Descending the Mountain

"What exactly is this guy—pretending to be stupid on purpose, or has he been brainwashed?" Lin Chen stood in the doorway, watching the other man's departing figure with a dark, unreadable gaze.

He had initially assumed the other party was putting on an act just like him. Yet after observing him for a while, he discovered that the man was serious.

Could there really be people who only gave and asked for nothing in return?

No, that's not right. If he truly gave without seeking anything in return, then without ample resources, how could he have made it this far? And according to my intelligence, he's also the son of the Lin Family's Clan Leader... Oh, so that's it. I understand now.

As though he had figured something out, a cold sneer appeared on Lin Chen's face.

The reason the other man made it sound so noble was not because he truly possessed such a selfless spirit. It was because he was one of those who benefited, enjoying the sacrifices of others, which was why he could speak so righteously and high-mindedly!

And the reason he displayed such an attitude was merely to fool people into working for them for free!

"I only intended for us not to interfere with each other, to part on good terms. Yet you think I'm young and easy to bully, and now you've started scheming against me. Do you really think I have no temper?"

Lin Chen sat in his chair and pondered for a long time. In the end, a cold smile crept onto his face.

Under normal circumstances, the other party should next offer him benefits, after which he would accept the invitation to participate in the Jiangcheng Grand Competition, fight for the Lin Family against the other two great families, and only possibly obtain benefits after risking life and limb.

Oh, and during that time, I might have to face the harassment, misunderstandings, and sabotage of my own clansmen. Or people with ill intent stirring up conflict, then using family ties and righteous duty to bind me...

One conspiracy after another emerged in Lin Chen's mind.

It was not that Lin Chen had a dark heart. Rather, it was the result of his experiences in the Lin Family.

After all, the parents of his original body could be considered to have sacrificed themselves for the family. Yet not only had their child failed to receive the family's care, even his inheritance had been contested by members of the same clan.

They had driven him out of the clan, ignored him for ten years, and now that they saw he had made something of himself, they wanted to use family ties and righteous duty to kidnap him into fighting and dying for them.

No matter how he looked at it, this was no benevolent clan!

Lin Chen even suspected that, if not for the Azure Cloud Sect's visitor having a bit of friendship with his parents back then, he might not only have been unable to obtain cultivation resources by exchanging fields—he might even have fallen mysteriously ill and died!

Therefore, Lin Chen had absolutely no intention of risking his life for them now!

"Still, if they keep coming to my door all day like flies, that would be troublesome. And the Lin Family does have some foundations..."

Lin Chen tapped the table with his fingers, continuously replaying their earlier conversation in his mind as he searched it for useful information.

Lin Tianhao seemed to say just now that the Lin Family's combat power had been severely damaged... As though he had thought of a crucial point, Lin Chen's eyes gradually lit up.

Steal... Ah, no, take. A thought flashed through Lin Chen's heart.

He had already tested that fellow just now. The man had never experienced a life-and-death battle at all. If Lin Chen wished it, he could kill him beneath his hands within seconds.

And Lin Tianming was the leading figure of the Lin Family's generation. Even he could not contend against Lin Chen, who was at the [True Qi Realm]. So if Lin Chen reached the [Qi Vortex Realm], then aside from that Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator, who else could stop him?

That Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator did not have much lifespan left. Most likely, he was hiding in a secret room, barely clinging to life, and could not easily emerge. As long as Lin Chen avoided him, wouldn't that be enough?

As for whether this was immoral? What a Joke! Not only had the Lin Family shown him no kindness, they also had old grudges against him. He was merely taking a few things rather than kicking them when they were down. In the Cultivation World, that already made him a moral exemplar, a righteous Dao immortal!

After the cultivation resources were taken away, what would happen to the Lin Family? Then It's Not something Lin Chen needed to consider.

Looks like there really is a need to make a trip back...

But before that, I still need to further improve my strength... Lin Chen mused.

With that thought, Lin Chen looked at the intelligence report on the table.

In about three days, it would be the day of the Hundred Year Jade Marrow auction. He still needed to make proper preparations.

The next day, Lin Chen rode Dandelion Grass directly out of the Azure Cloud Sect, then traveled using the Divine Movement Technique.

Worried that there might be an ambush or some unexpected incident, Lin Chen did not travel at full speed. Instead, he stopped and started along the way.

At last, after a day and a night of travel, Lin Chen arrived at Jia Tai Market amid the evening light of dusk.

After a day of rest and preparation, Lin Chen followed the address Xu Mengyun had given him and arrived at a general store on the western side of Jia Tai Market.

This general store did not look large. Its storefront was somewhat old and worn, and very few people came and went. Most of them looked secretive and furtive.

Lin Chen watched for a while and noticed that many people never came back out after entering. He confirmed that this was the entrance to the auction.

Thus, he hesitated no longer and strode inside.

After entering the general store, Lin Chen looked around for a while and saw a middle-aged cultivator sitting behind the counter.

The cultivator had the back of a tiger and the waist of a bear, broad and powerfully built. The spiritual energy fluctuations on his body had solidly reached the Late Qi Refining Stage.

Lin Chen's Gaze shifted. Even the gatekeeper possessed a Late Qi Refining Stage Cultivation Level. It seemed the force holding this auction was no simple one.

"Earth shakes upon lofty ridges; a range of green mountains remains fair for a thousand ages."

Lin Chen's voice was calm and cold, without the slightest hesitation or delay. The moment he arrived, he gave the referral passphrase Xu Mengyun had provided.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged cultivator carefully examined Lin Chen, a smile appearing on his face as he said, "To the east, the great sea rises; by the Immortal River, its waters flow for ten thousand years."

He answered the passphrase in a deep, powerful voice. Then he reached beneath the counter and pressed something. It was unknown what mechanism he triggered, but a cave entrance half a zhang wide opened in the ground beside them, revealing a flight of dimly lit stairs leading downward to an unknown destination.

"Please enter, guest. Follow the passage to its end, and you will reach the site of the auction."

No emotion could be seen on the middle-aged cultivator's face as he spoke calmly to Lin Chen.

Lin Chen remained wary of the unfamiliar surroundings, but he showed not the slightest hint of timidity. He merely gave the man a faint glance before walking towards the stairs without hesitation.

The stairs descended downward, with a lamp placed every dozen or so zhang. Their light was somewhat dim.

After following the passage for roughly a quarter of an hour, he finally reached its end. Lin Chen saw a door, with two men in black standing guard on either side.

Clearly, this place was the entrance to the underground auction.