The final assassin's eyes widened in terror as Lin Feng approached, his movements unhurried yet inexorable.

  "Please," Bang Ou whispered, his earlier bravado evaporated like morning dew. "I was merely following orders. The Gu family—"

  "—will soon learn the consequences of their actions," Lin Feng finished, his voice soft yet carrying an undercurrent of steel. "Though I doubt you'll be there to witness it."

  Lin Feng's hand moved in a simple gesture—no grand technique, no flashy display of power—just a casual flick of his fingers. Bang Ou's form shimmered for an instant, his desperate scream cut short as his body dissolved into motes of light that scattered on the night breeze.

  The courtyard fell silent. Lin Feng stood motionless, his expression contemplative as he surveyed the scene. Nothing remained of the assassins—no bodies, no blood, not even a disturbance in the carefully raked gravel of the garden path.

  After a moment, he turned his gaze toward Lin Tian's chambers. The young master had slept through the entire encounter, unaware of how close death had come—again. Lin Feng's lips curved in a small smile that held no warmth, only a cold satisfaction.

  "Sleep well, Young Master," he murmured. "The journey continues tomorrow."

  With a casual wave of his hand, a ripple of energy swept across the courtyard, erasing even the faintest traces of Qi disruption. No one would ever know what had transpired here tonight—no one except those who had orchestrated the failed attempt.

  Lin Feng took another sip from his cup, his expression pensive. The Gu family's involvement was troubling, though not unexpected. Their alliance with the Bang assassination clan suggested a level of desperation he hadn't anticipated. Someone was moving pieces on the board earlier than predicted.

  He glanced up at the moon, calculating. "We'll need to accelerate our plans," he said softly to himself.

  Dawn broke over Verdant Spring City, painting its towers with hues of gold and amber. Lin Tian awoke feeling unusually refreshed, his cultivation base humming with steady energy.

  He found Lin Feng already prepared for their departure, supervising servants as they loaded supplies onto two spirit beasts—sleek, deer-like creatures with short antlers that shimmered with faint blue light.

  "Cloud Runners," Lin Feng explained when he noticed Lin Tian's interest. "Not as prestigious as flying mounts, but faster than ordinary horses and capable of traversing difficult terrain with ease."

  Lin Tian nodded, studying the creatures. His senses detected the subtle Qi patterns flowing through their bodies—complex networks that reinforced their muscles and bones for endurance and speed.

  "I wasn't aware the Lin clan possessed such beasts," he commented, recalling that even in Latvaria, specialty mounts had been reserved for elite military units.

  Lin Feng's expression revealed nothing. "The Lin clan possesses many resources that aren't widely advertised, Young Master."

  After a light breakfast and final preparations, they departed Verdant Spring City through its eastern gate. The journey began on a well-traveled road that wound through terraced hills and prosperous farmlands. Other travelers gave them respectful berth, recognizing the quality of their mounts and the subtle signs of cultivation status.

  As the morning progressed, the busy thoroughfare gradually thinned. By midday, they had turned onto a less traveled path that followed the course of a meandering river. The terrain became more rugged, with dense forests climbing the slopes on either side.

  "How much further to the compound?" Lin Tian asked as they paused to water the Cloud Runners at a small stream.

  "We should arrive before dusk," Lin Feng replied, scanning the horizon with seemingly casual interest. "The main approach is still several hours ahead."

  Lin Tian noticed a subtle tension in Lin Feng's posture—a watchfulness that hadn't been present during their earlier travels. He detected no immediate threats, but the attendant's behavior suggested caution.

  "Is something wrong?" Lin Tian asked quietly.

  Lin Feng's gaze remained on the distant tree line. "Perhaps nothing," he answered. "But we should remain alert."

  They continued their journey, the Cloud Runners maintaining an impressive pace despite the increasingly difficult terrain. The path narrowed as it entered a particularly dense section of forest, ancient trees rising on either side to form a natural tunnel of interlaced branches.

  Lin Tian felt it first—a prickle of awareness at the edge of his consciousness. He detected a disturbance in the ambient Qi, like ripples spreading across a still pond. Something—or someone—was disrupting the natural energy flow of the forest.

  "Lin Feng," he began, but his attendant had already pulled his mount to a halt.

  "I sense it too, Young Master," Lin Feng said, his voice lowered. "Stay close."

  The disturbance grew stronger—a concentrated pressure that made the air itself feel heavy. Lin Tian's breath caught in his throat as he recognized the sensation. This was spiritual pressure far beyond what he'd encountered at the Celestial Dragon Sect.

