Chapter 198: The Fang Family

An Xin returned to the sect’s main hall, a place favored by the Elders and also used for council meetings.

Several Elders sat sipping tea and chatting, the scene warm and pleasant.

As a major sect, Tianyi Men owned many enterprises, so its members lived comfortably.

The Elders drank fine tea, its fragrance filling the air.

The cover of the small booklet caught their interest; one Elder picked it up: “Annotations on the Spirit-Summoning Paper Doll Technique… These characters are elegant yet carry a craftsman’s touch—surely the work of Li County Wei .”

An Xin nodded.

They did not read the booklet’s contents; instead, the Elder placed it back on the table: “What does Li County Wei want?”

“He requests access to our regional chronicles.”

“Did you ask him what specific content he seeks?”

“He didn’t say.”

“Didn’t you ask?”

“It’s just regional chronicles. Important, yes—but since he’s willing to pay such a high price, he likely doesn’t want us to know.” Another Elder spoke.

“So, will you let him see them?”

“Of course we will.” The oldest Elder, his hair and beard entirely white, tapped the booklet: “A rare manual—why refuse? Li County Wei is honest; this isn’t fake.”

An Xin smiled: “Then I’ll go tell him the good news.”

The white-haired Elder chuckled: “An Xin, you’ll soon bear the sect’s burdens. Such matters—you decide for yourself. No need to report to us.”

“Understood!”

An Xin bowed, then turned and left.

Li Lin waited outside; soon, An Xin emerged.

“Brother Li, our Elders have agreed.”

Li Lin bowed: “Thank you. I’ll need three to four days to review them—please arrange my lodging and meals.”

“Of course, of course.”

As a major sect, they naturally had dedicated quarters for guests.

Li Lin settled in and began reading the regional chronicles in Tianyi Men’s library.

They kept the regional chronicles and internal cultivation manuals in the same place.

One was on the left, the other on the right.

Li Lin knew the rules—he never touched the left side, only consulting books within the designated area.

He was searching for entries on “Immortals.”

Or related material.

To cross-reference with the “Record of the Immortals.”

He didn’t believe the “Record of the Immortals” recorded every Immortal’s movements—there must be omissions.

Using his official position, he had already reviewed Rongxian’s regional chronicles and found information absent from the “Record of the Immortals.”

The Jincheng prefectural records were inaccessible, so he came to Tianyi Men to try his luck.

After all… Tianyi Men was a centuries-old sect, and clearly, An Xin had great confidence in their regional chronicles.

Indeed, after about three days, Li Lin found something fascinating in Tianyi Men’s records.

One entry read: “The Outer Demon howled across the world, bewildering minds, leading ten thousand followers, slaughtering all in its path, noble and commoner alike perishing.”

Then, in another bamboo scroll, he found another:

“An Immortal descended in Jincheng; the Outer Demon perished, and peace returned to the world.”

Though it didn’t specify where the Outer Demon appeared, if the records were accurate, the Outer Demon was slain in Jincheng.

Li Lin unconsciously touched his chin—a habit when he thought deeply.

The first entry was intriguing.

“Bewildering minds, leading ten thousand followers…” So the Outer Demon wasn’t merely powerful in combat—he was a formidable leader.

No wonder Qin Tuo of Yuecheng was rumored to be the reincarnation of the Outer Demon.

After all, the Outer Demon died in the southern frontier, and Qin Tuo did indeed rebel.

Moreover, the Immortal slew the Outer Demon… From the “Record of the Immortals,” Li Lin had noted that the Immortals’ frequent appearances clustered precisely around the times the Outer Demon emerged.

That was even more intriguing.

As if the two were a matched pair.

Li Lin flipped through the remaining scrolls but found no further entries, and ceased his search.

He exited the library and found An Xin in the front hall.

An Xin was currently instructing his junior disciples on martial techniques.

He approached just as a female disciple asked: “Senior Brother, is the Dual Cultivation Art really that miraculous?”

“Oh, it’s decent—but martial circles exaggerate its effects,” An Xin laughed.

“Could it possibly allow a woman who began training at seventeen to defeat me in just four or five months?”

An Xin burst into louder laughter: “Sister Yongwei, have you been dreaming?”

“Truly—I lost to a maid the other day, and she used the lowly ‘White Tiger Flip Posture.’” Fang Yongwei looked frustrated: “I accept I’m outclassed, but she claimed she’d trained less than half a year—and her blood qi was cultivated through Dual Cultivation.”

An Xin roared with laughter: “Impossible, Sister Yongwei—you’re delirious. If it worked like that, the Ding family of Guicheng would already be the target of every sect—you understand what I mean.”

“Really?” Fang Yongwei was skeptical: “But the Huang family wouldn’t lie to me.”

“The Huang family?” An Xin’s expression turned serious: “The Huang Prefect’s household?”

Fang Yongwei nodded.

“Tell me exactly what happened.”

Fang Yongwei recounted her encounter at the Huang residence a few days prior.

After listening, An Xin’s expression grew strange: “Wait—you’re saying… that maid is Li Lin’s concubine? The Li County Wei of Rongxian?”

“Yes!”

An Xin spun around, pointing at Li Lin as he approached: “Well, here’s the man himself—ask him yourself.”

He was curious too.

Fang Yongwei looked at Li Lin and gasped: “What a refined gentleman—he’s even more handsome than my elder brother.”

An Xin smiled: “Brother Li’s appearance is truly exceptional—rare to find.”

Li Lin stepped forward and bowed: “Brother An, I’ve finished reviewing the regional chronicles. Thank you, Tianyi Men, for your hospitality.”

“No need for thanks.” An Xin rose and returned the bow, then smiled: “This is one of my junior sisters, Fang Yongwei of the Fang family.”

“The Fang family?” Li Lin paused: “Do you know Fang Canjun and the female hero?”

“My elder brother!”

“Ah, then I salute you, Miss Fang.” Li Lin bowed: “I’ve met your brother several times—we’re acquainted.”

Fang Yongwei gave a slight curtsey, using the refined manner of a noblewoman, not a martial one: “Daughter of the Fang household, greetings, Brother Li.”

Li Lin nodded: “What may I assist you with?”

“A few days ago, I sparred with Sister Hongluan—and lost.” Fang Yongwei gazed at Li Lin with burning eyes: “Then I learned she’d trained less than half a year—and her blood qi came from Dual Cultivation. Is it truly that powerful?”

Li Lin instinctively leaned back.

This Fang girl was brazen beyond measure.

Could a maiden still unmarried speak the word “Dual Cultivation”?

(End of Chapter)