Chapter 53: The Lin Family Estate

Perhaps because Lin Fei’s strike was too clean and decisive, or perhaps because the scene before them was too abrupt and bizarre, the burly men failed to react for a moment.

To them, killing people was nothing new; the very trade they lived by was murder and banditry. Every year, they butchered quite a number of unlucky out-of-towners, and their success rate was astonishingly high. But this time, the trap they had so meticulously laid had completely failed due to the appearance of Lin Fei. The core assurance of this trap was that red-robed woman at the eighth realm of Qi condensation, yet she had died just like that, so easily.

Why?

Their hearts were filled with doubt and terror. This scene turned everyone’s face pale and sent a chill surging through their hearts. Such terrifying methods reminded them of a bone-chilling identity—practitioners, and the ruthless kind at that.

Finally, someone snapped back to senses first and turned to run. Immediately after, the others awoke as if from a dream and scattered in all directions to flee for their lives.

Lin Fei remained silent, but four streaks of golden light flew out from his sleeves like messengers of death, pursuing those fleeing for their lives. In the narrow alley, only the rushing sound of golden light piercing the air could be heard. In the blink of an eye, those people had already collapsed to the ground, falling completely silent.

In the end, the bald man who was the leader of this group also collapsed to the ground. His legs had lost all strength, and he could only kick and scramble on the ground, trying to get away from this man wearing a bamboo hat. Yet, moisture had already begun to drip from his crotch.

He was not dead, not because he had evaded the flying swords, but because he was scared out of his wits and had even forgotten how to run.

The bald man’s voice trembled, carrying a shred of desperate hope: "I... I am... the direct nephew of General Zhang of Yuechi Town! You..."

Only then did Lin Fei notice that there was still one person alive. He waved his hand casually, and the bald man’s head rolled off soundlessly, fresh blood splashing against the mottled wall, rendering the mess and bloodshed even heavier.

Lin Fei recalled the four small swords back into his sleeves, then turned to look. He saw a little girl in tattered cotton-padded clothes, her face covered in grime, standing in the corner of the wall. Her chilblain-covered hands were clutching a large bundle of candied hawthorn sticks.

Lin Fei walked over. The little girl looked at him without screaming or running away; her small mouth was slightly parted, and her weathered little face was filled with sorrow and bewilderment.

Although young, she had already endured too many hardships and witnessed too much life and death, so she knew that she might be about to die.

The man in the bamboo hat squatted down and asked softly, "Did you see everything?"

The little girl selling candied hawthorn sticks pursed her lips and asked timidly, "Are you going to kill me?"

Lin Fei pondered for a moment, then said, "I won't kill you, but I bought your candied hawthorn sticks. How about you not telling anyone else?"

The little girl had no thoughts of universal compassion; she smiled sweetly and said, "Okay."

She tightly grasped a silver ingot in her hand, roughly the same size as the candied hawthorn sticks. Carefully, she tucked the silver ingot into her bosom, checked it over to make sure it hadn't attracted any attention, and then skipped happily toward the outside of the alley.

Lin Fei turned around and continued walking deeper into the alley, finally stopping at the back door of a dilapidated large residence. The scale of this mansion was enough to show that its owner's status in the town had been extraordinary during their lifetime.

Indeed, the master of this house was named Lin Qingfeng, a locally renowned philanthropist. Every year, he would generously open granaries and distribute grain to relieve the impoverished commoners. He was gentle, courteous, and kind to others, yet resolute and strict when handling matters. As time passed, his reputation and influence grew day by day, to the extent that even local bullies and scoundrels dared not provoke him lightly.

However, on a rainy night ten years ago, the Lin family suffered a sudden catastrophe. All forty-eight members of the household, including those martial artists with accomplished cultivation, were wiped out without exception, all brutally murdered.

This tragic case shocked the entire Great Tang and even spread as far as the city of Chang'an. Some said it was the work of monsters from the Endless Monster Domain, while others claimed it was done by ill-intentioned practitioners. Opinions varied, but to this day, it remained an unresolved mystery.

Lin Fei quietly gazed at this mansion, a rare ripple flashing through his eyes. His main purpose in descending the mountain this time was to return and take a look at the place where he once lived. Moreover, this place was not far from the Sword Sect, making the trip quick and convenient.

This matter was something he had never mentioned to anyone.

Lin Fei bent down, gently retrieved a key from beneath a slightly lighter-colored brick, and skillfully inserted it into the rusted keyhole. With a faint "creak," the long-decayed wooden door was slowly pushed open by him, and Lin Fei stepped inside.

In the courtyard, overgrown weeds were covered by a thick layer of snow. All around was dead silence, with long-tailed lizards occasionally crawling past the mud walls and disappearing into the depths of the grass on the other side.

Lin Fei strolled as if in a leisurely walk through a garden, passing through the courtyard, bedchambers, and backyard, room after room, until he finally stopped in front of the main hall.

Under the eaves of the main hall hung a plaque upon which the four characters "Lofty Integrity and Noble Character" were faintly visible.

Casually leaning the large bundle of candied hawthorn sticks against a corridor pillar, he took a large basin from a pile of debris in the corner and sat cross-legged on the ground.

"I thought about it for a long time, and felt that I still ought to come back and look at you all," Lin Fei said to the empty main hall. "After all, it was you who taught me the most important lesson after I woke up."

Suddenly, the plaque overhead emitted a loud crash, shattering into numerous neat wooden pieces that fell to the ground one after another.

Lin Fei casually picked up a piece of wood and tossed it into the basin. Instantly, a ball of flames magically rose within the basin.

The night outside grew deeper, while inside the main hall, the firelight reflected all around, illuminating the entire space. Every hour or two, Lin Fei added a piece of wood to the fire basin, ensuring the flame burned continuously without ever extinguishing.

His eyes appeared exceptionally calm under the reflection of the firelight, yet within that calmness, a hint of unspeakable sorrow seemed to hide.

Suddenly, a cold light flashed between Lin Fei's eyebrows, followed immediately by the appearance of an ethereal figure of a woman with red hair like fire in mid-air.

Jingyun looked around and asked with curiosity, "Where is this?"

"The Lin family estate."

"The malefic energy here is far too heavy, and the demonic aura of the Endless Monster Domain is too thick as well; I don't like either of them." Jingyun looked around, furrowed her brows slightly, and continued, "I still prefer places rich in spiritual energy."

Lin Fei nodded and said, "We will only stay here for a day or two and will leave very soon."

"Your mood doesn't seem very good?" Jingyun sensed the fluctuation in Lin Fei's emotions and asked curiously.

Lin Fei closed his eyes and replied calmly, "If one's mood is not good, it naturally means the state of mind is unstable and requires further tempering."

Jingyun sighed softly and said, "You really are a boring fellow."

Lin Fei opened his eyes and said earnestly, "In a moment, it won't be boring anymore."