Martial arts mastery is divine, weapon crafting mastery is divine! This guy is a god!

Having finally managed to stabilize his emotions, Chen Tianhao coughed twice and asked once more, "Ruo Xi, when did your Artifact Refining skills become so... formidable?"

This was indeed his primary concern at the moment.

He knew Chen Ruoxi enjoyed studying the art of Artifact Refining, but he never expected his eldest daughter's progress to be so rapid!

"It was..."

Chen Ruoxi was about to speak, but she found herself at a loss for words.

Indeed!

What should she say?

Should she directly say that Lin Yuan had taught her?

"My brother taught her!"

Before Chen Ruoxi could say anything, Lin Ke'er, who was standing to the side, suddenly spoke up first.

"Your... brother?"

Chen Tianhao was momentarily stunned.

"Yes, my brother!"

Lin Ke'er's face was filled with pride.

However, she didn't realize that her seemingly casual remark had left everyone present dumbstruck!

Especially Chen Tianhao.

At this moment, his thoughts were spinning rapidly.

Lin Yuan?

Lin Yuan was actually proficient in the Dao of Artifact Refining as well?

This... this was simply too outrageous!!!

Not only was this person's cultivation level extraordinary, but he was also proficient in Artifact Refining? Just how terrifying were his limits?!

Chen Tianhao felt as if his brain was about to crash.

"Haha... Hahahaha!"

"The heavens have not abandoned my Chen Family! The heavens have not abandoned my Chen Family!"

A moment later.

A flash of inspiration crossed Chen Tianhao's mind.

He understood!

He completely understood!

Lin Yuan!

This man wasn't some Genius at all!

He was an omnipotent god!

His martial arts reached divinity!

His Artifact Refining likewise reached divinity!

This was the Chen Family's only, and final, chance!

"Someone, come here!"

Chen Tianhao slammed the table and let out a sharp shout!

"Prepare a generous gift! No! Bring me the map of that Star Ore Vein from our warehouse!"

"Patriarch! You mustn't! That Star Ore Vein is our Chen Family's greatest trump card!"

"Indeed! Star Ore is a vital material for producing military-grade Magical Artifacts. Owning this vein ensures our Chen Family's future generations will be worry-free! Patriarch, please reconsider!"

"Furthermore, the Star Ore Core within is still gestating; it's meant for crafting a life-bound Magical Artifact for our future Qilin son, Young Master Chen Yu!"

...The Elders' expressions changed drastically.

"Shut up!"

Chen Tianhao glared at them fiercely, his eyes flickering with the light of a desperate gambler.

"Compared to the life and death of the entire Family, what does a mere ore vein matter?!"

"Compared to establishing a connection with the Lin Family, what does it matter?!"

"My mind is made up!"

"Tonight, I shall personally visit the Lin Family!"

He was going to gamble!

He would bet the entire future of the Chen Family!

To gamble for a chance to ascend to the heavens in a single step!

...The night was as deep as ink.

The Lin Family Manor was brightly lit.

Inside the study.

Lin Jianguo held a cup of hot tea, his expression as calm as water.

Opposite him, the Chen Family Patriarch, Chen Tianhao, was standing respectfully with a slight bow.

He didn't even dare to sit.

On that face which was usually full of majesty, there was now only humility and... a fawning smile.

He carefully presented a map drawn on special beast hide with both hands.

"Great General Lin, this is a small token of my appreciation. I hope you... can kindly accept it."

Lin Jianguo did not reach for the map.

He simply raised his eyelids and gave Chen Tianhao a faint glance.

With just that one glance.

Chen Tianhao instantly felt as if he were being stared down by a slumbering primordial Vicious Beast!

A terrifying aura of iron-blooded slaughter and a sea of corpses crashed down like the weight of Mount Tai itself!

Thud!

Chen Tianhao's legs went weak, and he nearly knelt on the spot!

Cold sweat instantly drenched his back.

