Threat!

Finally, Su Ming added casually,

"The future is promising."

This move left everyone baffled, completely missing the meaning.

Lin Tao, however, read between the lines.

The future is promising, but what if there is no future...

Lin Tao offered a lukewarm, perfunctory response, a faint chill flashing in the depths of his eyes.

"The lower three star domains, merely a fluke."

"Lord Su, you might as well speak your mind."

Su Ming nodded in agreement.

The psychological warfare had already achieved its effect.

"Then I'll get straight to the point."

"The Mengbo Star Domain has gained an extra lineage out of thin air, so these resources, naturally, must be carved up."

"Although we already know that the Lin Family was appointed by the Zhuge Family."

"Yet these rules..."

"Must be properly discussed."

Second Elder Lin Dong frowned. "What rules? We've never heard of them."

Su Ming nodded.

"It's normal that you haven't heard of them since this is your first time entering the sixth-grade star domain."

"Within the Mengbo Star Domain, there are eight locations including spirit stone mines and spirit herb gardens. The Su Family takes half, and the other two families take half."

"Our three great families have managed these cultivation resources for a long time."

"The energy and manpower invested are countless."

"It's probably inappropriate for you to want a piece of the pie the moment you arrive."

As his voice fell,

the members of the Lin Family all frowned.

They had finally gotten to the point.

Yet things like spirit stone mines were nurtured by heaven and earth, barring a one-time clean excavation.

Otherwise, as long as time elapsed, they would naturally regenerate.

Talking about investing manpower and material resources was utter bullshit, merely an excuse to make trouble.

According to the rules of the Everlasting Family,

resources should be equally divided among the lineages within the star domain.

Lin Tao maintained his patience. "That makes sense. We've just arrived here, and reaching out to take things for nothing is indeed inappropriate."

Just as he finished speaking, Eighth Elder blurted out,

"Eldest Brother!"

Lin Tao glared at him, then continued slowly,

"How about this."

"For three years, we won't take a single half of the spirit herbs and spirit ores."

"And we will send people to manage them."

"How does that sound?"

Brother Tao raised a hand to yield three years of revenue, wanting to settle the matter right there.

Su Ming smiled and nodded. "Family Head Lin really is reasonable."

Lin Tao waved his hand. "Mm... It's only right."

Suddenly,

Su Ming shifted the conversation.

"But in my view, this is still inappropriate."

Lin Tao frowned, looking at the refined middle-aged man before him.

"You call this still inappropriate?"

Su Ming held up a single finger.

"A millennium."

"For a thousand years, the Lin Family shall not share in the benefits."

"A thousand years from now, the Lin Family will be the fourth great family of the Mengbo Star Domain!"

--Boom.

As the words fell,

the various elders could no longer sit still and rose from their chairs.

How precious were the resources of the sixth-grade star domain.

The Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and spirit stones born every year were already an astronomical figure.

Eldest Brother yielding three years of profits was already the absolute limit.

Right now, the entire Lin Family not only had elders who needed to break through to the Martial Immortal Realm,

but You'er was also in the golden age of cultivation.

Without the blessing of resources, within a decade, he would fall behind other prodigies.

"Nonsense!"

"Could the rules of your Su Family possibly be greater than the Everlasting Family?"

"Three years is already the limit. A millennium? I'm afraid by then my Lin Family won't even compare to a bottom-tier lineage!"

Everyone was filled with righteous indignation.

Some even directly produced the Zhuge Family Token.

"This is the decree of the Everlasting Family."

"The Zhuge Family sent us here, and you dare to sabotage us in secret?"

Lin Tao waved his hand,

signaling everyone to calm down and not be impetuous.

Yet the anger in his eyes was also becoming difficult to suppress.

"Lord Su."

"A thousand years is simply much too long."

Su Ming smiled and shook his head, pointing behind him at the people from the other two great families.

"I'm not targeting you."

"Whoever comes, it's the same."

"If you don't believe it, ask them whether they want to abide by my Su Family's rules."

Standing behind Su Ming, the family heads of the Wei and Zhuo families—who acted like servants—wore sneers on their faces.

"A thousand years is already giving you face!"

"The Everlasting Family?"

"Do you really think the Zhuge Family has nothing better to do than worry about this business of yours?"

