Chapter 33: Too Late

The flying sword transformed into a cold gleam, slicing through the air with the speed of thunder, swift as lightning, its deadly intent locked onto Lin Tian. In an instant, every hair on Lin Tian’s body stood on end, an overwhelming sense of danger rising from deep within him.

“Master, watch out!” At the critical moment, the middle-aged man beside Lin Tian suddenly shoved him aside, shouting loudly as his hand reached out. The Gravity Technique erupted instantly, an invisible force field forming around him, causing the flying sword’s momentum to stall abruptly.

“Hmph!” A cold snort echoed from the darkness. Instantly, the sword radiated dazzling light, piercing through the force field created by the Gravity Technique, rushing straight toward the middle-aged man.

A spray of blood blossomed; the middle-aged man grunted softly, staggering from the blow. Had he not dodged in time, he would already be dead. Yet he was injured, the flying sword having pierced his left shoulder, blood flowing profusely.

“Who are you?” Lin Tian finally regained his composure, shouting fiercely into the darkness.

“The one who will kill you. My brother died tragically at the hands of a demon bird because of you. No matter how many spirit stones you offer in compensation, I will take your life!” The flying sword spun away, vanishing into the darkness. The sound of it breaking the air faded into the distance, and the icy words lingered in the air, causing Lin Tian’s expression to darken like stormy water.

Having failed in his attack, Yin Tianfang decisively chose to retreat. This was the Xuan Dao Sect—if he lingered, even if he managed to kill Lin Tian, he would inevitably be discovered by the sect. That would expose him, and who knew what dangers awaited?

Moreover, from the conversation between Lin Tian and the middle-aged man, it was clear the adult demon bird was in grave peril. Yin Tianfang had to hurry back to the cave and warn the creature to flee. The terrifying power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was enough to inspire dread.

“Damn Tianjue Hall!” Lin Tian's face was grim in the room, his teeth clenched as he spat out the curse.

“Master, something doesn’t add up,” the middle-aged man said, his face pale, brows tightly furrowed in doubt. “If Tianjue Hall demanded compensation, they wouldn’t send someone to assassinate you. There’s trickery here.”

“You mean...?” Lin Tian, still seething with anger, suddenly calmed at the words. The attacker’s statement was clearly meant to provoke him into making trouble for Tianjue Hall. He knew well how terrifying Tianjue Hall was. Few in the entire Clearwater Kingdom knew of its existence, and those who did treated it with utmost caution.

“I believe our dealings with Tianjue Hall have been discovered, and someone is exploiting this to pit you against them. If that happens, with Tianjue Hall’s ruthless methods, not even the head of the family could protect you; only the ancestor would be able to intervene,” the middle-aged man said gravely.

“Who was that man? Such formidable power.” He pressed a hand to his wounded shoulder, a shadow of unease crossing his mind.

“Master, you must be more careful in the future. I suspect he is a disciple of the Xuan Dao Sect,” the middle-aged man mused, turning to Lin Tian.

Under the cover of night, a figure sped across the surface of the Clearwater River. Yin Tianfang’s heart was heavy; he hadn’t expected his actions to implicate the adult demon bird. He raced toward the creature’s lair, wind and lightning at his heels. After several hours, he finally arrived near the cliff.

Yet before he even reached the cave, his heart sank and fury erupted within him.

He was too late.

At the cave entrance, the protruding boulder was shattered, the surrounding cliff face scarred with deep cracks. Blood stained the ground atop the cliff, scattered with black feathers. Yin Tianfang recognized these feathers—they had fallen from the adult demon bird, and their aura was unforgettable. The black feathers were streaked with fresh blood.

He hadn’t expected Tianjue Hall to act so swiftly. Standing at the cliff’s edge, Yin Tianfang felt cold to the bone, his body trembling.

“Little One!” Yin Tianfang’s anxiety burned, and he shot toward the cave in a flash of light. The cave, collapsed from the fierce battle, was blocked by rubble. He cleared away the stones, and at last, deep within the cave, he found Little One.

At that moment, Little One had shrunk to barely a foot in size, trembling in a corner, eyes full of terror. At the sound of movement, Little One shrank further into the corner.

“Little One.” Seeing the creature’s pitiful state, Yin Tianfang’s heart ached. He approached, and at his voice, Little One suddenly lifted its head, chirped softly, and leapt into Yin Tianfang’s arms.

Yin Tianfang cradled Little One, gently stroking its feathers, his gaze icy and fierce.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he whispered, carrying Little One away in a stream of light toward the Xuan Dao Sect.

Soon after Yin Tianfang’s departure, several figures descended near the cave, each exuding powerful energy. Their expressions darkened as they surveyed the cleared cave.

“Someone got here before us.”

“No matter who it is, if they dare steal from Tianjue Hall, there will be no place for them in heaven or earth!” another declared.

“We did at least slay a Dark Phoenix. That’s some gain for this trip. I never expected to encounter such a beast here. If the phoenix hadn’t been wounded, even a Core Formation cultivator would struggle against it,” one said.

“Too bad the phoenix’s offspring was taken. Otherwise, our harvest would have been much greater. Who else knew we were coming?” the man who seemed to be the leader asked coldly.

“The Lin family of Tianfeng City,” an old Daoist replied, the same one who had previously traded with Lin Tian.

“Then bring him in for questioning!” With that, the figures swiftly departed, vanishing into the vast night.

Yin Tianfang, with Little One in his arms, sped back to the north bank of the Xuan Dao Sect, returning straight to his own courtyard. As he entered, his body froze.

An old man stood quietly in the courtyard, hands clasped behind his back. Hearing Yin Tianfang enter, he slowly turned, smiling kindly.

“So late, coming back from outside—what were you doing?”

The old man was none other than Elder Xuan Yin, who had once overseen Yin Tianfang’s assessment and made him an outer disciple. Yin Tianfang was stunned, his eyes flickering as several thoughts rushed through his mind.

“There was an attack on a disciple at the main peak just now. It’s late; you’d best stay in your quarters and not wander about,” Elder Xuan Yin said with a smile, not waiting for a response as he walked away.

Watching Elder Xuan Yin’s departing figure, Yin Tianfang frowned. What was this old man up to?