Chapter 632
The Scripture Pavilion Was Ransacked
His tone was calm, but the loyalty and perseverance it conveyed moved Jiang Xuan.
For more than a decade, he has been alone, guarding this empty mountain, resisting possible covetousness, and managing the huge courtyard. This solitude and perseverance are by no means easy.
"Uncle Lin, from now on... just call me Jiang Xuan. Or, you can call me Xiao Xuan."
Jiang Xuan stopped and looked at Lin Zhong. The other person was someone who had watched him being born and cared for him; this bond was different from that between ordinary master and servant.
Lin Zhong shook his head firmly.
"Propriety must not be disregarded. Young Master is Young Master. It is already a great blessing for this old servant to see Young Master again, how dare I overstep my bounds?"
His stubbornness stems from an ancient belief and loyalty.
Jiang Xuan knew he couldn't persuade him otherwise, so he stopped insisting and changed the subject.
"Is it really just you left on the summit? What about the other members of the Lin family... I mean, those branches from back then? Has none of them ever returned? Or did the empire send anyone else to keep an eye on things?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhong's expression darkened, and he sighed.
"In the first few years, some members of the collateral branches of the clan, whose relationship was not too distant, would occasionally come back, ostensibly to pay respects to their ancestors, but actually... to see if there was anything valuable that could be moved, or to find out if the mountain would be taken away."
Later, seeing that there was really nothing here except for the old servant, a bunch of houses that couldn't be moved, and formations, and that the empire hadn't made any moves, people gradually stopped coming.
As for the Empire… aside from the annual routine check by low-ranking officials from the Ministry of Works to ensure the core of the protective mountain array was functioning properly, they never inquired about anything else. This place… was as if it had been forgotten.
Forgotten… Perhaps this is exactly what some people want to see. Let this mountain, a symbol of the Lin family's past, slowly decay in silence, buried by time along with that history.
Jiang Xuan patted Lin Zhong's thin shoulder and said in a deep voice.
"Uncle Lin, it won't happen again. Now that I'm back, I won't let this place continue to fall into disrepair. I will take over the Lin family's affairs."
Lin Zhong was startled. He looked up at Jiang Xuan's young yet resolute profile, and a glimmer of hope rekindled in his dim old eyes. It was as if he had instantly found his pillar of support, and his back straightened unconsciously.
"Yes, young master! This old servant...this old servant will definitely do everything in my power to help you rebuild the family business!"
The two continued their ascent to higher ground, where the buildings were most densely packed and central. The higher they climbed, the more magnificent the palaces became. Though silent, the refined, aristocratic air they exuded was still captivating.
However, as Jiang Xuan and Lin Zhong reached a wide open platform near the summit and were about to turn onto the bluestone path leading to the highest point, the "Hall of Cleansing the Heart," a faint commotion, accompanied by the sounds of string and wind instruments and the laughter of men and women, drifted over on the wind.
The sound was particularly jarring and out of place on the quiet and desolate Xixin Peak.
Jiang Xuan frowned and stopped. Lin Zhong's expression also instantly turned ugly, even showing a hint of fear and shame.
"what happened?"
Jiang Xuan looked in the direction from which the sound came, which was the location of the Cleansing Heart Hall.
The main hall, located at the highest point of the peak and originally used by the Lin family clan for discussions, sacrifices, and receiving the most important guests, was now brightly lit, with shadowy figures on the windows, a stark contrast to the dark and silent halls around it.
"Young...Young Master..."
Lin Zhong was at a loss, his face flushed, and he stammered.
"It's...it's some young masters and ladies from other households, and their...friends."
They...they come occasionally..."
"The other branches? Branches of the Lin family?"
Jiang Xuan's eyes turned slightly cold.
"Do they have the right to freely enter the Hall of Cleansing Hearts and to feast and make merry here?"
"Absolutely not!"
Lin Zhong immediately straightened his back and raised his voice, which was filled with anger at being offended.
"The Cleansing Heart Hall is the core of the main family. Only the family head, the young master, or elders and distinguished guests who have been specially permitted by the family head are allowed to enter! They are just from the collateral branches. According to the clan rules, even setting foot in this core area of the peak without permission is an overstepping of authority! Let alone entering the Cleansing Heart Hall!"
"Then why didn't you stop it?"
Jiang Xuan asked.
Lin Zhong's face darkened, he lowered his head, and his voice was bitter.
“This old servant…this old servant tried to stop them. But they outnumbered us and their friends were mostly sons of powerful and influential families, whose cultivation levels were higher than this old servant's…This old servant is insignificant and has little influence, and my cultivation level is too low to stop them at all.”
