The night was as dark as ink, and Lin Xinghe’s figure quietly melted into the deep shadows of the Lin Residence, yet her heart churned with towering waves.
She glanced back in the direction of the secret room, where the dim yellow light still flickered, her gaze calm and resolute.
She knew that an even greater storm was about to arrive.
And within this storm, she had to carve out a path of survival for herself and her younger sister.
She quickened her pace, walking toward her humble maid's quarters. Every step she took was exceptionally steady, as if treading upon the nodes of fate.
Upon returning to her dwelling, the first thing she needed to do was recount her discoveries from this night, word for word, to her sister—who seemed timid on the surface, but was equally resilient at heart.
With a gentle creak, Lin Xinghe pushed open the wooden door that could barely keep out the wind and rain. Inside, a single lamp burned as dim as a bean. Lin Yuehe was curled up in the corner of the bed, hugging a doll that had been patched many times over, evidently waiting for her.
Hearing the commotion, Lin Yuehe raised her head abruptly, her small face filled with tension and worry.
"Elder Sister!" Her voice carried a trace of trembling as she hurried forward. "You're finally back! Did something happen?"
Lin Xinghe turned to shut the door, carefully sliding the bolt into place. Only then did she pull Lin Yuehe's hand and sit down on the edge of the bed. Lowering her voice, she recounted everything she had seen and heard in Lin Feng's secret room tonight—including the mysterious star map scroll, the Soul-Devouring Array, and the "Netherworld Plan" mentioned by the elder—leaving out not a single detail.
As Lin Xinghe spoke, Lin Yuehe's complexion grew increasingly pale, and her grip on her sister's hand tightened unconsciously, her knuckles turning somewhat white.
When Lin Xinghe finished, her small face was solemn, completely different from her usual timid demeanor.
"Star map scroll... Soul-Devouring Array... Netherworld Plan..." Lin Yuehe repeated these keywords in a low voice, her delicate brows knitted tightly. "Elder Sister, this Lin Feng is unfathomable. If the scroll in his possession is truly related to the Sword Tomb Jade Pendant left behind by Mother, then this matter far exceeds our imagination. Especially that 'Netherworld Plan'; it doesn't sound like anything benevolent, and it's likely to implicate a vast range of people."
Lin Xinghe nodded, her sister's sharpness bringing her a measure of relief. "I thought the same. It's just that we are currently weak in numbers; relying solely on guesswork makes it difficult to cope."
Lin Yuehe pondered for a moment, her gaze flashing as she looked up. "Elder Sister, do you remember Senior Yun Wufeng? That wandering swordsman who guards the Sword Tomb. He has traveled widely for many years, is knowledgeable, and is thoroughly familiar with the affairs of the Sword Tomb. Perhaps he knows some clues regarding the 'Netherworld Plan,' or at least can give us some guidance."
"Yun Wufeng..." A stir went through Lin Xinghe's heart.
This man acted crazy and unconstrained, yet his words often revealed a certain wisdom that saw through the ways of the world. The smooth activation of her mother's Sword Tomb Jade Pendant had also owed much to his subtle, seemingly effortless hints on the outskirts of the Lin Family.
Thinking back on it now, he was by no means as simple as he appeared on the surface.
"Alright, I will re-enter the Sword Tomb tonight to seek him out and get to the bottom of this," Lin Xinghe decided resolutely.
Every moment of delay added a fraction more danger.
The night was deep, and all living things were silent.
Once again evading the patrolling guards of the Lin Residence, Lin Xinghe familiarly made her way to the back mountain Forbidden Land. With the Power of the Sword Soul circulating at her fingertips, she lightly tapped the jade pendant, and her form was enveloped by a soft cyan light, vanishing on the spot.
Inside the Sword Tomb Secret Realm, the starlight remained brilliant, and Sword Qi crisscrossed.
Following her memories, Lin Xinghe arrived at that familiar wasteland stuck full of broken swords.
Yun Wufeng was lying flat on the spine of a huge ancient bronze sword, chewing on a blade of grass, crossing his legs, and humming an unknown tune, looking thoroughly carefree.
"Yo, little girl, why have you come again today? Could it be that you missed this old man's old bones?" Yun Wufeng didn't even lift his eyelids as he said lazily.
Lin Xinghe was long accustomed to this demeanor of his, so she didn't waste words and went straight to the point: "Senior Yun, this junior has an important matter to consult you on. Have you ever heard of the 'Netherworld Plan'?"
As her voice fell, the grass stem Yun Wufeng was chewing paused slightly. His half-closed eyes slowly opened as he sat up cross-legged on the sword spine, his expression shedding its usual cynicism for the first time, replaced by a touch of solemnity.
"Netherworld Plan..." He chewed on these four words, his brows gradually locking together. "Where did you hear about this?"
Lin Xinghe then briefly recounted the conversation between Lin Feng and the elder, as well as the matter of the mysterious scroll, omitting the part about how she had sneaked in.
After listening, Yun Wufeng was silent for a long time, his profound gaze seeming to pierce through the starlight of the secret realm and look toward a distant unknown.
After a long while, he spoke slowly, his voice carrying a trace of vicissitudes: "The 'Netherworld Plan'... so it has indeed been activated after all. This is not unfounded rumor, but a truly existing, massive conspiracy. Its roots are intricate and complex, involving many hidden factions on the Xuanxiao Continent, and within the Lin Family itself, there are likely those deeply entangled in it."
