kvmb Chapter 157 Temporary Leader
Chapter 157 Temporary Leader
Lin Xiao was silent for a moment, his eyes sweeping across the three elders before him with a complicated expression. He then spoke coldly, "The successor to the Sect Leader should be Senior Brother Ye Xuan or Lin Jiao. I have no interest in this position at all."
After these words were spoken, although the three elders had expected it, they still felt a pang of bitterness.
They knew full well that Lin Xiao's attitude remained as resolute as ever. The position of Sect Leader should indeed be passed to either Ye Xuan or Lin Jiao, but neither of them could handle the responsibility at this moment—Ye Xuan had been killed by the Shadow Monkey King, and Lin Jiao was far away at Tianshu Academy and unable to return immediately.
The Formation Elder, Medicine King, and Star Elder exchanged a glance, pondered for a moment, and finally spoke hesitantly, "Feng Shui Academy cannot be without a leader for a single day, Lin Xiao. Right now, with Ye Xuan away and Lin Jiao still to come, you are the most suitable candidate."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao couldn't help but chuckle. His eyes were calm but tinged with sarcasm. "Since the position of Sect Leader is vacant, I think Elder Zhen Dao is a good choice to serve as the interim Sect Leader."
After hearing this, Elder Yao Wang felt that Lin Xiao's words made sense. He turned to Elder Zhen Dao and said solemnly, "I don't think Lin Xiao has such intentions. Elder Zhen Dao, why don't you take over the position of headmaster temporarily to stabilize the situation in the academy. We can make a decision after Lin Jiao returns."
Elder Xingchen also echoed, "Yes, Elder Zhendao, the academy is in turmoil right now. You are highly respected and virtuous. It would be most appropriate for you to temporarily take over as the head."
Seeing the two people's recommendation, the Zhen Dao elder looked at Lin Xiao's determined expression, sighed, and finally nodded, saying, "Since you think so highly of me, I will not refuse. However, I, Zhen Dao, promise that when Lin Jiao returns, I will offer the position of Sect Leader to you with both hands."
Hearing this, Lin Xiao nodded slightly, and the three elders also nodded in agreement.
The position of the headmaster has been temporarily decided, and the internal troubles of the academy have been slightly relieved, but Lin Xiao is not relaxed.
He clenched his fists, the ruined scene of Tianci Cave and Liu Yi's figure appearing in his mind. Then he said, "The matter of Feng Shui Academy has been temporarily resolved. I plan to return to Tianci Cave to inform my wife of everything and bring Liu Yi back at the same time."
However, just as he bowed and said goodbye, before he could speak, the Zhen Dao Elder raised his hand to stop him: "Lin Xiao, are you leaving Feng Shui Academy?"
Lin Xiao was stunned for a moment, then explained, "I need to go to Tianci Cave to retrieve Liu Yi. She was released from the barrier by Elder Sanyuan and met me in the forest. Also, I promised to serve as a guest official at Tianci Cave and protect the remaining disciples there. Although Tianci Cave is now deserted, there are still many disciples left."
The three elders' expressions changed slightly when they heard this. The Formation Elder frowned and said, "Lin Xiao, Elder Xuantian has just passed away, and his disciple Zhang Ning has most likely already tipped off the Shadow Monkey King. Within three days, the Shadow Monkey King will surely attack. Given the three of us in our current state, I'm afraid we won't be able to resist."
Elder Yao Wang added gravely, "The Sect Master, Elder Xuantian, and Elder Sanyuan have all fallen, severely damaging the academy. Currently, the three of us haven't yet broken through the Dingsi Realm. If the Shadow Monkey King attacks, Feng Shui Academy will likely face disaster."
Lin Xiao listened to this and secretly analyzed it, frowning slightly. He knew very well that the current situation of Feng Shui Academy was not optimistic, and Liu Yi's safety and his promise to Tianci Cave were as heavy as a mountain.
He pondered for a moment and replied, "But Liu Yi is still in Tianci Cave, and I have promised to protect her and the remaining disciples. I cannot stay out of this."
Upon hearing this, Elder Yaowang's eyes gleamed, and he immediately said, "This matter won't be difficult to resolve. I can send Lin Qing to Tianci Cave to retrieve Liu Yi, and he will also take over your position as guest elder. With Lin Qing's strength, I'm sure no one will dare to go to Tianci Cave and cause trouble again."
Lin Xiao pondered for a moment and decided this method was feasible. He nodded and said, "The elder has made thorough arrangements, so I will follow his instructions. Now, I will go and explain the situation at Tianci Cave to Senior Brother Lin Qing and have him prepare in advance."
The elder of the formation waved his hand and said, "Go ahead. Lin Qing will fully cooperate."
Lin Xiao bowed and turned to leave
Lin Xiao bowed slightly, said goodbye to the Elder of Formation, and set off for Baicao Garden.
