Inside the dilapidated wood shed, the air seemed to freeze solid.
Zhao Hu's voice, thick with malice, still echoed. He and his two henchmen stood like three walls blocking the doorway, their mocking gazes shifting between the trembling Zhang Xiaoshan and the "weak" Lin Xuan on the bed.
Zhang Xiaoshan's face was deathly pale, his lips trembling. He tried to plead for mercy, but Zhao Hu's fierce glare forced him to swallow his words. Helplessly, he clutched the hem of his robe, his body leaning slightly sideways, stubbornly blocking the entrance to Lin Xuan's bedside.
This small gesture caught Lin Xuan's eye. Having lived ten thousand years in his previous life, he had witnessed the world's coldness and warmth, its deceit and betrayal. Disputes over resources and cultivation techniques, masters and disciples turning against each other, and partners becoming enemies—all were commonplace. Such pure and timid protection felt unfamiliar to him... and jarring.
"What? Deaf or paralyzed?" " Seeing Lin Xuan's complete lack of reaction, merely staring back with eyes too calm, Zhao Hu felt an inexplicable wave of impatience and irritation rise within him. The look in this good-for-nothing's eyes today was deeply unsettling. He stepped forward, reaching out to shove Zhang Xiaoshan aside. "Get out of the way! A good dog doesn't block the path!"
Just as his rough palm was about to touch Zhang Xiaoshan's shoulder—
"Want to lose your hand?"
A cold, hoarse voice, yet carrying an undeniable authority, rang out clearly.
The voice wasn't loud, but it swept through the wood shed like a bitter wind, causing Zhao Hu's movement to freeze abruptly. Zhang Xiaoshan also turned in shock, looking toward the source of the voice—Lin Xuan on the bed.
Lin Xuan remained lying down, not even rising. Yet his eyes no longer held the previous blankness or pain—only an unfathomable, icy coldness, like an ancient, unmelting glacier.
Zhao Hu froze for a second, then erupted in rage: "Damn it! You worthless piece of trash dare talk back to me? Looks like I didn't beat you hard enough yesterday!"
Feeling humiliated by this challenge from a "useless piece of trash," he flew into a rage. Forgetting to push Zhang Xiaoshan aside, his fan-like hand shot straight toward Lin Xuan's face! The slap carried a whistling sound. If it connected, Lin Xuan's severely injured body might not survive half a life.
Zhang Xiaoshan closed his eyes in terror.
Yet the expected crack of the slap never came.
The instant Zhao Hu's palm was about to strike Lin Xuan's cheek, Lin Xuan moved! His motion seemed slow, yet it was lightning fast! A pale, gaunt, yet remarkably steady hand clamped down on Zhao Hu's wrist like iron pincers!
"What?!" Zhao Hu's pupils contracted sharply. His wrist felt as if clamped by a red-hot iron band, searing pain shooting through him and instantly breaking out cold sweat. He instinctively tried to break free, only to discover with horror that the seemingly feeble fingers held terrifying strength, pinning him immovable!
How could this be?! This useless piece of trash had been utterly helpless against him just yesterday. How could he possibly possess such strength now?!
Lin Xuan felt the frailty and pain of this body, a cold snort rising in his heart. Had this body not been so wretchedly weak, that single squeeze earlier would have crushed the opponent's hand bones. Though his magic power was gone, the instincts of combat, the techniques of applying force, and the knowledge of the human body's weak points were already etched into his soul.
Using the leverage from his grip on Zhao Hu's wrist, he suddenly twisted his waist and torso, launching himself sideways off the bed at an awkward angle. His free elbow shot out like a cannonball, slamming into Zhao Hu's Jiquan acupoint under his armpit!
"Gah!"
Zhao Hu let out a piercing scream. His entire arm instantly went numb and limp, half his body collapsing. Lin Xuan released his grip and stumbled backward.
Thud!
Under the stunned stares of Zhang Xiaoshan and his two henchmen, the towering Zhao Hu—knocked flat on his face in a single exchange by the seemingly frail Lin Xuan—crashed to the ground in a humiliating faceplant!
It all happened in the blink of an eye. Only when Zhao Hu hit the ground wailing did his two henchmen snap out of their shock.
"Brother Hu!"
"You're asking for death, kid!"
Filled with shock and rage, they charged forward simultaneously. Though merely low-tier disciples at the first and second layers of Qi Cultivation, they relied on their numbers, confident they could handle a severely injured废物.
