Chen Changan, where on earth are you?

Central Heaven Domain, Langya

"Useless!"

"A bunch of useless fools!"

The Lin Family's collateral branch, the Qingshui Lin Family

Lin Xiong, the Family Head of the Qingshui Lin Family, was burning with rage. There was only one reason: that little brat Lin Ruoheng.

A month ago, Lin Xiong and the others had naturally noticed the strange occurrence in Yunchuan.

Although Lin Xiong was only from a collateral branch, he was still a member of the Lin Family. Naturally, he had to investigate such an event in Langya territory.

It would have been better not to investigate. When he discovered that the strange occurrence might have something to do with Gu Xian'er of Huan Hua Tower, Lin Xiong grew tense.

As it happened, Lin Ruoheng returned home and recounted what had taken place at Huan Hua Tower that day.

Lin Xiong was furious and gave Lin Ruoheng a thorough scolding.

For the next stretch of time, Lin Xiong did just one thing: search for Gu Xian'er and Chen Changan.

But a whole month had passed, and they still hadn't found them. Every time, they were one step too late.

"Family Head, please calm down. Chen Changan's whereabouts are unpredictable. No one knows where he's headed."

"Besides, Langya is enormous. Finding someone we've never even seen before really isn't easy."

The Lin Family members were helpless, too. Langya was so big—how were they supposed to search it?

"I know Langya is huge, but is Yunchuan huge, too?"

"With your abilities, you couldn't even find them in a little place like Yunchuan?"

"If you can't find them, why not ask around?"

"Could they really have gone nowhere at all in Yunchuan?"

"A man and a woman traveling with a dog—is that an ordinary combination?"

"If you aren't useless fools, then who is?" Lin Xiong roared furiously.

Hearing this, the Lin Family members could only smile helplessly. How could they not have thought of the same things Lin Xiong had?

But they still hadn't found a single trace of Chen Changan.

"Family Head, we've been asking around everywhere. Some people did see them, but not many paid them any attention."

"Besides, we've asked plenty of families and sects in Yunchuan to help us search."

"I noticed something strange. Chen Changan seems to have visited each of them in person."

"But he left again very soon."

"What's more, Chen Changan seems to have avoided us every time, as if he knew someone was tracking his movements."

"Could this Chen Changan really know our Ancestor?"

"If that's really the case, then what we're doing..."

Bang!

Before the other man could finish speaking, Lin Xiong smashed the tea table beside him to pieces.

"That might fool that little brat Lin Ruoheng, but who does he think our Ancestor is? Just because someone claims to know him, does that mean they really do?"

"If the strange phenomenon in Yunchuan really was caused by Gu Xian'er, have you thought about the consequences?"

"Gu Xian'er and our Lin Family have a blood feud."

"If Chen Changan is the Ancestor's friend, would he leave with Gu Xian'er and let her become our Lin Family's enemy in the future?"

"What are those brains of yours for?"

"Did you ask why Chen Changan was visiting them?"

"That may be the key to finding him!" Lin Xiong asked in a low voice.

"Reporting to the Family Head: we did. Supposedly, Chen Changan was asking whether anyone knew about the Chen Family of Langya."

The Chen Family of Langya?

Lin Xiong furrowed his brow and thought carefully. Was there a Chen Family in Langya?

At least as far as he could remember, no such family existed. If there was one, it had to be some insignificant little family, not even worth mentioning.

"If Chen Changan was asking about the Chen Family, he must have some connection to them."

"Most likely, he's a member of the Chen Family."

"Do you really think someone from a Chen Family none of you have ever heard of could know someone like our Ancestor?"

"And you were worried about that just now."

Lin Xiong gave everyone a disdainful look, but then, in the middle of speaking, he suddenly froze.

The Chen Family?

"Which Chen Family was he looking for?" Lin Xiong asked with a frown.

Huh?

Which Chen Family?

Hadn't you just said it was a Chen Family no one had heard of? If you hadn't heard of them, how would we have?

The Lin Family members grumbled inwardly, but didn't dare show it.

"Reporting to the Family Head: we heard he was asking whether there had been a Chen Family in Yunchuan more than five hundred years ago."

