Lin Feng stayed in Wushan Town for more than ten days. He didn't hurry back even when the next term at Ernst Institute was about to begin, and Hogg didn't urge him to return, either.
On Wushan Mountain, east of Wushan Town, Lin Feng sat cross-legged beside a babbling stream, quietly meditating as he refined his magic power.
Earth and wind elements seeped into Lin Feng's body from every direction. His bones, muscles, and meridians naturally absorbed the elements, strengthening his body. After a small portion of the earth and wind elements was absorbed, the vast majority was refined and ultimately flowed to the middle dantian in his chest.
Like rivers flowing into the sea, the elements coursing through his meridians all gathered there in the end.
Lin Feng sat there for half a day. By the time he opened his eyes, the sun had already set.
"It's about time I returned to the academy. Since I'm not going to stop Father from carrying out his decision, I should let him see it through." Lin Feng rose and let out a long breath, then headed toward the Baruch Clan manor.
Entering the Baruch Clan manor, Lin Feng spotted his father reading a book. "Father, it's getting dark. You can read that book tomorrow."
"Oh, Lin Feng, you're back." Hogg smiled and closed the book. "You're right. I'll read it tomorrow."
"Lin Feng, you've been out training for so long. You must be thirsty." Hogg picked up the water jug on the nearby tea table and poured a glass of plain water. "Here, wet your throat. The water's just the right temperature—not too hot or too cold."
"Thank you, Father." Lin Feng felt warmth in his heart, but then he remembered that from tomorrow onward, he and his father would be separated by life and death, and pain seized him.
Hogg had treated Lin Feng wonderfully over the past ten days. In the past, though, Hogg had always been stern and rarely showed such tenderness.
As he drank the water, Lin Feng said, "Father, I've been home for a while now. I'm planning to return to the academy tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Hogg paused, then nodded. "All right. Be sure to come back early at the end of the year."
"Mm," Lin Feng replied.
Hogg spoke softly, "Lin Feng, your father isn't much of a man. The clan will depend on you from now on. The hundred thousand gold coins you gave me will be enough to cover your younger brother's expenses in the O'Brien Empire. I'm already very satisfied with how things have turned out. Still, deep down, I can't forget the humiliation our clan suffered. I hope you won't forget that our clan's ancestral treasure is still out there."
Lin Feng could feel his father's hopes for him. He took a deep breath and nodded.
"I have no other wish now. I only hope I can see the battle-knife Warblade Slaughter before I die." Hogg's voice was heavy.
Lin Feng sensed the somber mood and said at once, "Father, don't be so pessimistic. You're only forty. You have a long life ahead of you. I'm confident I'll bring the battle-knife Warblade Slaughter back within ten years and return it to the clan's ancestral hall."
"Ten years. Good, good." Hogg nodded gently.
Lin Feng left Wushan Town at noon the next day. That night, Hogg and Hillman sat in the Baruch Clan's living room, the doors tightly shut. A bag of Magic Cores lay on the dining table.
Hillman was stunned by the bag of Magic Cores. Hogg said, "Hillman, I'm going to sell these Magic Cores soon. I want you to keep the gold for me."
Hillman quickly snapped out of it. "Lord Hogg, no! How can you entrust such a huge fortune to me? Can't you look after it yourself?"
"Hillman, don't call me Lord Hogg. Just call me big brother Hogg." Hogg smiled warmly.
Hogg suddenly stood and faced east. "You ask if I can look after it myself? Haha, Hillman, you probably know more than anyone about the Baruch Clan—and about me, Hogg."
Hillman froze. He didn't know why Hogg had brought that up.
"I've kept that matter buried in my heart for nearly eleven years. For all these years, it's felt as if ants were gnawing at my heart. I kept enduring it, day after day, year after year, and now eleven years have passed."
Hogg's whole body began to tremble slightly.
Hillman's expression changed. He sprang to his feet and cried out in shock, "Lord Hogg, are you going to—"
"That's right. I have to investigate what happened back then. I have to avenge Lina." Hillman's face twisted, his expression murderous.
"Lord Hogg," Hillman said hurriedly, "didn't we investigate it before? The enemy's forces are enormous. Even what we uncovered was terrifying. If you investigate further, you could lose your life."
"Die? Am I afraid of dying?" Hogg said. "Hillman, you have no idea how much I've suffered these past eleven years, the torment I've endured. I've had enough. The hundred thousand gold coins Lin Feng gave me are more than enough to cover Wharton's expenses. With that money, I have nothing left to worry about."
"All these years, why have I kept enduring it? For my two sons, of course. Now Lin Feng has grown up, and Wharton is in the O'Brien Empire. I have nothing left to worry about."
Hogg gripped Hillman's shoulders with both hands and looked into his eyes. "Hillman, even though you call me Lord Hogg, we've been like brothers all these years. Now, I hope you'll let me do this."
"Hogg, you..." Hillman was distraught.
Hillman knew all too well that if Hogg really investigated what had happened, he could lose his life.
"I've made up my mind, Hillman. You have to understand—living like this is worse than dying." Hogg's eyes were reddening. Seeing him like this, Hillman felt helpless. He understood how Hogg felt.
Why had Hogg always been so stern and cold all these years?
No one else knew, but Hillman did. Before Lina, the mother of Lin Feng and Wharton, died, Hogg had been a very cheerful man. But after Lina died, Hogg's personality changed.
Hogg told others that Lina had died in childbirth, but Hillman and Hiri, the butler, knew the truth.
"Hillman, don't try to talk me out of it. I'm only asking you this: will you help me?" Hogg stared at Hillman.
Hillman gazed at Hogg for a moment, then let out a weary sigh. "All right. I'll help you." A faint smile appeared on Hogg's face—a smile of relief.
As he walked back to the academy, Lin Feng began planning his next steps.
"I'm already at the peak of the eighth rank as a mage. Reaching the ninth rank is only a matter of time, but my warrior cultivation is only at the seventh rank, and I haven't even condensed my battle aura. It looks like I'll have to go to the Magical Beast Mountain Range again, see if I can find the Misty Valley, get some Blue Heart Grass, and then drink my fill of living dragon blood to awaken my Dragonblood Warrior bloodline. But there's no rush. Before that, I should retrieve the clan's ancestral battle-knife, Warblade Slaughter."
"As for avenging Mother, I'll have to wait until I reach the Saint Realm. The Radiant Church must be destroyed."
After returning to the academy, the 1987 brothers naturally went out to celebrate again. After that, Lin Feng's life returned to its usual calm.
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