I Will Fight to the Death for the Family

A storm was brewing outside.

Yet inside the Lin Family's Book Repository, everything was remarkably quiet.

Chu He held a copy of Legend of Martial Heroes, reclining in a lounge chair and reading with great relish.

Suddenly, he closed the book and looked toward the entrance.

Not long after.

Lin Xueling entered the Book Repository in a rush, carrying a longsword. She wore fiery-red chainmail, and her glossy black hair had been tied up and tucked beneath her armor, with only a few stray strands fluttering outside.

"Girl, what's with that outfit?" Chu He asked in surprise.

"Little Chu Brother, the Old Ancestor is dead. Now all sorts of petty rats have gathered outside Lin City, seeking to destroy the Lin Family. Today, I will live and die with the Lin Family and fight for the family."

Lin Xueling's expression was resolute, every word clear and forceful. At that moment, she carried a touch of iron-blooded heroism.

"Your family's Old Ancestor is dead? Who told you that?" Chu He raised a brow, deeply puzzled.

Ten days ago, he had clearly extended Lin Zhennan's life with a drop of Life Spirit Liquid.

When he left, he had indeed sensed that Lin Zhennan's dissipating life force had been restrained and even increased somewhat.

How had the old man suddenly kicked the bucket again after only a few days?

Over the past few days, he had not sensed any formidable figure coming to make trouble at the Lin Family either!

Could it be that Lin Zhennan had just recovered, gotten itchy hands, and run off to court death in spectacular fashion?

Chu He's expression shifted. He closed his eyes and sensed the surroundings.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, an odd look appearing in them.

He sensed Lin Zhennan's aura.

The man was perfectly fine, without the slightest problem.

"No one told me, but the news has spread everywhere outside. Although Father and the others have done everything they can to deny it and even forbidden such rumors within the family."

"But... ever since news of the Old Ancestor's death spread, my sister and I have never seen him again. We aren't allowed to visit him either. With things like this, and considering the Old Ancestor's condition, I naturally have my answer!" Lin Xueling said with a trace of sorrow.

"Is that so!"

Chu He lightly tapped his palm with the book, his thoughts turning. After a moment, he roughly understood Lin Zhennan's intentions.

He only had five years left to live.

Putting himself in Lin Zhennan's shoes, the thing he would most want to do at a time like this was probably clear out the Lin Family's hidden enemies.

Feigning death and then wiping out all invading enemies in one sweep was not a bad method.

"Little girl, the Lin Family's sky hasn't fallen yet. Even if it does, there are tall people to hold it up. It isn't your turn yet. How about staying here and reading with me? Maybe by the time you finish, it'll all be over!" Chu He said with a smile.

"How can that be?"

This time, Lin Xueling, who had always listened to him, shook her head.

"I'm already at the Innate Seventh Level, and I'll soon reach the Innate Eighth Level. Didn't you say, Little Chu Brother, that I'd have no problem fighting someone at the Innate Ninth Level?"

"Now, I count as one of the Lin Family's tall people too."

"If the Lin Family's sky is falling, then of course I have to hold it up."

Lin Xueling lifted her head, her face filled with determination.

Her combat strength rivaled that of the Innate Ninth Level. Within the Lin Family, she was also considered one of its foremost experts.

At this critical juncture of the family's survival, how could she retreat?

If the Lin Family's sky was falling, she would hold it up with both hands.

If petty rats were eyeing the Lin Family, she would stain her sword with blood and give them a warning.

She.

Now counted as one of the Lin Family's tall people too!

She had the strength to fight for the family.

She had the ability to turn the tide.

Lin Xueling felt her hot blood boil. Fighting Spirit blazed fiercely in her eyes, while her chainmail rang crisply under the surge of her inner force.

????

So damn cringe!

Watching Lin Xueling raise her head toward the sky, looking as though she were about to defy heaven and change the Lin Family's fate, Chu He pressed a hand to his forehead, utterly speechless.

"Alright, Little Chu Brother, I'm leaving. Take care of yourself."

Lin Xueling turned around.

With the air of a warrior who, once gone, would never return, she left the Book Repository carrying both heaviness and fighting spirit.

Watching Lin Xueling's departing back, Chu He shook his head.

Let her go!

The Lin Family Ancestor was safe and sound, and the sky had not fallen. With her strength, nothing would happen to her even if she joined the battle.

Chu He opened his book again and continued reading the unfinished story.

At noon, the forces of the Anti-Lin Alliance arrived in a grand procession by all manner of routes, surrounding Lin City.

They lacked all organization. Teams leaped about here and there in complete chaos.

Different banners flapped wildly in the wind, while groups of people howled nonsense one after another, like ghosts weeping and wolves howling.

They looked like a rabble, easy to deal with.

But that was only how they looked.

In truth, these people were even harder to deal with than disciplined elite armies.

They were all martial artists, and none of them were weak.

Though there were only several tens of thousands of them, they carried the blood-sea Sha Qi that normally required an army of over a million to form. It had nearly condensed into tangible dark clouds, gloomily blanketing all of Lin City.

After the allied forces arrived, they did not immediately attack the city.

They were waiting.

Lin City was the Lin Family's stronghold. Although it had few residents, only a little over two million, the entire city had been built like a major military fortress. Its walls stood dozens of meters high, covered with iron crossbows. While those posed little difficulty to the experts among the allied forces, forcing a breakthrough would inevitably result in grievous losses.

Thus, according to the plan.

Before the siege began, the experts the Incense Sect had long planted within Lin City would first create chaos and tie down the Lin Family's experts. Then the allied forces outside the city would seize the opportunity to attack, striking from within and without to take Lin City at the lowest possible cost.

The plan was excellent, ideal.

But.

An unexpected development arose.

One hour later.

Upon the mobile central command chariot, the leaders of various factions stared fixedly at the Silver-Masked Emissary.

They needed an explanation.

Why, after so long, were their subordinates' throats already hoarse from shouting, yet there was still no movement inside the city?

Wasn't it agreed that once their main force arrived, chaos would begin inside the city? Then a sky-piercing arrow would serve as the signal, and everyone would act together to flatten Lin City.

But now, their eyes were nearly blinded by the sun, yet they had not seen even the faintest spark of flame in the sky.