The radiant entrance had shattered the mood of the Lin Clan's high council.
Lin Xuan stood proudly at the center of the hall, spiritual aura glowing faintly around him, exuding smugness like a heavenly incense burner. His robes fluttered, though there was no wind. His chin was raised at a 17° angle—calculated for maximum disdain.
Patriarch Lin Jinhai, a Soul Transformation expert and the current head of the Lin Clan, glared down from the elevated seat reserved for people who did very little but judged very loudly.
"Lin Xuan…" he said slowly, his voice heavy with generational disappointment, "Who permitted you to enter this sacred gathering unannounced?"
Lin Xuan casually examined his nails.
"Who permitted you to speak to this Young Master in such a tone?"
DING!+15 Arrogance Points+1 Elder Vascular Incident Imminent+3 Cousins Plotting Revenge
A collective gasp echoed across the room. A younger elder actually clutched his heart and whispered, "Did he just...?"
"Yes," muttered Elder Lin Bao. "He did."
"You're not a Young Master!" barked cousin Lin Feng, ever the loudest mosquito in the clan. "You're trash! You've always been trash!"
"Trash?" Lin Xuan turned slowly, expression calm. "If trash refers to someone more handsome, more talented, and more blessed than all of you combined… then yes, I accept the title."
DING!+20 Arrogance Points+1 Lin Feng Nosebleed+50 Face-Slapping Potential Building...
"Enough!" roared the patriarch, slamming his palm on the jade table. "You dare come here, spout arrogance, and insult your elders and cousins alike?! Guards!"
Six armored cultivators immediately stepped forward, blades unsheathed, killing intent flooding the room.
"Take him outside! Break his legs—no, both arms. That should humble him. Then exile him to the Beast Bone Mines!"
Lin Xuan didn't flinch.
He didn't retreat.
He simply sighed… and reached into his robe.
DING!Item Used: Ancestor Summoning Crystal (1/3)Activating ancestral backup…Warning: Incoming spiritual pressure exceeds recommended mortal tolerance.
A sudden stillness struck the hall like a blade. The torches flickered. The air grew thick with unseen power.
And then—
"JUNIOR… YOU DO DARE!!!"
The voice exploded like thunder across the heavens.
The jade floor cracked.
The roof trembled.
All cultivators present collapsed to one knee—some out of instinct, others out of sheer spiritual suppression.
From thin air, a figure descended in a storm of golden light and ancient qi, his long hair billowing, his robes inscribed with celestial patterns. His presence distorted the space around him. Even looking at him directly made younger disciples dizzy.
The guards dropped their swords immediately.
The patriarch's pupils shrank. "Th-that voice… that aura…"
The figure stepped forward, standing protectively in front of Lin Xuan.
"You dare lay a hand on a direct descendant of my bloodline?!" the man growled, glaring at Lin Jinhai. "Have the Lin Clan truly fallen so far that they would cripple their own just for daring to stand proud?"
Elder Lin Qian dropped face-first to the floor. "A-Ancestor Lin Tianlong…!"
"The Lin Tianlong?!" someone whispered. "He vanished over 300 years ago!"
"He's supposed to be in secluded meditation beyond the Void!"
Lin Tianlong, former clan patriarch and Void Refinement Realm expert, turned to Lin Xuan with a flicker of warmth.
"Child… who awakened me?"
Lin Xuan stepped forward calmly, dusted his robe, and spoke with unwavering arrogance:
"That would be me, Ancestor. I am Lin Xuan. Also known as—soon to be officially—the Young Master of the Lin Clan."
The ancestor's lips curled into the ghost of a smirk.
He turned to the stunned hall.
"From this moment on," Lin Tianlong declared, "anyone who lays a hand on this boy lays a hand on me. Let his words be as law. Let his path unfold."
DING!Quest Progress: 300% – Unexpected Ancestral Favor ActivatedBonus Unlocked: +1 Guaranteed Slap-Free Week™New Reputation: "Protected by the Crazy Ancestor"Lin Feng's Morale: -900%
As Lin Xuan crossed his arms and gave a final smug look to his stunned cousins, he whispered to himself:
"You wanted to break this Young Master's arms?"
He leaned closer to Lin Feng and grinned.
"You dare?"