The starlight was dim, and the night sky, like a massive piece of black jade, silently enveloped the entire Xuanxiao Continent.
The Lin Family estate, a vast and somewhat gloomy complex under the moonlight, had also plunged into silence at this moment.
Lin Xinghe stood outside the high walls of the Lin Family, feeling the surging Power of the Sword Soul within her body, a cold smile curling the corners of her lips.
She restrained her aura, disguised herself as the most ordinary maidservant, and sneaked into the Lin Family.
"Hmph, Lin Xiao, and you hypocritical elders, you would never have thought that I, Lin Xinghe, would return, would you?"
By day, Lin Xinghe was the most inconspicuous maidservant in the Lin Family.
Dressed in coarse linen and looking haggard, she quietly performed all sorts of heavy chores.
Chopping wood, fetching water, washing clothes, cooking... She spun around endlessly like a spinning top, seemingly like a puppet without a soul.
"Yo, isn't this our young miss 'Xinghe'? How is it that you've been reduced to doing such lowly work?" A sharp, caustic voice rang out.
Lin Xinghe looked up and saw Mother Wang, the steward of the Lin Family's third branch.
Wearing heavy makeup and glittering with jewels, she looked at a glance like someone not to be trifled with.
"Mother Wang jests. Xinghe is just a sinner now; being able to work for the Lin Family is Xinghe's honor." Lin Xinghe lowered her gaze and spoke in a humble tone.
"Hmph, you know what's good for you!" Mother Wang smiled triumphantly and sashayed away with her plump body.
Lin Xinghe watched Mother Wang's retreating figure.
They lorded their power over others, bullying the soft and fearing the hard—they were the representatives of the decadent forces within the Lin Family.
"One day, I will make you pay the price!" Lin Xinghe vowed silently in her heart.
At noon, Lin Xinghe was helping out in the kitchen.
As she chopped vegetables, she observed her surroundings.
The kitchen was the place where news traveled fastest in the Lin Family, and it was also an important channel for her to understand the family's situation.
"Have you heard? The head of the family is apparently going into seclusion to break through to the Sword Gang Realm."
"Really? That's the Sword Gang Realm! Once he breaks through, the family head will become a top-tier powerhouse on the Xuanxiao Continent!"
"Who's to say otherwise? Our Lin Family will probably rise to even greater heights."
The surrounding kitchenhands discussed it animatedly, and Lin Xinghe listened quietly.
She knew that Lin Xiao had long coveted the power of the Sword Gang Realm.
Once his breakthrough succeeded, the Lin Family's position on the Xuanxiao Continent would become even more secure, and the difficulty of her revenge would increase exponentially.
"I must improve my strength as soon as possible!" Lin Xinghe secretly made up her mind.
Just then, a hunchbacked figure walked over.
"Xinghe, come here for a moment."
It was Su Jiuqing.
Su Jiuqing was an old servant of the Lin Family and also the kitchen cook.
She was short, covered in wrinkles, and looked dull and honest.
However, Lin Xinghe knew that Su Jiuqing was by no means as simple as she appeared on the surface.
"Granny Su, are you looking for me?" Lin Xinghe walked up to Su Jiuqing and asked respectfully.
Su Jiuqing glanced around and lowered her voice. "Follow me."
Su Jiuqing led Lin Xinghe to a corner of the kitchen where some sundries were piled up.
She moved the sundries away, revealing a concealed secret door.
"This is..." Lin Xinghe was somewhat surprised.
"You'll know once you come in with me." Su Jiuqing pushed open the secret door and walked inside.
Lin Xinghe hesitated for a moment before following her in.
Behind the secret door was a narrow basement.
The basement held several bookshelves piled high with ancient books and scrolls.
"This is..." Lin Xinghe was even more astonished.
"This is the Lin Family's Forbidden Library," Su Jiuqing said calmly. "Various secret manuals and texts collected by successive ancestors of the Lin Family are kept here, including some forbidden techniques."
"Forbidden techniques?" A shock went through Lin Xinghe's heart.
"Indeed." Su Jiuqing nodded. "The rise of the Lin Family relied not only on the Sword Dao, but also on some unsavory methods. These forbidden techniques are among them."
"You brought me here—what do you want..." Lin Xinghe asked doubtfully.
"I want to help you." Su Jiuqing looked at Lin Xinghe, her gaze deep. "I know you are not someone content with mediocrity. You carry the bloodline of the Lin Family's direct lineage in your veins; you should not be buried."
"Why?" Lin Xinghe did not understand. "Why would you help me?"
"Because..." Su Jiuqing sighed. "I owe your mother a favor."
Lin Xinghe fell silent.
She knew her mother was a taboo within the Lin Family.
No one dared to mention her mother's name in front of her.
"There are some secret manuals here suitable for your cultivation," Su Jiuqing said, pointing to the books on the bookshelf. "You can choose for yourself. But remember, do not easily practice the forbidden techniques. While powerful, forbidden techniques also demand a heavy price."
"I understand," Lin Xinghe nodded.
"Also," Su Jiuqing paused and said, "the internal affairs of the Lin Family are intricate and complex; you must be on your guard. Especially First Elder Lin Xiaotian—he is a ruthless character. He has long coveted the position of family head, and he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals."
"I will be careful," Lin Xinghe said.
"In addition, I've heard that this time Lin Xiao is going into seclusion to break through to the Sword Gang Realm, he needs a rare ore called a 'Stellar Stone'. This ore contains potent Star Power, which can help martial artists break through bottlenecks," Su Jiuqing continued. "However, Stellar Stone is extremely rare, hard to come by in the entire Xuanxiao Continent. To obtain it, the Lin Family has already dispatched a large number of men to search everywhere."
