Thirty Years East of the River, Thirty Years West

According to the timeline, there are still about three days left before the first chapter officially begins.

Tang Yu's destination was Black Cloud City, which is the family of Lin Xuan, the protagonist of this book.

The four major families in the online literature world are Ye, Lin, Xiao, and Chu. Just based on the surname Lin, it is destined that this family has a greater chance of Son of Luck.

Black Cloud City, where they were located, was situated in a relatively remote location in the southern part of the Nine Heavens Continent.

This is also a standard setting in fantasy cultivation novels.

The story can't start with the protagonist being invincible; it either involves rebirth or a genius turning into a useless person and being jilted at the beginning. Then, the protagonist starts from the bottom and climbs up, which is commonly known as leveling up by defeating monsters.

After fighting their way up to the Ninth Heaven.

Basically, three thousand chapters have passed.

Then switch to a new map and continue upgrading.

"These days everyone's into slacking off and lying low. Leveling up through hard work is really out of step with the times. Even a system would be nice."

On the way to Black Cloud City, Tang Yu couldn't help but mutter to himself.

He immediately heard the laughter of the little girl from the Divine Tree; she chuckled.

"The system is a rip-off."

Thinking of his previous Dog System, Tang Yu couldn't laugh for a moment.

Once outside Black Cloud City, Tang Yu disguised his Nascent Soul cultivation as a Foundation Establishment cultivator to avoid being too conspicuous and frightening others.

In other words, among the seven major sects, the Nascent Soul realm seems rather weak.

In other places, it's perfectly normal for a Nascent Soul cultivator to be called an "old monster."

After completing his disguise, Tang Yu then entered Black Cloud City.

There are three major families in Black Cloud City.

The Lin Family, to which the protagonist Lin Xuan belongs, ranks second, with a total of eight Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed there.

The current patriarch, Lin Shicong, has already reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. In a small city like Black Cloud City, a Foundation Establishment cultivator is undoubtedly a big shot.

The other two major families are the Qin Family and the Ning Family.

The emergence of a Golden Core cultivator in the Ning Family has put pressure on the Qin Family and Lin Family, making it difficult for them to breathe.

In order to resist the pressure brought by the Ning Family, the Qin Family and the Lin Family chose to join forces.

So, eighteen years ago, the two families arranged a marriage between their children, and one of the main characters was naturally Lin Xuan, which is a classic example of a broken engagement.

Back when Doupo became a sensation, if you wrote a fantasy novel and didn't get a cold shoulder from your fiancée in the opening, you'd be embarrassed to even show your face.

It's just like the opening scene of an urban novel where the protagonist discovers his girlfriend is cheating on him with a rich second-generation heir.

Having thoroughly mastered the plot, Tang Yu approached the Lin Family and chose an inn to stay at.

He then began to investigate the Lin Family using his divine sense.

Divine sense is also an essential setting in cultivation novels, allowing one to use mental power to explore their surroundings. It's like an upgraded version of radar combined with surveillance. Tang Yu only acquired this supernatural ability after cultivating to the Golden Core stage.

Once one cultivates to the Nascent Soul stage, their divine sense is greatly enhanced.

Tang Yu tried to casually scan the hot spring where the female disciples of the Joyous Union Sect often bathed with her divine sense, but unfortunately, it was blocked by the array set up there.

Fortunately, not every power on the Nine Heavens Continent can compare to the Joyous Union Sect.

The Lin Family is a family that doesn't even have a Golden Core stage cultivator.

Naturally, they had no way of detecting Tang Yu's divine sense.

After silently scanning the area with his divine sense, Tang Yu almost gouged out his own eyes.

I was hoping to see if I'd happen to stumble upon a pretty girl taking a bath or something.

What I found was an old woman covered in fat taking a bath.

"Grass."

After cursing, Tang Yu decided that if there was no target, she should try not to use her divine sense to scan his mother unless necessary, so as not to hurt her eyes.

After scanning again with her divine sense, Tang Yu quickly located the protagonist Lin Xuan.

