Lin Yan frowned.
Immediately after, with a loud bang, the courtyard door was forcefully pushed open.
Several people filed in, swaggering into the courtyard.
There were four of them in total.
The leader was a man in his thirties wearing a cyan Daoist robe. He was followed by three young men in the same attire, clearly from the same sect.
Where is the person in charge? Come out!
He shouted at the top of his lungs, his tone like that of a wealthy landlord coming to collect rent.
Inside the main hall, Liu Ruyan put down the french fries in her hand. A trace of nervousness appeared on her small face, and she subconsciously leaned closer to Lin Yan.
Lin Yan gently patted her head, signaling her not to be afraid.
Then he stood up and walked out of the main hall at a leisurely pace.
With his hands clasped behind his back, his face was expressionless, and his eyes were as calm as a pool of stagnant water.
He walked to the center of the courtyard and stood still.
His gaze swept over the group of people before he spoke in a neutral tone:
Who are you?
The leading man looked Lin Yan up and down. Seeing his ordinary clothes and the complete absence of any spiritual energy fluctuations around him, a flash of contempt appeared in his eyes.
We are outer sect patrol disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
He raised his chin, his tone arrogant. This mountain peak is under the jurisdiction of our Heavenly Sword Sect. When was this Daoist temple renovated? Did you report it?
Lin Yan did not speak.
Seeing that he did not answer, the man asked again, Did you see anything fall from the sky just now? A streak of white light falling in your direction.
Lin Yan shook his head.
I didn't see anything.
You didn't see it? The man frowned, his gaze bypassing Lin Yan to glance into the main hall.
On the Eight Immortals table in the main hall sat colorful food, and a little girl was sitting there, looking outside timidly.
The man withdrew his gaze and sneered.
Your Daoist temple is the closest to where that light fell, and you say you didn't see it?
How about this, let us conduct a search. We will leave as soon as we are done and will not hold you up.
After saying that, he waved his hand, and the three young men behind him prepared to barge into the courtyard.
Heh, you want to search my courtyard?
Lin Yan suddenly chuckled. His voice was not loud, but everyone present heard it clearly.
Did Old Ghost Zhang teach such ill-mannered juniors?
The moment these words came out, all four of them froze simultaneously.
The leading man's expression changed, his brows furrowing tightly.
What Old Ghost Zhang are you talking about? My surname is Li, I don't know any Old Ghost Zhang!
Lin Yan looked at him with a faint, enigmatic smile.
Think again?
The man's frown deepened.
Old Ghost Zhang... Zhang...
Suddenly, as if struck by lightning, his whole body trembled, and the color instantly drained from his face.
You... you mean... Patriarch Zhang?
The Patriarch Zhang he spoke of was the previous Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect, who possessed a peak Golden Core cultivation base and was quite renowned over a hundred years ago.
Because of his eccentric temper and unconventional ways of doing things, some people indeed called him Old Ghost Zhang in private.
But this nickname was only known to the older generation of cultivators.
How could this young man in his early twenties standing before him know it?
Unless...
An ominous premonition welled up in the man's heart.
Lin Yan did not answer his question.
He merely waved his hand lightly, like swatting away a fly.
Leave, do not bother me.
His tone and demeanor were exactly like someone dismissing a few ignorant juniors.
The man's expression fluctuated as he quickly calculated in his heart.
This person indeed had no spiritual energy fluctuations, but to be able to say the name Old Ghost Zhang and be so fearless...
What if he was some reclusive senior expert?
Senior.
He changed his form of address, his tone softening a bit, though he was still probing. Patriarch Zhang passed away over a hundred years ago, how do you...
Passed away?
Lin Yan sighed, as if getting impatient from the annoyance.
Never mind.
He took two steps forward, standing with his hands behind his back, and looked at the man with a placid gaze.
Back then, I had a one-strike agreement with Old Ghost Zhang. Since my old friend is no longer here, you, his junior, can fulfill it in his stead.
The man's face drastically changed.
Senior, I...
Make your move.
Use your strongest technique. If you can make me take half a step back, you can search this Heaven Derivation Sect as you please.
The man's face turned pale and green by turns, a fierce struggle raging in his heart.
A moment later, he gritted his teeth.
Then... then excuse my offense!
He took a deep breath, circulating all the spiritual energy in his dantian and gathering it into his right palm.
Cyan spiritual light condensed in his palm, accompanied by the faint sound of wind and thunder.
The full-force strike of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Even a late-Foundation Establishment expert would not dare to take it head-on.
Hah!
The man shouted loudly, thrusting his palm toward Lin Yan's chest.
The palm wind howled, vigorous energy overflowing, blowing the fallen leaves on the ground in all directions.
Bang!
A muffled thud.
The man's palm landed solidly on Lin Yan's chest.
And then—
Nothing happened.
Lin Yan remained perfectly still; not even the corner of his clothes fluttered.
He had not even raised a hand to block. He just stood there, like a mountain.
The man's pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks.
How is this possible?!
He had used ten parts of his strength in this strike.
Even a late-Foundation Establishment cultivator could not possibly take it so effortlessly!
