119: January period

"Sect Master, something major has happened."

Just as he picked up the sound transmission stone, a voice filled with extreme anxiety came from within.

Lin Yu replied calmly, "What is it? Do not panic, speak slowly."

"Reporting to the Sect Master, one hour ago, the Ancestral Hall Elder discovered that the life soul of Hall Master Lin Qiuyang of the Qingxiang Hall has shattered."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yu immediately closed his eyes and took a deep breath, remaining silent for a long time.

"Sect Master, are you listening, Sect Master?"

Seeing that Lin Yu did not respond, an even more urgent voice came from the sound transmission stone.

After a long while, Lin Yu finally regained his composure and picked up the sound transmission stone again: "Speak, what exactly happened?"

"Sect Master, after Hall Master Lin died, the Elders of the Haoyang Sect gathered, saying they want to demand an explanation from the Xuan Sheng Empress. I can barely hold them back, so please return to the Sect immediately to preside over the overall situation."

"I understand. I will be there immediately. Tell them to calm down; we will discuss everything when I return."

After speaking, he hung up the sound transmission stone directly.

The zither-playing woman furrowed her delicate brows: "What happened?"

"Sigh."

Lin Yu let out a sigh.

"Lin Qiuyang is dead."

The woman slowly closed her rosy eyes: "It seems you will be busy again."

"Enough talk, I must return to the Haoyang Sect to understand the situation first."

With that, Lin Yu and the woman both transformed into beams of light and disappeared from the Wind and Rain Pavilion...

Inside the main hall of the Haoyang Sect, the Elders and Hall Masters gathered together, each of them impassioned and indignant.

An elderly man with a long beard at the head of the group tried to comfort them: "Everyone, please calm down. I have already notified the Sect Master; he will arrive shortly. We can discuss how to resolve this matter when he arrives."

As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately drew countless criticisms.

"What is there to discuss? It must have been done by that tyrant Nalan Mingyue. Otherwise, given Hall Master Lin's status and strength, how many people in the Saint Domain could kill him, and how many would dare to lay a hand on him?"

"That's right. Nalan Mingyue is ruthless and will not let go of any opportunity to destroy the forces of our Haoyang Sect. Since she dares to provoke the Haoyang Sect like this, she must pay the price she deserves."

"Let's storm the Imperial Capital right now and tear Nalan Mingyue into ten thousand pieces!"

Seeing the crowd's indignation and their readiness to go and demand an explanation from Nalan Mingyue, Lin Yu's voice sounded from outside the hall door.

"Elders, please do not be agitated, listen to me first."

The next moment, a flash of cold light darted in front of the main seat in the hall.

When the cold light dissipated, Lin Yu's elegant figure appeared before everyone's eyes.

"Greetings, Sect Master."

Upon seeing Lin Yu, everyone in the hall immediately stopped arguing and bowed to him in unison.

Lin Yu: "Everyone, such a major event has occurred in the Haoyang Sect. I am deeply saddened, just like all of you. However, please rest assured, I will definitely get to the bottom of this matter and clear Hall Master Lin's name."

As soon as he finished speaking, an old man in gray robes stood up and said: "What else is there for the Sect Master to investigate? Besides Nalan Mingyue, who else would have the guts to do this? Please, Sect Master, give the order to gather all the Disciples of the Haoyang Sect and storm the Imperial Capital to avenge Hall Master Lin!"

His words were quickly met with approval from everyone in the hall: "Elder He is right. We must avenge Hall Master Lin. How can our people from the Haoyang Sect die in vain? Kill the Empress, slaughter her whole family, and avenge our fallen warrior of the Haoyang Sect."

Lin Yu sighed softly: "Everyone, I can guarantee you that Hall Master Lin's death was absolutely not the work of Nalan Mingyue. Rashly starting a war with the Xuan Sheng Immortal Dynasty at this time will only destroy the situation that the Haoyang Sect has worked so hard to build."

He Gang: "What does the Sect Master mean by this? Could it be that you are shielding Nalan Mingyue?"

Lin Yu: "Elder He, are you still unclear about what kind of person I, Lin, am? What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Sect Master, please do not misunderstand. I just want to know why you are so adamant and certain that Hall Master Lin was not harmed by Nalan Mingyue?"

