Chapter 671: The Reincarnator Yinyin
With everything finally quieting down, Lin Langtian stayed in the Lin Clan for quite some time; after all, this was where he had grown up.
Several peaceful days passed before Lin Xiao suddenly called for him.
"Oh? Elder Lin Xiao, you want me to go to Great Desolate County?"
In a courtyard, Lin Langtian blinked at the request, mulling it over.
"Yes, Clan Head. Great Desolate County is no longer what it once was," Lin Xiao replied.
"Oh?"
"Within the Great Yan Dynasty, there are now two major forces.
"Of the four great clans of the past, only our Lin Clan remains strong. The others have all declined," Lin Xiao said with a nod.
"The first power is us. The second is the Eagle Sect of Great Desolate County.
"When the dynasty was besieged by neighboring kingdoms, the northern border was held almost entirely by the Eagle Sect."
"The Eagle Sect…" Lin Langtian murmured, his eyes turning thoughtful.
"Their predecessor was just a small dojo in Great Desolate County.
"Five years ago, the Eagle Martial Hall suddenly rose to prominence and unified the whole county in a year.
"From there, they spread their influence into surrounding kingdoms. Their strength is remarkable," Lin Xiao continued.
"So it really is the Eagle Martial Hall…" Lin Langtian thought.
"Do you know how they became so strong so quickly?" he asked, rubbing his chin.
"Rumor has it they obtained a sect inheritance from within the Great Desolate Monument.
"Their headquarters is now built around that monument, guarding it heavily," Lin Xiao said with a faint smile.
"Their current sect master should be that woman named Jiang Xue."
"Jiang Xue…" Lin Langtian nodded.
Clearly, a great deal had happened in Great Desolate County since he left.
Seeing him sink into thought, Lin Xiao did not interrupt. Only after a moment did he go on.
"Recently, the Great Desolate Monument at the Eagle Sect has encountered a serious problem.
"They can't resolve it and have requested aid from our Lin Clan.
"If you have time, Clan Head, would you go and take a look?"
"The monument is acting up?"
Lin Dong, who had just stepped into the courtyard, frowned at the words.
To him, the ancient sect within the monument had been more than kind.
His Devouring Ancestral Symbol had come from there.
He had also obtained the Great Desolate Imprisoning Sky Finger there—a technique that had saved his life many times and carried deep meaning for him.
If they were in trouble now, he naturally had to help.
"In that case, Brother Langtian, let me come with you to the Eagle Sect," Lin Dong said, his lips tightening slightly.
"That works.
"The monument has helped us both a great deal.
"Now that it needs aid, we can't simply stand by," Lin Langtian answered with a small smile.
"Go and return quickly," Lin Xiao said.
The brothers nodded and wasted no time heading for Great Desolate County.
The Great Yan Dynasty was vast, but at their current level, it took only half an hour to cross into Great Desolate County's territory.
Beside Lin Langtian, Lin Dong drifted through the sky, looking down at the land below with nostalgic eyes.
He had left Flame City, crossed countless counties, and finally reached this place.
It had been the crucible where he first tempered himself.
Seeing his expression, Lin Langtian smiled faintly.
"You got the Great Desolate Imprisoning Sky Finger here, didn't you?
"I still remember how frightening that technique was," he said.
Lin Dong chuckled wistfully.
That martial art had not only saved his life time and again—it was now bound up with many of his earliest memories.
After reminiscing, they oriented themselves and flew straight toward the center of Great Desolate County.
As they drew closer, they saw cities everywhere flying a common banner—a soaring eagle whose sharp gaze made the onlooker's heart skip.
The Eagle Sect's standard.
In the center of one such city, a gigantic stone monument loomed.
The sight of that familiar monolith made the brothers exchange a look and swoop down.
Moments later, they stood before the Great Desolate Monument, hands clasped behind their backs, gazes soft with memory.
The stele had clearly become the Eagle Sect's sacred relic—ordinary people were kept far away, and the surrounding area was locked down with tight security.
The guards had not even noticed the brothers' arrival at first.
By the time they realized someone was standing before the monument, it was already too late.
Alarms blared and figures poured in from every direction, encircling the pair.
The two men did not so much as flinch, simply watching the ancient stone.
Sssht!
"Sect Master!"
A tearing sound cut through the air as a graceful figure appeared in the crowd's line of sight.
All around, Eagle Sect disciples dropped to one knee with thunderous respect.
The newcomer was a tall woman in a pale yellow dress, her features delicate and pretty.
A faint authority, born of long command, rested between her brows.
This was the Eagle Sect's master, Jiang Xue.
Her face cold, she waved a delicate hand, then turned to fully face the two figures before the stele.
"Who are you two?
"Why have you intruded into my sect's forbidden grounds?" she demanded.
At her voice, Lin Langtian turned around, a gentle smile spreading across his handsome face.
"Miss Jiang Xue.
"It's been a while," he said.
"Have you been well?"
Jiang Xue's body went rigid.
She stared at the vaguely familiar face, frozen.
Around her, disciples gaped as their strict, normally unshakable sect master simply… stopped.
"Y‑you… you're Lin Langtian?" she finally asked, her voice trembling as her fingers curled tightly in her sleeves.
