The Decaying World

Three days after Qingfei Floating Mountain successfully took to the sky, things had just started to settle down when Lin Hui received an urgent report from the outside world.

"The Federation Council’s campaign against the Bright Heart Association has failed." Liu Wu Jun had run over personally to deliver the news. He plopped down across from Lin Hui, picked up a cup of tea, and drained it in one gulp, a dejected look on his face.

"Failed?" Lin Hui was in the middle of meditating on the Celestial Sacred Form. Ironically, as the turmoil in the outside world intensified and the death toll rose, many people had started pulling strings, trying to move onto Qingfei Mountain.

After all, it had a top-tier Protective Array set up by the Qingfeng Dao. Besides life being a little inconvenient, there were no other major issues.

In a time when safety was desperately needed, Qingfei Mountain’s isolation had ironically become the perfect condition to put everyone’s mind at ease.

"Yeah, it failed. The Council Speaker and the Bright Heart Association Leader were both grievously injured. That Association Leader’s main body was destroyed three times, but each time, he would reform into a new, special form, and his power would skyrocket. On top of that, with an infinite supply of Sea Roar Power, he withstood the Speaker’s terrifying attacks and, with the help of a giant tentacle that reached out from the Haiming rift, managed to repel him," Liu Wu Jun sighed.

"Three times... reforming..." Lin Hui’s eyes were half-closed. ’It seems he wasn’t using his true strength back in Black Cloud at all...’

"For an expert of that level—an Imperial Bloodline at that—isn’t it normal to have a few aces up his sleeve? After all, from their lofty position, it’s all too easy to obtain all sorts of top-tier relics and resources," Liu Wu Jun explained.

He then added, "Speaking of which, do you experts at your level have any exclusive news?" Lin Hui’s current position was Deputy City Lord, a top-tier role that allowed him to communicate directly with the City Lord, so his intelligence network should be far more extensive than his own. That was why he asked.

"It’s alright. Not much has changed around here. But for the time being, you should go out less. If there’s nothing important, just stay on Qingfei Mountain. The array I’ve set up there makes it very safe," Lin Hui advised.

"Yeah, I know. Speaking of which, our Lin and Liu Families really owe you... Otherwise, this time..." Liu Wu Jun said with a hint of emotion.

"We’re all family. Why be so formal?" Lin Hui smiled.

Liu Wu Jun chatted about family matters for a while longer. The once exceptionally talented genius of the Rain Palace had now slowly become rather melancholy and sentimental.

Lin Hui simply sat and listened. He listened to him talk about his master being injured and recuperating for a year. He listened as he spoke of taking on a female disciple, and how, for some reason, he couldn’t suppress his feelings for her. The girl was so virtuous and capable that he felt less like he had taken a disciple and more like he had taken a wife.

He also mentioned a series of troubles at the Rain Palace. The number of corrupt old-timers was growing, their former sphere of influence was rapidly shrinking, and the abandonment of many mining and resource points had led to increasingly strict resource management within the Palace.

Lin Hui didn’t say much, just chiming in occasionally. He listened to his big brother’s complaints while quietly continuing his cultivation.

It wasn’t until Li Yuanyuan came in and a Wind Chime transmitted a message about a guest’s arrival that Liu Wu Jun unsteadily got up to leave.

He was now a man on the verge of becoming Vice Palace Master. Normally, such a step would take at least fifty years to achieve. But in recent years, too many people had died...

Once his big brother had left, Lin Hui finally looked toward Li Yuanyuan.

"What is it?"

"Daoist Master, an honored guest has arrived," Li Yuanyuan transmitted softly.

Lin Hui was taken aback. His Heart and Spirit had been covering the surrounding area, yet he hadn’t detected anyone’s arrival?

"Bring them in," he said softly.

Soon, Li Yuanyuan brought in a somewhat familiar masked old man.