They...they even mocked the old servant for being an inflexible old stubborn, saying that this Cleansing Heart Peak would belong to someone else sooner or later, and that not using it now was a waste..."
His voice grew softer and softer, filled with helplessness.
A cold glint flashed in Jiang Xuan's eyes.
He recalled the words in the royal letter that "you can do whatever you want, even if it causes chaos," and he also remembered the promise he had just made to Lin Zhong and the old man to take responsibility.
The Lin family has yet to recover, yet its own members have already turned this core hall, the symbol of the family's glory and foundation, into their own playground, trampling on it wantonly! If they can't even keep their own family in check and can't establish rules, how can they talk about recovery? How can they talk about revenge?
Just then, an even more unrestrained burst of laughter and a woman's charming teasing voice came from the direction of the Xixin Hall. It was particularly clear in the silent night sky, and one could even faintly hear the sounds of wine cups clinking and utensils falling.
Jiang Xuan's spiritual senses quietly spread over. Although the distance was still far and there were arrays inside the hall that blocked his senses, his spiritual senses were sharpened after his cultivation greatly improved, and he could still vaguely sense that there were about a dozen people inside the hall, both men and women, with mixed auras and varying levels of cultivation, but generally not high.
Their behavior was unrestrained and lacked decorum, turning the solemn and dignified Xixin Hall into a chaotic mess, resembling a brothel.
A surge of anger rose from the depths of Jiang Xuan's heart.
Now that he has decided to take on the responsibility of inheriting the Lin family, rectifying the family's reputation and cleaning up its ranks is the first step! Let's start tonight, starting with this group of ignorant collateral relatives!
"Uncle Lin, lead the way to the Hall of Cleansing Hearts."
Jiang Xuan's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable chill.
"Young Master! What...what are you going to do?"
Lin Zhong was startled and quickly tried to dissuade him.
“They outnumber you, and some of them may be from other families. You’ve just returned and are outnumbered. Shouldn’t you… reconsider?”
"Let's take a longer-term view?"
A cold smile appeared on Jiang Xuan's lips as he strode towards the brightly lit and bustling Xixin Hall.
"Some things can wait. Some rules must be established now!" Since that important royal figure said he could "make a huge fuss," then he would start making a scene from the summit of Xixin Peak! Let's see if this Lin family's old ground, which has been silent for more than ten years, can resound with a deafening voice again because of the return of this "dead" man!
"Young master! Wait for this old servant!"
Seeing that his attempts to dissuade him were futile, Lin Zhong gritted his teeth and quickly followed after him, feeling both worried and a surge of suppressed excitement.
Jiang Xuan walked quickly, and in the blink of an eye, he had crossed the bluestone platform and stepped onto the wide passageway leading to the main gate of the Cleansing Heart Hall. The noise inside the hall grew clearer and clearer; the decadent music and unrestrained laughter echoed in this solemn and dignified clan holy land, sounding increasingly jarring.
He walked to the two heavy, tightly closed doors, engraved with the ancient Lin family emblem, and could even smell the strong aroma of wine and cosmetics wafting from the cracks in the doors.
Without hesitation, without issuing a notification.
Jiang Xuan raised his foot, channeled his spiritual power, and kicked the two tightly closed palace doors, symbols of the Lin family's former majesty, hard!
"Bang--!!!"
A loud bang suddenly exploded, instantly drowning out all the noise inside the hall!
"Bang--!!!"
The heavy palace doors were kicked open by Jiang Xuan with a kick imbued with spiritual power. The bolts snapped, and the two thick wooden doors, carved with the ancient emblem of the Lin family, slammed open and crashed into the walls on both sides with a deafening roar, causing the entire hall to tremble slightly.
The cool night wind outside rushed in instantly, dispersing the heavy smell of wine and perfume inside, and causing the hanging gauze curtains to flutter wildly and the lamplight to flicker.
The once noisy scene inside the hall, filled with laughter, jokes, and the sounds of string and wind instruments, suddenly fell silent as if an invisible hand had gripped its throat.
Everyone stopped moving, looking towards the gate in panic. Many still wore the lingering effects of drunkenness and wanton smiles, but their eyes were filled with shock and fear—the Cleansing Heart Peak formation hadn't given any warning; who could have broken in silently and kicked the gate so violently? Was it an enemy attack?!
"what--!"
A sharp cry of pain shattered the brief silence.
On a soft couch near the main seat, a richly dressed man who had been playfully nibbling at the breasts of a voluptuous woman was startled by the sudden loud noise. He instinctively bit down hard, leaving a row of bloody welts on the woman's fair skin. The woman screamed in pain, shoved the man away, clutched her wound, and was both shocked and furious.
The scene inside the hall was now completely exposed to Jiang Xuan.
