As the ancients said, "To achieve great things, favorable timing, favorable terrain, and harmony among people are all indispensable."
Lin Dong had truly experienced that today!
He had put his property on the line and staked everything to buy two bottles of potion, originally planning to raise Xiao Yan's favorability to 80%.
In Lin Dong's plan, 80% would count as a success.
81% would exceed his target!
82% would be a pleasant surprise!
Yet Xiao Yan had actually maxed out!
100% favorability!
This surpassed every plan Lin Dong had made!
[Ding! Xiao Yan's favorability toward you has reached the level of "friends unto death, entrusted with wife and children"!] [Ding! Congratulations on obtaining 100% favorability from the Child of Destiny!] [Ding! As you have obtained 100% favorability from Xiao Yan, the Battle Through the Heavens secret realm will officially close to all other Awakeners!] [Ding! You will become the sole Awakener in the Battle Through the Heavens secret realm!] [Ding! Your permitted stay in the Battle Through the Heavens secret realm will be extended to 24 hours!]
"24 hours?!"
When Lin Dong saw the system announcements, he nearly bit his tongue. His eyes widened in shock, disbelief written all over his face!
The difficulty of conquering a secret realm lay not only in identifying and supporting its Child of Destiny.
The time limit had always been the greatest obstacle!
Ordinary Awakeners could only stay in a secret realm for three hours each day!
In those three hours, they had to communicate with the Child of Destiny, find ways to support him, and earn his favor. The difficulty was easy to imagine!
That was why some people spent three years grinding Tang San's favorability, only to reach 2% or even 1%.
Even a lover who stayed by Third Brother's side day and night could be treated as though she did not exist.
You only showed up for three hours a day?
And you expected to win Third Brother's favor?!
Ridiculous!
Back to the matter at hand!
The most immediate benefit of Lin Dong's extended stay in the Battle Through the Heavens secret realm was that he could explore the Battle Through the Heavens World in greater depth!
He could even search for hidden treasures!
If people outside learned that Lin Dong could remain in Battle Through the Heavens for 24 hours, they would probably all go mad!
After all, "Secret realm rooms" that extended a stay by just one hour already cost 150,000 per hour.
A secret realm like Lin Dong's, which allowed more than twenty additional hours, would be worth at least twenty million!
And that was without even considering that Lin Dong was now the only Awakener in the Battle Through the Heavens secret realm!
That meant the vast Battle Through the Heavens World belonged to Lin Dong alone!
Lin Dong could take whatever he wanted!
Although Lin Dong had been beaten into a sorry state, this reward more than made up for all his injuries!
"Big Brother!"
Having reached the level of "friends unto death, entrusted with wife and children," Xiao Yan looked at Lin Dong with deeply moved eyes, his voice trembling. "Are you all right?!"
"Don't worry. I'm not dying yet."
Lin Dong tried to grin, but the movement pulled at his wounds, making him suck in a breath of pain!
"Big Brother, take the potion!"
In his anxiety, Xiao Yan hurriedly placed the stamina potion in Lin Dong's hand.
"This is for you!"
Without a second thought, Lin Dong pushed the potion back into Xiao Yan's hand and said earnestly, "I went to all that trouble to get this for you. If I wanted to use it myself, why would I have waited until now?"
"Besides, it isn't a healing potion. Just keep it."
"It's just... I let you down this time. Your big brother couldn't deal with that old bastard. I embarrassed you."
"Big Brother!!!"
Xiao Yan choked up at once. "It's enough. You've already done more than enough!"
As he spoke, Xiao Yan's expression suddenly changed. He turned toward the Second Elder who had struck Lin Dong, his voice icy. "Xiao Ning! I, Xiao Yan, will remember the humiliation my big brother suffered today!"
"If I don't make you kowtow and apologize to my big brother within six months, I, Xiao Yan, am not fit to call myself a man!"
Now safely under protection, Xiao Ning regained his earlier arrogance and sneered. "You want to make me kowtow and apologize with your third-stage Dou Qi?"
