Chapter 61: The Dust Settles

“Right… now that you mention it, I almost forgot about that…”

As expected, just as Ling’er had planned, the “big fish” on the side quickly bit the bait.

He Yingying’s face darkened—her chest full of suppressed anger.

Had no one brought it up, she would’ve nearly forgotten: on the night of the assassination, the ones who came after her and her senior brother… were assassins sent by the Lin family!

Luoshui City was her senior brother’s hometown, and the Lin family his own clan.

They should have been supporting him, not stabbing him in the back, pushing him toward death.

This debt… she hadn’t even begun to settle it!

“You…”

She suddenly pointed at the Luoshui City Lord and said coldly…..

“You’re in charge of investigating this matter. If you find evidence, then every single person involved—don’t let a single one off! As for the rest of the Lin family, expel them from Luoshui City. Relocate them to some remote border city.”

“And if you can’t find any evidence…”

She turned to the now-sweating Lin Tiancheng.

“Then on the grounds of offending a princess, execute the Lin family patriarch. The rest of the Lin family—still banished to the border.”

Back on the night of the attack, it might’ve still been a matter of “he said, she said,” and maybe that flat-chested woman could’ve been making it up.

But now—after what her senior brother had told her last night, and what had just occurred today—there was no longer any doubt: the Lin family had plotted against her precious senior brother.

Since that was the case, evidence or no, she would make sure they paid.

As for the crime? Whatever.

She could make one up.

Whether or not the Lin family had truly “offended” her didn’t matter—what she said went.

Watching from the side, Lin Wuming was covered in cold sweat.

‘This girl… she’s not going to turn into a tyrant someday, right?’

That said, he didn’t object to how she was dealing with the Lin family.

He wasn’t some benevolent saint.

The Lin family had made a move on him—they had to pay.

Lin Tiancheng, as patriarch, was undoubtedly involved.

As for the rest, even if they weren’t, they had no business staying in Luoshui City any longer.

Sending them away was both a form of punishment—and protection.

On the surface, the four major families of Luoshui City seemed to coexist peacefully, but in reality, they were full of scheming and rivalry.

Now that the Lin family’s Grand Elder was dead, and Lin Tiancheng would soon follow, they were a house without a head.

Even if a new patriarch were elected, without top-level strength, they would be preyed upon—by rival families and ambitious minor clans alike.

In short, the Lin family no longer qualified to stay in Luoshui.

If they forced it, they’d only be eaten alive.

In a smaller border city, at least their strength would be relatively formidable.

Upon hearing the princess’s verdict, Lin Tiancheng’s face turned to ash.

The Grand Elder had calculated everything, even sacrificing himself, just to protect the Lin family.

But who could’ve foreseen that the Liu family girl’s identity was even more terrifying than expected?

That she would go so far—even risk offending the Empire—just to pursue this grudge?

And then… there was the Ninth Princess.

So unreasonable, so merciless.

If only they had known that the quiet girl following Lin Wuming was a royal princess—who would’ve dared touch her?

Now all their schemes had collapsed.

Death awaited him.

And with two Nascent Soul-level cultivators standing before him, escape was impossible.

All he could do was accept his fate.

Anything else would only worsen the Lin family’s fate.

He couldn’t let the ancestral legacy of generations be destroyed by his own hand.

So at last, he bowed his head—utterly defeated.

“Your Highness, Lord City Master… no need to investigate further. This matter was entirely planned and executed by me and the Grand Elder. It had nothing to do with the rest of the Lin family.”

If nothing else, he could take responsibility.

He’d lived for over two hundred years.

He had that much backbone.

The Grand Elder had died for the family.

Since Lin Tiancheng couldn’t escape, better to confess and spare the others.

He looked behind him at the stunned Lin family elders.

“From this day on, the Lin family is no longer one of Luoshui’s clans. Go where you must. What happened was due to me and the Grand Elder. We failed the family. Wherever you go, protect our roots—and bear no grudge. Don’t stir up trouble.”

“Patriarch…”

After speaking, Lin Tiancheng took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and said no more.

“Your Highness…”

Luo Haonian frowned, looking toward He Yingying.

His meaning was clear:

—Do we carry out the sentence now, or later?

“Deal with it yourself later,” He Yingying said, frowning.

Today was the day her senior brother won the tournament—she didn’t want to see blood. It would be inauspicious…

Ling’er, standing beside her, gave a small sigh.

This little junior sister hadn’t disappointed.

Given the lack of hard evidence, it wouldn’t be proper for someone from Taixu Hall—an “outsider”—to act rashly.

It would only create more conflict.

But having the Ninth Princess—a member of the Empire—handle the matter made it much smoother.

Though her methods were direct and even tyrannical, they cut straight to the point. No dithering.

Besides, the Lin family wasn’t being falsely accused.

With the matter resolved and the competition over, the clans—shaken by the day’s events—began to leave the grounds at Luo Haonian’s signal, returning to digest all that had happened.

Luoshui City likely wouldn’t know peace for some time.

“Everyone,” Luo Haonian addressed the crowd.

“I’ll personally handle the Lin family’s matter. Though the patriarch has confessed, I will still investigate thoroughly to avoid error. You’ve all worked hard today. Please, return and rest.”

“As for Lin Wuming’s tournament rewards—we’ll present them during our formal visit to the princess.”

Everyone exchanged glances, unsure what to say.

“Ling’er, let’s go.”

Liu Yingfeng hesitated several times.

She thought of how the outfit she wore today—the one her beloved had chosen—was the only fine clothing she had.

She wanted to ask him to pick out a few more for her.

But since he’d just finished the tournament, she didn’t want to bother him.

So in the end, she merely called out to Ling’er and left—glancing back three times with every step.

“My dear, please take care. I’ll come visit with Ling’er soon to trouble you again.”

She chose her words carefully—”trouble” instead of “visit”—to sound more intimate, yet still respectful.