Make a Choice

In a stone chamber one or two hundred meters from the mine entrance, the head of the Ouyang Household dismissed the others and sat beside a stone table, facing Master Huang.

"Master Huang, you came personally this time, first for your disciple, and second for this genuine possible opportunity, correct?"

Master Huang took a sip of tea and spoke without beating around the bush.

"Head of the Ouyang Household, that is true enough. My disciple has potential, and as his master, I naturally have to protect him somewhat. If things cannot be done, at most I will keep him from taking risks."

"In a place like this, an important mining site and source of rare medicinal herbs for the Ouyang Household, many External Force experts are hidden away."

"Even if I barged in alone, I would not emerge unscathed. If things went badly, I might even perish here."

The head of the Ouyang Household smiled as he looked at him.

"However, even if you perish, your Ouyang Household will suffer grievous damage. Perhaps the other families will raise the banner of righteousness and wipe out your Ouyang Household."

Ouyang Zhentian laughed soundlessly.

"Hehe, you old bastard, threatening my Ouyang Household now?"

"But Master Huang, you must also know that when the core is truly touched, even if there is a risk of extermination, this red line will still be defended."

As he spoke, his tone grew a little heavier before he continued.

"After my clan uncle Ouyang Dongli retired, his Internal Force reached a bottleneck, and he could not find a path to break through for a long time."

"Then he traveled abroad, though he would return to the clan every year and show himself a few times."

"Later, some relatives within the clan who were close to him let slip that my clan uncle might have found a method to reach Hidden Force."

"Yet after that news leaked, there was no further word..."

"And so decades passed. I had even become the household head, yet no continuation of that news ever came..."

"However, as time passed, such expectations gradually faded."

"Until one day, when my clan uncle suddenly began frequently wandering outside the courtyard of those siblings."

"We only assumed that the elder sister's unusual nature had caught my clan uncle's attention, so we did not think much of it."

"However, when that youth vanished and later returned from outside, we realized something was wrong."

"My Ouyang Household expended enormous manpower and resources, and through a combination of special methods, determined that this boy truly had something to do with the Path of Hidden Force."

Having said this, he looked at the other man with heavy eyes and spoke word by word.

"You, Master Huang, had noticed long ago. You simply did not wish to bear too much risk, so you let other families shoulder it instead."

"And my Ouyang Household has reached the point where we have no choice but to bear it."

Master Huang smiled faintly.

"Although that elder sister left, neither you nor I found it strange. That in itself is rather strange."

"Even now, that elder sister has not appeared. There is a ninety percent chance she will never appear again."

"But if she returns one day, I do not wish to be casually wiped out by the great power behind her."

Ouyang Zhentian shook his head.

"You call yourself a master, yet you truly are... Forget it. Since things are already this way... everyone will know this secret sooner or later, so I might as well tell you."

Master Huang smiled again.

"Let me state this first: if anything truly happens to my disciple, I will act for him. Though the Path of Hidden Force is a great temptation, I am still a master after all."

"Fine! You've claimed all the righteousness for yourself, you old fox."

"The Path of Hidden Force is this: Dongli likely discovered a secret place. That place can help one break through the shackles and barriers of Internal Force, thereby opening a road to Hidden Force."

Ouyang Zhentian's words were also spoken deep within the mine, from Ouyang Nianci's lips.

She looked at Lin Xiaotian, whose expression remained serious and showed little surprise, then slowly continued.

"Ancestor Dongli may have felt that his life was about to end, so he left behind some words at the clan grounds."

"He said, 'The body must be corroded to open the bloodlines, reshape the sinews and bones, and only then can one break the shackles and step into Hidden Force.'"

As she spoke, her gaze locked tightly onto Lin Xiaotian once more.

"What the ancestor spoke of is still far beyond us, but the more direct descendants and those with potential within the Lineage already know."

"The ancestor later specifically indicated a direction. He said he had found this place, but how to digest and make use of it still required verification. He hoped that we descendants would strive on."

Lin Xiaotian remained unmoved on the surface, but waves had already risen in his heart.

So that place was meant to lead to Hidden Force. What a pity—if you truly knew that place, you would still die if you went there.

Could it be that this ancestor had been mistaken?

His brows shifted slightly as he spoke.

"If such a place truly existed, then with the ancestor's abilities, he should have deciphered it. Why did he not even draw a map or route, forcing you to come and pressure me?"

Several members of the Ouyang Household were left stunned by the question.

Lin Xiaotian watched them, then looked at the younger members of the Ouyang Household behind them and teased, "Other than the eldest miss, I do not yet know your names. Could you let your little brother here learn them?"

"If you truly reach External Force, then naturally you will know. Right now, you are not qualified." The man's voice carried some hostility.

Lin Xiaotian smiled and did not mind, saying casually, "Fine. Since I do not know what to call you, I will use A, B, C, and D instead."

"You..." Other than Nian Ci, all four drew their blades, killing intent surging from them.

"Hehe, what, you want to kill me so quickly? Then that place you know of will be gone."

Ouyang Nianci waved her hand.

"Elder brothers, do not lose your tempers."

As she spoke, she turned her gaze back to Lin Xiaotian.

"Junior Brother Lin, are you truly willing to reveal this location?"

Listening to her words, Lin Xiaotian looked again at her lovely face and sighed inwardly. This woman was no fool.

She had not asked whether he knew of the place. Instead, she directly said he was willing to reveal it, affirming an established fact.

Lin Xiaotian had intended to refute her and tease her a little, but on second thought, he decided to go with the current. Perhaps he would not need to risk his life today. He would first let this woman lower her guard.

"Yes, of course."

Hearing his words, Ouyang Nianci's eyes lit up, and a delighted smile appeared at the corners of her lips.

The A, B, C, and D surrounding him also grew excited. Even the hands holding their blades trembled slightly, producing soft "ding, ding" sounds.

Is this location really that important? Look how excited these people are. Even those who have not reached External Force are this stirred by the news. One can imagine that its importance exceeds all expectations.

Forget it, I will not tease these little ones anymore.

With that thought in his heart, he said aloud, "Have you ever considered why the ancestor did not directly draw this map? Is it possible that knowing this location would lead the Ouyang Household into a place of eternal damnation?"

The moment those words landed, it was like hot oil falling into water—it instantly exploded.

The Ouyang Household disciples surrounding him all turned pale and dispirited.

Lin Xiaotian observed their reactions and thought to himself that these disciples were not fools either. If they truly learned it, they would investigate.

Ouyang Nianci bit her lip and stepped forward.

"Junior Brother Lin, speak plainly. We need this location. As for whatever trouble it brings, that is not for you to consider."

Once she said this, the other four tightened their grips on their blades again, and cracking sounds rang out.

Immediately, dense killing intent shrouded him.

Lin Xiaotian knew that after so much pointless talk, these people had lost their patience. It was time to make a decision: speak, or not speak.