Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 118 - 114: The Oncoming Force Down

Chapter 118: Chapter 114: The Oncoming Force Down

"There’s no issue... The manor is operating normally, and as long as there aren’t any major problems, there’s basically nothing for me to do, so rest assured," Lin Xin came back to his senses and said with a smile.

Xiao Lingling had a very good point: if Lin Xin didn’t want to talk about something, she would never press for details, but would just smile slightly and change the subject.

"Lingling,"

"Hm?"

"Do you think there are cultivators who can control several different magic artifacts by themselves, I mean those above Second Grade," Lin Xin asked softly.

Xiao Lingling was well-read and had seen more than Lin Xin in the past few years because she couldn’t leave the courtyard. Inside, her only diversions, apart from music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, were reading.

Upon hearing the question, she didn’t ask for more details but pondered for a moment.

"There are..."

"Oh?"

"I’ve read in some Sect scriptures that not to mention the other three major Sects, even our Pine Forest Sword Sect had predecessors who controlled sword arrays, and a single person could control dozens or even hundreds of sword instruments, invincible to all," Xiao Lingling responded.

"A formation?" Lin Xin nodded; he knew about this too.

"And there’s the Spirit Division Technique. It’s said there’s a Decree that allows a cultivator’s mind to divide, enabling them to manipulate many magic artifacts at the same time. Although each artifact is not as strong as when a single artifact is deployed, the sheer number can be very formidable," Xiao Lingling indeed didn’t disappoint Lin Xin.

"There’s one more kind."

"Another?" Lin Xin was surprised.

"Of course," Xiao Lingling said with a smile, "The last kind is a method of the Demon Path. I’ve heard that historically, there was a cultivator, a Daoist Master who used vengeful spirits as the core to drive thousands of magic artifacts. Wherever he went, no one could oppose him, and he was invincible. However, it’s just a legend, and no one knows if it’s true."

"Lingling, thank you for the lesson," Lin Xin laughed heartily and gave her a kiss.

Xiao Lingling immediately turned shy and dodged away, and the two of them frolicked in the room for a while. Only then did Lin Xin get dressed and straightened up before leaving the bedroom.

As usual, he practiced his swordsmanship orderly, cultivated his Inner Strength, tasted tea, and handled affairs while checking on intelligence. The internal injury he suffered from the curved saber-wielding man was swiftly healing thanks to medicinal pills and his Inner Strength conditioning.

His strong defensive skin let only a sliver of fine Spiritual Energy from the attacker penetrate his body. So, the injury was not considered severe.

Just after he finished his tasks, Lin Xin walked out of the side hall and chatted leisurely with Sanyuan Zen Master while taking a walk in the back garden.

Suddenly, Gongsun Li hurriedly entered the garden and approached them quickly.

"Villa Master! Something has happened!" Gongsun Li’s face was grave, and his opening words sent a jolt through their hearts.

"What happened?" Lin Xin knew he wasn’t one for jokes, and if he spoke in such a manner, it certainly meant something serious had occurred. Lin Xin put away the smile on his face and became serious.

"Elder Lin has gone missing, on the way back from the dam, he was kidnapped! According to the investigation of the scene, the Government’s arrest officer sent word saying it must have been the work of an outstanding master!" Gongsun Li promptly explained.

"Father has had an accident?!" Lin Xin’s heart sank. "Where did it happen?"

"Just ahead on the road before Tiger Eye Gorge! Our people have already gone there first."

"Let’s go! Have a look!"

Lin Xin decisively said.

********************

The setting sun cast a dim red glow over the yellow mountain land.

On a hollow in the hillside road, more than a dozen bodies lay haphazardly, all dressed in black with green stitching from Spirit Heart Villa.

A carriage lay almost dismantled on the ground, toppled over. The carriage was like a box that had been torn half away, with many blood spots splattered on it.

The people from the Government, dressed in red, had already cordoned off the area, preventing others from approaching.

Some passersby and Jianghu wanderers gathered on the outskirts, looking at the situation from far away and quietly discussing among themselves.

Soon Lin Xinyuan arrived on the scene with a group of Spirit Heart Villa’s personnel dressed in black and green.

"Arrest Officer Chen, have you found out anything new?" she asked with some urgency to the still-investigating Government arrest officer Chen Yong.

Chen Yong was a famously skilled detective from the nearby Qingzhu City, having solved many difficult cases. But at the moment, even he was frowning deeply.

"The situation is actually quite simple."

"Please, Arrest Officer Chen, enlighten me," Lin Xinyuan requested formally.

"There were probably two people involved from the footprints. It looks like one man and one woman, with the man acting. He likely solved all of the carriage team within thirty breaths and then took Elder Lin away," Chen Yong said gravely. "It’s clear that the assailant’s purpose was very definite, and they showed no hesitation. I’m afraid..."

"Afraid that they came directly for my Spirit Heart Villa?" Lin Xinyuan finished for him.

"Exactly..." Chen Yong nodded.

In recent years, Spirit Heart Villa has grown into a mammoth force within the territory of the Music Mansion, rampaging unchallenged and with no one daring to question it—supported by one of the Four Sects, the Pine Forest Sword Sect, and serving as an outer branch of the Immortal Sect. The fact that someone dared to challenge the Villa’s authority within the territory of the Music Mansion spoke volumes about their audacity.

