Free Web NovelChapter 230: Chapter 219: War Begins 1
The sound of rolling wheels droned on from outside the carriage.
Lin Xiaoliu huddled carefully in her mother Liu Shenglan’s arms, listening to her tell stories about the history of Tuyue.
But she couldn’t focus. Her attention kept drifting to the two people sitting across from her.
One was her older sister, Liu Xiao, who had just rushed here from the Inner City. Her big brother had sent her to escort the family as they evacuated.
The other was Xia Si, her eyes closed as she sat cross-legged in cultivation.
Xia Si had only just become his disciple. Theoretically, she should have stayed in the Inner City. But without a second thought, the moment she sensed something was wrong, she had rushed to her master, Lin Hui.
"With you here, this evacuation should be much less difficult," Liu Xiao said softly.
"The question is, where are we evacuating to? Nowhere is safe right now," Xia Si replied with a smile.
"We’re not going far. Big Brother’s plan is to find a place in the Fog Area to wait things out. We’ll go back once the fighting in the Inner City is over. Tuyue won’t fall. At worst, it’s just a question of how much damage it sustains," Liu Xiao answered.
"That confident?" Xia Si said, surprised.
"It’s not confidence. It’s an assessment based on concrete strength. The invaders do include some top-tier experts, but masters of that caliber won’t actually risk their lives in a fight to the death. This is more of a raid, an opportunity to seize more benefits while some of the Blood Ancestors are out of the city." Liu Xiao knew Xia Si had only just joined the Rain Palace and wasn’t privy to many of its secrets, so she explained in detail.
’So, this attack seems sudden only because its scale and momentum aren’t as large as one might imagine?’ Xia Si mused.
"Exactly," Liu Xiao nodded. "So we don’t need to worry. We just have to make a wide circle outside the city and then head back."
Having said her piece, she turned to look at Lin Xiaoliu.
"Xiaoliu, are you scared?"
Lin Xiaoliu looked at Xia Si, then looked back at Liu Xiao.
"Is Third Brother here?" she asked.
"He is. He’s with the Clearwind Dao contingent in the rear. He has many disciples to reassure," Liu Xiao replied.
"Then I’m not afraid," Lin Xiaoliu said earnestly.
"..." Liu Xiao was speechless. She hadn’t realized how much Lin Xiaoliu trusted Lin Hui.
At the rear of the column, the large contingent from Clearwind Dao stretched out like a long serpent, hurrying along the road behind the Lin Mansion’s procession.
Lin Hui rode on horseback, side-by-side with his father, Lin Shunhe. Above them, the inner wall of the hollow space created by Ning Xiang let in the bright light of the sky. Through it, they could vaguely see the dazzling sun rising hazily.
The two of them rode in the middle of the column. The main Lin Mansion retinue was ahead, and the Clearwind Dao contingent was behind, making this the perfect position for command and coordination.
Lin Shunhe looked at his son, choosing his words carefully.
"You’re certainly well-informed, aren’t you?"
"Mm, I actually only just found out myself. A friend from the Inspectorate tipped me off," Lin Hui nodded.
"The Inspectorate itself was attacked this time, with heavy losses," Lin Shunhe couldn’t help but say.
"..." Lin Hui was at a loss for words. He was used to using Hong Ling as a shield, but he hadn’t expected it to backfire this time.
But then, after a pause, he had a thought.
"Then, Dad, how do you know the Inspectorate was attacked? And that their losses were heavy?" He looked at his father, equally speechless.
"I... with a business this large, of course I have my own secret channels," Lin Shunhe said gravely.
"I have so many disciples. Naturally, I have my channels, too." Lin Hui immediately turned the trick back on him.
"You brat. You’re quick to learn how to play dumb and hide things," Lin Shunhe said, exasperated. "Fine, if you don’t want to talk about it, don’t. With this sudden upheaval, I agree that the Outer City is no longer safe. But I’m not keen on moving to the Inner City. It’s not necessarily a paradise, either."
He sighed.
"But I’ve been rooted here my whole life, for decades. Even if I wanted to leave, I wouldn’t know where to go."
"Xingdiao? It’s the nearest city," Lin Hui suggested.
"I’ve dealt with that place a lot on my trade routes. It’s even worse," Lin Shunhe said, shaking his head. "Black Cloud, on the other hand, is a good option. It’s stable and peaceful. Black Cloud is powerful and secure. Not as much of this bullshit."
"Are you planning to go to Black Cloud?" Lin Hui asked.
"It’s an idea I’ve been considering. I started making arrangements last year, but they’re not finalized. I hired some people to open a small shop there and bought a large residence, so at least we’d have a place to live if we went. But my main businesses and storefronts are all here. I can’t just walk away. If I really left, I’d be giving up too much," Lin Shunhe sighed.
"Why are you telling me this? Do you have a plan? You want me to move Clearwind Dao over there too? You know that’s not realistic. The disciples of Clearwind Dao are almost all locals."
"I know. But you also know that the number of people who truly feel a sense of belonging to your sect is small. Settle them, take them with you. As long as you have your core team, it’s easy to start over."
"...You have a point." Lin Hui nodded slightly. ’But he knew that was impossible. His backup base—the labyrinthine ruins—was already under construction. With such a huge investment, just packing up and leaving was out of the question.’
"Ah Hui." Lin Shunhe sighed. "Actually..." He opened his mouth, about to reveal a part of his true identity to put his son at ease.
He had successfully applied for the position of a branch Hall Master in the Good Heart Sect and could be transferred to the Black Cloud region.
