The Prelude to the Lin Family’s Demise

Soon, this round also concluded, and following its end, Shangguan Jinyang personally issued a stern reminder to all participants.

“I shall reiterate this once more: any personal grievances you hold that lead to reckless behavior during this period will result in the Lieyang Gate’s fate becoming your own.

Those with enmity towards Yan Yun may openly challenge her to a battle among peers after the assembly concludes.”

As Shangguan Jinyang’s words faded, Jiang Yao and the others immediately rushed to Yan Yun’s side.

“Yun’er, are you alright? Are you hurt?” they asked, immediately checking Yan Yun’s entire body. They only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming she hadn’t suffered the slightest injury.

Yan Yun chuckled.

“Who do you take me for? I saw through their petty schemes at a glance. Of course, I’m fine.”

Jiang Yao, observing Yan Yun’s smug and proud expression, couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

“Alas! I knew it; the problem must have originated from your side.

It’s truly terrifying; they even resorted to assassinating you with a Divine Venerable Realm expert. Fortunately, you evaded it, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable.”

She felt a shiver of lingering fear.

A murderous intent immediately flashed across Yan Yun’s face.

“Hmph! Since the Lieyang Gate insists on being buried alongside the Lin family, then let them wait. I shall personally eradicate them.”

Meanwhile, on the high platform.

“Alas! I never imagined that a dignified Divine Venerable Realm expert would stoop to assassinating a mere girl in the Cavern Heaven Realm. Esteemed individuals of Jiang Country, it seems the moral atmosphere within your cultivation world is somewhat askew.”

Chen Yingtian remarked with a strange, mocking tone.

His words caused all the Jiang Country experts present to lose face.

Many, however, secretly wished to retort, ‘As if your Ji Country is so righteous and honorable! Aren’t you just using this as an excuse to cause trouble?’

Of course, some thoughts were best kept to oneself; speaking them aloud would only worsen the situation.

“Our Dao Alliance has enjoyed peace for too long. With external threats still unresolved and internal strife rampant, it is indeed time to purge those unrighteous individuals from the alliance. Otherwise, when our agreement with the demonic path ends in a few decades…” Chen Yingtian’s words carried profound meaning. Although he acknowledged that the actions of the Jiang Country cultivators were not ideal, they had, at the very least, openly sought trouble without concealing their intentions.

With that, today’s activities drew to a close.

That evening, Lin Xiong summoned Lin Mo to a secluded spot.

“Father, you wished to see me?” Lin Mo asked, a soft, effeminate smile gracing his lips upon seeing Lin Xiong.

Lin Xiong looked at his son, who had become indistinguishable in gender, and felt an overwhelming sense of bewilderment and helplessness.

“Alas! Mo’er, our Lin family is likely doomed. Of all who participated in this Immortal Dao Assembly, only you emerged unscathed. The future of our Lin family now rests entirely on your shoulders,” Lin Xiong stated, his gaze heavy with sorrow.

Lin Mo, seeing Lin Xiong’s face etched with worry, let out a soft sigh.

“Father, you were too hasty, which led to the Lin family and the Lieyang Gate falling into such immense trouble. Now that both the sect and the royal family are displeased with us, our Lin family should retreat while we can. This might offer us a path to survival; otherwise, it will surely be our twilight.”

After all, the Lin family was the place where he was born and raised. Although his cultivation of the poison cultivation technique had made him somewhat detached and emotionally indifferent, he certainly did not wish to see his clan decline.

Lin Xiong, however, offered a bitter smile.

“It’s too late. Centuries of high-profile prominence have made it impossible for the Lin family to humble themselves. You understand this better than I do. Moreover, would Yan Yun let our Lin family off? I fear not. The wealth she has accumulated from purchasing poisons over the years is likely enough to hire several Divine Venerable Realm experts to eradicate our Lin family.”

Lin Mo fell silent. Though he appeared to have little contact with Yan Yun, he had always secretly observed her.

His conflict with Yan Yun, which stemmed from Jiang Yao, had inadvertently implicated their family.

“Alas! It is all my fault. I was too impulsive in previous years, dragging the family into this for the sake of a woman. Now, looking back, it was utterly worthless,” Lin Mo confessed with a hint of guilt.

In truth, even if he had not acted, the Lin family’s overbearing dominance would have led them to the same actions. In their eyes, the Dai family and the Jiang family were openly challenging them.

It was a known fact that in the entire mundane world of Jiang Country, only the Dai family dared to oppose them. However, the Dai family was already in decline. Should Queen Dai fail to break through to the next realm, the Dai family would no longer be able to contend with the Lin family.

Originally, it was a foregone conclusion that the Lin family would become the foremost family in Jiang Country. Yet, they never anticipated that a mere Yan Yun would render their family so passive.

Families like the Yan family would have been annihilated long ago if not for the Yunhua Sect.

“Enough. Dwelling on these matters is meaningless now. Mo’er, I know your disposition has greatly changed due to your poison cultivation technique, but you will always be my son. Remember, if the Lin family is ever wiped out, do not act rashly. Protecting yourself is paramount.” After speaking, Lin Xiong turned and departed.

As long as Lin Mo did not participate in any actions against Yan Yun and Jiang Yao, given his status, the Yunhua Sect and Yan Yun would not directly target him.

Yan Yun had initially thought that Lin Mo would try every means to deal with her during her years in the Yunhua Sect. However, after he cultivated the poison cultivation technique, he seemed to have transformed into a different person, becoming low-key and reclusive, leaving her with no reason to confront him.

