The Lin Family Arrives

Not only had the Lin family mobilized all their forces, but Lin Mo of the Yunhua Sect was also profoundly shocked upon learning that his uncle and cousin had died in Qifeng City.

It was well known that Lin Yuan and Lin Ze had remained in Qifeng City solely to assist him, and now, with both of them slain, his guilt was undoubtedly overwhelming.

As for Jiang Yao and Su Muyu, they had both been secluded in the Yunhua Sect’s Yunhua Secret Realm, diligently cultivating, and thus remained unaware of the recent events in the outside world.

****

Two days after the incident,

a suffocating pall of darkness began to gather from all directions above Qifeng City, accompanied by the arrival of thousands of cultivators from the Lin family.

Hovering outside the city walls, their faces were etched with murderous intent as they stared down at Qifeng City, a clear indication that their arrival boded ill.

“Third Uncle, we’ve reached Qifeng City,” Lin Ao and the others declared, their gazes sharp and cold.

The fierce old man leading them was Lin Jingbo, the Third Elder of the Lin family, a cultivator at the Minor Accomplishment stage of the Divine Soul Realm.

“Seal off Qifeng City, rigorously verify the identities of all cultivators entering and exiting, and post the bounty notice for the demoness,” Lin Jingbo commanded with a decisive wave of his hand.

The moment these words were uttered, the Lin family members swarmed towards Qifeng City like ravenous wolves, swiftly occupying several city gates.

They then ostentatiously interrogated any cultivators they encountered, resorting to a brutal beating for even the slightest hint of non-compliance.

As for the powerful cultivators who had come from the Lin family, most took up residence with the Zhou family, while Lin Jingbo, Lin Ao, and several other high-ranking Lin family members proceeded directly to the Qifeng City Lord’s Mansion.

****

At this very moment, within one of the main halls of the City Lord’s Mansion, a man in luxurious robes was engaged in flirtatious banter with his concubine.

This man was Lei Han, the City Lord of Qifeng City.

Suddenly, a panicked report echoed from outside.

“Report…! City Lord, this is terrible! The Lin family has arrived, and they’ve sealed off all of Qifeng City, preventing anyone from entering or leaving freely!”

These words caused Lei Han, who had been playfully teasing his concubine, to freeze instantly, his previously pleasant mood curdling into displeasure in a single moment.

When the Lin family members were killed outside the city two days prior, he had known the Lin family would undoubtedly go mad; he simply hadn’t anticipated their arrival would be so swift, nor their actions so audacious.

‘Bah! So what if they have a good daughter who became a consort? One would think she was a queen,’ Lei Han cursed under his breath.

While he could certainly understand their coming to investigate the murderer and retrieve the bodies, their immediate disruption of his territory was something no one would tolerate.

“Understood. Take them directly to where the bodies are kept; I’ll be right there,” Lei Han said, waving a reluctant hand.

The subordinate quickly withdrew and escorted Lin Jingbo and the others to the morgue.

****

Not long after, within a dimly lit building, Lin Jingbo and his companions entered, led by a cultivator from the City Lord’s Mansion.

As they lifted the white shrouds and beheld the pale, lifeless body of Lin Yuan, each of them clenched their fists tightly.

“Fourth Brother… alas!” Lin Ao’s lips trembled.

Next, they uncovered the skeletal remains of Lin Ze; tragically, all that remained beneath his clothes was a skeleton, utterly devoid of flesh and blood.

“This… this is my son?” Lin Ao’s voice was laced with utter disbelief.

The guide immediately offered an explanation.

“Sirs, Young Master Lin Ze and his several attendants all succumbed to a potent poison.

Their flesh and blood completely melted away, leaving only their skeletons.”

Lin Ao tremblingly extended a hand to touch the remains of his son, his expression profoundly sorrowful.

“Ze’er, rest assured. Even if it costs your father his old life, I will ensure that those who killed you pay a terrible price.”

****

It was at this precise moment that Lei Han arrived.

Lei Han’s appearance immediately stirred the group, for he was a cultivator at the Great Accomplishment stage of the Divine Soul Realm.

However, for cultivators like them, the hope of breaking through to the Divine Venerable Realm was practically negligible.

“Fellow Daoist Lin Jingbo, you’ve arrived quite swiftly.”

