The White Lotus Sect's Shadow Reappears

As Lin Xiao planned how to raise his prestige and gain a foothold in Ding Province.

Within a vast residence in Ding Province, Yin Ke Ren was speaking with a grim-faced man.

"Father, during this trip abroad for training, I truly witnessed the bearing of those peerless prodigies."

"I saw Ye Xuanqing of the Sword Pavilion and her peerless swordsmanship—she killed thirty-one Innate Realm Bandits with a single strike."

"I also saw the Young Dao Lord of the Taiyi Dao Sect, whose Primordial Yang Skill made his blood and qi surge like a dragon."

"And I saw the young master of the Rakshasa Gate, whose Asura Blade Technique allowed him to battle a Grandmaster."

Hearing Yin Ke Ren's words, Yin Sitong nodded slightly. "Your master took you to see all of them?"

"Yes, Father," Yin Ke Ren replied respectfully.

"Then during this trip, did you investigate your master's identity?"

At that, Yin Ke Ren pondered for a moment. "Father, Master's identity is far too mysterious. I only know that there should be an exceedingly powerful force behind him. Otherwise, he could never have tracked down those prodigies and let me observe them to gain insight into martial arts."

"Thanks to seeing those prodigies fight, I gained profound insights and successfully broke through into the Innate Realm."

"Your master truly is unfathomably mysterious," Yin Sitong murmured.

"Oh, right, Father. On my way back to Ding Province, I encountered someone from the imperial court."

"Someone from the imperial court?"

"Yes. More precisely, he was a Jinyiwei Banner Captain."

Recalling Lin Xiao's domineering power, Yin Ke Ren still felt lingering fear.

"Tell me. For a mere Jinyiwei Banner Captain to leave such a deep impression on you, he must not be simple."

Yin Ke Ren began recounting what had happened when he met Lin Xiao.

"At the time, I didn't know he was a Jinyiwei from the imperial court. I thought he was just an ordinary person, so I paid him no mind. But when he finally attacked me, I had no ability to resist at all. Even Uncle Fu was no match for him."

"From the moment he attacked us to the end of the fight, he didn't even use many moves."

"I feel that even those peerless prodigies I saw might not necessarily be able to suppress him."

"Even A'Fu was no match for him?"

Yin Sitong's expression abruptly turned grave.

A'Fu was an old retainer of the Yin Family, a genuine Peak Innate Realm expert, only one step away from advancing to Grandmaster.

It was only because he was old and his blood and qi had declined that he had no hope of breaking through to Grandmaster.

But even so, a Peak Innate Realm expert had actually lost to a junior in the Innate Realm.

"Yes, Father. That man defeated Uncle Fu in the field he excelled at most."

"Uncle Fu's Iron Sand Palm, his greatest pride, was broken by a single palm strike from that Jinyiwei Banner Captain."

"How old is he?"

"Around twenty, I think."

"At such an age, with such strength, he is likely one of the younger generation the imperial court is grooming with great care."

"For the imperial court to send such a prodigy to Ding Province, it seems the winds and clouds are about to rise here."

Yin Sitong murmured, then continued asking, "What happened after the exchange?"

Yin Ke Ren continued, "He said he wanted to pacify Ding Province and restore the imperial court's prestige."

"And from his words, it seemed he intended for our Yin Family to submit to him. But I did not agree. He said he would give us some time to consider it. Father, what do you think we should do?"

"Heh. He may have some strength, but for him to expect the Yin Family to submit so easily is simply a fool's dream. We'll watch for now and discuss it after the Ding Province Martial Meet."

"Yes, Father."

While the Yin father and son were speaking, atop a mountain beyond Ding Province's capital.

An elderly man in black stood there quietly, his expression cold and stern.

Suddenly, a figure flashed through the forest, and a young man appeared behind the old man.

The young man wore a flowered cap and a long robe patterned with scattered blossoms, giving off an air of lewd wickedness.

"This disciple greets Master."

The old man did not turn around. He merely said indifferently, "I sent you to Ding Province ten years ago. Have you completed your task?"

At the old man's question, the lewd young man trembled all over in fright. "R-Reporting to Master, not yet."

"Hmph. Useless trash."

BOOM!!!

A powerful aura instantly blasted the young man away. He crashed into a tree trunk before sliding down to the ground.

