"Last time on the way back from Huamen Town, after devouring an eighth-level martial artist, I reached the late stage of an eight-level warrior. Now, with the energy from these two third-grade pills, I still haven't broken through to the ninth-level warrior," Li Lin thought. The higher the level, the more energy was needed for breakthroughs, so he wasn't surprised. Consuming two or three more third-grade pills or devouring another warrior should allow him to break through.
"Sect Master, something's wrong!"
As Li Lin was stepping out of his room, he saw Zhang Mingtao rushing towards him, looking extremely panicked.
"Brother, what's wrong?" Li Lin asked gently. With Fang Xinqi around, Li Lin always addressed Zhang Mingtao as 'brother' to avoid revealing his identity.
"Sect Master, people from the Black Sword Sect have come. They want to see you," Zhang Mingtao said.
"What Black Sword Sect? I don't think I know them," Li Lin replied, puzzled.
"Sect Master, the Black Sword Sect is right outside our Flying Spirit Mountain. They're basically our neighbors. Their arrival probably doesn't bode well," Fang Xinqi added.
Zhang Mingtao said, "Two disciples from the Black Sword Sect have come, asking to see the Sect Master."
"Alright, let’s go see what they want," Li Lin said, raising an eyebrow.
Accompanied by Li Xintong, Zhang Mingtao, and Fang Xinqi, Li Lin headed to the main hall. Along the way, Fang Xinqi briefed Li Lin about the Black Sword Sect.
The Black Sword Sect, located next to Flying Spirit Gate, had about two hundred disciples. Its Sect Master was at the martial soul level, and there were five elders with similar cultivation levels. Overall, the disciples of the Black Sword Sect were somewhat stronger than those of Flying Spirit Gate. The Black Sword Sect had always coveted Flying Spirit Mountain and probably saw an opportunity now that the former Sect Master of Flying Spirit Gate was killed and replaced by a new one.
As Li Lin listened to this information, his brow furrowed, realizing that Flying Spirit Gate had quite a few troubles.
"Greetings, Sect Master."
When Li Lin arrived at the main hall, all the disciples had gathered, along with elders Huang Haibo, Zhou Yuhou, and Zheng Ying.
In the center of the hall were a young man and woman, both around twenty-two or twenty-three. The man was tall and straight with long hair and a short shirt, carrying a black broadsword on his back. The woman was petite, dressed in a palace outfit, fairly attractive but with typical peach blossom eyes, suggesting a strong sexual appetite.
Li Lin glanced at them. Their aura indicated they were first-level warriors, probably among the best second-generation disciples of the Black Sword Sect.
Seeing Li Lin, a young Sect Master, they both looked surprised.
Li Lin sat on the foremost chair in the hall, giving the young man and woman a cursory glance.
The three elders, Huang Haibo and the others, remained silent and seated themselves below Li Lin. Their expressions subtly changed, perhaps deep in thought.
"Presumably, you are the new Sect Master of Flying Spirit Gate. Our master has sent us, brother and sister, to congratulate you on your new position," the woman in the palace outfit said, smiling at Li Lin after her initial surprise.
"You are from the Black Sword Sect, right? Congratulating me on my appointment, but didn’t bring any gifts? Isn't your sect being a bit stingy?" Li Lin looked at the woman casually.
"This..."
The two from the Black Sword Sect were taken aback and embarrassed, not expecting someone to directly ask for gifts.
"We are to blame for being in a rush and forgetting the gifts our master prepared. We will definitely bring them another day," the woman said somewhat awkwardly.
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"Alright then, I'll wait here. You should go back and get them now, so your master doesn't blame you," Li Lin said nonchalantly, feigning concern.
"Pfft..."
Fang Xinqi and the other two female disciples couldn't help but laugh, finding their young Sect Master quite amusing.
The young man and woman from the Black Sword Sect were even more embarrassed, coughing awkwardly.
"Our master will blame us, but we can only blame ourselves. However, he sent us here to personally inform the new Sect Master of Flying Spirit Gate about a matter. After that, we'll go back and bring the gifts," the woman continued.
"What's the matter? Speak," Li Lin said indifferently, his thoughts whispering to himself that they were finally getting to the main topic.
"My master said that our Black Sword Gate (Hei Jian Men) and Flying Spirit Gate (Flying Spirit Gate) have been neighbors for decades and have always had a good relationship. So, why not merge our two sects into one? In this way, our combined strength will greatly increase, and our sects will become one big family," the woman in palace attire softly said, glancing at Li Lin.
