C374 The City Was in Turmoil!

In the main hall of the Yu family in Asvetaesi, a sense of urgency hung in the air.

"Lin Mu has arrived!" Yu Wei announced to the patriarch, his face etched with a gravity that weighed down the room.

The mere mention of Lin Mu's name cast a shadow over the hall, heavy as a mountain upon Yu Wei's chest, suffocating him with its pressure.

Gathered within the hall were Yu Cen, Yu Lian, Yu Lili, several elders, and a handful of counselors who had remained with the Yu family despite facing adversity from many fronts.

Their assembly was prompted by the arrival of Lin Mu and Lin Hanyu from the Lin family to Asvetaesi. Unbeknownst to the Yu family, a significant upheaval had occurred in the Forgotten Ruins, drawing the attention and convergence of numerous formidable figures.

As a minor family within the Empire, the Yu family lacked extensive intelligence networks and remained unaware of the intricacies within the Lost Lands. Their concerns were immediate, focused solely on matters at hand.

The death of Lin Fengyan from the Lin family in the Moonfall Sanctuary, with Lin Hanyu succeeding him as head, had not initially garnered Lin Mu's approval. The eldest and most esteemed in cultivation within the Lin family had been in seclusion, striving for the Spirit Walk breakthrough.

His sudden appearance in Asvetaesi alongside Lin Hanyu set the Yu family on edge. Lin Mu had been Lin Fengyan's staunchest supporter, openly favoring him above all others in the family. Yet, rumors swirled that Lin Fengyan had met his end at the hands of Yu Yuan within the Moonfall Sanctuary...

A message from the Zhao family interrupted their thoughts.

Yu Lili, standing tall and formidable in the hall, drew the eyes of all present. As she furrowed her brow, a wave of tension swept through the room.

It was common knowledge that this warrior of the Yu family had recently shattered her cultivation's boundaries and ascended into the Veil Breaking Realm.

Entering the Veil Breaking Realm signified the opening of the middle elixir field's Profound Gate, allowing vitality to flow through the eight extra-channels. This breakthrough shattered the limits of one's lifespan, ushering in a realm of endless potential.

Her talents surpassed those of Yu Wei and Yu Lian. She might very well become the linchpin in the family's future prosperity.

Yu Cen looked at her with a sense of pride and satisfaction. He nodded and encouraged, "Go on."

"The Zhao family mentioned that Winter's Bite representatives are accompanying Lin Hanyu to meet with Lin Mu," Yu Lili said with a furrowed brow. "Initially, Lin Mu was reluctant to meet Lin Hanyu, but he agreed after learning that Lin Zhuyun had garnered favor from Winter's Bite."

She paused briefly before adding, "It seems that Winter's Bite made Lin Mu a certain promise, which persuaded him."

"Consequently, Lin Mu has formally recognized Lin Hanyu as the head of the Lin family and has made his stance clear to the family members. I suspect that Winter's Bite has offered Lin Mu some assistance with his cultivation."

Lin Mu had been stuck in the late Lunar Spirit stage for many years, constantly in seclusion, striving to advance to the Spirit Walk realm.

The breakthrough to the Spirit Walk realm is notoriously challenging. Despite years of effort, Lin Mu remained unable to progress past the late Lunar Spirit stage.

Should Winter's Bite provide the necessary aid for Lin Mu to overcome this significant hurdle, he would undoubtedly throw his full support behind Lin Hanyu within the Lin family.

Given Lin Zhuyun's exceptional talent and the desire to exert control over the Lin family through Lin Hanyu, Winter's Bite must have made a significant offer.

"If that's the case, we're facing a tough situation," Yu Cen sighed. "Our current predicament is challenging enough. Not only can we not sell our stockpiled medicinal herbs, but we also have to contend with Lin Mu's hostility."

The mention of Lin Mu cast a somber mood over the group.

"Yu Yuan has been in the Wasteland for quite some time now. Why hasn't he returned?" Yu Wei inquired with concern. "Ning Ji even came back specifically to wait for him in Thylethlume. It's been over half a month; he hasn't returned to Thylethlume or the city. What could be happening?"

"He's likely deep in his cultivation within the Wasteland," Yu Lili suggested.

"What's the point of cultivating in such a place? The spiritual energy is so scarce." A counselor from the Yu family who had spent time in the Forgotten Ruins couldn't help but comment, "Very few cultivators are willing to stay there long-term. Besides some miasma, there's nothing of value—no medicinal herbs or ores worth mentioning."

"Even more crucially, there are no formidable spirit animals to hunt," another added.

