Martial Arts Crossover: The Sweeping Monk of Wudang? That's our patriarch!

Nangong Piaomiao took a deep breath: "With resources depleted, aristocratic families can hardly survive. This trip is a gamble with our lives, but also a fight for survival."

Lin Daochen remained silent for a moment. The matter of the fragments of the divine map was still on his mind, but he also understood that rather than fighting alone, it would be better to take advantage of the situation to break the deadlock.

"Alright." He nodded. "But I have one condition—the Nangong family must first help me find out the origins of the Divine Map fragments."

A glint flashed in Nangong Piaomiao's eyes, and she smiled warmly: "Of course, we have already begun on this matter."

The city was bustling with people, and the streets were noisy. Amidst this lively atmosphere, the two parties quietly finalized a contract: Lin Daochen would help the Nangong family enter the Hengshan Secret Realm; in return, the Nangong family would hand over a "Netherworld Box" that had been sealed for a thousand years, containing a unique array for avoiding breath and three pseudo-life talismans—enough for him to evade the ancestor's divine sense sweep.

Lin Daochen had no intention of lingering. Although the agreement was reached, he remained on edge. Five days later, the group quietly left the city and set up camp on a desolate hill on the outskirts. The night wind rustled through the pine forest, and as he looked up at the dark mountain shadows, a strange heaviness settled in his heart, as if a lead weight was pulling him down.

Ten miles outside the city, Lin Daochen stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the direction of the divine city. In the distance, buildings appeared as silhouettes, and he waited quietly for someone—Long Ze.

This person is the messenger of the Long family, and also the most reliable bridge between him and the Long family.

Before long, a dark figure swept in, his robes fluttering – it was Long Ze.

"Is the matter settled?" Long Ze asked, his eyes calm as an ancient well, yet concealing a sharp glint.

"The Nangong family has agreed." Lin Daochen looked directly at the other person. "Is the stuff ready?"

Long Ze nodded: "All done. Once the deal is finalized, I will personally deliver the seriously injured person."

Lin Daochen reached into his robes, took out a blue-patterned jade pendant, and handed it over. The warm jade still carried his body heat; it was a token, but more importantly, it represented his bottom line.

"I will keep my promise." He spoke calmly, yet each word was firm and clear.

Long Ze took the jade pendant, stroked it for a moment, and smiled faintly: "Likewise. In this cooperation, whoever breaks their promise will be the first to be eliminated."

Once the deal was finalized, Lin Daochen didn't linger in the Divine City for even a moment longer. He turned and left, heading straight for the small lake where reeds swayed on the outskirts of the city. He was on edge—the Divine City was rife with undercurrents, and the Long family was like a castle in the air, untrustworthy and not to be delayed.

The lake shore was slightly cool, and Long Ze was already waiting there. He handed a middle-aged man, barely breathing, to Lin Daochen. The man's chest was wrapped in a blood-soaked cloth, his ribs were sunken, yet he still clung to life, his eyelids trembling like a candle flame about to go out in the wind. Lin Daochen glanced at him only, then nodded in acknowledgment, needing no further explanation.

"Good luck, Lin Daochen." Long Ze's gaze was deep, his eyes churning with unspoken words.

Lin Daochen didn't respond, but simply clenched the jade pendant in his palm and turned to leave. That warm, smooth jade pendant was the end of the contract, and also the last thread of connection between the Long family and him.

Once outside the territory of the Divine City, his name had become a shining star in the world of independent cultivators. Some called him the "game-changer," saying he dared to overturn the chessboard and disregard the rules; others said he was madly frank, forging his own path on the edge of a knife.

A great reputation can be as fiery as fire, both warming people and attracting ashes.

Just as his fame was at its peak, the patriarchs of the six major families appeared together—not vying for Liu family territory, not establishing a new agreement, but rushing towards him alone. Their killing intent was as fierce as double-edged swords being drawn, forcing Lin Daochen to hide by day and night, even his shadow had to be concealed more deeply.

