The Clan Competition Begins

Months passed in the blink of an eye.

As the morning light broke through the shackles of the clouds and cast itself upon the earth, the Lin Clan stirred into a state of lively activity.

Today was the day of the Lin Clan Gathering, a moment every member of the Lin Clan had been anticipating for far too long.

When Lin Ge arrived at the Trial Hall in his black robes, the place was already seething with energy; as far as the eye could see, it was a sea of people!

Though the Lin Clan was not the absolute top power in Green Sun Town, they were still a first-rate force, and thus, many distinguished guests had come to observe this clan gathering.

They came for two reasons: first, to build good relations with the Lin Clan, and second, to gauge the capabilities of the younger generation.

After all, the prosperity of a clan was deeply tied to the excellence of its juniors.

It was Lin Ge's first time in such a crowded place, and his brows furrowed slightly. Unaccustomed to such a scene, he found a quiet corner, stood there silently, and waited for the gathering to begin.

On the other side, Lin Dong had also arrived at the Trial Hall. His gaze fell upon Lin Ge standing in the corner, and his expression tightened.

This was his second time meeting this mysterious youth.

The first meeting had been filled with gratitude and confusion; this second meeting, however, was heavy with endless solemnity and wariness.

Lin Ge now resembled a sword that had yet to be unsheathed—seemingly harmless, but once the blade was revealed, it would be unstoppable, even for him.

"What is it?"

Beside Lin Dong stood his father, Lin Xiao.

Ever since Lin Dong had brought back that strange bead for him, his strength had gradually recovered. The dejection on his face had been swept away, and a confident luster now shone in his eyes.

Lin Xiao followed Lin Dong's gaze and discovered the youth in black robes, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes.

"This youth is no ordinary person!"

That was Lin Xiao's first impression of Lin Ge.

"Father, what do you think of him?"

Lin Dong asked in a low voice.

He could not see through Lin Ge, nor did he know the extent of Lin Ge's cultivation, so he wanted to ask his father if he could discern it.

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao studied Lin Ge carefully, then slowly shook his head. "This youth is extraordinary; I cannot see through him."

Lin Dong felt a pang of disappointment; he had hoped his father would be able to read Lin Ge.

"Dong'er, judging by his appearance, he should be a disciple of our Lin Clan, yet I have never heard of him. Even the Lin Clan members present haven't greeted him. Do you know what that implies?"

Lin Xiao looked at Lin Dong sternly and whispered.

Lin Xiao's words caused Lin Dong's body to tremble slightly, as if he had suddenly understood something.

For a youth with such an extraordinary aura to go unnoticed by the Lin Clan—without even a single person offering a greeting—was far too abnormal.

"He is hiding his strength!"

After a moment of silence, Lin Dong said each word with deliberate weight.

"He may well be the most terrifying opponent you will ever encounter in your life."

Having lived for so many years, Lin Xiao possessed exceptional insight; he was certain that this youth would become Lin Dong's most formidable rival in the future.

Lin Dong nodded. He did not think his father was deceiving him, nor did he think his father was exaggerating, for he felt the exact same way.

Just as the two were conversing, a group of people suddenly surged through the main entrance. At the head of the crowd was an old man with a full head of white hair. Dressed in fine silk, he carried himself with a robust air, his eyes sweeping across the room with a sense of authority.

This man was the current head of the Lin Clan, Lin Xiao's father, and Lin Dong's grandfather: Lin Zhentian!

The moment Lin Zhentian appeared, the Trial Hall erupted, and everyone hurriedly stood up to welcome him.

In Green Sun Town, Lin Zhentian was a well-known figure. He had arrived here alone years ago and built the current Lin Clan from the ground up; his methods and capabilities were admired by many present.

"So that is Lin Zhentian?"

Lin Ge followed the crowd's gaze toward the old man in silk. After pausing for a few seconds, he retracted his eyes.

As the head of the Lin Clan, Lin Zhentian's cultivation had reached the Heavenly Yuan Stage. It was indeed impressive and worthy of a few moments of Lin Ge's attention, but that was all.

Lin Zhentian was unaware of Lin Ge's existence. He greeted the distinguished guests with a smile before taking his seat in the center.

As his gaze shifted, he happened to see Lin Xiao standing up not far away. He paused for a moment, then walked over with quick strides.

"Father."

Looking at the approaching Lin Zhentian, Lin Xiao's hands clenched involuntarily before he relaxed them, bowing and speaking respectfully.

"You finally decided to come out."

Looking at his son, Lin Zhentian felt a complex mix of emotions as he spoke indifferently.

Years ago, he had poured all his hopes into Lin Xiao. Although the final outcome had been a crushing defeat, the opponent had been Lin Langtian, so he did not blame Lin Xiao. What disappointed him was that after that battle, Lin Xiao had become dejected, losing the drive he once possessed.

After several failed attempts to persuade him, the old man had grown cold and, despite how much he missed his son, had never taken the initiative to see him again.

"Father, I am sorry," Lin Xiao said in a low voice. He understood how much his years of dejection had disappointed his father.

Lin Zhentian longed to talk more with his son, but the occasion was not appropriate. After offering a few words of encouragement, he turned and returned to his seat.

As Lin Zhentian took his place, the Trial Hall gradually quieted down.

Countless gazes locked onto Lin Zhentian at the head of the hall, eyes brimming with anticipation and excitement.

Under the scrutiny of the crowd, Lin Zhentian slowly rose to his feet, cupped his hands toward the VIP seats, and laughed heartily, "Today is the day of our Lin Clan's family tournament. I thank you all for coming to show your support. Since everyone here is a friend of the Lin Clan, this old man will skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point."

As his words fell, Lin Zhentian turned his gaze toward his eldest son, Lin Ken, beside him.

Lin Ken offered a faint smile, walked into the spacious arena of the Trial Hall, and produced a bamboo tube filled with numerous bamboo slips.

"The old rules apply: draw lots to determine your opponents. All you youngsters participating in the tournament, come forward and draw."

Upon hearing Lin Ken's words, dozens of figures emerged one after another from the Trial Hall, each taking a bamboo slip from the tube in his hand.

Once everyone had finished, Lin Dong slowly pushed through the crowd, arrived before Lin Ken, took a bamboo slip without a word, and retreated back behind the crowd.

Lin Ken looked at the black-robed youth in surprise, a faint sense of bewilderment stirring in his heart.

Whose child is this, to possess such an aura?

Suppressing his confusion, Lin Ken announced:

"There are five arenas here. Those who drew the first five numbers, begin."

Lin Dong glanced at the bamboo slip in his hand, which bore the number four, stepped onto the stage, and won his match with ease.

"Next round!"

As the matches concluded, Lin Ken announced for those who drew the latter five numbers to take the stage.

Lin Dong glanced briefly at the number nine on his slip and walked onto the stage without a word.

After he stepped up, a youth in fine robes also arrived on the stage.

Lin Ken took a quick look and declared, "The match begins!"