That was why he was telling Lin Hui all this now.
The Good Heart Sect branch here would be taken over by a newcomer. The same went for all the businesses.
Outwardly, it would just look like a normal sale of his shops.
「Just then.」
Far behind the column, the fog churned, and a faint whistling sound could be heard rapidly approaching from the sky.
Lin Hui turned his head to look in the direction of the sound.
"Someone’s coming after us."
"We’re just a group of ordinary civilians. Even if someone is chasing us, it won’t be anyone important. Don’t worry," Lin Shunhe said reassuringly. "Besides, don’t we have Xiao Xiao and Xia Si?"
"Mm..." Lin Hui nodded.
In the next instant, they both saw the side of a carriage up ahead slide open. A figure shot out and vanished like a bolt of lightning toward the rear of the column.
"Xiao Xiao has made her move," Lin Shunhe said. "This is the right way to handle it. The disturbance from the fight can’t be too great, or it might make the enemy think there’s someone or something important here and attract even stronger opponents. So, Xiao Xiao strikes first, with Xia Si held in reserve as our trump card. That’s the correct approach."
"Everyone else, keep moving forward," Lin Hui nodded, raising his hand and projecting his voice with Inner Strength.
*
*
*
「At the very rear of the column.」
Two tall figures in pure white masks appeared abruptly behind the Clearwind Dao contingent. They stood atop two small hills, looking down imperiously on the convoy.
One wore a green robe and held a jade-green flute, his wide sleeves fluttering.
The other had white hair and an aloof, arrogant air. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, wearing a black brocade robe and a black fur cloak.
The green-robed man gazed ahead, his eyes quickly settling on the rapidly approaching Liu Xiao.
"Here comes one. You or me?"
"Liu Wu Jun killed my brother and slaughtered many of my fellow sect members. His family and friends must all die. The order doesn’t matter," the white-haired man said coldly.
"You go first, then. There’s another one hiding in the column. I’ll take care of her," the green-robed man said nonchalantly.
With the tasks assigned, the white-haired man’s hands lit up with a white glow, overlaid with transparent Void Power. In a flash, he shot straight toward the charging Liu Xiao.
They didn’t care about the others of ordinary strength. In this world, as long as you topple the pillars of power, countless other hungry wolves would pounce to finish off the so-called "ordinary people" for them.
Just like the Tao Family back then.
In an instant, the white-haired man and Liu Xiao both channeled their Void Power, their palms striking together.
BOOM!!
Transparent shockwaves rippled outward, tearing up the surrounding earth.
Meanwhile, the green-robed man leaped into the air, swooping down on the panicked Clearwind Dao contingent.
"Ready!" Wang Hongshi commanded from horseback, raising his longsword high.
All the Clearwind Dao disciples tightened their grips on their longswords, watching the rapidly approaching green-robed man, their expressions tense.
Before a Priest Level master like this, their strength was pitifully weak. Even with their numbers, they were just lambs to the slaughter.
The only thing they could do was channel their Power. Even if they were to die, they would never stop resisting!
"Everyone, prepare!"
Wang Hongshi roared.
A chorus of SHIINGs rang out as swords were drawn. A flash of silver light glittered like fish scales on a lake.
"Wind!"
Wang Hongshi bellowed.
In an instant, all the Clearwind disciples channeled their Power in unison, throwing their longswords with all their might at the green-robed man swooping down from above.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!!
Hundreds of sword-glints rose from the ground in a dense volley, forming a rain of blades that covered the dozens of meters of the green-robed man’s descent.
"Useless!"
The green-robed man let out a great laugh. He simultaneously surged with both Void Power and Inner Strength, unleashing a ripple that smashed aside all the incoming longswords.
Any longsword that came into contact with his Void Power instantly twisted, shattered, and disintegrated.
But just as he was about to dive down for the kill, his eyes suddenly met a pair of large, beautiful ones.
"Xia Si!?" The green-robed man’s eyes widened in alarm. His body tensed as he rapidly pulled back his power and retreated.
"A little late to be leaving, isn’t it?" Xia Si smiled. Her figure flashed, and she appeared at the green-robed man’s side, her sword swinging.
CLANG!
But her sword was unexpectedly parried by a black curved saber.
The saber’s wielder casually grabbed the green-robed man and flung him aside. Then, he turned and swung his blade again, meeting Xia Si’s lightning-fast attack.
"Hey! Aren’t you even going to let me announce my name!?"
"Why would a dead man need a name?" Xia Si retorted with a laugh. Her longsword flashed, transforming into a deluge of silver pinpricks that rained down on her opponent.
Her Swordsmanship style was now vastly different from Lin Hui’s.
Light and nimble, dense, appearing and vanishing in a flash. Combined with her immense power and speed, this style was more akin to the art of assassination.
"You alone are not enough to kill me," the wielder of the Black Blade laughed.
Once the two pairs were locked in combat in midair, the Clearwind Dao contingent scrambled to accelerate and retreat from the area. This was exactly what Xia Si had instructed them to do before she charged into battle.
As for the thrown longswords, each of them had prepared three for the occasion.
But amidst the chaos, a blurry figure was calmly weaving through the crowd, past horses and oxcarts, heading straight for the center of the column.
That was where Lin Hui and his father Lin Shunhe were.
Lin Shunhe was busy calming the frantic convoy and restoring order.
Suddenly, Elder Du, who was behind him, sat bolt upright on his horse.
"My lord, Young Master Hui, someone is approaching. It would be best for you two to take cover. This old man will draw them away."
