422: Chapter 422 I recognize this man who likes to strip and fight.

Xishan, afternoon.

The mountain path wound upward, flanked by sturdy, ancient pines on both sides.

The continuous tree crowns filtered the sunlight into dappled light spots, scattering them over the bluestone-paved steps.

The air floated with a crisp scent mixed with pine needles and damp soil.

The higher they went, the quieter the surroundings became.

Only the rustling sound of the wind passing through the treetops and the occasional chirping of birds remained.

At the waist of the mountain, a quaint temple was hidden among the forest.

Thick moss crawled between the dark tiles and flying eaves, revealing the vicissitudes of weathering everywhere, naturally carrying an isolated and serene tranquility.

Three figures walked quickly up the stone steps, finally stopping in front of the temple's tightly closed vermilion gate.

The man at the lead had a tall figure, but his complexion was somewhat pale, with one arm hanging in a bandage across his chest.

The young man behind him wore an angry expression, his brows filled with lingering irritability.

And the thin person walking at the very end kept his head down all along, looking cowering.

They did not push the door open, but stood quietly outside the door, seemingly waiting for a certain permission.

Inside the temple, sandalwood curls of smoke rose from a beast-headed bronze stove, spiraling upward and eventually dissipating beneath the caisson ceiling painted with star charts.

Several rows of ancestral tablets stood quietly on the offering table, silently watching the figure sitting cross-legged on the cattail mat.

Xiao Linye had been sitting quietly here for several days.

Ever since the "Master" left, he often came to this Family Forbidden Ground located in Xishan to devoutly Cultivate.

This was both to enhance his strength and polish his state of mind, as well as to digest the profound meaning contained in the Master's words.

He had long sensed the Auras of the three people outside the door.

Until the stick of incense in the stove burned down to its last inch, he slowly opened his eyes and spoke indifferently:

"Come in."

The voice was not loud, but like a strand of breeze, it swept across a distance of dozens of meters without any obstruction, penetrating the thick door panel.

The door was pushed open with a creak.

Three figures filed in, passing through the front hall in turn, entering the ancestral hall, and then respectfully kneeling on the ground.

"Patriarch, we handled things poorly, and the mission for Noah Pharmaceuticals has failed."

The tall man spoke first, his voice low and carrying a hint of shame.

A sharp glint flashed in Xiao Linye's eyes, sweeping across the three figures kneeling down to confess their crimes in the hall.

They were precisely the Family members who had previously been ordered to execute the mission: Xiao Yuanwang, Xiao Chenghuan, and Xiao Ming.

Feeling the Patriarch's substantive icy gaze, the three of them suddenly felt their hearts tighten, and their heads could not help drooping lower.

Xiao Linye slightly knitted his brows, his gaze falling on Xiao Yuanwang's right arm fixed with splints.

"Explain clearly."

"Yes."

Xiao Yuanwang then perked up, enduring the wave after wave of severe pain coming from his right arm, and began to report:

"Last night, news came from Noah Building that the Dongdu Branch held a meeting attempting to capture an internal traitor, but for some unknown reason, the entire building was dragged into the Inner World."

"As soon as we got the news, we immediately rushed near the building to observe the situation."

"Until the Inner World dissipated and communications returned to normal, we learned the inside story from the informant Ma Biao, confirming that the entire Dongdu Branch suffered heavy casualties and was in utter chaos, so we planned to take this opportunity to sneak into the experimental area."

"The operation went smoothly. Guided by the intelligence data, we quickly found the crimson eye and prepared to open the portal."

"However, right during the evacuation, we encountered a man wearing a white fierce ghost mask."

Xiao Yuanwang recalled the scene at that time, a flash of apprehension passing through his eyes.

"That person had just defeated Minister Luo Lie and chased him into the laboratory, seemingly also coming for the crimson eye, and started fighting us without a word."

"According to Ma Biao's intelligence, this person is called 'White Owl', a murderer that the Dongdu Branch has been tracking recently, who once wiped out an entire pursuer Special Investigation Team and successively killed several Advanced cadres."

"This person's style of action is extremely savage, hardly using any special abilities, relying entirely on his muscles and fists. Both speed and strength have reached a level comparable to S-rank."