"It has been a long time. I hope the Daoist Master will forgive my absence. I came this time because I made some preparations in advance." The old man was none other than Black Face from the Good Heart Sect, who hadn’t been seen for a long while.

"So it’s you." Lin Hui smiled. "I was quite satisfied with your last gift."

The Good Heart Sect had taken the initiative to deliver the fox last time, showing an impeccably proper attitude. Later, through close cooperation with his father, Lin Shunhe, they had also quickly supplied a large quantity of aphrodisiacs.

All in all, the Good Heart Sect was a decent channel for cooperation.

"It is good that the Daoist Master is satisfied," Black Face said with a smile, standing somewhat reservedly in the courtyard. "I have come this time on behalf of the sect to convey greetings from the Federation’s main branch. At the same time, I wish to ask the Daoist Master if Black Cloud could accommodate and shelter a few of our fellow members?"

Lin Hui understood immediately.

’So, there are too many disasters outside, and some of the sect’s important figures are starting to arrange an escape route?’

Black Cloud was stable and safe, so they sent someone in advance to open a channel. If it became even safer in the future, they could secure a spot.

"You may," he said, not particularly concerned. "But don’t bring too many people. And once they’re in Black Cloud, I’m not responsible for what happens afterward."

"Of course, of course," Black Face said hurriedly.

"Does the sect have any news about the Sea Roar Bright Heart Association?" Lin Hui asked casually.

"Some. According to the latest rumors, the Bright Heart Association has successfully allied with the Fog Spirit Divine Alliance to form a joint council. Six Fog Spirits with powerful Divine Power, led by the Bright Heart Association Leader, have become the highest-ranking members of this council."

"Powerful Divine Power?"

"They are the six strongest Fog Spirits within the Federation’s territory, all leaders of god-clusters. Their strength is terrifying. They once joined forces and fought against the Federation legions led by the Fog People Emperor for a hundred years. They only retreated in the end due to excessive consumption of power, and even then it was a narrow escape. Afterward, however, they still occupied vast territories outside the cities." Black Face paused before continuing.

"In truth, while the Taixu Federation is nominally ruled by us Fog People, most of the Federation’s territory is actually occupied by the Fog Spirit sects. We can only survive by holding small pockets of land around the major cities."

That was true. Lin Hui nodded.

He had long felt that, fundamentally, the Fog Spirits occupied far more territory than the Fog People.

"Then, after the Federation’s battle with the Bright Heart Association, is there any news of our city’s Great City Lord, Xie Chang’an?"

"Yes. City Lord Xie was attacked on his way back while traveling with a friend. He became trapped in an encirclement while trying to save them and is currently pinned down. However, with City Lord Xie’s strength, he should be able to break out soon," Black Face said respectfully.

"Very good. You may return and report," Lin Hui nodded.

The Good Heart Sect’s attitude was quite good. They had always been a reliable channel for purchasing medicine. Helping them out this time was acceptable.

"Thank you, Daoist Master. May I ask if the Daoist Master can disclose the specific conditions and requirements for joining Qingfei Mountain?" Black Face asked before leaving.

"Become a disciple of my sect, and you can join Qingfei Mountain," Lin Hui said with a smile.

Black Face nodded, bowed again, and backed out of the courtyard before turning and disappearing.

Lin Hui was silent for a moment, then slowly rose to his feet. His figure flickered and vanished from the spot.

He passed through the courtyard gate, crossed a corridor, and arrived in an open-air side courtyard.

The ground was covered with densely packed flowerbeds, all filled with planted, withered branches.

A somewhat gaunt female figure was squatting on the ground, laboriously trimming the branches one by one.

As if sensing Lin Hui’s arrival, the woman stopped what she was doing, stood up, and turned around.

It was Xia Si, who had become much thinner.

Her expression was now icy, but one could still see the fierce aura emanating from her iron-gray eyes.

She was casually dressed in the Daoist robes of a female disciple of the Qingfeng Dao, with the hem and cuffs cut short for ease of movement.

