31: Lin Tian's impotent rage

Inside the door was a paradise of pleasure.

Outside the door was a tormenting Hell.

Lin Tian pressed his ear tightly against the cold door panel, listening to the decadent sounds seeping through the crack—sounds that were enough to tear his sanity to shreds.

His fists were clenched tight, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force.

The veins on his arms bulged like coiled dragons, and his entire body was trembling slightly.

Why... Why?!

Why was Qing Xuan with Lu Yi... He couldn't understand it, nor could he accept it.

In his mind, his younger sister was his only family, the most pure and flawless existence in this world.

But now, this purest existence was in the same room as his most hated enemy, engaged in such... shameful acts!

Under the influence of the strange medicinal power of the Yin and Yang Spiritual Water, his state of mind—already unstable from his cultivation Breakthrough—was now completely filled with jealousy and fury, stripping him of any capacity for rational thought.

He only wanted to rush in and tear that "vile couple" to pieces!

However, before he could be completely consumed by this towering rage, a clear, sharp shout rang out from the distance:

"Who are you! Sneaking around like that, how did you get onto the Immortal Vessel?! Someone come quickly, we have an intruder!"

This scolding was like a bucket of cold water being poured over his head.

It instantly extinguished Lin Tian's about-to-explode fury, scaring him out of his wits.

He had been discovered!

A brief moment of sanity returned, and he immediately realized that he absolutely could not stay here any longer!

With his current strength, if he were surrounded by the Disciples of the Primordial Holy Land, it would be certain death!

He didn't dare hesitate for a second, immediately turning and fleeing in a panic toward the woods outside the Immortal Vessel.

The moment before his body disappeared into the darkness, he still looked back unwillingly.

That tightly closed door had brutally destroyed the last shred of faith in his heart... Inside the room, Lin Qingxuan's entire body jerked in fear at the sudden shouting outside, and her body stiffened.

Stuttering with a hint of terror, she asked Lu Yi:

"Sa... Saint, what... what's happening outside?"

In his heart, Lu Yi cursed that girl Ling'er.

She was too impatient!

Things on his end had only just begun; the best part of the show was still to come!

Scaring the person away like this, wasn't that a waste of his careful arrangements?

However, he was also slightly surprised that Lin Tian had managed to restrain himself from breaking down the door.

It seemed that after having his cultivation crippled once, he had learned at least a little bit of a lesson.

But he judged that this level of stimulation was already enough to let the seed of the "Heart Demon" take root and sprout in Lin Tian's heart.

He turned his head, that gentle smile returning to his face.

Looking at the shaken Lin Qingxuan in his arms, he comforted her softly:

"It's nothing, just a little mouse that didn't know its place sneaking in. Don't mind it, let's continue..."

As he spoke, he pulled her closer, thinking to himself:

"Since your brother is gone, you'll have to endure double the excitement of the show by yourself..."

...Meanwhile, in the woods outside the Immortal Vessel, Lin Tian was fleeing frantically.

Ling'er's shout acted like a signal, immediately drawing numerous Primordial Holy Land Disciples responsible for security.

They rushed out from various parts of the Immortal Vessel to intercept and surround Lin Tian.

"Thief, don't run!"

"Stop!"

Lin Tian pushed his movement techniques to their limit, darting left and right through the forest in a pathetic state.

Behind them, Ling'er, who was "directing" the pursuit, was acting like she was directing a bunch of actors.

She constantly deployed the Disciples to block Lin Tian's escape routes.

But every time, Lin Tian would find a tiny opening, and the Disciples were never able to catch him.

Ling'er felt a bit frustrated; she really wanted to catch this guy, but these Disciples were acting as if they were throwing the game!

She couldn't help but mutter to herself:

"Oh dear, it seems I didn't complete today's task well and let that guy get away. Master... won't punish me for this, will he?"

But then, she thought about it carefully; if she were to be "punished" by Master... that seemed like it might actually be quite nice.

Lin Tian changed directions several more times, finally managing to shake off all his pursuers without further incident, disappearing completely into the night.

He fled all the way back into the city, hiding in a deserted, quiet alley.

Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the image of that closed door and the sounds from within flooded his mind again like a tide.

The emotions that had just cooled down from his escape were instantly reignited by an even more violent rage.

"Ah—!"

He could no longer suppress the pain and confusion in his heart, and he began to frantically attack everything around him.

He punched the hard wall, creating spiderweb-like cracks, and kicked a pile of wooden crates into splinters.

Like a wounded beast, he fell into an impotent rage, roaring incessantly:

"Why?! Why!"

After a bout of hysterical, frenzied venting, Lin Tian suddenly stopped all movement.

Ragged and disheveled, he stood frozen in place, his eyes vacant.

After an unknown amount of time, he slowly turned around and walked step by step toward the inn.

By the time he returned to the inn, a lingering trace of ruthlessness that could not be washed away had appeared between his brows.

His entire aura had become even more gloomy and cold than before.

It was as if all his resentment and hatred had been compressed and hidden deep within his heart.

At the same time, the strange energy in his body—the Yin and Yang Spiritual Water—was reacting curiously with the massive amount of resentment he had just accumulated, subtly changing everything about him.

Not long after Lin Tian returned to his room, there was a knock on the door.

It was Qing'er.

"Brother Lin Tian, are you resting? My grandfather asked me to come and inform you of something."

Lin Tian gave a response, and Qing'er pushed the door open and entered.

However, as soon as she entered, she was startled by Lin Tian's bone-chilling gaze.

She felt as if the Brother Lin Tian before her had become a completely different person.

That gaze no longer held the previous determination and gratitude; in its place was a coldness that felt foreign and even frightening to her.

"What are you here for?"

Lin Tian asked coldly, his voice devoid of any emotion.

Qing'er was terrified by his appearance, her body unable to stop trembling.

Tremulously, she conveyed Elder Qian's words:

"Grand... Grandfather asked me to tell you that the Cultivator Exchange Conference will officially begin in a few days, and he wanted to ask... if you have any intention of participating..."

Without even thinking, Lin Tian spoke directly, his voice cold and stiff:

"I! WILL! PARTICIPATE!"

In his heart, only one thought remained.

He would take revenge on that "vile couple" at the exchange conference in front of everyone!

Clearly, at this moment, he had been completely invaded by a Heart Demon.

He no longer cared for the sibling bond of the past and had completely abandoned any rational thought.

His reason had been entirely consumed by the thought of revenge.