Wind-Thunder Sect Branch Hall
Lei Yongbiao felt like his head was going to explode.
The one staying at Six Fortune Tower was none other than Murong Xuan'ang, the young lord of the Murong Clan.
The Wind-Thunder Sect's relationship with Golden Dragon City was neither close nor hostile—merely passable.
But now Murong Xuan'ang had been murdered on Wind-Thunder Sect territory, and there wasn't even a single clue.
Lei Yongbiao was about to lose his mind.
There was intelligence saying Lin Ye had clashed with Murong Xuan'ang, but that didn't mean Lin Ye was the killer.
If the Murong Clan investigated, they would inevitably point all suspicion at Lin Ye.
The only "good" news was that Lin Ye was no longer a disciple of the Wind-Thunder Sect.
Lei Yongbiao secretly hoped the Murong Clan would handle Lin Ye themselves—because he had no ability to interfere anyway.
All he could do was watch.
The other great families were also shaken—Zhang Clan, Xia Clan, and the smaller clans.
But most were gloating.
It wasn't their business.
They only needed to sit back and enjoy the show.
Great Fortune Auction House
When Xia Wei heard the news, she was stunned.
"It can't be Lin Ye."
"If Lin Ye wanted to kill him, Murong Xuan'ang would never have left the auction house alive."
Xia Wei understood Lin Ye well enough.
The style didn't match.
This assassination reeked of framing—someone was deliberately trying to pin everything on Lin Ye.
She immediately ordered the collected medicinal materials to be packed into a storage ring.
"Give me all the herbs we gathered yesterday. I'm going to see Lin Ye."
Her staff panicked.
"Young Mistress, this is the worst possible moment. If the Murong Clan finds out we're in contact with Lin Ye, it could destroy the entire Xia Clan!"
"We don't have time to hesitate. I'll be careful."
Xia Wei handed the ring to her maid, Xiao Die, who disguised herself and rushed to the East City Gate.
She needed to intercept Lin Ye before he walked into a death trap.
East City Gate
Xiao Die waited from morning until late afternoon.
Finally, she saw Lin Ye.
He was leading his horse casually, strolling toward the city like nothing had happened.
Xiao Die nearly lost her breath.
This man was insane.
Did he not realize what kind of storm he had provoked?
She hurried over.
"Master Lin!"
Lin Ye frowned slightly at the veiled woman.
"You are?"
Xiao Die pulled him into a quiet corner, glanced around repeatedly to confirm no one was watching, then removed her hood.
"Master Lin, my lady sent me! The Murong Clan's Golden Eagle Guard is hunting you everywhere. If they find you, they will kill you immediately. And more Murong experts are already on their way. Please leave River-Thunder City at once!"
She spoke in one breath, eyes full of worry.
Lin Ye looked at her calmly.
"Your lady… Xia Wei?"
Xiao Die nodded hard.
"Yes!"
Lin Ye nodded once.
"I understand. Go back."
Xiao Die froze, relieved for half a second—until she saw Lin Ye still calmly walking into the city.
Her eyes widened.
"Master Lin—what are you doing?! If you go any further, you'll run into the Golden Eagle Guard!"
Lin Ye didn't stop.
"It doesn't matter."
"If they're looking for death… I'll escort them there."
Xiao Die stood speechless.
Was Lin Ye seriously planning to fight the Golden Eagle Guard alone?
Everyone knew the Golden Eagle Guard were elite killers—one soldier could slaughter dozens.
Their legend was famous: a hundred-man unit had once erased a bandit stronghold of thousands, leaving nothing alive.
And now the Murong Clan had dispatched three hundred to River-Thunder City—just to hunt Lin Ye.
Xiao Die gritted her teeth and chased after him, desperate to fulfill her mistress's command.
But before she reached him—
Eight Golden Eagle Guards in golden armor appeared ahead, blocking the street.
Their armor wasn't meant to resist brute force—it was designed to weaken the damage from infused spiritual energy.
Only a clan as wealthy as Murong could equip soldiers like this.
The leader's voice was cold.
"Lin Ye located."
"Kill on sight!"
The eight guards charged instantly, spears whipping forward in a coordinated killing formation.
The spear array swallowed both Lin Ye and Xiao Die in its range.
Their target was Lin Ye.
Xiao Die was simply collateral.
Lin Ye smiled.
These men weren't even worth his time.
Earth-vein energy surged into his sword.
The Frost-Iron Sword trembled with power.
Then Lin Ye slashed.
"Eight Desolations Slaughter-Blood Force!"
The dark inner force detonated through the sword aura.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
Eight Golden Eagle Guards were instantly cut down in one strike.
Their bodies flew backward and smashed onto the ground like broken dolls.
Xiao Die's eyes nearly popped out of her skull.
Lin Ye turned calmly.
"Where are the Golden Eagle Guards gathering?"
Xiao Die answered reflexively, still shaken.
"At… at Six Fortune Tower!"
"Good."
"Thank you."
Lin Ye mounted his horse in one smooth motion and charged straight toward Six Fortune Tower.
The City Watches
At the East City Gate, countless people had witnessed the scene.
The shock was overwhelming.
First—
Someone dared kill Golden Eagle Guards.
Second—
Eight Golden Eagle Guards, each capable of fighting a hundred men, had been killed with one sword strike.
Information brokers and spies watched Lin Ye ride off, hearts pounding.
"That must be Lin Ye…"
"But why isn't he fleeing the city?"
"Why is he charging deeper inside?"
To nearly everyone, Lin Ye's behavior made no sense.
If he ran now—hid for years—maybe the Murong Clan would eventually forget.
Yet he was heading straight toward the enemy's core.
It looked like suicide.
Three Streets Away From Six Fortune Tower
Lin Ye galloped forward.
Several Golden Eagle Guards attempted to stop him.
Lin Ye raised the Gale-Breaking Crossbow.
Two shots.
Two kills.
The corpses were pinned and flung backward by the sheer force of the bolts.
Along the road, Lin Ye saw bodies piled beside the streets.
Merchants—ordinary people.
The first ones who refused to comply with the Golden Eagle Guard's eviction orders.
They had been slaughtered on the spot, their corpses dumped like trash, leaving the cleanup to the city lord's office.
Arrogant.
Cruel.
Murdering innocents as if it were nothing.
Lin Ye's eyes turned cold.
He despised this kind of power abuse more than anything.
A signal arrow suddenly shot into the sky.
Someone had spotted him.
But Lin Ye didn't hesitate.
From nearly a hundred meters away—
He fired a bolt.
The signal scout dropped dead before the arrow could even fully rise.
And Lin Ye kept riding.
Straight toward Six Fortune Tower.
Straight into the heart of death.