The Strange Flame is Being Targeted?

Seeing the two of them both step down from the stone platform, a commotion rose in the Trial Hall. Clearly, no one had expected the match to end this way.

The Lin Family Double Heroes had actually tied.

"Hehe, not bad, not bad..."

In the seats, Lin Zhentian was momentarily stunned when he saw Lin Yan and Lin Dong evenly matched, before nodding happily. In his view, the talent and strength displayed by Lin Yan and Lin Dong had greatly exceeded his expectations. The title of Lin Family Double Heroes was indeed well deserved.

At the side, a smile could not help appearing on Lin Xiao's face. As he looked at Lin Yan and Lin Dong on the stone platform, his expression was full of gratification.

Qingtan's delicate little face also relaxed with an involuntary sigh of relief. This outcome was undoubtedly the best one.

"This match shall end in a draw. The final results have now been decided. If there are no objections, Lin Yan and Lin Dong shall share first place in this Clan Competition, while Lin Ting shall take second place. As for third place, if there are no objections, it shall go to Lin Xia, once the greatest genius of our Lin family."

Lin Zhentian rose to his feet and said with a smile. By this point, the rankings of the Clan Competition had basically been decided. Even if they continued, there likely would not be any changes.

The crowd nodded slightly at Lin Zhentian's words, evidently having no objections.

Still, quite a few people looked at Lin Ting with envy. This fellow had watched from beginning to end, yet when the Clan Competition ended, he had gotten second place for free. He was simply absurdly lucky.

Below the stone platform, Lin Yan was somewhat surprised to hear that he would share first place with Lin Dong, but he did not find it too unexpected.

Although he had the strange fire as a trump card, Lin Yan knew that it was still in the Ember Body stage and far too weak. Moreover, the Ten Thousand Beast Spirit Fire had ranked near the bottom of the Strange Fire Ranking on the Douqi Continent.

By Lin Yan's estimate, even the Ten Thousand Beast Spirit Fire at its peak would only be roughly comparable to the Creation Realm in Tianxuan Continent. Therefore, although Lin Yan now possessed strength comparable to the Body Tempering Eighth Level with the Ten Thousand Beast Spirit Fire's help, defeating Lin Dong would not be so easy.

Compared with him, Lin Dong was no slouch in either combat experience or trump cards. In the original story, Lin Dong had relied on the ten echoes of the Through-the-Back Fist to withstand Lei Li, who was about to enter the Earth Origin Realm, with the strength of the Body Tempering Eighth Level, only ending up at a slight disadvantage. Thus, it would not be easy for Lin Yan to utterly defeat Lin Dong.

However, Lin Yan knew that if it were a fight to the death, he would still have a high chance of winning. After all, the violent and terrifying power of a strange fire was not meant for a competition, but for risking one's life.

As Lin Yan was thinking this, Lin Mang in the guest seats looked at his utterly dejected son, Lin Hong, then at the spirited Lin Yan and Lin Dong. Recalling the mysterious flame on the youth's body, anger mingled with greed, and he directly charged toward the area below the stone platform.

"Lin Yan, the origins of that mysterious flame within you are unknown. Let me inspect it for you first!"

A cold shout rang out as a figure descended from above. With a hand shaped like an eagle's claw, he grabbed straight at Lin Yan. Startled, the latter hurriedly retreated, but the other party relentlessly pursued him, reaching straight for his shoulder.

"Lin Mang!"

The sudden turn of events shocked everyone. When they saw who had made the move, Lin Ken immediately roared from below the platform.

"Get lost! Don't touch Yan'er!"

Just as Lin Ken's shout fell, another figure flashed forward and appeared before Lin Yan in an instant. It was Lin Xiao.

"Lin Xiao, do you really think you're a match for me now?" Lin Mang sneered when he saw Lin Xiao intervene. Yuan Power surged in his palm, carrying an astonishing howl of wind as he viciously struck at Lin Xiao.

"Get lost!"

Facing Lin Mang's attack, Lin Xiao's expression darkened slightly. He neither dodged nor retreated, instead throwing a punch directly against Lin Mang's palm.

Bang!

A powerful shockwave spread outward in a ring from beneath their fists, sweeping all the dust from the stone platform. Then, everyone once more witnessed something they could scarcely believe: Lin Mang was forcibly knocked back several steps!

Lin Mang, a Heaven Origin Realm expert, had been driven back!

Lin Ken, who had originally been about to intervene at once, froze in place. In the chief seat, the fury that had been about to erupt from Lin Zhentian's face also came to an abrupt halt.

"Your strength?!"