"My master sent you to Stability Prefecture to secretly contact the various powers there and make them submit to our White Lotus Sect. You have failed to complete your mission. When the Saintess arrives, how am I supposed to explain this?"

"My master knows you lust after women, but did I not tell you that while indulging your tastes, you were not to forget your mission? Is this how you handle matters for your master?"

Seeing the old man's voice grow increasingly grave, the young man went pale with fright and hurriedly waved his hands. "Master, please quell your anger. Though your disciple failed to complete the mission over these ten years, I have established deep connections with those forces."

"As long as we wait for the Saintess to arrive and make a little contact with them, they can be brought under our command."

"Hmph. I hope it is as you say. You know the consequences if you ruin the sect's plans."

At that moment, the old man's expression shifted. He waved a hand. "Enough. Withdraw for now. Her Ladyship the Saintess is about to arrive."

"Yes, Master."

The young man hurried away.

This young man was the Flower Plucking Bandit who had committed over a hundred major crimes in Stability Prefecture. He was also the disciple of the White Lotus Sect's Stability Prefecture branch altar master.

Every altar master of the White Lotus Sect stood in the Grandmaster realm.

Each oversaw a different region.

This old man was the altar master of the White Lotus Sect's branch in Stability Prefecture.

After the White Lotus Sect had been abandoned once the Wu Kingdom imperial clan crossed the river and tore down the bridge behind them, it had spent centuries plotting how to overthrow the Wu Kingdom and establish a new ruler.

Within every prefecture, the White Lotus Sect secretly subdued those martial forces, preparing to raise the pole in rebellion when the Wu Kingdom descended into chaos one day.

Just after the young man departed, a white lotus appeared in the dark sky. Lotuses bloomed beneath her feet as a woman with a light veil over her face and a bewitching figure slowly descended.

The instant he saw the woman, the old man hurriedly dropped to one knee and said respectfully, "Sha Bugui, altar master of the Stability Prefecture branch, pays respects to Your Highness the Saintess."

After landing, the White Lotus Saintess asked in a voice as cold and clear as ice, "How is the mission assigned to you by the sect progressing?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, I have contacted all of One Sect, Four Gates. They have yet to give any response, but neither have they refused. There should be a chance of subduing them."

"There should be a chance?"

The White Lotus Saintess's voice turned cold. "Is that the answer you are giving me?"

"If such an answer is all we wanted, what use would the sect have for you? Any worthless fool could do that much."

"The time given by the sect is running out. In the next few days, pay One Sect, Four Gates a visit. If they cannot give a definite reply, kill one to warn a hundred. If you still fail to complete the sect's mission by the appointed date, then you need not remain an altar master either."

"Yes, Your Highness the Saintess."

Kneeling on the ground, the old man answered fearfully.

Though his strength surpassed the Saintess's, their status within the sect was worlds apart. If this Saintess wished it, his head would be separated from his body by tomorrow.

As for being stripped of his position as altar master, that would be even more troublesome.

The White Lotus Sect's methods of punishment were exceedingly cruel. Once his position as altar master was taken away, it would mean he had no remaining value. At best, his martial arts would be crippled; at worst, he would lose his life outright.

Even as a Grandmaster expert, he would find it difficult to escape such a fate.

Grandmaster experts were certainly powerful, but within the White Lotus Sect, they were nothing remarkable.

During the years of war, before the Wu Kingdom was founded, the White Lotus Sect had been an existence capable of standing against the entire martial world through the strength of one sect.

Even the present Wu Kingdom imperial family had been single-handedly raised up by the White Lotus Sect. Back then, the Wu Kingdom imperial clan had been nothing more than a minor aristocratic family.

Only after they had grown into a force to be reckoned with were they able to break free from the White Lotus Sect's control.

"Your Highness the Saintess, this subordinate has one more matter to report."

"Speak."

The White Lotus Saintess replied coldly.

"Although this subordinate failed to subdue One Sect, Four Gates, I made contact with Zhang Zhantian, the resident expert of the Su Family Merchant Guild. Using a fragment of a cultivation technique from the former Nine Nether Divine Sect as the condition, this subordinate persuaded him to join our sect."

"Oh? The resident expert of the Su Family Merchant Guild—that is at least some good news. Then handle it quickly and have him join our sect as soon as possible."