Such a significant incident had not occurred for many years.

"Someone sure has a lot of nerve..." Lin Xinyuan also felt the situation becoming thorny.

"To target my manor and specifically Lord Lin, the opposition must have grand schemes!"

Lin Xinyuan waved her hand, and a line of experts quickly stepped forward to carefully examine each corpse for wounds.

A little while later, a group of Spirit Heart Villa’s steeds galloped to the scene. As the horses came to a halt, their riders dismounted one by one. Leading them was a man in his thirties, carrying five swords and exuding an air of authority with his somber expression.

Following him were Sanyuan Zen Master, Ou Yinghong, and other renowned experts of the manor.

"Villa Master!"

"Villa Master!!"

The manor’s experts around bowed in greeting, with Lin Xinyuan also paying her respects with cupped hands.

"Big brother, someone is deliberately targeting us!"

Lin Xin’s face was solemn as he nodded in acknowledgment.

"Hong’er, take a look for us."

Ou Yinghong nodded and began to walk around the scene, her nose twitching as if she smelled something unusual.

Lin Xin gestured for those around him to be quiet, and soon not only the government officials but also the gathering crowd fell silent.

"This person sure commands a lot of respect, huh? Even the government officials are deferential to him."

Within the crowd, a plump yet short teenage beggar couldn’t help but remark in a low voice.

"Hush!" The old beggar who had brought him to watch the commotion was startled and whispered sharply.

"Why, we can’t even talk about it now?" The boy grumbled in dissatisfaction, but he did lower his voice.

"That’s the master of the Spirit Heart Villa within our territory of the Music Mansion. Master Lin is the strongest Suppressor here. Any strange or troublesome incidents over the years, he would send someone to resolve it. Unlike other territories, whenever he dispatched his people here, they could almost always easily handle the situation."

"So formidable!" The young beggar had wandered in from other territories. Song State’s harvests had been declining year after year, and with plagues and locust infestations making life unbearable, he had heard that the territory of the Music Mansion was relatively prosperous and safe, so he followed a merchant caravan, hoping to find tranquility in the Music Mansion.

"Indeed." An intrigued martial traveler from Jianghu chimed in, "Little beggar, you must be from another territory, which is why you don’t know. With Spirit Heart Villa here, we have no threats or danger; everyone can live and work in peace and contentment, marry and raise children. Thanks to the villa’s aid, we’ve spent a significant amount of silver coins to help the commoners with medicine, treatment, and food without charge. That’s why our population has thrived and the area prospered in recent years."

"Right. There are several new small towns that have been built in the Music Mansion recently, and many people from other regions have followed merchant caravans to our land," another man added.

"I reckon if the Villa Master didn’t have astonishing wealth and ways to generate income, these acts of charity wouldn’t be feasible."

"Yeah, other territories even if they wanted to, lack the financial resources to spare; it’s only here in the Music Mansion."

"Having Master Lin settle in our Music Mansion is indeed our good fortune."

Everyone was talking about the positive changes in the Music Mansion in recent years, praising Lin Xin’s contributions. The young beggar’s eyes shone brighter as he listened. Suddenly, he heard there were places where food and drink were provided for free.

"There’s free food and drink here?" he asked excitedly. "Really?!"

"Of course, it’s true. As long as you can pass their test, you can stay for good food and lodging and learn both literary and martial arts for free. Those are the Jiren Halls set up by Spirit Heart Villa across the Music Mansion, specifically to give poor children and undiscovered talents a chance."

Excitement shimmered in the young beggar’s eyes.

"Then... would they accept someone a bit odd?" he asked hesitantly.

"Of course!" the man replied offhandedly, "Their stance is that as long as you can pass the test, no matter how eccentric or reclusive you are, they’ll provide food, drink, and lodging for free."

"That’s wonderful..." Clearly moved, the young beggar scruffed his messy black hair and reached into his pocket, gripping a somewhat hard object.

"Let’s go!"

By now, the people from Spirit Heart Villa had finished inspecting the bodies and were rapidly making to leave with the corpses on stretchers.

The young beggar stared wistfully after the procession, eyeing the imposing figure of Master Lin astride a white horse, flanked by a procession of experts galloping away.

"So majestic!" He gazed enviously at Lin Xin atop the white horse, "If one day I could be like that, even if I died, it would be worth it..."

"Come on, let’s get moving and enter the city. If we’re late and the gates close, we’ll go hungry," the old beggar urged, pulling him along.

"Oh, right..." the young beggar quickly responded, yet his eyes were still filled with longing as he watched the departing figures of Spirit Heart Villa.

"In my lifetime, even if I could master the family martial arts to perfection, I probably couldn’t reach such heights," he mused, torn and conflicted inside.

"Maybe I could pass the test at Jiren Hall and join Spirit Heart Villa!"

No sooner did this thought cross his mind than it spread like wildfire, uncontrollably engulfing his consciousness. (To be continued. If you enjoy this novel, feel free to vote for it on Qidian, or send monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)