The moment Lin Xuan felt several gazes lock onto him, he knew trouble had found him before he had even touched a single manual.
The second floor of the Lin Clan's library was quieter than the bustling first floor, but it was far from empty. Rows of jade slips rested in lacquered shelves, each emitting faint fluctuations of qi. A few disciples stood scattered around, flipping through texts or sitting cross-legged as they memorized passages. Compared to the noisy arrogance below, the atmosphere here carried an unspoken hierarchy—those who stood here had either merit, background, or ambition.
And then there were those who smelled weakness.
"Yo… isn't that Lin Xuan?"
The voice came from behind him, lazy and edged with mockery.
Lin Xuan didn't turn around immediately. Instead, his eyes narrowed slightly as he activated the Eye of Insight.
Information flooded in effortlessly.
The leader:Qi Circulation Realm — Intermediate StageQi flow: unevenFoundation: shallow
The three behind him:Qi Circulation Realm — Early StageQi control: crudeCombat experience: lacking
Four people.
One leader. Three followers.
Lin Xuan exhaled softly.
That's it?
He turned around slowly, finally giving them his attention.
Standing at the front was a tall young man with sharp brows and a faint sneer permanently carved onto his face. His robes were neat, his clan insignia worn openly, and the confidence in his posture suggested he was used to others stepping aside for him. Behind him stood three disciples, each trying very hard to look intimidating—chests puffed, arms crossed, eyes filled with poorly concealed anticipation.
The leader looked Lin Xuan up and down, his gaze lingering just a bit too long, as if searching for proof of weakness.
"Tsk," he clicked his tongue. "I heard you'd started moving around again, but I didn't expect to see you here."
One of the goons snorted."Second floor, no less."
Another chimed in, barely holding back laughter."You sure you didn't get lost, Young Master Heir?"
A few nearby disciples paused in their reading. Not openly—but enough to listen.
Lin Xuan tilted his head slightly, expression calm.
"Oh?" he said mildly. "Is this floor rented in your name?"
The leader blinked.
That wasn't the response he had expected.
A ripple of amusement passed through a few of the onlookers.
The leader's lips twitched. "Careful with your words, Lin Xuan. Just because you have the title of heir doesn't mean—"
"—doesn't mean I should speak?" Lin Xuan cut in smoothly. "You're right. I should probably bark instead. That seems more your speed."
For a split second, silence hung in the air.
Then—
Snrk.
Someone failed to suppress a laugh.
One of the disciples pretending to read nearly dropped his jade slip.
The three goons stiffened, faces reddening.
The leader's eyes darkened. "You—!"
Lin Xuan folded his arms lazily. "Relax. I'm just surprised. I didn't realize the Lin Clan had started letting guard dogs roam the library."
This time, the laughter was louder.
A few disciples openly turned to watch now, curiosity replacing indifference.
The leader took a step forward, qi flaring unconsciously around his body. "You've really forgotten your place."
Lin Xuan smiled faintly.
"That's funny," he said. "I was just thinking the same thing about you."
That did it.
"Enough!" the leader snapped. "If you've got guts, come outside. Or is the heir of the Lin Clan only brave when hiding behind shelves?"
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow. "Outside?"
"Yes," the leader said coldly. "Unless you're afraid."
Lin Xuan glanced around, noticing how the attention had fully shifted to them now. The library rules were strict—no fighting, no disturbances, no exceptions.
Perfect.
"Outside works," he said.
The leader blinked.
That wasn't how this was supposed to go.
"But," Lin Xuan added, "I have one condition."
The goons scoffed.
"Scared already?"
"No fighting manuals," Lin Xuan said plainly. "I don't know any."
The leader froze for half a breath—then laughed.
"Hah! Fine by me," he said, waving a hand. "I wouldn't want people saying I bullied you using techniques you couldn't even comprehend."
Lin Xuan nodded. "Good. Then let's not waste time."
They turned and began walking toward the stairs.
Behind them, murmurs exploded.
"Is he serious?""He's going to get crushed…""Did the heir finally lose his mind?"
No one stopped them.
When they reached the entrance, Lin Xuan paused and turned toward the elder seated at the counter.
"Elder," he said respectfully, inclining his head. "May I request your presence to oversee a friendly duel?"
The old man opened one eye.
Friendly duel.
He looked Lin Xuan over carefully, surprise flickering through his aged gaze. The young master before him looked… different. Straighter. Calmer. Sharper.
Still.
"Very well," the elder said after a moment. "I'll ensure fairness."