Lin Yu gently waved his Feather Fan: "Because one hour ago, I was just meeting with Nalan Mingyue at the Wind and Rain Pavilion to discuss the topic of dividing the Saint Domain. The Zither Maiden can testify to this."

Upon hearing this, He Gang's eyes immediately turned cold: "Sect Master, do you mean to say that you have made peace with Nalan Mingyue?"

"It is not peace, but a gamble. Within three years, whoever's governance wins the hearts of the people more, that person shall be the master of the Saint Domain."

"Ha, Sect Master Lin, do you know if doing this is worthy of the late Sect Master's dying entrustment?"

He Gang sneered and brought up the late Sect Master, Lin Zhanyang.

"You are the late Sect Master's adopted son. Do you remember what he said when he entrusted the Haoyang Sect to you on his deathbed?"

"Of course I remember!" Lin Yu clenched his fists, a trace of sorrow flashing across his face, "My foster father said he wanted the people of the Saint Domain to have peace and to give everyone in the Haoyang Sect a satisfactory answer."

He Gang: "Since the Sect Master remembers, why then seek a strategy of peace and division with Nalan Mingyue? Is this not a betrayal of the Sect?"

Lin Yu: "Elder He, when have I betrayed the Sect? Just because I met Nalan Mingyue in private, you conclude that I have betrayed the Sect? That is too hasty."

He Gang shook his head: "The Sect Master meets Nalan Mingyue in private to discuss the layout of the Saint Domain, yet does not discuss it with us. It is hard not to arouse suspicion. I can even suspect that Hall Master Lin was killed by you and Nalan Mingyue working together."

"Elder He!"

Lin Yu was angered and gave a light shout.

"If you continue to groundlessly speculate and suspect me without producing evidence, then do not blame me for being impolite."

After speaking, his Aura suddenly changed, and He Gang and the others felt a pressing, heroic air before them.

Seeing Lin Yu get angry, He Gang naturally did not dare to act presumptuously.

At this moment, a man wearing hempen clothes with a mourning band wrapped around his arm slowly walked into the main hall.

He was Lin Qiuyang's younger brother, Lin Dongyang, and also the Hall Master of the Haoyang Sect's Sword Refining Hall.

"Sect Master, my older brother died tragically at the hands of Nalan Mingyue. I implore the Sect Master to avenge my brother."

Lin Dongyang's expression was cold, and the Spirit Sword on his back kept emitting a faint humming sound; this was a sign that his fury was burning.

"Hall Master Lin, I understand your feelings at this moment, but even if we are to seek revenge, we must investigate the course of events clearly. What if someone is sowing discord from within, forcing the Haoyang Sect and the Xuan Sheng Immortal Dynasty to ignite the flames of war again, and then profiting from it? Would we not be used by others?"

"Heh."

Upon hearing this, Lin Dongyang could not help but sneer.

"It seems the Sect Master does not want to avenge my brother, which is why you came up with such excuses. Very well, since that is the case, I will resolve this matter myself; I will not trouble the Sect Master."

After speaking, Lin Dongyang stood up to leave.

Lin Yu's brows furrowed slightly, and he waved his Feather Fan gently, lost in thought.

He Gang stopped him in time: "Hall Master Lin, do not go. Now, your brother's death is not just your own affair; it concerns the prestige of our Haoyang Sect. How can you bear it alone?"

"That's right, this is our Haoyang Sect's affair. If we are to seek revenge, we will do it together. We absolutely cannot let Nalan Mingyue escape justice."

Seeing that the situation was about to spiral out of control, Lin Yu suddenly closed his Feather Fan: "Everyone, please listen to me."

The hall instantly quieted down, and dozens of gazes looked at Lin Yu in unison.

Lin Yu said: "Please give me one month. Let me investigate the matter clearly. If it truly was Nalan Mingyue's doing, then I will personally seek justice for Hall Master Lin."

"And what if after one month, you have no leads?" He Gang retorted.

Lin Yu: "Then I will step down from the position of Haoyang Sect Sect Master, no longer manage any affairs of the Sect, and allow the Law Enforcement Elder Sima Jinghan to select a new Sect Master."