The night was as dark as ink. Deep within the Sword Tomb, Lin Xinghe finally broke free from the engulfing dark power.
The glow of the Jade Pendant slowly faded. She struggled to her feet, looking at the pendant in her hand with a complicated gaze, her heart filled with confusion and doubt.
What on earth... was that power?
Lin Xinghe took a deep breath and decided to seek out Su Jiuqing immediately to find out what was going on.
Su Jiuqing was an old servant of the Lin Family and the person whom Lin Xinghe's mother had trusted most during her lifetime.
Not only did she hold the Lin Family's forbidden martial texts, but she was also deeply versed in the family's secrets.
Lin Xinghe quietly returned to the Lin Family, slipped through the dim corridors, and arrived at Su Jiuqing's quarters.
The lights in Su Jiuqing's room were blazing. She was bent over the desk, studying some ancient texts.
"Aunt Su..." Lin Xinghe called out softly.
Su Jiuqing looked up and asked, "Why are you back so late?"
Lin Xinghe hurried to Su Jiuqing's side and said in a low voice, "Aunt Su, I need your help. Do you know anything about what happened in the Sword Tomb? I feel like there's some huge secret hidden there."
Su Jiuqing replied, "The mysteries of the Sword Tomb are far more complex than you can imagine. Recently, the Lin Family elders have been holding frequent secret meetings, seemingly plotting a major move against the entire family."
Lin Xinghe frowned, her heart filled with unease. "Why would they do this? What secrets are our Lin Family hiding?"
Su Jiuqing gently patted her hand and comforted her, "Now is not the time to reveal everything. But you must remain vigilant, especially within the family. Your identity as a maid gives you more freedom to gather intelligence. Be extremely cautious and do not expose your identity lightly."
Lin Xinghe nodded, a firm resolve hardening in her heart.
She knew that Su Jiuqing's words made complete sense.
She decided to use her identity as a "maid" to sneak into the inner ranks of the Lin Family to investigate.
Back in her own room, Lin Xinghe began secretly observing the Lin Family's movements.
The elders' secret meetings grew more frequent, and new orders were issued after every single one.
Using her position, Lin Xinghe quietly recorded these orders, trying to find clues within them.
One night, as Lin Xinghe was preparing to head to the Sword Tomb to cultivate, she suddenly received a secret letter from Lin Yuehe.
The letter mentioned that she had discovered a special medicinal herb capable of accelerating the absorption rate of the Sword Soul, but gathering it required a risky venture deep into the Forbidden Land.
After reading the letter, Lin Xinghe weighed her options.
The current situation was urgent; she could not afford to delay.
The herb provided by her sister might help her boost her strength in a short time to face the coming challenges.
She immediately wrote a reply, setting the time and place for their nocturnal operation.
As night fell, Lin Xinghe changed into black clothing and, taking advantage of the darkness, quietly made her way to Lin Yuehe's Medicine Pavilion.
Inside the Medicine Pavilion, Lin Yuehe was nervously packing her gear. Seeing Lin Xinghe, she said, "I am all ready. This herb grows deep within the Forbidden Land. It is extremely precious, but also extremely dangerous."
Lin Xinghe nodded, her gaze resolute. "Yuehe, this mission is crucial. We must act with the utmost caution and make sure not to expose ourselves."
The two quietly left the Medicine Pavilion and began pushing deeper into the Forbidden Land.
The night in the Forbidden Land was even more eerie, filled with an unsettling silence all around.
Lin Xinghe and Lin Yuehe advanced cautiously, constantly remaining alert to their surroundings.
Suddenly, a low roar echoed from ahead, and a massive black creature lunged out from the shadows.
Lin Xinghe reacted swiftly. The longsword in her hand slashed out a dazzling beam of Sword Qi, forcing the creature back.
"Yuehe, keep up!" Lin Xinghe urged sharply, and the two quickly rushed through a dense grove, arriving at a secluded clearing.
Just then, several figures in black robes suddenly appeared before them—they were sent by the Lin Family elders.
"Halt!" one of them barked coldly, a short sword flashing with a chilling glint pointed directly at the two.
Lin Xinghe and Lin Yuehe exchanged glances, their hearts filled with wariness.
Lin Xinghe reacted instantly, swinging her longsword. A ribbon of Sword Qi slashed across the night sky, driving back the elders' subordinates.
"Yuehe, go gather the herb quickly! I'll cover you!" Lin Xinghe shouted sternly, then whirled around to engage the attackers.
Lin Yuehe nodded, dashed swiftly toward the glowing herb in the center of the clearing, and carefully harvested it.
Meanwhile, Lin Xinghe was locked in fierce combat with the elders' subordinates, sword lights flashing and Sword Qi surging.
Suddenly, an elder let out a cold laugh. Wielding his short sword, he slashed a powerful wave of Sword Essence toward Lin Xinghe.
Lin Xinghe dodged hurriedly, but the shockwave of the Sword Essence still grazed her shoulder, and blood instantly seeped out.
Enduring the sharp pain, Lin Xinghe countered with a backhanded strike, forcing the elder back.
She knew very well that these were no ordinary subordinates; their strength far surpassed her current level.
Yet she could not give up. For her sister, and for her family, she had to persevere.
At that moment, Lin Yuehe finally finished gathering the herb and rushed anxiously to Lin Xinghe's side.
"Sister, let's go!" Lin Yuehe urged urgently.
Lin Xinghe nodded, and the two swiftly retreated.
Behind them, the elders let out angry roars, but the two sisters had already vanished into the night, leaving behind only the grass slashed apart by sword light.