Lin Xinghe's heart tightened. "What exactly is the purpose of this plan?"
Yun Wufeng glanced at her, his gaze complex: "If this old man has guessed correctly, their ultimate goal is to control the Sword Dao resources of the entire Xuanxiao Continent, and even influence the future direction of Sword Dao inheritance. And the Lin Feng you mentioned, along with the star map ancient sword scroll in his hands, is very likely a crucial link in this plan, or even... the key to opening some taboo existence."
To control the Sword Dao resources of the entire Xuanxiao Continent!
Lin Xinghe drew a sharp breath, feeling a chill rise from the soles of her feet.
This was no longer a simple internal family struggle; it was a heaven-shaking plot capable of overturning the entire layout of the continent!
What kind of role was Lin Feng playing in all this?
Was he a chess piece, or a chess player?
"Senior, what should I do then?" Lin Xinghe felt an unprecedented sense of confusion and pressure.
Yun Wufeng sighed. "Girl, this path is destined to be difficult to walk. Now that you have caught a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg, there is no turning back. Right now, there are two things you must do. First, continue your investigation in secret, gathering as much intelligence as possible regarding the 'Netherworld Plan' and Lin Feng, to figure out their specific steps and true schemes. Second, and most importantly, is to rapidly enhance your own strength." He pointed at Lin Xinghe's Dantian position. "Your Sword Soul has already awakened to the peak of the fourth layer, just a step away from the fifth layer of 'Sword Heart' Clarity. Only when you are strong enough can you protect yourself in this vortex and guard the people you wish to protect."
Lin Xinghe nodded heavily. Yun Wufeng's words were like evening drums and morning bells, causing her chaotic state of mind to gradually settle.
That's right, no matter how powerful the enemy was or how deep the conspiracy, elevating her own strength would always be the foundation for standing firm.
"Thank you, Senior, for your guidance; this junior understands." She made a deep bow toward Yun Wufeng. "I will go at once to attempt breaking through to the Fifth Layer of Sword Soul."
Yun Wufeng waved his hand, returning to his carefree appearance. "Go on, go on. This old man has no desire to watch a little girl like you crying. Remember, the flow of time within the Sword Tomb Secret Realm differs from the outside world; cultivating here yields twice the result with half the effort. But you must not be overly hasty either; on the path of Sword Dao, one's state of mind is especially crucial."
Lin Xinghe expressed her gratitude once more, turning to walk toward a place rich in Sword Intent deep within the secret realm, preparing to cultivate wholeheartedly and break through to the Fifth Layer of Sword Soul.
She knew that time was running out for her.
One night in the secret realm was merely an hour in the outside world.
When Lin Xinghe emerged from the Sword Tomb Secret Realm once again and returned to her humble maid's quarters in the Lin Family, the edges of the sky were already flushing with the white of dawn.
Although her attempt to break through to the Fifth Layer of Sword Soul had not been accomplished in a single bound, she could feel that the bottleneck had loosened considerably. The Power of the Sword Soul within her Dantian had become increasingly condensed and pure, and her comprehension of Sword Intent had also reached a higher level.
She quickly changed into coarse maid's attire, tidied herself up slightly, and began her day's "servant" life just as she always did.
Sweeping the courtyard and washing clothes, she appeared submissive on the surface, yet her ears were alert to all directions and her eyes observed everything, not missing a single trace that might be related to the "Netherworld Plan."
In the afternoon, while Lin Xinghe was pruning flower branches in the back garden, a subtle yet fiercely tyrannical wave of Sword Intent suddenly swept over from the depths of the Lin Residence, flashing and vanishing in an instant.
This Sword Intent was somewhat familiar to her, yet it was mixed with a hint of unfamiliar, frigid aura.
Her heart grew stern; this was by no means something ordinary guards or elders of the Lin Family could possess. Could it be Lin Feng?
Without changing her expression, Lin Xinghe put down the flower shears in her hand and, using the pretext of going to the storehouse to fetch fertilizer, quietly circulated the Power of the Sword Soul to conceal her presence, tailing the direction where the remnant Sword Intent had lingered.
After winding through numerous turns, she arrived at an extremely secluded, normally deserted abandoned courtyard.
Weeds grew thickly inside the courtyard, save for a dead ancient locust tree whose gnarled branches reached toward the sky.
Beneath that ancient locust tree, two figures stood facing each other.
One of them was precisely Lin Feng.
As for the other, they were draped in a wide black cloak with the hood pulled down low, covering most of their face and revealing only the outline of a cold, hard chin. Their entire body exuded a chilling and powerful aura.
Lin Xinghe's pupils contracted sharply. Holding her breath, she concealed her form even deeper behind the rockery.
The aura of that person in black gave her an extreme sense of danger, far surpassing any elder of the Lin Family she had ever seen.
What were they... discussing? Could it also be related to the "Netherworld Plan"?
Lin Xinghe's heart jumped to her throat. She carefully concentrated her mind, attempting to overhear their conversation. Every single word could relate to the life or death of herself and her sister, and even the future of the entire Lin Family.
The night breeze brushed past, rustling the branches of the dead locust tree and making a whispering sound, as if foreshadowing an approaching storm.