Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 465 - 459: Return to the Manor (Part 2)

Chapter 465: Chapter 459: Return to the Manor (Part 2)

Inside the manor.

Lin Xin slowly sat down in the high seat, looking at the crowd of elders who had hurried over from both sides below.

"Cousin!"

Lin Xinyuan rushed in with big steps, her expression excited as she looked at him.

"Cousin, you’ve finally come back!"

She stepped forward and tightly hugged Lin Xin.

She had aged...

Having only left for a little over four years, crow’s feet had already crept up at the corners of her eyes, and her once youthful and beautiful skin had also lost some of its healthy luster.

It was conceivable how much pressure Lin Xinyuan had borne alone in managing the manor these past few years.

In just four years, she ultimately couldn’t outrun the passage of time. Now, her face also bore faint traces of the years.

"Villa Master...."

"It’s good that the Villa Master is well."

"It’s a pity about Gongsun Li... He ultimately didn’t get to see the Villa Master one last time."

Lu Suo the Taoist, Sanyuan Zen Master, Ou Yinghong, and several old retainers all felt somewhat emotional at this moment.

Gongsun Li had died.

Last October, she passed away naturally, without illness or calamity, quietly transitioning in the small pavilion deep in the bamboo grove. Only her granddaughter, Gongsun Xue, was there to see her off. By the time others found her, she was already breathless.

"You’ve worked hard," Lin Xin said softly, patting Lin Xinyuan’s back, his face showing a look of pity.

The two separated, and Lin Xinyuan also genuinely smiled and sat down in the secondary seat.

Soon, the hall hurriedly filled again with elders rushing to the manor.

Gongsun Xue, Huang Puyang, old father Lin Zhiwen, second uncle Lin Zhiwu, among others, all arrived.

"Father, it’s been several years. I hope all has been well with you," Lin Xin said as he stood up and gently hugged Lin Zhiwen.

"Good... good, it’s good you’re back," Lin Zhiwen also continuously nodded, fiercely hugging Lin Xin, his eyes moist.

Mother Zhao Yu Niang and other female relatives also rushed over, and soon the entire inner hall became more and more crowded, exceptionally lively.

"You shouldn’t have come back now!"

A shadow suddenly shot into the hall, slowly landing beside Lin Xin, revealing the figure of the person.

The newcomer was tall, with black hair cascading down like a waterfall, and had a silver vertical scar between her brows, resembling a third eye. It was Dugu Lin, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time.

Her aura was ethereal, clearly more prominent than it had been four years ago. Obviously, her cultivation had advanced.

For a genius like her, four years was enough to make a small step forward. Judging by her aura, she was very close to the Golden Core Stage.

"Dugu Lin senior sister," Lin Xin stood up. It was good that he had sent away his subordinates earlier; otherwise, if they saw their boss calling a junior martial sister who hadn’t reached the Golden Core Stage ’senior sister,’ their eyeballs would probably pop out in astonishment.

"These years, I owe you a lot," Lin Xin said earnestly and sincerely.

Dugu Lin snorted coldly.

"You’re quite the lucky one, running off on your own and leaving a mess behind. The Hua family, led by Hua Shenxi who’s powerfully strong, even teamed up with the Golden Jade Sect. If it weren’t for my calling on my own senior sister to help, hehehe, you should really thank me properly!"

Her eyes shifted slightly.

"It seems your Soul Detachment Syndrome is cured, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come back home so soon. But, the Concealment Array Plate is more sophisticated now; even I can’t see your cultivation level. How is your mastery of Formation Runes?"

Lin Xin gave a wry smile.

"Alright, alright, I’ll send you a Concealment Array Plate later,"

Dugu Lin then satisfiedly sat down in the secondary seat.

"Speaking of which, where have you been these years? I used all my connections and still couldn’t find you. Really, it’s bizarre," Dugu Lin said as she picked up her tea and drank it in one gulp.

"We’ll talk about that later when everyone is here," Lin Xin smiled.

Soon, another red shadow swiftly flashed in at the doorway of the hall.

A handsome young man appeared, dressed in a red robe and holding a white paper fan in his hand.

"Father!" The newcomer quickly advanced a few steps and bowed deeply to Lin Xin.

"Zhen’er," Lin Xin nodded in satisfaction. "Take a seat first. I’ll assess your cultivation later. Don’t disappoint me."

Lin Zhen nodded solemnly, his demeanor more composed than a few years ago, clearly having undergone lots of experience in these past years.

Then soon after, Lin Luo and Lin Duan also arrived.

This guy was still dressed in black, his face somber, and his aura deep and dark.

Lin Duan, dressed in plain white, was calm and serene in her beauty. Being unable to cultivate due to a strange poison in her body, she inherited Gongsun Li’s medical skills, and even developed her own set of poison techniques, making her one of the most unique existences in the manor.

"Teacher, you’ve finally returned!"

Lin Luo said somberly, and although he was naturally a stern-faced person who did not show much emotion, Lin Xin could still spot a hint of uncontrollable joy in his eyes.

Lin Duan smiled faintly, looking at Lin Xin.

"It seems teacher has completely cured the Soul Detachment Syndrome. This is a Qixin Wanyue Pill that the disciple refined. It can alleviate the physical deterioration during the syndrome. Although it’s now unnecessary, it might still be useful for recuperation,"

She calmly handed over the pill bottle.

Lin Xin took it and opened it to smell, feeling a chill in his body as the pill’s potency seemed to affect even him now.

Lin Duan appeared calm and in control, but it was unknown how much effort she had expended to refine this medicine.

She had always been like this, even if she made great efforts behind the scenes, she would still maintain a composed exterior.

