son, don't mess around

The inner courtyard of the Jiang residence.

Lin Jiangnian is practicing his martial arts.

He stood in the courtyard, holding the Autumn Water Sword, contemplating and practicing swordsmanship.

Lin Jiangnian's martial arts skills were quite diverse. As the heir of the Prince of Lin, he had memorized many martial arts techniques from the Ruyi Tower.

Over the past year, Lin Jiangnian has gained an understanding of the martial arts techniques of various schools and sects. His own martial arts skills are a hodgepodge of the essence of various schools.

Over the past year, as his strength has improved by leaps and bounds, his control over the Autumn Water Sword has become increasingly proficient.

This famous sword, once crafted by a master swordsmith, eventually ended up in the hands of Elder Li. Finally, Elder Li gifted the sword to Lin Jiangnian.

This Autumn Water Sword and the Silver Moon Sword in the Princess's hand were originally a pair.

Rumor has it that the two swords, when used together, can unleash even greater power. However, Lin Jiangnian is not strong enough and has never had the opportunity to use them.

Right now in the courtyard, Lin Jiangnian is recalling his experience fighting Chen Zhao that night.

In order to give Chen Zhao no chance to react, he directly used the final move of the Nine Sword Techniques, intending to kill Chen Zhao instantly.

Unfortunately, he still managed to block it!

Ultimately, it comes down to Lin Jiangnian's own lack of strength and insufficient internal energy.

The Nine Sword Techniques are indeed exquisite, but the internal energy they consume is unimaginable. Especially the last move, even though Lin Jiang's internal energy has now reached the second rank.

Even so, it still seems somewhat inadequate when it comes to executing the Nine Sword Techniques.

All things considered, Lin Jiangnian's progress along the way has been nothing short of phenomenal. This is not only due to Lin Jiangnian's outstanding martial arts talent, but also to the continuous resources provided by Ruyi Tower, as well as the guidance from top experts like Senior Li, Zhiyuan, and Liu Su.

Of course, the one who provided the greatest help to Lin Jiangnian in the path of martial arts was the eldest princess.

The princess's unique physique greatly aided Lin Jiangnian's martial arts cultivation. Her extremely cold constitution, which could have been fatal, actually complemented Lin Jiangnian's own physique and the Xuan Yang Heart Sutra he practiced.

Speaking of which, Lin Jiangnian does miss the time when he and the Princess were 'cultivating together'.

I wonder how Li Piaomiao is doing on the front lines now, and whether her health condition has relapsed?
In the inner courtyard, a figure in red appeared silently in the corridor. Leaning against a pillar, her gaze fell on Lin Jiangnian, who was practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard, and a hint of amazement flickered in her eyes.

Approximately Rank 2!
Has this guy's strength really reached this level?

For a moment, Liu Su was somewhat dazed.

She clearly remembered the first time she met Lin Jiangnian; it was in that dilapidated temple. Back then, Lin Jiangnian was clearly a weakling who couldn't even kill a chicken.

In less than two years, he transformed into the true heir of the Prince of Lin, and grew from a guy who knew absolutely no martial arts to where he is today.

Such a rapid pace of progress is truly astonishing.

Such an astonishing rate of progress cannot be attributed solely to talent!
This guy probably has some other secrets.

As Liu Su was thinking, another aloof figure approached from not far away.

It was a paper kite.

She was also gazing at Lin Jiangnian in the courtyard, her demeanor cool and her gaze serene, lost in thought.

"What on earth did he go through?"

Liu Su glanced at the kite and couldn't help but ask.

"Why has your martial arts improved so quickly?"

Even though Liu Su was already considered a martial arts prodigy, the speed at which this guy's martial arts skills grew still astonished her.

Zhiyuan gazed at Lin Jiangnian in the courtyard, her cool eyes flashing slightly. Then, she spoke calmly, "Your Highness possesses exceptional martial arts talent; such achievements are not surprising."

"Even with exceptional martial arts talent, it shouldn't be this fast, right?"

Others might not know, but Liu Sunan could not possibly be unaware of Lin Jiangnian's background.
She did know that Lin Jiangnian had good martial arts talent, but it was impossible for him to reach this level of skill in less than two years.

Even with the cultivation resources of the Ruyi Tower in the Prince's Mansion, it would be far from possible to achieve such results, unless guided by a grandmaster like Lin Hengzhong.

The problem is that, as far as she knows, Lin Hengzhong has never given Lin Jiangnian any martial arts instruction.

Zhiyuan lowered her eyes slightly, as if thinking of something. After a while, she spoke softly, "Perhaps, it's her?"

"she?"

Liu Su turned to look at the kite, her face showing suspicion.

Zhiyuan's gaze remained fixed on Lin Jiangnian in the courtyard as she said softly, "Li Piaomiao."