Back at the Medicine Pavilion, Lin Xinghe and Lin Yuehe breathed a sigh of relief.
Lin Yuehe handed the herb to Lin Xinghe. "Sister, this herb can greatly accelerate the absorption rate of the Sword Soul. It will be of immense help to you."
Lin Xinghe accepted the herb, her heart filled with gratitude. "Yuehe, thank you. We must become stronger so we can protect ourselves and our family."
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside the door, and the two instantly grew alert.
Lin Xinghe quickly hid the herb, while Lin Yuehe stood nervously by her side.
"Who is it?" Lin Xinghe asked in a low voice, her hand pressing against the hilt of her sword.
The person outside stopped, seeming to hesitate.
After a long moment, a low and familiar voice sounded: "Xinghe, it's me, Su Jiuqing."
Lin Xinghe breathed a slight sigh of relief, released her grip on the sword hilt, opened the door, and welcomed Su Jiuqing inside.
"Aunt Su, why are you here?" Lin Xinghe asked, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
Su Jiuqing's face was etched with worry. "Xinghe, Yuehe, I know all about what you just did. The elders' plot is growing more dangerous by the day. We must act as quickly as possible and not let them succeed."
Lin Xinghe nodded, her gaze firm. "Aunt Su, we will become stronger. For the family and for our mother, we cannot back down."
Su Jiuqing nodded.
The three exchanged glances, their hearts filled with determination.
Gripping her sword tightly, Lin Xinghe said firmly, "No matter what, we will see this through."
In the night, the three silently initiated their new plan, while the blood-stained patch of grass outside foreshadowed the greater trials and dangers yet to come.
Lin Xinghe clutched the herb in her hand, silently resolving herself.
She knew this was only the beginning; even greater tests awaited her.
Lin Xinghe looked up at the night sky, where the river of stars shone with brilliant light, as if guiding her way.
She murmured to herself, "Mother, Sword Soul into the body, Sword Essence returned to the heart. On the path ahead, I will press forward unflinchingly."
The figures of the three vanished into the night, leaving behind only the grass slashed apart by sword light, a harbinger of future glory and trials.
Su Jiuqing's figure disappeared deep into the night, and the Medicine Pavilion was once again enshrouded in a subtle silence.
In the air, the faint scent of blood from the earlier skirmish had not yet fully dissipated, mingling with the strange, otherworldly fragrance exuded by the Youyue Soul Heart Grass. Wisp by wisp, it drifted into the nose, invigorating the mind yet weighing heavily on the heart.
Lin Yuehe pressed close to her sister, her little face still carrying lingering tension and fright.
Lin Xinghe opened her palm. The herb, acquired through such harrowing trials, lay quietly in her hand, emitting a soft and mysterious micro-glow as if containing endless power.
This faint light reflected in her calm eyes, flickering with steadfastness and resolve.
She was just about to speak and discuss their next step with her sister—after all, Aunt Su's warning still rang in her ears, and the conspiracy of the Lin Family elders was quietly tightening like an invisible net.
Right at that moment!
*Creeak—*
An extremely faint sound of a door hinge turning, almost masked by the wind, sounded exceptionally abrupt in the silent night.
The sisters whirled around sharply. Lin Xinghe almost instinctively shielded Lin Yuehe behind her, her other hand already gripping the hilt of the short sword hidden in her sleeve. Her fingertips were icy, yet her heart hammered like a war drum!
Who was it?
Aunt Su had just left. Could the elders' men have tracked them down?
That was far too fast!
The candlelight flickered. A slender figure slowly stepped out from behind the half-opened door.
The intruder wore unassuming dark civilian clothes, which failed to conceal his upright posture. Even more startling was the indescribable aura about him—as profound as an ancient deep-mountain pool, yet carrying the stolid weight of someone who had weathered countless hardships.
Most of his face was hidden in shadow, save for a pair of eyes that glowed startlingly bright in the dimness, resembling cold stars, staring straight at them.
Lin Xinghe's pupils suddenly contracted!
That gaze... that silhouette... blurred though it was, it caused a long-sealed corner of her heart to violently tremor.
That's impossible!
The man took two more steps forward, and finally, the flickering candlelight managed to illuminate his profile.
Though the years had carved some marks upon his face, those familiar brows and eyes—the rebellious and sharp countenance belonging to the former family head's eldest son, which she had seen countless times in family portraits—unmistakably belonged to—
"Lin... Feng... Cousin?" Lin Yuehe gasped involuntarily, her voice trembling and full of sheer disbelief.
In the Lin Family, this name was practically taboo—the ghost of someone who should have vanished in that beast tide a decade ago!
Lin Xinghe felt a chill rush from the soles of her feet straight to her scalp. Her brain went *buzz*, descending into utter chaos.
Lin Feng?
That legendary prodigy of the Lin Family who had supposedly met an untimely death in his youth?
Why was he here?
Where had he been all these years?
Now that he had appeared, was he friend or foe?
Had he come to reclaim everything that rightfully belonged to him, or... did he harbor other motives?
Countless thoughts bit at her nerves like venomous snakes.
The man called Lin Feng swept his gaze over the two sisters for a moment, finally fixing it on the Youyue Soul Heart Grass in Lin Xinghe's hand. The corners of his mouth hooked into an ambiguous arc, and his voice carried the slight hoarseness of someone who hadn't spoken in a long time, yet clearly reached their ears: "You two went out and harvested this grass. Could you seriously believe it's merely meant for something as simple as accelerating Sword Soul absorption?"