Storm

After Yan Yun vanished from their sight, the onlookers, their faces a tableau of shock, finally converged upon the battleground—or, more accurately, the scene of the massacre.

Among those gathered, the most formidable cultivator was Wu Ming of the Azure Nether Sect, a practitioner in the early stages of the Divine Venerable Realm.

He swept his divine sense over the skeletal remains of the Lin family members, his expression turning grim.

“What a ruthless method! What kind of poison is so potent that it can instantly reduce a person to mere bones?”

Having uttered these words, he then turned his attention to Lin Yuan, whose body, remarkably, remained physically whole.

Yet, a single glance deepened the astonishment etched upon his face.

“How is this possible? There’s no external damage to the body, but the soul has vanished without a trace. Was the soul directly obliterated?” Wu Ming exclaimed in shock.

The moment Wu Ming’s words registered, a wave of profound apprehension washed over those nearby, particularly the cultivators who had, but moments ago, harbored intentions of seizing the treasures.

If only the physical body were destroyed, there would still be a chance for reincarnation, but with the soul gone, it meant complete annihilation from the world.

“Fortunately, I didn’t make a move. Otherwise, I would have been dead beyond any hope of revival,” the Divine Soul Realm elder declared.

Having no means to counter soul-attacking techniques, had he been struck, he would have been forced to resist with his own soul, which would have almost certainly led to his demise.

Upon witnessing the complete annihilation of the Lin family members, the Yan and Jiang family representatives wore complex expressions, unsure whether to feel joy or apprehension.

The deceased were prominent figures of the Lin family, guaranteeing that powerful experts would be dispatched to investigate.

Given the existing friction between the Yan and Jiang families and the Lin family, there was a significant risk of them being drawn into the ensuing turmoil.

“Sigh, contact the Lin family and have them come collect the bodies,” Wu Ming instructed one of his sect disciples after completing his examination.

After all, the Lin family was no ordinary clan, so extending this courtesy was a necessary measure.

As for Yan Yun, after fleeing a considerable distance, she took a wide detour, reverted to her male disguise, and re-entered the city.

No sooner had she returned to her dwelling than she began to retch violently.

“Ugh!”

She felt as though she might vomit up her very gallbladder.

Although she wasn’t the one controlling the body at the time, it was still her body that had committed the killings.

Witnessing several living people dissolve into viscous fluid before her eyes was an indescribably harrowing experience.

“You’ll get used to it,” Yan Lingyun advised. “However, from today onward, you must be more careful.

You can’t casually reveal your true appearance.

We’ve killed important figures from the Lin family, and they will undoubtedly be enraged.

This will indirectly bring even greater trouble to both the Jiang and Yan families.”

Yan Yun was, of course, well aware of this.

“Then, the people from the Azure Nether Sect, they shouldn’t have noticed any flaws, should they?” Yan Yun inquired.

She wasn’t particularly concerned about others, only that the Azure Nether Sect might interfere.

After all, the Azure Nether Sect was the only faction present that had witnessed Yan Lingyun’s poison cultivation in action when she slew her enemies back then.

She greatly feared they might connect the dots to her.

“It’s hard to say,” Yan Lingyun replied. “I was extremely restrained just now.

I can only hope they don’t make the connection to me.”

With matters having reached this point, overthinking served no purpose.

“Let’s put those worries aside for now and examine our spoils,” Yan Yun said, steadying her mind before beginning to inspect their gains.

She opened Lin Yuan’s storage ring, revealing not only her half of the Divine Venerable Mirror but also a plethora of other valuable items, over a million spirit stones, and the storage artifacts belonging to Lin Ze and the other Lin family members.

The contents within were undoubtedly a massive windfall.

“Haha, we’ll hardly ever lack money from now on!” Yan Yun declared, brimming with confidence. “With this necklace, Ancestor, we can now help both families contend with the Lin family.”

Yan Lingyun nodded, acknowledging that this day marked another pivotal turning point in Yan Yun’s life.

****

Meanwhile, the news of Lin Yuan, Lin Ze, and others being slain outside Qifeng City swiftly reached the Lin family in the royal capital.

At that moment, within a grand and magnificent mansion in the royal capital, a middle-aged man stood in the main hall, listening intently to a report from a clansman.

This middle-aged man was Lin Xiong, the current Family Head of the Lin family.

“What?! Fourth Brother, Lin Ze, and almost everyone sent to Qifeng City to assist the Zhou and Song families have been killed? Who—who dared to do this?” Lin Xiong roared, his face contorted in fury, gripping the clansman’s collar like an enraged lion after hearing the report.

One could easily imagine the depth of Lin Xiong’s rage at that moment.

“Family Head, I—I don’t know for sure,” the reporting clansman stammered, his face pale with fright, fearing Lin Xiong might strike him down in his wrath. “All we know is it was a silver-haired, purple-eyed young woman.