"Fine! I'll accept your challenge anytime within the next six months!"
"If you can defeat me, what's wrong with kowtowing and apologizing?!"
"But what if you lose?"
Xiao Yan's gaze was as firm as rock, his voice ringing with conviction. "From that day onward, I will have nothing more to do with the Xiao Clan, and I will never use even the slightest bit of its resources again!"
"Good!"
Xiao Ning bared his teeth in a vicious grin.
The sight sent excitement surging through Lin Dong!
Guys, did you see that?!
The Flame Emperor was ready to put his life on the line for me!
The Xiao Clan.
The Xiao Clan's inner residence.
Xiao Zhan took out a pill that gave off a rich medicinal fragrance and offered it to Lin Dong.
"Uncle, what is this for?"
Rather than accept it, Lin Dong took a step back. "If you're trying to compensate me, Uncle, there's no need. I did all this because Xiao Yan is my younger sworn brother, not because I wanted to profit."
Deeply moved by his words, Xiao Zhan stepped forward and pressed the pill into Lin Dong's hand.
"My dear nephew, this is a Blood-Stasis-Clearing Pill. It's meant to treat your injuries, not to compensate you."
"How could I sully the bond between you and Yan with gold and silver?"
"But unless the stagnant blood from your injuries is cleared soon, your foundation will suffer. So please, you must accept this pill!"
Then Xiao Zhan added with heartfelt gratitude:
"As the saying goes, a man is not always free to act as he wishes. Though I'm the Xiao Clan's leader and my word carries great weight here, that makes it all the more important that I remain impartial."
"So sometimes, even when I watch Yan being disparaged, all I can do is..."
"You don't need to explain, Uncle."
Lin Dong interrupted Xiao Zhan with a smile. "Leading a clan isn't a children's game of make-believe. You're responsible for the entire Xiao Clan, and you have to balance its different factions. I understand, and I believe my younger brother understands that too."
"He's never blamed you for anything, has he?"
"Good lad!"
Even a man as tough as iron like Xiao Zhan could not help being moved. "You and Yan are both good lads!"
"Yan is fortunate to have a big brother like you!"
Lin Dong smiled and said, "My younger brother's stamina enhancement probably won't finish anytime soon. I have something else to attend to, so I'll take my leave."
Xiao Zhan paused. "You aren't staying to wait for him?"
"As long as he received what I brought him, that's enough."
Lin Dong smiled. "There's no need to interrupt his cultivation."
Moved once again, Xiao Zhan's expression shifted repeatedly. "My dear nephew!"
Lin Dong cupped his hands. "Uncle, I'll be taking my leave!"
Seeing that Lin Dong truly intended to leave without the slightest desire to claim credit or seek a reward, Xiao Zhan thought it over and finally could not help saying:
"My dear nephew, from this day forward, I can't speak for anywhere else, but here in Wutan City, anyone who dares bully you will be making an enemy of me, Xiao Zhan!"
"I will fight them to the death!"
Lin Dong looked deeply moved and hurriedly cupped his hands. "I, Lin Dong, thank you, Uncle!"
After leaving the inner residence, Lin Dong still wore a delighted expression!
This expedition had paid off handsomely!
Not only had he raised Xiao Yan's favorability to 100%!
He had even raised Xiao Zhan's favorability to 90%!
It was no exaggeration to say that as long as he did not court death in Wutan City, his Flame Emperor brother and the Flame Emperor's father could settle anything for him!
He wondered how far those people at school had gotten in their pursuit of Tang San's favor.
Could they get Tang San to act for them even once?
At that thought, a smile involuntarily tugged at Lin Dong's lips.
"Hm?!"
Lin Dong had only taken two steps when he suddenly stopped.
Before him stood a graceful young girl in blue, elegant in bearing and strikingly beautiful. She smiled, dipped into a curtsy, and asked softly:
"Brother Lin, might you come inside for a chat?"
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