Lin Jingbo stepped forward at once to greet him.

“City Lord Lei, our Lin family is imposing upon you this time.

We may need to remain in Qifeng City for a period, and this will likely cause you some inconvenience.

These are a token of our Lin family’s goodwill; we humbly request that City Lord Lei extend us every convenience during this time.” Lin Jingbo explained, simultaneously handing Lei Han an exquisitely crafted storage pouch.

Lei Han, for his part, immediately accepted the item and glanced inside.

At that sight, his previous displeasure vanished without a trace.

“Understood. It’s comprehensible, given that important figures from the Lin family perished this time.

However, I do hope you will stick to the facts and not implicate the innocent, otherwise, I’ll have no way to account to the King,” Lei Han cautioned.

Lin Jingbo nodded solemnly, then proceeded to question Lei Han about the events of two days prior.

Lei Han had been among the crowd at the time.

As the incident occurred outside the city and involved a battle between cultivators, he naturally had not intervened.

He relayed all the information he possessed to Lin Jingbo.

Upon hearing this, the Lin family members realized that the woman might not necessarily be from Qifeng City, but perhaps a cultivator from a neighboring sect or another influential family.

“Understood. Thank you, City Lord Lei, for the information.

Lin Ao, let us depart.” After expressing his gratitude, Lin Jingbo instructed Lin Ao to collect the Lin family’s remains; they would now begin their search for the culprit.

****

Within the city, chaos erupted almost immediately.

The Lin family members, carrying portraits of Yan Yun, went about the city, inquiring everywhere and posting bounty notices on various public boards.

This drew large crowds of both ordinary citizens and cultivators to gawk.

“Everyone, look! This demoness murdered members of our Lin family.

Anyone with clues or information regarding this woman’s identity may report it at the entrance of the Zhou family mansion and claim a reward!” a Lin family cultivator shouted, standing before a notice board.

Upon seeing the bounty, the eyes of passersby lit up with greed.

The notice stated that if an ordinary person provided a factual clue about Yan Yun, they would receive at least one tael of gold as an information fee; for accurate information, the reward soared to ten thousand taels of gold.

For cultivators, the information fee was one hundred spirit stones, while accurate clues could fetch anywhere from one million to ten million spirit stones.

“What a grand gesture! If I knew anything about this woman, wouldn’t I strike it rich?” many exclaimed in awe.

****

While such momentous events unfolded in the city, Yan Yun, the instigator, remained blissfully unaware, currently engrossed in calmly refining poisons within her own room.

Within the Purple Crystal Demonic Fire Cauldron before her, purple flames blazed.

This magical artifact came equipped with its own refining fire, allowing Yan Yun to conserve a significant amount of her strength.

She could now independently refine first-tier pills.

As for Yan Lingyun, she had temporarily fallen into a deep slumber, having expended too much energy assisting Yan Yun two days prior, and required a period of dormancy to recover.

“Yan Yun, are you there?” A man’s voice suddenly called from outside the room.

Yan Yun promptly ceased her refining, put away the cauldron, and after tidying her clothes, stepped out of her dwelling.

However, her chest seemed to have flattened, giving her an outwardly masculine appearance.

Yet, this was merely an illusion; in her own eyes, she remained a woman disguised in men’s clothing, having used the Thousand Illusions Necklace to alter her physical form.

“Big Brother, what is it?” Yan Yun inquired, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

The person who had arrived was Jiang Yan.

“Father sent me to tell you not to leave the family compound for a while.

The Lin family members were killed outside the city a few days ago, and their family has come to search for the culprits.

Our two families happen to have a conflict with the Lin family, so we’re concerned they might use this as an excuse to cause trouble,” Jiang Yan explained.

Yan Yun’s brow furrowed.

‘They wouldn’t just act recklessly, would they?’

Jiang Yan shook his head.

“It’s hard to say.

But this matter has nothing to do with our two families, nor do we possess the capability for such an act; they should know that.

That’s all,” he concluded.

Having said his piece, Jiang Yan turned and departed, leaving behind a solemn-faced Yan Yun.

She understood perfectly well that paper could not conceal fire forever.

Having appeared within the city, it was only a matter of time before the search narrowed down to the East City district.