At that moment, seeing Lin Yan display the perfected Green Origin Technique and perfected Pure Yang Finger, Lin Dong was nearly scared silly.
As he continued facing Lin Yan, the trace of smugness deep in his heart had unknowingly vanished completely.
There was no helping it. He no longer felt so full of himself.
He had thought that using the Stone Talisman to reach the entry level in the Green Origin Technique and Pure Yang Finger within a month was already impressive.
He never expected his big brother Lin Yan to be even more outrageous!
He had mastered both techniques and martial skills completely.
It felt as if his entire worldview had been violently shaken.
"Little Yan, you..."
"That really is a bit too outrageous."
Lin Xiao was also utterly shocked.
After all, when he had cultivated these two techniques and martial skills, his progress had been even slower than Lin Dong's.
It had taken him a full four months to open his first meridian with the Green Origin Technique.
As for the Pure Yang Finger, he had spent just as long on it, if not longer.
So now, as Lin Xiao looked at Lin Yan, his eyes were full of disbelief.
He finally understood why Lin Yan was so powerful.
His cultivation speed was so astonishing, and his talent so exceptional. It was only natural that his strength had grown so rapidly.
"Lin Dong, now you know just how high the heavens are, don't you?"
"From now on, you should learn properly from your big brother Lin Yan."
After his brief shock, Lin Xiao finally came back to his senses.
He gave Lin Dong a stern dressing-down. In his view, Lin Dong had been getting a little carried away lately, since his strength had increased so quickly.
It was just that Lin Xiao hadn't had much chance to lecture him before, because Lin Dong's cultivation speed really had been very fast.
But things were different now. With Lin Yan as an example, Lin Xiao could take the opportunity to set Lin Dong straight and keep him from going astray.
So this was a good thing, in a way.
"I do know now."
"But someone like big brother Lin Yan is a little hard to learn from..."
Lin Dong gave a rueful smile and rubbed his nose, finally turning humble again.
He spoke helplessly to Lin Xiao. Even with the Stone Talisman's help, it would probably be impossible for him to compete with a freak like big brother Lin Yan.
Lin Yan chuckled at the sight.
Then he simply began guiding Lin Dong in the cultivation of the Pure Yang Finger and the Green Origin Technique.
His guidance once again left Lin Xiao beside them deeply astonished.
After all, when Lin Yan had cultivated those two techniques and martial skills, he had studied them alongside Yao Lao.
Although Yao Lao was encountering these things for the first time too, his strength was immense and his perspective far broader. Much of what he came up with cut straight to the heart of the matter.
So when Lin Yan guided Lin Dong, his words carried a trace of Yao Lao's style.
Though Lin Xiao was a Heaven Origin Realm expert, his strength was nowhere near Yao Lao's. When it came to this theoretical knowledge, he was thoroughly outclassed.
So as he listened to Lin Yan guide Lin Dong, even Lin Xiao couldn't help but admire him more and more.
"Lin Yan, your insights have truly cleared the clouds and opened my mind!"
"Some of the things you've brought up are things even I had never thought of."
"It's truly amazing."
Lin Xiao made no secret of how much he admired Lin Yan.
Lin Dong, too, felt ever greater admiration and respect for Lin Yan. "As expected of big brother Lin Yan. He can reach such a level of insight without the help of a cheat like the Stone Talisman."
"And here I am, still so mediocre despite having the Stone Talisman's help."
Thinking of this, Lin Dong felt inferior all over again. As he looked at Lin Yan, admiration gleamed in his eyes.
They practiced for a while longer.
Then, since it was nearly time to eat, they stopped.
Lin Dong took Lin Yan to see the Fire Python Tiger he had obtained earlier and introduced it to him. "Big brother Lin Yan, this is the Fire Python Tiger I got last time. I named him Little Yan. Come to think of it, that makes him connected to you, big brother Lin Yan. Your name has 'Yan' in it, and now his does too."
Lin Yan smiled without saying much, though he couldn't help musing inwardly.