"Stellar Stone..." A thought stirred in Lin Xinghe's heart.
She knew that the Stellar Stone would also be of immense use to her.
If she could obtain the Stellar Stone, she could elevate her strength even faster.
"I know," Lin Xinghe said. "I'll keep an eye out."
"Very well, it's getting late, you should head back quickly," Su Jiuqing said. "Remember, don't let anyone know you've been here."
"Mm." Lin Xinghe nodded and left the basement.
Returning to her quarters, Lin Xinghe's mind remained unsettled for a long time.
She had never expected that in a place full of conspiracy and betrayal like the Lin Family, someone would still be willing to help her.
"Granny Su, thank you," Lin Xinghe said silently in her heart.
At night, when everyone was immersed in sweet dreams, Lin Xinghe quietly left her quarters and arrived once more at the Sword Tomb Secret Realm.
She sat cross-legged within the sword tomb, circulating the Power of the Sword Soul in her body, and began to cultivate.
After the day's adaptation, she had gradually mastered the method of absorbing the sword soul.
She could feel the surrounding Sword Qi endlessly pouring into her body, nourishing her Dantian.
"This feeling... is simply amazing!" Lin Xinghe could not help letting out an exclamation.
Just as she was immersed in cultivation, a cold voice suddenly rang out.
"I didn't expect that you could actually absorb the Power of the Sword Soul."
Lin Xinghe snapped her eyes open to see Baili standing right before her.
"What are you here for?" Lin Xinghe asked vigilantly.
"I am here to take back what belongs to me," Baili said coldly.
"What belongs to you?" Lin Xinghe was puzzled.
"The control of the sword tomb!" A flash of greed crossed Baili's eyes. "This originally belonged to me, and now, I am going to take it back!"
Before her voice faded, Baili launched an attack on Lin Xinghe.
Her figure was like lightning, her Sword Qi like a rainbow, every single move carrying immense power.
Daring not to slack off, Lin Xinghe hurriedly mobilized the Power of the Sword Soul within her body and engaged in a fierce battle with Baili.
Their figures constantly crossed paths within the sword tomb, Sword Qi crisscrossing with an astonishing momentum.
Though Lin Xinghe possessed the Power of the Sword Soul, her cultivation time was short after all, and her strength was still inferior to Baili's.
She could only barely sustain herself by virtue of her nimble footwork and indomitable will.
"Hmph, it seems you are nothing much after all!" Baili sneered and stepped up her attack.
Lin Xinghe felt her pressure multiply, and the Power of the Sword Soul within her body began to churn chaotically.
"No, I cannot go on like this!" Lin Xinghe felt anxious.
She knew that if this continued, she would inevitably be defeated sooner than later.
Suddenly, inspiration struck her, and she thought of a way.
She took a deep breath, mobilizing all the Power of the Sword Soul in her body and gathering it into her Dantian.
"Sword Soul, condense form!"
With Lin Xinghe's low shout, the sword-shaped seed in her Dantian began to spin rapidly, releasing potent Sword Qi.
The Sword Qi formed a protective barrier of Sword Qi outside her body, guarding her securely.
"This is..." Baili saw Lin Xinghe's change.
"Next, it's my turn to counterattack!" Lin Xinghe sneered, manipulating the Sword Qi barrier to crash toward Baili.
Daring not to meet it head-on, Baili hurriedly dodged aside.
Not about to let success slip away, Lin Xinghe continued to manipulate the Sword Qi barrier, pursuing Baili.
Baili was driven back step by step by Lin Xinghe, looking utterly disheveled.
"Damn it!" Baili cursed angrily.
"Consider yourself lucky!" Baili glared fiercely at Lin Xinghe and turned, vanishing into the sword tomb.
Lin Xinghe did not pursue.
"It seems I must improve my strength as quickly as possible," Lin Xinghe resolved inwardly.
Just as Lin Xinghe was preparing to return to the Lin Family, her five senses—made exceptionally keen by the Power of the Sword Soul—captured an imperceptible disturbance.
In the air, there seemed to be an extra wispy presence of a living person that did not belong to the sword tomb, along with extremely faint... footsteps?
Those footsteps carried a tentative carefulness, heading straight toward the hidden entrance of the sword tomb.
Her heart skipped a beat, as if squeezed by an invisible hand!
Good grief, in the middle of the night, who would sneak into this ghostly place?
Could it be the Lin Family's patrol team?
No, the patrol team's footsteps wouldn't be this... sneaky!
In an instant, Lin Xinghe pressed her body like a gecko against the cold stone wall, even slowing her breathing to the absolute limit.
Her eyes, which still shone brilliantly in the dark, narrowed into dangerous slits, staring fixedly in the direction of the doorway.
Every hair on her body stood uncontrollably on end—not from the cold, but from a mix of nervous thrill at having her secret nearly exposed and... a trace of excitement at being provoked!
She could clearly sense that the person had stopped at the entrance, seemingly hesitating, or perhaps confirming something.
This feeling was utterly terrible!
It felt as though the treasure she had hidden most deeply was about to be dug up and exposed to the world.
"Screech—" A push of the door, slight enough to be almost ignored, exploded like a thunderclap in Lin Xinghe's ears.
Immediately following that, a hoarse, teasing voice drifted leisurely in: "Little girl, you've hidden deep enough... you really gave this old crone quite a search!"