The Yinbu's influence in the Xia Kingdom is unshakable. No monk would dare to offend a member of the Yinbu. As an organization with the authority to execute Evil Cultivators, once someone is deemed an evil monk by the Yinbu, they are destined to disappear from this world.
Lu Lin swallowed hard. He had met Yang Xuan several times at the Imperial Capital's Immortal Martial Academy but never imagined that Yang Xuan's father was the head of the Linzhou branch of the Yinbu. Seeing that Yang Xuan wasn't here to cause trouble, Tang Yuxin and Wang Menglu breathed a sigh of relief.
A few days ago, Yang Xuan had returned to Linzhou on business. With the deaths of Yan Chuan and Yan Jie stirring trouble at the Immortal Martial Academy, Yang Xuan received a call from a senior at the academy. They wanted to recruit Horn—a demonic genius with immortal potential.
There were two factions within the academy. One group wanted to eliminate Horn, while the other advocated for his recruitment. Currently, the first group held more sway, hence Horn's place on the must-kill list.
Yang Xuan had informed his father, Yang Hai, about this. As the head of the Linzhou branch of the Yinbu, Yang Hai aspired to a promotion to the headquarters in the Imperial Capital, and he saw Horn as a potential stepping stone to achieve his goal. Yang Hai decided that Horn must join the Yinbu once he entered the Immortal Martial Academy. Discovering someone with such immortal potential would surely earn him favor with the headquarters.
"Does your father have a broken leg, or is he just too old to walk?" Horn asked calmly. "If he's crippled, I'd pity him and go to him. If he's elderly, I'd respect his age. But if neither applies, why should I walk over? If he wants to talk, I'm not interested."
Yang Xuan had expected Horn to change his attitude after hearing his father's identity. Instead, Horn's response left him fuming. Tang Yuxin and Wang Menglu were anxious, urging Horn to reconsider. The Yinbu wasn't an enemy to make lightly, and the head of the Linzhou branch wielded considerable power. Horn, however, seemed unconcerned, focusing on the plate of fried beef that had just been served.
Yang Xuan, humiliated, returned to the black Mercedes-Benz nearby, where his father sat in the back seat. The man's presence exuded authority. "Why didn't Horn come with you?" he asked.
"Dad, that boy is insolent," Yang Xuan replied, recounting Horn's words. The middle-aged man's eyes sharpened, and Yang Xuan recoiled slightly, knowing his father's temper. After a moment, Yang Hai stepped out of the car. "Let's go," he said, "I want to see just how arrogant he can be."
Yang Hai and Yang Xuan approached Horn's table. Tang Yuxin, Wang Menglu, and Lu Lin immediately stood up in respect. Only Horn remained seated, casually eating. Tang Yuxin and Wang Menglu whispered urgent warnings to him.
Yang Xuan, seething with anger, spoke first. "Do you think you're important?" he spat. "In Linzhou, even Nie Jiuxuan bows to my father. Your name is on the must-kill list of the Imperial Capital Immortal Martial Academy, and you're only a one-star alchemist. Don't think that because you rely on Nie Jiuxuan, you can do whatever you want."
Yang Hai, appearing calm, added, "Xiao Xuan, don't be rude," though there was no reprimand in his tone. Horn continued to ignore them, eating and drinking as if they weren't there. Yang Hai's anger simmered just beneath the surface. "Horn, I suspect the destruction of the Sun family is your doing," he said. "Nie Jiuxuan came to me last night to suppress the issue. The Sun family served the Tianhai Su family, of which you are an abandoned son. Joining the Alchemist Association was a smart move, but it makes your involvement even more suspicious."
Yang Hai's voice lowered. "But don't worry. I'm not your enemy. I can help you enter the Imperial Capital Immortal Martial Academy, even arrange for you to join the Yinbu. This is a rare opportunity. What do you think?"
Horn finally responded, "There's no such thing as a free lunch. You think I'm a valuable asset, something to be controlled. You want me to be your obedient dog, don't you?"
Yang Hai's expression darkened. He had indeed been interested in the potential power hidden within Horn—something that could further his own ambitions.
Yang Xuan's patience snapped. He unleashed a surge of spiritual energy, the ground around him cracking. "Everyone else, leave!" he commanded, clearing the area in an instant. Turning to Lu Lin, he sneered, "Do you have ears? Get out of here, now."
As Yang Xuan reached out to slap Lu Lin in a humiliating display of power, Horn suddenly stood. In an instant, he stabbed his chopsticks into Yang Xuan's hand, pinning it to the table.
"You're the one who should leave," Horn said coldly, his voice filled with quiet menace.