And I'll be ready to save you, he added silently.
Outside, the open courtyard filled quickly.
Disciples poured out of the library like water breaking through a dam. A wide circle formed naturally, leaving ample space in the center. The leader stood confidently opposite Lin Xuan, arms loose, chin raised.
If I hold back, this won't be the last time.
Lin Xuan's eyes flicked briefly to the three followers, then back to the leader.
So I won't.
One clean defeat.
Enough that he remembers it every time he considers speaking my name.
Enough to make sure nobody bothers me easily after this.
The elder stepped forward.
"Rules are simple," he announced. "No fighting manuals. No lethal intent. Qi reinforcement is permitted. Victory is determined by surrender, incapacitation, or inability to continue."
His gaze swept across both parties.
"Begin."
The leader smirked immediately.
"So this is what it's come to?" he said loudly. "The great Lin Clan heir reduced to embarrassing himself in public."
Lin Xuan exhaled.
His senses felt… alive.
The wind brushing against his skin. The subtle tremor of qi in the ground. The rhythm of his own heartbeat—steady, powerful.
This body…
It was nothing like his old one.
Stronger. Faster. Responsive in ways his mortal body could never be.
"You talk a lot," Lin Xuan said calmly. "Is that how you fight too?"
The leader's smile vanished.
He lunged.
Qi surged through his legs as he closed the distance in an instant, fist arcing straight toward Lin Xuan's face.
And to Lin Xuan—
It was slow.
Not painfully so—but slow enough.
Time seemed to stretch as his Divine Physique responded instinctively. His body shifted before thought fully formed, shoulders rolling, head tilting just enough.
The punch grazed air.
Gasps erupted.
Lin Xuan stepped in.
His counter came clean and precise—knuckles slamming into the leader's ribs at an angle that stole breath rather than breaking bone.
The leader staggered back, shock flashing across his face.
Before he could recover, Lin Xuan pressed forward.
Punch. Elbow. Knee.
Each movement flowed seamlessly, his combat experience from a past life merging perfectly with his enhanced physique. His awareness expanded—he could feel openings before they appeared, sense imbalance, predict reactions.
The leader swung wildly.
Lin Xuan ducked, pivoted, and drove his palm into the man's shoulder, sending qi spiraling into disrupted channels.
The man cried out, arm going numb.
The crowd was silent now.
The elder's eyes widened.
He's circulating qi… smoothly? No backlash? No strain?
The leader tried to retreat, panic creeping into his movements.
Lin Xuan didn't let him.
A final sweep of the leg.
The leader crashed to the ground, breath knocked from his lungs.
Lin Xuan stood over him, barely winded.
For a heartbeat, no one spoke.
Then—
The elder cleared his throat.
"Winner," he said slowly, "Lin Xuan."
Shock rippled through the crowd.
The leader lay sprawled on the stone ground, chest rising and falling erratically, eyes unfocused.
For a heartbeat, the courtyard remained frozen.
Then—
"Senior Brother!"
The three disciples who had followed him rushed forward almost simultaneously.
One dropped to a knee beside the fallen leader, shaking his shoulder lightly. "Senior Brother, wake up! Can you hear me?"
One of them crouched beside him, fingers hovering briefly at his pulse before relaxing. "He's fine. Just knocked out."
The third stood stiffly behind them, jaw clenched, eyes darting between Lin Xuan and the unconscious figure on the ground, a trace of fear slipping through the bravado he'd worn earlier.
"How… how could this happen?" one of them muttered under his breath, disbelief heavy in his voice.
They had come expecting humiliation.
They had witnessed dominance.
Lin Xuan spared them only a brief glance.
No mockery.No satisfaction.
Just indifference.
"Nothing vital was damaged," Lin Xuan said. "Whether he recovers properly depends on how well he listens from now on."
The words landed harder than any strike.
The elder stepped forward then, authority settling over the courtyard like a heavy cloak.
"That's enough," he said. "Carry him to the infirmary."
The three disciples hesitated for half a breath—then nodded quickly, lifting their leader with care, none of them daring to meet Lin Xuan's eyes as they retreated.
Whispers followed them.
Shock lingered in the air.
Lin Xuan turned immediately and bowed. "Thank you for your time, Elder. Please handle the aftermath—I'll be inside."
He walked away, heart pounding—not from fear, but exhilaration.
This body…
I'll take it beyond its limits.
Behind him, the Lin Clan would not forget what they had just witnessed.
And neither would the rumors that would spread before sunset.