Heading to the Lin Family

Li Yao and the others had barely flown any distance when his stomach churned again.

He forced down the urge to vomit, but his face was white as paper.

Li Wenbin watched anxiously from beside him, helpless to do anything.

Li Yao could only come to terms with it in his own time. No one could do that for him.

Ahead of them, Uncle Fu carried Lin Yun and the other two through the air. Without looking back, he asked, "Young Master, should we find somewhere to rest first?"

"No."

Li Yao took a deep breath. "Let's go straight to the Lin Family. The sooner we settle this, the sooner we can go back."

He knew he bore some responsibility for Yang Mingyou taking his own life.

But he also knew he hadn't done anything wrong.

He had given the Yang Family four days and given Yang Mingyou a choice.

Yang Mingyou had chosen to trust Lin Yun. He had chosen this path.

Even when Yang Mingyou chose to stand against him, Li Yao had never intended to kill him.

Li Yao clenched his fists. I can't blame myself for this.

"Young Master, that's the Lin Family estate up ahead."

Uncle Ming's voice came from beside him.

Li Yao looked up and saw a large mansion in the distance.

The Lin Family residence.

Its entrance was certainly imposing. Two vermilion gates stood three meters tall, with a stone lion crouching on either side. It was quite a sight.

But compared with Li Family Manor, it was nowhere close.

"We're here."

With that, Uncle Fu brought everyone slowly down.

Lin Yun woke up just then.

The moment he regained consciousness, pain wracked his entire body. Agony shot through his broken limbs.

"Hiss..."

He sucked in a sharp breath, then realized Uncle Fu was holding him suspended in midair.

"Where... where are you taking me?"

Fear trembled in Lin Yun's voice.

Li Yao ignored him.

Li Wenbin said from the side, "Young Master Lin, you'll be home soon."

Lin Yun froze, then his expression changed drastically.

"You're going to the Lin Family?"

"What, don't you want to go home?"

Li Yao finally spoke, his voice edged with mockery. "Aren't you a son of the Lin Family? Isn't your father its head? You should thank me for bringing you back."

Lin Yun gritted his teeth. "Li Yao, if you dare go to the Lin Family, you'll regret it!"

"Oh?"

Li Yao raised an eyebrow. "I'd like to see how."

Lin Yun said nothing, but venom all but spilled from his eyes.

Uncle Fu and Uncle Ming exchanged glances and grew more alert.

They weren't afraid of the Lin Family, but they couldn't afford to let down their guard.

The Lin Family might not match the Li Family, but it was still a top family, second only to them. Besides the experts stationed at the border, it likely had others in reserve.

And rumor had it that the Lin Family's old monster was still in the Imperial Capital.

Li Yao took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and strode toward the gates.

Li Wenbin followed close behind him.

Uncle Fu and Uncle Ming came after them, carrying Lin Yun and the other two.

At the entrance, two guards blocked their path.

"Stop! Who dares trespass on the Lin Family estate?"

One of the guards shouted.

Li Yao got straight to the point. "Tell your family head Li Yao is here to see him, and that I've brought him a surprise."

"Li Yao?"

The guards' faces changed when they heard the name.

Who in the Imperial Capital hadn't heard of Li Yao?

Grandson of a Martial Saint, son of a Martial Emperor, the Imperial Capital's most notorious lovesick fool, and champion of this year's Imperial Capital University Martial Arts Tournament.

"You're... Young Master Li?"

The guard's tone turned instantly fawning.

Li Yao nodded. "Well? Aren't you going to announce me?"

"Yes, yes! Right away!"

The guard spun around and ran into the residence.

The other stayed where he was, watching Li Yao's group nervously.

Li Yao stood at the gate and waited.

Before long, footsteps sounded from inside.

Then the gates opened, and a middle-aged man in fine robes walked out.

He looked to be in his fifties, with a thin mustache and a smile on his face, though his eyes were cold.

The moment Lin Yuntian heard the guard's report, he knew his useless son had failed.

What he couldn't understand was how. He had assigned Lin Yun two experts of the Martial Venerable Realm.

By all rights, the Li Family, which had left no high-level fighters in the Imperial Capital, couldn't possibly have won.

Yet the evidence stood before him. He had no choice but to believe Lin Yun had failed.

I should've sent someone else to keep an eye on them. Now I don't even know what happened. Damn it.

Lin Yuntian cursed inwardly, but his smile never faded.

"Young Master Li, what an honor. Forgive me for not coming out to greet you sooner."

Li Yao looked at him. This was Lin Yuntian, head of the Lin Family.

"You're too kind, Family Head Lin."

Li Yao smiled as well. "I've come to deliver you a fine gift."

Lin Yuntian paused.

"A gift?"

Li Yao stepped aside.

Understanding, Uncle Fu brought Lin Yun forward.

The moment Lin Yun saw his father, tears streamed down his face.

"Dad! Save me! That bastard Li Yao broke all my limbs!"

Lin Yuntian's expression darkened at the sight of his son's injuries.

"Young Master Li, what is the meaning of this?"

Li Yao spread his hands. "Nothing much. I've come to settle a score."

"A score?"

"That's right."

Li Yao said, "Your son Lin Yun joined forces with the Yang Family to try to kill me. I caught him, broke his limbs, and brought him back to you. How do you think we should settle this?"

"How? Am I supposed to thank you?"

Inwardly, Lin Yuntian had already cursed Li Yao and eighteen generations of his ancestors.

But his composure was impeccable.

His dark expression vanished in an instant.

"Thank you for sparing my son's life, Young Master Li. What will it take for you to release him?"

Lin Yuntian even bowed to Li Yao in apology, though his smile never reached his eyes.

Crafty old fox.

The same thought flashed through the minds of Li Yao and his companions.

An enemy who openly turned on you was one thing. One who smiled while sliding a knife between your ribs was another.

And Lin Yuntian was exactly that sort of man.

"Hahaha! It's so much easier talking to someone clever."

"Since you've asked so earnestly, I'll be generous and tell you."

"Hmm..."

Li Yao pretended to think it over.

"Ah! How about One Hundred Thousand Spirit Stones?"

Killing intent flashed through Lin Yuntian's eyes. He gave a smile that didn't reach them.

"Young Master Li, aren't you asking for a bit much? Can you really swallow One Hundred Thousand Spirit Stones?"

Li Yao glanced at him and grinned.

"Everything about me is big, but my appetite is biggest of all. Forget One Hundred Thousand Spirit Stones, I could swallow One Million Spirit Stones. Or are you saying your son isn't worth that much?"

"Heh. You certainly have a healthy appetite, Young Master Li. I wonder what'll happen when you swallow a stone you can't digest."

"I just told you. With an appetite like mine, I can digest stones too."

Li Yao changed the subject.

"Enough talk. Do you want this surprise or not?"

"I do, of course. You."

He pointed at a guard at random. "Fetch the First Elder and have him bring One Hundred Thousand Spirit Stones from the storehouse."

"Yes!"

The guard was about to leave when Li Yao spoke again.

"Hold on, friend. I still have something to discuss with your family head."

Lin Yuntian frowned.

"Is Young Master Li not satisfied?"

"I am, of course. But I have two more gifts to deliver. I wonder what price Family Head Lin intends to pay for them."

With that, Li Yao stepped aside, revealing two figures behind him, one tall and one short, lying there like dead dogs.