Chapter Forty-Six: A Shocking Revelation, the Dagger is Revealed

"Why exactly does your Yunni Sect want to capture Su Qingyue?"

Lin Xuan's words were like a massive boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand waves.

The expressions of everyone in the hall varied. Sect Master Ouyang Lie's brow furrowed tightly, the four Elders looked at each other, a strange look flashed in Leng Ningshuang's eyes, and Fairy Lengyue remained calm, though a faint glint flickered in her seemingly clouded old eyes.

As for Zhao Yuanzhen, a crack appeared for the first time on his originally composed and indifferent Face.

The crack was very shallow and vanished in a flash, but Lin Xuan caught it.

"Su Qingyue?" Zhao Yuanzhen quickly recovered his composure and said coldly, "Since when is the internal business of my Yunni Sect any concern of an outsider like you?"

Lin Xuan looked at him, the smile on his lips deepening: "Internal business? What mistake did an Inner Sect Disciple commit that requires her to be placed under house arrest? Why does it require the main Sect to send someone to 'investigate'? And why does it require Elder Zhao to personally intervene?"

He spoke each word slowly, like a dull knife cutting through flesh:

"Or is it... that the mark on her body is more worthy of the Yunni Sect's attention than my Legacy?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhao Yuanzhen's pupils shrank abruptly!

The two Disciples behind him also had slight changes in their expressions.

That mark—it was one of the Yunni Sect's highest secrets, known to almost no one except the Sect's upper echelons. How could this Lin Xuan know about it?!

"Presumptuous!" Zhao Yuanzhen shouted sharply, his aura surging once again as an invisible pressure weighed down on Lin Xuan like a mountain. "You speak nonsense and slander my Yunni Sect! Today, I shall teach you, an ignorant junior, a good lesson on behalf of your Elders!"

Before his voice had even faded, he raised his right hand and made a grasping motion!

An invisible force, like an iron pincer, locked onto Lin Xuan's throat!

This strike was as fast as a flash of lightning!

When a Golden Core Late Stage Cultivator makes a move, even a casual strike is enough to kill an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator on the spot!

However—

Just as that invisible force was about to touch Lin Xuan, an old, hunched figure appeared in front of him like a ghost.

Ouyang Ye.

He didn't make a move; he just stood there quietly. But his pressure, belonging to the Golden Core Perfection, although faded due to old age, was still not to be underestimated. Zhao Yuanzhen's grasping force struck this pressure and vanished without a trace, like clay entering the sea.

"Little Zhao," Ouyang Ye spoke slowly, his voice hoarse but carrying an unquestionable authority, "This is Bailian Villa, not your Yunni Sect. To move against my person right in front of me, do you take me for a dead man?"

Zhao Yuanzhen's Face turned ashen: "Ouyang Ye! You..."

"What about me?" Ouyang Ye interrupted him, a cold light flashing in his clouded eyes. "I have lived for nearly three hundred years; what storms have I not seen? You, Zhao Yuanzhen, are not yet qualified to act wildly before me!"

Zhao Yuanzhen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the rage in his heart. He knew that with Ouyang Ye protecting him, it was already impossible to forcibly take Lin Xuan away today.

But he was unwilling to give up.

He looked at Fairy Lengyue: "Senior Lengyue, you said just now that you would let Lin Xuan choose for himself. Fine, I will let him choose. Lin Xuan, I ask you—"

He stared at Lin Xuan and said word for word: "Follow me back to the Yunni Sect and hand over what you obtained at Black Wind Ridge, and I can guarantee you'll keep your life. If you remain stubborn and stay here, then you will be an enemy of my Yunni Sect! When that time comes, not just you, but this Bailian Villa and those two useless trash following you will all be buried with you!"

This was a blatant threat!

He was using Lin Xuan's life, the lives of Wang Mang and Li Dali, and the safety of the entire Bailian Villa to force Lin Xuan to submit!

The expressions of everyone in the hall changed.

Sect Master Ouyang Lie stood up abruptly: "Zhao Yuanzhen! You..."

"Villa Master," Lin Xuan suddenly spoke, interrupting him.

Everyone's gaze focused on Lin Xuan once again.

Lin Xuan looked at Zhao Yuanzhen, his gaze as calm as water.

That calmness caused an inexplicable surge of unease in Zhao Yuanzhen's heart.

"Elder Zhao," Lin Xuan spoke slowly, "You've said so much, but it's nothing more than wanting me to go with you. But have you ever considered one problem?"

Zhao Yuanzhen's brow furrowed: "What problem?"

Lin Xuan said word for word:

"Even if I go with you and hand over the Legacy, do you think you could return to the Yunni Sect alive?"

Zhao Yuanzhen's pupils shrank abruptly!

Behind him, the two Disciples' Faces also changed drastically!

"What do you mean?!" Zhao Yuanzhen said sharply.

Lin Xuan did not answer his question but instead turned his head to look outside the hall.

"Since Your Excellency is already here, why hide your head and show your tail? Come in."

Outside the hall, there was no one.

But the moment Lin Xuan's words fell—

A dark shadow, as if stepping out from the Void Realm, slowly appeared at the hall's entrance.

It was a middle-aged man dressed in black robes, with an ordinary Face and an aura so restrained it was almost undetectable. He just stood there quietly, like a ghost.

But the moment he appeared, the Faces of all the experts at or above the Golden Core Stage in the hall changed!

Because the aura of that black-robed man was actually—Golden Core Middle Stage!

And it was the kind of Middle Stage that was only a step away from the Late Stage!

Zhao Yuanzhen looked at the black-robed man, his Face ashen: "It's you?! How could you..."

The black-robed man looked at him, a strange smile curling on his lips: "Elder Zhao, I trust you have been well."