"You want a decree, do you? Our two families have them too, why don't you take them back and worship them?"

In an instant,

the atmosphere in the hall grew tense to the extreme.

Everyone knew

that this sentence was half true.

The Everlasting Family only cared about your promotion; whether you could handle the aftermath afterward

had nothing to do with them.

The law of the jungle was simply how things were!

Lin Tao clenched his fists tightly, and he took a deep breath.

Presently, among the other three families,

there were probably more than one or two Martial Immortals within their ranks.

Between star domains,

there was a gulf as wide as heaven and earth.

Not to mention those existences above the Martial Immortal, which were far from anything the current Lin Family could handle.

This was precisely why family promotion was so difficult.

Before you could even rest, recuperate, and catch up,

you would be devoured by the opponent!

The difference between the lower three and middle three tiers might look like only one grade,

yet it was even greater than the difference between a seventh-grade family and a ninth-grade family!

Between the seventh and ninth grades, the most formidable were at most in the Martial Dao Profound Realm.

With the Everlasting Family suppressing things, no one could break through to the Martial Immortal.

However, between the seventh and sixth grades,

that was a massive chasm!

The Everlasting Family's restraint upon the middle three tiers

was simply that they were not allowed to break through to the Longevity Realm!

Lin Tao knew it clearly in his heart, but yielding a thousand years of resources out of thin air

was simply unacceptable for the entire Lin Family.

Not to mention that You'er was right at the age when he needed cultivation resources!

"What if we don't agree?"

"Does the Su Family dare to forcefully wipe out the Lin Family?"

Su Ming smiled, his expression somewhat chilling, as he picked up his teacup and drained it in one gulp.

"Fellow daoist, what kind of talk is that."

"How could my Su Family ever do such a thing."

"It's just..."

"What if one day masked bandits or people from other star domains come to make a move?"

"Then I wouldn't be able to guarantee anything."

Masked bandits...

Utter bullshit!

It was nothing more than changing identities to make a move so no fault could be found on the surface!

"A bug that crawled up from the ninth-grade star domain."

"An ant without even a Martial Immortal Realm who has muddled along until today without any gratitude,"

"and you even dare to bargain!?"

The Wei Family head sneered repeatedly.

The uncles of the Lin Family all clenched their fists, wishing they could fight the opponent to the death.

Lin You watched everything unfold, and his heart felt deeply uncomfortable as well.

Yet he understood Brother Tao's unwillingness.

When the situation was stronger than the person...

There really was no choice!

If they didn't agree today, who knew when they would be exterminated!

[Ding!]
[Mission issued: Establish a foothold for the Lin Family!]
[Mission requirement: All members break through to the Martial Immortal Realm!]
[Mission reward: Crit Roulette x2]
[Crit duration: 3 days!]
[Mission reward: Blessed Land x1]
[Blessed Land: Massive spiritual Qi, flow of time can be adjusted]
[Note: Host cannot enter!]

The moment he heard the system prompt,

Lin You immediately raised his head. He stepped forward and pressed down on Brother Tao's clenched fist.

As long as everyone broke through to the Martial Immortal Realm and obtained the Blessed Land, who needed cultivation resources anymore!

"Fine."

"A thousand years it is."

"My Lin Family agrees."

As his words fell,

the members of the Lin Family were greatly shocked.

"You're out of your mind!"

"You'er, come back quickly. This isn't something you should be meddling in!"

"That's right, we old fellows will find a way regarding the cultivation resources!"

"You're only eighteen, you mustn't ruin your future!"

Lin Tao likewise raised his head. A trace of gratification flashed in his eyes, yet he stubbornly shook his head.

They just assumed Lin You saw through the helplessness of the Lin Family.

"Foolish boy."

"The Lin Family doesn't need you to make sacrifices!"

"I will take care of it."

Lin You spread his hands in a rather helpless gesture.

"Brother Tao."

"That kind of talk takes the meaning right out of it."

"We need to know which way the wind blows; a mere thousand years, if you really want to live, living for several thousand or tens of thousands of years is also normal."

"I am also a member of the Lin Family, and I call the shots!"

Su Ming looked at Lin You with some surprise.

"You really have a sense of measure."

"Young man, I am very optimistic about your future."

"Very well, a thousand years it is!"