He clenched his intact left fist, his tone revealing intense unwillingness:

"I was careless at the time, letting him get close without dodging in time."

"And the explosive force of that punch far exceeded my estimate, which is why I got injured."

"If I had been on guard in advance, with my Domain ability, circling and fighting him, I could completely wear this guy who only has brute force to death slowly. The one who ultimately fell would definitely be him..."

As an Elder of the Xiao Family, a dignified S-rank expert, losing in a single move to a guy of unknown origin caused him to lose face, making him unable to help explaining a bit more.

"Second Uncle is right."

The young man beside him, Xiao Chenghuan, immediately chimed in:

"That White Owl is simply a lunatic! I heard from Ma Biao that he kills like hemp, has a perverted personality, is not only extremely cruel in his methods, but also likes to strip naked and engage in close-quarters combat with people."

"Second Uncle was just ambushed by him. If we fight again, we can definitely execute him!"

Xiao Chenghuan was an outstanding figure among the third generation of the Xiao Family, always considering himself extraordinary.

Yet in last night's battle, he was ignored by the opponent from start to finish, and right now his heart was filled with resentment.

The two of them spoke one after another, exaggerating and embellishing to defend their failure.

Xiao Linye listened quietly without speaking, while rapidly calculating in his mind.

First defeating Minister Luo Lie, then heavily injuring Xiao Yuanwang with a punch, frightening away the three experts within the clan he dispatched.

Such strength could be considered top-tier in all of Dongdu and the Xia Country.

Aside from the old monsters of the great families and the favored sons of heaven, I'm afraid only those guys in the Special Investigation Team relying on special equipment could rival him.

What on earth is this person's background?

Is he an official secret weapon, or an expert from some Family?

The Xiao Family had operated in Dongdu for three generations and entrenched themselves for decades, long being a towering behemoth with deep roots and lush leaves.

There were as many as a dozen core descendants within the clan who had awakened Bloodline abilities, and there were also several A-rank experts.

And Xiao Yuanwang was one of the only three S-rank powerhouses of the Family, as well as the cornerstone for the Xiao Family's standing tall without falling.

Even he was defeated so straightforwardly, which shows that the strength of that White Owl could definitely not be summarized by just a "lunatic" as Xiao Chenghuan said.

Seated on the bright yellow cattail mat at the upper seat, Xiao Linye sat cross-legged, his brows slightly furrowed, falling into deep thought.

He did not speak, so no one in the ancestral hall dared to make the slightest sound, even suppressing their breathing intentionally.

After a long time, as if a century had passed, Xiao Linye seemed to have thought of something before opening his mouth to ask another question:

"What about Minister Luo Lie?"

Xiao Yuanwang was stunned upon hearing this, then cautiously explained:

"Dealt with. He recognized us at the last moment. To avoid subsequent trouble, I casually sucked him dry."

"Is that so?"

Xiao Linye's response carried no emotion, seemingly indifferent to Minister Luo Lie's fate.

What he truly cared about in his heart was another more crucial matter.

The Noah Organization's Dongdu Branch suffered heavy losses this time, and the headquarters will definitely be furious. I believe severe measures will soon follow.

The authorities and the Special Investigation Team will definitely take the opportunity to intervene in the investigation, and that fellow Station Chief Feng Jincai is probably already overwhelmed by now.

And he himself was both a secret member of the Noah Organization's Board of Directors and a local tyrant of the Dongdu territory.

At a time like this, he logically ought to step forward to help Station Chief Feng Jincai stabilize the situation and suppress the storm.

In this way, he could both preserve this important cooperation channel and make that station chief owe him a favor, making it convenient to boss him around in the future.

Especially the task entrusted by the "Master" before—searching for and monitoring the special ability users of Dongdu—must absolutely not be delayed because of this storm.

"Father..."

Seeing that Xiao Linye had not spoken for a long time, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, Xiao Yuanwang's voice sounded again, full of self-blame:

"This operation was our poor handling. Originally, according to your plan, making a move only when the crimson eye was transported out of the laboratory was the safest plan."