On the other side, Yan Yun and her companions, who had just returned to Immortal Alliance City, suddenly spotted a few familiar faces ahead.

“Little Third,” Yan Kun called out, waving at Yan Yun with a playful grin.

Upon seeing Yan Kun’s appearance, Yan Yun immediately rolled her eyes listlessly. She had grown accustomed to their encounters, and the urge to roll her eyes was almost instinctual.

“What do you want?” Yan Yun asked.

“Seventh Mother,” Yan Kun and the three Yan sisters immediately bowed respectfully to Su Muyu.

Su Muyu nodded.

Seeing Yan Kun and the others approach Yan Yun, Jiang Yao turned to her.

“My mother and I will head back first; you siblings surely have things to discuss.”

Yan Yun nodded.

With that, Jiang Yao and Su Muyu departed.

After they had left, Yan Kun stroked his chin, thoroughly inspecting Yan Yun’s attire.

“Oh, my, you’ve changed so much, boy. You’re becoming more and more like a woman, and you’re dressed quite nicely, far prettier than your three elder sisters. Alas, we’re all born of the same father, yet the disparity is truly vast,” Yan Kun remarked playfully.

The three Yan sisters immediately frowned upon hearing this. Yan Xia lifted her foot and deliberately stomped on Yan Kun’s instep, clearly expressing her displeasure.

“Ouch! Yan Xia, what’s wrong with you? Why did you stomp on me? Was what I said wrong?” Yan Kun complained, wincing in pain.

Yan Xia couldn’t be bothered with her immature Second Brother.

“Ahem, Little Third, should we now call you Fourth Sister, or Third Brother?” Yan Xia asked.

How was Yan Yun supposed to answer that?

“This? Whatever, I don’t care anyway. I’m already past the point of no return. Everyone knows that the Third Young Master of the Yan family has transformed from male to female. Those who are hostile towards me call me a ‘demon’ or ‘demoness’ at every turn. Why should I still care about these things?” Yan Yun spread her hands.

Yan Xia pondered for a moment, then replied, “Alright then, we’ll still call you Little Third.”

However, Yan Yun was not pleased with this address.

“No, no, no, no, Eldest Sister, either call me by my name or ‘Little Sister,’ but please, never call me ‘Little Third.’ I’m telling you, I’ve had an issue with that nickname since I was a child.” Yan Yun claimed to be indifferent, but in reality, she was not.

This left Yan Kun and the others confused.

“Huh? Is there a problem with it?”

Seeing their curious expressions, Yan Yun listlessly explained, “I once read a book, and ‘Little Third’ has some… rather unpleasant connotations…”

Yan Yun earnestly explained why she disliked the nickname.

Upon hearing her explanation, the four of them were dumbfounded.

“Hahahaha, so ‘Little Third’ has that meaning! Why have I never heard of it? No wonder you always looked so glum and wouldn’t bother with us. Now I understand!” Yan Kun clutched his waist and burst into laughter.

Yan Yun was unwilling to bother with them, and there was indeed a reason for this. Although she knew “Little Third” was an affectionate nickname to them, it was unfortunately a term with negative connotations in her original world.

Thus, she instinctively disliked it.

“Laugh about what? What’s so funny?” Yan Yun retorted with a dark expression.

Despite the banter, the siblings’ conversation remained largely harmonious.

“Alright, Little Sister, we’ve come to thank you. If you hadn’t given us a Silver Armored Puppet, we might have been eliminated long ago,” Yan Xia said, her expression turning serious after their playful banter, as she thanked Yan Yun.

Yan Yun immediately waved her hand.

“Don’t mention thanks; it sounds too formal. After all, we share the same blood. By the way, have you all advanced?” Yan Yun asked.

The three Yan sisters shook their heads.

“Today’s round was too difficult. The three of us were eliminated; only Second Brother is still in,” Yan Ning replied.

“Bah, bah, bah! You rotten girl, what kind of talk is that? What do you mean ‘I’m still in’? Do you wish me dead?” Yan Kun grumbled with a dark expression.

Learning that only Yan Kun remained from the Yan family, Yan Yun pondered for a moment, then suddenly tossed a stack of colorful third-tier talismans to Yan Kun.

“Take these and use them. They should be enough for you to reach the finals.”

Yan Kun stared at the bundled stack of talismans that had suddenly appeared in his hand, his expression one of utter speechlessness.

“Eh? You just threw them to me like that? Anyone who didn’t know would think they were trash.”

Yan Yun smiled smugly.

“Hehe, being rich means being willful. Once you’re as wealthy as I am, Second Brother, you’ll understand that things bought with money are nothing special.”

Yan Kun chuckled.

“Is that so? Then give your brother a few fifth-tier talismans too,” Yan Kun said, extending his large hand.

Yan Yun looked at Yan Kun’s earnest expression, then raised her hand and delivered a heavy slap to his palm.

“Scram! I don’t even have many fifth-tier talismans myself; they’re expensive. You should be grateful for these third-tier ones.”

Yan Kun yelped in pain, immediately retracting his hand. “Ouch! You’re really not cute at all. In that regard, you’re not as good as your three elder sisters.”

After the five siblings chatted for a while, Yan Yun finally parted ways with them.

Upon entering her room, Yan Yun discovered an extra person.

“Eh? Why are you here? Go on, go on, this is my wife’s and my room. Go back to your own dwelling.”