"Uh..."

Elder Liu was instantly overwhelmed with a sense of shame, wishing the earth would swallow him whole. This child's words were far too cutting.

But to miss out on such an excellent talent would be a true pity.

With this in mind, Elder Liu gave Lin Mu a deep bow. "Young sir, I failed to recognize your greatness earlier. I hope you won't hold it against me."

Seeing Elder Liu actually bow to Lin Mu, the expressions of both Long Ao and Qing Yun changed drastically, their faces turning utterly gloomy.

Elder Liu continued, "I am Liu Zhengtang, an inner sect elder of the Crane Immortal Sect. Today, I have encountered a prodigy of the Sword Dao, and I truly cannot bear to see such a gem be left in the dust. I hope you, young sir, can part with him and allow me to take him back to the sect to cultivate. It would be a waste of his innate Sword Dao talent otherwise."

Lin Mu's expression was placid as he regarded Liu Zhengtang intently.

This Liu Zhengtang... although the disciple he trained wasn't very impressive, he himself seems to be a rather upright person. A moment ago, he had instructed his disciple not to harm Liu Xiaolin and had even prepared to intervene when danger arose. For this reason alone, Lin Mu was not inclined to hold a grudge against him.

But let Liu Xiaolin join the Crane Immortal Sect to cultivate? That was something Lin Mu would never agree to. Besides anything else, Liu Xiaolin possessed the Limitless Sword Body and had received Liu Mubai's legacy. With his guidance, what need was there to join any sect? If word of this got out, where would he, Lin Mu, be able to show his face?

Shaking his head with a slight smile, Lin Mu said, "Sorry, I can't agree to that."

He refused? Lin Mu actually refused? This was the best opportunity to join an ancient martial sect! Upon entering a sect, one's self and one's family could gain tremendous benefits. Take Long Ao, for example. Even though he failed in his cultivation and left his sect, didn't he still become the respected leader of the Six Dragons of Jiangbei? And Lin Mu just rejected such a godsent opportunity on Liu Xiaolin's behalf?

"Presumptuous!" Before Liu Zhengtang could speak, Qing Yun shouted in fury. "This is a fateful opportunity my Master is bestowing upon you! You should be kowtowing in gratitude, yet you dare to refuse? How detestable!"

"Qing Yun!" Liu Zhengtang scolded before continuing, "Young sir, frankly, this child's talent in the Sword Dao is extremely rare. I'm afraid if he truly follows you to cultivate..."

"Follow him to cultivate? I think he's just a charlatan pretending to know what he's doing, probably just trying to drive up the price!" Qing Yun retorted, his tone dripping with dissatisfaction and sarcasm.

"Shut your mouth!" Liu Zhengtang was furious. If it weren't for the crowd, he would have slapped his disciple several times. He hastily apologized to Lin Mu, his posture extremely deferential. "Young sir, please don't be angry. I've spoiled this disciple of mine." He truly hoped Lin Mu would relent and allow him to take Liu Xiaolin back with him.

"That won't be necessary," Lin Mu said nonchalantly. "Even you, an esteemed elder of the Crane Immortal Sect, struggled to block a single strike from him. If he goes to your Crane Immortal Sect, who there could possibly teach him?"

"This..." Liu Zhengtang was at a loss for words. "Our Crane Immortal Sect has countless swordsmanship cultivation techniques, and there are many who are stronger than I. With this child's talent, even our Sect Leader would be tempted to take him in as his direct disciple!"

Upon hearing this, Qing Yun's face turned ghastly, a hint of fear flickering in his eyes. That boy's talent... it's that formidable? Even the Sect Leader would be tempted?

"Hey, hurry up and agree!" Hua Meiniang's beautiful eyes were filled with shock as she nudged Lin Mu. "Only if that little guy joins the Crane Immortal Sect will you have a slim chance of leaving Jiangbei alive."

"Oh?" Lin Mu chuckled lightly. "What, if I don't agree, the Crane Immortal Sect dares to keep me here against my will?"

"If you don't agree, I have ways to make you agree!"