Could it be...
The man's hand was still pressed against Lin Yan's chest, his entire body frozen as if immobilized.
The three young men behind him were deathly pale, their legs trembling.
Are you done?
Lin Yan glanced down at the palm still resting on his chest, his voice calm.
The man woke up as if from a dream, abruptly withdrawing his hand and taking two steps back.
Then—
With a thud,
He fell directly to his knees.
Se... Senior! This junior had eyes but failed to see Mount Tai. I have offended you, Senior, please forgive me!
Seeing this, the three people behind him quickly followed suit and knelt down, not even daring to lift their heads.
Looking at the four people kneeling on the ground, Lin Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.
Damn, I almost blew my cover just now.
He didn't know any Old Ghost Zhang. He had just randomly guessed Zhang, Wang, Li, or Zhao, and to think he actually hit the mark.
As for that palm strike...
Nonsense, within the territory of the Heaven Derivation Sect, he was immune to all damage. Let alone mid-Foundation Establishment, even if Golden Core or Nascent Soul experts came, they would not be able to harm a single hair on his head.
Forget it.
He sighed softly. You were only acting on orders. Get up.
The kneeling man felt as if he had received a grand pardon and kowtowed repeatedly.
Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior!
Go back and tell your Sect Master that this mountain peak will be under the jurisdiction of the Heaven Derivation Sect from now on.
As for your Heavenly Sword Sect, if you want to come and have tea with me, I am ready to welcome you at any time.
These words were spoken lightly, but to the ears of the four Heavenly Sword Sect disciples, they were nothing less than a naked declaration of sovereignty.
But what did they dare to say?
An existence who could take the full-force strike of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator head-on without moving an inch was at least a figure at the level of a Golden Core Patriarch.
This kind of existence was not someone they could afford to provoke.
Yes, yes, yes, this junior will definitely pass the message to the Sect Master!
The man nodded continuously, then asked cautiously, Then... then this junior makes bold to ask, what is Senior's esteemed name?
Lin Yan glanced at him.
Heaven Derivation Sect, Lin Yan!
The man firmly memorized this name, kowtowed once more, and scrambled out of the courtyard along with his three junior brothers.
The moment the courtyard gates closed, Lin Yan heard hurried footsteps and hushed voices coming from outside.
"Hurry, let's go!"
"Senior Brother, who exactly is that person?"
"Stop asking, we'll talk when we get back! A senior expert like him isn't someone we can afford to pry into!"
The footsteps gradually faded away into the distance.
Lin Yan stood in the courtyard, looking at the newly shut gates, a faint smile playing on his lips.
At the entrance of the main hall, Liu Ruyan poked her little head out and asked timidly, "Master, have they left?"
"They're gone."
Lin Yan turned around, a gentle smile returning to his face. "Come on, let's go back and finish eating. The fries won't taste good if they get cold."
"Mhm!"
shall grant"] ["Inscribing the glory of our race upon tombstones"] ["All that is threatened, I shall protect"] How his younger sister sees her brother: A brother who only makes eye contact once a day, mostly fading into the background as he tinkers with who-knows-what in his room all day. Their life paths should have remained largely separate. Until one day. Su Qi created an equipment card for his never-met "online girlfriend." His sister fell into silent contemplation upon receiving the "white stockings." [Card can be upgraded] [Upgrade by fulfilling any of the following conditions] [Condition ①: Consume one hundred higher-tier cards] [Condition ②: Complete one 'Heart-Pounding Adventure'] What constitutes a Heart-Pounding Adventure? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Beginner Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to admire it.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Easy Level): Equip the card, invite 'Su Qi' to touch it, and analyze the equipment's texture.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Entry Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to...] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Challenge Level): Freely combine the words 'Brother' 'Out' 'Brother' 'Me' 'Please' into a complete sentence...] "Please help me analyze both teams' mistakes in this match, brother..." His sister exhaled in relief—surely... surely there couldn't be anything more difficult? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Suicide Mission Level): Sneak a peek at the names of the galgames in 'Su Qi's' hidden E-drive folder]
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
e vast world of cultivation, where he becomes the master of the Heavenly Ruins Sacred Hall, a dying old man with barely a tenth of his former cultivation remaining. He is immediately confronted with a deadly crisis: his subordinates have rebelled, and his protectors are forcing him to abdicate. At the critical moment, the system descends from the heavens: [Ding! The host has been detected facing a life-or-death crisis. The system is now officially activated!] [As a gift, you have received the Supreme Beginner’s Pack and awakened the ultimate cheat: ten thousand years of pure cultivation essence every second!] Yin Tianjue: “Wait… ten thousand years of cultivation every second? That’s six hundred thousand years a minute, and in one day… I can’t even calculate it. Either way, I’m already invincible!” You’re a peerless prodigy rarely seen in ten thousand years? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re an undying ancestor who has guarded a sacred land for countless ages? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re the strongest chosen one, blessed with heaven-defying destiny? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. From this day forth, I have only one thing to say: “I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. Now, how exactly are you supposed to deal with that?”
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