  Before Lin Tian could speak again, a figure emerged from the shadows ahead—a tall, broad-shouldered man with a neatly trimmed white beard and eyes that held the stillness of ancient glaciers. Simple gray robes did nothing to disguise the overwhelming aura that radiated from him.

  "The Lin clan's third son," the figure remarked, his voice carrying effortlessly despite its soft volume. "Traveling with such minimal protection? How... interesting."

  Five more cultivators materialized from the forest around them, their movements coordinated and predatory. Each radiated power at the Foundation Establishment realm or higher—formidable opponents individually, lethal as a group.

  Lin Feng positioned his mount slightly ahead of Lin Tian's, his posture deceptively relaxed. "Master Shen Wu," he greeted with a respectful nod. "I've heard tales of the Wandering Sage. This is an unexpected encounter."

  Lin Tian suppressed a start of surprise. Shen Wu—the name was familiar from sect records. A reclusive cultivator affiliated with no major sect or clan, yet spoken of in hushed tones throughout the Eastern Cultivation Realms. Some claimed he had once been offered an elder position at the Celestial Dragon Sect but had declined to maintain his independence.

  "'Unexpected' is rarely the truth in matters of importance," Shen Wu replied, his gaze sliding from Lin Feng to Lin Tian. "I find myself curious about the Lin clan's disgraced son and his sudden... advancement."

  The man's Qi was overwhelming—far beyond what Lin Tian had experienced before. Even without active techniques, his mere presence seemed to compress the air.

  "Master Shen," Lin Tian said, inclining his head with precisely calculated respect. "I was unaware my humble progress warranted attention from one such as yourself."

  Shen Wu's lips curved in a cold smile. "A breakthrough to Qi Condensation II after years of stagnation... most remarkable. I wonder what methods the Lin clan employs to achieve such... transformation."

  Lin Tian maintained his calm expression, though inwardly he tensed. How had news of his advancement traveled so quickly? The breakthrough had occurred just three days ago, within the secluded walls of the Celestial Dragon Sect.

  "The Celestial Dragon Sect has excellent instructors," Lin Tian offered neutrally.

  "Indeed," Shen Wu agreed, his tone suggesting he found the explanation insufficient. "Yet even the finest instruction rarely produces such... dramatic changes."

  The Supreme Peak master gestured, and his followers spread out, effectively surrounding Lin Tian and Lin Feng.

  "I wonder," Shen Wu continued, "what secrets your cultivation base might reveal under closer examination."

  Lin Tian felt a chill run down his spine. The situation was deteriorating rapidly. Despite his suspicions about Lin Feng's abilities, he had no idea if his attendant could handle six cultivators led by a Supreme Peak master. Lin Tian prepared himself for combat, even knowing his recently elevated abilities would offer little against such overwhelming opposition.

  Lin Feng shifted slightly on his mount. "Master Shen," he said, his voice still respectful, "the Patriarch awaits his son's return. Perhaps any inquiries could be directed through official channels?"

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Shen Wu's eyes narrowed. "Official channels can be so... tedious. And my associates are not known for their patience."

  At some unseen signal, two of Shen Wu's followers lunged forward—one targeting Lin Feng, the other moving toward Lin Tian.

  What happened next occurred so quickly that Lin Tian's senses could barely follow. Lin Feng's hand made a subtle gesture, and both attackers froze mid-motion. Their expressions shifted from confident aggression to stunned disbelief, then to horrified understanding, before their bodies simply... unraveled.

  There was no blood, no violence—merely two cultivators who existed one moment and didn't the next, their essence dissipating like smoke in a strong breeze.

  The forest fell utterly silent.

  Lin Tian stared in shock. Despite his growing suspicions about Lin Feng's true capabilities, witnessing such effortless power left him speechless. This was not the power of a mere servant or even a skilled bodyguard—this was the devastating technique of a supreme cultivator.

  Shen Wu's expression shifted from casual arrogance to focused intensity. "Interesting," he whispered, his eyes fixed on Lin Feng with new assessment. "The Lin clan assigns a Supreme Peak cultivator to guard their 'worthless' third son? What game does your patriarch play?"

  Lin Feng dismounted with fluid grace, patting his Cloud Runner's neck reassuringly before stepping forward. "Young Master," he said to Lin Tian without turning, "please remain here."

  Lin Tian could only nod, his mind still reeling from what he'd just witnessed. The casual way Lin Feng had eliminated two high-level cultivators contradicted everything he thought he knew about his attendant.

  Shen Wu's remaining followers exchanged uncertain glances, their earlier confidence evaporating.

  "An interesting deception," Shen Wu said, his voice hardening as he too dismounted. "Does the Lin clan have so many Supreme Peak cultivators that they can afford to disguise one as a mere attendant?"

