Chapter 4: It All Runs in the Family

The dilapidated courtyard was overgrown with weeds, and the air carried an indescribable, pungent odor that made one frown upon inhaling.

The Lin brothers stood there, one with arms crossed over his chest and the other with hands on his hips, eyes narrowed as they chuckled at the visibly shaken Huang Liang.

"What... are you planning to do?" Huang Liang shouted, raising his voice to bolster his own courage.

"Get on your knees to speak." Lin Shuang raised a finger and pointed it at Huang Liang, signaling him to kneel on the ground.

"What?" Huang Liang suspected he had misheard, and a moment later, he was filled with fury. "You... how insolent!"

"Have you all lost your minds? Is the Lin family trying to rebel? Do you know who I am? I am from the Taixuan Sect—"

*Slap!*

Before the indignant Huang Liang could finish his sentence, Lin Shuang swung a palm across his face. The crisp sound of the slap was like a firecracker. Huang Liang could not even react before he was struck to the ground.

*Blech!*

Huang Liang spat out a mouthful of blood, which contained two of his front teeth. He felt a searing pain in half his face, as if his very skin were about to peel away.

"No... this is impossible! You worthless trash of the Lin family, this is fake, an illusion!" Huang Liang roared, leaping up from the ground. He swung his fists, pouncing toward Lin Shuang like a lion hunting a rabbit.

*Slap!*

Lin Shuang raised his hand and delivered another blow. Two more of Huang Liang's teeth flew out, clattering into the corner of the wall.

"Young Master Huang, do you feel a bit more sober now?" Lin Shuang teased with great interest.

Huang Liang's face had been slapped into the shape of a swollen bear, but after those two blows, the look in the young master's eyes had become significantly clearer. He looked up cautiously at the Lin brothers, who were wearing faces full of malicious smiles, and his heart gave a violent jolt.

The three famous wastrels of Tianbao City—the idle, debauched, good-for-nothing second-generation sons of the Lin family.

*Who the hell spread that rumor?*

"You... you are experts at the Qi Sea Realm." Huang Liang swallowed hard. A Qi Sea Realm cultivator under the age of sixteen—let alone in this Tianbao City, even in the Taixuan Sect, would be considered a top-tier genius.

"Get on your knees to speak," Lin Shuang repeated.

Huang Liang felt as if his lungs were about to burst with rage. He barked, "Lin Shuang, Lin Yang, don't go too far! I may not be your match, but don't forget my status. I am an envoy of the Taixuan Sect! Insulting me is equivalent to insulting the Taixuan Sect. No matter how powerful the Lin family is, you are just a small clan in this tiny Tianbao City. If you offend the Taixuan Sect, do you not want to live anymore?"

"Threatening us?" Lin Shuang sneered, stepping toward Huang Liang.

Huang Liang retreated instinctively while shouting, "A man would rather die than be humiliated! I, Huang Liang, am a man of integrity; I kneel only to heaven, earth, and my parents. It is absolutely impossible for me to kneel to you! If you have the guts, just kill me!"

"You do have a bit of backbone," Lin Yang said, shaking his fists. "Let's see if your bones are harder, or my fists."

In the desolate courtyard, a series of pig-like screams rang out.

A moment later, Huang Liang was kneeling obediently on the ground, tears and snot streaming down his face. He felt incredibly aggrieved, covered from head to toe in muddy footprints, looking utterly disheveled. Gone was the dashing and elegant air he had when he first entered the Lin family residence.

"Sweating buckets, huh, little brother?" Lin Shuang looked at Huang Liang with a brilliant smile.

"He has backbone, but not much," Lin Yang remarked.

"I yield," Huang Liang said, waving his hands repeatedly.

"He dared to target Brother Hao. In my opinion, we should just finish him off and throw his corpse to the wild dogs in the back mountains," Lin Yang said coldly, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Brother, isn't that too cruel?"

"Cruel? What's cruel about it? He dared to go after Brother Hao, so we should kill him."

"If the Taixuan Sect investigates, it won't be easy to explain."

"Explain what? Just say he never came to the Lin family and was killed on the road. Who saw him come here? If the Zhang and Wang families dare to say anything, we'll kill them all too."

...

Huang Liang listened to the brothers' conversation and was terrified out of his wits. He quickly interjected, "Two big brothers, this little brother was wrong! Spare my life, and I am willing to be your servant!"

Integrity? Dignity? They didn't exist. These two second-generation heirs were far too ruthless; they really might kill him. Given his status in the Taixuan Sect, the sect might not even stand up for him—and besides, what was the current state of the Taixuan Sect anyway?

"Fine, 'Yellow-Hair.' Seeing as you are sincerely repentant, we will spare your life for now. Remember, only for now," Lin Yang said. "Starting tomorrow, you will serve my Brother Hao. I don't care who in the Taixuan Sect is targeting him; in short, if Brother Hao suffers any grievances or injustices at the Taixuan Sect, you are to send word immediately. Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes! Don't worry, big brothers. From now on, Lin Hao is my big brother," Huang Liang quickly pledged, fearing he might be seen as slow.

"If you dare to be two-faced or harbor ulterior motives, we will wipe out your whole family," Lin Shuang said viciously.