Come to think of it, he really had ended up sharing a name with this Fire Python Tiger. But there was nothing he could do about it. Lin Dong had only given the Fire Python Tiger a nickname for now; how could he have known that this very tiger would one day become his brother, living and dying alongside him? So it could only be called a coincidence.
Lin Yan quickly put the thought aside. Sharing a name was a small matter, anyway. With so many people in the Lin Clan, he already knew plenty who shared names. They could simply use nicknames to tell them apart when the time came.
"By the way, big brother Lin Yan, is the little snake you keep on your shoulder a pet? It's quite pretty."
Lin Dong soon noticed the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python on Lin Yan's shoulder and asked him curiously.
Lin Yan's expression turned a little strange at the question, but he didn't explain further. He simply answered Lin Dong, "Yeah."
Lin Dong stroked the Fire Python Tiger's head and continued, "But big brother Lin Yan, pets are nice, but they're only ordinary creatures. If you have the time to raise one, I think it'd be better to get a young demon beast and raise it from the start. Once it grows up, it'll be much more useful than these pets."
Lin Yan just smiled without replying.
The little snake on his shoulder glared at Lin Yan in annoyance, looking thoroughly peeved.
Before long, Liu Yan came to call Lin Yan and Lin Dong to dinner.
Lin Yan had planned to bring the little snake along, but she seemed quite pleased with the surroundings. She hopped off Lin Yan's shoulder and went off to play.
Seeing this, Lin Yan didn't stop her. The little snake was very intelligent, and though she was young, she knew her master. Even if he left her here, when the time came, she would come looking for him on her own.
So Lin Yan let her go.
He soon went with Lin Dong to the dining table.
At the table, Lin Dong was about to sit beside Lin Yan when Liu Yan walked over and glared at him. "Get up! Have you no sense at all?"
Lin Dong was completely baffled by Liu Yan's words, but he obediently moved aside. Then Liu Yan promptly ushered Qing Tan over and sat her down in his place. "Qing Tan, the table's big, and it's hard to reach the dishes. Don't forget to serve your big brother Lin Yan some food and pour him a drink later!"
Qing Tan's face flushed bright red. She cried out, "Mom!"
But she didn't refuse Liu Yan's instructions, and began serving Lin Yan food herself.
"Big brother Lin Yan, have some."
"I can serve myself. You eat."
Lin Yan hurriedly waved his hands.
Lin Dong was even more dumbfounded. "Mom, could it be that Qing Tan and big brother Lin Yan..."
"You talk too much. Eat!" Liu Yan glared at Lin Dong.
Lin Dong gave an awkward smile and could only continue eating obediently.
But when he looked at Lin Yan and Qing Tan, his gaze turned a little suggestive.
Good heavens, so big brother Lin Yan and his little sister had gotten together without him even noticing?
Lin Dong couldn't help letting his imagination run wild.
If things kept going this way, wouldn't big brother Lin Yan become his brother-in-law?
But Lin Dong was definitely all for it.
If Qing Tan married someone else, he wouldn't approve.
But there was nothing wrong with her marrying big brother Lin Yan. Lin Dong had already vetted him on Qing Tan's behalf. Big brother Lin Yan was a good man—he was someone she could count on!
Everyone ate together, and the meal had a warm, harmonious atmosphere, almost like they were one family.
After dinner, Lin Yan, Lin Dong, and Lin Xiao chatted and drank tea in the living room, while Qing Tan and Liu Yan washed the dishes in the kitchen.
Lin Yan and the others were deep in conversation when they suddenly heard the Fire Python Tiger howling outside.
"Little Yan? What's wrong?"
Lin Dong was startled and rushed outside. Lin Yan and Lin Xiao followed right behind him.
But when Lin Dong and Lin Xiao saw what was happening outside, they were completely dumbfounded.
It was nothing like they had expected. When they'd heard Little Yan's howls, they'd thought some kind of intruder had come to the house and was trying to hurt him.
They hadn't expected Little Yan to be fighting with Lin Yan's Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python—and for Lin Yan's python to have pinned Little Yan to the ground and given him a thorough beating.
This time, Lin Dong and Lin Xiao were dumbfounded all over again.
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