431: Chapter 431 The Heavenly Sword Returns

[You smiled and waved your hand. "Everyone, stand up. There's no need to keep kneeling."]

[The crowd finally began to rise one by one, but the looks they directed toward you were still filled with awe and gratitude.]

[You stepped into the crowd.]

[Those kneeling and standing instinctively moved to either side, clearing a path.]

[You walked up to a child of about five or six years old and stopped.]

[The child was clutching a pellet drum, its surface speckled with a few bits of mud.]

[He tilted his head back, looking up at you with crystal-clear eyes, full of curiosity and not at all shy around a stranger.]

[You leaned down and patted his head.]

["How old are you? What's your name?"]

["I'm Lin Zhantian!" the child said, puffing out his chest, his voice crisp and clear. "I'm five!"]

[You smiled and nodded.]

["Zhantian... a good name."]

[The child didn't quite understand, but he just grinned and shook the pellet drum in his hand, which made a "dong-dong" sound.]

[At that moment,]

[the Third Elder approached, leading a young female Cultivator.]

[The female Cultivator appeared to be in her early twenties, with delicate features and red-rimmed eyes, clearly having just finished crying.]

["Wan'er, quick, come greet the Senior!" the Third Elder urged.]

[The female Cultivator hurried forward and bowed. Her voice still trembled slightly. "Junior Lin Waner... on behalf of my brother... thanks the Senior for his great kindness!"]

[You glanced at her and then looked toward the three Elders.]

["She is..."]

["Sect Master Lin Haotian's biological younger sister," the Third Elder explained. "Their parents died while away ten years ago, and the two siblings have relied on each other ever since. With Haotian away, she remained in the Family under our care."]

[You nodded, saying nothing.]

[After a moment of silence, you suddenly asked, "You should have known for a long time that the Liu Clan intended to annex the Ziyang Star, right?"]

[The Grand Elder sighed and nodded. "We knew."]

["Then why didn't you prepare earlier? You could have dispersed the clansmen or hidden them."]

[The Grand Elder gave a bitter smile, the wrinkles on his face deepening. "Senior may not know... the Teleportation Array of Ziyang Immortal City was sealed by the Liu Clan long ago. Now, for the entire Ziyang Star, one can only enter, not leave."]

[He paused, his voice low. "It's not that we didn't think of hiding. But given the Liu Clan's power, no matter how large the Ziyang Star is, where could we possibly hide if they truly wanted to find us?"]

[The Second Elder interjected, "Instead of hiding and eventually being hunted down and killed one by one, it was better to stay in the city. At least... at least we could maintain some dignity."]

[The Third Elder nodded, his voice raspy. "We thought that as long as the Lin Family had no grievances with the Liu Clan and we behaved ourselves, perhaps the Liu Clan wouldn't trouble a small clan like ours..."]

[He reached this point and suddenly couldn't continue.]

[His eyes grew red.]

[Because he knew how naive his words sounded.]

[When had the Liu Clan ever been reasonable?]

[They thought that as long as they were honest enough, they could survive.]

[But today's events told them—in the eyes of the Liu Clan, as long as they could achieve their goals, they would use any means necessary and ignore all reason.]

[You listened quietly without responding.]

[You thought of the Heavenly Sword Sect again—Qin Han should have settled things there as well, right?]

[Then, with a flicker of your body, you dissipated into the air.]

[It was as if you had never been there.]

[All that remained in the courtyard were the Lin clansmen staring blankly at the spot where you had vanished, and your voice drifting in the wind:]

["Regarding today's events, if the Liu Clan asks, tell them—a mysterious person appeared and killed their men."]

[The voice faded away.]

[The courtyard fell into a deathly silence.]

[After a long while, the Second Elder came to his senses and turned to the Grand Elder, looking confused. "Grand Elder... what did our benefactor mean by that?"]

[The Grand Elder did not answer immediately.]

[He stood there, gazing in the direction you had disappeared. In his cloudy old eyes, something was flickering slightly.]

[After a long time, he spoke, his voice somewhat raspy. "Our benefactor is afraid the Liu Clan will settle scores with our Lin Family afterward."]

[Hearing this, the Third Elder's fist clenched tightly. His face flushed red, and his voice trembled:]

["This... how can this be! Our benefactor saved over a hundred thousand of our lives; it's already a monumental debt of gratitude! Now we're letting him face the Liu Clan's wrath alone... then what face does our Lin Family have left..."]

[He couldn't go on.]

[The Second Elder also fell silent.]

[The clansmen standing in the courtyard were also starting to understand.]

[Some lowered their heads and gripped the hems of their clothes.]

[Some had red-rimmed eyes and turned their faces away.]

[Others stared at the empty sky, their lips moving, but not knowing what to say.]

[The Grand Elder looked up and took a deep breath.]

["Let's wait for the Old Ancestor and the Clan Chief to return before discussing this further."]

[He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the silent clansmen, his voice low and firm. "This matter is not so simple."]

[Meanwhile, you had already arrived at the Heavenly Sword Sect.]

[Hovering in the sky, you looked out over the mountain range that stretched for thousands of miles; traces of the great battle were visible everywhere.]

[Over a dozen mountain peaks had been sliced flat, their surfaces smooth as mirrors, as if they had been wiped away by some gargantuan object.]

[The fires in the mountain forests had not yet been fully extinguished, burning in patches here and there. Thick smoke billowed, dyeing half the sky a grayish-black.]

[Countless Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples shuttled back and forth; some were using water-element Spells to extinguish fires, some were rushing about carrying the wounded, and others were rummaging through the ruins.]

[You took a quick look and had a general idea of the situation.]

[The losses weren't catastrophic, and the Foundation remained intact.]

[Qin Han was suspended in mid-air, looking around as if searching for something.]

[He sensed your presence, and with a flicker of his body, he appeared before you, grinning. "Father, you're here!"]

[You nodded, your gaze scanning the surroundings. "The Heavenly Sword Sect has been quite heavily affected."]

[Qin Han scratched his head, looking a bit sheepish. "I couldn't help it, Father. By the time I arrived, they had already started."]

[He gestured, his tone tinged with a bit of grievance. "Those people didn't follow the rules at all. They just started smashing everything as soon as they arrived, and I couldn't hold back too much while fighting... I did my best to protect it."]

[You expressed understanding. When a Void Refining Cultivator leads a group, their speed is naturally extremely fast; just a few breaths of time could be enough for many things to happen.]

[Moreover, the great battle had taken place directly within the Heavenly Sword Sect.]

[As for the Heavenly Sword Sect's Sect-Protecting Array, the Liu Clan Immortal Family surely had many ways to break through it.]

[Furthermore, the Liu Clan Immortal Family had come well-prepared.]

[Fortunately, however, the Heavenly Sword Sect's Foundation was still there.]

[Perhaps having this experience was also a good thing.]

[Just as you were about to speak, two figures sped toward you from the distance, landing in front of you in the blink of an eye.]

[A man and a woman, both with Soul Transformation cultivation.]

[The man had a dark complexion, and his robes were stained with blood and scorch marks. Half of his left sleeve was missing, revealing a lean, muscular arm.]

[The woman was beautiful, but she appeared somewhat disheveled now. Her hair was messy, a section of her skirt was charred, and there were several streaks of soot on her face.]

[The two were the Peak Master of Starfall Peak and Peak Master Huanyue.]