"You..."

As soon as he spoke, the entire council hall fell silent. Then, a wave of angry voices erupted.

"I don't want to bully you, either?" He's treating the Punishment Elder of the Crane Immortal Sect like a child! How utterly arrogant!

"How dare you!"

"Impudent!"

"Arrogant brat!"

Several powerful auras erupted, enveloping Lin Mu. However, Lin Mu simply stood with his hands clasped behind his back, smiling at the crowd without moving an inch.

Meanwhile, Liu Su's expression changed. She retreated several steps, her own aura becoming disrupted. Seeing that Lin Mu hadn't budged, a look of shock filled her eyes. She was about to speak and warn the elders not to provoke him.

"Hmm?"

Elder Cen and the others' expressions shifted as well, and an even more powerful surge of True Qi erupted from them.

BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The other elders unleashed their power in unison, their fierce auras surging forward in an attempt to completely suppress Lin Mu. True Qi surged like a raging flood, crashing down on him. Yet, his expression remained unchanged, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint, mocking smile.

He was like a reef in a raging storm, unmoving no matter how the mountains and seas crashed against him. Not only was he unaffected, but even Liu Xiaolin, standing behind him, felt nothing at all.

This time, Liu Su could no longer withstand the pressure and retreated all the way to the hall's entrance.

GASP!

Elder Cen and the others drew a sharp breath, their eyes wide with shock.

Who on earth was this young man? He faced four cultivators at the peak of Internal Energy and one Martial Way expert on the verge of becoming a Half-step Grandmaster, yet he remained utterly calm and fearless.

"Elders, he is..."

Liu Su began, but an aura far more terrifying and vast than that of all the Crane Immortal Sect elders combined erupted from Lin Mu like a volcano. It roared directly toward the five elders.

The words caught in Liu Su's throat as the force threw her from the hall, and she nearly stumbled to the ground.

The other elders, who bore the brunt of the impact, roared in defiance and mobilized their True Qi to resist Lin Mu's oppressive presence. However, how could they possibly be a match for him? Even with their combined strength, they were completely unable to withstand the pressure of his aura.

Elder Cen staggered back several steps, and the other elders were forced to retreat as well.

Then, Lin Mu gently lifted one foot.

"Not good!"

As if sensing what was coming, Elder Cen's expression changed dramatically. He cried out in alarm, raising his hands in a defensive posture.

"Master Lin, please show mercy!"

Just then, a clear, resonant voice rang out.

Lin Mu lowered his foot, and the aura around him vanished abruptly. Everything returned to a state of calm. It was as if the previous scene had been an illusion, leaving behind a hollow sense of fear in everyone's hearts.

A middle-aged man dressed in white entered from outside. He had long hair draped over his shoulders and a scholarly, elegant air about him, as if he had just stepped out of a period drama.

This was the current Sect Leader of the Crane Immortal Sect, Liu Qingshan! A Martial Arts Grandmaster ranked thirty-third on the Heaven List.

"Sect Leader!"

Upon seeing Liu Qingshan, Elder Cen and the others breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Following behind Liu Qingshan was a handsome young man with a faint smile on his face.

"Many thanks, Master Lin, for showing mercy," Liu Qingshan said as he entered, clasping his hands in a gesture of gratitude. "Otherwise, my Crane Immortal Sect would have been utterly disgraced today."

The young man behind him raised an eyebrow, a flash of disdain in his eyes.

Master Lin? This person is about my age. Could he really be a Grandmaster? My master is far too courteous to people.

"Sect Leader, I..." Elder Cen began to explain, but Liu Qingshan held up a hand. "I already know."

Stopping Elder Cen, Liu Qingshan turned to Lin Mu. "I have just emerged from my seclusion. Please forgive me for not being here to welcome you upon hearing of your visit to our Crane Immortal Sect, Master Lin."

Given Liu Qingshan's refined and scholarly demeanor, he made a rather good impression. Lin Mu had only come to let Liu Xiaolin see the Crane Immortal Sect and had no intention of causing trouble, so he nodded. "It's nothing. A small matter not worth mentioning."

"Tch."

Before Liu Qingshan could say anything, the young man behind him scoffed, "What Master Lin? You're quite the actor!"

"Qing Yan!" Liu Qingshan snapped, his expression darkening with displeasure.

Although the young man, Qing Yan, looked unconvinced, he fell silent. His gaze toward Lin Mu, however, grew even more contemptuous.

"I presume this must be the Sword Talent my daughter spoke of?" Liu Qingshan directed his gaze to Liu Xiaolin. Suddenly, his eyes sharpened. He took two steps forward to scrutinize Liu Xiaolin more carefully.

"A limpid Sword Heart and the purity of a child... This boy is truly a Sword Talent seen only once in ten thousand years!" Liu Qingshan could no longer maintain his composure, and his eyes burned with fervor as he looked at Liu Xiaolin.

"Sect Leader Liu has a sharp eye," Lin Mu said with a faint smile. "Xiaolin, come and pay your respects to Sect Leader Liu."

"Greetings, Sect Leader Liu." Liu Xiaolin was a bit nervous, but he still stepped forward and bowed. While his form wasn't perfect, his sincerity was clear.

"There's no need for such formalities," Liu Qingshan said with a hearty laugh. "Child, are you willing to study under me and become my closed-door disciple?"

"Master, you mustn't!" Qing Yan couldn't help but blurt out before Liu Xiaolin could answer. "Master, we haven't even investigated his background! Please, don't be rash!"

He was Liu Qingshan's youngest disciple and had always considered himself the Sect Leader's closed-door disciple within the Crane Immortal Sect.

It's a tradition in the Crane Immortal Sect: the Sect Leader's closed-door disciple is qualified to inherit the leadership! If Liu Qingshan really accepts another disciple, won't I lose my chance to become the next Sect Leader?

"Oh?" Liu Qingshan glanced at Qing Yan coolly. "What? Are you saying your master is being reckless?"

"Of course not!" Qing Yan shuddered but summoned his courage. "I only mean that even if you truly wish to accept another disciple, Master, we should still verify his identity. After all, an ancient martial sect isn't like an ordinary faction. Once someone joins, all ties to the mortal world must be severed."

Liu Qingshan grew pensive and nodded. "That is true."

Before Qing Yan could feel a sense of relief, Liu Qingshan continued, "However, since he was brought here by Master Lin, his identity and origins can surely be trusted."

"Master..." Qing Yan's face paled, and he started to speak again.

"Hm?"

This time, Liu Qingshan just gave Qing Yan a cold look without speaking.

Qing Yan's eye twitched, and he didn't dare to say another word. But deep down, anger had already begun to take root.

Liu Qingshan turned his gaze back to Liu Xiaolin, his admiration growing by the second. "Child, just give me a nod, and you will become my closed-door disciple!"

Everyone's expressions changed slightly. They hadn't expected Liu Qingshan to take such a strong liking to Liu Xiaolin.

Just as everyone assumed Liu Xiaolin would agree, Lin Mu spoke up.

"I'm sorry, but I don't agree."

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