Facing Lin Yu's bluntness, Chen Yuan Ye, being a martial artist, did not refute but sighed instead.
"Indeed, I suffered a complete defeat!"
"I never expected that three 'Six-Tier' level demons would simultaneously appear in this Chen Family Fortress… but as a 'Seven-Tier' expert, I should have been able to handle it."
Lin Yu raised an eyebrow in surprise.
This guy's level is actually quite high.
According to Senior Sister Shen Bingmiao's information, the demons and martial artists in the Prison Mountain Realm are graded by 'Tier'.
Initially, this was just the difficulty level set by the reward postings in various towns of the Prison Mountain Realm—demon hunting, with rewards of 'one string of coins,' was called a 'One-Tier' demon.
And martial artists who could single-handedly complete 'One-Tier' tasks were naturally martial artists of 'One-Tier' strength.
The highest level in this grading system is 'Twelve-Tier'.
So, a 'Seven-Tier' martial artist seems to be only one tier higher than a 'Six-Tier' demon, but in reality, they are two levels stronger.
Because a 'Seven-Tier' martial artist is inherently at a level where they can win against a 'Seven-Tier' demon in a one-on-one fight.
Therefore…
For three 'Six-Tier' demons to cause a 'Seven-Tier' martial artist to fail, Lin Yu knew there must be something fishy.
Sure enough, the twist came.
"Although I was ambushed and caught off guard at the beginning of the fight, I quickly gained the upper hand, but what I didn't expect was… that the demon actually kidnapped my blood relatives to threaten me, which is not something a 'Six-Tier' demon should be capable of."
Even after wasting a year in this underground cave and deep pool, Chen Yuan Ye couldn't help but grit his teeth.
"But even so, I still defeated those three demons and rescued some of my relatives, but what I didn't expect was…"
"Your relatives ambushed you, right?"
Lin Yu said softly.
Chen Yuan Ye was very surprised: "Indeed, I was nearly exhausted after fighting three demons in a row, and I was relaxing my guard when I didn't expect my beloved siblings and elders to suddenly stab me with a knife!"
"So, I had no choice but to escape to this secret room that they don't know about… but, this female warrior, how did you know about my encounter back then?"
"It's not hard to guess."
Lin Yu shrugged and said, "The villagers of Chen Family Fortress above, you only need to interact with them a few times to feel that something is wrong with them, as if they have been bewitched by some demon…"
"In fact, I feel like they are all like 'puppets on a string'."
As Lin Yu spoke, Chen Yuan Ye sighed deeply.
"Puppets on a string… indeed a very vivid description."
"Damn it, Chen Family Fortress has become like this, my fellow villagers are probably in mortal danger," Chen Yuan Ye said with a wry smile, "and I… haven't even seen the face of the mastermind behind it."
Lin Yu looked at Chen Yuan Ye's dejected appearance and nodded.
"Indeed, a Seven-Tier being schemed against and beaten into this state, only able to hide here and eke out a living, Chen Yuan Ye… you really are a good-for-nothing."
Although Chen Yuan Ye was mocking himself, he still raised his head in disbelief upon hearing Lin Yu's words.
"You… you little brat, why are you suddenly being rude?!"
Although Chen Yuan Ye didn't expect Lin Yu to comfort him, who would suddenly step on someone when they are mocking themselves?
The young generation of Jianghu is too ignorant of etiquette, right?
Lin Yu just looked at Chen Yuan Ye proudly and began her performance.
"Because you are indeed trash… the point is not that you were schemed against by demons, but that you are eking out a living!"
"Chen Yuan Ye, Brother Chen, Senior Brother Chen, if I had come here and seen a wall of your last words or seen your bones outside, then I naturally wouldn't scold you… losing is not scary, what's scary is losing disgracefully."
"How can we martial artists retreat in the face of demons? I don't think your injuries are that serious, you still have vigor when you speak and can still move, but you don't have the courage to go out and continue investigating and fighting—this is even your hometown! Those above who have been manipulated by demons or some kind of weirdness, made into puppet-like walking corpses, are all your blood relatives!"
"However, you only know how to hide here, waiting for passing experts to rescue you, but what if no one comes until you die?!"
Lin Yu's words were like a head-on blow, causing Chen Yuan Ye's face to turn red with anger: "You young female…"
But before he could finish a sentence, Lin Yu's last roar blocked all of Chen Yuan Ye's rebuttals.
"—You have truly disgraced Martial Uncle Bai Shiying."
This was also the most important sentence that Lin Yu had been setting up for a long time.
Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan Ye's anger instantly dissipated, and he only felt a bucket of cold water pouring down from above.
"You are from our Mingzhen Martial Hall… are you my junior sister? Then are you from Martial Uncle Bai Shiming's branch? Or which martial uncle's branch are you from?"
He looked at the girl in front of him, as if he saw the questioning and disappointed gazes of the entire school and his master.
"It's not important," Lin Yu said coldly, "the point is, I didn't expect that the person I was looking for would be such a waste…"
"I should have known not to come—Martial Uncle thinks that you have probably died together with the demon long ago, and sighs every day, feeling very sorry for leaving your body exposed in the wilderness. Therefore, this time I am going to Willow Town and passing through Double Saw Mountain, my master specifically asked me to come to Chen Family Fortress to see if I could find some clues."
"I was happy to see you alive under this pool, thinking that you had some unspeakable secrets and difficulties that made you hide here… but who would have thought that 'Broken Door Spear' Senior Brother Chen was just… afraid."
Hearing Lin Yu say this, Chen Yuan Ye only felt a mess in his brain.
Although Lin Yu did not introduce herself, he did not doubt Lin Yu's identity at all, after all, every word Lin Yu said was reasonable and sincere.
After all, compared to a random expert suddenly appearing and actively looking for him, it is more reasonable for the school to send someone specifically to find him.
But no matter what, Chen Yuan Ye only felt infinite guilt in his heart at this moment.
"I have failed the trust of my old master… I am sorry for him!"
Afterward, Chen Yuan Ye seemed to remember something and asked again: "Wait, this junior sister… so the expert with extremely strong Qi and blood who came with you, could it be your master or which martial uncle?"
"Expert?"
Lin Yu was unsure who Chen Yuan Ye was talking about for a moment.
To be recognized as a "Martial Uncle"… that means they look much stronger than me?
It's definitely not Li Nian… could there be some hidden expert in the caravan?
Is the mastermind behind the scenes nearby?!
Lin Yu's thoughts flowed, and she asked calmly.
"Which expert are you talking about?"
"Naturally, it is the one who has been sitting in the car, as steady as a mountain—it is strange, I used my Qi to trigger him twice, but that person did not react at all!"
Hearing this, Lin Yu finally understood who Chen Yuan Ye was talking about.
She couldn't help but sigh.
"Are you talking about the 'remnant body' that this caravan is escorting?"
Hearing this word, Chen Yuan Ye also became extremely nervous.
"What?! Remnant body!"
"Do you mean… I sensed a remnant body that resembled a living martial artist?!"
