Clan Tournament!

Time slipped by in silence, and the Lin Family's most important clan competition was about to begin.

The Clan Trial Hall.

At this moment, the place was packed with noise and people. Given the Lin Family's status in all of Qingyang Town, quite a few honored guests had come to observe the ceremony, and among them was even the Mad Saber Martial Hall, which stood on equal footing with the two great local powers, the Lei Family and the Xie Family.

Because the Lei Family and the Xie Family were local powers of Qingyang Town, they were highly resistant toward an outside force like the Mad Saber Martial Hall, forcing the latter to find suitable allies in order to withstand the pressure from those two families.

And the Lin Family, second only to the three great powers, was naturally the first to be regarded as an ally the Mad Saber Martial Hall needed to win over.

After all, when it came down to it, the Lin Family was not a native power of Qingyang Town either. Rather, Lin Zhentian had brought the Lin Family branch to Qingyang Town to take root, gradually developing it to its current state.

Once the Lei Family and the Xie Family suppressed the Mad Saber Martial Hall, their next target would be the Lin Family.

In the VIP seats of the trial hall, the Lin Family members had already taken their places.

A lean middle-aged man was chatting and laughing easily with others when an inadvertent glance caught sight of Lin Xiao's arrival. His brows furrowed tightly, then soon relaxed, and after greeting the others, he also came before Lin Xiao.

"Well, if it isn't Third Brother."

Lin Mang's face was full of mockery. He paid no mind to the current occasion as he jeered, "What, finally willing to crawl out of that doghouse and show your face?"

In the previous clan competitions, Lin Xiao had never sat in the VIP seats. The few times he had watched the clan competition, he had stayed in places that did not draw attention.

Now that he had come to sit in the VIP seats, it truly surprised Lin Mang and the others.

"A good dog doesn't block the road. Move!"

Expressionless, Lin Xiao shoved Lin Mang, who was blocking his way, aside. This move truly caught the other man off guard, and he nearly staggered and fell flat on his face.

"Well, well, Third Brother. You actually dare lay hands on your second brother here? Just watch how I deal with you!"

Lin Mang was so furious his teeth ground together, but after noticing the others' expressions as they watched the show, he could only clench his fists and swallow this foul breath.

His eyes reddened as he stared hard at Lin Xiao's back and cursed in a low voice, "Just you wait. Hong'er will definitely teach that brat of yours a vicious lesson, and he'll also marry off that Qing Tan you dote on so much. Hmph!"

Qing Tan and Lin Dong both personally noticed this scene. After following Lin Xiao to sit in the VIP seats, they also began discussing it in low voices.

The content was, without a doubt, about how hateful Lin Mang was and the like.

At this moment, an old man dressed in brocade robes, his hair completely white, had already walked in through the main doors. He was none other than the current head of the Lin Family, Lin Zhentian.

Behind him followed a large group of people.

One middle-aged man had bright, spirited eyes, and his appearance was very similar to Lin Zhentian's. He was clearly Lin Xiao's eldest brother, Lin Ken.

Beside him was a graceful young woman with a smile on her face. She wore a red fitted martial outfit, her features were pretty, and the beautiful hair behind her head had been combed into a brown ponytail, hanging straight down to her slender waist. There was a hint of heroic spirit between her brows, giving her an efficient, capable air.

Lin Xia's appearance truly drew the gazes of many Lin Family disciples, making them feel as if their breathing quickened by several beats.

What left quite a few people resentful was that Lin Xia, adored by so many Lin Family disciples, was currently chatting and laughing with a white-clothed youth, occasionally showing a trace of playfulness.

"Ah Chen, look, there are so many people in this trial hall!"

Lin Xia blinked and said with a grin, "If someone gets into the top three of the clan competition, then even in Qingyang Town, they'd gain a little fame."

Lin Chen swept his gaze around and saw that Lin Dong and Qing Tan had already taken their seats in the VIP area. Only then did he nod and reply, "Sister Xia, I imagine you'll be able to enter the top three this time too. After all, no matter how you put it, you're one of the leading figures among our Lin Family's younger generation."

Such praise made Lin Xia's heart bloom with joy.

"Not really. It's just that I'm a little older, so those people flatter me."

She was somewhat shy, then seemed to remember something and asked, "Ah Chen, you should be participating in the clan competition, right?"

Lin Chen was an orphan, merely adopted by Lin Zhentian.

In terms of blood relations, there was nothing taboo between him and Lin Xia.

Moreover, as he grew up, he had received quite a lot of help from Lin Xia.

For a helpless orphan to grow up smoothly in this scheming Lin Family—how could that be easy?

There were always times when Lin Zhentian, the head of the Lin Family, was not around.

It was precisely because Lin Xia was Eldest Uncle's daughter and often had chances to meet Lin Chen that she would look after him in passing.

Between the two of them, through such back-and-forth, they had gotten to know each other, giving off a feeling of childhood sweethearts.

"Originally, I didn't want to, but Cousin Lin Hong is going to participate in the clan competition and wants to take first place, so of course I can't let him get what he wants."

Lin Chen nodded slightly, his gaze already stopping on the young man beside Lin Mang in the VIP seats. However, he quickly looked away, not drawing the other party's attention.

"That Lin Hong, and that Lin Shan too, are truly hateful!"

Lin Xia knew what Lin Chen meant by those words. Back then, she had handled that matter together with Lin Chen. Otherwise, with Lin Hong's strength at the time, he would have been more than capable of crippling Lin Dong.

She said indignantly, "Unfortunately, the heavens are blind, actually letting that Lin Hong's talent be a little stronger than mine."

If Lin Xia could defeat Lin Hong, she would definitely find an opportunity and beat him up viciously.

With her identity and status, she did not have to worry about being punished. Instead, she would be praised.

"It's fine. When the time comes, just watch me."

Lin Chen knew Lin Xia's thoughts. He lightly patted her arm and comforted her, "Grandpa Zhentian has hidden me away for so many years. It's about time I gave him an answer."

In truth, Lin Zhentian had adopted Lin Chen, an orphan, only because he had sensed that the boy was a good seed for cultivation.

As long as he was nurtured properly, the Lin Family would be able to return to the Lin Clan Family in the future.

However, halfway through, Lin Zhentian had still given up... and his concern for him had not been especially great either.

At that moment, Lin Zhentian and his son, Lin Ken, were still able to hear the conversation between Lin Chen and Lin Xia from that distance. They glanced at each other, and after nodding, they also shook their heads almost imperceptibly.

Clearly, they admired and approved of Lin Chen's words. But they did not really believe such a thing would happen.

"Hm?"

When Lin Zhentian's attention shifted to the VIP seats and he caught sight of that familiar face he had not seen in so long, he let out a startled sound, and his steps quickened considerably.

"You... you finally came out!"

His expression was extremely complicated.

Originally, with the Lin Family's resources, Lin Xiao's injuries could still have been healed.

Unfortunately, his confidence had been destroyed by Lin Langtian of the Lin Clan Family.

As a result, he had spent his days muddleheaded and dispirited, without the slightest energy or spirit.

He had even stubbornly refused the healing spiritual medicine Lin Zhentian sent over, all the way until now...

Given Lin Zhentian's personality, how could he possibly have watched the child he had once valued so highly suffer such a heavy blow and fall into this kind of predicament?

With Lin Xiao's former talent, as long as his injuries had been healed, he would definitely have been able to step into the Core Formation Stage in time.

Counting the days, he should have already reached it by now.

Unfortunately, it was all too late.

If one wanted to destroy a genius, then one needed only a single move: shatter his faith and his yuan power!