Chapter 121: The Curtain Rises

Lin Yang descended directly from the sky. When the guards saw him, they knelt in succession and shouted, "We respectfully welcome the Immortal."

"Rise, all of you. Go back to your duties."

Lin Yang had returned a few times over the years, so news of an "immortal" in the Lin estate had spread throughout the household. Recognizing him as the eighth young master who had gone away to cultivate, the guards greeted him with reverence. A steward hurried over to meet him; the previous steward had retired due to old age and passed away at his children's home. Lin Yang did not recognize this new steward.

"Master, we were unaware of your arrival. How may we serve you?"

"Take me to Lin Bei."

Guided by the steward, Lin Yang arrived at the small courtyard where Lin Bei resided. He stepped forward and knocked on the door. The steward departed, and the door was soon opened by a chubby little boy who bore a striking resemblance to a young Lin Hu.

The boy looked at Lin Yang with some trepidation. "Who are you looking for?"

"I am looking for Lin Bei. What is he to you?" Lin Yang asked, curious.

"He is my father. Do you have business with him?"

"I do indeed. Here, have a piece of candy; go tell him I am here." Seeing the well-behaved child, Lin Yang felt he was quite adorable and, as if by magic, produced a piece of brown sugar for the boy.

"Alright, I'll tell him myself." The boy took the sugar, popped it into his mouth, and closed the door to deliver the message.

Soon, the door opened again, revealing a thin, tall, middle-aged man—Lin Yang’s seventh brother, Lin Bei. His hair was already gray, and his face was etched with the wrinkles of time; the passage of years was strikingly evident on him, much like it had been on Lin Youcai.

"Ah, to think you’ve returned, Eighth Brother! Come in, come in! Greet your uncle." Lin Bei was overjoyed to see Lin Yang and patted the little boy on the head.

"Uncle," the child murmured.

"Good boy," Lin Yang said, patting the boy’s head before entering the courtyard with Lin Bei.

"What brings you back this time, Eighth Brother?"

As they sat at the table, a woman served them tea and then led the boy away.

"I have come primarily to inquire about something."

"What would that be?" Lin Bei asked, curious as to what could possibly concern Lin Yang, who had been in the cultivation world for over fifty years.

"Do you know of a martial artist named Mo Juren?"

Lin Bei pondered for a moment before realizing who Lin Yang meant. "I know him. But has that lad offended you?" He found it strange that Lin Yang would be asking about someone so far removed from his world.

"Just tell me if you know him."

"I do. He is the son of Mo Lin, whom you brought here years ago. After Mo Lin grew up and moved out, he had a child named Mo Juren. Later, Mo Lin lived a dissolute life and contracted syphilis. He left the child behind, and that boy grew up in the Lin estate. That lad, Mo Juren, had talent; he made a name for himself, founded a gang, and dominated the entire underground of Jiayuan City. But he disappeared a few years ago. No one knows where he went."

Lin Bei spoke at length, describing Mo Juren’s life as if it were an epic tale. Lin Yang found it strange how their paths had converged. Mo Juren was technically his junior. In the original story, he had forcibly practiced martial arts in his forties, which made him look like an old man. He reasoned that Mo Juren must now be at the Seven Mysteries Sect, working with Yu Zitong to find a disciple with spiritual roots for the purpose of possession.

"I see. So that is how it connects."

Having obtained the information he needed, Lin Yang stood up to take his leave. "Seventh Brother, I have other matters to attend to and must verify something. I am off."

"Leaving so soon? Won't you stay a while longer?" Lin Bei felt it strange that his brother had traveled all the way home just to ask one question. "Very well then, I wish you a safe journey, Eighth Brother."

"Farewell."

Lin Yang stepped into the air, concealed his form, and vanished into the sky.

"Wow, Uncle can fly!" The boy, seeing his uncle ascend, was delighted and ran off to tell everyone.

***

Soon, Lin Yang arrived in Jing Prefecture. After some inquiries, he located Qingniu Town and stopped beneath the stone archway at the town entrance. He looked at the heavy stone arch carved with the characters for "Qingniu," observing the people around him—dressed in rags, yet still filled with a longing for life. Though the town was dilapidated, it possessed a certain vitality, as if filled with hope.

With a wave of his hand, Lin Yang transformed into a man in white robes with his hair tied back, carrying a woven basket on his back containing books—books that, upon closer inspection, revealed no text when opened. Dressed as a scholar, he walked into the town, wandering through the streets. He confirmed this was indeed the Qingniu Town from the original tale, as he overheard people discussing the Seven Mysteries Sect.

"Let us see if Han Li’s third uncle is here."

Lin Yang sought out an inn. Finding only one in the entire street, named the Qingniu Inn, he stepped inside. The waiter, seeing a scholar enter, hurried over.

"Are you staying for a meal or for the night, sir?" The waiter enthusiastically helped Lin Yang set down his basket.

"I would like a room. And bring me a table of your finest dishes."

"Right away, sir!" The waiter, pleased with the request, hurried to the kitchen to urge the cook.

Lin Yang sat there, observing his surroundings. His divine sense could now cover a radius of nearly five miles, enough to encompass the entire town. He found it to be a typical town, though it was crowded with martial artists. Two factions were squeezed into this small space, and the Seven Mysteries Sect and the Wild Wolf Gang, both eager to break through their status as third-rate powers, were locked in a tense rivalry. In the time he had been there, his divine sense had already detected two separate skirmishes breaking out between the two sides.