"Lin Langtian?"
The name was not loud, but nearby disciples heard it clearly.
Their bodies jolted, their eyes snapping to the green‑robed youth in shock.
This was the man who had destroyed the mightiest sect in the Eastern Xuan Region?
The legend who had turned the Lin Clan from a backwater family into a power that shook the land?
At his side, Lin Dong watched them both, his eyes narrowing faintly.
His instincts told him that this Jiang Xue had complicated feelings toward Brother Langtian.
It was hardly surprising.
With how dazzling Lin Langtian was, admiration came easily.
But from what Lin Dong knew, his brother already had entanglements with Ling Qingzhu of the Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace and Tang Xinlian of the Flame God Temple.
If things with Senior Sister Xiaoxiao continued, he might actually become Lin Dong's brother‑in‑law as well.
The thought made Lin Dong's head throb.
Ying Huanhuan had privately instructed him to keep an eye on Lin Langtian and stop him from stringing more women along and hurting her sister.
But Lin Langtian was both his brother and clan head.
How exactly was he supposed to interfere in such matters?
If he did nothing, he'd be failing Huanhuan's trust and possibly provoking her wrath.
Sighing inwardly, he decided he would eventually have to sit Brother Langtian down for a serious talk.
Oblivious to these thoughts, Lin Langtian studied Jiang Xue's conflicted gaze with a hint of surprise.
"I didn't expect a few short years away would see the Eagle Martial Hall transformed into the Eagle Sect—one of the Great Yan Dynasty's twin pillars.
"You've done well," he said with a smile.
"'Done well'?
"To someone like you, this must look insignificant," Jiang Xue murmured.
"Is that really you, Langtian?"
A booming laugh rang out from behind her as a gray‑haired middle‑aged man strode forward, joy lighting his features.
"Uncle Jiang Lei," Lin Langtian greeted him warmly.
He introduced Lin Dong, then said, "We're here because the Lin Clan received your call for aid.
"We came to see what's gone wrong with the Great Desolate Monument."
Jiang Lei nodded.
"We hoped the Lin Clan could spare an expert to help.
"Never dreamed you'd come yourself."
"Given our history with this place, how could we ignore you?" Lin Langtian said, glancing at the monument.
"Tell us what's happening."
At the mention of business, Jiang Xue's expression steadied.
"You know the Great Desolate Sect was overrun by Demons in the Ancient Era.
"A great battle was fought here. The sect was destroyed, and the Demons paid dearly as well.
"Since then, demonic qi has always seeped up from the depths below.
"These past years, the miasma inside the monument has grown worse.
"It even tried to burst free a few years back."
The brothers exchanged a look, their eyes darkening.
If the demonic qi escaped, Great Desolate County would become a graveyard.
"We tried everything we could to contain it and failed.
"Just as the miasma was about to break out, something… happened," Jiang Xue said, her and Jiang Lei's expressions turning strange.
"What happened?" Lin Dong asked, puzzled.
"The miasma was neutralized—by Yinyin," Jiang Xue answered after a glance at him.
Lin Dong's name now carried weight across the Eastern Xuan Region.
Tales of the Lin Clan's rise and its twin prodigies were on every tongue.
"Yinyin?" Lin Langtian repeated.
"We don't know the full story.
"But once she reduced the danger, we left her within the monument.
"With her there, the demonic qi is constantly suppressed—though it keeps seeping up again.
"They've been deadlocked ever since," Jiang Xue explained.
"Something inside the monument is stirring, then," Lin Dong said quietly.
He had dealt with the Demons too many times not to recognize the pattern.
"Open it. We'll take a look," Lin Langtian said.
With the brothers present, Jiang Xue felt more at ease.
She nodded and raised her hand.
Light flared across the Great Desolate Monument as it swallowed them whole.
When the glow faded, they were gone.
Lin Langtian opened his eyes to find himself once more in that barren space, ruins spread as far as he could see.
The shattered remains of a once‑glorious sect lay all around them.
His gaze swept the area, pausing as thin tendrils of black qi seeped from the ground.
His eyes narrowed.
Roar!
A pained, furious howl echoed from the distance.
The guardian.
They moved at once, quickly reaching a lone peak.
A dark figure knelt atop it on one knee, howling to the sky as thick demonic qi poured from his body.
On a boulder behind him sat a small girl in a yellow dress, legs swinging idly.
Soft light flowed from her, wrapping around the figure and steadily stripping away the demonic taint from his body.
"Yinyin," Jiang Xue called, waving.
"Big Sister!"
The girl's head snapped up, her large eyes lighting with joy as she flew into Jiang Xue's arms.
Jiang Xue caught her and smiled, then tilted the girl back gently.
"Look who's here," she said, pointing behind them.
Yinyin followed her finger and saw a familiar face smiling at her.
Her eyes flashed with recognition before delight burst across her small features.
"Big Brother?"
The childish voice was exactly as it had been years ago.
Lin Langtian smiled.
Beside him, Lin Dong watched the adorable girl curiously—
Then suddenly froze.
A breeze lifted the hair from Yinyin's brow, revealing a faint, intricate sigil beneath.
His eyes widened.
The Reincarnation Mark?!
(END CHAPTER)
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