Lin Yi spent 150 Violence Points to upgrade his Collapsing Cloud Fist to the minor mastery stage.
[Host: Lin Yi][Realm: Meridian Passage Stage – 1st Level (0/1500)][Martial Skill: Collapsing Cloud Fist (Minor Mastery) (0/200)][Violence Points: 60]
He closed the system panel, instructed the servants to clean up the front yard, then sat leisurely at the stone table in the courtyard. Taking a slow sip of tea, he murmured faintly,
"Someone should be bringing me more Violence Points soon."
—
At the Shen family estate.
Madam Shen gently traced the rim of her teacup, a wistful look in her eyes.
"In a few days, it'll be Zhaoxue's wedding… I can't help feeling a bit reluctant to see her go."
Patriarch Shen Yuheng set aside the scroll in his hands and said calmly,
"Our daughter's grown up. It's only natural for her to marry. Where is she now?"
"Lin Feng sent someone over earlier—he said he had something to discuss. Zhaoxue went to the Lin household early this morning," Madam Shen replied.
Shen Yuheng nodded.
"That Lin Feng boy might not be as dazzling as Lin Yi was back then, but he's still a decent young man. Speaking of which… Lin Yi—" he sighed softly, "—how did he end up crippled so suddenly? What a waste."
Zhang Wanqing, Madam Shen let out a helpless sigh.
"Who knows? If that incident hadn't happened, Lin Yi's future would have been limitless. He might have even joined a cultivation sect as a disciple one day. Truly, Heaven can be cruel."
Shen Yuheng silently agreed.
With Lin Yi's former talent, becoming the strongest cultivator in Qingshan County was only a matter of time. Both the Lin and Shen families would've benefited greatly from his success—no one could've imagined he'd end up ruined instead.
As the two were sighing over fate's twists, a maid named Shuang'er came stumbling in, panic written all over her face.
"Master! Madam! Something terrible has happened!"
Shen Yuheng frowned, displeased.
"Compose yourself! What's all this panic about?"
The maid dropped to her knees with a thud.
"Miss… Miss Zhaoxue is dead—killed at the Lin household!"
"What?"
Shen Yuheng's face drained of color as he shot to his feet. "Explain! What happened exactly?"
Zhang Wanqing's vision darkened, her body swaying—she nearly collapsed if not for her husband catching her in time.
Trembling, Shuang'er recounted everything that had happened earlier at the Lin family's courtyard.
By the time she finished, Shen Yuheng's face had gone ashen, his expression clouded with disbelief.
Lin Yi… wasn't he crippled?How could he possibly have killed Zhaoxue?
Zhang Wanqing broke down completely, tears streaming.
Her daughter's wedding was only days away—and now she was gone. How could a mother bear such a thing?
Shen Yuheng looked at the maid, his voice low and grim.
"Zhaoxue and Lin Yi had no feud. Did he say why he killed her?"
"The young master said… that the reason he was crippled back then… was because of Miss Zhaoxue."
The maid's voice was barely above a whisper.
The room fell utterly silent.
Both Shen Yuheng and Zhang Wanqing stared in shock.
They never imagined that their once-proud daughter had been the one responsible for crippling Lin Yi.
No wonder, after Lin Yi's fall, she hadn't shown the slightest sorrow—only thinly veiled delight.
So that's how it was.
After recovering from the shock, Madam Shen clutched her husband's sleeve, sobbing bitterly.
"Zhaoxue was wrong, yes—but she was still our daughter! Husband, you must avenge her!"
Shen Yuheng was silent for a long moment.
Though he understood Zhaoxue's actions were cruel, she was still his flesh and blood.She'd been killed—he couldn't just let it go.
Finally, his eyes hardened.
"Prepare the men! We're going to the Lin household. They will hand over Lin Yi! If they refuse, then today the Shen family will sever all ties with them—we'll go to war if we must!"
The Shen family was one of Qingshan County's three great clans. Shen Yuheng had no reason to fear the Lin family.
If it came to that, so be it—They'd settle this in blood.
—
At the Lin family courtyard.
Lin Yi reclined lazily in a bamboo chair, eyes half-closed in comfort.
Just then, a light knock came from the gate.
"Come in," he said casually.
The door creaked open, and a young woman in a pale green dress stepped through.
It was Gu Xi.
Lin Yi looked a little surprised. "You came?"
