Chapter 298: Preparations for Battle

Lin Xiao was unaware of the events concerning the man in the hotel. At this moment, he was making the final preparations for his journey to the Golden Claw Sect.

Last night, after parting ways with Ning Xi, he returned directly to Yuan Yu’s home. With Wan Caixuan having gone to the imperial capital, he didn’t need to go to the company for the next few days.

***

The next day, at five in the morning, Lin Xiao woke up on time.

Within just three seconds, he shook off the remnants of sleep, his eyes becoming clear and composed.

From the neighboring room came the faint, steady breathing of Yuan Yu. She was sleeping soundly.

Without making a sound, Lin Xiao got out of bed, dressed, and washed his face, all in one seamless motion. He left a note on the table for Yuan Yu, then leaped out of the window.

In the dim morning light, his figure flickered as he darted into the distance.

Killing intent and battle spirit intertwined in his chest.

Even if what lay ahead was a mountain of blades or a sea of fire, Lin Xiao was fearless.

***

Linjin City, Jiangdong Province

This was the border between Jiangnan and Jiangdong provinces, home to the headquarters of the Golden Claw Sect.

The Golden Claw Sect’s main hall was located on the most bustling street in Linjin City. The grand entrance bore a gleaming gold plaque with the characters “Golden Claw Sect” inscribed in bold, commanding strokes—majestic, unruly, and exuding an overpowering presence, clearly the work of a master calligrapher.

At this moment, a large crowd had gathered at the entrance of the Golden Claw Sect’s main hall.

They were all clad in dark red martial robes, each robe embroidered on the back with an eagle in mid-flight, talons poised to strike. They were the disciples of the Golden Claw Sect.

Every one of these disciples stood upright, hands clasped behind their backs, forming a formidable blockade at the entrance. Their sharp gazes swept over every passerby.

They carried themselves with vigor, their postures tall and imposing. Their eyes burned with intensity, their presence exuding an unmistakable aura of menace. Even to an ordinary person unversed in martial arts, these men were clearly not to be trifled with.

“Is it true the guy who killed Martial Uncle Jiang and crippled Martial Uncle Duan is coming to challenge Golden Claw Sect today?” one disciple asked in a hushed voice.

“He made a three-day vow with Martial Uncle Duan. If he’s got any guts, then yeah—today’s the day,” another murmured.

“Hmph, three-day vow or not, who’d dare provoke the Golden Claw Sect?” a third scoffed. “I bet he’s already run off with his tail between his legs.”

“That can’t be,” one replied, frowning. “They say his martial skills are terrifying. He killed Martial Uncle Jiang and nearly killed Duan. Would someone like that really just vanish?”

“Strength means nothing if you fear death,” someone else snapped. “Plenty of powerful fighters are still cowards. This is our turf. You think he has the nerve to show his face here? Please—he’s probably already hiding in some dark corner of the world, praying we forget he exists.”

“If he is hiding, we’re just letting him off?” another asked sharply.

“Let him off? Not a chance. Anyone who offends the Golden Claw Sect gets hunted down—no matter where they hide.”

“Exactly!”

“Anyone who crosses us must die!”

Voices rang out in unison. The air thickened with bloodlust.

Pedestrians who witnessed this scene hurriedly kept their distance, while some even changed routes to avoid passing by the sect’s entrance.

Compared to the raucous atmosphere outside, the interior of Golden Claw Sect’s headquarters was eerily silent. But beneath this stillness lurked a deadly sense of anticipation.

The elite disciples of the Golden Claw Sect were stationed in various corners. Some meditated cross-legged, some pretended to rest with their eyes closed, and others leaned casually against walls. Yet their aura was far more intense than the men guarding the entrance.

These elite fighters had been specially summoned from all of Golden Claw Sect’s branch schools for the sole purpose of dealing with Lin Xiao.

The Golden Claw Sect had spared no expense in preparing an inescapable trap. The moment Lin Xiao set foot inside their domain, there would be no escape.

However, these disciples were not the true core of the sect’s power. The real forces were gathered in the main hall.

Golden Claw Sect, being far superior to Chen’s Martial Hall, had a magnificent and luxurious grand hall.

The floor was paved with black jade tiles, smooth and gleaming. Overhead, crystal chandeliers hung in rows, casting a pristine light throughout the hall. On either side, Taishi chairs stood neatly aligned, each one carved with intricate detail, radiating an unmistakable air of prestige. At the far end of the hall, a large plaque bearing the inscription “Eagle Sweeps the Skies” dominated the space, mounted high above a commanding Taishi chair set directly beneath it.

This principal seat remained empty.

The others, however, were not.

Sitting on the first chair to the left was Duan Changhan. His face was pale, his right arm wrapped in bandages, his expression weary yet ice-cold.

“Eldest Senior Brother, are you sure that man named Lin Xiao will come?”

Opposite him sat a lean middle-aged man with unnaturally long arms. His brows furrowed as he questioned Duan Changhan.

“If he doesn’t show up, we’ve gathered all these people for nothing. It would make us a laughingstock.”

Duan Changhan lifted his gaze and glanced at the speaker. “He’ll come.”

“Summoning everyone just to deal with one man seems excessive,” another man with ghostly pale skin said. “Eldest Senior Brother, is this Lin Xiao really as formidable as you claim?”

It wasn’t just this one person who harbored doubts. Apart from Duan Changhan, everyone else in the hall shared similar skepticism.

“I suffered internal injuries because of him,” Duan Changhan said coldly. “And Brother Jiang’s corpse is still in the inner hall. If you don’t believe me, you can go see for yourselves.”

At the mention of Jiang Linfeng, the room fell into silence.

“It doesn’t matter who this man is or how many people he brings; anyone who dares to kill a member of the Golden Claw Sect must pay in blood,” a raspy voice echoed from the corner of the hall.

“Duan Changhan was right. If this man dares challenge our sect, then he must have absolute confidence in his own strength. Gathering our forces in advance is better than being caught unprepared. Golden Claw Sect must not lose.”

“Master!”

At that moment, everyone seated in the hall rose simultaneously, including Duan Changhan.

A man entered the grand hall. He had an average physique, graying hair, and appeared to be in his fifties. He wore a black Tang suit and cloth shoes. As he walked, he moved lightly on his feet, his back slightly hunched forward, his neck stretching out like an eagle scanning for prey.

This man was Wang Changgong, the sect master of Golden Claw Sect—an elite martial artist at the late stage of Dark Force.

Wang Changgong walked to the principal chair, sat down, and gestured downward with his hand. “Sit.”

Everyone in the hall immediately took their seats.

Resting his hands on the chair’s armrests, Wang Changgong did not unleash his internal energy, yet his fingers were already a deep, iron-blue hue—shaped and hardened like a true eagle’s talons.

“Duan Changhan, tell everyone what happened. Let them understand the situation.”

“Yes, Master. It all started some time ago when Brother Jiang…”

Duan Changhan recounted the events.