information, I wouldn’t necessarily believe that it was he who pulled off such a feat that night," Gongsun Li also expressed with admiration.
Lin Xin’s eyes had already widened.
"Are you certain you’re not mistaken? lody City is one of the Red Mansion’s main cities, guarded by the Daoist Masters at the frontier. Young Master Qing... how could he possibly...?!"
It was like listening to mythology for him. Nan Shunqing had only been cultivating for a few years, from his initiation to now, just over a decade. Slaying thirteen Foundation Establishnt experts felt a bit too fantastical.
Was he sure he wasn’t listening to a legendary novel about the astonishing and peerless founders from history?
"I am certain I am not mistaken." Gongsun Li’s assured deanor indicated that he wasn’t seeing things due to failing eyesight or misreading intelligence. "Does the Villa Master know the real na of the cultivation technique that Young Master Qing is practicing now?"
"What is it?"
Lin Xin asked curiously.
"The strongest sword technique of the Golden Jade Sect, the Heavenly Garnt Sword Technique."
"Heavenly Garnt..." Lin Xin trembled slightly. On the outside, it was just a shiver, but inside, he felt as though his heart was churned by a tumultuous sea.
Ordinary disciples of the Golden Jade Sect mostly practice the Seamless Sword Technique, which belongs to the ordinary sword techniques beneath the Qi Refinent level. During the Qi Refinent Realm, it is common to practice the Thunder Fire Alchemy Dao, and upon reaching the Foundation Establishnt Stage, they start cultivating the real strongest sword dao—Heavenly Garnt Sword Technique and Plum Flower Sky Gang Formation.
"Heavenly Garnt without a seam" refers to the core essence of Golden Jade Sect’s swordsmanship, a peerless skill for suppressing opposition from all sides. The founder of the sect once wielded this very sword technique to dominate the lands, and at the height of its glory, even the Heavenly Cloud Daoists gave way.
Most importantly, only those at the Foundation Establishnt Stage could cultivate the Heavenly Garnt Sword Technique...
"Is Qing’er truly...?" Lin Xin was still sowhat in disbelief.
"I dare not conceal from the Villa Master, the speed of Young Master Qing’s cultivation is astonishing, even a Spirit Gathering Physique can only gape in astonishnt," Gongsun Li said with a wry smile.
Lin Xin also gave a wry smile.
A deep sense of jealousy towards his own disciple welled up within him.
He thought about how much he had given for the advancent of his cultivation, living in constant fear every day, often walking between life and death, suffering heavy injuries countless tis, and narrowly escaping death just as many. Despite cultivating for over twenty years, he still hadn’t entered the Foundation Establishnt Stage.
And yet, in just over a decade, Nan Shunqing not only stepped into the Foundation Establishnt Stage but also possessed a strength that was clearly far above the ordinary.
"Really... what’s there to be jealous of in my own disciple?" Lin Xin soon laughed dryly, letting go of the jealousy in his heart, and refrained from dwelling on it.
"What about the other children?" he asked again.
Gongsun Li smiled and replied,
"Young Master Zhen is on the verge of entering Qi Refinent and is also studying the Formation Path. Young Master Luo is surrounded by mystery; I’ve heard that he is cultivating an extrely secretive and powerful technique, but I don’t know what it is. His strength is also advancing rapidly. As for Miss Lin Duan, you already know about her situation. Recently, the manor has developed a special dicinal treatnt that can heal heart and spirit wounds inflicted by grudges and resentful spirits; it has sold tens of thousands of units and is quite popular, providing a significant relief to the manor’s financial difficulties."
"What about the others?" Lin Xin continued.
"The others..." When Gongsun Li got to this point, his expression beca sowhat unusual. "There’s sothing, Villa Master, I’m not sure if I should speak of it."
"What could you possibly have to say that I can’t hear?" Lin Xin laughed. The manor’s disciples no longer required his constant attention, and there was even a suggestion of them surpassing the teacher, which lightened his mood.
Gongsun Li organized his thoughts and said hesitantly,
"Miss Hua Yaozhu, her appearance is still that of when she was around fifteen or sixteen years old. Her qi-blood is abundant, not suggesting of soone of lesser cultivation than those trained in internal arts... Logically, she should be in her twenties by now... Even with the impressive spiritual energy within the manor and the nourishnt of various spiritual dicines, it shouldn’t be like this..."
Lin Xin frowned slightly.
"Are you implying that..."
"If the Villa Master doesn’t believe it, he can see for himself. Incidentally, Young Master Zhen and Miss Yaozhu seem to be getting a little too close... On several occasions, late at night, I’ve also seen Young Master Zhen coming out of Miss Yaozhu’s room..." Gongsun Li is not one to spread gossip; he is typically steady and conservative, so when he speaks of seeing several night visits, it must an that there have been quite a few such occurrences.
"Zhen’er?" Lin Xin frowned.
Leaving the training ground, Lin Xin headed straight for the area where Hua Yaozhu, a na-listed disciple, lived.