Lin Mang staggered before steadying himself. Yet his heart was churning violently as he stared at Lin Xiao in shock and cried out.

"My injuries have healed, so naturally my strength has returned. As for the mysterious flame on Yan'er's body, it was obtained by chance. There is no need for Second Brother to concern himself with it," Lin Xiao said indifferently.

As brothers who had grown up together, how could Lin Xiao fail to understand Lin Mang's greedy intentions? Though he too was curious about the mysterious and terrifying flame within Lin Yan, he now regarded Lin Yan as his future son-in-law. Furthermore, with his internal injuries healed, how could he allow Lin Mang to bully one of his own?

"Third Brother, your strength has recovered?"

Below the platform, Lin Ken's face immediately filled with wild joy upon hearing this. A Heaven Origin Realm expert played an extremely important role in a family's strength. At present, the entire Lin family, including himself, only had three Heaven Origin Realm experts. Even so, the Lin family already carried considerable weight in Qingyang Town. Now that Lin Xiao's injuries had healed and his strength had returned, the Lin family would have another Heaven Origin Realm expert!

The invited guests in the Trial Hall also wore expressions of shock. They understood that from now on, the Lin family's strength would likely rise considerably once more.

Having recovered from his shock, Lin Zhentian hurriedly leapt onto the stone platform and grabbed Lin Xiao's arm. When he sensed the surging Yuan Power inside the latter's body, he could not help bursting into laughter.

"Good! You finally haven't let me down!"

Lin Zhentian heavily patted Lin Xiao's shoulder. At the side, Lin Dong could see that the old man's eyes seemed somewhat red. It was clear that he was extraordinarily excited.

"Lin Mang, how dare you make a move on your own in public? Are you determined to disgrace our Lin family completely?" The redness in Lin Zhentian's eyes did not last long. He suddenly turned, fixing Lin Mang with a stern gaze as he shouted furiously.

As his father, how could Lin Zhentian not know Lin Mang's little schemes? Regarding the mysterious and terrifying flame on Lin Yan's body, as a martial artist, not to mention Lin Mang, even Lin Zhentian himself could not claim he had no desire for it.

But Lin Zhentian knew that they were already old and had lost much of their drive to advance. Even if they forcibly took the mysterious flame from Lin Yan, what then? At most, it would give them another trump card, with little use to the family as a whole.

It would be better to leave it with Lin Yan. The family's future would ultimately have to be supported by these younger generations. That was why he had not interfered too much. Yet he had not expected Lin Mang to be consumed by greed.

Hearing Lin Zhentian's furious shout, Lin Mang's expression changed slightly. Within the Lin family, Lin Zhentian's authority was immense. He had always been a man whose word was final. Even though Lin Mang had now entered the Heaven Origin Realm, he still did not dare contradict Lin Zhentian. He could only lower his head and remain silent.

"Father, let this matter rest for now. There are still quite a few guests here," Lin Ken stepped forward and said quietly.

Lin Zhentian took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart. Then he flicked his sleeve and said, "Clean up this mess first. After that, all of you come to the rear courtyard!"

With those words, he turned and left in anger.

Seeing this, Lin Ken nodded with a bitter smile before glancing at Lin Mang. After all these years, this second brother of his had not changed his greedy nature in the slightest.

Seeing Lin Zhentian's attitude, Lin Yan inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, though he had expected it already.

According to the original story, as Lin Dong's grandfather, Lin Zhentian was quite upright. Together with Lin Xiao's protection, that was why Lin Yan had dared to reveal the Ten Thousand Beast Spirit Fire.

Although the people of the Tianxuan Continent did not recognize strange flames, they could at least tell what was valuable. There was no guarantee that no one would be consumed by greed.

Fortunately, the family as a whole still knew the bigger picture and would not support Lin Mang in committing such a disgraceful act as forcibly taking something from a junior.

As Lin Yan was thinking this, Qingtan somehow arrived at his side. Her little face was filled with excitement and delight; clearly, she was extremely happy that both Lin Yan and Lin Dong had taken first place.

"Brother Lin Yan, don't worry. With my father here, no one will harm you. Stop standing around foolishly now—Grandfather told me to take you to the rear courtyard."

Hearing this, Lin Yan was initially stunned. The rear courtyard was an important area of the Lin Family, one that ordinary people were not allowed to enter. At the very least, Lin Yan had never been inside before.

But then he remembered that he had now won first place in the Clan Competition, so he was qualified enough to enter. Besides, there should be quite a few rewards for first place as well.

"If that's the case, then I'll trouble you, Cousin Qingtan..."