Chapter 26

Inside the Lin Family Trial Hall, the battle between Lin Dong and Lin Hong had undoubtedly become one of the major highlights of this Clan Competition. After Lin Dong defeated Lin Hong, the atmosphere throughout the venue was pushed to its peak.

A newly risen dark horse overturning an established genius was something that had not been seen in many years. This battle had not only thoroughly made Lin Dong famous, but also stirred the hearts of everyone present.

No one was willing to remain beneath others forever. Since Lin Dong could break free of his own fate and successfully defeat a stronger opponent, why could they not do the same? At this moment, Lin Dong represented their hopes to a certain extent.

As the excitement continued to surge, the crowd soon welcomed another thrilling match.

Lin Yan vs. Lin Xia.

As one of the two dark horses of this Clan Competition, Lin Yan's rise had been even more abrupt and unexpected than Lin Dong's.

After all, although Lin Dong had never been particularly well-known before, he was still Lin Zhentian's biological grandson, a direct descendant of the Lin Family. Moreover, his father, Lin Xiao, had once been the Lin Family's number one genius, so quite a few people had heard of him.

In comparison, Lin Yan had previously been a completely unknown collateral descendant of the Lin Family. Forget outsiders—even some members of the Lin Family did not know who he was. Yet no one had expected that such an obscure figure would shine so brilliantly in the Clan Competition, boldly charge into the top five, and prepare to decide victory or defeat against the Lin Family's number one genius, Lin Xia!

After the unexpected outcome between Lin Dong and Lin Hong, no one could confidently say who would win the match between Lin Yan and Lin Xia.

Would the established genius Lin Xia preserve her glory as the Lin Family's number one genius, or would the rise of the newly emerged dark horse Lin Yan prove unstoppable? The clash between these two powerhouses thoroughly ignited the flames in every spectator's heart.

At this moment, in the VIP seats, the Lin Family's old patriarch, Lin Zhentian, narrowed his eyes as he looked in Lin Yan's direction, suddenly recalling what Qingtan had said to him at the beginning.

"Could this boy truly possess such talent? How unexpected. Our Lin Family has Dong'er, and now we have another Lin Yan. No matter what, this is a blessing for the Lin Family," Lin Zhentian said softly with a smile.

Beside him, Lin Mang's expression was incomparably gloomy. His son, on whom he had placed such high hopes, had not even made it into the finals. How could he not be enraged? Looking at the high-spirited Lin Dong, then at the calm-faced Lin Yan, fury immediately flared in his heart. What kind of damn dark horses were these? Couldn't they just stay put and be good-for-nothings!?

No matter how angry he was, however, he could not change the fact that Lin Hong had already lost. He could only let the anger burn within him.

Regardless of what others thought, when Lin Yan heard Lin Xia's clear shout, his gaze shifted to the stone platform.

Upon the stone platform stood a graceful and heroic young woman. Her straight, long legs were slender and fair, while her narrow waist was alluring and fiery. Her figure was indeed excellent. Under other circumstances, Lin Yan would definitely have taken the time to appreciate the sight, but at this moment, he was far less inclined to do so.

There had originally been five people who entered the finals. Aside from one person who drew a bye, Lin Dong and Lin Hong had already determined the victor among the remaining four. That was why Lin Xia had given up on drawing lots and directly challenged Lin Yan.

Lin Yan had no objections to such an arrangement. It would save some time. In the original story, Lin Xia and Lin Hong had fought to a draw, which meant their strength was about equal. Now that Lin Dong had defeated Lin Hong, he needed to defeat Lin Xia quickly as well.

After Lin Xia stepped onto the stone platform, Lin Yan leisurely leaped up after her. Dressed in black, with his handsome profile, he drew slight nods from quite a few people.

Some of the Lin Family's young ladies were at the age when their hearts first began to stir. When they saw such an outstanding, handsome young man, they could not stop cheering and applauding.

The girls' cheers and laughter carried far, causing Qingtan in the VIP seats to unconsciously furrow her delicate brows. For some reason, she felt rather uncomfortable.

Seeing this, Lin Dong smiled and shook his head. He had always treated Qingtan like a real younger sister, but matters of the heart were not something he was in a position to interfere with.

Although Lin Dong felt that his parents' intention to betroth Qingtan to Lin Yan was somewhat hasty, he was not particularly opposed to it in his heart. In the original story, the reason he had so strongly opposed Lin Hong marrying Qingtan was because he believed that Lin Hong was simply unworthy of his sister.

But if the person were Lin Yan, Lin Dong felt far less resistance. He could sense that Lin Yan was an exceptionally good man. Qingtan marrying him would be a fine outcome. As an older brother, nothing could make him happier than seeing his younger sister happy.

As he thought this, Lin Dong turned toward the stone platform and looked at the Black-Clothed Youth with a complicated expression. He muttered softly, "Cousin Lin Yan, if you want to take Qingtan away from my side, then let me first see what you're capable of."

