Lin Chen

"Great Thousand World, Tianxuan Continent..."

"Eastern Profound Region, Great Yan Dynasty, Lin Clan Inner Family, Lin Chen..."

Inside the antique room, Lin Chen lay flat on the bed with his hands clasped over his head. His dark, bright eyes held not the slightest spark of life as he stared blankly at the stone beam overhead, occasionally muttering words that sounded utterly incomprehensible to anyone else.

The Great Thousand World was vast and boundless, containing countless lower planes that crisscrossed and intersected. Tianxuan Continent was merely one of them.

Yet even among the people of the Great Yan Dynasty, few knew such secrets. Even the foremost experts standing at the pinnacle of Tianxuan Continent knew very little.

Lin Chen was undoubtedly an exception. That was because he was not from this world. His soul had come from an azure planet, a place where mere imagination could create All Heavens and Myriad Realms.

As for why he had come to this world, Lin Chen did not know, nor did he wish to know right now.

What was done was done. Everything that had happened to him was not some illusory dream, but the vivid reality of fifteen years gone by.

All that had come before had turned to drifting smoke.

It was not that Lin Chen was heartless, that he did not miss his homeland or think of his family. Rather, his immense worldview, so different from that of this world's inhabitants, made him understand that only by cultivating diligently in this world where strength reigned supreme and continuously increasing his power would he earn the right to learn all the answers.

"Brother Lin Chen... Brother Lin Chen..."

"The Clan Assembly is about to begin. Elder Tao told me to come get you there quickly."

The sudden call from outside the door instantly snapped Lin Chen back to his senses. He stopped dwelling on his thoughts and answered instinctively.

"Got it. I'll head over now."

As he spoke, Lin Chen hurriedly got up and shook out the blue robe wrinkled from lying down. Then he strode out of the room and gave the visitor a faint smile and nod.

Standing before Lin Chen was a girl of around twelve or thirteen. Though her figure had not yet fully developed, it was already beginning to take shape beneath her white dress. Her lovely, delicate face, coupled with eyes unlike those of ordinary people, gave her a uniquely captivating beauty.

Her eyes were actually a pair of Double Pupils. Blue light flowed around their edges, making them appear exceptionally strange and bewitching, naturally drawing the gaze of anyone who saw them.

"Ke'er, you look much prettier today."

The corners of Lin Chen's lips rose slightly as he sincerely praised her.

"Really...?"

Lin Ke'er's little face flushed as she asked in a soft voice.

The love of beauty was in a woman's nature. Though Lin Ke'er was still young, she was no exception. On the contrary, as the gifted young lady of the Lin Clan, she cared even more about how others saw her.

Moreover, in Lin Ke'er's heart, Lin Chen's praise carried far more weight than the words of any other Lin Clan member. A young maiden's heart had begun to stir; their relationship could no longer be measured by the purest form of friendship.

"Really..."

Lin Chen smiled and nodded again. He had to admit that perhaps because of the Clan Assembly, Lin Ke'er, dressed formally today, was indeed several degrees more beautiful than usual.

Lin Chen had never been stingy with his smiles toward Lin Ke'er. Having been reborn in another world for fifteen years, if not for her companionship, he might not even have had anyone to talk to.

Where there were people, there was conflict. Within the vast Lin Clan, there was no shortage of deception, scheming, struggles for power and profit, or secretly ruining another's talent and foundation. Lin Chen had not suffered such harm over the years, but he had witnessed plenty of it.

Lin Langtian, now hailed as the most talented person the Lin Clan had produced in a century, was the finest example. Had he not been persecuted, Lin Langtian would never have had the opportunity to obtain the Primordial Spirit of a mysterious expert, soar to greatness, and become renowned throughout Great Yan.

The victor became king; the loser became a bandit.

Lin Langtian's fortuitous encounter had resulted from an accident born of conflicting interests. Yet most people did not possess Lin Langtian's good fortune. Most died in such struggles and vanished into obscurity.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As the two exchanged a few words, three resounding drumbeats suddenly rang out across the heavens, invisibly adding a touch of urgency to Lin Ke'er's heart.

As members of the Lin Clan Inner Family, all members of the younger generation were forbidden from missing the current Lin Clan Clan Gathering, whether or not they were participating, unless they had an urgent matter to attend to. Otherwise, they would certainly be reprimanded and punished by the Elders.

Lin Chen might not have thought much of it, but Lin Ke'er clearly could not think the same way.

"Brother Lin Chen, the Clan Assembly has already begun. Let's hurry..."

Lin Ke'er's willow brows furrowed slightly, and her lovely face was filled with anxiety. She no longer had time to savor Lin Chen's comforting words. As she urged him on, she lightly leaped forward and darted toward Lin Family Arena.

Fine, then. Since I've come to this world, I might as well witness the beginning of the legendary Martial Ancestor who was once destined to rise in the Great Thousand World.

No one understood better than Lin Chen what today's Clan Assembly meant for Tianxuan Continent and even the Great Thousand World as it had originally been.

Lin Chen murmured silently to himself. Though he was not particularly interested in this Lin Clan Clan Gathering, he had no choice but to follow close behind Lin Ke'er in order to avoid needless trouble, escape the Clan Elders' rebukes, and put her at ease.

Lin City stood northwest of Great Yan Commandery, the imperial commandery of the Great Yan Dynasty. Situated in a prosperous region with convenient transportation, it was one of the dynasty's foremost cities. Whether in grandeur or prosperity, only a scant few cities, such as the Imperial City, could compare to it in the entire Great Yan Dynasty.

Today, Lin City was nearly the liveliest place in all of Great Yan. Countless experts and factions had poured in from every direction, and the streets bustled with voices and traffic, raising the flow of people in Lin City to a terrifying level.

The reason Lin City was far more popular than usual was naturally the Lin Clan Clan Gathering being held today. Those who had made the special trip to Lin City all knew that the Lin Clan's younger generation and members of every Branch Family would reveal their brilliance here. The victors would become famous throughout the land in an instant.

No one doubted the prestige of the Lin Clan Clan Gathering, because throughout every previous gathering, those who stood out had ultimately become peak figures within Great Yan.

At the very center of Lin City stood an enormous Arena that stirred the heart. It covered nearly ten thousand zhang, towering and majestic, its imposing grandeur soaring into the sky and forcing passersby to marvel at it.

Clearly, this massive Arena, capable of holding a million people, was the venue for the Lin Clan's most important Clan Gathering.

At this moment, the enormous Arena was already packed to capacity. A dark sea of people stretched as far as the eye could see, and countless voices gathered together before surging into the heavens, even tearing apart the clouds high above.

"Lin Chen, Elder Tao and the others are at Stand No. 62 in the inner area. Let's go."

Amid the bustling crowd, Lin Ke'er paused slightly and glanced around with her captivating eyes. After confirming Elder Tao's location, she hurriedly took Lin Chen's hand and led him toward the edge of the Arena's central area.