Chapter 46: The Death of Lin Tian

After a short while, Yin Tianfang also arrived, standing on the steps and looking ahead. Not spotting the slightest trace of Nuolan, his brows unconsciously knitted together. Just as he was about to turn and leave, his gaze caught a glimpse of a patch of water stains on the steps above.

Yin Tianfang slowly turned, walked over, bent down, and examined the damp spot on the ground.

“Nuolan is in danger.” A heavy feeling sank into his heart. This was the Xuandao Sect—who would dare make a move against Nuolan? If it were an outside force, they would never risk kidnapping her within these grounds. That meant it had to be someone from within the Xuandao Sect.

What was their purpose in kidnapping Nuolan? Where would they take her? Questions flooded his mind in a torrent of confusion.

Without hesitation, he shot forward, soaring across the river on his sword. Upon landing on the opposite bank, he scanned the area but found not a single clue.

“Where could they have gone?” His frown deepened. If anything happened to Nuolan, what would he do? Just as helplessness threatened to overwhelm him, a flash of silver light darted toward him. It was Little Dot.

Little Dot cried anxiously, circling around Yin Tianfang, then swiftly flew back the way it had come. Yin Tianfang hurried after him. Man and bird flew at top speed, soon reaching a dense forest a hundred li away.

The lush woods were thick with foliage, the sun barely piercing the canopy, casting the forest in deep, tranquil shadow. Once inside, Little Dot slowed, then, after a short while, stopped. Glancing at Yin Tianfang, then at the forest ahead, the little bird waited.

Yin Tianfang extended his hand, and Little Dot obediently perched upon it. He walked to a sturdy tree, hollowed out a small hole in the trunk, and placed Little Dot inside. “Stay here and wait for me. Don’t run off.”

Little Dot nodded meekly, its bright eyes fixed on Yin Tianfang’s receding figure until he vanished from sight. Only then did the little bird anxiously peer around before tucking its head into the hollow.

Yin Tianfang crept quietly through the undergrowth. Soon, an open clearing appeared ahead, littered with massive boulders. Several figures stood atop the stones.

Raising his eyes, Yin Tianfang saw that beside these people, a bound figure lay helpless on the ground—it was Nuolan. The group seemed to be waiting for something. As Yin Tianfang prepared to sneak closer and rescue her when the moment was right, a sudden sound of air splitting announced the arrival of two figures, landing atop the boulders: a young man and a middle-aged man.

The youth was none other than Lin Tian.

“Young master, the girl has been brought here. When should we notify that brat to come for her?” one of the men asked.

“There's no rush.” Lin Tian’s lips curled into a lecherous smile as he gazed at Nuolan, bound and helpless on the ground. “Nuolan, Nuolan... I’ve been true to you, given everything, just to be with you. After all I’ve done, you remain unmoved, even falling for someone else.”

“Why is it that no matter how much I give, you stay indifferent?”

“Lin Tian, you can’t force love. I know you’re good to me, but my feelings for you are not of that kind,” Nuolan replied.

“Why? Haven’t I done enough for you?” Lin Tian's face twisted, his voice raw with madness.

“Affection is affection. It has nothing to do with whether you’re good to me or not. Let me go, and we’ll still be friends,” Nuolan said, frightened by his expression.

“Let you go? Never. If I can’t win your heart, I’ll have your body. Once I have you, I’ll lure that brat here and butcher him before your eyes!” Lin Tian seemed utterly deranged, his eyes bloodshot, his face contorted, breath coming in harsh pants.

“We’ll stand aside, young master. Take your time with her,” the middle-aged man said with a grin, leading the others away and leaving only Lin Tian and Nuolan behind.

Nuolan lay bound and helpless on the ground. Her vulnerability only further stoked the beast within Lin Tian.

Finally, he could restrain himself no longer and lunged at Nuolan.

At that moment, a silent flash of swordlight pierced through Lin Tian’s back, skewering his heart. His eyes flew open in shock; blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, falling onto Nuolan’s closed eyes.

The hot, metallic blood dripped onto her cheek, filling the air with its scent. Nuolan slowly opened her eyes to see Lin Tian’s eyes wide in shock, his chest soaking with blood, scarlet dribbling down the sword blade protruding from his chest.

With a dull thud, Lin Tian’s body toppled to the side. Yin Tianfang stood atop the boulder, now within Nuolan’s line of sight. Seeing him, tears welled in her eyes. Yin Tianfang rushed to untie her, and she could hold back no longer. She threw her arms around him, burying her head in his chest and weeping softly.

The commotion quickly drew the attention of the middle-aged man and his group. When they arrived, they found Lin Tian’s corpse sprawled on the ground, a longsword plunged through his body.

“Young master!” The middle-aged man rushed over and cradled Lin Tian in his arms, but Lin Tian was already gone, beyond any hope of saving. The man’s eyes blazed with fury. The Lin family would soon learn of this, and when the family head’s wrath descended, who could bear it? Lin Tian was the sole heir of the Lin patriarch.

“Boy, you’re dead!” Several figures surrounded Yin Tianfang and Nuolan. The middle-aged man glared at Yin Tianfang with murderous intent, every word spat through clenched teeth.

He slowly laid Lin Tian’s corpse down. A chilling aura erupted from him; a terrifying pressure radiated outward.

This man had reached the sixth stage of Qi Condensation. Under that immense force, his feet gradually left the ground—without any aid, he floated in mid-air.

“Go! Bring me his head, or none of us will survive to face the family head,” the man said coldly, his voice full of icy menace.

At his command, the others lunged at Yin Tianfang with vicious ferocity.

“Be careful!” Yin Tianfang shielded Nuolan, his expression grave. Among their attackers, the strongest were only at the third stage of Qi Condensation, nothing that worried him. But the middle-aged man was another matter. Even one-on-one, he wasn’t sure he could win, let alone against these odds.

“We’ll have to fight!” Gritting his teeth, Yin Tianfang summoned his spiritual power, forming hand seals. Dozens of fireballs spun into existence around him, then, at a thought, burst outward in all directions.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With a series of muffled explosions, several attackers spat blood and were hurled backward, faces ashen. Seeing this, the middle-aged man’s eyes narrowed. He reached out, and with a grasping gesture, the fireballs shattered instantly.

“It seems I’ve underestimated you,” the man said coldly, pointing a finger at Yin Tianfang.