In the wind sect, three days later.

After the flame sect leaders were called to the court following the meeting, the news of the flame sect coming out of their seclusion has spread throughout the whole country, even the neighbouring countries heard about their sudden appearance, everyone had their own speculation of what the effect of the flame sect coming out of their shell is going to have on the country while some were thinking of how to use them to their benefit, people like the prime minister and neighbouring countries. ​​

After all, the world knows that the second young mistress of the flame was taken from the flame sect because of the emperor's decree, considering how evil the sect is (in their hearts) they might be harbouring the intention of going against the emperor.

All the sects were waiting for the news from the court, they were all aware of sect madam Huo and Huo Ying's return to the flame sect but they just couldn't tell what the emperor's intention is, so they still had hope that the flame sect might still be eradicated if the court manages to convict the flame sect with substantial evidence or witness that they cannot refuse.

Everyone except for the sect leader of the wind sect were anxious, he knows how much the emperor fears the past influence and power of the flame sect and considering Huo Jingyu influence back in the day, it is not impossible for their past glory to be revived, he was convinced that the emperor will surely do what is best, which is to use this chance to finally get rid of the flame sect, so everything and everyone in the wind sect weren't bothered by the probability of the emperor bringing down the flame sect, except for Lin Bohai.

Not a day passed by without him waiting anxiously for the news of what the court has decided since it determines the life and death of the woman he loves but has never had the chance to be with or spend time with.

Meng Hui kept her distance away from him during these three days, she was almost like a walking dead sometimes or a ticking bomb, her change in character ever since Lin Bohai used his authority over her and treated her like she is just a normal fellow disciple to him, not someone he finds special.

The disciples were always careful during their training whenever she is the one in charge of their training, any slight mistake and you will end up getting beaten up by her since she will use you as her sparring partner, after her father noticed her change in character he asked her about it and as usual, she complained to her father.

This added more trouble to Lin Bohai's plate who was already on his father's bad side for allowing such a ridiculous fight to take place in the sect and allowing Huo Ying to have the upper hand, moreover, he still suspects Lin Bohai of divulging the information of his plan to the flame sect because of his initial opposition to his father's plan and the fact that he is the only person his father told of his plan, hearing the first elder complain to him about the way he treated Meng Hui over Huo Ying enraged him even more.

On the training ground, Lin Bohai was leading some of the high ranking disciples in their training with his hands crossed behind him while he watched them summon their Qi and use it to control the wind, the stronger the wind they control is, the stronger they are.

He smiled seeing that the disciples of the wind sect are doing well but the image of his fight with Huo Ying and the guardian's intervention flashed in his head frequently, the fact that he used his half of his real strength but he still couldn't beat her disturbed him and it also made him feel angry towards himself, he spent the past three days training hard and today is only an exception because he has to lead the training.

- - - -

"Do you think I am even using up to thirty per cent of my power against you, you are not worth it, as I previously told you, killing you is as easy as lifting my hand but I don't want to kill you...at least not now"

"I will kill you..."

"I will rip you to pieces and burn your carcass.....no...no I have a better way to make you feel immeasurable pain, you don't deserve to die easily with what you have done,"

"This is not the end of it, if anything happens to her then I promise that I will make you feel immeasurable pain, you had better pray..."

Although he didn't see her eyes clearly, he was sure that he had seen a flash of red and the murderous intent he felt was too suppressing, he still wasn't sure if she truly didn't use up to thirty per cent of her power against him.

He clenched his fist remembering the incident that day, his self-esteem and pride have greatly been affected and he felt the urge to grow stronger for the first time since he has been considered a genius for as long as he can remember.

"Young master!"

"Young master!"

The disciple calling him glanced at the other disciples in confusion, he didn't know what to do since the young master wasn't answering him and they have also noticed that he had been absent-minded during the training since he only watched them a few times before drowning in his thoughts again.

"Young master!!" the disciples called louder than he did before, he unclenched his fist and turned to look at who was calling him.

"What is it?" he asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

"I am sorry to disturb you but the sect leader has called for you," his brows furrowed at the mention of his father, his father hasn't sought for him ever since he punished him and watched him train hard, in his mind, he concluded that whatever is father is calling him for is definitely not something good.

He looked to his other side and turned to look at the disciples again.

"Alright," he got down from the podium where he watched the disciples train but he was almost off the training ground when his eyes caught the domineering figure of his father coming towards him.

{does this mean trouble}

He thought inwardly!

The deep frown on his father's face as he came closer to him confirmed his suspicion.

Three days ago...

WHACK!!

His father's hand brushed crossed his face but he still cowered his head, not daring to look into his father's eyes, this is what happens when his father's pride has been hurt or he lost his face.

"You not only gave sect leader Zhou a black spot on you, but you also made me lose face before the flame sect!" his father raged angrily, with chest rising up and down and his eyes widened.

"Father, I can assure you that I have done nothing wrong to make you lose face, Tang Fan made a scene in the restaurant to make us compete so I had to agree to it but I didn't think that he would suggest a gambling competition, I only did what I did too...." before he could say another word, another slap was sent across his face.