Gu Xi twisted the hem of her dress nervously, her voice soft and uncertain.
"After what happened yesterday… I just couldn't calm down. There's no one at home I can really talk to, so I… I came to see you."
A faint blush colored her cheeks.
Yesterday, Lin Yi had stepped in to save her, leanly and decisively cutting down Chen Shan.That image of the poised, calm young man had burned itself into her mind, refusing to fade no matter how hard she tried.Before she knew it, her feet had carried her to the Lin household.
Lin Yi rose from his bamboo chair and gestured toward the stone bench.
"Sit."
Gu Xi nodded lightly, lifting her skirt slightly as she sat down gracefully.
Lin Yi continued, his tone even.
"You don't need to worry about what happened yesterday."
"I'll be spreading the word soon—that I killed Chen Shan. That'll settle things once and for all."
Gu Xi blinked in shock.
He wanted everyone to know he'd killed Chen Shan.
The Chen family was one of the three major clans of Qingshan County—doing that was practically asking for death!
If he made that public, he'd be declaring war on them.How could he possibly bear the consequences?
"Wait—no, you can't!" Gu Xi hurriedly said, panic in her tone. "We should keep it quiet for as long as possible! If the Chen family finds out—"
Lin Yi's voice cut her off, calm and indifferent.
"I want them to find out."
He actually hoped the Chen family would come knocking for revenge.That way, he could "defend himself"—and rack up plenty of fresh Violence Points in the process.
Gu Xi's anxiety only grew.
"You're acting on impulse! You can't do this—the fallout would be too severe!"
But Lin Yi only smiled, unconcerned. Then his voice softened slightly.
"No one's giving you trouble at the Gu family, are they?"
Gu Xi hesitated, then shook her head, though her expression dimmed.
To her father, she was nothing more than a bargaining chip—a means for the Gu family to curry favor with the Chen clan.He'd never really cared about her.
She'd grown used to that kind of indifference.
Seeing the sadness in her eyes, Lin Yi said quietly,
"If anything happens, just tell me. I'll handle it."
Warmth bloomed faintly in her chest. She looked up at him and murmured, "Alright."
Silence settled over the courtyard, broken only by the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze.
Then, hurried footsteps approached.
The third elder of the Lin family, Lin Zhou, stepped in, his expression grave.
"Uncle Lin Zhou," Lin Yi greeted calmly, "what's the matter?"
Lin Zhou bowed slightly.
"Master Lin Yi, there's been an incident at our family's mine.
"Our mining grounds border those of the Chen family. Earlier today, one of our disciples found a Blood Spirit Grass growing in a crack between the cliffs.
"It strengthens blood and tempers the bones. For cultivators at the Body Tempering and Bone Forging stages, it can grant an immediate breakthrough—a priceless treasure.
"But the Chen family's people tried to seize it by force.They have a Bone Forging Third Stage cultivator guarding their mine—our men were no match for him.
"In the end, they took the Blood Spirit Grass…and even worse, they injured several of our disciples—and killed some!"
Gu Xi's brows furrowed in confusion.
This "Lin Zhou" looked distinguished and composed—clearly a man of authority.Why was he being so deferential to Lin Yi?
And with something this serious, shouldn't he have reported straight to the patriarch instead of coming here?
Lin Yi simply nodded, his expression calm.
"Understood. I'll head to the mine myself."
"Master Lin Yi, allow me to accompany you," Lin Zhou offered quickly.
"No need," Lin Yi waved him off. "Stay here and oversee the family estate."
Then he turned to Gu Xi. "You coming?"
Gu Xi froze for a second, then nodded.
"I… I'll come."
And so, the two of them left the Lin estate together.
As they walked, Gu Xi couldn't hold back her worry.
"The Chen family's mine is guarded by a Bone Forging Stage cultivator at the third level. You won't be able to deal with that alone.
Why not have the stronger members of your family go instead?"
Hands clasped behind his back, Lin Yi strolled along the path as if they were out for a walk.
"Because," he said lazily, "I'm free."
Gu Xi frowned. "But—"
"Don't worry," Lin Yi interrupted smoothly.
Seeing his utterly relaxed demeanor, Gu Xi's anxiety only deepened, but she bit her tongue.
She could only follow quietly beside him.
Just what kind of strength does he really have?Could he actually defeat a Bone Forging Stage cultivator of the third level…?