“Don’t worry, Xuan’er. I absolutely won’t let the Wind Thunder Sect fall like this. I have a way,” Lin Yi said resolutely.
“Senior Brother, do you really have a way?” Xia Xuan’s eyes lit up with both surprise and disbelief.
“Xuan’er, trust me. It’s true!”
As he spoke, Lin Yi took Xia Xuan’s hand. “From now on, I won’t let you suffer any grievances. No one will dare bully you again!”
“Mm.” Xia Xuan’s cheeks flushed slightly.
At that moment, a tall man, nearly two metres in height, approached with several others, all wearing blue Taoist robes, and stood before Lin Yi and Xia Xuan.
“Zhou Yi, Xia Xuan, you two sure are in the mood. With the Wind Thunder Sect facing such a crisis, you’re hiding here, holding hands and whispering sweet nothings!” the lead man sneered coldly.
This man, Mu Hu, was among the top three disciples in the Wind Thunder Sect in terms of strength.
He then turned to Xia Xuan. “Xia Xuan, at your young age, you’re already so shameless?”
“Brother Mu, we… we were discussing how to help the Wind Thunder Sect overcome this crisis,” Xia Xuan said, biting her lip.
As a young woman, being accused of lacking propriety stung her deeply.
“Help the Wind Thunder Sect overcome the crisis? You two? Haha!” Mu Hu crossed his arms and burst into laughter.
The disciples behind him joined in with mocking chuckles.
“You two nobodies with no background? It’s already a stroke of luck that people like you could join the Wind Thunder Sect. And you think you can help it through this crisis?” Mu Hu sneered.
He then looked at Xia Xuan. “Junior Sister Xia Xuan, if you come to my side, I can guarantee your safety during this disaster. Even if the demon clan’s war reaches Xihe Prefecture, I can protect you. Staying with a nobody like him is just wasting your youth, isn’t it?”
Mu Hu’s gaze towards Xia Xuan carried a hint of greed.
Female disciples were rare in the Wind Thunder Sect, and Xia Xuan’s beauty was among the finest.
Lin Yi and Xia Xuan had always been close, which had made Lin Yi a frequent target within the sect. Mu Hu was his primary adversary.
Lin Yi shot to his feet, his tone icy. “Junior Sister Xia Xuan is my cultivation partner. Holding hands is perfectly natural!”
He continued, “As for you, Mu Hu, you’re just a minor figure from a branch of the Mu Clan. Outside, you might throw around the Mu Clan’s name, but within the clan, what are you? I bet you’ve never even met the Mu Clan’s patriarch. Do you really think you’re something special?”
Mu Hu’s face darkened with anger. He stepped forward and grabbed Lin Yi by the collar.
“Zhou Yi, even if I’m just a branch member of the Mu Clan, I still carry the Mu name. The Mu Clan has Immortals, do you understand what an Immortal is? Do you know what that means? And you, Zhou Yi, what are you? A rootless orphan with no background!” Mu Hu’s voice boomed with authority.
“I know exactly what an Immortal is. I don’t want to compare family backgrounds, but since you insist, let me tell you this: even a minor figure like you from a Mu Clan branch is nothing. Even the Mu Clan’s patriarch would have to smile and speak to me respectfully, not with your attitude,” Lin Yi said coldly.
“What did he say?”
“Haha!”
Lin Yi’s words prompted uproarious laughter from Mu Hu’s followers.
“Zhou Yi, I’ve known you for so long, and this is the first time I’ve heard you spout such nonsense. You dare say even our patriarch would smile at you? Who do you think you are? Today, I’ll teach you a lesson and show you the Mu Clan’s might!”
With that, Mu Hu raised his fist, as big as a sandbag, surging with inner energy.
“Mu Hu, stop!” Xia Xuan rushed forward, positioning herself in front of Lin Yi.
“What’s this, Zhou Yi? You coward, hiding behind a woman, relying on her to protect you?” Mu Hu mocked.
His followers burst into laughter again.
“Mu Hu, you want to fight? Fine, I’ll take you on!” Lin Yi’s face burned with anger.
“What’s going on here?”
A voice suddenly broke the tense atmosphere.
Everyone turned to see the Grand Elder of the Wind Thunder Sect.
“Grand Elder,” the disciples hurriedly bowed.
“With the Wind Thunder Sect facing a great calamity, you’re squabbling amongst yourselves. What disgrace!” the Grand Elder said coldly.
Xia Xuan quickly spoke up. “Grand Elder, it was Brother Mu who came looking for trouble.”
“Silence! It’s not your place to speak,” the Grand Elder snapped, glaring at Xia Xuan.
Terrified by his rebuke, Xia Xuan’s face paled, and she fell silent.
To her, the Grand Elder was an untouchable figure, his strength and status far beyond her reach.
After his reprimand, the Grand Elder turned to Mu Hu.
“Mu Hu, I’ve been sent by the Sect Leader to invite you to discuss important matters,” the Grand Elder said, his tone softening and his posture deferential, unlike an elder addressing a disciple.
“Grand Elder, you’re not asking me to get the Mu Clan to help, are you?” Mu Hu asked.
“Exactly. With the Wind Thunder Sect facing this crisis, Elder Kang from the Kang Clan is determined to target us. I hope you, Mu Hu, can leverage some of your clan’s influence to help us through this,” the Grand Elder said with a fawning smile.
“Grand Elder, the Mu Clan has rules. Disciples training outside the clan cannot expect clan assistance,” Mu Hu replied.
“I understand, but this is no ordinary matter. Please, for the sake of the Wind Thunder Sect, give it your all,” the Grand Elder said with a dry laugh.
“Grand Elder, this is difficult for me. However, Elder Kang is targeting the Sect Leader. I can ensure the safety of some disciples. Once they know I’m from the Mu Clan, they’ll give some face, and I can protect a portion of the sect. Beyond that, I’m powerless,” Mu Hu said.
At that moment, Lin Yi stepped forward. “Grand Elder, I will protect the Wind Thunder Sect!”
“You?”
The Grand Elder looked at Lin Yi with astonishment, as if he could hardly believe such words could come from him.