Spirit Heart Villa had expanded trendously, now almost doubling the original expanse of the bamboo forest, transforming it into a vast bamboo sea. Inside were hundreds of courtyards, both large and small, occupied by relatives, disciples, senior mbers, and their families and children.
Lin Xin crossed several alleys that had beco like small streets, quickening his pace, nearly all the people he passed felt only a breeze and had no realization of his presence.
Without announcent or detection, Lin Xin soon appeared silently in Hua Yaozhu’s courtyard.
The ground of the courtyard was covered with many flower pots, featuring reds, yellows, purples, and blues—a riot of dazzling colors.
A faint fragrance also lingered in the air, subtly pervading the surroundings.
"Who’s there!" Suddenly, a sharp voice echoed from the room.
The door burst open, and a white figure shot out.
Chi!
Lin Xin’s finger released a white sword energy that disappeared into thin air, then appeared directly at the person’s forehead with a hiss.
A trickle of blood seeped slowly from Hua Yaozhu’s skin as the sword energy, hanging like a flying dagger, hovered at the center of her forehead, just short of piercing into her brain and taking her life on the spot.
"So it’s Master," she said, noticing it was Lin Xin, and hesitantly retracted the sharp clawed gauntlets she was wearing.
"Yaozhu, I haven’t visited you for a long ti. Today, I suddenly rembered and missed you, so I thought I’d make a trip," Lin Xin looked Hua Yaozhu up and down.
He hadn’t seen her for over a year and even in normal tis, her presence was scarce. Although called a nad disciple, Hua Yaozhu’s main teachers were in fact Ou Yinghong and Taoist Lu Suo.
Having not seen her for a long ti, Hua Yaozhu had beco prettier, her lips red, her teeth white, her skin fair and supple, the epito of a delicate girl with a touch of vulnerability.
"You’ve worried yourself unnecessarily, Master," Hua Yaozhu said with so trepidation.
"No need for concern. I really haven’t paid much attention to you," Lin Xin admitted sincerely, but his gaze scrutinized her face carefully.
Indeed, as Gongsun Li had said, Hua Yaozhu’s body seed to still be stuck in the youthful state of a fifteen or sixteen-year-old, and in close observation, he couldn’t feel any Inner Qi cultivation in her body that could delay aging.
"Your body..." Lin Xin frowned. "What’s going on?"
He didn’t beat around the bush but asked directly.
Hua Yaozhu also looked puzzled.
"I don’t know. Ever since I was fifteen, I have stayed in this state, not aging at all. I haven’t cultivated any Inner Qi and can’t cultivate it, but my body is exhibiting this strange phenonon."
Fear flickered in her eyes.
"Master, could it be that I have so... so kind of disease?"
As she spoke, she leaned slightly toward Lin Xin, her ample bosom pressing subtly against his arm.
A strange fragrance slowly spread, entering his nostrils and stoking an increasing sense of desire.
Lin Xin’s brow furrowed; he shook his sleeve and forcefully shook her off. Upon sensing again, he still couldn’t feel any trace of Inner Qi or Spiritual Energy.
"What kind of twisted and evil path have you learned?!"
Hua Yaozhu was flung to the ground, and with a tear, despite Lin Xin not exerting much force, her clothes were sohow ripped. She looked reproachfully at him with her sowhat exposed white dress revealing a significant portion of her chest and her pale, long legs nearly exposed to the root. One hand covered her chest, yet subtly pulled it downward. The other hand guarded her lower body but lifted the hem of her dress imperceptibly.
"Master..."
Lin Xin narrowed his eyes, scanning the surroundings, already realizing sothing was off with Hua Yaozhu.
Just then, he heard a rush of hurried footsteps coming from behind him.
With a bang, Lin Zhen ca running in eagerly. His face was initially smiling, but upon seeing the scene in front of him—Hua Yaozhu thrown on the ground, nearly half-naked—his expression changed. He was just about to get angry, but then he saw the only man standing in the courtyard was his father, Lin Xin.
"Father!"
His eyes blazed as he quickly stepped around Lin Xin and rushed to Hua Yaozhu’s side, embracing her.
"Yaozhu, are you alright? Did you get hurt anywhere?"
"Zhen’er," Lin Xin’s brow wrinkled.
"Father, Yaozhu doesn’t know any martial arts; she is just a weak woman! She isn’t an internal martial arts expert, even if you wanted to test martial skills on her, there was no need to be so rough..." He didn’t finish his sentence, but his eyes clearly displayed his dissatisfaction.
He couldn’t believe that his father, who was so deeply in love with soone, would do anything to Yaozhu; he was only worried that Lin Xin might have been too harsh while testing her martial skills.
Seeing his deeply rooted affection, Lin Xin’s brows tightened. He truly wasn’t an ideal or good father. Ever since he stayed with Xiao Lingling, he devoted all his energy to the martial way and Lingling, giving perhaps less than half the attention and ti to his children than an average parent would.
But now, seeing his reaction... (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welco to visit Qidian (qidian) to vote for recomndation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian to read.)
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