More than five hundred years ago?

"Fine. I understand. You may leave for now."

"Remember, don't slack off in your search for Chen Changan and Gu Xian'er."

"Send out more people. You must find them. They must still be in Langya."

"Yes, Family Head."

After the others had left, Lin Xiong couldn't help murmuring, "How could it be that Chen Family?"

After saying this, Lin Xiong flashed away. The next moment, he appeared in a quiet courtyard within the Lin Family.

"Lin Xiong requests an audience with the Elders."

The Lin Family was a collateral branch of the Lin lineage, so its internal relationships were quite complicated.

On the surface, Lin Xiong was the Family Head of the Qingshui Lin Family and held the highest position. In truth, however, the people who wielded real power in the Qingshui Lin Family were the Elders.

The Qingshui Lin Family had three Elders, each of whom had reached the Void Glimpse Realm!

Back when they were with the main family, they had all been well-known figures.

But as the Lin Family grew ever more powerful, several branches had eventually split off. These three had been sent to Qingshui to oversee the Qingshui Lin Family.

The Family Head of the Qingshui Lin Family was never chosen for the best cultivation talent or the highest cultivation. Instead, the position went to whoever was best at managing the family. In the end, he was essentially just a tool.

For powerful families like these, the truly talented had only one task in life: to grow stronger. They weren't allowed to be burdened by mundane affairs and have their cultivation affected.

"Lin Xiong, did you come here in person because something has happened in the Lin Family?"

"Or have you found some leads about the strange phenomenon in Yunchuan?"

"Reporting to the Elders: we've found a few leads, but that isn't why I've come."

"Elders, do you still remember the Chen Family?"

The Chen Family?

After Lin Xiong spoke, silence fell for a moment. Before long, three old men appeared before him. They were the three Elders of the Qingshui Lin Family.

"Which Chen Family are you referring to?" the Grand Elder asked with a frown.

"The Chen Family from more than five hundred years ago."

"Recently, someone has been asking about the Chen Family from five hundred years ago. His name is Chen Changan."

"He was there when the strange phenomenon occurred in Yunchuan, right at the scene. He may have some connection to it."

"The strangest thing is, he claims to know our Lin Family's Ancestor, Lin Xiangliu."

He knows Ancestor Lin Xiangliu?

"Ridiculous!"

"Even the Chen Family from back then had no dealings with Ancestor Lin Xiangliu. Now some Chen Changan shows up out of nowhere and dares to claim he knows the Ancestor?"

"What about this Chen Changan? Bring him back. I have questions for him," the Grand Elder said coldly.

"Well... we don't know where he is now, Elder. What is it you wish to ask him?" Lin Xiong asked, bewildered.

The Grand Elder took out a Crystal Clear Pearl. It was precisely the Fetal Pearl Chen Changan was searching for.

"The three of us have studied it for five hundred years, but we've never managed to uncover its secrets."

"Chen Changan is asking about the Chen Family. Maybe he belongs to them."

"Perhaps only members of the Chen Family know the secret of this pearl," the Grand Elder said gravely.

"Grand Elder, I don't understand. The three of you have studied it for so many years without learning anything. Could it be... that this pearl is simply useless?" Lin Xiong asked, bewildered.

A useless thing?

Hearing this, the three Elders all laughed.

"How could something the Chen Family passed down for so many years be useless?"

"The less we can see through it, the more precious it must be."

"If we could learn the pearl's secret and how to use it, perhaps the three of us would have a chance to catch up to Ancestor Lin Xiangliu."

At those words, Lin Xiong's heart jolted. Was this pearl truly so powerful?

After all, in the hearts of the Lin Family, Lin Xiangliu was a god beyond their reach.

To catch up to Lin Xiangliu would be like catching up to a god.

"Elders, I understand how serious this is."

"Rest assured. I will... I will find Chen Changan and bring him back to meet you."

"Good. Do your job well, and you won't be treated unfairly in the future."

"Yes. Thank you, Elders."

Lin Xiong left with a beaming smile, but inside, he was troubled.

Langya was so vast. Where on earth had Chen Changan gone?