The thugs stared at Ding Yin's unblinking, dead eyes, still reeling from the shock.
It wasn't until Xiao Ye's sharp shout that they remembered the most important thing: saving their own skins!
They immediately let go of Lin Aoshan and scattered in every direction.
They were used to bullying the weak with the Han Family backing them, but they had never seen a master who could take a life with a mere flick of his wrist!
Not to mention, Ding Yin's neck had been snapped so cleanly it was as if it had been sliced by a knife.
Even if they'd been given long sabers and allowed to strike Ding Yin from behind, they couldn't have made such a clean cut!
Seeing them try to run, Xiao Ye's lips curled into a smirk and he let out a cold snort.
The next second, he appeared behind one of the thugs like a phantom, his hand clamping around the man's neck.
With a surge of power in his wrist, he gave it a vicious twist!
"Trying to run? In your dreams!"
CRACK!
The thug's face was ashen with terror as his head slumped to the side. His body fell stiffly to the ground, lifeless.
"Third Brother!"
Another thug, scared out of his wits, bolted for the exit as if his life depended on it. "No, I don't want to die!"
With a single leap, Xiao Ye landed squarely in his path.
"Stay... stay away!"
"I was wrong! Please, spare me—"
The man was crying and begging for mercy, but before he could finish, Xiao Ye lifted his leg and kicked him square in the chest.
THUD—
That single kick sent the thug flying back over three meters. He slammed into a tree and crumpled to the ground.
He curled up in agony, vomiting mouthfuls of fresh blood.
In just a few short seconds, his pupils dilated, and he went completely still.
In the blink of an eye, three men were dead. The last remaining thug's legs gave out from fear, and unable to run, he fell flat on his ass.
Watching Xiao Ye slowly approach, the man's legs trembled, and a wet patch spread across his crotch.
Xiao Ye looked at him with contempt. "A piece of trash like you dares to show his face in public?!"
"Boss, I was wrong, please spare me!"
The last thug trembled all over. He knelt and slammed his head against the ground. "I have an old mother and young kids at home! Please, have mercy and spare my worthless life! I'll never do it again!"
"You want to live? Simple."
Xiao Ye leaned down, his gaze sharp as he looked at the still-kowtowing thug. "Listen carefully. Go back and tell your master that if he dares to cause trouble for the Lin Family again, I'll wipe his entire family off the map in Jiangcheng!"
"Anyone who comes here will die. That's a promise from me. Understand?"
"Yes, yes, yes..."
"Get lost!"
Xiao Ye kicked the man out the Lin Family's gate, then turned to Lin Chuyue. "Wife, I let one of the scumbags go back and deliver a message, just in case they're too stupid to realize they're courting death by coming here again."
"Who are you calling your wife? Don't be ridiculous."
Lin Chuyue shot Xiao Ye a look, then suppressed her shock and thanked him with a serious expression. "Thank you for getting rid of that scum."
'Her earlier defiance was just a desperate bluff; she never imagined this young Daoist would actually be so ruthless!'
'He takes lives with a wave of his hand, without even batting an eye. This kid is definitely a ruthless one!'
She was grateful to Xiao Ye, but at the same time, a sense of wariness arose within her. "Who are you, really?"
'Given the Lin Family's current situation, one can't be too careful!'
"Wife, I'm your fiancé!"
Xiao Ye walked up to Lin Chuyue, took a subtle sniff of her fragrance, and with a flick of his wrist, produced a worn-out marriage contract.
"Our families arranged our marriage eighteen years ago! I came here specifically to marry you!"
"Marriage contract? I wasn't born yesterday. You think I'd believe something like this?!"
Lin Chuyue's expression instantly darkened.
The favorable impression she'd just formed of him for coming to their rescue vanished in a puff of smoke.
She ignored Xiao Ye and hurried over to Lin Aoshan, helping him up. "Grandpa, are you alright?"
But Lin Aoshan didn't move. Instead, he stared intently at Xiao Ye.
Then, forcing himself to his feet, he walked over to Xiao Ye, shook off Lin Chuyue's hand, and fell to his knees with a THUD, tears streaming down his aged face.
"Young man, this is all my fault, the fault of me, Lin Aoshan! I hope you can forgive the Lin Family!"
"It was all thanks to the Golden Saber gifted by Master Tiangxuan that my Lin Family was able to rise to prominence."
