Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 63: Returning to the Clan - Part 1

Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Returning to the Clan - Part 1

After sorting his belongings, Lin Xin buried Shu Luoyi’s items separately in other locations, leaving only the wooden mule’s man-faced fruit and the evil technique manual, storing the remaining miscellaneous things himself.

Upon leaving the Stone Pillar Forest, he immediately saw a large fire in the distant pine forest, getting fiercer by the moment. Nearly half of the hillside’s pine trees were ignited, sending flames skyward that produced copious amounts of black smoke, forming a blurred black cloud in the sky outside Peacock City.

Lin Xin did not panic, and used the blade to measure against his own arm.

"The bitter trick must be employed..." However, as a modern person, the idea of actually slicing his arm with a sword was still somewhat psychologically daunting.

But thinking about how the other two men had died, it seemed unreasonable to emerge completely unscathed himself.

With resolve, he pressed the blade against his arm and pulled it downwards fiercely.

Hiss.

Immediately, a cut appeared on his arm, and red blood flowed from the wound.

He hurriedly fetched a Sweet Dew Talisman, pressed it onto the wound, and held the injury to prevent it from bleeding profusely.

His inner strength surged towards the wound, gathering at the cut to close it.

Pressing on the injury, Lin Xin threw down his sword and headed straight down the mountain.

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

Peacock City

Under the eaves, a row of redwood benches facing a small lake hosted four or five visitors from the Pine Forest Sword Sect, sitting quietly, drinking tea and fishing.

The back of the bench rested against a wall, with no obstruction between it and the water, allowing guests to fish and even enter the water.

A giant scroll hung on the wall with a single character in black ink on a white background: "Sword."

Kong Ling, the sect leader of the Peacock Sect, was a dignified middle-aged man in a red robe. He sat in the prime seat on the right, smiling and looking at the person on his left.

"This time, having Elder Zhong from the Elixir Hall visit us, if I don’t ensure you enjoy a few days in our Peacock City, others would say Kong here is ignorant of proper etiquette."

Elder Zhong’s expression was calm, with slightly gray temples and eyebrows sharp as swords. He wore a plain white robe with fluttering sleeves, holding a fishing rod in the lake.

Upon hearing this, he also smiled,

"You flatter me, Brother Kong. If it weren’t for official duties, I reckon I’d already be on my way to the Golden Jade Sect. Once this matter is handled, I must continue my assignment without delay."

"That’s fine." Kong Ling nodded. Just then, a servant ran into the side entrance, and he immediately smiled, "It seems the information about the epidemic has arrived."

To his surprise, the servant came up and whispered in his ear for a moment, and his expression slightly changed. His gaze quickly fell on Elder Zhong.

"Elder, my second son Yuhui has brought someone here, who will surely be of help to you in this mission, if I may..."

"Oh? Bring him up for a meeting." Elder Zhong, a genuine expert in Qi Cultivation, spoke informally, which was quite normal for Kong Ling, who was only an Innate grandmaster.

Kong Ling nodded and gestured for the servant to leave.

Soon enough, Kong Yuhui was leading a young man dressed as a scholar in white into the place. The two respectfully walked to Kong Ling’s right side and stood firm.

Elder Zhong looked closely at the young man next to Kong Yuhui. Kong Yuhui he recognized from file portraits, but he did not recognize this young scholar in white.

The scholar’s features were refined, his hair very short, with a hint of stern calmness, clearly one who did not easily show his emotions. His cultivation seemed barely sufficient, at the third layer of the Minor Return to Origin technique, a bit unstable, as if he had suffered severe internal injuries.

What was most striking were his eyes, deeply set and black, boldly meeting the gaze of a Qi Cultivator, exuding an unyielding aura.

"Who is this?" asked Elder Zhong.

"Replying to Elder Uncle, this is a good friend of my nephew, Lin Xin, a disciple from the Pine Forest. He might have some key clues for you about this plague case." Kong Yuhui answered with a low head, appearing sincerely apprehensive.

"Lin Xin?" Elder Zhong blinked, slightly surprised.

Lin Xin confidently stepped forward.

"Is the Elder Uncle perhaps Elder Zhong of the Elixir Hall? I wonder if you know Elder Ji Lu?" He was quite straightforward in establishing connections.

Elder Zhong blinked, a smile flickering at the corners of his mouth,

"Ji Lu? What is he to you? How do you know him?" Ji Lu was famously amiable in the Elixir Hall—everyone knew him, but few had relations with him. Hearing this name piqued his curiosity about the young man in his twenties.

"The nephew was introduced into the sect by Elder Ji Lu recently; it’s been almost half a year," Lin Xin carefully replied. He recounted how he had entered the sect originally, clarifying his relationship with Ji Lu.

"That being so, you indeed may call me Elder Uncle, as my relations with that fellow Ji Lu are quite good. No... I shouldn’t say it like that, I mean, Ji Lu is quite popular throughout the Elixir Hall. Lately, he is even romantically involved with Sister You Xuan from the Sword Hall, likely to become dao partners soon," said Elder Zhong, softening as he spoke of Ji Lu.

"What was your cultivation level when you entered the sect?" he assessed Lin Xin thoroughly, then asked.

"Er... it was at the first layer of the Minor Return to Origin technique..." Lin Xin didn’t hide the truth, honestly answering, "But after a fortuitous encounter and consuming some spiritual medicine, I barely reached this level."

Upon hearing it was only the first layer of cultivation upon entry, Elder Zhong was initially shocked, wondering how the sect could ignore such a talent. Only after hearing the part about the spiritual medicine did he relax. Improvements from spiritual medicine were different from those from talent; the former had limitations and potential side effects, while talent did not.