Lin Xuan's eyes grew icy. He forcibly summoned the minuscule trace of spiritual energy within him, channeling it along a bizarre yet efficient path. His feet shifted, and like a ghostly apparition, he sidestepped to evade the fist hurtling from the left. Simultaneously, his fingers formed a blade-like point, striking with pinpoint accuracy at the Quchi acupoint on the other man's swinging arm.
The henchman felt a sudden numbness in his arm, the force in his fist instantly dissipating. Without pause, Lin Xuan crouched low and delivered a shoulder charge!
"Thud!"
The man staggered backward, crashing onto his backside.
The other henchman froze in terror at the sight. But Lin Xuan was already upon him, shadow-like. His knee shot up, seemingly lightly pressing against the Qi Sea acupoint in the man's lower abdomen.
"Guh..." The man felt his insides churn violently. Clutching his stomach, he knelt on the floor, retching uncontrollably.
In the blink of an eye, all three intimidating bullies lay groaning on the ground.
The wood shed fell deathly silent, filled only with the pained gasps of Zhao Hu and his two companions and Zhang Xiaoshan's heavy breathing.
Zhang Xiaoshan's mouth hung open, eyes wide as saucers, staring at Lin Xuan standing in the center of the room. Though pale and swaying slightly, Lin Xuan radiated an aura as steady as a mountain and as deep as a pool. It was as if Zhang Xiaoshan was seeing this senior brother, who had always been his lifeline, for the first time.
Lin Xuan didn't glance at Zhao Hu, who lay on the floor like a dead dog. His gaze settled on Zhang Xiaoshan's face, filled with shock and bewilderment. His voice remained calm, yet it had lost some of its earlier bone-chilling coldness: "Water."
Zhang Xiaoshan jolted awake, snapping out of his daze. He fumbled clumsily for the cracked bowl by the bedside, presenting it to Lin Xuan with a trembling voice laced with reverence he himself barely registered: "Lin... Senior Brother Lin, water..."
Lin Xuan took the bowl and drained the murky water in one gulp. The icy liquid slid down his throat, quenching his parched body and restoring a sliver of control over this new form.
He tossed the empty bowl onto the floor with a sharp clang, startling Zhao Hu, who shuddered at the sound.
"Blackwind Cliff. The abandoned mine shaft." " Lin Xuan's gaze finally settled on Zhao Hu. The look in his eyes made Zhao Hu feel as if he'd been targeted by a primordial beast, sending a chill through his entire body. "We're going."
His tone wasn't one of negotiation, but of stating fact.
Gritting his teeth against the pain and fear, Zhao Hu barked out, his voice harsh but trembling inside, "You... you dare assault a fellow disciple! The sect won't let you get away with this!"
"Oh?" A faint, bone-chilling curve touched Lin Xuan's lips. "And who witnessed this?"
His gaze swept over Zhang Xiaoshan, then over Zhao Hu's two henchmen. Zhang Xiaoshan immediately straightened his back. Though still fearful, he declared firmly, "I... I only saw Senior Brother Zhao trip and fall on his own!"
Under Lin Xuan's piercing gaze, the two henchmen froze as if plunged into an ice cave. They hastily chimed in, "Right... right! Brother Hu fell on his own!"
Zhao Hu nearly spat blood from rage, yet dared not persist in his defiance. Only now did he truly realize that the Lin Xuan before him was no longer yesterday's useless废物 he could bully at will! This guy was unnerving! Extremely unnerving!
"Get out." Lin Xuan spat out the single word.
Zhao Hu felt as if he'd been granted a pardon. Supported by his two henchmen, he scrambled and crawled his way out of the wood shed, not daring to utter a single threatening word as he fled.
Silence once again settled over the wood shed.
Zhang Xiaoshan stared at Lin Xuan, his eyes brimming with admiration and disbelief. "Senior Brother Lin... when did you become so powerful?!"
Lin Xuan didn't answer. He walked to the doorway, his gaze deep as he watched the direction Zhao Hu and his men had fled in disarray.
Blackwind Cliff, the abandoned mine shaft... Using others to do his dirty work? Saved him the trouble of getting his hands dirty. Perfect. He needed a secluded place, one that might hold resources, to quickly rebuild his strength. This body was far too weak.
He turned back to Zhang Xiaoshan, who remained caught between excitement and bewilderment, and said calmly, "Pack up. We're heading to the abandoned mine shaft."
"Huh? We're... really going?" The joy faded from Zhang Xiaoshan's face, replaced by worry. "It's dangerous there..."
