The Lin family never interfered in the grudges between martial artists. Having passed down through generations, they had long grown weary of orchestrating such affairs. Yet, bound by ancestral teachings, they continued to host the martial arts convention, one generation after another. This year's event was given particular importance because a child within the family had taken a keen interest in martial arts, thus prompting the Lin family to pay a little more attention to the convention.
"Young Master Lin, try this fruit. It's very sweet."
"Young Master Lin is here! Here, have the 'He Yi' fruit you love the most."
As one walked west from the city towards the suburbs, passing through a bustling commercial street, Lin Junyi's figure was instantly surrounded by the populace. People eagerly presented him with items from the stalls.
Lin Junyi refused repeatedly, but when he could no longer decline, he accepted everything, clutching the pile of items as he walked towards the arena.
Previously, a beam in the ancestral hall had broken. To repair the hall and the ancestral tablets, the martial arts convention had been postponed for a full month. When the invitations were sent out, sects located farther from Fengyu City had already departed and arrived a month prior. The Lin family had arranged for them to stay in Chengwen Courtyard as an apology and compensation for the postponed event.
Sects that were closer received their invitations before departing. They only arrived in Fengyu City in mid to late March.
The Lin family held a significant position in Fengyu City, not only due to the vast prosperity accumulated over years of inheritance but also because of the Lin family's philanthropy.
They opened porridge stalls on the first and fifteenth of each month, distributing money and grain during droughts and cold winters.
The Lin family had produced five Prefects and several renowned merchants. In the current generation, the wealth they possessed could likely rival the national treasury. However, the Lin family remained low-key, thus not attracting the attention of the imperial court.
Nan Shiying and Lu Yiyi stood in the spectator area of the arena. Although the martial arts convention was not open to the public, the sheer number of participants meant that spectator seats were provided for the resting of competing sects.
The arena was constructed from sturdy marble, coated with a layer of lime. Even if struck with an axe, it would only damage the outer lime, leaving the foundation unharmed.
Lu Yiyi touched the seats in the spectator area. The backs of the chairs were covered with synthetic leather, and the seats were equipped with soft cushions, eliminating worries about backaches from prolonged sitting. Every five chairs had a table. It seemed she could enjoy snacks while watching the matches.
"Excellent!"
Lu Yiyi nodded with satisfaction.
Lin Junyi placed all the items he was carrying—in his hands, cradled in his arms, and hanging from his arm—onto the table. Lu Yiyi had never seen a more enthusiastic shopper than herself, her large eyes constantly glancing at him.
Lin Junyi had noticed the people in the spectator area earlier—Lu Yiyi of the Lingyun Sect, and the recently renowned but very mysterious Feng Ying.
"Miss Lu, Miss Feng, I am Lin Junyi."
From a distance of ten meters, Lin Junyi did not approach. When his gaze met Lu Yiyi's once more, he cupped his fists and greeted them.
Initially, Lu Yiyi was curious as to how he knew her and Sister Ying. Upon hearing his surname, she understood.
In the martial world, what could remain hidden from Chengwen Courtyard?
Lin Junyi.
Was he the martial arts fanatic of the Lin family?
Nan Shiying nodded slightly, acknowledging the greeting.
Lu Yiyi waved to him with a smile, then turned and whispered to Nan Shiying, "Sister Ying, do you know about the Lin family?"
Nan Shiying shook her head.
More accurately, after hearing about the Lin family of Fengyu City, she understood why Jin Mo wanted her to get involved in this affair.
"Sister, let me tell you..."
Martial artists knew the Lin family's affairs by heart. After all, an ancestor of the Lin family had once single-handedly suppressed the entire martial world. Although the Lin family had long since withdrawn from the martial world, they remained in it in a different capacity.
Chengwen Courtyard!
The Lin family's Chengwen Courtyard was essentially an information repository, specializing in collecting information about people and events in the martial world. The Lin family did not hide this. Beyond gathering intelligence, Chengwen Courtyard was also a place for academic study. They studied the Eight-Legged Essay, the Five Classics, the Four Books, and the Analects. Not only did members of the Lin family study there, but other scholars also considered it an honor to study at Chengwen Courtyard.
Nan Shiying listened and nodded. In reality, she was already aware of what Lu Yiyi was saying. The only difference between the Lin family and the Ghost Sha Sect was that the Lin family wore a "harmless" guise. The Lin family's Chengwen Courtyard did far more than just collect martial world affairs. A family that had endured for a century possessed a profound heritage and a complex foundation that far surpassed what was outwardly presented.
After a brief encounter with Lin Junyi, Nan Shiying and Lu Yiyi returned to the inn. The atmosphere in the inn was tense. Lu Yiyi tugged on Nan Shiying's hand, signaling that it would be better not to enter just yet.
Previously, the Wan Ku Tower had seized over ten rooms in the inn. One of the individuals from Wan Ku Tower had a connection with the Dian Cang Sect, and now, the Dian Cang Sect had arrived to demand an explanation.
Xuan Xiao rested one leg on a stool, his arms behind his head resting on the table, looking casually at Yuan Canghai, the senior disciple of the Dian Cang Sect, who was dressed in a crimson combat outfit.
"Are you leaving on your own, or will I have to beat you out?"
Xuan Xiao's peripheral vision caught sight of Nan Shiying standing at the entrance, not yet inside the inn, before he refocused his gaze on Yuan Canghai. The Dian Cang Sect had always styled themselves as a righteous sect, most disapproving of their Wan Ku Tower and the Ghost Sha Sect. Now that the Ghost Sha Sect had been too ostentatious and was wiped out by the imperial court, the Wan Ku Tower was the only remaining sect labeled as "heretical."
He appeared righteous, and judging by his sword-wielding posture, he seemed eager to emblazon "noble and great" on his chest and back. If it were an elder or the sect leader of the Dian Cang Sect, perhaps Xuan Xiao would have taken him seriously. But a disciple? What made him so confident in demanding an explanation?
Did he even deserve it?
"Very well, then let's settle this with our hands!"
Yuan Canghai lunged forward, his sword and arm forming a straight line. Using his shoulder blade to drive his arm, he moved like the wind. His voice was still in the air as his long sword lunged towards Xuan Xiao's eyebrows.
Xuan Xiao shifted his weight onto both arms, kicking upwards with the foot resting on the stool. He casually kicked away the sword and, with his other leg, delivered a swift kick outwards.
The sword was deflected from its trajectory. Before Yuan Canghai could even twist his wrist to counter, feeling a strong gust of wind from the front, he transitioned from offense to defense, blocking Xuan Xiao's kick aimed at his chest with his sword.
The sword absorbed most of the force, but Yuan Canghai was still forced to retreat several steps. In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged several blows. Although Yuan Canghai had retreated, it was still uncertain who would emerge victorious.
Yuan Canghai retreated and attacked again, but Xuan Xiao no longer intended to play with him. He drew the whip strapped to his waist. The whip's shadow moved like the wind, as fast as lightning. The whip's tail coiled around the long sword in Yuan Canghai's hand, and with a "crack," the sword was whipped away and snapped in half.
Defeated in a single move.