"Heh, you want me to kneel and apologize to him? He’s not worthy!"
Under Lin Xiao’s intimidation, Lin Chen took several steps forward and uttered words that astonished the bystanders.
However, after finishing that sentence, Lin Chen took two more steps and continued, his gaze unwavering as he stared down Lin Xiao:
"If my guess isn’t wrong, you’ve got some unspeakable deal with Zhang Wenkang, don’t you? You want his support to become the Patriarch of the Lin Family?"
"Blindly punishing your own sect members on the casual word of an outsider, you are unworthy of being the head of a family. I believe no one would support you."
Lin Chen’s speech abruptly changed Lin Xiao’s expression, because Lin Chen had guessed everything correctly. Lin Xiao had indeed been in cahoots with Zhang Wenkang, discussing matters regarding his ascension to Patriarch of the Lin Family. That’s why he didn’t dare to intervene when Lin Xue was bullied by Zhang Wenkai, out of fear of ruining his relationship with Zhang Wenkang.
To sacrifice Lin Xue meant nothing to him; after all, Zhang Wenkai only took a fancy to her, which in his mind, was Lin Xue’s fortune.
But now his conspiracy had been exposed by Lin Chen, leaving him seething with anger. If people learned of this, they surely wouldn’t continue to support him as the future Patriarch of the Lin Family.
What seemed like a certainty was at risk of being ruined by Lin Chen.
"Nonsense! I’ve never had any dealings with Lord Zhang, nor do I have any plots. Your offense against Lord Zhang has put the Lin Family in jeopardy - that is the true act of disloyalty and injustice. Given the circumstances, as your father’s proxy, I’ll purge you from our family today," Lin Xiao claimed as he burst forth with intense aura, launching a fist towards Lin Chen.
The people of the Lin Family never expected Lin Xiao to strike Lin Chen, indicating that Lin Chen’s words had hit a nerve.
Otherwise, if he were innocent, why be afraid, and why deal such a deadly blow to Lin Chen?
The Great Elder and others wanted to intervene, but Lin Xiao’s attack was too sudden, leaving them no time to react.
Lin Xiao was a martial artist at the Ninth Level of the Spirit Gathering Realm and had one foot in the Melding Earth Realm, making him a Half-step Melding Earth Realm warrior.
Although Lin Chen’s cultivation had advanced rapidly to the Seventh Layer of the Spirit Gathering Realm in his year at the Jade Cauldron Sect, the gap between him and the Half-step Melding Earth Realm was enormous. Even with Lin Chen’s exceptional talent and various powerful methods, he likely stood no chance against Lin Xiao.
Seeing Lin Xiao attack, a cold smile appeared on Lin Chen’s lips and an icy expression on his face; he countered with a slap towards the oncoming Lin Xiao.
However, Lin Chen was no ordinary martial artist of the Spirit Gathering Realm Seventh Layer. With that slap, he sent Lin Xiao flying a good ten meters, crashing into a distant house, collapsing the building entirely.
"How... how is this possible!"
The Second Elder and others stared at the collapsed house, shock written all over their faces.
Lin Xiao was a Half-step Melding Earth Realm warrior, a top power in their Lin Family, yet he couldn’t withstand even one slap from the current Lin Chen.
Wasn’t Lin Chen’s cultivation at the Seventh Layer of the Spirit Gathering Realm? How could he be so strong?
What exactly had happened to Lin Chen during his year at the Jade Cauldron Sect?
The people of the Lin Family looked at Lin Chen with newfound awe and reverence. Lin Chen was not only their Princely Heir but had now demonstrated such formidable power that none dared to harbor ulterior thoughts.
Those who had already sided with Lin Chen showed faces full of joy, while those who had supported Lin Xiao looked towards the collapsed house and, after a long silence, secretly resolved to follow Lin Chen in the future, not daring to entertain any other thoughts.
"Yo, it’s been so long since I’ve fought that I’ve forgotten to hold back. But it’s all your own doing; if you’re dead, so be it!"
Lin Chen, gazing at the fallen house, spoke in a calm tone, startling those around him once again.
’No holding back,’ so you mean you weren’t even serious?
If that were the case, how terrifyingly powerful would Lin Chen be at full strength?
Lin Xue, hiding in a corner of the crowd, clenched her fists, feeling grateful to Lin Chen and thinking that if she hadn’t turned against him back then, if she had remained the loyal cousin sister who followed behind him, she would now be sharing in his glory. But there was no medicine for regret in the world.
Everyone’s gaze turned to Zhang Wenkang, pondering whether with the Princely Heir’s formidable power, he could battle Zhang Wenkang.
Yet they shook their heads again, for although the Princely Heir was powerful, Zhang Wenkang was Desolate Sky City’s strongest warrior, a genuine Melding Earth Realm fighter at the Third Layer of the Melding Earth Realm. The Princely Heir likely was no match for him.
"Zhang Wenkang, our Princely Heir hasn’t done anything wrong, and we the Lin Family will not back down. If you want to lay a hand on our Princely Heir, you’ll have to see if we old bones agree," the Great Elder declared spiritedly, his Ninth Level Spirit Gathering aura bursting forth as he moved to Lin Chen’s side to back him up.
The Second Elder and Third Elder exchanged glances, then turned their gaze to the distant collapsed house, struggling to decide on their stance.
They were aware of the incident with Zhang Wenkai; from the Lin Family’s perspective, Lin Chen had done no wrong.
However, compared to the City Lord’s Mansion, the Lin Family was ultimately weaker, and offending the City Lord’s Mansion wouldn’t bode well. Leaving aside anything else, the sheer strength of Zhang Wenkang made him an insurmountable opponent for anyone in the Lin Family.
"Hmph, just with you, an old coot, do you dare obstruct my path to death? I declare here today that I will have your Lin Family erased from Desolate Sky City."
Upon hearing Zhang Wenkang’s words, all the Lin Family members’ faces instantly showed terror. The Second Elder and Third Elder exchanged grave looks and hurried to the Great Elder’s side. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by NovelHub(.)net
Although they sided with Lin Xiao, at heart, they were all for the Lin Family. Now that Lin Xiao was dead and the Lin Family in trouble, they had to step forward.
"Heh, you want to exterminate my Lin Family? That’s quite the bold claim. Are you acting as if I don’t exist?"
"I’d like to see how you plan to wipe out my Lin Family. Zhang Wenkang is dead, and since you conspired with him, it’s time for you to follow him," Lin Chen stated.