A hundred miles away, reflected in the lake, Lin Daochen and Long Ze met again. This time, it was Lin Daochen who presented the jade pendant, his fingertips slightly cool. There were no pleasantries between them, only the rustling of the lake breeze against their clothes and a quiet, settled trust.

Lin Daochen, you'd better be careful. Those old fogies from the six major families, each one of them has blood on their hands, and they're watching you more closely than hunting dogs. Long Ze's voice was extremely low, a deep frown etched between his brows.

I understand. Thanks. Lin Daochen nodded, paused, and asked, "Why did you help me?"

Long Ze smiled bitterly, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly: "What's this talk of helping or not helping... I saw through them long ago. They talk about justice and morality, but in reality, they're just licking the rust off ancient forbidden artifacts to find a way to survive. I don't want to be the ashes on the altar, so I had to withdraw."

Lin Daochen listened in silence, and suddenly realized that the Long family's betrayal was not a momentary impulse, but rather that Long Ze had long regarded the lives of the Long family members as a stepping stone to escape.

Some of them are skilled in divination, while others are adept at using yin energy; your path ahead may not be smooth. Long Ze cautioned.

Lin Daochen chuckled softly, "Don't worry. As for you... I hope you can truly break free from that net and live more freely."

The two stood back to back, each step separating them into two vastly different worlds. Lin Daochen carried the weight of the unknown on his shoulders and trod a fork in the road beneath his feet, but he knew that only by overcoming this obstacle could he find Yang Kai and personally bring an end to his feud with the Long family.

The day the news arrived, Lin Daochen was struck dumb. He cast aside all his worries and sped back to Shencheng, a silent fire burning in his chest—Lin Lei was his comrade-in-arms, they had shared dry rations in the snow together, crawled out of piles of corpses together, but now he had been beaten to the point of barely breathing.

Deep in a dark alley of the divine city, there was a low-lying thatched hut. Long Ze greeted him at the door, his eyes filled with guilt: "When I found him, he was already unconscious. I moved him here without alerting the Lin family."

Lin Daochen paused for a moment, then stepped over the threshold and entered.

The person on the bed was barely recognizable: his left arm was twisted and hanging down, the skin and flesh were rolled up, and the blood scabs had congealed into a dark red hard shell; his face was covered with bruises and purples, and his breathing was shallow, like a spider's thread hanging in the air.

The injury is too severe; he needs to rest and recuperate for as long as possible. Long Ze's voice was hoarse.

Lin Daochen took a deep breath, swallowing back his surging anger. He slowly stepped forward, his fingertips hovering above Lin Lei's severed arm, hesitant to bring them down—these hands, which had once cleaved through thirty-seven sword formations alongside him, now hung limply on the edge of the bed, like broken, withered branches.

"Lin Lei... it's my fault for not being able to protect you." His voice was so low it was almost inaudible, and every word was barbed.

At that moment, Lin Lei's eyelids twitched, his gaze swept over unfocusedly, and a bitter smile appeared on his lips.

"Brother..." His voice was hoarse, but steady.

Lin Daochen's fist clenched suddenly, his knuckles turning white: "Hold on. I'll wash away your grudge."

Lin Lei turned his head with difficulty, his eyes burning: "No... I will avenge this myself."

Lin Daochen was stunned, then released his hand and nodded slightly. No words were needed—he recognized the fire burning in those eyes; it was the light in each other's eyes when they fought their way out back to back on the snowy cliffs.

Lin Lei gripped the edge of the bed with his remaining half-arm, struggling to lean towards Lin Daochen. His knuckles turned white, and his throat bobbed, as if a thousand words were stuck in his chest. Lin Daochen grabbed the bony arm, and a subtle yet persistent tremor immediately ran through his palm.

"I will be the backbone of the family." Lin Lei's voice was hoarse, but it was like an iron nail driven into bluestone, each word solid and resolute.

Lin Daochen's eyes flickered slightly, and his heart warmed—he understood. This was not just about paying back a blood debt, but also about personally straightening, polishing, and stabilizing the lintel that had been trampled into the mud.

"None of those who hurt you will stand alive," Lin Daochen replied in a deep voice, his tone sharp as a drawn sword.