She’s skilled in poison, seemingly a poison master.

The conflict arose when she and Fourth Master were contending for an item at the auction.

Fourth Master intended to reclaim it, but who knew that woman would resort to killing the moment she acted?

She first killed Fourth Master, then poisoned Young Master Lin Ze and the guards.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiong violently flung him aside.

“Ah! Fourth Brother! Someone, convene a family meeting!” Lin Xiong bellowed.

Under his furious roar, all the high-ranking officials and important figures of the Lin family in the royal capital converged with utmost speed towards the Lin family’s inner clan council hall.

The atmosphere within the Lin family grew incredibly grim.

It had been countless years since a direct descendant of their Lin family had been slain.

Soon, the Lin family’s council hall was filled with people, many of whom were still unaware of what had transpired.

“Elder Brother, what is wrong? What has happened? Why has a family meeting been suddenly convened?” Lin Ao, the second eldest of the Lin family, inquired.

The others, too, cast questioning glances towards Lin Xiong.

Lin Xiong looked at his second brother, his face a mask of grief and indignation.

“Second Brother, I… I, your Elder Brother, am sorry.

Lin Ze and Fourth Brother have been killed outside Qifeng City.”

These words stirred a thousand ripples, sending shockwaves through the hall.

Everyone present was instantly stunned, especially Lin Ao, for he was Lin Ze’s father, and Lin Ze was his only son.

He froze for a moment, his face etched with disbelief.

“Ze’er, killed? Fourth Brother also killed? Elder Brother, you—you must be joking, right?

In Jiang Country, who—who would dare to kill someone from our Lin family?

You’re definitely joking, aren’t you?” Lin Ao simply could not accept this outcome.

However, Lin Xiong could only shake his head with profound helplessness.

A moment later, Lin Ao’s utterly grief-stricken roar echoed through the great hall.

Yet, what was done could not be undone.

After the meeting concluded, a Divine Soul Realm elder of the Lin family led a contingent of Lin family elites, rushing with all haste towards Qifeng City.

Naturally, this matter also reached the royal palace of Jiang Country.

Within the royal palace, a noblewoman, clad in a crimson palace gown, tearfully made her way into a solemn palace hall.

At the very front of the hall, a young man sat, adorned in a royal robe and wearing a crown.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you must deliver justice for your humble concubine!” The beautiful woman in the palace gown immediately knelt upon entering.

This man, clad in fiery red royal robes, was King Jiang, the current monarch of Jiang Country.

King Jiang cast a glance at the beautiful woman, then let out a soft sigh.

“I am already aware of your brother’s situation,” King Jiang stated flatly. “And I know why you’ve come.

If you intend for me to deploy Jiang Country’s forces to apprehend that individual, then I advise you not to speak further.”

He naturally understood that Yan Yun was innocent; the Lin family had sought to murder and seize treasures, and the other party had merely acted in self-defense.

“Your Majesty,” Consort Lin hastily interjected, “but—but those were my elder brother and my nephew! They are also, Your Majesty, your own relatives!”

“Even if they were my own royal descendants, if they engaged in such acts of murder and treasure-seizing and were killed in retaliation, I would not shield them,” King Jiang questioned, rising abruptly, his face filled with indignation. “Do you realize that immediately after this incident, representatives from the Immortal Alliance came to lodge a complaint?

If I were to help the Lin family apprehend an innocent person, where would the laws of the land stand?

How could I continue to govern this country?”

In truth, King Jiang had already deflected a wave of trouble on behalf of the Lin family.

Such acts of murder and treasure-seizing were typically only committed by unaligned rogue cultivators.

This was precisely why the Azure Nether Sect and the cultivators from several other sects had merely observed from a distance.

As this was a violation of the Immortal Alliance’s regulations, had it been an ordinary person, the Immortal Alliance envoys would likely have moved directly to apprehend them.

With the conversation having reached such a point, Consort Lin found herself with nothing more to say.

To press the matter further would only jeopardize their relationship.

“Very well, then your humble concubine shall take her leave,” Consort Lin said with resignation, preparing to depart.

However, just as she was about to exit the hall, King Jiang spoke once more, offering a reminder.

“If your Lin family seeks revenge, I cannot stop you. But do not implicate the innocent, and do not cause too great a disturbance.”

Only after hearing this did Consort Lin finally step out of the great hall.

Yet, the moment she emerged, her face was overcome with a sinister, malevolent expression.

‘I have served you for over a hundred years,’ she muttered to herself, ‘and yet, in your heart, my Lin family’s standing is less than that of some unknown little girl?’

The Lin family had grown accustomed to their domineering ways; within the entire secular world of Jiang Country, there were few powers they genuinely feared.