Just then, an exceedingly cold voice cut in. Following the voice, two figures slowly appeared before the crowd: a man and a woman. The man was also an old man, his eyes sinister. The woman, though over thirty and plain in appearance, exuded an exceptionally cold and aloof aura.

"Great Elder!" Upon seeing this man, Liu Zhengtang's expression changed abruptly, and he hurriedly stepped forward to greet him with respect.

"Such an excellent Sword Dao prodigy is truly a rare sight. Elder Liu, your contribution is significant." The Great Elder of the Crane Immortal Sect looked at Liu Xiaolin, his face full of satisfaction.

He then turned to Lin Mu. "Little fellow, perhaps you don't know the saying that an innocent man incurs guilt by possessing a treasure. If our Crane Immortal Sect cannot have such a fine Sword Dao seedling, then naturally, no one else can either."

"Elder Liu, what do you say?" the Great Elder asked, looking at Liu Zhengtang with a deep, meaningful smile.

"I..." Liu Zhengtang lowered his head, daring not to speak.

In truth, he harbored the same thought. It was just that he didn't want to resort to such measures unless absolutely necessary. That was why he had tried persuading him with kind words first.

"Heh." Lin Mu suddenly laughed. "I suggest you ask your companion, Liu Su, if she shares your sentiment before you say anything more."

"You know Junior Sister Liu!" The Great Elder was slightly startled. He glanced at the woman beside him and then smiled. "Since you're acquaintances, that makes things even easier. What do you say, Junior Sister?"

"Sigh." The woman sighed softly. With a swipe of her hand across her face, she pulled away a human-skin mask, revealing a stunningly beautiful and icy countenance.

She was none other than the daughter of the Crane Immortal Sect's Sect Leader, Liu Su!

As soon as Liu Su revealed her true face, all eyes were drawn to her.

However, Liu Su took a few steps forward and, to the utter shock of the crowd, bowed deeply to Lin Mu.

"Liu Su of the Crane Immortal Sect pays her respects to Master Lin!"

Her words shocked the entire assembly.

Master Lin? Which Master Lin?

"Junior Sister, what are you doing? There is no Master Lin here!" the Great Elder rebuked her harshly, his expression turning ugly.

"You... you're River City's Lin Wudi... Master Lin?!" Suddenly, a shriek from Hua Meiniang cut through the stunned silence.

She knew Lin Mu was from River City and that his surname was Lin. Seeing Liu Su's actions, she instantly understood everything. Her face turned pale, a trace of lingering fear in her eyes. This man was the rapidly rising, decisive Martial Arts Grandmaster, Lin Wudi!

"You... you're really Lin Wudi?!" The Great Elder of the Crane Immortal Sect was stunned. "You... How could you be here?"

Lin Mu slowly rose to his feet. Though he released no aura, everyone felt an immense pressure emanating from him, as if they were in the presence of a majestic mountain, a vast ocean, a Heavenly Being. Their legs trembled, and they could not resist the urge to kneel.

"And why shouldn't I be here?" Lin Mu asked, his hands clasped behind his back. He naturally projected the transcendent air of one who looks down upon all mortals.

THUD!

THUD!

In that moment, the crowd could no longer bear the pressure and knelt one by one.

Those with higher cultivation levels, like the Great Elder, struggled painfully to remain standing.

Lin Mu looked at Liu Su and said, "It seems that sword strike from back then helped you break through your shackles and achieve a breakthrough in your cultivation."

"Thank you for your help, Master Lin. This disciple will never forget it!" Liu Su declared, suddenly dropping to one knee. She adopted the posture of a disciple before her master.

The grace of that single sword strike was akin to the guidance of a formal teacher. She felt neither humiliated nor hesitant as she knelt.

THUD!

With Liu Su kneeling, the Great Elder and Liu Zhengtang could no longer hold on. Their legs buckled, and they too fell to their knees.

"We pay our respects to Master Lin!"

Watching everyone kneeling on the ground, Long Ao was shaking like a sieve, his expression one of utter despair.

He had lost.

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