The spacious and magnificent Hall of Cleansing Hearts was originally a solemn place where the Lin family discussed important clan matters, worshipped their ancestors, and received top dignitaries. But now, the hall was in a mess. Exquisite and expensive spirit tables and chairs were overturned, piled with leftover food, overturned wine pots, and broken cups and plates.
The brocade carpet on the floor was filthy, soaked with wine and oil. The air was filled with the pungent smell of alcohol, the stench of spoiled food, and the strong aroma of cosmetics, all mixed together to create a nauseating odor.
There were about a dozen people inside the hall, a mix of men and women. Most of the men were dressed in fine clothes, but their clothes were disheveled, some with their chests exposed, and some with bleary eyes. The women were all scantily clad, heavily made up, and behaved frivolously, leaning against the men, smiling charmingly.
Even worse, some people lay directly on the cushioned floor, while others embraced each other, creating an unsightly scene that turned the solemn and dignified Hall of Cleansing Hearts into a brothel for pleasure-seeking.
Jiang Xuan remained expressionless, as if he hadn't noticed the chaotic scene, and stepped inside.
His steps were steady, making a soft "rustling" sound on the dirty carpet, which was particularly clear in the deathly silent hall.
Lin Zhong followed closely behind, looking at the scene inside the hall. His old face turned red, his eyes were filled with heartache and anger, and his body was trembling slightly.
"Who?! Which blind bastard dares to trespass on Cleansing Heart Peak?!"
After a brief moment of shock, someone finally reacted.
A young man who looked to be in his early twenties, with a flushed face and clearly drunk, suddenly pushed away the woman in his arms, staggered to his feet, and pointed at Jiang Xuan, shouting angrily.
He clearly hadn't seen the person clearly yet, only a slender young man.
"Exactly! Do you even know where you are? You're asking for trouble!"
"Where are the guards? Where the hell is that old bastard Lin Zhong? How did they let him in?!"
The other men also started shouting, their drunkenness and annoyance at being disturbed clouding their judgment.
The woman who had been bitten earlier was now covering her face and screaming in agreement.
"It must be that old bastard's negligence! Call him over and break his legs!"
Just then, a young woman dressed in a bright red gauze dress, with a bewitching appearance but a mean look in her eyes, stood up.
She seemed to be of higher status among the group. She looked around and her gaze fell on Jiang Xuan, who was standing at the door with an excessively calm expression. Her eyebrows furrowed.
"Where did this brat come from? Daring to cause trouble here! Get out of here!"
As she spoke, she raised her hand, with a touch of arrogance, and was about to slap Jiang Xuan across the face, wanting to drive away this ignorant and presumptuous boy who was ruining their plans.
However, her hand had just been raised, and before it could fall—
"Snapped!"
A crisp, loud slap echoed throughout the hall!
The woman in red felt a blur before her eyes, and then a tremendous force slapped her hard across the cheek.
She didn't even see how the other person made their move before she was lifted off the ground, spinning and crashing into a low table laden with food and drinks. Cups, plates, and bowls shattered on the floor, and soup and wine splashed all over her body and face.
"Ah—! My face!!"
The woman in red fell to the ground, clutching her cheek, which quickly swelled up and showed clear five-finger marks, and let out a pig-like scream.
She felt a burning pain on half of her face, her ears were ringing, and she had a salty, metallic taste in her mouth. Even her teeth were a little loose.
This slap not only stunned the woman in red, but also instantly silenced everyone shouting in the hall, sobering them up considerably!
So fast! So ruthless!
Only then did everyone look closely at the boy at the door with surprise and uncertainty.
He was dressed in a simple blue cloth shirt, his figure was slightly thin, his face was delicate, and he even had a bit of a boyish innocence, but his eyes were deep and calm, without any ripples, and he looked at them as if they were a pile of garbage.
What's even more unsettling is that, despite not deliberately exuding any aura, he stood there, yet gave off a subtle sense of danger.
"You scoundrel! How dare you hit Sister Yujiao?!"
Another man who was standing nearby, holding a wine glass, saw this and shouted angrily. Perhaps he was emboldened by the alcohol, or perhaps he wanted to show off in front of his female companion.
He threw down his wine cup, drew a beautifully decorated short sword from his waist, infused it with spiritual power, and with a faint flash of sword light, thrust it towards Jiang Xuan's shoulder! Judging from his stance, he intended to leave a hole in Jiang Xuan's body!
"Young master, be careful!"
Lin Zhong exclaimed in surprise.
Jiang Xuan's eyes turned slightly cold. Facing the incoming short sword, he neither dodged nor evaded. Just as the tip of the sword was about to touch him, his right hand shot out like a ghost, grabbing the sharp blade with unparalleled precision! (End of Chapter)