"My name is Zhong Xuan, and since you know Ji Lu, you could consider yourself half a person of the Elixir Hall. This matter will be easier to handle. Now tell me, why have you approached me directly?" Zhong Xuan spoke amiably.

Lin Xin had not anticipated Ji Lu’s influence to be so effective. He felt relieved, as he had prepared other contingencies in case the situation turned hostile. It seemed they were unnecessary for now.

"Reporting to Master Uncle, I have come to understand some insider information about the plague in the city..."

Speaking thus, he meticulously shared the experiences he had encountered these days, slightly edited, to Zhong Xuan. Of course, he altered many parts, definitely omitting his Talisman Sword’s trump card, the conflict with Shu Luoyi, and the Thousand-man level Human Face Fruit he had acquired.

Originally, Zhong Xuan was just casually listening, and the other two junior siblings who came with him were also taking it lightly.

The inside information that Lin Xin started with was already known to them, but as the circumstances he described went deeper, especially when they heard that Lin Xin had even acquired the Human Face Fruit and Evil Technique Manual, everyone, including Kong Ling and Kong Yuhui, became very serious.

"Hand over the items," Zhong Xuan straightened up and spoke in a stern tone.

Lin Xin had come this time to seek support. He had ruined the plans of a group within the sect, and without seeking support now, he was definitely on a path to his demise.

Hearing this, he quickly took out the prepared bundle containing the Human Face Fruit and the Evil Technique Manual, and handed it over.

Zhong Xuan took it, opened it to look, and his expression remained calm, his thoughts unknown.

After examining it, he passed it to the other two people and Kong Ling for inspection. Only after everyone had seen it did he take back the bundle into his own hands.

"Lin Xin, you handing over such treasures to the sect shows indeed you have a heart of justice. However, as an unintended participant in this mission, except for you, the other two members of your team are already dead, so we will need your cooperation for the investigation. You, have no objections, right?"

Lin Xin nodded in agreement.

"The junior will fully cooperate and withhold nothing."

Zhong Xuan gave a slight smile, very pleased with his attitude.

"Then, this matter concerning you is concluded for now. You may follow me these few days, and once the investigation is clear, you can return to the sect. Any objections?"

Lin Xin felt a wave of relief; he hadn’t expected to pass so easily. It seemed he truly owed Master Ji Lu a favor this time.

"There is an issue!"

He was just about to reply when a sudden voice interrupted.

The voice came from behind, and Lin Xin quickly turned to look, only to see Zhao Hongtian following a middle-aged white-robed Taoist briskly stepping through the door.

The one who had spoken was the middle-aged Taoist, who stared fiercely at him.

"The case of the Human Face Fruit involves a wide scope, and such evil treasures are always found in groups of five. Here there are four Hundred-man level Human Face Fruits, so there must be one Thousand-man level main fruit existing. With only four, where is the remaining main fruit?!"

The Taoist had burst in like firecrackers, raising his voice straightaway.

"Even at a young age, you’ve learned to conceal the sect’s important treasures; what will become of you when you’re older, if not a defection from the sect?! Such a naturally rebellious person, why keep him!? Better to end it with one sword strike!!"

The Taoist grew increasingly agitated, and suddenly, three semi-transparent sword blades appeared behind him; with a reverse grip, he viciously swung a sword towards Lin Xin.

Hiss!

The sword gleamed, and the tip of the blade extended a segment of snow-white Sword Qi. From several meters away from Lin Xin, it ominously emitted an extremely sharp aura.

Lin Xin felt a chill in his heart; he hadn’t expected the other to strike without a second thought, utterly disregarding the presence of so many others there. He hastily retreated backward.

He was now unarmed and had exhausted all his Talisman Swords. Apart from Flameless Swordsmanship, he was just a very ordinary Inner Strength disciple, also at a critical period where his Inner Qi was unstable and he couldn’t massively activate his Inner Strength. He couldn’t even be sure of defeating a normal Second Layer disciple, let alone someone who was clearly a master of Qi Cultivation.

Now, it all depended on whether Master Zhong Xuan could stop him.

"Huang Songzi!!" As the Sword Qi was about to touch his forehead, a roar suddenly exploded from behind Lin Xin.

He only saw a burst of golden light exploding in front of him, his body feeling warmly as if he was in a furnace, with the resentful roar of the middle-aged Taoist echoing in his ears.

"Zhong Xuan! You dare to obstruct me?!"

"Why wouldn’t I dare!" Zhong Xuan’s voice boomed like a bell.

Bang!!

Subsequently, a fierce collision sound followed, as if two giant logs had harshly struck each other, emitting a dull noise.

A figure suddenly broke through the wooden wall of the house and was flung out.

The golden light gradually dissipated.

As Lin Xin’s vision returned, he saw the scene before him and involuntarily gasped.

He saw the wooden wall of the house, which was as thick as a palm, was now brutally smashed open, revealing a large human-shaped hole. The ground around it, along with tables and chairs, remained undamaged, still in their original places.

Aside from a large hole beside the entrance, the rest of the place showed not a trace of damage.

Huang Songzi was nowhere to be seen; he obviously was the one thrown out.

Zhong Xuan still sat at his original spot, his fishing rod still in hand, as if he hadn’t moved at all.

Kong Ling was initially ready to stand and mediate, but hadn’t expected the situation to shift so swiftly. In the blink of an eye, Huang Songzi had been struck out, his face immediately revealing a mix of embarrassment and unpreparedness.

Kong Yuhui swallowed hard, looking towards Lin Xin. That power... it was beyond what a normal Qi Cultivation could achieve...

Lin Xin understood the look in his eyes. While he had been in the Lin Family’s old home, Red Pine City, during the Qi Refinement Realm, neither Zhao Si’er nor Su Wan showed such exaggerated control. Although they were powerful, their strength largely manifested in destruction, nowhere near this precise control.