"But I... I grew muddled in my old age. I actually tried to break the engagement and betray our pact. I deserve to suffer this calamity!"
"The Lin Family is now willing to honor the marriage contract. Please... please, young man, let bygones be bygones and treat Chuyue well in the future."
"Don't ever let her suffer such humiliation again. I, this old bag of bones, am begging you!"
With that, Lin Aoshan lowered his head and kowtowed heavily. "I, Lin Aoshan, will take full responsibility for the Lin Family's calamity. I ask only that you show us mercy."
Lin Chuyue, standing beside them, was completely stunned. 'Could it be... the marriage contract is actually real?'
It took her a long moment to snap out of it. She shot Xiao Ye a fierce glare, then went to help Lin Aoshan up.
"Grandpa, get up! Don't kneel to him!"
"What great master? What Golden Saber? It's all a bunch of nonsense meant to fool people! The Lin Family got where it is today through our own strength!"
"As for the marriage contract... Grandpa, you must have been scammed! Let's just explain things to him clearly!"
But Lin Aoshan slowly shook his head. He knew with certainty in his heart that the crisis facing the Lin Family was the direct backlash for his attempt to betray the marriage contract!
And right now, the only one who could save the Lin Family... was Xiao Ye!
If he remained stubborn and unenlightened, the Lin Family would surely face annihilation!
"Chuyue, the law of cause and effect is no joke. It's time you knew the truth."
Lin Aoshan patted Lin Chuyue's hand, then looked at Xiao Ye. "Young man, please come with me."
After speaking, he walked unsteadily toward the villa's main hall.
A few minutes later, the three of them arrived at a locked room at the end of a first-floor corridor.
Lin Chuyue stopped, her expression complex.
This was the Lin Family's incense hall, a place forbidden to all family members except Lin Aoshan.
She had always been curious about what was inside. Today... the secret would finally be revealed!
With a trembling hand, Lin Aoshan opened the door.
On an agarwood altar table sat a red gold incense burner, from which sandalwood smoke curled lazily into the air.
Lin Chuyue looked curiously at the red cloth behind the altar. "Grandpa, what is it that you're honoring here?"
Lin Aoshan let go of her hand and walked with difficulty to the front of the altar.
"What is enshrined here is the very foundation of the Lin Family's success!"
With that, he raised his hand and ripped the red cloth away!
On a Red Gold Knife Rack rested a magnificent Golden Saber, around which was coiled a golden dragon!
The dragon's head was shockingly lifelike, the body of the blade was curved like a crescent moon, and it radiated a chilling light!
Lin Chuyue's body went rigid. The moment she saw the Golden Saber, she felt a wave of sharpness wash over her face!
She squeezed her eyes shut in fear, but thankfully, felt no pain.
When she opened them again, the Golden Saber was still sitting peacefully on the altar, not having moved an inch.
Lin Aoshan looked at the Golden Saber, his eyes filled with reverence.
He slowly knelt on a prayer cushion on the floor. "Chuyue, kneel!"
"Grandpa..."
"Kneel!"
Lin Chuyue pouted but reluctantly knelt on the other prayer cushion.
Xiao Ye stood to the side with his arms crossed, looking completely unconcerned.
'This Golden Saber, so mysterious in the eyes of the world, is nothing more than a part of my own destiny.'
'Why should I revere something that belongs to me?'
But Lin Aoshan, kneeling before the Golden Saber, seemed to have regained his strength. His voice was firm and resonant.
"Chuyue, the reason the Lin Family has what it does today is all because of this Golden Saber!"
"The agreement was that the Golden Saber would serve as the betrothal gift, and the daughter of the Lin Family would marry the prized disciple of the Lingxiao Daoist."
"Now, this marriage contract must be honored! It is the only way to save the Lin Family from this disaster!"
With that, Lin Aoshan bowed down in pious reverence.
But Lin Chuyue couldn't take it anymore. She stood up, her face cold. "Grandpa, do you really think a single saber can make a family rich and powerful? Is that even possible?"
"It's an inanimate object! It can't do anything to help the Lin Family!"
Then, she turned and glared at Xiao Ye. "The Golden Saber is yours, so take it with you. As for the debt I owe you for today, I will repay it myself!"
"The Lin Family will solve its own problems!"