"This relationship sounds good. If the two sects merge into one, then we will truly be our own people," Li Lin mildly responded.
The woman in palace attire was immediately delighted, not expecting the matter to be agreed upon so quickly. She thought her master would surely reward her well upon returning.
At this moment, everyone in the Flying Spirit Gate looked at their sect leader with puzzlement. Would the sect leader agree to such a request? It was clear that the Black Sword Gate intended to annex the Flying Spirit Gate.
Just then, Li Lin glanced at the crowd in the great hall and calmly said to the two from the Black Sword Gate, "However, I have thought of another method. Our Flying Spirit Gate has more men than women, creating an imbalance. How about this: Miss, you seem to be an outstanding second-generation disciple of the Black Sword Gate. Why not stay at our Flying Spirit Gate? Let's see which disciple is interested, and he can marry you. This can also be considered a union between our two sects. As for the dowry, the Black Sword Gate can decide as you please. We in the Flying Spirit Gate will not be particular about these things."
"What, what do you mean by this…" a male disciple from the Black Sword Gate looked at Li Lin in surprise.
"Sect Leader, I am willing to marry this lady for the sake of the Flying Spirit Gate," the most conspicuous bald disciple among the crowd in the hall immediately stepped forward and loudly said.
"Haha, I am willing too." ...
Suddenly, many disciples stepped forward, speaking loudly, causing a burst of laughter.
"Miss, what do you think? You can choose a husband yourself," Li Lin continued indifferently, his eyes lightly sweeping over the two.
"What does this mean, Flying Spirit Gate? Are you making a mockery of our Black Sword Gate with this proposal of union?" the sword-bearing young man said with a sinking expression, staring at Li Lin.
"How dare you, with your status, speak to me in such a manner," Li Lin's gaze narrowed, a coldness suddenly swept over the young man, spreading an invisible aura of menace.
"Elder Huang, capture this man," Li Lin ordered sternly.
Feeling the aura emanating from Li Lin, Huang Haibo's face slightly changed. "Sect Leader, this may not be appropriate. It could lead to disputes between our two sects."
"Elder Huang, are you the sect leader, or am I? Are you disrespecting me as the sect leader and disregarding the rules of the Flying Spirit Gate?" Li Lin's expression darkened, his gaze fixated on Huang Haibo.
Inside the great hall, at that moment, everyone suddenly felt the coldness from Li Lin. Apart from the three elders, almost everyone involuntarily shivered, as if they were in a cold pond, realizing for the first time that such a chilling aura existed within their young sect leader.
"Yes, Sect Leader," Huang Haibo's face twitched, looking at Li Lin's cold eyes, he replied and then stood up.
"You brat from the Black Sword Gate, dare to act rashly in the Flying Spirit Gate, just stay put," Huang Haibo said as he formed a hand seal. A blue aura vibrated around him, and with a fierce stomp on the ground, his figure blurred into a swift shadow, shooting out, and a palm print aimed at the young man from the Black Sword Gate.
"You dare to strike, the Black Sword Gate will not let this go easily," the young man shouted, his body rapidly retreating backward.
With the power of his double martial soul, Huang Haibo appeared in front of the young man almost in the blink of an eye. Without much hesitation, his palm turned into a claw, striking toward the young man's shoulder with lightning speed, carrying the force of thunder.
The young man hadn't expected the people of the Flying Spirit Gate to actually take action. He could only retreat rapidly, reaching back to draw the broadsword from behind.
"Still thinking of resisting? Just stay put," Huang Haibo's expression darkened,
channeling his dissatisfaction with Li Lin into his attack on the young man. His claw hand surged with several sharp auras, shooting out dazzling qi light, striking like thunder and fiercely landing on the young man's left shoulder.
The young man hadn't managed to draw his sword in time and instantly felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, followed by five bloody holes spurting blood, his face turning pale immediately.
"Sister!" The woman in palace attire's face also changed drastically at the same time. She reached into her storage bag at her waist, and a long sword appeared in her hand.
"How bold of you, thinking of fighting back?" Li Lin shouted loudly. Instantly, five scorching flames swept through the air in his hand. The distance wasn't far, and in an instant, five finger imprints appeared in front of the woman in palace attire, the scorching aura already beginning to twist the air around.
The woman was shocked. Forming a hand seal and lightly tapping with her toes, her body rapidly retreated. Simultaneously, the long sword swiftly drew five energy shadow remnants. The sword shadows trembled and instantly rushed towards the five scorching flame finger imprints.