The Lin Family’s Plan

Yan Kun landed proudly before Yan Yun, a triumphant grin plastered across his face.

“Tell me, what do you think of your big brother’s performance today?”

Yan Yun rolled her eyes. She was about to utter something disheartening, but after a moment’s thought, she held back.

“Hmm, it was alright. You put up a much tougher fight than I expected.”

Yan Kun, however, was clearly displeased with her assessment.

“Is that all? Hey, you need to understand, I was almost an entire major realm weaker than my opponent, and I lasted that long! Don’t you think ‘it was alright’ is a bit too perfunctory?”

Yan Yun winced, a slight ache in her teeth. After a moment of internal struggle, she decided to speak the truth; it felt too awful to lie.

‘Forget it. I was originally going to give you some encouragement, but I don’t think you’re interested in that, so I’ll just be blunt.’

“I think you’re incredibly childish. You’re exactly the same as when you were a kid, still a childish imp. You didn’t even win! If you had won, I’d definitely praise you properly, but you lost! You were beaten like a dead dog and teleported off the stage. How can you shamelessly ask me how you performed?” Yan Yun unleashed her true thoughts in a torrent.

Yan Kun’s face immediately flushed crimson, then, after reaching a certain peak of redness, it darkened to black.

Jiang Yao, witnessing Yan Yun’s bluntness, quickly reached out and tugged at her clothes.

“Hey! Speak properly!”

Yan Yun immediately spread her hands.

“I’m telling the truth! Standing there like an idiot, getting beaten up—if it were me, I definitely wouldn’t have taken that beating.”

Yan Kun clenched his fists, an overwhelming urge to strike her, but seeing Yan Yun’s current delicate and weak appearance, he found it difficult to act.

“Sigh, forget it. It seems I’ll never earn your respect in this lifetime. When we were kids, I wanted to hit you, but seeing your face, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Now I want to hit you even more, but I still can’t.” Yan Kun exhaled heavily, a bitter smile gracing his face.

“Absolutely not! If you want to fight, I’m game. But I’m warning you, I won’t hold back,” Yan Yun declared quickly.

Yan Kun smiled helplessly.

“Alright, alright, what can I do? I’m your brother. I won’t bicker with you. I’m leaving.”

With that, Yan Kun flew off directly, heading towards the location where Yan Xia and the others were gathered.

“Hey, you’re just leaving? I wasn’t finished talking!” Yan Yun called out hurriedly.

Jiang Yao watched the interaction between the two siblings and couldn’t help but smile. One could only say they were both childish imps: one who fancied themselves mature, and the other, simply unable to grow up.

Yan Kun recounted the events in detail to his sisters, explaining that he was returning home and that the three of them should inform their families.

The three sisters were naturally overjoyed for Yan Kun. For Yan Kun to be recognized by a Great Perfection Divine Venerable was a blessing for their Yan family.

The day’s matches swiftly concluded.

Meanwhile, in the Royal Capital of Jiang Country, King Jiang had been closely following the news of the Immortal Dao Assembly every day, with regular updates conveyed to him.

“Yan Kun? Interesting. To be noticed by an elder of the Righteous Dao Alliance and taken as a disciple—his future is boundless. It seems the Yan family needs to do something as well. Someone, summon the Second Prince!” King Jiang commanded.

Immediately, a female official departed, and approximately ten minutes later, a handsome and refined young man in red robes arrived before King Jiang.

“Your son pays his respects to Father King.”

This was King Jiang’s second son, Jiang Chen.

“Jiang Chen, among all the sons I’ve raised these past few years, you are the only one who remains unmarried. Your father has given it some thought and decided to find a marriage alliance for you. What are your thoughts on this?” King Jiang inquired.

Jiang Chen’s brows furrowed involuntarily.

“Since it is Father King’s command, your son dares not disobey. I merely wonder which young lady from the Royal Capital your son is to marry?”

King Jiang immediately shook his head.

“She is not from the Royal Capital, but a young lady from a minor family. You are to personally make a trip to the Yan family of Qifeng City. The main branch of the Yan family has three sisters, and you may choose one from among them. The three sisters are currently participating in the Immortal Dao Assembly, so you may depart after the assembly concludes.”

Jiang Chen was stunned upon hearing this.

“What? The family of the Heavenly Poison Maiden’s successor? Why them? Father King, are you finally moving against the Lin family?” Jiang Chen’s first reaction was to assume a move against the Lin family.

Seeing Jiang Chen’s agitation, King Jiang shook his head.

“There is no need for me to act against the Lin family, nor do I wish to concern myself with them any longer. They have brought their own demise upon themselves, and others will naturally deal with them. As for the Yan family, they have given me far too many surprises. Today, one of their disciples was noticed by an elder of the Righteous Dao Alliance and taken as a disciple. Their future is truly boundless.”

With this, Jiang Chen did not press further.

“Understood. Your son will depart for Qifeng City once the Immortal Dao Assembly concludes.”

King Jiang nodded with satisfaction, then waved his hand, signaling Jiang Chen could leave.

After bowing, Jiang Chen turned and exited the grand hall.

As he stepped out, his expression grew solemn.

‘This matter seems rather peculiar. Why would Father King choose me, the only direct bloodline in our branch? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate for Father King to send one of my younger brothers instead? Could it be that he intends for me to act as an undercover agent this time?’

With these thoughts, Jiang Chen headed outwards.

After Jiang Chen’s departure, the smile on King Jiang’s face gradually receded, and a hint of cold ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.

“Old fox, I’d like to see how you scheme against me this time.”

Meanwhile, in a pavilion within the Royal Capital of Jiang Country, a young man clad in purple robes stood up, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes as he muttered to himself.