At this moment, Lin Xuan was cultivating inside the Lin Family's spirit-gathering array.

This kind of formation is quite simple to create, but it requires spending spirit stones to maintain. Its effect is to allow disciples cultivating within it to achieve twice the results with half the effort.

The Lin Family built this spirit-gathering array that's constantly consuming money.

The main purpose is to cultivate the younger generation of cultivators.

There were about ten other Lin Family sitting with Lin Xuan, cultivating together.

These people were all at the mid-stage of Qi Refining cultivation.

Only Lin Xuan's cultivation level remained at the early stage of Qi Refining.

Sure enough, after cultivating for a short while, an ordinary-looking young cultivator walked into the spirit-gathering array from outside.

He glared at Lin Xuan with displeasure and said, "Lin Xuan, who told you to sit in the middle to cultivate? Go cultivate in the outermost position."

After being interrupted from his cultivation, Lin Xuan opened his eyes, glanced at the other person, and sneered.

What if I don't?

"What qualifications do you have? If it weren't for the patriarch taking pity on you, you wouldn't even be able to enter the Spirit Gathering Array with your current cultivation level."

The young cultivator said angrily.

"Yeah, what makes him qualified to start cultivating at the early stage of Qi Refining?"

"Isn't this a waste of cultivation resources?"

"Who can argue with that? Anyway, that's all he'll ever be, yet he still thinks he's a genius?"

The crowd also mocked him, clearly harboring long-standing resentment towards Lin Xuan.

Facing the jeers of the crowd, Lin Xuan clenched his fists and stared coldly at them.

"Don't forget how you all fawned over me when my cultivation was going smoothly. If one day I can cultivate normally again..."

Lin Xuan finished speaking and then let out a heavy, cold snort.

Eight years ago, he had already reached the peak of Qi Refining, and was only half a step away from the Foundation Establishment stage!

At that time, the head of the Lin Family was still his father Lin Shimo.

Because of his outstanding talent, he was regarded by everyone as the future young clan leader!

He was enjoying immense success at that time, but unexpectedly, his father suddenly disappeared.

At the same time, his cultivation level inexplicably disappeared, and he fell back to the early stage of Qi Refining overnight!

Furthermore, their cultivation speed is extremely slow.

He went from being the number one genius in Black Cloud City to a useless piece of trash.

Despite years of practice, I haven't been able to break through!

"Alright, stop dwelling on your old almanac. Are you going to start reciting your 'thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river' nonsense again?"

And never underestimate a young person's potential!

"I will not underestimate the poorness of middle-aged and elderly people."

"Let's just respect the dead."

Upon hearing Lin Xuan's words, one of the disciples couldn't help but mock him.

The other Lin Family disciples burst into laughter and began reciting the line in unison.

Tang Yu, who was eavesdropping using her divine sense, almost died laughing.

These amazing authors, they're just copying Doupo's style of writing about annulled engagements, fine, but they've even copied the essence of the genre.

Lin Xuan, humiliated by everyone, turned ashen with anger. He pointed at the crowd, turned and strode away, filled with resentment.

If he still had his talent, these people would kneel on his ground and act like his dogs, depending on his mood!

If her father hadn't disappeared and was still the head of the family, how could these people have the right to bully her?

He had only taken a few steps when the Lin Family's old butler hurriedly came over and called out.

"Young Master Xuan, the head of the family has something important to discuss with you."

Hearing that the patriarch was looking for him, Lin Xuan silently followed.

Upon arriving and meeting the patriarch, Lin Shicong, Lin Xuan calmly greeted, "Uncle."

As he spoke, his gaze swept over everyone in the room.

Besides Lin Shicong, there was a young couple and a rather dignified middle-aged man inside the room.

Upon seeing these people present, Lin Xuan realized something was amiss.

"A new wave of annulmented engagements has emerged."

Tang Yu, who was observing the plot with her divine sense, couldn't help but complain.

This kind of plot, like the opening scene of an urban drama where the ex-girlfriend is materialistic and cheats on, is so damn familiar.

"Lin Xuan, your uncle called you here today because there's something very important he wants to discuss with you."

