An Opponent Joins the Team?
Not long after, Ye An received two more letters.
One letter was from Lin Wanyue, which specified the time and place for their meeting and said that she was ready to start investigating. She also mentioned that Ye An could come if he had time.
The other letter was unsigned, but the handwriting was the same as the previous one, Ye An was certain he had no recollection of it.
He couldn't recall anyone writing to him in this way.
Ye An didn't throw the letter away. Instead, he carefully memorized the details, folded it, and tucked it into his pocket. The information in this letter was very important, but was he really going to just give him something so important like that?
It's highly suspicious. Ye An won't completely believe it, but he can keep an eye on it.
Soon, Ye An descended Cangwu Mountain, left the Four Symbols Sect, and headed towards Cangwu Prefectural City.
The two met at the agreed location.
When Lin Wanyue first saw Ye An, her gaze lingered on him for a moment, then she looked him up and down just like when they first met.
This time, however, he examined Ye An meticulously, over and over again, as if trying to see through him.
Ye An waved his hand dismissively. "Stop looking, it's just what you think."
"You freak, you really managed to get your hands on that Blood Essence Crystal. You seem a bit different now because of it... but it's good that your strength has increased."
Lin Wanyue felt a little disappointed. She had originally thought that since she was now at the Qi Condensation Realm, she could save Ye An from any trouble he might encounter and make him owe her a favor.
As a result, Ye An also Qi Condensation.
She didn't voice her thoughts, but glanced sideways at the direction of the Lin Lineage's gate. "Let's go, it's still noisy inside."
Throughout the journey, everyone treated them with utmost respect. In the Lin Lineage, those at the Qi Condensation Realm were the highest level of combat power.
Lin Wanyue's talent already makes her a rising star in the Lineage and one of the future pillars of the family.
When the two pushed open the door to the Lin Family Council Hall, several elders were arguing fiercely.
Lin Wanyue walked ahead of Ye An. A steward at the door saw her and quickly stepped aside, saying, "Young Miss has arrived."
The people in the council chamber gradually quieted down, and all eyes turned to Lin Wanyue and her companion.
Lin Wanyue's gaze swept across the hall. Her aura as Qi Condensation Realm cultivator was not deliberately concealed; it spread out and then receded like a thin layer of water.
The Lin Family Council Hall, which had been filled with endless arguments, was now completely silent.
Everyone understood that someone needed to stand up and explain the details of the matter to the young lady.
An elder from the family stood up from his chair and explained the whole incident to Lin Wanyue in detail.
This man's surname is Lin, and his given name is Song. He is the most senior member of a collateral branch of the Lin Lineage.
"Song Yuanshan personally came to discuss borrowing the Lin Lineage's transportation route, saying that a batch of ordinary goods needed to pass through. The Lin Lineage accepted the toll and agreed to borrow the route from the Song Family. However, the entire batch of goods disappeared during transportation, and the people who transported the goods never returned. Their whereabouts are still unknown."
He looked at the two of them and spoke again, "According to the report from the Lin Lineage's scouts, something has indeed happened. Not only are there signs of a fight, but dark bloodstains are also everywhere. The Song Family members are most likely dead."
After explaining the whole story, Lin Song sat back down in his chair, waiting for Lin Wanyue's opinion.
After listening, Lin Wanyue understood that these matters were largely consistent with her own understanding. However, since there were differing opinions within the Lin Lineage, a clear target was needed.
"This matter is too strange. My Lin Lineage has used this path for so many years, and it has always been peaceful and smooth. Why did this happen just when the Song Family was borrowing it? I have already started investigating this matter and have made some progress. Before a statement is made, no one is allowed to discuss compensation. Anyone who further disrupts the morale of the Lin Lineage will not be spared."
"No one is allowed to pay compensation before this."
The council chamber fell silent for a moment. Many people who had already shared this view nodded in agreement with Lin Wanyue's decision.
Lin Wanyue's words were more than just a statement to them; with her Qi Condensation Realm cultivation, she was already a top-tier fighter in the Lin Lineage.
Once she said she wouldn't pay, no one dared to say "pay" behind her back.
Seeing that the decision had been made, everyone's attention turned to another person standing next to Lin Wanyue, who looked even younger than Lin Wanyue.
Lin Song looked at Ye An: "And who is this?"
Before Ye An could speak, Lin Wanyue said, "This is my colleague in the Demon Suppressing Guard, and also a disciple of the Fourth Four Halls the Four Symbols Sect, named Ye An."
"It seems you are another promising young talent. If you ever need weapons in the future, you can come to the Lin Lineage. The Lin Lineage may not be good at other things, but they are quite skilled in blacksmithing and weapon forging."
Many people echoed this sentiment, believing that even if a young Qi Condensation Realm didn't break through to the Gathering Essence in the future, he was still someone they could directly befriend.
Ye An neither refused nor showed great enthusiasm; he simply nodded to the crowd.
No one thought he was arrogant, because he truly possessed the ability.
After the decision was made, the council chamber began to disperse.
The two walked out of the Lin Lineage.
Remembering information from another letter, Ye An couldn't help but ask, "Who was the leader of the Song Family's shipment?"
During this time, Lin Wanyue had investigated a lot of information, and upon hearing this question, she quickly replied, "You would never guess that this person is Song Qinglin's father. He's from a collateral branch of the Song Family, and he doesn't have much real power within the Song Family; he's just a figurehead. But after Song Qinglin broke through to the Qi Condensation stage, his branch started to have some influence. This time, he was in charge of escorting the goods, and it was Song Yuanshan who arranged for him to go."
Ye An remained silent after listening. He was thinking that the goods were robbed because they were short of money. But the disappearance of the escort personnel at the same time meant that this was no longer a simple robbery; it seemed like they were trying to silence them.
Could it be that Song Yuanshan was feigning to use the Lin Lineage's connections to cut off collateral branches while simultaneously framing the Lin Lineage and extorting money from them?
Wow, this is a cash withdrawal.
Lin Wanyue had no idea what Ye An was thinking. At that moment, she was organizing the information she had gathered and reviewing the situation.
Not long after, the two encountered a figure walking from the street corner.
The figure was dressed in a dark gray Four Symbols Sect robe, except for an Azure Dragon embroidered on the shoulder.
He had no weapons at his waist, and his steps were heavy, as if he had something on his mind.
Lin Wanyue stopped in her tracks and recognized the other person.
I recall that the Azure Dragon Hall recently challenged the Black Tortoise Hall and seized some of its resources.
The relationship between the two halls is bound to become extremely tense, especially considering that Ye An is a member of the Black Tortoise Hall.
Are they here to cause trouble for Ye An?
Thinking of this, Lin Wanyue took half a step forward, blocking Ye An's path, and said coldly, "Song Qinglin, what do you want?"
After seeing the two, Song Qinglin didn't move. He looked at Lin Wanyue, whom he had known since childhood, and then glanced at Ye An newly emerged Qi Condensation Realm from the Black Tortoise Hall:
"You're investigating the theft of the Song Family's goods, right? How about I join you and we investigate together?"