After watching his figure disappear, the Formation Elder turned to the Medicine King Elder and the Starry Star Elder and said, "Brothers, there are still many things to arrange at the academy. Brother Medicine King, you will be responsible for comforting the disciples and allocating healing resources. Brother Starry Star, you will stabilize the affairs of the various pavilions. I will go to the academy's protective formation and re-check the formation to guard against the Shadow Monkey King's attack."
The two elders responded in unison: "We will follow your orders, brother!" Then they turned around and flew towards the mission area.
Lin Xiao arrived at the Baicao Garden, crossed the medicinal fields, and entered the Zen temple. He saw Senior Brother Lin Qing sitting cross-legged in meditation, breathing deeply. He called out softly, "Senior Brother Lin Qing."
Lin Qing slowly opened his eyes, stood up, and approached Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao pulled a wooden sword from his sleeve. The blade had fine veins and exuded a faint breath of life—a treasure transformed by the Ancient Tree Spirit. He solemnly handed the wooden sword to Lin Qing, smiling, "Everyone in Tianci Cave recognizes this sword. With it, everyone in Tianci Cave will see you as if they were seeing me. I believe they will be convinced."
Lin Qing took the wooden sword, his brows revealing a hint of solemnity: "Don't worry, since this is Master's order, I will definitely live up to your trust."
Then, Lin Xiao said goodbye to Lin Qing and went to Xuanzhen Pavilion, Xingchen Pavilion and Chanyi Hall to visit several friends who came to Feng Shui Academy with him.
In Xuanzhen Pavilion, Wang Hao and Yuan Hong were thin because they were trapped in the barrier, but when they saw Lin Xiao coming, they forced a smile and said that they would recover soon.
In the Chanyi Hall, Wang Yiming was still seriously injured and bedridden, but since Elder Chanxin had lost his power, he was no longer under threat. Lin Xiao felt a little relieved to see that all three were fine.
Just as Lin Xiao was leaving the main hall and preparing to set foot on the path to the back mountain, he suddenly heard a disciple's shout in the distance: "Liu Yi is back! Liu Yi is back!"
Lin Xiao was shocked, stopped, turned around and flew away.
Outside the Feng Shui Academy's gates, he spotted Liu Yizheng standing before a group of disciples, looking slightly exhausted but relaxed. Lin Xiao landed in front of her, frowning and asking, "Didn't I tell you to wait for me at Tianci Cave? Why did you come back?"
Liu Yi crossed his arms over his chest with a playful smile, "I'm just worried about you. I'm afraid that revenge has blinded you, so I want to see if I can stop you."
She looked around and saw many disciples from Baicao Garden and Xingchen Pavilion. She knew in her heart that Lin Xiao had already completed the task. The corners of her mouth raised slightly: "It seems that you have done a good job. The five hundred immortal jades were worth it. It's worth it for me to accompany you to collect the debt."
Lin Xiao was teased by her and laughed silently. He waved his hand and said, "Alright, alright, you take credit for the achievement! Go back and see Master Yao Wang and Senior Brother Lin Qing. They are waiting for you in Baicao Garden." He deliberately concealed the details of the battle, thinking that there was no need to let Liu Yi know too much.
Liu Yi smiled and gave him a thumbs up, then ran happily towards Baicao Garden.
But after walking a few steps, she suddenly stopped and turned around with a worried look on her face. "Oh, right, when I just came back, I saw Zhang Ning heading towards the Ancient Forest from afar. He was very fast, and it seemed he was going to find the Shadow Monkey King."
Lin Xiao curled up the corner of his mouth in a sneer, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes: "I expected him to do this. You go back quickly, and leave the rest to me." Although Liu Yi was a little worried, seeing Lin Xiao's firm expression, he turned and left without saying much.
Seeing Liu Yi return safely, Lin Xiao felt relieved.
He leaped up, using the "Dragon Swimming Across the Seas" technique, and quickly flew towards the back mountain. When he arrived at the thatched cottage, he found the items in front of the house scattered, much the same as when he had hurriedly fled.
He didn't stop for long, walking straight into the cave. Under the stone platform inside the cave, a secret compartment remained intact. He carefully opened it, and the items inside were in perfect order.
He picked up the three portraits left by Lin Jiao, examined them carefully, and after confirming that they were not damaged, he put them back in their original places.
Then, Lin Xiao walked out of the cave and moved the miscellaneous items in front of the hut back into the house one by one, restoring the hut to its original appearance.
Looking at the tidied residence, he breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at the distant sky, his eyes gradually becoming deep.
The deep night was like thick ink, shrouding the Feng Shui Academy in silence. Only the mountain breeze in the distance gently brushed the treetops, making a faint rustling sound.
A bright moon hung high in the sky, and the silvery moonlight poured down, casting a cold glow on the stone steps in front of the back mountain. Lin Xiao stood on them, gazing at the undulating ancient forest in the distance, his eyes complex and deep.
The wind blew across his slightly wrinkled brows, and he seemed to sense an uneasy whisper, as if coming from the depths of the forest, lurking some crisis that could not be ignored.
