The Curtain Falls

The night was as still as stagnant water.

Rumble.

An explosion that shook the heavens erupted, and a beam of light shot straight into the clouds from a specific spot. Immediately after, a surge of air swept toward every corner of Green Sun Town like a violent gale.

Half an incense stick later, the beam of light vanished. The Lei Clan Courtyard had been razed to the ground, and the earth was littered with countless corpses. Only two people stood in the center; one of them held a broken iron sword, his expression calm.

"Is it over?"

Behind him, a crisp voice rang out, laced with terror.

Lin Ge swept a glance over the nine fallen figures and nodded slightly. His eyes remained undisturbed, calm as water as he said, "It is over. From this day forward, there will be no more Lei Clan or Xie Clan in Green Sun Town."

After speaking, Lin Ge took a deliberate look at the iron sword in his hand, a flash of nostalgia crossing his eyes, before he plunged the broken blade into the earth.

Upon hearing these words, the woman paused for a few seconds. She slowly raised her hand and gently removed the veil from her head, revealing a beautiful face.

A beauty that belongs only in the heavens, rarely heard of in the mortal realm.

For some reason, this line of poetry suddenly surfaced in Lin Ge's mind.

Gazing at the woman before him, Lin Ge could not help but be captivated, unable to pull himself away.

The woman felt no disgust at Lin Ge's gaze; instead, a hint of inexplicable joy appeared in her eyes.

"Thank you for saving me."

The woman smiled gently, her eyes curving into crescent moons. A noble aura inadvertently radiated from her entire being, only to vanish the next second.

Though captivated, Lin Ge had still keenly caught that fleeting moment. A vague suspicion formed in his heart, and he said calmly, "You are no ordinary person."

Surprise flashed in the woman's eyes, yet her expression shifted to one of confusion, as if she did not understand what Lin Ge was talking about.

Lin Ge smiled to himself, knowing the woman was acting, but he did not expose her ruse.

"Little Ge, are you alright?"

At this moment, Lin Zhentian and the others hurried over, their eyes filled with concern.

Lin Ge had been on his own for many years; facing this familial affection from Lin Zhentian, he felt somewhat unnatural, but he said nothing more, merely nodding slightly to indicate he was unharmed.

Luo Cheng, standing beside Lin Zhentian, scanned the area and quickly spotted Lei Bao and the others lying motionless on the ground. A flash of shock and relief crossed his eyes.

He was shocked that the two local powers of Green Sun Town, the Lei Clan and the Xie Clan, were to be wiped out just like that, and relieved that his choice had been the right one.

"And this is..."

Lin Zhentian looked at the woman nearby, a flash of awe in his eyes. However, having lived for decades, his composure was far beyond that of an ordinary person, and he quickly returned to normal.

Lin Ge shrugged his shoulders, indicating he did not know her name either.

The woman cast a coquettish glance at Lin Ge and gently stated her name.

"Qin Xue."

"So it is Miss Qin Xue. My apologies for the lack of courtesy."

Lin Zhentian bowed in apology, unable to resist taking another look, his heart suddenly filled with joy.

To think Little Ge has such deep romantic fortune.

With a slight sigh of admiration, Lin Zhentian warmly invited her to stay at the Lin Clan for a few days. Qin Xue did not refuse, smiling as she agreed.

On the side, Lin Ge narrowed his eyes, secretly pondering the prominent families with the surname Qin in the vicinity, but he had no leads.

Suddenly, he recalled the Qin Clan, one of the four great families of the Great Yan Dynasty, and his gaze toward Qin Xue became more scrutinizing.

Could it be the Qin Clan?

The four great families of the Great Yan Dynasty were the Wang Clan, the Lin Clan, the Qin Clan, and the Huangpu Clan.

In this timeline, aside from the detailed depiction of Lin Langtian of the Lin Clan, the other three families had not been described in detail, so Lin Ge did not know what kind of family the Qin Clan was.

But the only thing he could be certain of was that the Qin Clan must also have experts at the Nirvana Realm holding down the fort. After all, the Lin Clan possessed a Nirvana Realm expert; as one of the four great families, how could the Qin Clan be any weaker?

"What are your plans for the remaining survivors of the Lei and Xie Clans?"

Just as Lin Ge was lost in thought, Luo Cheng interrupted his musings and asked.

Lin Zhentian also looked troubled upon hearing this.

Kill them?

The Lei and Xie Clans had existed for a century, and their numbers reached tens of thousands. To kill them all would likely incite panic among other factions; after all, no one would like a bloodthirsty, powerful clan riding over their heads.

Spare them?

If they did not kill these people, it would leave behind hidden dangers, as it was the Lin Clan and the Mad Blade Martial Hall that had wiped out their clans.

"Kill all the high-ranking members of these two clans as well as those with exceptional talent, and let the rest go. I believe they won't be able to stir up any major trouble."

After a moment of contemplation, Lin Zhentian sighed.

"No need, just let them live," Lin Ge said, shaking his head.

"Why? Are you not worried?"

Luo Cheng frowned upon hearing this and asked.

What Lin Zhentian had said just now aligned with his own thoughts: to kill the upper echelons of these two clans along with their talented children to eliminate future trouble. Yet, Lin Ge had insisted on letting them all go, which would inevitably leave behind a massive hidden danger for the future.

"What are you worried about? Worried that the descendants of these two clans will destroy the Lin Clan?"

Lin Ge let out a dumbfounded laugh and continued, "A life that is too comfortable only causes one to lose themselves. Having enemies like these will remind the descendants of the Lin Clan to be cautious at all times, to strive to become stronger, and never to resign themselves to decadence."

Lin Ge's words did not convince Luo Cheng; instead, they caused his brows to furrow deeply.

He felt that this was far too dangerous, but upon thinking of Lin Ge's strength and talent, he kept his peace despite his lingering worries.

Lin Zhentian felt the same; leaving behind such a significant hidden danger left him feeling perpetually uneasy.

Lin Ge, however, was unbothered by this. In his heart, the Lin Clan and the Mad Blade Martial Hall would only grow better and stronger, and no one would be able to hinder the pace of their development.

This was not a guarantee made by Lin Ge, but an inevitable trend—after all, the Lin Clan possessed a person of great destiny.

"The sky is about to brighten; it is time to leave."

With the matter resolved, Lin Zhentian gazed at the sliver of light on the horizon and spoke.

"Indeed, it is time to return. Although we successfully dealt with the Lei and Xie clans this time, we have also suffered heavy losses."

Luo Cheng looked at the corpses littering the ground, his mood heavy. These disciples were his kin, and now that so many had died in battle, how could he possibly feel happy?

"Today's sacrifices are for the sake of being able to go further in the future; there is nothing to be sad about."

Lin Ge appeared very calm regarding this, his eyes devoid of any superfluous emotion.

Luo Cheng understood these principles, yet this profound grief could not be erased.

"Let's go."

As the sky first brightened, the news that the Lei Clan Courtyard had been razed to the ground quickly swept through the entire Green Sun Town. For a time, it was exceptionally bustling, and everyone turned their eyes toward the Lin Clan and the Mad Blade Martial Hall, for they were the only two factions capable of such a feat.