“You useless fool, you swore he was as good as dead! How do you explain this now?” The Demon Commander’s furious shout thundered, his voice like a storm.
Under his rage, the temperature in the cave seemed to drop to freezing.
Celestial demon Di Jiang swallowed hard, feeling aggrieved. “Commander, that guy’s a freak! A monster! It’s not that I failed—it’s that even the soul-severing poison couldn’t kill him!”
Facing the Commander’s wrath, he felt helpless.
He wasn’t incompetent. He had successfully struck Lin Yun with the soul-severing needle. If Lin Yun survived that, what could he do?
He had been so confident because he believed the poison guaranteed certain death.
Di Jiang quickly said, “Commander, calm down. If need be, I’ll arrange another assassination!”
“No need. Though he’s alive, the soul-severing poison has made him a cripple. He won’t live long and will die on his own. No need to take further risks,” the Commander said coldly.
“I understand,” Di Jiang nodded, secretly relieved.
…
Star Martial Empire.
Emperor Star Martial sat atop his throne, reading a scroll of intelligence.
“So, Lin Yun has fallen to such a fate. I thought he’d keep shining forever, but the path of growth is full of uncertainties. A prodigy, reduced to a cripple,” Emperor Star Martial said with a smile, clearly in high spirits.
The intelligence was about Lin Yun.
Lin Yun’s rise had always been a thorn in his side.
Such a prodigy had developed in the Star Martial Empire, and he could have taken him under his wing. Instead, Lin Yun became Emperor Fire Cloud’s disciple.
Recently, some friends from the Heavenly God Palace even mocked him for lacking foresight, letting such a talent slip away!
Coupled with past grievances, he naturally hoped for Lin Yun’s fall.
Now that Lin Yun was a cripple, that thorn was finally removed!
…
Heavenly Sword Sect.
“What?!”
The Heavenly Sword Sect Master shot to his feet, his face turning ashen.
“Great Elder, you’re saying… Lin Yun can’t use internal energy and is a cripple?” The Sect Master’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Yes, Sect Master. The news has spread everywhere. He was ambushed by the demon clan, poisoned with an incurable toxin. His life… is ruined,” the Great Elder said, his voice heavy with grief.
The Sect Master staggered back several steps, collapsing into his chair, his pale face etched with agony.
“Lin Yun… ruined like this?” He felt as if the sky had fallen, the world plunged into darkness.
Lin Yun had risen from their sect, their pride. The Sect Master had watched him grow, firmly believing his future was boundless, destined for immortality.
Now, hearing he was a cripple, how could he accept such devastating news?
“Why must the heavens toy with him like this!” The Sect Master roared to the sky, overwhelmed with sorrow.
The Great Elder said gravely, “Sect Master, Lin Yun is strong-willed. I can’t imagine how he’s bearing this blow. I’m worried he might not cope and take his own life.”
“I must see him!” The Sect Master said resolutely.
…
The news of Lin Yun’s ruin spread, plunging the entire Heavenly Sword Sect into profound grief.
To them, Lin Yun was a symbol of faith!
And now, that faith had collapsed…
…
The Next Day.
Fire Cloud Empire.
Qing City, bathed in golden sunlight.
Imperial Palace, Great Hall.
The morning court had begun, with over a hundred courtiers gathered.
“How’s the situation in Beimen Prefecture?” Emperor Fire Cloud sat on his throne.
“Your Highness, the native demon beasts in Beimen Prefecture are mostly rabble. With our elite reinforcements, the purge is progressing smoothly,” Prime Minister Dongguo Wuji reported.
“The priority is to locate the demon clan’s teleportation array in Beimen Prefecture. Order all prefectures, not just Beimen, to purge demon beasts at all costs and search for the demon clan’s arrays,” Emperor Fire Cloud commanded.
“Yes, sir!” Dongguo Wuji replied.
“Does anyone have matters to report directly to me?” Emperor Fire Cloud asked, his gaze lowered.
A courtier stepped forward. “Your Highness, East Yuan Prefecture Lord Lin Yun can no longer use internal energy. He’s unfit to remain Prefecture Lord. The position carries duties and gathers fortune. With him crippled, it’s a waste to let him hold it.”
This courtier was clearly acting on Dongguo Wuji’s orders.
Dongguo Wuji stepped forward. “Your Highness, Lord Li speaks wisely. Lin Yun is indeed no longer suitable for the Prefecture Lord position.”
“I second the motion!”
“I second!”
Courtiers voiced their agreement.
Emperor Fire Cloud fell into thought.
He understood that in Lin Yun’s current state, he was indeed unfit to remain Prefecture Lord. Beyond being Lin Yun’s master, he was the emperor, responsible for the empire’s broader interests.
Fortune was hard to come by, and the Prefecture Lord position was a key way to gather it. It couldn’t be wasted.
“Your Highness, I believe Lord Shi Wen is suitable. He was the intended appointee last time,” Dongguo Lie reported.
“I will consider it. If a replacement is needed, I will issue a decree,” Emperor Fire Cloud said.
He was still deliberating, concerned that replacing Lin Yun now might dishearten him. The matter would be postponed.
…
In just two days, the news of Lin Yun’s inability to use internal energy and his crippled state spread widely, known to all. Some mourned, some pitied, and others gloated…
East Yuan Prefecture, Prefecture Lord’s Palace Courtyard.
Lin Ke Xin stood under a peach tree, practicing with a wooden sword.
Nearby, two chairs were set up. Lin Yun sat on one, sipping tea, watching and guiding his daughter’s swordplay, appearing relaxed.
Two days had passed since Lin Yun woke.
In that time, he had been completely idle, spending his days with his daughter and Yu Ying, either strolling the city or guiding Ke Xin’s cultivation.
This life was leisurely, the kind many envied.
But adjusting to such idleness felt deeply unfamiliar to Lin Yun.