  Lin Feng smiled faintly. "I serve the Young Master. That is the extent of your required knowledge."

  Without further warning, Shen Wu attacked—not with a physical strike or even a visible technique, but with pure spiritual pressure that distorted the very air. Trees groaned, their bark cracking under the invisible force. The ground beneath their feet trembled.

  Lin Feng stood unmoved, matching the pressure with his own. The collision of their auras created a soundless concussion that rippled outward, stripping leaves from nearby branches and raising a cloud of dust from the path.

  "Interesting indeed," Shen Wu murmured. His hands formed a complex pattern, and golden runes materialized around him. "Let's see what you're truly capable of, 'attendant.'"

  What followed was unlike any combat Lin Tian had witnessed or even read about. The two cultivators barely moved physically, yet the forest around them was torn apart by their clash of wills and Qi. Trees shattered, the earth buckled, and reality itself seemed to warp at the edges of Lin Tian's vision.

  Lin Feng fought with elegant precision, his techniques containing an economy of movement that spoke of centuries of refinement. Shen Wu countered with overwhelming power and cunning adaptability, each exchange revealing new facets of his vast experience.

  The remaining followers wisely retreated to a safer distance, their expressions reflecting a mixture of awe and terror.

  Lin Tian watched from atop his mount, his disbelief giving way to fascination. The two Supreme Peak cultivators were evenly matched, their battle revealing a level of cultivation that most disciples of the Celestial Dragon Sect would never witness in their lifetimes.

  A particularly violent clash sent shockwaves across the clearing, momentarily obscuring both combatants in a cloud of debris. When it cleared, Shen Wu stood with a thin crimson line across his cheek—the first visible damage he'd sustained.

  His expression darkened. "Enough games," he snarled, pulling a jade talisman from his robes. "Let's see how you fare against the Nine Phoenix Immortal Slaying Formation."

  The talisman shattered in his grip, releasing nine streaks of crimson light that circled him before expanding outward in a complex pattern. The air grew hot and suffocating as the formation took shape, reality bending to accommodate its ancient power.

  Lin Feng's expression remained composed, though Lin Tian detected a slight tension in his stance. "The Phoenix Formation," he acknowledged. "A rare technique indeed."

  Shen Wu's eyes widened slightly at this recognition. "You are well-informed for a mere attendant."

  The formation fully materialized—nine spectral phoenixes of flame, each larger than a man, circling with predatory focus. At Shen Wu's gesture, they converged on Lin Feng in a coordinated assault.

  Lin Feng closed his eyes for a moment, his hands forming a single seal before his chest. When his eyes reopened, they held a cold light that seemed to pierce through the very fabric of reality.

  "Void Severance," he intoned quietly.

  The space around him... shifted. There was no other word for it. Reality seemed to fold inward, the attacking phoenixes distorting as if viewed through running water before simply ceasing to exist. Not destroyed—erased, as if they had never been.

  Shen Wu staggered backward, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "That technique—it's forbidden—"

  Before he could continue, a new presence made itself known—a wave of spiritual pressure so intense that Lin Tian felt his consciousness waver under its weight. Both Lin Feng and Shen Wu turned toward the source.

  A woman in flowing white robes embroidered with silver patterns stood at the edge of the devastated clearing. Her hair was bound in an elaborate knot secured with jade pins, her ageless face beautiful in a severe, intimidating way.

  "Enough," she said, her voice like the toll of a crystal bell. "This grows tiresome."

  Even Shen Wu seemed diminished in her presence. "Mistress Yue," he acknowledged, wiping blood from his lips. "The Lin clan sends an elder for escort duty? How... fascinating."

  The woman—Mistress Yue—moved forward with liquid grace. Her spiritual power, carefully contained yet easily dwarfing both combatants', filled the clearing like an invisible tide.

  "The Lin clan protects its own," she replied simply. "Particularly from uninvited examinations on public roads."

  Her gaze swept over the scene, lingering briefly on Lin Feng with what might have been approval before settling on Lin Tian. "The Third Young Master," she observed. "You've grown since last I saw you."

  Lin Tian, still reeling from the battle he'd witnessed, managed a respectful bow. "Mistress Yue," he acknowledged, though he had no memory of ever meeting this imposing woman.

  Shen Wu's remaining followers had prostrated themselves at her arrival, foreheads pressed to the ground in terror.

  "So many resources expended protecting a mere Qi Condensation II cultivator," Shen Wu noted, his tone casual despite his obvious injuries. "One might think the Lin clan harbors something truly exceptional." His cold eyes returned to Lin Tian. "Or truly dangerous."