Upon hearing this, Liu Su was taken aback.

Then, a look of realization flashed in his eyes, as if he had understood something.

Then, a cold smile gradually appeared on her face.

"Now that you put it that way, it makes sense..."

"It can only be that woman!"

"She's the real martial arts genius. With her guidance, it's no wonder this guy is improving so fast..."

Liu Su seemed to be talking to herself, but a meaningful, cold smile appeared on her face.

She seemed to remember something and turned to look at Zhiyuan: "So, that woman spends a lot of time with him?"

The kite remained silent, its eyes slightly lowered.

Seeing her serene and peaceful demeanor, Liu Su suddenly felt a surge of anger for some reason.

"Is this how you react?"

Paper Kite, puzzled, looked up at her.

"That woman is trying to steal your man right in front of you, why aren't you reacting at all?"

Liu Su crossed her arms and said irritably, "You just stood by and watched him spend every day with that woman without any reaction?"

Upon hearing this, Zhiyuan did not speak, her cool gaze lowered slightly.

After a long pause, she finally spoke calmly: "So, what do you think should be done?"

"Naturally..."

Liu Su subconsciously wanted to speak, but the words stopped her at the last second.

She looked at the kite, gritted her teeth, turned her head away, and said irritably, "He's your man, why are you asking me what to do?"

That's your own business!

Paper Kite didn't speak, but just stared at her quietly.

That calm gaze made Liu Su feel a little uneasy.

"Speak your mind, don't stare at people like that!" Liu Su gritted her teeth, her tone still irritable.

Zhiyuan shifted her gaze, her eyes returning to Lin Jiangnian in the courtyard. After a long silence, she suddenly asked, "Are you still planning to keep running away?"

Liu Su crossed her arms and sneered, "What am I running away from?"

The kite didn't speak again.

This, in turn, made Liu Su even more uncomfortable.

She could naturally understand the meaning behind Zhiyuan's words: what exactly did this woman want to do?
Liu Su stared at her for a long time, but still couldn't quite figure her out.

The woman who is closely related to her by blood is now in an awkward situation with her.

Liu Su felt very conflicted and torn.

After a long pause, she let out a soft sigh.

At this moment, Lin Jiangnian, who was practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard, finally finished.

He sheathed his sword, turned around, and saw Liu Su and Zhiyuan under the eaves. A smile immediately appeared on his face, and he was about to step forward.

But Liu Su glared at him coldly with annoyance before turning and leaving.

This left Lin Jiangnian somewhat bewildered. What... what happened?

What's wrong with this woman now?
"Paper kite".

Lin Jiangnian came to the eaves, stood beside Zhiyuan, glanced at Liu Su's departing figure, and asked in puzzlement, "What's wrong with her?"

Paper Kite simply shook her head and did not speak.

"you……"

Lin Jiangnian tentatively asked, "Did you two have a fight just now?"

Zhiyuan glanced at him and asked, "Does Your Highness really want us to argue?"

"Of course not."

Lin Jiangnian shook his head: "Of course I hope that you two sisters can get along peacefully and harmoniously, after all, you are all family."

"As a family, we should naturally live in harmony."

The kite remained silent, a strange glint in its cool gaze.

Do they live in harmony?
Perhaps, this is what I truly hope for.

But is it really possible?

As if remembering something, Zhiyuan looked up and glanced at Lin Jiangnian beside her. For some reason, she suddenly recalled what His Highness had said that day.

I hope the two sisters can get along well, and it would be best if they could share a large bed...?
For a moment, I felt a burning sensation on my face for some reason, and a feeling of embarrassment and annoyance welled up in my heart.

Paper Kite couldn't help but glare at Lin Jiangnian as well.

Then, he turned and walked away quickly.

Lin Jiangnian was left standing there dumbfounded. What was going on?
What's wrong with Paper Kite this time?

Did I say something wrong?
Lin Jiangnian stood there, thinking hard, but still couldn't figure it out. In the end, he could only conclude that the two sisters didn't get along very well, so they blamed him for all the problems.

What an unexpected disaster!
……

"We have already found some clues about the cult leader's identity."

As dusk fell, in a room in the inner courtyard.

Zhiyuan and Liu Su sat down at a table again, with Lin Jiangnian sitting between them, discussing the intelligence they had gathered over the past two days.

"According to the urgent report from the Prince of Lin's residence, a mysterious force was indeed found within the Southern Frontier back then..."

"This force, just as you said before, is inextricably linked to the Heavenly God Cult."

Lin Jiangnian looked at Liu Su, the flickering lamplight illuminating her stunningly beautiful face.

"Both Chen Zhao and the sect leader are inextricably linked to the Heavenly God Sect. To be precise, they are related to the Southern Frontier Kingdoms that were destroyed by Prince Lin."

"The two brothers are very likely from the southern border countries."