The figures of the headmaster, Senior Brother Ye Xuan and the dirty Taoist priest kept appearing in his mind. Their gentle words, profound teachings and hearty laughter rippled in his memory like water waves.
But in the next moment, everything was swallowed up by blood and darkness, leaving only empty and powerless memories.
Lin Xiao's fingers clenched involuntarily, his nails almost digging into his palms, bitterness and anger mixed in his chest.
He whispered, "Master, Senior Brother Ye Xuan, I will definitely avenge the blood debt owed to Feng Shui Academy by that filthy Taoist priest..." He looked up at the moonlight and suddenly made up his mind, "Perhaps the Sweeping Monk will hold the answer."
The Sutra Library stands silently like a lonely giant under the moonlight, and its six-story tower shines brightly against the stars in the sky.
Lin Xiao stepped onto the bluestone steps in front of the tower and looked up slightly. The windows on the sixth floor were still closed. The cold wind blew past, and his heart sank slightly.
With a leap, he flew to the window and knocked lightly on the window frame. The sound was crisp and rapid, as if to wake up the sweeping monk who was on the sixth floor all year round.
However, the only response he received was silence in the tower.
He frowned slightly, glanced towards the window, then took a deep breath, recited the incantation silently, and performed the "Illusionary Body Skills: Imitating Phantom Moves". A force condensed by energy, Lin Xiao, quietly emerged from the inside of the sixth floor and opened the window.
Lin Xiao stepped into the tower and smelled a familiar scent of books.
The piles of books that once lay scattered about the floor were now spotlessly clean, almost unnaturally neat. His gaze swept across the tower's furnishings, and without pausing, he walked straight towards the barrier gate of the sixth-floor secret room.
Pushing open the stone door, the furnishings in the secret room had not changed much. The desks on both sides were still filled with secret techniques and martial arts, but the central desk seemed empty, as two secret techniques were missing.
Lin Xiao collected his thoughts and pulled out an ancient book emitting golden light from the desk beside him - "The Art of Sword Qi".
As he turned the pages of the book, a dazzling golden light suddenly appeared, and the words in the book rushed into his mind word by word like leaping lights. The profound meaning of swordsmanship contained in the book was deeply embedded in his consciousness.
He closed his eyes, held his breath, and concentrated, feeling the sword energy like frost and the murderous intent like a knife.
He slowly opened his eyes, a sharper look in his gaze. He raised his right hand and lightly tapped his index finger. Air surged with the sword's force. With a gentle swing, the air in the chamber suddenly emitted a low hum.
He replicated the sword moves recorded in the book step by step. The sword energy flew into the air and turned into dark blue light, surging in the secret room.
In front of the academy's protective formation, the formation elder sat alone in the center of the formation, his hands were holding complex seals, his eyes slightly closed, sensing every subtle change in the formation.
Suddenly, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, a smile of relief in his calmness, "Elder Xuantian's restoration method is indeed ingenious. The courtyard protection formation has been restored to its original state."
However, as his thoughts returned to that tragic battle, his eyes gradually dimmed. He murmured to himself, "If I hadn't been careless for a moment, how could the headmaster and Elder Xuantian have..." His voice gradually faded, and finally turned into a sigh.
He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes blazing with determination. "Shadow Monkey King, if you attack me again, I will kill you right here!"
The Formation Elder did not return to the Xuanzhen Pavilion, but sat cross-legged beside the formation, silently guarding it. He knew that this formation was not only a barrier for Fengshui Academy, but also the last wishes of the heroic souls who fought for the academy.
At dawn, soft sunlight streamed down from the mountains, casting a golden veil over the world. However, this peaceful atmosphere was shattered by the distant sound of the earth shaking.
A huge army of monkey demons was passing through the mountain jungle and approaching the Feng Shui Academy. Leading them was the Shadow Monkey King, who sat on a huge tree branch like a king. Zhang Ning was standing by his side with a stern face and icy eyes.
Inside the Feng Shui Academy, the vibration woke everyone up.
The Formation Elder slowly stood up from the formation and said calmly but coldly, "Finally."
He walked towards the academy gate step by step, his figure as straight as a gun.
Elder Yaowang, Elder Xingchen and Lin Xiao also hurried over. They looked at each other and saw the same determination in each other's eyes.
Amidst the dust, the monkey demon army stopped in front of the academy. Thousands of demon soldiers lined up in neat formations, with a sinister aura that covered the sky and the sun, and Zhang Ning was among them.
The Shadow Monkey King lazily leaned against a branch, a playful smile on his face: "Submit to me, or die!"
Lin Xiao stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the Shadow Monkey King. The scene of the Sect Master and Senior Brother Ye Xuan falling down appeared in his mind. The blood that had not dissipated and the last words that had not been shouted out turned into a raging fire in his chest.
He raised his head and said in a voice like a sharp sword cutting through the sky: "Dream on!"
Upon hearing this, the Shadow Monkey King's eyes flashed with murderous intent, and he sneered, "You ignorant brat, today I'll let you experience true despair!"