In the midst of this conversation, a Yu family member rushed in, a look of panic on their face.

"What's happened?" Yu Wei demanded.

"A member of the Lin family has arrived with a letter!" The messenger, having been instructed, approached Yu Cen and handed him the letter.

Yu Cen opened the letter, his face turning ashen as he read.

"It's from Lin Mu, that old fiend. He's demanding we hand over Yuan. He intends to use the Lunar Spirit to probe Yuan's earthly soul to uncover the circumstances of Lin Fengyan's death in the Moonfall Sanctuary."

The elder was so furious at this pronouncement that he shook with rage.

"Absolutely not! With Yuan's current level of cultivation, if Lin Mu were to invade his mind with the Lunar Spirit, Yuan might survive, but he'd be left in a stupor, just like before!" Yu Lili exclaimed in anger.

"How dare Lin Mu be so brazen!" Yu Wei echoed.

Yu Cen shook his head. "I don't understand his audacity. He's given us three days to surrender Yuan."

"I'll go find the mayor!" Yu Lili declared.

"Yuan Lianyao has been away from the city for some time now," Yu Cen said with a sigh.

"What do we do then? Without the mayor or the Zhao family's support, we have no one to turn to!"

"Lin Mu wouldn't make such a bold demand without something to back him up."

"But Yu Yuan, our young master, has also been in the Wasteland for quite some time and hasn't returned."

"Whether we can find him in three days is uncertain."

The hall was filled with worried faces and heavy sighs.

The arrival of Lin Mu, with his clear intent to use Yu Yuan to unravel the mystery of Lin Fengyan's death, left the Yu family, already besieged by troubles, feeling utterly powerless.

The night enveloped Asvetaesi in a deep darkness, and as Su Xiangtian entered the city, a sense of oppression weighed upon his heart. He and his daughter, Su Yan, had managed to escape the pursuit of the Blackfang Legion after parting ways with Yang Yinquan and his group from the Abyssal Dawn. They sought refuge with a dark disciple of considerable standing in the Forgotten Ruins, someone who owed Su Xiangtian a favor and had agreed to escort Su Yan to the Sunblessed Empire.

Su Xiangtian had connections in the Sunblessed Empire who would look after Su Yan. Now alone, and leveraging his Lunar Spirit cultivation, he skirted the tumultuous region and took a circuitous route back to Asvetaesi. As the patriarch of the Su family, his presence was imperative amidst the Empire's instability.

Upon his arrival in Asvetaesi, Su Xiangtian's Lunar Spirit senses immediately alerted him to something amiss. The spiritual energy within the city was unnaturally concentrated, swirling in peculiar patterns. Clearly, a powerful cultivator had arrived in Asvetaesi without much attempt at concealment.

In one corner of the city, the territory that belonged to the Huang family exuded auras that were all too familiar to him. Two in particular struck Su Xiangtian as inconceivable.

"Xiangtian, come to us," a remnant soul beckoned from the direction of the Huang family, the message imprinting itself in his consciousness.

"Old Ancestor Kui!" Su Xiangtian's face paled with shock.

"And I am here as well," followed another remnant soul, echoing within Su Xiangtian's mind.

"Old Ancestor Kang!" The realization jolted Su Xiangtian to his core. Su Kui and Su Kang, both in the late period of the Lunar Spirit stage, were the stalwart pillars of the Su family within the Silvermoon Empire.

Despite their revered status, these two elders had remained at the late Lunar Spirit stage for various reasons, unable to break through to the next level. Nevertheless, they had long seen potential in Su Xiangtian, believing him to be the future of the Su family. Confident in his ability to reach the Spirit Walk realm, they had defied opposition to nominate him as the head of the Su family.

Su Xiangtian had always held Su Kui and Su Kang in high esteem, aware that their actions were always in the best interest of the family. Yet, he found it almost inconceivable that these two venerable Su family elders would make their way to Asvetaesi.

With a heart full of questions, Su Xiangtian followed the elders' discreet instructions and made his way to their location. Upon reaching the former site of the Huang family, he was struck by another wave of shock. It was only as he drew nearer that he sensed the presence of Lin Mu from the Lin family and Van Xuan from the Van family.

Su Kui, Su Kang, Lin Mu, and Van Xuan were not only esteemed elders from their respective great families but also among the most formidable experts of their time.

A sense of foreboding washed over Su Xiangtian. Guided by Su Yin deeper into the premises, his unease grew. Stepping into the hall that once belonged to the Huang family, he was met with the startling sight of Lee Yuchan and Lee Yu, both captured and bound.

​