Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Friends, if you want to read chapters in advance, subscribe to my patreon.
Chapter 104: Scheming Against the Half-Step Nirvana Realm
In a Ling family estate near the border of the Great Qing Dynasty, a meeting was taking place deep within one of its halls. Ling Long, recently gravely injured by Lin Langtian at Blackrock Manor, sat at the head of the table. Though no longer in mortal danger, his pale face showed that his recovery was far from complete.
"Big Brother, who would have thought that what seemed like a foolproof plan would fail?" murmured the tall and gaunt Ling Quan on Ling Long's left, his expression dark. "When word of this gets back to the family, there's no avoiding punishment."
"Punishment? To hell with punishment!" scoffed Ling Hu, the burly man on Ling Long's other side. "Who could have predicted that Lin Langtian from the Lin clan would be such a thorn? Not even Big Brother was a match for him. His talent is monstrous, even by the standards of the Great Qing Dynasty."
Ling Long's expression soured as he touched his chest wound, the memory of near-death still fresh in his mind. With venom in his voice, he replied, "Don't worry. I've already requested reinforcements from the family, and they'll be here any day now. When they arrive, we'll wipe out Blackrock Manor in blood. As for Lin Langtian, he won't escape either."
"Reinforcements?" Ling Hu and Ling Quan exchanged surprised glances, their expressions brightening. Ling Quan eagerly asked, "Big Brother, is the clan head coming himself?"
Ling Long shook his head. "The Great Qing Dynasty is indeed more powerful than the Great Yan Dynasty, but the Lin clan isn't weak either. Besides, we have plenty of enemies watching our every move. The clan head can't take risks that might give our rivals an advantage. He won't come himself, but he's sending the Supreme Elder, who will arrive in five days!"
"The Supreme Elder? Isn't he supposed to be in seclusion?" Ling Quan asked, surprised.
"Yes, most people in the family thought he would never emerge again," Ling Long replied with a slight smile. "But he broke through his retreat just two weeks ago, reaching the half-step Nirvana Realm!"
"Half-step Nirvana Realm?" Ling Hu and Ling Quan's faces lit up with joy. The Nirvana Realm, whether in the Great Yan Dynasty or the Great Qing Dynasty, was a level of strength that inspired awe. Even half a step into the Nirvana Realm brought powers beyond those of ordinary fighters, creating an insurmountable difference. Even Ling Long, at the peak of the Transformation Realm, wouldn't dare to cross a half-step Nirvana master.
"With the Supreme Elder's help, Blackrock Manor will surely be ours!" Ling Hu laughed loudly.
Ling Long and Ling Quan grinned in agreement, their faces showing a hint of cruelty. With the Supreme Elder, a half-step Nirvana master, leading them, even the monstrous Lin Langtian was no match for them.
Unbeknownst to them, a small black-and-gold bird had silently perched on one of the beams in the hall. The bird blended seamlessly with the shadows, emitting no aura whatsoever; not even Ling Long, with his peak Transformation Realm power, sensed it. Its black-gold eyes gleamed faintly as it absorbed every detail within the hall.
Once Ling Long and the others finished their conversation, the black-gold bird disappeared into thin air, slipping outside undetected. After exiting the Ling family estate, the bird reappeared, speeding toward Blackrock Manor at astonishing speed.
At that moment, deep in a courtyard within Blackrock Manor in the Great Yan Dynasty, Lin Langtian slowly opened his eyes. A flash of black-gold light appeared in his gaze as he murmured, "A half-step Nirvana master…"
He had seen everything that had transpired in the Ling family estate, including the entire conspiracy of Ling Long and his brothers. Over the past six months, Lin Langtian's strength had surged, and his bond with the Golden Crow had grown stronger. A month ago, he and the crow had formed a "Crow's Eye Blood Pact," a unique equal blood contract exclusive to the Black-Gold Crow species. This pact allowed both parties to share vision across great distances if they so wished.
Though the Golden Crow's strength was modest, its extraordinary stealth abilities made it virtually undetectable, even by a half-step Nirvana master. This made it the perfect spy, and as expected, it had brought back vital intelligence.
This intelligence, however, surprised Lin Langtian. He hadn't anticipated the Ling family would send a half-step Nirvana master.
"As expected of a super clan of the Great Qing Dynasty," Lin Langtian murmured, raising an eyebrow. "Their strength really does exceed the Lin clan's."
In the Lin clan, only the clan leader, Lin Fan, was in the Nirvana Realm; even half-step Nirvana masters were rare, and Transformation Realm peak masters were few. The Ling family, however, had mobilized a half-step Nirvana master, a peak Transformation master, and two Transformation mastery fighters to seize Blackrock Manor—an undeniably formidable force.
"If that's the case, then I'll just have to cut off every one of the Ling family's grasping hands!" Lin Langtian narrowed his eyes and spoke coldly. To him, the violet crystal mines within Blackrock Manor weren't just assets of the Lin clan; he considered them his own. Restoring the Golden Spirit Mirror had become his top priority.
"A half-step Nirvana master… Will you need my help?" At that moment, a soft, elegant voice sounded in Lin Langtian's mind—it was Elder Ling.
Lin Langtian paused before shaking his head and replied, "It's just a half-step Nirvana master. I'm confident enough for now and won't need your power."
"Good," Elder Ling replied approvingly. "That'll save you from developing dependence. Besides, your Spirit Puppet—after six months of imprinting—should be fully under your control by now, correct?"
"Almost. With the Spirit Puppet's assistance, I plan to go alone to intercept and eliminate the half-step Nirvana master," Lin Langtian said with determination. Acting alone would not only give him freedom of movement but also avoid drawing unnecessary attention. If word got out that he had killed a half-step Nirvana master, it would shake both the Great Yan and Great Qing Dynasties, likely attracting unwanted attention.
Standing up, Lin Langtian walked to the window and gazed northward, where the Great Qing Dynasty lay. He whispered to himself, "Five days from now, I'll make my move…"
(End of Chapter)
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