"As for why one of them appeared in the Great Ning court and the other became the leader of the Heavenly God Sect, this matter still needs further investigation..."

"..."

Over the past few days, Lin Jiangnian ordered his men to follow the clues and, as expected, they uncovered a considerable amount of information.

At present, we can basically confirm the background of Chen Zhaohe, the leader of the cult, but we still need time to confirm the specifics of his origins.

"In that case, it all makes sense why the Heavenly God Sect is active in Linzhou, why it has a grudge against the Prince of Lin's Mansion, and why the sect leader asked you to find a way to assassinate the Prince of Lin."

Lin Jiangnian looked at Liu Su, who seemed to understand what was going on.

This has always been something she couldn't understand.

What grudge does the cult leader have against Lin Hengzhong, and why has he been trying to target the Prince of Lin's residence? And what about the assassination attempt more than a year ago...? If the cult leader hadn't given the order, Liu Su would never have risked so much to have Lin Jiangnian impersonate the Prince of Lin's heir.

Now that we know the leader comes from the southern border countries, everything makes sense.

More than a decade ago, Lin Hengzhong led his troops to conquer the kingdoms of the Southern Frontier, unifying the world. But at the same time, the Southern Frontier was ravaged, and countless people were displaced.

Many people in the Southern Frontier naturally harbor deep hatred for Lin Hengzhong, and as a member of the various kingdoms in the Southern Frontier, the leader of the sect would also naturally hate Lin Hengzhong to the core.

Over the years, the Heavenly God Cult has been targeting the Prince Lin's residence both openly and covertly. It's likely that this is driven by a desire for revenge.

"And one more thing……"

Lin Jiangnian seemed to have thought of something and turned to look at the kite beside him: "Your father's death back then was inextricably linked to Chen Zhao."

Upon hearing this, the previously silent Paper Kite raised its head and looked at Lin Jiangnian.

She had already learned the truth about this matter from Chen Zhao that night.

Lin Jiangnian said, "Back then, the Wang family was the culprit who framed your father, and Chen Zhao was indeed behind it. The reason why the leader ordered the extermination of the entire Wang family was to cover up the evidence."

As he spoke, Lin Jiangnian glanced at Liu Su.

The Wang family was wiped out, and Liu Su was inevitably involved in the massacre. She became involved by chance.

When Liu Su saw Lin Jiangnian looking at her, she immediately rolled her eyes.

"What are you looking at me for? I killed him, so what?"

Lin Jiangnian ignored her and continued, "In this way, we can confirm that Chen Zhao is colluding with the cult leader. At least there was contact with your father back then."

"But the question is, why did they frame your father for treason back then?"

Lin Jiangnian said slowly.

Although Jiang Cheng was the Prefect of Xunyang at the time, a figure of considerable importance, it was still not enough for him to be secretly plotted against like this.

Moreover, it was a crime of treason and rebellion.

There must be something hidden behind this.

Zhiyuan stared at Lin Jiangnian without saying a word, but her cool eyes seemed to be searching for some clue to the truth.

"Do you remember what we found when we were trapped in that secret cave of the Wang family?"

Lin Jiangnian asked.

The kite seemed dazed, then gradually remembered something.

"Ledger?"

"That's right!"

Lin Jiangnian nodded: "There's something wrong with those ledgers. They contain evidence of the Wang family colluding with external forces. At the time, we always suspected that the Wang family was involved with external forces. But for some reason, I always felt that there was something fishy going on."

"Especially after the Wang family was wiped out, I became even more certain that something was wrong. It wasn't until Chen Zhao surfaced this time that I became certain of something."

Seeing that Zhiyuan's gaze was on him, Lin Jiang chuckled lightly: "It's almost certain that the Third Prince a year ago must have had contact with Chen Zhao, and the two of them had dealings... It's just that later, for some reason, Chen Zhao gave up on Li Yuan."

"But prior to this, the two had a close relationship. In addition, I also discovered that the Third Prince had extremely close ties with the Xunyang Prince's family..."

As if realizing something, Zhiyuan's gaze suddenly sharpened: "My father's death is related to Chen Zhao and the Third Prince?"

"pretty close!"

Lin Jiangnian nodded: "I suspect that your father probably discovered some secret back then. This secret may be related to the Third Prince, or it may be related to Chen Zhao."

"Therefore, your father's death was most likely due to them silencing him!"

"To cover up the truth, they wanted to wipe out your entire Jiang family back then. But they probably didn't expect that you would survive."

The kite suddenly looked up, a cold glint appearing in its clear eyes.

She didn't speak, but the chilling aura emanating from her body perfectly revealed her emotions at that moment.

Her slightly heaving chest proved that she was not calm.

After a long pause, the kite finally uttered words coldly.

"They all deserve to die!" (End of Chapter)