"What?" Liu Qingshan looked at Lin Mu in shock. "Master Lin, you refuse?"

Lin Mu replied nonchalantly, "What? Does Sect Leader Liu have an opinion on the matter?"

With that slightly provocative remark, the atmosphere in the hall immediately tensed. The eyes of the Crane Immortal Sect elders also filled with hostility. Although they knew they were no match for Lin Mu, their Sect Leader was, after all, a Martial Arts Grandmaster ranked on the Heavenly List. If they joined forces, they were still confident they could detain him.

Besides... who is this 'Master Lin'? they wondered. We have no impression of him. He's probably just some newcomer who thinks he's a master because he has a bit of strength.

Liu Qingshan thought the same. He had only just learned from Liu Su that the man's surname was Lin.

And that aura is indeed quite strong, he admitted to himself. Regardless, the priority now is to have Liu Xiaolin become my disciple.

Therefore, even though Liu Qingshan was displeased, he suppressed his feelings.

"Master Lin, you've misunderstood." Liu Qingshan's smile faded slightly. "I simply believe this child has an extremely strong talent for the Sword Dao. Joining my sect would absolutely be the best choice for him."

Liu Qingshan was indeed confident in this. The Crane Immortal Sect was a sect of the Sword Dao; since its founding, all its disciples had practiced swordsmanship. Countless Sword Dao cultivation techniques had been passed down through the generations. If Liu Xiaolin were to join, he would surely bring glory to the Crane Immortal Sect.

"Heh." Lin Mu smiled faintly. "It seems Sect Leader Liu is unaware of my true purpose in coming here."

Liu Qingshan was taken aback. Isn't he here to have the boy join the Crane Immortal Sect to cultivate?

"Father, it's like this..." Liu Su came over and quickly explained the situation to Liu Qingshan. Having just emerged from seclusion, he was indeed unaware of what had transpired.

He was completely stunned. A four- or five-year-old child is to become an Honorary Guest Officer of my Crane Immortal Sect? This... What is an Honorary Guest Officer? Although they hold no real power, they are honored as an Emissary of the sect. They receive the same treatment as an Elder, and they cannot be denied any of the resources they are entitled to. Moreover, Guest Officers only intervene selectively when the sect faces a crisis. This means that if Liu Xiaolin truly became our Honorary Guest Officer, he could read and practice anything he wished, aside from a few secret cultivation techniques. Not only would the Crane Immortal Sect be unable to stop him, but we would have to find ways to provide him with all sorts of cultivation resources. And when the sect faced a life-or-death crisis, he might not even lift a finger to help!

"I do not agree!" Elder Cen declared, his expression grim. "To make a five-year-old child who hasn't even reached the Entering Vigor stage an Honorary Guest Officer of our Crane Immortal Sect... do you want us to become the laughingstock of the Martial Arts World?"

"Indeed!" another elder chimed in.

"Sect Leader, you must not agree to this!"

All the elders objected, their gazes turning hostile as they stared at Lin Mu. They were convinced that Lin Mu had come only to humiliate the Crane Immortal Sect.

Qing Yan dropped to his knees with a thud, his voice filled with anguish. "Master, if you agree to this, the Crane Immortal Sect will truly become a joke!"

The Crane Immortal Sect was declining with each passing generation. If not for Liu Qingshan, a Martial Arts Grandmaster, holding the sect together, they would have been swallowed up by rivals long ago.

"Master Lin, is there truly no room for negotiation?" Liu Qingshan asked, his expression complex as he looked at Lin Mu, seemingly having made a decision.

"Master, you still call him 'Master Lin' at a time like this!" Qing Yan roared furiously. "He's no master! He's just here to deliberately humiliate our Crane Immortal Sect!"

Pointing a finger at Lin Mu, Qing Yan demanded, "Speak! Who sent you? What is your purpose in coming to the Crane Immortal Sect!"

Elder Cen's expression was just as hostile. "That's right, speak up! Who exactly are you?! You won't be leaving the Crane Immortal Sect until you talk!"

Lin Mu laughed mockingly. "So this is what you're like. I've finally seen it for myself."

"What are you laughing at!" Enraged, Qing Yan strode toward Lin Mu, intending to teach him a lesson.

"Qing Yan, stop!" Liu Su intercepted him just in time. With a troubled expression, she addressed the crowd, "Father, Elders, you've all made a grave mistake!"

"A mistake?" Qing Yan snorted coldly. "Senior Sister, I don't see what we did wrong. Is making a five-year-old boy our Honorary Guest Officer the *right* thing to do?"

"I..." Liu Su was suddenly at a loss for words.

"Master Lin, please give me some time. I can convince them," Liu Su pleaded, worried that Lin Mu would become enraged.

However, Lin Mu simply shook his head. "There's no need. I've already given you two days, and this is the result."

"Since the Crane Immortal Sect doesn't want this opportunity, then I will take my leave." Lin Mu turned. "Xiao Lin, let's go."

"Yes, Godfather."

As they watched Lin Mu and the boy walk straight out of the hall, the expressions of the sect members changed subtly.

Liu Su grew even more anxious and stamped her foot. "You're all truly mistaken! That man is Lin Wudi, Master Lin, ranked tenth on the Heavenly List! How could he possibly deceive you!"

With that, she turned and immediately chased after them.

Meanwhile, everyone left in the hall was shaken to the core, their expressions changing drastically.

That man was actually a Martial Arts Grandmaster! Not just any Grandmaster, but Lin Wudi... ranked tenth on the Heavenly List!

"Impossible!" Qing Yan's face turned ashen, and his eyes became bloodshot.

"Stop right there!" Qing Yan bellowed, chasing after Lin Mu to block his path.

But Lin Mu completely ignored him, continuing to lead Liu Xiaolin back the way they came.

"I said stop!" Feeling utterly humiliated, Qing Yan suddenly drew the longsword from his waist and thrust it at Lin Mu's back. He unleashed the Crane Immortal Sect's ultimate technique: Sword Qi Rainbow. A flash of light shot from his blade, howling through the air like a rainbow as it slashed down.

"Qing Yan, don't!" Liu Qingshan and the other elders' faces fell, but it was already too late for them to intervene.

However, just as the brilliant sword light was about to strike Lin Mu, everyone saw the child beside him suddenly turn and lightly tap it with his finger.

HUM!

A sword hummed. A lotus flower bloomed from the tip of Liu Xiaolin's finger, transforming into a blade of light that instantly shattered Qing Yan's technique. But it didn't stop there. The blade of light continued forward, unstoppable, and pierced straight through Qing Yan's shoulder.

Struck as if by lightning, Qing Yan was sent flying backward, spitting a mouthful of blood mid-air.

"That is..." Liu Qingshan and the others were utterly shaken. They exclaimed in horror, "That's Ancestor Mu Bai's ultimate technique!"

KREEE!

At the same time, an even more piercing crane cry echoed from the back mountains of the Crane Immortal Sect before fading into silence.

"There's a disturbance in the Ancestral Master Hall!"

Liu Qingshan and the others rushed to the Ancestral Master Hall, their expressions grave as they stared at the dozen or so portraits on the wall. The central portrait was of a woman whose painted eyes now seemed to be shedding tears of both joy and sorrow. Beside her, a blank space had appeared, as if the person who once stood there had vanished from the painting.

"Ancestor Bai He has shown a sign... and Ancestor Mu Bai has vanished!"

A sudden realization struck Liu Qingshan. Deeply shocked, he rushed back outside, but the mountain path was empty. There was no sign of Lin Mu and the boy.

"This descendant, Liu Qingshan, has failed the ancestors!"

With those words, Liu Qingshan coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed.

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