"But Noah Building suddenly changed, and fearing that prolonged nights would lead to dreams, I temporarily decided to sneak in. I didn't expect that not only was the crimson eye snatched away by outsiders, but it also brought trouble to our Xiao Family."

"If this matter leaks and the Board of Directors holds the Xiao Family accountable in the future, I am willing to step forward and bear all the blame..."

Xiao Linye raised his hand to interrupt him.

"This matter is not your fault."

His tone was calm, as if everything was still under control.

"At the beginning of the establishment of the Noah Dongdu Branch, it was my Xiao Family supporting them from behind, helping them gain a foothold."

"As a member of the Board of Directors, their confidential intelligence naturally could not be hidden from me. When that crimson eye was transported from the Himalayas to Dongdu, I was already determined to get it."

"Its ability attributes perfectly match the Bloodline inheritance of my Xiao Family that devours all things, being a divine item that can raise my clan's strength to a higher level."

Xiao Linye raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping across the three people present.

"This chaos was originally a rare opportunity. Your temporary decision was nothing inappropriate, it was just bad fortune that you happened to run into a variable."

His words changed, a trace of coldness flashing through his eyes.

"Now the situation in Dongdu is complex, the Noah Organization is unable to protect itself, and Station Chief Feng Jincai is at his wits' end. It just so happens that we need the Xiao Family to step forward to stabilize the situation for him and suppress the storm."

"Regarding the matter of the crimson eye, they dare not make a fuss, so we will just pretend nothing happened."

"Grandfather, are we just going to let it go like this? Do we not want the crimson eye anymore?"

Xiao Chenghuan was clearly unwilling, unable to help asking.

"How could we just let it go like this?"

Xiao Linye's tone was plain, but his fingers squeezed slightly on his knees:

"A rare item like the crimson eye has inherently intense energy fluctuations and will produce a very strong flesh-corruption phenomenon on the surrounding environment. It is neither easy to hide nor convenient for long-distance transportation."

"If not for this, the Dongdu Branch would not have kept it in the laboratory of Noah Pharmaceuticals all along."

"Therefore, unless that man can swallow it into his stomach on the spot, his tracks and those of the crimson eye will be exposed sooner or later."

"At that time, we can just avenge this grievance, openly and aboveboard seize the crimson eye, and no longer need to be restrained by the reputation of 'infighting with the Dongdu Branch'."

Speaking to the end, a sneer curled the corner of his mouth.

Right at this moment, the collateral descendant Xiao Ming, who had been silently kneeling at the very back, suddenly trembled slightly.

It was as if he recalled something extremely terrifying; he mustered up his courage, raised his head, and said in a low voice:

"Patriarch, Second Elder... I, I seem to recognize that mask."

As soon as these words came out, Xiao Yuanwang and Xiao Chenghuan's gazes instantly cast toward him.

Xiao Linye's gaze was also like electricity, staring intently at him.

"Explain clearly."

"It's the golden bumpa bottle!"

Xiao Ming's heart skipped a beat from being looked at by that gaze, and he hurriedly said:

"Last time at Lu Family Manor in Miwu Mountain, I was ordered to activate the Restriction. It was this man wearing an identical white fierce ghost mask who descended from the sky, shattered the golden bumpa bottle with a single punch, and ruined your entire plan!"

As soon as these words were uttered, the air inside the ancestral hall seemed to freeze.

A bone-chillingly icy Aura diffused from Xiao Linye's body.

The green smoke rising straight up in the incense burner even stagnated for it, and the dust in the air seemed to be frozen in place.

Xiao Yuanwang and Xiao Chenghuan's complexions changed drastically; naturally, they knew about that matter.

It was precisely that failure at the very last step that made the Xiao Family's perfect scheme to annex the Lu Family's properties go down the drain.

The Patriarch flew into a rage over this and punished quite a few people.

"Are you sure it's the same person?"

No joy or anger could be heard in Xiao Linye's voice.

"I will definitely not mistake him!"

Xiao Ming said decisively:

"That mask, the flames burning on his body, as well as his ferocious, tyrannical behavior of liking to strip naked and engage in close-quarters combat with people, are all identical to last night's White Owl!"

"Heh..."

