Chapter 108: Three Days In The Mountain. Absolutely Worth It!

Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Three Days In The Mountain. Absolutely Worth It!

He had spent the previous few days dealing with the Barley Cup, Collins Lindsay, and the various complications surrounding the Lindsay family.

Now that those matters had been brought under control, he could finally devote his attention to improving his own combat abilities.

His first priority was the Heaven Piercing Sixfold Finger.

Upon reaching the secluded hill, Xavier took out his Great Enlightenment Pill and swallowed it.

A strange clarity immediately spread through his mind.

His thoughts became sharper, distracting emotions faded away, and even the most complicated martial arts principles seemed easier to grasp.

The effects of the Great Enlightenment Pill would last for seventy two hours. He had no intention of wasting a single moment.

"Heaven Piercing Sixfold Finger!" Xavier raised his fingers and began practicing the technique.

This 9th-Grade martial art was currently his strongest killing move, but his recent battle against Pat Marty had exposed a weakness.

Despite being only at the 8th-Level of the Spirit Platform Realm, Pat had managed to break free from the technique’s restraint by forcing out all his strength.

That encounter had made Xavier realize something important.

A higher cultivation realm and greater physical strength were not enough to guarantee victory.

The level of mastery he possessed over his martial arts techniques was just as important.

Naturally, the same technique could produce vastly different results depending on the practitioner’s strength and understanding.

Even so, Xavier was not willing to leave such a potentially fatal weakness unaddressed.

He needed to push the Heaven Piercing Sixfold Finger to a higher level.

With that goal firmly in mind, he immersed himself in cultivation.

Under the effects of the Great Enlightenment Pill, Xavier’s understanding of the technique deepened with every repetition.

He carefully examined the flow of energy, refined his control, and gradually uncovered principles that had previously eluded him.

Day turned into night, and night gave way to another morning. Xavier remained on the hill, barely paying attention to the passage of time as he continued practicing.

Before he realized it, three days had passed.

"Heaven Piercing Sixfold Finger!" Xavier extended his thumb, index finger, and middle finger.

A dark red field of energy spread outward, covering a circular area with a radius of more than three hundred meters.

Wherever the field reached, the lush vegetation began to wither at an alarming speed.

Trees and plants lost their vitality within moments, their leaves shriveling as though countless years had passed in the space of a few breaths.

Xavier then flicked his middle finger. Hundreds of irregular black fissures appeared throughout the dark red field.

These were not ordinary cracks in the ground but tears in space itself.

They spread in every direction, slicing through everything within their reach.

The soil, rocks, trees, and surrounding vegetation were torn apart by the spatial fissures, leaving destruction across the entire area.

This was the third level of the Heaven Piercing Sixfold Finger. First, it could freeze space and restrain its targets.

Next, it could drain the vitality of everything caught within its range. Finally, it could tear space apart and annihilate whatever remained.

"After three whole days, I finally made it!" Xavier released a long breath, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders.

Cultivating the technique was becoming increasingly difficult.

Previously, a single Lesser Enlightenment Pill had helped him advance from the initial stage to the proficient stage in just two days.

Now, even with the far more powerful Great Enlightenment Pill, it had taken him three days to advance from proficiency to mastery.

The further he progressed, the more demanding the technique became.

Nevertheless, Xavier was not discouraged. He still had a considerable supply of Lesser Enlightenment Pills, and he had already gained valuable momentum.

Since he had nothing urgent to attend to, he decided to keep going and see whether he could push the Heaven Piercing Sixfold Finger to the minor completion stage.

"There’s no reason to stop here," he said, taking out a Lesser Enlightenment Pill, swallowing it, and resuming his cultivation.

* * *

Far away from the quiet hill, trouble was brewing at the other end of the Valemont region.

The Lindsay family’s ancestral compound occupied an enormous area of more than two hundred acres. Its buildings combined traditional architecture with understated extravagance.

Carved beams, painted rafters, and carefully maintained courtyards reflected the family’s wealth and long standing influence.

Compared with the Lindsay family, even the prominent Sinclair family of Valemont seemed almost ordinary.

That evening, under the orders of the family head, Reginald Lindsay, more than a hundred members of the Lindsay family gathered in the compound’s central courtyard.

They ranged from young descendants to elderly relatives, and among them stood Damien Lindsay, who had recently returned from Valemont after reporting the latest developments.

Once Reginald was satisfied that nearly everyone had arrived, he stepped forward with a grim expression.

"I have two pieces of bad news," he announced.

"Warren Lindsay, from the second branch of the family, has been placed under investigation and detained. Desmond Lindsay, from the fourth branch, has also been removed from his position."

His announcement immediately sent a wave of shock through the gathering.

"Uncle Warren is the head of a bureau! He was perfectly fine just a few days ago. How could he suddenly be detained?" one relative exclaimed.

"Uncle Desmond oversees the Regional Transportation Department. He’s one of the most influential officials in Ironcrest. How did he get into trouble so quickly?" another demanded.

"I knew something was wrong! My right eye has been twitching for days. I had a feeling something bad was coming!" a third said.

"Something doesn’t add up," someone else muttered.

"I’ve felt as though someone has been watching and investigating me at work these past few days. Family Head, is someone deliberately targeting us?"

"Family Head, what exactly did Warren and Desmond do? Can’t we use the family’s connections to get them out?"

The questions came one after another, and the courtyard quickly descended into confusion.

Warren and Desmond Lindsay were not minor figures. Both occupied important government positions and wielded considerable influence.

Their sudden downfall naturally left the other family members deeply unsettled.