"Has the Daoist Master come to let this disciple go?"

Her voice was calm, seemingly devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

During her years of confinement, Lin Hui would take her away every so often to observe the operation, patterns, proliferation, and spread of the Power of Ashes’ contamination.

In the beginning, Lin Hui took her quite frequently. But as he gradually came to understand the Power of Ashes better, the sessions became less and less common.

And from start to finish, her Cultivation had been completely sealed.

Lin Hui had revoked the bestowal of the Three Seals and placed her in the Daoist academy for close observation.

Her Cultivation was further suppressed and dispersed, making it impossible for her to condense a Weaving Net.

The Weaving Net was the most fundamental starting point for a Martial Artist, the foundation of everything. Without it, she had no way to channel the Power of Ashes and Martial Dao True Power, and would be instantly burned to cinders by the unfiltered, unknown power.

This had reduced her to a complete commoner, with no special abilities aside from a much stronger constitution.

"Do you still hate me?" Lin Hui smiled, unconcerned.

"The Daoist Master is far-sighted, wise, and mighty. Hate is not a relevant concept," Xia Si said, clearly much more mature.

"Over these years, I have thought it over carefully. What happened back then was not your fault. My anger toward you stemmed more from my own ambition and unwillingness to accept my fate. The Power of Ashes influenced me."

"It’s good that you’ve come to understand. I came here because there is something I need you to do. If you can do it well, your confinement will be lifted," Lin Hui sent via voice transmission.

A divine light flashed in Xia Si’s eyes.

"Please speak, Daoist Master."

She was no fool. Her years of contemplation had allowed her to gradually understand what she truly wanted. Without her Cultivation, she had been single-mindedly nurturing her spirit, refining her spirit, and waiting for an opportunity.

And now, that opportunity had finally arrived...

"Great chaos is coming. I want you to go to Tuyue and move everything from the labyrinth ruins over here. After that, I will set you free. You can be completely unrestrained and grow with all your might."

Lin Hui smiled faintly.

As the turmoil began, the population on Qingfei Mountain grew. The auras of life and death circulating among them slowly started to form a cycle.

New life appeared in small amounts, deaths gradually increased, and decay occasionally flickered. The emergence of new life allowed him to faintly glimpse the mystery of the cyclical flow of all things.

The appearance of the Nether Acupoint, in particular, allowed him to connect these phenomena, and he faintly perceived what kind of energy signature was truly needed for the third level of the Star Breath Sword Manual.

With great chaos imminent, he didn’t want to waste mental energy monitoring Xia Si within the sect. The best solution was to release her to grow freely and then periodically "harvest" her.

In any case, with the Dharma Seal restricting her, she wouldn’t be able to betray the sect.

Of course, to prevent her from suddenly going crazy and causing trouble, he needed to add a few special measures.

A glint flashed in Lin Hui’s eyes as he watched the pondering Xia Si.

Suddenly, he raised his hand and pointed forward.

TSCH.

In the next instant, a speck of black light sank into Xia Si’s forehead and vanished.

"You!?" She staggered back in shock and anger, about to scream, but her voice was completely blocked by the wind, sealed within this small space.

This was a new technique Lin Hui had recently mastered as his Cultivation grew more and more terrifying.

By isolating the air, he could temporarily create a small vacuum around himself, thus preventing the transmission of sound waves.

As long as there was no medium, sound naturally couldn’t travel.

He smiled and lowered his hand.

"Don’t be afraid. It’s just a small safeguard."

Xia Si gritted her teeth, but after realizing it was useless, she quickly suppressed her anger.

During her quiet recuperation, she had carefully recalled the past events many, many times. She knew very well what kind of person Lin Hui was.

To those on the inside, he could be gentle, reassuring, and approachable. But to outsiders, once he categorized someone as unimportant, he was capable of any cruel method imaginable.

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