75: Go to intercept

"The best time to strike is while Lin Chengyuan is on his way to the Black Wind Stockade!" A sharp light flickered in Lin Jingyu's eyes. "That old dog is terrified; he's bound to be distracted. I'll take his life while he's vulnerable!"

Perhaps Lin Chengyuan possessed a protective treasure similar to the one Lin Jingxie had.

But with the even more powerful and stronger thunder fiend talismans that Lin Jingyu could now unleash, even if he couldn't kill him, he could still severely wound him.

Besides, Lin Jingyu still had a trump card!

He took out the cold, glinting "water-dividing sword" from his Storage Pouch.

A first-tier Medium Grade Magical Artifact, it was considered a decent piece in Lin Jingxie's collection. The blade was narrow and thin as a cicada's wing, exuding a sharp aura.

He took a deep breath, and his powerful Mental Energy, like invisible tentacles, instantly wrapped around the blade. The refining process went unexpectedly smoothly, with almost no obstacles.

That clear Mental Energy seemed to possess an innate, extremely strong permeability and affinity, easily establishing a connection with the core of the Magical Artifact.

In just a few breaths, a faint sensation, as if they were connected by Bloodline, was established between him and the water-dividing sword.

"Go!" With a slight thought from Lin Jingyu, the water-dividing sword let out a soft "buzz" and transformed into a pale blue stream of light, nimbly weaving through the small secret room.

It was so fast that it almost left afterimages!

Under the precise control of his powerful Mental Energy, the sword light went wherever he directed, as if it were an extension of his own arm!

He could even clearly "perceive" the faint air currents created as the blade sliced through the air!

"Good!" Lin Jingyu felt a surge of joy, and his confidence grew immensely.

The benefits brought by the increase in Mental Energy were immediate. The precision and speed with which he controlled the Magical Artifact far surpassed those of others at the same level; he wouldn't even lose to someone at the Qi Refining Mid-Stage.

This meant that in battle, he could launch attacks faster and more accurately!

"Old dog, let's see if you survive this time!" A cold light flickered in Lin Jingyu's eyes, his killing intent condensing into something almost tangible.

He walked into the inner room and quickly scribbled a note on the table: "I'm going out to take care of some business. I'll be back soon. Take care of yourself and Little Ash."

The handwriting was a bit messy, but it carried an undeniable sense of care. This was left for his sister to keep her from worrying.

Having finished this, he didn't delay any longer and quickly left the secret room. Walking into the courtyard, he deliberately released a trace of spiritual energy fluctuations from the Qi Refining Third Layer, carrying a cold Evil Qi that warned others to stay away, like a drawn sword.

Several Lin family Cultivators he encountered on the way felt the sharp aura and blatant killing intent on him. They instinctively shrank their necks and avoided him from a distance, not even daring to greet him, their eyes filled with fear and confusion.

Lin Jingyu didn't care; he had no mind to deal with them now.

Turning his steps, he headed straight for Lin Lingkuang's house.

"Uncle Lingkuang!" Lin Jingyu pushed open the somewhat dilapidated courtyard gate, his voice carrying a hint of urgency that was hard to detect.

Lin Lingkuang was chopping wood in the courtyard. He looked up at the sound and saw it was Lin Jingyu. A smile had just appeared on his face when it froze, startled by the Evil Qi on Lin Jingyu that had almost condensed into substance. Even the axe in his hand paused.

"Jingyu? You are..." Lin Lingkuang put down the axe, his brow furrowed and his expression solemn. He could feel that the young man before him was even more terrifying than yesterday.

Those eyes were so sharp they seemed able to pierce through one's heart. The Evil Qi on him felt as if he had just crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, causing even an old Jianghu hand like him at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer to feel a tremor of fear and... a sense of strangeness.

"Uncle Lingkuang, I need to trouble you with something." Lin Jingyu got straight to the point, his tone brook no opposition and carrying a decisive resolve. "I need you to make a trip to the Southeast Market Town, to the Miaoling Pavilion."

He took out two boxes of carefully packaged sweet potato pills from his Storage Pouch. The Jade Boxes were warm and smooth, emitting a faint sweet fragrance. "Just deliver these to the guards at the entrance of the Miaoling Pavilion. Say... Lin Jingyu of the Lin family is delivering the goods as agreed."

Lin Lingkuang took the Jade Boxes; they felt warm in his hand. He hesitated slightly. "Delivering things is no problem, leave it to me! But Jingyu, you..."

His gaze swept over Lin Jingyu's tightly pressed lips and those bottomless eyes. "Looking like this, what are you planning to do? Have you run into some trouble? Tell me, and I'll help you!"

"I'm fine." Lin Jingyu interrupted him, his eyes calm but carrying an undeniable power, as steady as a rock.

"I just have some private business to handle. I'm counting on you for the Miaoling Pavilion." He emphasized his tone, a hint of earnestness in his eyes.

Looking into Lin Jingyu's deep and determined eyes, the slight doubt and worry in Lin Lingkuang's heart were instantly suppressed, replaced by a strange sense of trust and heroic spirit.

This kid's changes were happening day by day; he must have his own Opportunity and was certainly not someone to be underestimated!

What he was about to do must be something significant!

"Alright! Leave it to me!" Lin Lingkuang slapped his chest hard with a "thud," agreeing readily, a gleam flashing in his eyes.

Lin Jingyu nodded and said no more. He gave Lin Lingkuang a deep look, turned, and left.

He couldn't tell Lin Lingkuang that he was going to intercept and kill Lin Chengyuan. It was too shocking and would drag Lin Lingkuang into the mess, perhaps even implicating him.

After all, Lin Chengyuan was still the Third Elder of the Lin family.

The information he had certainly couldn't be revealed.

Watching Lin Jingyu's retreating figure disappear at the end of the alley, Lin Lingkuang weighed the Jade Boxes in his hand, a flicker of complexity and worry in his eyes.

The secrets and pressure this boy carried were likely much greater than he imagined. He silently put away the Jade Boxes and decided to set off for the market town immediately.

Leaving Lin Lingkuang's house, Lin Jingyu immediately found a quiet, deserted corner. First, he used a breath-concealing talisman. The sharp Evil Qi and spiritual energy fluctuations on him vanished instantly, making him look like an unremarkable Mortal who wouldn't stand out in a crowd.

Next, he quickly changed into a set of inconspicuous grey coarse cloth clothes and smeared some dust on his face, looking like an ordinary mountain dweller on a journey, travel-worn.

Having completed his disguise, he summoned the "flowing cloud kite."

He injected spiritual energy, and the kite grew as it met the wind, transforming into a giant green kite with a wingspan of nearly two zhang, its spiritual light flowing. Lin Jingyu vaulted onto it and steered the kite into the sky, speeding toward the Black Wind Stockade.

The strong wind blew against his robes, making them rustle loudly.

The place Lin Jingyu was heading to was one of the mandatory routes from the Lin family to the Black Wind Stockade—Eagle Sorrow Gorge.

It was a narrow valley path wedged between two steep peaks that looked as if they had been carved by knives and axes. The terrain was extremely dangerous, with the narrowest part only allowing two or three people to walk abreast.

The valley floor was filled with jagged rocks and the current was swift. On both sides were dense, almost lightless primeval forests with tangled vines—an excellent place for an ambush.

If Lin Chengyuan wanted to go to the Black Wind Stockade to deliver news, this was one of the shortest routes.

The wind howled in his ears, but Lin Jingyu's heart was exceptionally calm, like a frozen lake.

While controlling the kite, he repeatedly rehearsed the assassination plan in his mind, every detail becoming crystal clear under the enhancement of his clear Mental Energy.