Lin Xinghe quickly concealed herself in the shadows, preparing to face the impending and unknown threat.
She held her breath and watched the unfamiliar figure with focused concentration.
The person seemed to be searching for something, moving with light and cautious steps like a cat prowling at night.
A night breeze swept by, kicking up a slight rustling sound, yet Lin Xinghe seemed to hear a strange, unusual frequency ringing in her ears.
The Power of the Sword Soul surged within her body, rendering every pore exceptionally sensitive so that she could clearly feel the minute ripples in the air.
The figure drew closer and closer, their steps light and steady—clearly not the bloated guards of the Lin Family.
Suddenly, the person stopped not far from the entrance of the Sword Tomb, seemingly checking the surroundings.
Lin Xinghe's heartbeat accelerated involuntarily; she tightened her grip on her sword, ready to strike at any moment.
The figure finally stepped toward the entrance of the Sword Tomb. The very second he was about to step inside, Lin Xinghe flashed forward like lightning, holding her blade to his throat and subduing him to the ground.
The person struggled a few times before finally being pinned down by Lin Xinghe.
Taking advantage of the dim moonlight, Lin Xinghe finally saw the other's face clearly.
A shock ran through her heart, and an exclamation escaped her lips involuntarily: "Lin Feng! What are you doing here?"
Lin Feng lay on the ground, gasping for breath. He slowly raised his head to look at Lin Xinghe, a trace of inexplicable determination in his tone: "Xinghe, I came here for an important matter. I discovered some secrets about the Sword Tomb and needed to verify them myself. Don't be impatient, hear me out."
Though doubts lingered in Lin Xinghe's heart, seeing Lin Feng's earnest expression, she decided to trust him for the time being.
She released her grip on the sword, took a step back, and asked, "Fine, tell me then, what did you discover?"
Lin Feng took a deep breath and began to recount his findings: "I have been investigating some of the family's secrets, and recently I found some unusual clues. These clues pointed to the Sword Tomb, and I suspect that some major secrets are hidden inside, possibly related to the key of the sword soul inheritance. I needed to verify the authenticity of these clues, which is why I risked coming here."
Lin Xinghe furrowed her brow slightly. Her inner doubts were not completely dispelled, but she decided to give Lin Feng the benefit of the doubt for now.
She nodded and said, "All right, I'll believe you for now. But I will keep a close eye on your future actions. If you show the slightest sign of anything unusual, I will certainly not show mercy."
Lin Feng nodded to show he understood.
The two stood in silence for a moment before Lin Xinghe suddenly realized it was getting late and she needed to return to the Lin Family as soon as possible.
She stood up and said to Lin Feng, "I'm heading back now, and you should be careful too. Don't take reckless risks; this is no place to play games."
Lin Feng nodded, his gaze carrying a trace of tenacity: "I know. Take care of yourself too."
Lin Xinghe took a deep breath and turned toward the exit of the Sword Tomb.
Her heart remained filled with vigilance; this sudden "ally" made it difficult for her to feel entirely at ease.
Upon returning to the Lin Family, Lin Xinghe informed Lin Yuehe of the matter.
Hearing this, Lin Yuehe wore an imperceptible smile on her face.
She gently suggested, "Sister, you must be careful. Although Lin Feng looks trustworthy on the surface, his motives are still unclear. You should continue to monitor him, just in case."
Lin Xinghe nodded, her vigilance growing ever stronger.
She understood that this struggle was far from over, and the watcher in the dark might only just be beginning.
She decided to treat this sudden "ally" with greater caution, while secretly vowing in her heart to uncover the true secrets of the Sword Tomb.
As night fell once more, Lin Xinghe stood quietly by the window, a resolute light flashing in her eyes.
She murmured softly, "Lin Feng, who on earth are you? I will definitely get to the bottom of this."
The night once again spread like thick ink, with even the stars hiding their traces, leaving only a feeble crescent moon hanging at the edge of the sky.
Lin Xinghe changed into a sleek night-travel outfit, her entire presence seeming to melt seamlessly into the heavy darkness.
She took a deep breath; the air carried the crisp chill typical of an early autumn night, along with a faint, elusive scent belonging to Lin Feng—a mixture of soil and decaying leaves.
Sure enough, not long after, a dark figure stealthily crawled out through the dog hole in the back courtyard of the Lin Family.
Hah, this fellow! Instead of taking the main gate, he preferred such crooked, underhanded paths; she truly wondered what kind of life he used to lead back in the Lin Family.
A cold smile curved the corners of Lin Xinghe's lips as she gave chase as silently as the most seasoned hunter.
Her footsteps were as light as a cat stepping on snow, failing to disturb even a single fallen leaf.
Lin Feng's movement technique was actually quite decent, twisting and turning through secluded, deserted alleys, clearly familiar with the layout of Lin Family Town down to his bones.
Lin Xinghe followed unhurriedly, her doubts growing deeper and deeper.
This fellow put on such a pitiful, wronged act during the day, yet he was full of energy at night!
Finally, Lin Feng stopped outside a long-abandoned Ancestral Hall.
The Ancestral Hall was dilapidated and covered in spiderwebs, appearing even more eerie and bizarre under the moonlight.
He scanned his surroundings vigilantly, and after confirming no one was about, he pushed open the creaking, broken door and slipped inside.
Lin Xinghe clung to the corner of the wall like a gecko, listening intently.
Inside the Ancestral Hall, muffled conversation soon drifted out.
Aside from Lin Feng's slightly raspy voice, there was another deliberately lowered, rather shrill voice.
Holding her breath, she quietly channeled the Power of the Sword Soul to her ears, and the dialogue from inside the Ancestral Hall drifted to her in fragments: "...timing... almost ripe... Jade Pendant... absolutely cannot... fall into... the hands of outsiders..."
"Outsiders?" Lin Xinghe's heart tightened violently, these two words piercing her like needles.
Could the "outsiders" they spoke of refer to her?
This Lin Feng truly harbored malicious intentions!
She could no longer hold herself back and was about to make a move to figure out the identity of that mysterious conversationalist.
The very instant her toes were about to push off, a familiar voice—carrying a hint of banter and a lazy edge—sounded without warning right beside her ear: "Little girl, your skill at tailing people has improved, but your craftsmanship is still a bit lacking."
Every hair on Lin Xinghe's body stood on end in a sudden shock, yet her posture did not move a fraction, save for the knuckles on the hand gripping the sword hilt turning white.
Without even turning her head, based purely on that flippant tone, she knew who had come—Yun Wufeng!
This fellow was as elusive as a ghost; who knew when he had crept up behind her!
Yun Wufeng's face—always carrying thirty percent banter and seventy percent rebelliousness—wore a rare hint of seriousness under the hazy moonlight.
He lowered his voice, speaking in a tone that brooked no argument: "You've done well enough. Leave the rest to me."
Lin Xinghe's heart leaped violently, countless questions instantly rushing to her throat, only to be forcefully suppressed by his bottomless eyes.