He felt as if he were not facing a human being at all.

But a peerless god of slaughter who commanded hundreds of millions of armored troops and could decide the life or death of ten thousand people with a single word!

This was the might of the Great General Protecting the Nation of Dragon Xia Kingdom!

"Patriarch Chen, visiting so late at night—what is your business?"

Lin Jianguo set down his teacup, his voice flat and devoid of any emotion.

But every word made Chen Tianhao's heart twitch frantically.

"Great... Great General!"

Chen Tianhao's throat felt parched.

He endured the pressure that was enough to make his Divine Soul collapse and said with a trembling voice, "This Junior... this Junior has come to the Lin Family to offer a humble apology!"

"Previously, my son was ignorant and was deluded by that little beast from the Liu Family, showing great disrespect to Young Master Yuan. I hope the Great General and Young Master Yuan can find it in your hearts to be magnanimous!"

As he spoke, his knees actually buckled as he prepared to kneel!

"That's enough."

Lin Jianguo waved his hand. "I can't be bothered with matters between children."

"Speak. Your true reason for coming."

His gaze was as sharp as a blade, as if he could see right through Chen Tianhao's thoughts.

Chen Tianhao's heart skipped a beat.

He knew that in front of such a figure, any beating around the bush would be asking for humiliation.

He gritted his teeth and simply laid all his cards on the table!

"The Great General is wise!"

"My Chen Family is willing to follow the Lin Family's lead from this day forward!"

"This Star Ore Vein is the... Tribute offered by my Chen Family!"

Star Ore Vein!

These three words finally caused a slight ripple on Lin Jianguo's eternally stoic face.

As the supreme commander of the military, he naturally knew what this ore vein represented.

Star Ore was the best material for crafting standard military Magical Artifacts!

It was sturdy, sharp, and could even resonate with military formations, significantly enhancing the overall combat power of an army!

For a long time, the Star Ore of Dragon Xia Kingdom had been firmly controlled by the Imperial Family and the military.

He hadn't expected the small Chen Family to actually have one hidden away!

Moreover, looking at the reserves on this map, it seemed... quite substantial!

This was indeed a gift of significant weight!

"The Liu Family has put a lot of pressure on you?"

Lin Jianguo picked up his teacup and took a light sip.

"Yes!"

Chen Tianhao didn't dare hide anything. "The Liu Family has wild ambitions; they have always wanted to annex my Chen Family and control all the Artifact Refining resources in Yan Capital!"

"But even a cornered dog will jump over a wall. I fear they will use my Chen Family as their final stepping stone!"

"So, you want my Lin Family to protect you?"

Lin Jianguo hit the nail on the head.

"Yes!"

Chen Tianhao nodded heavily. "As long as the Lin Family agrees, my Chen Family is willing to go through fire and water for the Lin Family for generations to come!"

A brief silence fell over the study.

Lin Jianguo's fingers lightly tapped on the table.

Each tap felt like a death knell, making Chen Tianhao's heart leap into his throat.

He was waiting.

Waiting for a verdict that would decide the fate of his entire clan!

Finally, Lin Jianguo's finger tapping on the table stopped.

He slowly raised his eyes, and his gaze fell upon the beast hide map.

"I accept the map."

A simple sentence.

Yet it was like a bolt of heavenly thunder striking Chen Tianhao's mind!

It worked!

The gamble paid off!

The Lin Family had accepted the Chen Family's Tribute!

"Thank you, Great General! Thank you, Great General!"

Chen Tianhao was so excited his whole body was shaking, and tears were almost flowing down his face.

He kowtowed three times to Lin Jianguo, his head hitting the floor with loud thuds!

This time, Lin Jianguo did not stop him.

This was his due.

And it was the loyalty the Chen Family needed to show.

"From this day forward, my Chen Family is willing to go through fire and water for the Lin Family for generations! If we have any duplicity, may heaven and earth destroy us!"

Chen Tianhao's voice was resolute!