The moment Xiao Lin stepped out of his secluded courtyard, his presence underwent a subtle, masterful transformation. The terrifying pressure of a Four-Star Dou Huang vanished in an instant, replaced by the steady, sharp aura of a Peak Nine-Star Dou Ling.
With a Heavenly State Soul, masking his true cultivation was as simple as breathing. To the outside world—unless they were a mid-to-high-level Dou Zun (Dou Venerable) or if Xiao Lin chose to reveal himself—he was nothing more than a highly talented Dou Ling. To anyone weaker than that, his true depths were an abyssal mystery.
Xiao Lin's decision to hide his strength wasn't born of humility, but of cold, calculated necessity.
In the Jia Ma Empire, jumping from a Four-Star Dou Ling to a Four-Star Dou Huang in six years would be like dropping a boulder into a still pond. The ripples would turn into a tsunami. Everyone would know he held a monumental secret. While he no longer feared the local powers of the empire, his true nightmares lived far beyond the borders of the Northwest Continent.
His true enemy was the Hun Clan (Soul Clan).
The Shadow Over the Xiao Clan
The history of the Xiao Clan was a tragedy of systematic decline. A thousand years ago, despite the fall of the Xiao Di lineage, the clan should have still possessed dozens of Dou Shengs and Dou Zuns. They should have remained a titan in the Central Plains.
Instead, look at them now: a handful of "cats and dogs" in a backwater empire, with the strongest member being a mere Dou Ling. By the time the original story starts, they would be reduced to a single Da Dou Shi.
It's absurd, Xiao Lin thought. A natural decline doesn't look like this. This is the work of a hidden hand, slowly strangling the Xiao Clan into extinction. And that hand belongs to the Hun Clan.
Xiao Lin knew the "Outsourcing Policy" of the Hun Clan all too well. They were like a dark corporation: they only sent an operative slightly stronger than the target. If you revealed yourself as a Dou Ling, they might send a Dou Wang or Dou Huang to keep an eye on you. But if Xiao Lin were foolish enough to flaunt a Heavenly State Soul and Dou Huang cultivation, the Hun Clan might skip the pleasantries and send a Dou Zun or even a Dou Sheng to crush the potential threat.
Against a Dou Sheng, a Heavenly State Soul was a meager shield. He would be dead before he could even blink.
The Gu Clan is watching the Xiao Clan, and the Gu Clan is also watching the Hun Clan, Xiao Lin reasoned. Under this mutual surveillance, the Hun Clan likely only has a Dou Zong (Dou Ancestor) lurking in the shadows nearby. A Dou Zong... I can handle. Anything higher, and I'm finished.
Thus, masking himself as a Nine-Star Dou Ling was the perfect disguise. It was strong enough to command respect in Jia Ma, but weak enough to remain beneath the notice of the Soul Hall's high-ranking predators.
The Meeting in the Hall
When Xiao Lin entered the reception hall, he saw a sharp-eyed young man in his late twenties conversing with the Clan Head, Xiao Dongcheng. This was Mu Chen.
"Clan Head," Xiao Lin greeted, bowing slightly.
"Xiao Lin, you've finally come out," Xiao Dongcheng said, rising with a relieved smile. "The young master of the Mu Clan is here to see you. I'll leave you two to talk."
With that, Dongcheng made a swift exit, leaving the two "prodigies" alone. Mu Chen didn't speak immediately; his gaze was like a probe, scanning Xiao Lin for any weakness. Xiao Lin remained impassive, as calm as a deep well.
Finally, Mu Chen broke the silence. "Brother Xiao, it seems you have finally recovered from the passing of your late wife. That is heartening news."
For six years, "mourning his wife" had been Xiao Lin's official excuse for his seclusion. It was a lie that no one dared to question.
Xiao Lin offered a faint, melancholy smile. "One cannot live in the past forever, Brother Mu. I intend to leave the pain behind and start a new chapter."
"I see it is more than just a mental recovery," Mu Chen noted, his eyes narrowing slightly. "It seems you've turned that grief into power. A Peak Nine-Star Dou Ling... you're just one step away from the Dou Wang realm. The Xiao Clan is about to become the newest King-class family in the capital."
Mu Chen's tone was certain. He himself was an Eight-Star Dou Ling. Since he couldn't see through Xiao Lin, it was logical to assume Xiao Lin was a Nine-Star.
He never suspected that he was sitting across from a "Lao Liu"—a sandbagger of the highest order. In Mu Chen's world, becoming a Dou Wang was a monumental achievement that required a grand celebration. He couldn't conceive of someone reaching the Dou Huang realm and then intentionally pretending to be weaker.
To Mu Chen, Xiao Lin was just a bit stronger than him—still within the realm of understanding. Little did he know, he was sitting in the presence of a man who could erase the entire Mu Clan with a single thought.