  "Your speculation exceeds your wisdom, Shen Wu," Mistress Yue said, her tone hardening. "I suggest you continue your journey elsewhere. I would dislike explaining to your various employers why their hired expert met an unfortunate end in Lin territory."

  Shen Wu's face darkened at the implied threat, but he offered a stiff bow. "Another time, perhaps," he said. "Young Master Lin, I look forward to observing your... progress."

  With a gesture to his surviving followers, Shen Wu retreated into the forest, his presence fading gradually until no trace remained.

  Lin Feng relaxed his stance, the immense power he had displayed seeming to withdraw into some hidden place within him. To casual observation, he appeared once more as nothing more than a skilled but unremarkable attendant.

  "Your timing was impeccable, Mistress Yue," he said with a slight bow.

  "Hardly coincidence," she replied with a hint of a smile. "The Patriarch anticipated interest in Lin Tian's return journey. Though I admit, I expected the Gu family or perhaps the Heavenly Sword Sect—not a wanderer of Shen Wu's caliber."

  She turned her attention to Lin Tian, her assessing gaze moving over him with clinical precision. "Your breakthrough has caused quite a stir, young man," she observed. "The Patriarch will be pleased with your progress."

  Lin Tian bowed formally. "I'm grateful for your intervention, Mistress."

  "We should continue," Lin Feng suggested, glancing at the position of the sun. "The Patriarch will be concerned if we're delayed."

  Mistress Yue nodded. "I'll accompany you to the compound," she said, producing a jade token that glowed briefly before disappearing. "The Patriarch should be informed of Shen Wu's interest."

  As they resumed their journey, Lin Tian's mind worked furiously to process everything he had witnessed. His suspicions about Lin Feng had been correct—more than correct. The man wasn't just powerful; he was a Supreme Peak cultivator at minimum, possibly higher. And he had been disguised as a simple attendant all this time.

  Lin Tian watched his attendant's back as they rode, countless questions swirling through his mind. Lin Feng had been protecting Lin Tian all his life. That made sense now—the "coincidental" savior when he was truly in danger, the subtle guidance during training, the constant presence that had seemed merely dutiful but had clearly been vigilant.

  But how had he concealed such power for so long? How had the elders of the Celestial Dragon Sect failed to detect his true strength? Lin Feng had been present at the sect for years, yet no one had ever treated him as more than a clan attendant.

  And why would the Lin clan assign someone of Lin Feng's caliber to shadow their "useless" third son? The resources devoted to his protection—Lin Feng, Mistress Yue, possibly others—suggested an importance that contradicted everything Lin Tian had learned about Lin Tian's place in the clan.

  The more he tried to understand the Lin clan, the more confused he became.

  Each revelation seemed to raise more questions than it answered.

  Lin Tian considered asking directly but decided against it. Direct questions had yielded little in the past. Instead, he would watch, listen, and observe. The journey to the Lin compound promised to reveal more than just the Lin ancestral home—it might finally shed light on the mystery of his own significance in this cultivation world.

  As they rode, Mistress Yue moved alongside Lin Tian, her presence less overwhelming now that she had carefully contained her spiritual pressure.

  "Your control of your cultivation base has improved remarkably," she observed. "The Celestial Dragon Sect's methods have served you well."

  Lin Tian inclined his head. "Thank you, Mistress. Though I suspect my recent progress owes more to personal realization than formal instruction."

  A slight smile curved her lips. "Insight often proves more valuable than repetition. The Patriarch will be eager to assess your advancement personally."

  The mention of his father sent a ripple of anticipation through Lin Tian's core. The Lin Patriarch—a figure he had rarely seen even before being sent to the sect, and now a central mystery in the increasingly complex puzzle of his life.

  "I look forward to presenting my respects," Lin Tian replied diplomatically.

  Mistress Yue studied him with eyes that seemed to perceive far more than his outward appearance. "You've changed, Third Young Master. Not just in cultivation."

  Lin Tian met her gaze steadily. "Experience shapes us all, Mistress."

  She nodded, apparently satisfied with whatever she had observed. "Indeed it does."

  As the distant silhouette of the Lin compound appeared on the horizon—a sprawling complex nestled between twin mountains—Lin Tian couldn't shake the feeling that he was riding not just toward the Lin family home, but toward revelations that would fundamentally change his understanding of both this body's past and his future in this cultivation world.

  Whatever secrets the Lin clan had been keeping about the true purpose of their "worthless" third son, the time for answers was drawing near. For Edward Reinhart, once Emperor of Latvaria and now inhabiting the body of Lin Tian, this would be his first glimpse of the Lin family's true power and the legacy he had unwittingly inherited.