"Your younger cousin Lin Yan greets Cousin Lin Xia." On the stone platform, Lin Yan looked at the spirited Lin Xia and greeted her according to the rules of the match.

Looking at the calm and composed Lin Yan before her, Lin Xia frowned. In the past, she had never had much of an impression of this cousin Lin Yan. They were the sort who would not even greet one another when they met.

Yet during this Clan Competition, this formerly unknown youth had risen like a dark horse, defeated several powerful opponents, and now stood before her.

Lin Xia could not help but sigh. "Cousin Lin Yan, you truly make people see you in a new light. Before the Clan Competition, Cousin Qingtan said that your talent was no less than mine. I thought it was merely a little girl's joke, but it seems she was right."

Lin Xia's face showed a trace of emotion, but her eyes fixed on Lin Yan with far greater solemnity. Regardless of who won or lost this battle, Lin Yan's speed of growth alone had already left her in awe. It would only be a matter of time before he replaced her.

Even so, she would defend the dignity of the Lin Family's number one genius to the death. Looking at the youth before her, Lin Xia suddenly thought of something and said teasingly, "I know Lin Hong's strength. He is practically no weaker than I am, yet he lost to Lin Dong. That fellow even managed to hide it from me—he hid himself deeply indeed. He will surely achieve great things in the future.

"And I see that little Qingtan seems to have feelings for you. But Lin Dong is completely obsessed with protecting his sister. If you want to marry little Qingtan, you cannot lose to Lin Dong. And the first step is defeating me."

After saying that, Lin Xia looked at Lin Yan with a mischievous expression. She did not harbor much ill will toward this suddenly risen youth. After all, they were both members of the Lin Family. They competed on the platform, but were still family below it. Thus, her words were mostly teasing.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yan's expression immediately froze. What had originally been a serious match had somehow become a matter concerning his future happiness after her little speech. He nearly went limp.

However, Lin Yan knew that Lin Xia was indeed telling the truth. If he wanted to marry Qingtan, he had to obtain Lin Dong's approval. Lin Dong held an extraordinary place in Qingtan's heart, and his standards were extremely high. Even the favored sons of Tianxuan Continent might not earn his approval.

It was not as if Lin Yan had no feelings for Qingtan. Who would not like a cute and beautiful girl? But he also knew just how enormous the potential of this future brother-in-law was. Not losing to him would truly be a hell-level challenge.

Though he thought this, immense fighting spirit still rose in Lin Yan's heart. With twenty-two Different Fire Seeds within him, who would rule Tianxuan Continent was still far from certain!

Lin Yan smiled faintly and cupped his hands toward Lin Xia. "If that is the case, then I won't hold back. Cousin Lin Xia, please."

Hearing this, Lin Xia was first taken aback, then curled her lips. Hah, men. Not a single one of them was any good. This fellow really was setting his sights on little Qingtan. But defeating me won't be so easy. As she thought this, waves of Yuan Power gradually spread from her body, clearly indicating that she had entered a combat state.

"Match begin!"

Below the stone platform, Lin Ken first glanced nervously at his daughter. Once he saw that both contestants were prepared, he waved his hand and shouted in a deep voice.

The instant Lin Ken's shout fell, a faint glow emerged over Lin Xia's body. It was Yuan Power.

Seventh Level Tempered Body!

Seeing the relatively dense glow around Lin Xia's body, many people in the Trial Hall cried out in amazement. Although they had already suspected it while watching Lin Xia's previous matches, seeing it with their own eyes still filled them with awe.

As expected of an established genius. Whether it was Lin Hong earlier or Lin Xia now, both had entered the seventh level of the Tempered Body realm.

Reaching the seventh level of the Tempered Body realm at such an age was itself proof of their potential. If they were properly nurtured, their future prospects would certainly not be low.

However, Lin Hong had already been overturned by the newly risen dark horse Lin Dong. Whether Lin Yan, who was likewise one of the dark horses, could do the same was another matter. With this thought, many people began to look forward to it.

On the stone platform, Lin Xia looked at the calm youth before her and said, "Lin Yan, show me all your strength. Let me see just how capable this dark horse of yours truly is!"

As soon as her words fell, the glow around Lin Xia's body flickered. Her gaze suddenly turned sharp, and she shot forward. Her slender, long fingers came together, her arm like a plum branch as she rapidly jabbed toward Lin Yan.

"First Grade Martial Art, Plum Blossom Finger!"

Facing this extremely powerful finger strike, Lin Yan did not move at all, showing no sign of dodging, as though he had given up struggling. However, having just witnessed the battle between Lin Dong Ge and Lin Hong, the spectators below seemed to think of something.

Sure enough, before anyone could react, the fierce finger wind on the Stone Platform reached Lin Yan's chest in the blink of an eye. Just as that precise finger strike was about to land, Lin Yan finally moved. His right hand clenched into a fist, his five fingers drawn together, and an explosive force instantly burst forth.