Lin Shicong, with a hint of helplessness on his face, pointed to the middle-aged man beside him and introduced him.

"Didn't the Qin Family arrange a marriage for you when you were young? Now, so many years have passed, and the situation is different from back then. Your Uncle Qin's idea is that this marriage should be called off."

"I've discussed this matter with the family elders, and they all feel there's no problem..."

Before Lin Shicong could finish speaking...

Lin Xuan interrupted him directly with a cold laugh, "Of course you have no problem, because you can't wait for your son to become Weiwei's Daoist partner."

The Weiwei he was referring to was the pretty young woman standing next to him.

The girl, with bright eyes and white teeth, was sweet and lovely. After hearing Lin Xuan's words, she looked guilty and said...

"Brother Lin Xuan, it was I who brought this up. It was my fault, and I will make it up to you."

"Yes, our Qin Family is willing to offer fifty mid-grade spirit stones and five Qi-replenishing pills as compensation. We hope you won't take it to heart, after all, forced relationships are never happy."

Qin Songshan, the head of the Qin Family, gave a wry smile and took out a storage ring, handing it over.

These add up to roughly one high-grade spirit stone, which isn't a lot for their family, but it's definitely not a small amount either.

Lin Xuan slammed the storage ring that the other party had handed him onto the ground, and laughed angrily.

"Do I, Lin Xuan, need your charity? Rest assured, I look down on the women of your Qin Family. But I, Lin Xuan, will remember this humiliation!"

Upon hearing his words, the expressions of the Qin Family father and daughter turned rather unpleasant.

"Lin Xuan, why do you have to be so hurtful? Besides, how many times have you and Weiwei met over the years? Since you have no feelings for her, why bother..."

At this point, Lin Xuan's cousin, Lin Qing, couldn't take it anymore.

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Xuan stared coldly at him and said...

"That's no excuse for her breaking the contract and humiliating me. Don't try to find any excuses for her. This humiliation was given to me by all of you, and I will get my revenge, bit by bit."

"At your coming-of-age ceremony in seven days, I will repay you for this humiliation!"

After saying that, Lin Xuan strode away.

Back in his bedroom, Lin Xuan, his face contorted with rage, sat on the bed, growing even more furious. Suddenly, he felt a sweet taste in his throat and spat out a mouthful of blood.

The blood spurted out landed right on a box next to it.

Inside the box was a jade bead, left to Lin Xuan by his mother after her death when he was a child.

When Lin Xuan's blood dripped onto it, the emerald green jade bead quickly absorbed the blood and then emitted a faint red light.

Upon seeing the red light emanating from the bead, Lin Xuan paused for a moment, then quickly reached out to touch it.

As a result, the scalding hot bead disappeared as soon as it entered his hand.

Immediately afterwards, Lin Xuan collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness.

In the instant he lost consciousness, he seemed to hear a woman's voice.

Tang Yu, who was observing all of this with his divine sense, was also forcibly interrupted.

"The classic of classics, spitting blood to activate the golden finger."

After muttering something, Tang Yu wasn't too surprised.

Fantasy cultivation novels with cheat codes and an old man by your side belong to the traditional school.

Bringing along a powerful goddess is typical of the reformist faction.

Lin Xuan's cheat ability clearly belongs to the latter category.

As for someone like me with a little girl, I'd be in jail for life.

"The woman inside his bead is a remnant soul of a Celestial Emperor. Be careful."

At that moment, Tang Yu heard the voice of the little girl from the Divine Tree.

"I know, I know."

Tang Yu nodded; this was a common occurrence in fantasy cultivation stories.

Giving a Celestial Emperor as a henchman would be going too far.

It doesn't make sense, and it doesn't show that the protagonist overcame the difficulties through his own talent, hard work, and ability to endure hardship.

Therefore, in these kinds of books, the character is usually portrayed as a remnant soul, who is responsible for guiding cultivation and teaching skills.

Once it comes to a life-or-death situation, one move could destroy the world.

After withdrawing her divine sense, Tang Yu chose to continue waiting outside the Lin Family's residence.