“Are things settled?”

“Reporting to the Prince, everything is settled. King Jiang has agreed to bestow the Second Prince in marriage to a young lady of the Yan family.”

“Excellent.” The young man nodded with satisfaction, then picked up a teacup nearby, took a sip, and continued.

“Send someone to inform the Lin family. Since they wish to deal with the Yan family, tell them that the Second Prince has already been bestowed in marriage to a Yan family daughter, and let them decide how to proceed.”

“Yes.”

“Heh heh, this will be quite a show,” the young man chuckled, then spoke to his attendant.

“The Prince is truly brilliant! A plan to kill two birds with one stone. Not only can he drag the Lin family into trouble, but he can also use this opportunity to counter King Jiang. Truly brilliant!”

“Alright, go.”

The attendant bowed and withdrew.

The young man gazed out the window, a playful smile on his face.

“Lin family, King Jiang, just you wait. I’m eager to see what other tricks you can pull.”

King Jiang had over a dozen sons; the eldest was over three hundred years old, while the youngest was only in his teens.

Jiang Chen, at just over two hundred years old, possessed cultivation that, in terms of appearance, made him comparable to an ordinary person in their early twenties.

He was a Divine Soul cultivator.

After speaking with his son, King Jiang left the grand hall and proceeded to a secret underground palace within the royal residence.

He casually opened the door, and a chilling aura permeated the air as he stepped inside.

“Queen, a guest has come to see you,” King Jiang said with a melancholic expression as he entered.

Inside, a palace-dressed woman with white hair and a face full of wrinkles lay quietly on an ice bed in the stone chamber.

The cold air had completely frozen her.

This woman was King Jiang’s Queen. The two had been together since childhood, but alas, the Queen’s aptitude was not as good as his, and she had never been able to break through to the Divine Venerable Realm. A forced breakthrough over a century ago had trapped her consciousness in a demonic illusion, from which she had yet to awaken.

King Jiang had utilized the power of a certain array formation to preserve the Queen’s body and prolong her life; otherwise, she would have perished long ago due to her consciousness leaving her body.

However, such a method merely delayed the inevitable.

King Jiang sat beside the Queen, sighing deeply as he recounted his worries.

He had initially favored Consort Lin, for the Lin family was virtually the largest in Jiang Country, and making Consort Lin the successor queen would have best stabilized the royal family’s position in Jiang Country.

Yet, the Lin family’s actions over the years had become utterly unacceptable to him. They had engaged in too many deeds that disregarded the country’s stability and offended too many factions.

This gradually led him to entertain thoughts of abdicating and yielding to a more capable successor.

If the next generation could simply take his place, then he would no longer need to appoint a successor queen.

However, the problem lay in the difficulty of choosing among his several sons who were currently suitable for the throne.

Firstly, his son with Queen Dai, the current Crown Prince, possessed mediocre aptitude; he would never break through to the Divine Venerable Realm in this lifetime.

Emotionally, this was his legitimate son, the child who had accompanied him the longest, and his succession would certainly be fitting.

But the issue was that the Queen was likely beyond awakening, and should she pass, the Dai family had been in decline for years. With no influential power to back the successor, many troubles would undoubtedly arise.

Forcing himself onto the throne would mean he couldn’t even preserve his own life.

Of course, while King Jiang was still alive, it wouldn’t be a major issue, but one could not be certain.

Though King Jiang appeared youthful, in truth, his lifespan was merely a century away from its end. He found it difficult to imagine what turmoil might ensue.

Furthermore, he had originally considered Consort Lin’s son, but that now seemed unlikely.

After much deliberation, he felt that his second son, Jiang Chen, who held the most promise of breaking through to the Divine Venerable Realm, should inherit.

However, Jiang Chen was the most cunning among his sons, and King Jiang wished to see if this second son could truly bear such a weighty responsibility.

Beyond strength, the King of Jiang Country also needed a broad perspective, meaning he absolutely could not prioritize personal interests over public welfare, or it would spell disaster for Jiang Country.

What King Jiang did not know, however, was that Consort Lin quickly learned of his summoning Jiang Chen.

At this moment, Consort Lin was conversing with a young man in her residence.

Suddenly, a palace maid ran in quickly and whispered a few words into Consort Lin’s ear.

Upon hearing them, Consort Lin erupted in fury.

“Damnable!” Consort Lin slammed her hand onto the table, shattering it to pieces, a clear testament to her extreme anger.

The young man seated before her was startled.

“Mother, what’s wrong? What has made you so furious?” the young man asked.

This young man was King Jiang’s eighth son, Jiang Lin.

“What else could it be? Our Lin family is utterly finished. I, too, have completely lost my qualification to become the successor queen. Lin’er, you must prepare yourself. Your uncle and I are about to fight a tough battle,” Consort Lin said coldly.

The Eighth Prince looked utterly bewildered, unsure of what his mother was saying.

“Mother, what do you mean?”

After a moment of thought, Consort Lin finally revealed her long-conceived plan.

“Lin’er, for you to ascend the throne, your mother, your maternal uncle, and your maternal grand-uncle began plotting a plan long ago. Originally, I was unwilling to implement this plan, but now, it seems there is no other choice. Your Father King is likely planning to pass the throne to the second son,” Consort Lin stated gravely.

She then meticulously explained her plan to the Eighth Prince.

The Eighth Prince was utterly terrified upon hearing the plan.

For the price they would have to pay in their plan was truly terrifying—a price that could undeniably transform Jiang Country entirely.

And should they fail, the Lin family, along with all those involved in implementing the plan, would face eternal damnation.