“No need. I require secrecy. If you personally escort me, it will only draw your clan’s attention. I’ll leave on my own, and you don’t even need to see me out of this room,” the black-robed man said.
“Lord Envoy, you’ve thought this through thoroughly. I won’t see you out then,” Si Hongyi replied, still smiling.
The black-robed man rose and left.
…
Outside the palace, Lin Yun maintained his divine consciousness probe.
When the black-robed man emerged, Lin Yun quickly hid, observing him stealthily.
Dressed in a plain black robe, the man walked through the bustling city, unnoticed, and headed straight out.
Lin Yun followed covertly, hoping to uncover more.
Where would this lead?
Entry required checks, but leaving the city was far less strict.
Once outside, tracking became trickier. In the city, blending into crowds was easy. Now, it was different.
Lin Yun decided to keep his distance, staying out of sight and tracking with divine consciousness.
…
After half a day of pursuit, night had fallen.
Lin Yun arrived before a small city, roughly one-twentieth the size of the Si family’s, likely another clan’s private domain.
From tens of thousands of metres away, Lin Yun tracked the man with divine consciousness, watching him enter the city.
This time, Lin Yun refrained from probing further. In Si Hongyi’s city, he knew Si’s divine consciousness was weaker. Here, he knew nothing.
If the city had a shield against divine probes, any attempt would alert them instantly.
So, Lin Yun stayed put, observing the city discreetly.
He watched for over two days.
Many humans entered and exited daily, suggesting an ordinary clan territory.
The black-robed demon spy hadn’t emerged since entering, indicating this might be his base, not a mere visit.
“Digging deeper could be tricky,” Lin Yun murmured.
Further investigation risked exposing him, given the spy’s secrecy.
“Time to reel in the net,” he decided, then swiftly left.
…
Under a blazing sun, outside the Si family’s city, Lin Yun hovered high above.
“Si Hongyi! Get out here!” His voice, laced with inner force, thundered across the city like rolling lightning.
Instantly, Si clan members entering or leaving looked up.
“Who’s that?”
“Such a terrifying aura, an immortal?”
“Why would an immortal cause trouble here?”
The clan members paled at Lin Yun’s figure.
Inside the city, his voice echoed like thunder.
“Who’s bold enough to stir trouble at my Si family? We have an immortal!” some exclaimed.
“Let’s go see!”
Crowds surged out of the city. No one had ever dared challenge the Si family like this.
In the central palace, Si Hongyi, meditating in his practice chamber, frowned at the shout.
“Hmph, who dares cause a scene here? Courting death!” he snorted, rising and flying out.
His first thought was a vendetta. He’d eliminated many enemies before. Who would dare cross him now?
Outside, clansmen poured out after Lin Yun’s challenge.
He stood a kilometre above, radiating power.
“That’s an immortal! Such a fearsome aura. Did our patriarch offend another immortal?” the clansmen whispered, faces ashen.
Several white-haired elders, led by the Si family’s grand elder, all at the Tribulation Realm, flew up, confronting Lin Yun a hundred metres away.
“An… immortal?” They paled, sensing his aura.
“Who are you, sir? How has our Si family offended you?” the grand elder asked humbly.
“You’re not worthy to speak with me. Tell Si Hongyi to get out here!” Lin Yun’s face burned with anger.
The elders’ expressions shifted, but they couldn’t retort. An immortal’s status dwarfed theirs.
“Who’s so arrogant to cause trouble on my turf?” a booming voice rang from the city.
A figure shot out, heading toward Lin Yun.
“It’s the patriarch!”
“The patriarch’s here!”
The clansmen relaxed, reassured.
In the air, Si Hongyi’s face fell as he recognised Lin Yun.
“Lin… Lin Yun!”
He’d witnessed Lin Yun defeat the Xingwu Emperor at the Heavenly God List ranking. He knew Lin Yun’s immense power.
Lin Yun’s arrival was beyond his expectations.
“Si Hongyi, you know me,” Lin Yun said, eyeing him.
“Honoured Lin Yun, how could I not? You’re tenth on the Heavenly God List, a luminary of the Heavenly God Palace. But… I don’t recall ever crossing you. We’ve never interacted, let alone had a grudge,” Si Hongyi said with a strained smile.
Facing anyone else, he’d be furious, but not Lin Yun.
“True, we’ve never dealt with each other,” Lin Yun said.
“Then why, Honoured Lin Yun, do you challenge me?” Si Hongyi forced a smile.