Stone Crushing Fist!

Fist and fingers collided, yet Lin Yan did not fall into the slightest disadvantage. The moment the fluctuations of Yuan Power spread from his body, everyone understood his true strength.

The seventh level of Body Tempering as well!

If everyone had only vaguely suspected it before, they now knew the answer for certain.

Another dark horse at the seventh level of Body Tempering. It could be said that today's Clan Competition had brought far too many surprises to the crowd. In a single Clan Competition, four geniuses at the seventh level of Body Tempering had appeared at once!

And they were two established geniuses and two newly risen dark horses!

In the seats, Lin Zhentian watched this scene and nodded with a smile. Even he had not expected there to be four young geniuses at the seventh level of Body Tempering within his clan. The more outstanding these juniors were, the more gratified and delighted he felt.

At this moment, Lin Xiao, Lin Yun, and the others who had been more familiar with Lin Yan were also greatly shocked. They had never expected Lin Yan to possess such strength. Only Lin Dong, gazing at Lin Yan's back, revealed a thoughtful expression.

On the platform, enveloped by that fierce fist wind, Lin Xia's delicate brows drew together slightly. She dispersed her two-finger stance and quickly retreated, avoiding Lin Yan's sharp, aggressive punch.

"So you really are at the seventh level. No wonder you've been so calm all along."

Lin Xia's expression changed, and her spirits sank considerably. Though she had long guessed at Lin Yan's strength, seeing him truly reveal it still dealt her quite a blow. First Lin Dong, then Lin Yan—were these newcomers really going to replace veterans like them?

However, Lin Xia was also a person of firm resolve. She quickly adjusted her mood. Looking at the black-clothed youth before her, she lightly bit her silver teeth and shouted.

"Lin Yan, if you want to defeat me, this little strength still isn't enough!"

As soon as her words fell, Lin Xia's brows knitted tightly together. Yuan Power surged throughout her body as she brought her two fingers together, turning them into finger-swords—sharp beyond measure—as they agilely stabbed toward Lin Yan's vital points.

Second Grade Martial Art, Spirit Sword Finger!

Upon seeing this move, many people could not help but admire her. Worthy of being the Lin Family's number one genius—the Spirit Sword Finger was among the finest of Second Grade Martial Arts, yet Lin Xia wielded it with such proficiency that it seemed as though she had practiced it for many years.

What came next depended on whether Lin Yan could withstand it. Quite a few people still held faint hopes, but even more believed that Lin Xia already had victory in hand. After all, it was already a once-in-a-decade occurrence for a formidable dark horse like Lin Dong to emerge. How could another Lin Yan suddenly appear as well?

Lin Dong's father had been the Lin Family's number one genius back then, so it was hardly strange for Lin Dong to know a Second Grade Martial Art under his personal instruction. But Lin Yan had probably never even come into contact with a Second Grade Martial Art, right?

"Lin Dong Ge, will Brother Lin Yan win?" In the VIP seats, seeing Lin Xia use her ultimate move, Qingtan clenched her little hands because of the fierce battle on the platform and asked nervously.

"Unless something unexpected happens, Cousin Lin Yan won't lose," Lin Dong said. He thought of the mysterious flame on Lin Yan's body, as well as the Eight Desolations Palm his father had taught him.

Meanwhile, on the Stone Platform, Lin Yan's expression also grew serious as he sensed that sharp sword-finger attack.

A martial art like the Spirit Sword Finger might not appear especially fierce in power, but once mastered, one's fingers would become like sword blades, possessing tremendous force.

Yet inwardly, Lin Yan was growing excited. I have a Second Grade Martial Art too!

Lin Yan's arm shook, and both palms suddenly swept out. The fierce gusts they created were like blades, cutting painfully against the skin.

A howling sound arose beneath that fierce palm wind, and at the sight, the spectators seemed to realize something.

Lin Xia's expression changed even more. The instant she saw Lin Yan's familiar stance, she immediately understood. Yuan Power surged even more violently through her body as her Spirit Sword Finger thrust toward Lin Yan.

At that moment, the fierce, blade-like wind from Lin Yan's palms suddenly changed. It now carried traces of softness, yet upon closer inspection, that softness concealed a terrifying aura of blazing heat and violent savagery.

The next instant, Lin Yan's arm gave a strange shake. That immensely fierce force, containing threads of terrifying fiery and violent energy, surged like a tidal wave toward Lin Xia's finger strike in an instant.

"Eight Desolations Palm!"

"Spirit Sword Finger!"

Palm and fingers collided, and a resounding boom erupted across the Stone Platform. The next moment, everyone saw a curvaceous figure sent flying backward by the impact. Her feet took several hurried steps across the Stone Platform before she finally fell from it.

That figure was Lin Xia, her face flushed red with humiliation and fury...