Chapter 299: Diverging Thoughts

The crushing defeat at Lin Xiao’s hands was not only an unforgettable humiliation for Duan Changhan but also a heavy blow.

As he recounted the events, he initially maintained his composure, but as he went on, his tone grew increasingly agitated. By the end, he was gritting his teeth, his eyes blazing with hatred.

Duan Changhan stood in Golden Claw Sect as second only to one, not merely because he was Wang Changgong’s first disciple or the sect’s chief senior brother, but because his strength surpassed everyone else’s—only below Wang Changgong himself.

Yet now, he was severely wounded, capable of exerting only thirty or forty percent of his original strength. Worse still, even if he recovered, he would never return to his peak. It was easy to foresee that his status and authority in the Golden Claw Sect would soon plummet.

Though the others still treated him with respect now, it was only due to his former prestige. But as time passed, his position would become increasingly precarious. Many in the hall were already eyeing the opportunity to replace him.

And the one person responsible for all this was Lin Xiao.

Duan Changhan’s hatred for Lin Xiao surged like an unending tide.

After hearing Duan Changhan’s account, the people in the hall remained silent, each harboring their own thoughts.

From what he described, they had come to a clear realization—Lin Xiao was no ordinary opponent. It was no wonder Duan Changhan had gone to such lengths.

They had assumed Lin Xiao had relied on tricks or deceit to defeat Jiang Linfeng and injure Duan Changhan. But from what was just revealed, it was quite the opposite—Duan Changhan had launched a sneak attack using hidden weapons, yet he was still thoroughly defeated.

This revelation made everyone feel strangely unsettled.

“Senior Brother, how old is this Lin Xiao? Thirty? Forty?” a burly man with a fierce aura asked in a deep voice, “If he could defeat you, an expert at mid-stage Dark Force, could he be a late-stage or even peak Dark Force master?”

Among the entire Golden Claw Sect, only one person had reached late-stage Dark Force —Sect Master Wang Changgong.

Duan Changhan’s facial muscles twitched slightly before he replied with difficulty, “He is very young, definitely no more than twenty-five. As for his cultivation… I couldn’t discern it. But from his strikes alone, he is far beyond me.”

“What?!”

Everyone in the hall was shocked.

Even Wang Changgong, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, exuding an air of composure, couldn’t help but open his eyes. A flicker of astonishment crossed his face.

A man under twenty-five who was not only a Dark Force master but defeated Duan Changhan—and even Duan Changhan himself couldn’t gauge his true strength?

If this were said anywhere else, no one would believe it.

Had the proof not been right before their eyes, they would have scoffed at such a notion as a ridiculous fantasy.

Though martial cultivations were difficult to perceive directly, warriors of the same realm could typically sense each other’s strength.

For Duan Changhan to fail to sense Lin Xiao’s depth meant only one thing—Lin Xiao’s cultivation was on a whole different level.

If Lin Xiao was truly far beyond him, then that meant he was at least late-stage Dark Force, possibly even higher.

It was a chilling thought.

The people in the hall exchanged looks, an eerie atmosphere settling among them.

One shared thought arose among them.

‘Has Senior Brother Duan grown complacent—softened by comfort and the trappings of status? Has his strength truly waned, leading to his defeat?’

It seemed like a likely possibility.

Martial cultivation required steady, incremental progress—even geniuses had their limits.

Dark Force mastery at twenty-something was already exceedingly rare, but not impossible. Some had heard of such prodigies before—sons of major aristocratic clans, nurtured by abundant resources and guidance from powerful mentors.

But a late-stage Dark Force master in his twenties?

Not once had they heard of such a thing. Not even once.

Reaching Dark Force involved an immense threshold, each stage a grueling leap. Late-stage experts could utterly crush those at the entry level.

However, advancing beyond mid-stage was a different story. Unlike the earlier stages where raw resources and training could push one forward, mastering Dark Force required years of deep introspection and disciplined refinement.

It was a slow, painstaking process.

“Senior Brother, could he have trained in some technique that hides his true aura?” asked a pale-faced man.

“Yes! That must be it!” someone else quickly chimed in. “Otherwise, how could someone so young reach such a level? It’s completely impossible.”

“Exactly! This is absurd! Even the successors of the three great martial clans, the most talented young warriors, don’t possess such cultivation at that age! How could this kid?”

The room erupted in agreement.

Duan Changhan listened in silence.

Though he knew Lin Xiao’s true strength was terrifyingly deep, he refrained from arguing. If he insisted, it would only make him seem cowardly, as if he had been utterly broken by defeat.

Moreover…

His gaze flickered toward Wang Changgong.

This was the Golden Claw Sect’s headquarters. No matter how powerful Lin Xiao was, he would not be able to contend with his master.

In a calm, measured tone, Duan Changhan finally spoke, “Junior brothers, perhaps Lin Xiao truly cultivates some aura-concealing technique. But one thing is certain—his strength is real. We must not underestimate him.”

“Understood, Senior Brother,” the burly man from earlier replied, though the respect in his tone had thinned. He waved a hand with casual arrogance. “With all of us here, even if he had three heads and six arms, he’s not walking out alive.”

“Senior Brother Duan handles countless sect affairs day and night,” a lean, sharp-faced disciple chimed in, his voice edged with sarcasm. “It’s no surprise his training has slipped. But us? We haven’t slacked off.”

Duan Changhan’s face darkened, but he said nothing.

“Leave Lin Xiao to me,” the burly man declared, cracking his knuckles. “I’ll show him what it means to offend the Golden Claw Sect.”

“Senior Brother Meng, let me be the one,” the youngest disciple interjected with a sharp bow. “As the newest under Master’s tutelage, it’s only right I take the lead. You seniors can sit back and enjoy the show.”

Within moments, everyone in the hall was competing for the chance to fight Lin Xiao.

This was easily understood—Duan Changhan had been defeated.

Whoever took Lin Xiao down would immediately prove themselves stronger than Duan Changhan, boosting their status in the sect.

And in the Golden Claw Sect, power was everything.

***

Golden Claw Sect’s Main Entrance.

Outside, the disciples standing guard had waited all morning. The sun was already high in the sky, yet no one had arrived to challenge them.

“Tch!”

One of the guards spat on the ground.

“I knew that bastard wouldn’t dare show up. Break it up, everyone. It looks like he got scared and ran off.”

The crowd grumbled, preparing to head back inside.

Just then, a calm, deep voice echoed from behind them.

“Excuse me, is this the headquarters of the Golden Claw Sect?”

Though the voice wasn’t loud, it carried clearly to every disciple.

The moment they heard it, every single one of them whipped around.

Standing three meters behind them was a plain-looking young man, about twenty years old, of average build, with an unremarkable face. His clothes were ordinary. The kind of person who would blend into a crowd, unnoticed.

Yet, there was an unshakable calmness in his posture.

“Are you blind?”

A disciple sneered, pointing at the towering golden plaque above the entrance.

“It says Golden Claw Sect Headquarters. Can’t you read?”

The young man lifted his gaze toward the plaque. Then, expressionless, he nodded.

“It seems I’ve come to the right place.”

“Are you here to become a disciple?” another guard scoffed, crossing his arms. “You’d best leave, this isn’t a place for weaklings.”

The young man’s lips curved into a mocking smirk.

“No. I’m here to challenge your sect.”