Chapter 142: Intent to Kill

"Miss Mo is quite swift as well."

Lin Fan's face betrayed no hint of surprise as he got into the carriage, though his mind was heavy with suspicion.

"It feels like there are two different people merged together, even their spiritual aura has changed. Strange."

Although Mo Die had tried her best to conceal it, Lin Fan, having employed the Qi-perceiving technique, saw through her disguise completely—even her soul was laid bare.

"Now, hardly anyone comes to Taibai City. As soon as Young Master Lin arrived, we were informed immediately."

Mo Die laughed softly, still hiding something, unaware that she had already been fully exposed. Fortunately, Lin Fan did not press the matter further. To him, a late-stage Decline Realm cultivator like Mo Die held little significance, despite her being a once-in-two-thousand-years genius.

"Young Master Lin should have already passed through the Decline Tribulation. Truly commendable."

Mo Die glanced at Lin Fan with a trace of unhidden shock. She, too, was considered a peerless genius but had only dared to reach the first stage of Decline and never dared to attempt the tribulation.

"By chance. If it hadn't been for my senior brother’s tribulation elixir, I wouldn't have succeeded so smoothly. Come to think of it, you all have done me a great favor."

Lin Fan smiled ambiguously, his gaze resting quietly on Mo Die with a subtle but compelling intensity.

"This is all due to your own destiny, Young Master Lin. Even without our Mo family, you would have inevitably drawn the Decline Tribulation."

Mo Die dared not meet Lin Fan's eyes and slowly lowered her head in embarrassment. Just as she started to regret it, she looked up again only to see Lin Fan’s gaze already shifted elsewhere.

The journey continued in silence until the carriage stopped at the Mo family’s temporary stronghold—a grand and imposing mansion.

After stepping down, Mo Die left immediately. With the war front intensifying, the overlords of the Yi family had arrived with forbidden weapons, posing a formidable challenge to the Mo family.

"This mansion is completely empty. How strange."

Lin Fan entered the estate, surveying it thoroughly but found no sign of life, indicating that its inhabitants had long since departed.

The mansion was well preserved, showing almost no damage, clearly untouched by the conflict between the Mo and Yi families. Yet that was precisely the greatest mystery.

"Yi family dominates Taibai City. Such a mansion cannot be controlled by another clan. Most likely, this is an Yi family residence."

Lin Fan considered a possibility, his eyes gradually growing colder.

"If it hasn’t been ravaged by battle, then there are only a few possibilities. The first is that the Yi family voluntarily evacuated and abandoned this place, but that’s unlikely. Though the Yi family lost their top fighters, they still possess considerable strength and would never abandon one of their clan lands without reason. So only the second possibility remains."

Lin Fan suddenly sneered, halting his advance. He had already guessed the answer—just not expected it to come so soon.

At that moment, a glow rose in the sky as divine runes fell from the void—an array formation had been activated, trapping the entire mansion within its confines.

Soon, snowflakes began to fall, and a murderous intent surged through the air, as if the entire world had fallen into an eerie silence.

"Just as I thought. Using an array to trap me—what a clever tactic. All to test whether I possess the Bodhi Seed."

Lin Fan sneered, lifting his head to gaze skyward. His eyes sparkled with disdain.

"So this is the method used by your Yi and Mo families?"

Lin Fan spoke without drawing out the Bodhi Seed, his gaze cold and burning with anger.

"Hmph."

A cold snort echoed, followed by a massive hand stretching out from the void, aiming directly at Lin Fan’s head.

It was a probing strike. The attacker was no weakling—a late-stage Decline Realm overlord, likely an Yi family member.

"Seeking death."

Lin Fan roared, unleashing his power without holding back. His hair whipped wildly as if a demonic god descended to the mortal realm.

With one punch, he tore open the void, shaking the array and shattering the colossal hand. Then, with a single sweep of his hand, he located the hidden assailant within the formation.

"You…"

The man was startled and hurriedly retreated, never expecting Lin Fan, who had just entered late-stage Decline, to possess such formidable power. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have struck first. But it was already too late.

Lin Fan intended to make an example of him and would not let him escape.

A torrent of blood and qi surged forth, golden light blasting into the heavens. A golden fist shattered the skies, crushing everything before it with unstoppable momentum.

After just a few moves, the late-stage Decline Realm overlord’s skull was crushed by a single punch. His headless corpse fell, collapsing several buildings beneath it, blood pooling like a small pond.

Lin Fan stood proudly in the void, his gaze icy and sharp. A vertical eye appeared on his brow, revealing the other hidden figures lurking in the darkness.

"So it is as I suspected."

A deep sigh escaped Lin Fan’s heart, though his killing intent flared even stronger.

He had seen that besides the Yi family, several late-stage Decline Realm overlords from the Mo family were hidden in the shadows, which was entirely within his expectations.

If the first possibility—that the Yi family evacuated the clan land—was ruled out, then only the second one remained.

That was that the Yi and Mo families had already united, all for the Bodhi Seed in his possession. However, they were cautious and dared not attack him openly, hence this staged encounter.

"It must be that the use of my ancestral artifact in Wangwu Mountain alerted them, or the Mo family would have acted long ago. But they really have held back."

Lin Fan was helpless. It was a pity that the Dao robe was now completely useless; otherwise, he would have charged out immediately to find and slay the Mo family’s elder ancestor and Yi Ming of the Yi family.

"Attack!"

A loud shout rang out, the void shattered, and a passageway materialized. Three figures emerged slowly.

They came from the Yi and Mo families, all late-stage Decline Realm warriors. Lin Fan also spotted two more hidden figures—early-stage fifth-decline masters. There was no sign of any late-stage fifth-decline cultivators.

"Lin Fan, prepare to die! To kill the young clan leader of the Yi family, you must die."

A middle-aged man spoke, killing intent boiling. His features resembled Yi Yuan, and he was a mid-stage Decline Realm overlord.

The other two were Mo family warriors, also mid-stage Decline Realm.

"Want to kill me? No problem. It depends whether your teeth are sharp enough."

Lin Fan sneered, unafraid. Having reached late-stage Decline, he could now contend with fourth-stage masters. These three were no match for him.

"You Mo family really have clever tactics. I’ll remember this."

Lin Fan looked coldly at the two Mo family warriors, his expression calm and composed, devoid of any anger.

"We did not wish to attack you, but the temptation of the Bodhi Seed is too great. Forgive us."

The two Mo family men spoke with forced politeness, but their movements were swift. A spherical bead hovered before them, radiating immense power.

It was a forbidden weapon—evidence of the alliance between the Mo and Yi families.