Xiao Linye suddenly let out a low laugh, and that suffocating pressure also vanished into thin air along with it, as if it had never appeared.

The lingering resentment in his heart accumulated due to the destruction of the golden bumpa bottle was now intertwined with the new hatred of the crimson eye being snatched away, which instead made him exceptionally calm.

It's this bastard again!

Who on earth is he?

Destroying his good deeds twice in a row, could he be intentionally acting against the Xiao Family?

No, that's not right.

Xiao Linye immediately denied this thought.

The plan for the golden bumpa bottle was extremely secretive, and seizing the crimson eye was even a temporary impulse.

Unless the other party has the ability to foresee the future, it simply cannot be explained.

These two matters should just be coincidences.

Xiao Chenghuan's complexion at this time was somewhat ugly:

"At that time in the laboratory, Minister Luo Lie called out our identity, and that White Owl heard it crystal clear. Since he knows we are people from the Xiao Family, what if he comes knocking on our door?"

"The enemy is in the dark while we are in the light; this is indeed a trouble..."

Xiao Yuanwang also furrowed his brows.

"Knocking on our door?"

A fierce glint suddenly flashed in Xiao Linye's eyes, and a grim intent curled the corner of his mouth:

"That would be for the best! If he dares to come, this Xishan Ancestral Temple will be his burial place!"

This steady-as-a-mountain Aura instantly swept away the worries in Xiao Yuanwang and Xiao Chenghuan's hearts.

They did not doubt the Patriarch's strength at all.

Furthermore, within the restricted land of the Xiao Family's ancestral temple, there was also a peerless Genius in seclusion.

That was the Qilin child with the most flourishing talent since the Xiao Family established its clan, a peerless blade born for slaughter.

Only twenty years old, he had already stepped into the S-rank threshold, waiting only for the day of success when he unsheathes his blade to make the entire Xia Country tremble.

Of course, Xiao Linye's greatest confidence still stemmed from that "Master" standing behind him who was comparable to a god.

Mere White Owl, no matter how strong, is ultimately just a Mortal!

"All of you, withdraw."

After discussing for a moment, he sat upright on the cattail mat and waved his hand.

The three of them felt as if they had received a grand amnesty, and after respectfully saluting, they quietly withdrew from the ancestral hall.

The temple returned to silence, Xiao Linye closed his eyelids, and his Qi once again sank into the ancient-well-without-ripples state of Meditation.

Time slowly flowed, and the setting sun sank into the back mountain.

The last trace of afterglow faded from the window lattice, and the light inside the ancestral hall rapidly dimmed.

The flame of the candle appeared increasingly bright in the thick twilight, casting long shadows of each ancestral tablet.

The mountain wind turned cool, and all living things were silent.

Only the wisp of blue smoke in the incense burner still rose straight toward the dark roof beam.

Just as his mind was wandering outside of things, an extremely subtle palpitation welled up from the depths of consciousness without any warning.

That feeling was ethereal, as if it were a greeting transmitted across tens of thousands of mountains and rivers, or as if a fishing line sunk deep into the sea was gently touched.

This Aura...

Xiao Linye's mind suddenly shook violently.

He recognized this feeling!

It was precisely that guy who absorbed the spirituality of the golden bumpa bottle and completely refined the vicious Restriction he had hidden!

A flash of inspiration suddenly flickered in Xiao Linye's mind.

He immediately gathered all distracting thoughts, concentrating all his mind on that faint, ethereal connection.

Then he fiercely bit the tip of his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of vital blood, which turned into a ball of blood mist in front of him.

Immediately after, his hands rapidly formed incantation gestures in the blood mist like butterflies flitting through flowers, chanting words in his mouth:

"Blood guide traces soul, tracking over ten thousand miles, decree!"

As the last syllable fell, that ball of blood mist rolled violently, finally condensing into an imperceptibly thin line of blood.

Piercing into the Void Realm like an arrow leaving the string, following that ethereal induction, it pursued toward the distant target.

At the same time, in a room in Haitian Garden, Guanlan District.

Fang Cheng sat cross-legged on the living room floor, his waist and back straight, eyes slightly closed.

Immersed in the state of Meditation, he was waging a special battle on the level of consciousness.

(End of Chapter)