"Silence!" Reginald’s stern shout cut through the commotion.

The gathering fell quiet almost immediately. No one dared to continue speaking while the family head addressed them.

"Five days ago, my youngest son, Collins Lindsay, and his protector, Pat Marty, were attacked by an unknown enemy in Valemont," he said. "Both of them died."

His expression darkened further as he continued.

"At the time, Pat Marty was carrying a ledger belonging to our family. That ledger has since fallen into the hands of the authorities. Warren and Desmond were caught up in the government’s sudden crackdown because of the information it contained."

The revelation only deepened the unease among those present.

However, Reginald raised a hand before anyone could speak.

"This matter is not as disastrous as you imagine," he said.

"I’ll find a way to deal with it. For now, everyone needs to exercise caution. Keep your affairs in order and make sure none of you gives the authorities another reason to investigate us. If you cause trouble through your own carelessness, don’t expect me to clean up after you."

His gaze swept across the gathering before he issued his next instruction.

"Everyone from the first through the seventh branches of the younger generation, stay behind. Damien, you stay as well. The rest of you are dismissed."

No one dared to question him. The assembled relatives began leaving the courtyard, and within a short time, nearly ninety percent of the gathering had dispersed.

Only nine people, including Reginald, remained.

These were the key figures responsible for the family’s various branches and businesses. With the outsiders gone, they could finally discuss the matter in greater detail.

"Should we ask the ancestor to emerge from seclusion?" The question came from Harold Lindsay, the head of the seventh branch. He looked deeply troubled.

"It seems the authorities are serious about dealing with our family this time. And now that Victoria Quill has returned from the border, the situation is becoming increasingly unfavorable for us."

The others exchanged uneasy looks and nodded in agreement.

The ledger falling into government hands was certainly troublesome, but it was not necessarily an insurmountable problem.

Given the Lindsay family’s influence, they could sacrifice a few expendable subordinates and claim that those individuals had acted independently.

With the right arrangements, they might be able to contain the damage.

Victoria Quill’s return, however, was an entirely different matter.

Martial artists at the Star Sea Realm who served the government were generally stationed along the nation’s borders, where they defended against powerful enemies and other external threats.

They rarely returned to the interior without a significant reason.

Victoria’s sudden arrival in the Valemont region, at precisely the moment the authorities had begun investigating the Lindsay family, sent an unmistakable warning.

She had not returned merely to visit old acquaintances.

Her presence meant that the government was prepared to bring its strength to bear against the Lindsay family, and everyone in the room understood what that could mean.

The atmosphere in the courtyard remained tense even after Reginald Lindsay finished explaining the situation.

Everyone understood that the arrests of Warren and Desmond Lindsay were merely the beginning.

If the authorities continued their investigation, the Lindsay family could suffer a devastating blow, potentially losing its position among Valemont’s most powerful families.

That was precisely why Harold Lindsay had suggested bringing their ancestor out of seclusion.

As the Lindsay family’s patriarch and most powerful martial artist, the old man possessed considerable influence among the upper ranks of the government.

His connections might be enough to make the authorities reconsider their actions and allow the family to escape the crisis with minimal losses.

Unfortunately, Reginald had no intention of making that request.

"Absolutely not!" he declared, shaking his head. "My father is at a critical stage in his breakthrough. I won’t allow anyone to disturb him over a matter like this."

His father was not only the Lindsay family’s patriarch but also its Grand Elder. Interrupting his cultivation at such a crucial moment could have serious consequences.

"But what are we supposed to do, then?" asked Marcus Lindsay, the head of another branch, looking increasingly anxious. The others turned toward Reginald as well, waiting for him to explain how he intended to handle the situation.

"I already told you not to panic," Reginald said, surveying his relatives with a composed expression before continuing. "As soon as I learned that the authorities had obtained the ledger, I began severing our connections with organizations such as the Bloodshadow Cult. At the same time, I contacted several people who have maintained good relations with our family. We’ve already made arrangements to push a few expendable individuals forward to take responsibility for the crimes recorded in that ledger."

He paused, allowing his words to sink in.

"As long as we keep our heads down and avoid giving the authorities any additional reasons to target us, they won’t be able to bring down the entire Lindsay family," he continued. "As for Victoria Quill, she can’t remain in Valemont forever, can she?"

A cold smile appeared on his face. Reginald had not secured his current position merely because his father was the Grand Elder. He had built his own reputation through years of careful maneuvering and had developed the ability to handle complicated situations. Even now, he had already begun preparing countermeasures before most of his relatives understood the severity of the crisis.

Hearing his explanation, the others gradually relaxed.

"Since you’ve already made arrangements, we can stop worrying so much," one relative said.

"Exactly. I’ll make sure my descendants behave themselves from now on. No one in my branch will give the authorities an excuse to investigate us," another added.

"My second wife has two troublesome grandsons. I’ve confined them to the house and have been keeping an eye on them personally these past few days," a third said.

One of the older men immediately seized the opportunity to tease him.

"Second Brother, are you talking about Tristan and Hugh?" he said. "Those two are your own grandsons! If you’re tired of dealing with them, why not let your fifth brother take them off your hands?"

"Get lost!" the man snapped. "My grandsons are perfectly well behaved. I’m talking about those two troublemakers, Milo and Shane!"

His indignant response drew laughter from the others. The tension that had filled the courtyard earlier began to dissipate, and the relatives exchanged a few more jokes.

Watching them settle down, Reginald allowed himself a faint smile.

However, the relaxed atmosphere did not last long.