"Dangerous?" Lin Xuan repeated the word softly, a complex expression flickering across his face—the detached gaze of one standing atop a mountain, looking down upon ants. "Perhaps."
To him, the true dangers in this world stemmed more from the unpredictability of human hearts and the lack of sufficient power. And he happened to be adept at handling both.
Half an hour later, Lin Xuan and Zhang Xiaoshan each shouldered a simple bundle and left the dilapidated wood shed.
Lin Xuan declined Zhang Xiaoshan's offer to support him. His steps were slow but steady. As he walked, he silently circulated a rudimentary qi-gathering technique in his mind—one he had refined with supreme wisdom. He drew in the sparse celestial energy around him with extreme slowness, nourishing his battered body while familiarizing himself with the unique properties of this world's spiritual energy.
The outer sect area of Qingyang Sect stretched with rows of dwellings, most of them dilapidated. Disciples encountered along the path cast glances at Lin Xuan and Zhang Xiaoshan—some pitying, some gloating, others utterly indifferent. Clearly, news of Zhao Hu sending them to Blackwind Cliff to die had already spread.
No one approached to speak. Everyone avoided them as if shunning a plague.
Zhang Xiaoshan kept his head bowed, trailing closely behind Lin Xuan, visibly tense.
Lin Xuan, however, remained utterly composed. He took in this cold, indifferent world with perfect equanimity, his heart unruffled. Cultivating the demonic path was inherently like rowing against the current—battling heaven and battling men. Sympathy and pity were the most useless things.
Just as they were about to exit the outer disciples' residential area onto the path leading to the rear mountains, a slightly cool voice sounded from the side:
"You... truly intend to go to the abandoned mine shaft at Blackwind Cliff?"
Lin Xuan's footsteps faltered slightly as he turned his head.
Standing on the stone steps of the mountain path beside them was a young woman clad in white. Her hair cascaded like a waterfall, her features delicate and beautiful, her demeanor cool and otherworldly, like a solitary orchid in a secluded valley. A simple, ancient-looking sword hung at her waist—it was none other than Liu Yunyuan, the prodigy disciple of the inner sect.
Her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she regarded Lin Xuan, her eyes holding a trace of puzzlement and... faint regret.
"Yes." Lin Xuan replied calmly, meeting her gaze without flinching or showing the slightest trace of inferiority.
Liu Yunyuan seemed somewhat taken aback by his composure and direct gaze. After a moment's silence, she said, "That place has long been abandoned. It's said low-tier demon beasts lurk there, and the structure is unstable. It's extremely dangerous. If you go, it's a suicide mission."
Her tone was matter-of-fact, as if stating an objective truth, devoid of much concern. It felt more like a routine reminder from a fellow disciple.
Zhang Xiaoshan's face paled further at her words.
Lin Xuan merely smiled faintly, a smile carrying a pride and detachment Liu Yunyuan couldn't fathom. "Thank you for the warning. But life and death are predestined; fortune lies in the heavens."
With that, he lingered no longer. Turning, he continued step by step along the rugged path leading to the rear mountain.
Zhang Xiaoshan glanced at Liu Yunyuan, then at Lin Xuan's resolute retreating figure. Clenching his teeth, he quickened his pace to follow.
Liu Yunyuan remained rooted to the spot, watching the limping yet remarkably upright silhouette vanish at the end of the tree-lined path. A faint ripple of emotion flickered across her cold, clear eyes.
This outer disciple seemed quite different from the timid, incompetent figure described in the rumors.
Passing through a dense wooded area, a desolate cliff face, permeated with a faint, musty stench, came into view. On the cliff wall, the entrance to a mine shaft—dark and gaping like the mouth of a giant beast—was faintly visible. Rotten mining cart skeletons and scattered rubble littered the entrance, while an almost imperceptible... fishy stench hung in the air.
This was the abandoned mine shaft of Blackwind Cliff.
Zhang Xiaoshan swallowed hard, gripping Lin Xuan's sleeve nervously. "Senior Brother Lin... I think I hear strange sounds coming from inside..."
Lin Xuan halted, his gaze sweeping sharply across the ground near the mine entrance. There were faint, non-human claw marks. His nostrils twitched slightly. Within the fishy stench, he detected a trace of savage energy.
Instead, a barely perceptible curve lifted the corners of his mouth.
"Seems the 'blade' is ready."
He murmured to himself, his eyes not showing fear but instead igniting with a flame called "interest."
"Let's go. Go take a look. Our 'opportunity' might be inside."