"I wouldn't dare, I absolutely wouldn't dare!" Huang Liang waved his hands. In his eyes, these two were devils who had completely conquered him; he didn't even have the thought of revenge left. Although he had wanted to take down Lin Hao to curry favor with his superiors, Huang Liang wasn't an idiot; he had some intelligence. What he had seen today at the Lin family was completely different from the rumors. His intuition told him that this family was far from simple and was someone he absolutely could not afford to provoke.

"Very well. Stay here for the night. Tomorrow, when you see Brother Hao, if he asks about the injuries on your face, do you know what to say?"

"I'll say I tripped and fell by accident."

The two brothers looked at each other, satisfied, and swaggered away.

"May I ask," Huang Liang couldn't help but call out, "with your talent and cultivation, why haven't you gone to cultivate at the Taixuan Sect?"

"Not interested," the brothers replied without looking back. They walked a short distance, picked up the canes they had discarded earlier, and limped away.

Elsewhere, Lin Hao returned to his room, closed the door tightly, and sat cross-legged on a cushion. He began to sense the Supreme Divine Meridian he had just awakened and reflected on his battle with Wang Heng earlier that day.

*For years I couldn't open my meridians, yet a stream of information seemed to come from the void, always lingering in my heart. The Supreme Divine Meridian is hailed as the first in all eternity and is the foundation for establishing the Supreme Body. I am currently at the sixth level of the Meridian Opening Realm, yet I killed Wang Heng, who was at the seventh level, with a single punch—and I only used thirty percent of my strength.*

Lin Hao pondered, gauging his current combat power. *Was Wang Heng too weak, or am I too strong? With my current strength, even if I faced an eighth-level Meridian Opening expert, I should be able to put up a fight.*

*However, the sixth level is still too weak. Huang Liang's targeting of me today is likely related to Lin Han, and there are probably many others in the Taixuan Sect who want to deal with me. The road ahead will be very difficult, but this is my choice, and I will move forward without hesitation.*

Lin Hao's eyes were filled with determination. The Supreme Divine Meridian seemed to sense his will and stirred involuntarily. There were countless unknown enemies, and the pressure was immense, yet the thought of it made his blood boil.

Moonlight fell like water as night descended. Lin Hao pushed open the door to Lin Zhennan’s room.

"You're here." Lin Zhennan was sipping tea; seeing Lin Hao enter, he immediately stood up. He smiled at the young man, his eyes bright, seemingly very satisfied with his performance during the day.

"The Patriarch asked me to see you tonight; there must be something important," Lin Hao said, cupping his hands. He was an abandoned son of a noble family, but the Lin family had never treated him as an outsider. The man before him was the person Lin Hao respected most.

"You have chosen your own path. Are you prepared?" Lin Zhennan stared at Lin Hao with a burning gaze.

Lin Hao clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking. He said nothing, but the light flashing in his eyes was the firmest answer possible.

"Good. You go to the Taixuan Sect tomorrow. Before you leave, I have three things to give you." Lin Zhennan touched a green ring on his index finger, and a scroll appeared in his hand. Lin Hao knew that was a Universe Ring, a storage container of immense value; there were few in the entire Lin family.

"Now that you have opened your meridians, you have officially stepped onto the path of cultivation. But it is not enough for a cultivator to rely solely on internal strength and true energy. In combat, you need powerful battle skills. This 'Heaven-Overturning Seal' is a legacy technique of the Lin family. Although its rank is low, it will be very practical for you." Lin Zhennan handed the scroll to Lin Hao.

"Patriarch, why is your face so red?" Lin Hao couldn't help but ask. He had clearly seen Lin Zhennan blush when he mentioned the "Lin family legacy."

"Is it?" Lin Zhennan coughed twice. "I had some wine at dinner; the aftereffects must be strong." Although he said this, he was sighing inwardly: *You little brat, your ability to read people is not bad at all.*

Then, Lin Zhennan took a second scroll from the Universe Ring and handed it to Lin Hao. "The 'God-Speed Technique,' a low-level movement art. Practice hard; it will help you run faster if you encounter danger."

"A low-level movement art with such a pretentious name? Is this also a Lin family legacy?" Lin Hao asked as he took the scroll.

"Yes, indeed, it's a legacy," Lin Zhennan said with a straight face, though his eyes darted away slightly this time.

"The next item is truly amazing. Boy, keep your eyes open." With that, Lin Zhennan flicked his arm, and a battle sword appeared in his hand. He swung it twice, whistling through the air.

However! The sword had no scabbard, was covered in rust, and was dilapidated; even the hilt was corroded and covered in green verdigris.

"This..." Lin Hao pointed at the sword, not knowing what to say.

"Don't judge by appearances. This is a Peerless Divine Weapon. It's yours." Lin Zhennan offered the sword to Lin Hao with great generosity.

"Patriarch, you call this... a Peerless Divine Weapon?" Lin Hao was speechless and wanted to swear. He wasn't quite used to the Patriarch joking with such a straight face.

"Hao, these three items were carefully selected and tailored for you. Once you go to the Taixuan Sect, cultivate diligently and do not let down my expectations." Lin Zhennan then produced a light blue Universe Ring and handed it to Lin Hao. "There are one hundred low-grade Origin Stones inside. Use them sparingly."

Lin Hao’s eyes lit up, and he snatched the ring. *Isn't something tangible like this much better than that broken sword?*

Lin Hao tossed the two scrolls and the broken sword into the Universe Ring, bid his farewells, and turned to leave.

Watching Lin Hao's retreating back, Lin Zhennan took a deep breath. "The things left behind by that person have finally been given to him."