Man in Black

That day.

Chu He was cultivating.

A fierce aura of grief suddenly surged through the Lin Family.

"The family head was ambushed and killed by the Canine Fang Clan in Annan Land. The Old Ancestor was severely wounded while going to rescue him. One hundred thousand officers and soldiers of the Town South Army stained the battlefield with their blood."

Wails and cries spread throughout the Lin Family.

"The Lin Family is about to face a great upheaval."

Chu He's expression shifted.

However, he had no intention of investigating what had happened.

He was merely a lowly odd-job servant. The Lin Family's affairs had little to do with him.

This was Lin City, the core heartland of Great Xia. Even if the Lin Family was defeated, no one would come disturb his sign-ins—unless someone directly made a move to destroy the Lin Family.

Chu He assumed his stance, swallowed a pill, and continued cultivating.

Half a month later.

The library pavilion, after half a year, once again welcomed someone other than Chu He.

It was an Old Man with hair and beard as white as snow.

He was bent over, trembling and frail, one foot already in the grave. His entire body carried an air of death.

Looking at Chu He, who was pretending to sweep, he asked, "Little brother, are you the one watching over the library?"

"Yes."

Chu He nodded calmly.

He could tell that the Old Man's identity was likely far from ordinary.

Deathly aura coiled around him, yet a powerful trace of strength still leaked from his body.

This was an expert—or, more precisely, a gravely wounded expert on the verge of death.

At the very least, his cultivation had once been slightly higher than Chu He's current level.

Chu He had also used the secret art he had obtained through sign-ins to investigate the auras of the Lin Family's experts. There were very few in the Lin Family whose auras resembled his own; most were weaker than him. As for those stronger than him, Chu He had sensed only a handful.

And now, one had appeared before him. Though severely wounded, that did not change the fact that he had once been an expert. His status had to be extraordinary.

Still, Chu He did not show him any particular respect.

The Old Man's status in the Lin Family had nothing to do with him, and posed no pressure to him now.

The Old Man likewise nodded and did not seem inclined to speak further with Chu He.

He moved over a reclining chair, casually took a stack of books from the library pavilion, and read while rocking back and forth, seeming deeply engrossed.

Chu He frowned.

With someone here, it was inconvenient for him to cultivate, and he was unaccustomed to it.

Moreover, judging by the looks of it, the Old Man had no plans to leave anytime soon.

Just as Chu He had expected.

The Old Man held a stack of books and read for an entire day. Even by sunset, he showed no intention of leaving.

Night fell.

Only then did the Old Man shakily rise to his feet, nod to Chu He, and leave the library pavilion.

For some time afterward.

Every morning, the Old Man arrived at the library pavilion on time, took a stack of books, and read all day.

He would occasionally exchange a few words with Chu He as well.

He did not leave until night had fallen.

It annoyed Chu He to no end.

His cultivation rhythm had been completely thrown into disarray these past days.

Late at night.

After the Old Man left, Chu He assumed his stance and began cultivating.

His cultivation was growing ever more profound, and his need for sleep was becoming weaker and weaker.

With the Old Man around during the day, Chu He would simply stand beside the bookshelves, close his eyes, and take a brief nap to remain full of vigor.

Suddenly.

A sharp glint flashed through Chu He's eyes as he cultivated intently.

He had already cultivated the Nine Transformations Golden Body Technique to the Second Transformation, making him the equal of an Innate Grandmaster outside. He had also cultivated countless methods and secret arts, granting him incomparably keen perception. Within the entire library pavilion, as well as a vast area outside it, no rustle of wind or stir of grass could escape his awareness. If he wished, even the every movement of an ant could not hide from his consciousness.

The next moment, Chu He moved and vanished from where he stood like a ghost.

"They say the Lin Family Ancestor is already severely wounded and on the verge of death, unable even to fight. I wonder if that's true. If we ambush him this time and he turns out to be fine, I'm afraid neither of us will get away."

Two Men in Black dressed in night gear stealthily approached the library pavilion. One of them spoke with a trace of concern.

A man's reputation was like a tree's shadow.

As for the Lin Family Ancestor they were about to ambush, he had shaken the world with his name a hundred years ago—a half-step Martial Dao King.

Even though word had spread that he was severely wounded, on the brink of death, and unable to fight, the man still feared him deeply.

If there had been any choice, he would not have wanted to carry out this assassination.

"What are you afraid of? That old Lin fellow is advanced in years and badly wounded—that's a fact. It only depends on how severe his injuries are. Even if he can still fight, how much strength can he wield? This time, the task for the two of us is to kill him, but if things prove impossible, probing the severity of his injuries will still count as an explanation."

"With the two of us at the Innate Seventh Level, joining forces means we need not fear the Eighth Level, and we can still run from the Ninth Level. The Lin Family is at its weakest now. Even if we are exposed, escaping will definitely not be a problem."

The other Man in Black shook his head, unconcerned.

"According to the information, that old fellow stays in the rear courtyard at night, where the Lin Family members gather. Only during the day does he come here to read. That will be the best time to strike. Tonight, we'll lie in ambush here for the night, and tomorrow we'll act with absolute certainty."

They drew near the library pavilion, planning to enter through the main gate.

"Wait."

The leading Man in Black suddenly spoke.

"I suddenly feel my heart pounding with dread, as though some great terror is drawing near. You know my sixth sense has always been extremely accurate."

His gaze swept from side to side, uncertainty written across his face.

That sense of unease only appeared whenever a life-and-death crisis was near.

He found it strange.

They were only setting up an ambush in advance. They had not yet made a move against the Lin Family Ancestor.

Logically, even if the Lin Family Ancestor still retained his strength, the danger in his heart should not arise until tomorrow morning.

Why had it come so far in advance this time?

Could it be that his sixth sense had strengthened, allowing him to foresee tomorrow's predicament this far ahead?

"You feel uneasy? Really? Could it just be that you're afraid of that Lin fellow, and it's all in your head?"

His companion looked uncertain.

The deeper one's martial cultivation, the stronger one's sixth sense became.

And his companion possessed extraordinary talent; his sixth sense surpassed that of ordinary people.

Ordinary martial artists could only sense those below their own level or at the same level, or react when the killing intent of someone stronger closed in upon them.

But his companion was different. He could foresee in advance the killing intent of an expert one level above him.

"Heh! Not bad perception."

At that moment, a calm, clear voice sounded beside the ears of the two Men in Black, as though someone were whispering right next to them.