Lin Zhentian

When dawn broke through the restraints of the clouds and shone down upon the land, the Lin Family burst into clamor in an instant, a lively atmosphere enveloping the entire estate.

When Lin Yan and Lin Yun arrived together at the Family Competition Training Hall, the place was already quite heated. One glance around showed no small number of people.

Though the Lin Family in Qingyang Town could not be considered a top-tier force, it still carried some weight. Because of that, quite a few honored guests had come to watch this family competition—partly to build relations, and partly to take the chance to see what the Lin Family's younger generation was capable of. After all, for a clan like this, outstanding fresh blood was extremely important.

If all of these younger ones were mediocre, then the family's decline would only be a matter of time.

Although Lin Yan's predecessor had always been busy struggling to make a living and had never watched such a scene before, for the reborn Lin Yan, this was also the first time seeing such a grand event in the Lin Family.

However, after having seen massive sports meets and concerts with tens of thousands of people in his previous life, the Lin Family's Training Hall was child's play in comparison. Therefore, Lin Yan did not reveal any expression of surprise.

At the side, when Lin Yun saw how calm Lin Yan was, he could not help but nod in admiration. Even with his own precocious mind, when he first witnessed such an event in the past, he had still been shocked and nervous for a very long time.

"Cousin Lin Yan, with your strength, I think Lin Xia of the eldest branch and Lin Hong of the second branch are probably no match for you either. I'm afraid the position of champion is already yours."

Lin Yun knew Lin Yan's strength better than anyone after spending several months with him. These days, this fellow had run deep into Back Mountain every day, and every time he returned, there was a thick stench of blood on him. Who knew how many savage beasts he had hunted to become stained with that scent? And every time he came back, Lin Yun could sense that his strength had grown fiercer by another degree.

Because of that, in Lin Yun's heart, Lin Yan became increasingly unfathomable.

Hearing Lin Yun's words, Lin Yan chuckled and shook his head. "Who said the Lin Family only has Lin Xia and Lin Hong? Maybe another dark horse will appear. I might not necessarily be able to take first place."

At that, Lin Yun looked around suspiciously. He was extremely familiar with the younger members of the Lin Family around them, but after thinking for a long while, he still could not figure out which youngster might suddenly appear and make even Lin Yan so wary.

Seeing Lin Yun's doubtful expression, Lin Yan did not expose the truth. Once the competition began, people would know that the future Martial Ancestor, the Child of the Plane of Tianxuan Continent, would officially begin the first battle of his rise.

Thinking of this, a thick blaze of ambition also burned in Lin Yan's eyes. Who said that only Lin Dong was the protagonist of the entire continent, while everyone else was merely supporting cast?

Lin Dong became the Martial Ancestor; did that mean he, Lin Yan, could not become the Fire Ancestor? Today would surely become the first battle of his own rise as well!

And just as Lin Yan was thinking this, the arrival of a group of people suddenly drew quite a bit of attention from everyone present.

Lin Yun also murmured beside his ear, "Aren't those the people from the third branch? Why did they attend the family competition today? I remember that ever since Uncle Lin Xiao was injured, he hasn't appeared at this kind of event in a very long time.

"What a pity. When I was very young, I still remember Uncle Lin Xiao was the most talented person in our Lin Family. But back then, when he attended the clan gathering, he was defeated in a single move by the number one expert among the Inner Clan's younger generation, and his body was also ruined.

"Since then, Uncle Lin Xiao has withdrawn from public view. Over time, the third branch faded from people's sight..."

Hearing this, Lin Yan also turned his gaze toward the source of the commotion. It was precisely Lin Dong's family, who had just arrived.

"Looks like Lin Dong has already more or less healed Lin Xiao's injuries. Otherwise, Lin Xiao wouldn't dare come openly to attend the family competition. In that case, it seems all of this hasn't changed because of my rebirth and is still proceeding along its original track," Lin Yan muttered to himself in a low voice, so quietly that even Lin Yun beside him did not hear clearly.

As for Lin Xiao being severely crippled by Lin Langtian, Lin Yan truly found it hard to say whether it was good or bad.

Although this had brought Lin Dong's family heavy pressure and humiliation, was it not also the driving force behind Lin Dong's future rise, reminding him to constantly move forward and avenge his injured father?

If Lin Xiao had remained perfectly fine and given Lin Dong a stable, happy childhood, would the future Martial Ancestor still have appeared?

They all said hardship forged glory. Lin Yan felt this was not only true in his previous life, but most likely the same in any world.

While Lin Yan was thinking this, Lin Dong's family also made their way to the honored guest seats.

Although Lin Xiao had not shown himself for a long time, he was still the biological son of the Lin Family's patriarch, Lin Zhentian, and a member of the direct third branch. There was absolutely nothing wrong with him going to the honored guest seats. As for collateral members like Lin Yan and Lin Yun, they could only wait below for the family competition to begin.

At this moment, quite a few people were already seated in the honored guest area of the Training Hall, constantly chatting and laughing with one another.

In a seat near the center of the honored guest area, a somewhat lean middle-aged man was speaking with a smile to several guests around him who appeared to hold some status in Qingyang Town. This man was none other than Lin Zhentian's son, Lin Xiao's second elder brother, Lin Mang of the second branch.

While they were talking and laughing, his gaze suddenly caught sight of Lin Xiao and the others. He immediately froze, and then his brows furrowed faintly without leaving a trace.

In previous years' family competitions, Lin Xiao simply would not show up to attend. Occasionally, when he did appear, he would stand in an inconspicuous corner. An action like this time, walking straight toward the honored guest seats, was the first in these years.

Standing to the left of that lean middle-aged man, Lin Mang, were two youths. They were his sons, the brothers Lin Hong and Lin Shan, who also had quite a bit of friction with Lin Dong.

Faced with Lin Xiao's sudden arrival, Lin Mang also hurriedly went up to greet him, his lips moving as if they were discussing something.

Because they were far away, Lin Yan could not hear what they were saying, but from Lin Mang's expression, he knew the second branch did not exactly welcome Lin Dong's family.

This was normal too. After all, Lin Zhentian had a total of five sons, but the fourth and fifth branches had no real ability. Added to Lin Xiao's severe injuries and Lin Zhentian gradually giving up family affairs, the family's authority over these years had been controlled by the eldest and second branches.

But deep down, Lin Zhentian still showed particular affection for Lin Xiao, who had once been the most talented person in the Lin Family. Therefore, seeing that Lin Xiao might possibly return, Lin Mang was naturally so displeased.

However, in Lin Yan's eyes, this sort of scheming against one another and fighting for power and profit was like ants scrambling for food, utterly without value. In fact, the entire Qingyang Town Lin Family was no more than humble weeds on Tianxuan Continent.

As he thought this, the next moment, the entire venue suddenly fell silent. Everyone's gazes abruptly turned toward the direction of the main entrance, and Lin Yan looked over as well.

There, a large crowd surged in. At the very front of the group was a white-haired old man. The old man wore a brocade robe and gave off an extremely hale and hearty impression. As his eyes swept around, he carried a certain dignity.

And this man was none other than the current head of the Lin Family, Lin Xiao's father, Lin Dong's grandfather—Lin Zhentian.