Chapter 160: The First Grandmaster

Once Lin Le and Xie Qiushan had departed, everyone remaining on the scene finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

Everything that had occurred today had far surpassed their wildest imaginations. The collapsed ground, the ruined villa, the severely wounded guards of the Xie family, the bodyguards who had dropped their pistols in terror, and the injuries sustained by Xie Xinglong and Xie Dong—all of this had been brought about by Lin Le alone.

Wherever a Grandmaster treads, devastation follows.

"Father..." Xie Jingguo and Xie Yucheng approached Xie Jiuling, unsure of how to begin.

Xie Jiuling cast a glance at them, a flicker of fury crossing his face. "From this day forward, discipline your children properly! If you cannot manage them, I will step in and do it for you!" Xie Jiuling’s voice was stern and commanding.

Xie Jiuling was no fool; he knew full well the nature of his descendants. He was well aware that the reason Lin Le had lashed out was largely due to their own provocations. However, as the head of the Xie family, he had been forced to side with his own kin in front of outsiders, regardless of right or wrong.

At this moment, Xie Jiuling felt deep resentment toward his disappointing offspring. It was one thing for them to be reckless in their daily lives, but this time, they had brought a catastrophe upon the Xie family. Fortunately, the boy still carried the blood of the Xie family in his veins and had held back, choosing not to strike a lethal blow. Had it been any other Grandmaster of the Transformation Realm, the Xie family might have faced total annihilation today.

Every martial artist knows the warning well: a Grandmaster must not be insulted! Today, Xie Jingguo and Xie Xinglong had dared to humiliate a true Grandmaster of the Transformation Realm; they were essentially courting death.

Terrified by Lin Le’s display of power, Xie Jingguo and his cohorts did not dare to utter a single word of defiance; they nodded frantically in submission. Xie Xinglong and Xie Dong were also utterly humbled. If they had harbored resentment or hatred toward Lin Le before, they now lacked even the courage to hate him. Even the arrogant Xie Xinglong had completely quieted down. He had witnessed Lin Le’s terrifying prowess with his own eyes; despite his deep reluctance, he had no choice but to accept reality. The opponent's strength was simply too vast to challenge.

From the start, Xie Xinglong had been observing the reactions of his master, Gongshu Ye. Although Gongshu Ye had previously been shouting about fighting Lin Le to the death, once he witnessed Lin Le’s true power, he had stood frozen, never daring to strike. Throughout the entire confrontation between his grandfather and Lin Le, he hadn't even dared to say a word. This proved only one thing: his master, Gongshu Ye, was afraid.

That a renowned Martial Grandmaster like Gongshu Ye would fear an unknown youth was a story no one would believe if it were told.

Xie Xinglong was correct; Gongshu Ye was indeed terrified. From the moment Lin Le’s aura surged in anger, he had felt a chill. When Lin Le later resisted bullets with his bare flesh, Gongshu Ye realized the chasm between their abilities. And when Lin Le destroyed the villa with a single strike of his sword, Gongshu Ye viewed him as a heavenly being.

At this moment, Xie Jiuling’s gaze fell upon Gongshu Ye. Gongshu Ye was a Transformation Realm Grandmaster funded by the Xie family's vast wealth. When Lin Le had run rampant in their residence, it should have been the moment for Gongshu Ye to prove his worth. Instead, he had remained silent throughout, and Xie Jiuling was deeply dissatisfied. However, regardless of his frustration, the man was a respected martial arts expert and a Grandmaster. Even with ten thousand grievances, Xie Jiuling could not show them and had to maintain a respectful demeanor.

"Master Gongshu..." Xie Jiuling called out once the others had left.

"I have caused the Family Head alarm," Gongshu Ye said, bowing with an expression of regret. "Please forgive my shallow cultivation for failing to protect the Xie residence." He did not shy away from his failure to intervene, bowing once more in apology.

"Master Gongshu, you are too modest." Since the man was so frank, Xie Jiuling found it difficult to say more. "Do you have any insights regarding Lin Le?" Curious as to how his grandson had achieved such heights at such a young age, he hoped to find answers from Gongshu Ye.

"A youthful Grandmaster, with a future of limitless potential!" Gongshu Ye’s concise reply expressed his thoughts perfectly.

Hearing this, Xie Jiuling frowned slightly, though he immediately agreed with the assessment. A youthful Grandmaster! These four words carried immense weight. Looking across the entire landscape of Chinese martial arts, Lin Le was the only one worthy of such a title.

Before this, the youngest Grandmaster in China was the brilliant Hua Xifeng, who reached the Transformation Realm at thirty. His achievement had shocked so many that he was hailed as China’s Number One Grandmaster. This wasn't because his strength was necessarily the greatest, but because there was no other Grandmaster in China who showed more promise—youth, after all, is the ultimate capital.

But now, with the emergence of Lin Le, it seemed the title of "China’s Number One Grandmaster" was destined to change hands. If such a person could not be called "limitless," then who could?

Back when Hua Xifeng reached the Transformation Realm at thirty, he became a rising star in the military and a renowned figure. It was said that in a few years, he might lead an entire military region and become the youngest commander in China. That was a level of existence that even the Xie family couldn't hope to reach. And now, Lin Le had reached the Transformation Realm a dozen years younger than Hua Xifeng. Given the right opportunity, his future achievements would surely eclipse those of Hua Xifeng.

Thinking of this, Xie Jiuling felt a surge of excitement, as if Lin Le’s future achievements belonged to the Xie family as well. At the same time, he felt a wave of regret. They had been only one step away! They had been one step away from rising to glory alongside Lin Le.

"Not only that," Gongshu Ye continued, his voice trembling with excitement, "if I am not mistaken, the Family Head’s grandson is more than just a Grandmaster!"

"Oh?" Xie Jiuling was startled. "Master Gongshu, what do you mean?"

"The move Lin Le used to destroy the villa—you saw it, Family Head. That is not something an ordinary Transformation Realm Grandmaster could accomplish," Gongshu Ye hinted.

Xie Jiuling was still perplexed. Gongshu Ye shook his head. "Family Head, have you forgotten about Xie Tianxing among your own descendants?" At the mention of that name, even Gongshu Ye felt his blood run hot.

"Tianxing?!" Hearing that long-forgotten name, a look of shock appeared on Xie Jiuling’s face. To be honest, had Gongshu Ye not brought it up, Xie Jiuling would have forgotten he even had such a grandson. After all, he hadn't seen him for nearly twenty years.

Suddenly, Xie Jiuling realized the implication and gasped, "Master Gongshu, you don't mean..."

Gongshu Ye nodded and lowered his voice. "Exactly. If I am not wrong, that Lin Le is likely just like your grandson, Xie Tianxing—they are both from the Inner Sect of the Taoist path!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Jiuling drew a sharp breath, shocked to the very core. The Inner Sect of the Taoist path! These words struck his mind like a thunderclap.