"Was it you who provoked the Nine-Headed Demon Flood Dragon?" Elder Yu stared at Li Lin as he asked.

"Indeed, the Nine-Headed Demon Flood Dragon has been chasing me for over a month now. I almost died in the Misty Mountain Range," Li Lin replied, unsure of Elder Yu's intentions in asking this.

"Are you a tri-element martial artist?" Elder Yu asked again.

"Yes, fire, wind, and earth tri-element martial artist," Li Lin responded. This was also the result detected by the Yunyang Sect last time, and there was nothing to hide.

"Kid, watch out, don't hold back." At this moment, Elder Yu, without further ado, swung his long sword, instantly creating several sword shadows that violently rushed towards Li Lin.

The sword shadows tore through the void, unleashing a fierce sword glow, with no hint of jest. Li Lin's surrounding space was completely enveloped by the sword shadows.

"What does Elder Yu want to do?" Li Lin immediately tensed up, his body rapidly retreating. The sword shadows, like shadows themselves, completely enveloped him in space, the fierce sword qi already rushing towards him first.

Wang Mingyue also looked puzzled, but seeing that Elder Yu had no intention to kill, she didn't say anything, guessing that Elder Yu wanted to test Li Lin.

"Thousand Hands Rift Seal."

With nowhere to retreat, Elder Yu's sword, although not at full strength, was still formidable. Frowning, Li Lin formed hand seals, and instantly, a massive surge of earth attribute energy burst forth, covering the sky and earth, with waves of continuous earth attribute energy converging on his palm seal.

In an instant, the aura and might of his entire being expanded rapidly, a yellow palm seal soared into the sky, transforming into several blurry palm seals, thunderously sweeping towards the incoming sword glow.

"Yellow-grade high-level martial technique." Observing Li Lin's use of the Thousand Hands Rift Seal, Wang Mingyue, recognizing the technique's quality, was somewhat surprised.

"Shoo shoo..."

A swath of sword glow, tearing through the space with formidable water attribute energy, interlocked with Li Lin's palm seal under Elder Yu's somewhat surprised gaze.

The sword shadows and palm seal collided, the two forces directly clashing, followed by a series of earth-shattering explosions, resonating through space, a violent energy fiercely spreading in the air...

"Boom boom boom..."

In the midst of the violent energy dispersal, disciples of the Yunyang Sect quickly fled. The violent energy swept through, instantly creating several cracks on the ground, even Wang Mingyue had to retreat several steps.

After the energy dissipated, Li Lin's figure did not move an inch, whereas Elder Yu's body was forced to retreat a step. It wasn't that Elder Yu was weaker than Li Lin, but because Elder Yu had only used the strength of a fifth-level martial master. In the end, Elder Yu's strength suddenly increased to that of a ninth-level martial master but still ended up at a disadvantage.

Li Lin was already at the strength of a ninth-level martial master, with a monstrous talent that was much stronger than a typical ninth-level martial master. Under normal strength, even a first-level martial soul would have trouble against Li Lin.

With Li Lin using the yellow-grade high-level martial technique, Thousand Hands Rift Seal, if he had the intent to kill, even a second or third-level martial soul might be killed.

Therefore, Elder Yu naturally ended up at a disadvantage. At this moment, looking at Li Lin, Elder Yu's eyes were filled with absolute shock, asking incredulously, "Kid, are you a ninth-level martial master?"

Wang Mingyue was also astonished. Judging from the aura around Li Lin just now, he had reached the stage of a ninth-level martial master. At such an age, he was no less than any of the sect's direct disciples.

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"Yes, I just broke through recently," Li Lin said, revealing some of his strength. He had his own plans, and although Elder Yu's move was strong, it lacked any killing intent, which Li Lin could feel.

"Good, good, it seems that my trip to Wudu City was not in vain," Elder Yu suddenly smiled. This smile seemed somewhat proud and also a bit scheming.

"So, you are indeed a ninth-level martial master," Wang Mingyue's expression changed again, recognizing the extraordinary talent.

"Kid, come with me, I have something to discuss with you," Elder Yu smiled at Li Lin, but Li Lin could see a scheming and proud smile in Elder Yu's eyes.

Hundreds of meters away, Elder Yu chuckled, leading Li Lin to a secluded place, ensuring Wang Mingyue and others couldn't hear, and then whispered, "Kid, I have a proposal for you."

"Elder Yu, please instruct," Li Lin hurriedly said.

"It's like this, once you arrive at the Yunyang Sect, no matter what happens, you must take me as your master," Elder Yu said, looking at Li Lin.

