The next morning.
Early in the morning, Lin Yan left his room for a meal.
In the dining hall, Lin Yan ignored the many probing gazes directed his way.
Ever since he’d fought Lin Wang the day before and revealed his Flowing Cloud Thirteen Techniques, he had expected this. He knew he would become the center of attention among the branch family members for a short time.
After finishing his meal, just as Lin Yan was about to get up and leave, a commotion broke out in the dining hall.
"Good news! A Sword Dao powerhouse from the Fifth Branch’s main family is giving a lecture on the Sword Dao at the Martial Arts Arena, and we branch family members can go listen too."
"For real?"
"The news came from the Fifth Branch’s own branch members. Haven’t you noticed how few of them are here? Those guys went over first thing this morning."
"Why didn’t you say so earlier? If you had, I would’ve gone too."
"It’s not too late to go now. Let’s go, we can head over together."
"The Sword Dao... It’s a shame I practice the saber," someone said, shaking their head regretfully.
"You idiot. So what if you practice the saber? Haven’t you ever heard that all martial arts are interconnected? At the very least, understanding more about the Sword Dao will give you a better chance against sword-wielding opponents in the future."
"That makes sense. I was being narrow-minded. Let’s go... let’s hurry over."
Lin Yan, who had been about to return to his courtyard to pack for the Yantian Mountain Range, narrowed his eyes slightly as he listened to the discussion. ’A lecture from a Sword Dao powerhouse...’
’My Flowing Cloud Thirteen Techniques and Jinghong Sword Technique have both reached Perfection, but... I know far too little about the Sword Dao itself. Maybe I can use this opportunity to learn more about it.’
The Martial Arts Arena.
It was located in the central plaza of the Lin Mansion. By the time Lin Yan arrived, over a hundred people were already there.
Besides the members from the various branch families, Lin Yan spotted many unfamiliar faces in the front rows below the high platform.
These unfamiliar faces had extraordinary bearings. Their temperament and aura were distinctly different from those of the branch family members.
He figured they must be members of the Fifth Branch’s main family.
Seeing that the lecture had attracted even the young members of the main family, Lin Yan’s anticipation for the Fifth Branch’s Sword Dao powerhouse grew.
At the very front, a few young people from the main family were looking at the numerous branch family members behind them and talking in low voices.
"It’s been a long time since our Lin Family was this lively."
"Over two hundred branch family members. Mingjing, don’t you love being the center of attention? Take a stroll over to the Disciple’s Quarters, and I guarantee a whole crowd will flock to you, fawning and trying to curry favor."
"I do like being the center of attention, but I can’t get interested in a crowd of Third-Time and Fourth-Time Skin Smoothers."
"These branch family members are just here for the spectacle. With their level of Swordsmanship, there’s no way they can understand the Sword Dao that Fifth Uncle is teaching."
"True. Not a single one of these branch family members has even developed Sword Intent. I don’t know what the family was thinking. If they wanted to teach these branch members Swordsmanship, they could have just sent anyone. Having so many of them here is just going to distract me from Fifth Uncle’s lecture."
"This wasn’t arranged by the family. It was Fifth Uncle who decided to let the branch family members come and listen."
Hearing this, the two main family youths who had been slightly disgruntled immediately composed themselves.
They dared to complain about the family, but they didn’t dare to complain about Fifth Uncle.
Fifth Uncle might have mellowed out in recent years, but he used to be famous for his explosive temper, drawing his sword at the slightest disagreement.
"I knew you’d come, Lin Yan."
As Lin Yan found a spot to stand, a young man walked over with a smile. The man greeted him, and Lin Yan responded, "I practice the sword, so of course I wouldn’t miss this."
Lin Yan recognized the young man: Lin Yu, a Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist from the Fifth Branch.
The Third Branch only had conflicts with the Fourth Branch; they had no grudges with the other branches. Since the other party took the initiative to greet him and show goodwill, Lin Yan wouldn’t push him away.
"Fifth Uncle is the number one expert in the Sword Dao in our Lin Family, and he’s even number one in the entire Qing State Prefecture. You sword practitioners really lucked out getting to hear his lecture. A pity... I practice the spear."
Lin Yu’s face was full of regret as he finished.
He had already been cultivating a Spear Technique before coming to the main family. After arriving, he chose a Top-grade Spear Technique from the Hidden Technique Pavilion. Although the main family had also arranged for a Spear Dao expert to guide him, how could that person compare to Fifth Uncle?
"All paths lead to the same destination. It’s not impossible for a spear practitioner to gain insights from Swordsmanship," Lin Yan comforted him.
"Haha, you have a point there, Lin Yan. To be honest, aside from sword practitioners like you, most of the people here today are just here for the spectacle. The real stars of the show are those young members of the main family up front."
"The one on the far left is Lin Mingjing from the First Branch. He’s only nineteen, but I hear he’s already developed Sword Intent."
"The second one is from the Second Branch. He’s a twenty-two-year-old Blood Exchange Realm powerhouse who has also developed Sword Intent."
Lin Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly. ’Compared to the younger generation of the main family, disciples from the branch families like us are about five years behind in strength.’
Just as Lin Yu finished speaking, the somewhat noisy crowd suddenly fell silent. All eyes turned to the left side of the plaza, where a middle-aged man and a young woman were slowly approaching.
"Lin Yan, the one walking in front is Fifth Uncle. The one behind him is his beloved daughter, Sister Mingxi. Don’t be fooled by her appearance as a delicate woman; Sister Mingxi is a Blood Exchange Realm powerhouse."
Lin Yu lowered his voice. Lin Yan was a bit speechless. ’Where did he get the idea she’s a delicate woman?’
Today, Lin Mingxi was dressed in fitted martial attire with tight sleeves. Her long hair was casually tied up with a single wooden hairpin, and a Narrow Sword hung at her waist. The practical clothing accentuated her slender, sharp waistline. Her steps were light yet steady. This simple, unadorned elegance completely outshone all the meticulously dressed women from the branch families around her.

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