Long Ze stood to the side and said in a low voice, "He was seriously injured. He had three broken ribs and most of his meridians burned through... but his fierceness burned even brighter than a fire." He paused, slightly lifting his sleeve to reveal an unhealed scorch mark, "I also sacrificed a lot to protect him."

Lin Daochen turned his head to look at Long Ze, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. He knew that this man always only considered the pros and cons, but this time, a deficit that disregarded gains and losses had clearly been added to the ledger.

"Thanks." Lin Daochen didn't say much, but he emphasized those two words very heavily.

Long Ze waved his hand, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Friendship isn't made of paper. I won't stand by and watch a promising seedling wither and die."

To be absolutely certain, he took out a warm, smooth jade pendant and placed it in Lin Daochen's hand, frankly explaining the reason why he dared not let the news leak out—it turned out that Lin Lei possessed a secret bloodline of the clan, and if the news were to be leaked, the entire Lin clan might face annihilation. Lin Daochen's fingers tightened, and he suddenly realized: the so-called silence was actually a shield of using stillness to control movement.

"I understand." He closed his eyes and inhaled, and when he opened them again, his gaze was as sharp as tempered steel.

Long Ze then suggested that Lin Lei personally avenge himself. Lin Daochen didn't stop him—he understood that this revenge wasn't about venting anger, but about helping Lin Lei stand up straight from the ashes and pick up his scattered soul inch by inch.

"Hold on, Lin Lei," Lin Daochen whispered, leaning down. "This knife is yours to sharpen."

Lin Lei's fingers tightened suddenly, his nails almost digging into Lin Daochen's forearm. There was no pleading in that force, only entrustment and vow. In the face of impending storm, the tacit understanding between brothers was as solid as a rock.

Long Ze turned and left, his figure disappearing into the shadows of the pillars. Lin Lei slowly closed his eyes, his chest heaving less—he was gathering his strength, waiting for the bugle call to rip through the long night.

As soon as Lin Daochen stepped out of the Divine City's territory, he smelled the stench in the air: several powerful clans had offered exorbitant rewards, with gold and jewels filling even a small room for anyone who could report their whereabouts. The situation suddenly became tense, like a bowstring stretched to its limit.

Long Ze then sent a secret message: the Qin family has also entered the game, offering the highest reward and the most urgent investigation. Lin Daochen's brow twitched—Qin Yue? What exactly is her connection with Qin Fengyang? In this game, who is making the moves?

A turning point appeared at this moment: Lin Lei was able to walk again, his steps were unsteady, but his eyes were like unsheathed blades. The weight on Lin Daochen's heart finally eased a little. He decided to take Lin Lei far away, following the clues from the fragments of the treasure map, and shake off all the shadowy figures watching him.

Although Linley was not fully recovered, he became increasingly cautious. The two met quietly beside an abandoned ancient well. Linley's face showed no signs of illness, only an overwhelming killing intent surging in his eyes, as if the wounds healed not with scabs, but with blades.

"Those who are after you have laid a trap." Lin Lei's voice was low and hoarse, but every word was sharp and clear. "We have to hurry."

Lin Daochen nodded: "We can't stay here any longer. Let's retrieve the fragments first, then break the deadlock."

Long Ze approached at the opportune moment, his expression grave: "The Qin family not only spent a large sum of money, but also used the 'Bone-Eating Butterfly' to track us. There's another matter—Qin Yue went into seclusion with Qin Fengyang for three years when she was young and never showed her face."

Lin Daochen's pupils contracted slightly; the name Qin Yue pierced his eardrums like needles. This thread was more deeply involved than he had imagined.

Lin Lei clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking: "I'll cleave the mountain of knives in your path for you."

Lin Daochen felt a lump in his throat, but he didn't speak. He simply patted Lin Lei's shoulder heavily. Lin Lei's fighting ability was their strongest trump card for turning the tide.

They set off immediately. Led by Long Ze, they arrived at a colossal, dark peak—the very place where Yang Kai had unearthed the first fragment. The mountain resembled a lurking black dragon, its scales menacing and oppressive, making it hard to breathe.