When Lin Tian followed Du Yuejiao's directions to his assigned room, a chilling gaze immediately swept over him.
Following the eyes, he saw a young man with sharp, sword-like brows and piercing eyes, dressed in a pristine white robe. His gaze was icy, exuding an aura of aloofness that warned strangers to keep their distance.
"This isn't your room," the youth said coldly, fixating on Lin Tian.
"You must be Du Feng?" Lin Tian replied, ignoring the remark.
"That's correct," Du Feng paused, then nodded.
"Then this is my room," Lin Tian said matter-of-factly, placing his luggage on the other bed without hesitation.
At those words, Du Feng's expression darkened instantly. In the next moment, his spiritual energy surged violently. Lin Tian's brow furrowed; he had clearly not anticipated encountering such an unreasonable opponent. Rising to his feet, he looked at Du Feng with restrained irritation.
From the palm of Du Feng's hand, a slender needle of spiritual energy shot forth. It was the Du clan's signature technique: Storming Pear Blossoms.
As one of the Du clan's most outstanding young talents, Du Feng was the only member of his generation to have mastered the third form of Storming Pear Blossoms. His mastery made him nearly untouchable within the clan.
Under normal circumstances, Du Feng's technique would have been devastating. But here he faced Lin Tian, a man who had cultivated Storming Pear Blossoms to the fourth form. Though Lin Tian's cultivation was slightly below Du Feng's, his understanding and control of the technique far surpassed him.
As Du Feng's attack neared, Lin Tian merely waved his palm. The once deadly spiritual needles softened, dropping gently into his hand like lambs.
Du Feng's previously impassive face flickered with shock. Having arrived in Hongye City seven days prior, he was unaware of the events within the Du clan and had no idea Lin Tian had already reached the fourth form of Storming Pear Blossoms.
"Is that the best you can do with your level?" Lin Tian murmured, clenching his fist. The ethereal needles in his palm shattered instantly.
"You—" Du Feng's face darkened. Such behavior was an extreme insult to him. Proud and haughty as a genius of the Du clan, he could not tolerate this humiliation.
Initially, Du Feng had intended to use the first form of Storming Pear Blossoms merely to teach Lin Tian a lesson. But now, seeing Lin Tian's arrogance, he had no reason to hold back.
Channeling his spiritual energy to the utmost, he unleashed the third form in full. Dozens of ethereal needles pierced the air, each accompanied by a resounding sonic boom.
Yet, when Lin Tian remained seated unmoved, Du Feng's expression twisted with rage. He knew the full power of the third form of Storming Pear Blossoms—any cultivator even two minor realms above him would hesitate in the face of such an onslaught. Lin Tian's defiance was courting death.
But then, something unexpected occurred. The storm of needles, upon approaching Lin Tian, became eerily obedient, as if they were his own creations.
Previously, Lin Tian had been able to control the first form reasonably well. But now, with hundreds of needles from the third form, he maintained perfect control—an ability that left Du Feng utterly powerless.
"Storming Pear Blossoms at your level—pathetic," Lin Tian sighed, exasperated as though dealing with a hopeless student.
"What did you say?" Du Feng's face twisted in fury. He rose to attack, but Lin Tian's speed was unmatched. With a mere flick of his palm, hundreds of needles shot outward.
Du Feng's face went pale. Surrounded by the dense needles, there was no escape. His eyes closed instinctively, ready to meet death.
Moments later, the anticipated pain never came. Opening his eyes in shock, he saw the needles hovering harmlessly before him, fully under Lin Tian's control. Cold sweat drenched his clothing, his face as pale as paper.
Then, the needles moved. Wind whistled past his ears, yet when he looked again, his body was unscathed, only his clothing shredded.
"How did you do that?" Du Feng could hardly believe it. Lin Tian's mastery of Storming Pear Blossoms had clearly reached the fourth, perhaps even fifth form.
Du Feng, ever arrogant and dismissive of even the other top three talents of his generation, now found himself genuinely admiring Lin Tian. A hint of reverence appeared in his eyes.
"Was that difficult?" Lin Tian asked, curious.
Du Feng's lips twitched. He restrained his impulse to strike Lin Tian, nodding lightly instead. Compared to beating Lin Tian, he was far more interested in learning how to control such devastating power.
"If you want to know, acknowledge me as your leader," Lin Tian said, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he met Du Feng's earnest gaze.
The words barely left his mouth before Du Feng dropped to his knees without hesitation.
"Leader."