Moved by the gesture, Lin Xin put away the medicine bottle.

"Good child, have a seat first,"

He nodded and gestured for Lin Luo and Lin Duan to sit on his right side.

Gradually, some of the elders from the manor also hurried over.

However, Lin Xin had yet to see the one he valued most.

Even his grandson was led in by the womenfolk, waiting until almost everyone had arrived.

Only then did he look around and frown.

"Where is Qing’er?"

As soon as he spoke, the entire hall’s atmosphere sank.

Lin Xinyuan’s expression turned gloomy.

Lin Luo, Lin Zhen, and others all had dark expressions, the previously jubilant mood suddenly turning silent.

Even the children were frightened by the adults’ mood and dared not speak.

Lin Xin looked from one to another; Lin Luo avoided his gaze, lowering his head without speaking.

Lin Zhen also lowered his head, his fists clenched tightly around the hilt of his sword.

Lin Duan sighed, his expression somber.

The retainers also had heavy expressions, unsure how to respond.

"If none of you will speak, I will," Dugu Lin said loudly, her face clouded with frustration.

Lin Xin’s gaze immediately fell on her.

Dugu Lin sighed.

"Nan Shunqing intervened two years ago to deal with the oppression from the Hua Family and Golden Jade Sect’s Yuan Jing ancestor, fell into a trap, and now his whereabouts are unknown, his life and death uncertain,"

"Big brother, it was to save me," Lin Zhen’s voice was low and seemed to be squeezed out of his throat. His eyes were pained as he bowed his head, his hand gripping the sword hilt trembling slightly, clearly his emotions were repressed to the extreme.

"Qing’er...."

Lin Xin closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Nan Shunqing’s talent was rare in the world, perhaps that’s why the Hua Family and Golden Jade Sect feared his rapid progress and designed an ambush.

As the saying goes, ’A tree that stands out in the forest is often destroyed by the wind,’ this was the calamity that came with being too exceptional.

"That’s why I said now is not the time for your return!"

Dugu Lin continued.

"The power of the Pine Patterned Sword Sect has contracted, and it no longer has the capacity to protect the Spirit Heart Villa. My teacher was badly injured while encircling the Worm Mother, and others are eyeing us covetously." Dugu Lin switched to a private transmission and continued.

"With Nan Shunqing missing, fortunately, the Hua Family’s Hua Shenxi and that Yuan Jing ancestor also suffered injuries, still recuperating, allowing us to reach a stalemate with them."

"Hua Family...Golden Jade Sect..." Lin Xin’s eyes flashed with a cold gleam. "What is this about the Taikun Birthday Banquet?"

Dugu Lin furrowed her brows.

"You’ve heard about it too?"

She paused.

"Now is the time when the Pine Patterned Sword Sect fights for its survival, with the Vermilion Bird Holy Court aggressively pushing us. Without showing our strength, we will soon be forced to act, which would be a huge loss for the current Pine Patterned Sword Sect. The Taikun Birthday Banquet is actually for the purpose of allying with many forces of the Righteous Path to oppose the Vermilion Bird Holy Court."

She glanced at Lin Xin.

"But given your level of cultivation, these matters are too distant for you to be concerned with. The most pressing issue now is to prepare for potentially dissolving the villa’s forces into smaller parts. In case something goes wrong at the banquet, you’d be prepared and not caught off guard."

"Is the situation that severe?" Lin Xin frowned.

"Worse than you think," Dugu Lin sighed. "If it weren’t for the Sky-Piercing Pine Patterned Sword suppressing the mountain gate... this trip could potentially lead to our sect’s annihilation."

"That serious?" Lin Xin was stunned.

Although the overall strength of the South Prefecture was not comparable to that of the Central Prefecture, it still hosted several True Monarchs, including Pine Patterned Sword Sect’s Mingxin True Monarch, Dugu Lin’s teacher, who was no trifler.

Even if the average strength of the South Prefecture was lower than that of the Central Prefecture, a True Monarch was still a True Monarch, and their realm stood as testament, hardly far inferior. Even the Vermilion Bird Holy Court had only one True Monarch.

It was disturbing that the situation had reached such a state.

"What about the other three sects?" Lin Xin asked with a frown. "The four sects are branches of the same root; if the Pine Patterned sword Sect falters, do they think themselves immune from troubles?"

"The other three sects... heh." Dugu Lin scoffed, "Forget about the Golden Jade Sect, just a bunch of hypocrites. The Wind-Riding Sect and Void Sword Cave have made contacts with demons, while the Plum Blossom Sect indeed wishes to help but is of no use. In the second demon elimination battle, they suffered even worse losses! Two Nascent Soul ancestors perished, and the remaining one was also badly injured, now just like the Pine Patterned Sword Sect, significantly contracting their power."

"Has it really gotten that bad?" Lin Xin sighed.

"Worse than you think. That’s why I said, your return is not timely,"

Dugu Lin laughed softly.

"Enough of that, what is your current level of cultivation? In four years, you should have broken through to the Foundation Establishment, right?"

When Lin Xin left, the news of his actual breakthrough to Foundation Establishment had not spread, so even Dugu Lin was unaware of his Dragon King Foundation status.

She only knew that his combat ability had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, but not his realm.

Lin Xin did not reply, just smiled.

Discussing cultivation was tricky, could he admit that in just over four years, he had advanced from barely Foundation Establishment to the Yuan Jing Layer?

"Oh? Keeping secrets from me too?" Dugu Lin scoffed with a smile, "Suit yourself. Anyway, I’m about to attend the Taikun Birthday Banquet."

"What about Master Ji Lu?" Lin Xin pondered then asked.