"Take you as my master? Elder Yu, isn't my father your disciple? If I take you as my master, isn't that...?" Li Lin wanted to say that taking Elder Yu as a master would mess up the generational hierarchy.

"Forget about your father Li Zhong, that disappointment. Our Yunyang Sect doesn't care about these formalities. Just agree, and once you're at the Yunyang Sect, regardless of what happens, you must insist on taking me as your master," Elder Yu said.

"This..." Li Lin's expression changed slightly as he pondered. Elder Yu was the Yunyang Sect sect leader's senior brother. Becoming his disciple meant becoming a direct disciple, and it would be much easier to obtain the Lightfoot Technique and the Ten Thousand Year Copper.

"Kid, why hesitate? If you agree, I'll give you a set of the Yunyang Sect's Xuan-level martial technique, Lightfoot. If you don't agree, I'll make sure you're expelled from the sect," Elder Yu said, seeing Li Lin hesitate, his eyes shifting, then speaking.

"Lightfoot?" Li Lin's heart trembled, this was precisely what Uncle Jiang wanted him to obtain.

"Elder Yu, this is coercion and bribery," Li Lin smiled slightly.

"Bite me. Anyway, you must agree today," Elder Yu chuckled.

"Elder Yu, is what you said about Lightfoot true?" Li Lin asked.

"Of course. Once you take me as your master, I'll hand over Lightfoot to you. You should know, even though this martial technique is only Xuan-level, not every direct disciple in the sect can practice it," Elder Yu said.

"Disciple has seen Master," Li Lin immediately bowed.

"Hehe, good kid, you know what's good for you. Following me, you'll be stronger than following those old guys," Elder Yu chuckled, then whispered, "Kid, you can't call me Master for now. Our deal must not be told to anyone. Once you're at the Yunyang Sect, you must pretend not to know me."

"Why is that?" Li Lin asked, puzzled.

"That, you'll understand once you're at the Yunyang Sect. It's a long story; we'll talk about it later. Remember, once you're at the Yunyang Sect, you must act as if you don't know me. If someone asks you to take them as your master, you must not agree. Remember our deal," Elder Yu chuckled.

"I understand," Li Lin said, puzzled. All of this was a bit confusing.

"Everyone, it's alright now, disperse," Wang Mingyue loudly said to the crowd gathered on the street, calming the turmoil caused by the Nine-Headed Demon Flood Dragon, which had shaken the entire Wudu City.

In Wudu City, under Wang Mingyue's lead, passing through several intricate streets, Li Lin arrived at a large architectural courtyard. In the hall, Wang Mingyue, Elder Yu, and several Wudu City officials sat, with several Yunyang Sect disciples already arranging fairy fruits and snacks in front of everyone.

"Nephew Lin, when do you plan to return to the Yunyang Sect? You survived a great disaster and are still a disciple of the Yunyang Sect," Wang Mingyue said to Li Lin.

"Elder Wang, I plan to return to Qingyun Town first. My mother, knowing I died, must be very sad, so I plan to visit her first," Li Lin said, deciding on the spot. If he wasn't dead, he had to let his mother know.

"There's no need for that. I'll send someone to the Li family to notify them that you're safely back at the Yunyang Sect. It's better for you to return to the Yunyang Sect sooner. You've been delayed for a year and a half, missing the last direct disciple selection. In a year and a half, there's another chance, and you shouldn't miss it," Wang Mingyue said.

"It's not a year and a half; it's been moved up half a year, so it's in a year, because in a year and a half, it's the tri-sect and quad-gate competition. Therefore, the second selection of direct disciples has been moved up half a year," Elder Yu said.

"This..." Li Lin was slightly startled, then heard Elder Yu's voice transmission, "Kid, you're already set as a direct disciple. My disciple naturally becomes a direct disciple, but we still need to go through the motions. It's better for you to go back first. The direct disciple selection is just a formality for you; you have higher goals."

"Then I'll trouble Elder Wang. I'll head straight to the Yunyang Sect," Li Lin immediately said to Wang Mingyue.

"Elder Yu, aren't you also returning to the Yunyang Sect? How about we go together?" Wang Mingyue respectfully asked Elder Yu.

"I still have things to do. Let him go back alone. The way back is all Yunyang Sect's territory; he won't encounter any danger," Elder Yu immediately said.

"I'll go to the Yunyang Sect alone; there shouldn't be any danger," Li Lin immediately said, sharing a knowing smile with Elder Yu. The two now had to pretend not to be familiar with each other, wondering what Elder Yu was planning.