"I am disappointed in you, I have spent many years trying to surpass the flame sect and now that I am almost there everything has started going wrong, as my son who I place all my expectations on, I expect you to assist me but you have failed me, get out!!" his father shouted with his back turned at him.

"Father..." he mumbled softly

Then he turned to leave.

-----

{Is father going to do the same thing...}

He pondered in his mind, the thought of his father hitting him in front of the disciples and the elders didn't seem like something he would want to experience, with the dark and domineering figure of his father now standing in front of him, he lowered his head and raised his cupped hands.

"Father," he greeted and raised his head a little to see his father's expression again.

"Sect leader!!" the disciples at the training ground chorused but the sect leader simply raised his hand to give a dismissal wave, then they raised their head but the sect leader's lips unexpectedly curved into a faint smile.

He truly didn't know what that smile means, should he be relieved or alarmed?

Then he felt his father touch on his shoulder, gently tapping his shoulder with his smile widening, he finally let his guard down and reciprocated the smile thinking that his father has regained his confidence and pride in him but the next thing he felt was a sharp pain running through his bones.

He looked at his shoulder with a pained expression and turned to glance at his father again with a quizzical look on his face, his eyes meeting those dark eyes and yet with a smile on his lips making him realize that his father is very far from regaining his confidence in him but he knew better than to groan in pain or wince, he simply stood still with a faint smile on his lips while he endured the pain of his father Qi violently running through his shoulder.

But everyone around was oblivious of his pain.

He almost couldn't take it anymore so he decided to break the silence before his shoulder becomes useless.

"I wonder what business father has here today?" Lin Bohai questioned, leaving his father no choice but to stop the silent torture.

"ah, I have been focusing on my cultivation that I have forgotten about my duties so today, I have decided to see how far the disciples have gotten and I am quite impressed," the sect leader answered with a proud smile on his lips, he is indeed proud of his disciple but not the son standing in front of him.

"Thank you, sect leader" they chorused with pride.

"Son, it has been long since I had a good look at your skills since I have been too busy, what about this, why don't I test how good you have gotten after these years," sect leader Lin suggested with a fatherly look on his face but looking into his father's eyes, he could tell that this is not just a test.

{This is not a test}

He reminded himself!

"I am afraid that I might disappoint father, how could I possibly be compared to you, your years of cultivation and experience almost insurmountable," Lin Boahi responded with reverence and a little hint of fear that is only visible to his father showing on his face but the foolish disciples didn't know what was going on, except for the first elder.

"Senior disciple,!"

"Senior disciple!"

"Senior disciple,"

He turned his head slightly to glance at the disciples then he shut his eyes knowing that the foolish disciples are leaving him no way out of the trouble he is about to get into, he gritted his teeth and shut and eyes tightly before opening them again to look into his father's dark orbs and the smile on his lips.

At that moment, he regained confidence in himself, he wouldn't believe that he won't be able to do any harm to his father no matter how small it is even if he can't win against him considering the huge gap between their cultivation level and his father's fighting experiences.

"If father insists then...please," his hands getsured towards the middle of the training ground, while his father smiled at him and followed his direction, he walked behind his father until they got to the middle of the training ground where is father removed his outer robe and handed it to one of the disciples.

"I will not hold back my strength so you had better show me your real prowess," his father warned, he wasn't expecting his father to hold back anyways but he was sure that he wouldn't go as far as doing any great damage to his own son.

{Father, I will show you that I am the only genius of my generation and a son who will be able to lead the wind sect to it's glory, a son you should be proud of...}

He said inwardly, but the look in his eyes conveyed his thoughts to his father who smirked at his confidence.

"I will, father," he replied and summoned his Qi, to beat his father...no, to survive this fight and show everyone that he is not a pathetic loser who should be compared to the young mistress of the flame sect, he must not relent or hold back even one per cent of his power.

Blue Qi filled the training ground while the wind stopped blowing in different directions, he waved both hands over each other above his head, then he brought his hands to his chest with one hand above the other, leaving a gap in the middle for his Qi.

The wind gathered in the middle of his hand turned into a blue aura while it spun around, his father smirked again, he has always hated that smirk every time it was directed at him.

"Hurricane wind!!" he yelled as he waved his hands in the air again while his father stood still.

"aaah!!!"

"The hurricane wind!"

"Isnt that too strong for a test!"

"I can't believe he is going to use the hurricane wind!"

"It is not everyday we get to see our young master in a duel, let's watch in silence,"

He stretched his hands forwards and directed his power towards sect leader Lin who stood still, until the strong gust of wind reached him, he simply stretched one of his hands forwards and curbed the hurricane before directing it back at Lin Bohai who quickly did a backflip to avoid the impact which is much more stronger than what he used at first.

{It didn't take him any effort to evade my attack, seems like I have to go harder,"

He thought to himself!

The disciple knew that the strength of their sect leader is very great so they were not surrpised at how easily he evaded their young miaster's attack but the were still surprised that it didn't even take him much effort, that is if he used any at all.