After Lin Xuan left, uttering harsh words,

Lin Shimo and his group were somewhat embarrassed.

"Brother Lin, I'll leave this storage ring with you for now. If you have the chance, please find a way to transfer it to Lin Xuan for me. Today, it was indeed my Qin Family that humiliated him."

Qin Songshan handed the storage ring in his hand to Lin Shimo.

He and Lin Xuan's father, Lin Shicong, used to be good friends.

Unfortunately, his old friend suddenly disappeared, and he was willing to give this gift as a small compensation to his old friend.

After all, his daughter had quite a good talent for cultivation.

I can't possibly marry a lowly cultivator who might never break through to the Foundation Establishment stage in his entire life, can I?

"Okay, okay."

After offering a few words of comfort, Lin Shimo had his son see the father and daughter off.

Lin Qing quickly saw Weiwei and her future father-in-law off from the Lin residence, and then accompanied them for quite a while.

"Lin Qing, there's no need to see her off any longer. Go back now. Once you break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, your wedding can proceed."

Qin Songshan smiled and waved, then strode away with his daughter.

Lin Qing remained where she was, clenching her fists. She was already at the peak of Qi Refining, and she would be able to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage in at most a year!

Just as he was about to return to his practice, a man in black blocked his way.

Lin Qing stared at the other person for a moment, but was horrified to find that she couldn't see their face clearly.

The moment the other party released even a slight wisp of pressure, Lin Qing turned pale and felt difficulty breathing.

The mysterious figure before us is at least a Golden Core cultivator!

With such strength, they could easily sweep through Black Cloud City!

"What advice do you have for me, senior?"

After forcibly calming herself down, Lin Qing bowed her head and asked respectfully.

"Hehehe, I find you quite pleasing to the eye, and your talent and aptitude are also quite good. I've decided to take you on as a disciple. What's your name?"

Tang Yu deliberately imitated the voice of an old man with a hoarse voice.

"Reporting to senior, my name is Lin Qing! I am a Lin Family of Black Cloud City."

Upon hearing that the person had come to take her as a disciple, Lin Qing trembled with excitement.

Being able to become a disciple of a Golden Core cultivator was an unparalleled opportunity for him!

"Lin Qing?"

Upon hearing this name, Tang Yu felt that something was amiss.

However, he didn't think much of it and chuckled after calling Lin Qing to a secluded spot.

"I am fairly satisfied with you, but accepting a disciple requires observing their character. My first hurdle in accepting a disciple is whether they pass the character test."

"Decisiveness and ruthlessness are essential, and secondly, you must have the will to win. You can die but you cannot lose. I need to observe you carefully in these two aspects."

"In addition, I will give you a life-saving treasure. You can take it out and use it when you are about to lose. As my disciple, you must use any means to win. Only by winning continuously can you become a true strongman."

After saying that, Tang Yu took out a palm-sized flying sword and tossed it to Lin Qing.

Lin Qing almost cried out after catching the flying sword.

It really is a magical artifact!

It should be noted that the magical artifacts used by cultivators vary in grade.

The lowest grade is a magic weapon, followed by a spiritual weapon, and then a magic treasure!

As for even more powerful ancient treasures and spiritual artifacts, he had only heard of them.

The Lin Family has inherited its wealth for hundreds of years, yet even after exhausting all its resources, it only possesses two magical treasures!

"I have removed the restrictions on it, and you can refine it at any time. If you can pass my test and remain undefeated for three years, then after becoming my disciple, countless opportunities await you."

"Furthermore, you must not let any outsiders know about me; remember to keep Zhi Shi a secret."

Tang Yu disappeared after speaking.

Standing there stunned, Lin Qing quickly put her flying sword back into her storage ring.

After bowing and paying his respects to the spot where Tang Yu had just stood, he excitedly left.

After Lin Qing left, Tang Yu grinned.

At the coming-of-age ceremony seven days later, Lin Qing was supposed to be trampled underfoot by the counter-attack Lin Xuan.

Now, it's hard to say who will win or lose.