He walked into the hall, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally landing on Lin Xuan, a flash of surprise in his eyes: "Kid, how did you find me?"

Lin Xuan said indifferently: "I knew from the moment you stepped into the villa."

A hint of surprise flashed in the black-robed man's eyes: "Impossible. My Concealment Technique is difficult for even a Golden Core Late Stage to detect. How could you, a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage..."

"That's not important." Lin Xuan interrupted him and turned to look at Zhao Yuanzhen, "Elder Zhao, this must be the 'helper' you have hidden in the shadows, right?"

Zhao Yuanzhen's Face was as dark as water, and he didn't answer.

But everyone knew that Lin Xuan was right.

The black-robed man suddenly laughed, his voice hoarse and ear-piercing: "Interesting. Very interesting. Kid, you are much more interesting than I imagined."

He looked at Zhao Yuanzhen, his tone becoming playful: "Elder Zhao, it seems your plan has been seen through. What now? Do we strike, or..."

Zhao Yuanzhen gritted his teeth, a flash of ruthlessness in his eyes: "Strike!"

Before his voice had even faded, his entire aura exploded!

A Golden Core Late Stage expert going all out was world-shaking! The entire main hall was trembling, and the tables, chairs, and decorations within were knocked askew by the impact of this aura!

At the same moment, the black-robed man also moved!

His target was not Lin Xuan, but—Ouyang Ye!

He knew that as long as he suppressed Ouyang Ye, Lin Xuan would be nothing to fear!

However—

Just as the two were about to strike, a cold female voice rang out:

"Enough."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an invisible pressure that instantly suppressed the auras of Zhao Yuanzhen and the black-robed man!

Everyone looked toward the source of the voice and saw Fairy Lengyue slowly standing up.

In her seemingly clouded old eyes, a heart-palpitating glint was now flashing. Her pressure, belonging to the Golden Core Late Stage, was not as violent as Zhao Yuanzhen's, but it was more solid and... more unfathomable.

"Elder Zhao," she spoke slowly, "Today's matter ends here."

Zhao Yuanzhen's Face changed: "Senior Lengyue, you..."

"I said, it ends here." Fairy Lengyue interrupted him, her tone brook no argument. "If you insist on acting in my presence, then I don't mind stretching these old bones of mine."

Zhao Yuanzhen looked at her, then at Ouyang Ye, and finally at Lin Xuan.

On that Face was nothing but unwillingness, malice, and a helpless rage.

After a long time, he took a deep breath, suppressing the churning killing intent in his heart, and said coldly:

"Fine. Today, I will give Fairy Lengyue Face and let this kid go for now."

He looked at Lin Xuan and said word for word: "But Lin Xuan, remember this—my Yunni Sect will not let this go. Next time, it won't be this simple."

With that, he flicked his sleeve and strode away with his two Disciples.

The black-robed man glanced at Lin Xuan, a meaningful smile curling on his lips, and also turned to leave.

Silence returned to the hall.

Sect Master Ouyang Lie let out a long breath and slumped into his chair. The four Elders looked at each other, their eyes full of the relief of having survived a disaster.

Leng Ningshuang looked at Lin Xuan, a strange light flashing in her eyes.

Ouyang Ye walked to Lin Xuan's side, patted his shoulder, and said hoarsely, "Good boy, you performed well today."

Lin Xuan shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the direction where Zhao Yuanzhen had left.

"He won't let this go," he said slowly. "Next time, he won't be coming alone."

Ouyang Ye was silent for a moment, then nodded: "You're right. But at least we've bought some time."

He looked at Fairy Lengyue and cupped his hands: "Thank you, Senior Lengyue, for your assistance."

Fairy Lengyue waved her hand: "No need to thank me. I just couldn't stand the sight of the Yunni Sect's behavior."

She looked at Lin Xuan, a complex light flashing in her eyes: "Kid, you are not simple. To be able to remain calm in such a situation and even see through Zhao Yuanzhen's trump card... in all my years, I've seen very few with such Heart-Nature."

Lin Xuan bowed slightly: "Senior overpraises me."

Fairy Lengyue nodded and turned to leave. At the hall's entrance, she suddenly stopped and glanced back at Lin Xuan:

"Kid, I've also heard a bit about that Su Qingyue matter. The mark inside her is indeed not simple. If you want to save her, you'd better hurry. Because..."

She paused and said word for word: "The Yunni Sect's Grand Elder has already finished his secluded cultivation. His goal is that mark."

With that, her figure disappeared outside the hall.

Leng Ningshuang glanced at Lin Xuan and also turned to leave.

In the hall, only the people of Bailian Villa and Lin Xuan remained.

Lin Xuan stood in the center of the hall, gazing in the direction where Fairy Lengyue had left, his eyes deep.

Grand Elder.

Secluded cultivation finished.

The goal is the mark inside Su Qingyue.

Time was even more pressing than he had imagined.

He clenched his fists, turned, and strode out of the main hall.

Behind him, Ouyang Ye looked at his departing back, a complex light flashing in his clouded old eyes.

"This kid..." he murmured softly, "I'm afraid he's about to stir up something big."

(End of Volume 2, Chapter 46)

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[Next Chapter Preview]: A shocking revelation, the dagger is revealed! In a desperate situation, Lin Xuan exposed Zhao Yuanzhen's trump card, forcing the Yunni Sect group to return in defeat. However, the crisis is far from over—the Yunni Sect's Grand Elder has emerged from seclusion, and his target is the Ancient Mark inside Su Qingyue! Time is short, and Lin Xuan must make a choice: continue to lie low, or take the initiative to strike? And what has happened on Su Qingyue's side? Next chapter: The Moment of Choice, the Storm Rises Again!