142: Overpowering the Liu family

“Patriarch Lin! You… what is the meaning of this?”

Liu Chengcai suppressed the sharp pain and churning blood, his voice shrill with anger.

“I’m taking back what belongs to my Liu family, it’s only right and proper! Are you going to stop me too?”

Lin Lingshan didn't even bother to look at him, merely squeezing out two words from between his teeth, filled with endless disdain: “Idiot!”

“You… your Lin family… you’ve gone too far!”

Liu Chengcai was completely ignited by this blatant humiliation. He struggled to his feet, pointing at Lin Lingshan and Lin Jingyu, his voice hoarse and distorted by extreme anger and shame.

“In broad daylight, openly robbing! Do you really think my Liu family is made of mud?

If you dare to steal my Liu family’s wealth today, I will surely return it a hundredfold in the future! Your Lin family, just wait to face the thunderous wrath of my Liu family!”

His eyes were bloodshot, looking like a madman, trying to reclaim a bit of pathetic dignity with his final roar.

Lin Jingyu shook his head speechlessly, as if watching a clown perform, his tone a nearly pitying mockery:

“Your Liu family’s things?”

He pointed at the messy, blood-stained ground beneath his feet.

“Things on my Lin family’s land belong to my Lin family! Your Liu family is rich and likes to throw things around carelessly.

My Lin family is from a poor, remote area, accustomed to frugality. It’s perfectly reasonable for us to pick up some ownerless junk and repurpose it! What business is it of yours, Young Master Liu?”

He turned to Lin Lingshan, his tone as casual as if giving instructions for a trivial matter:

“Patriarch, don’t just stand there, quickly collect these ‘ownerless items’. Be quick about it, don’t let outsiders laugh at us, thinking our Lin family even values this junk!”

“Understood!”

Lin Lingshan grinned, his smile dazzling, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

He showed no displeasure or impatience at Lin Jingyu's command, instead responding with great alacrity.

He no longer spared Liu Chengcai a glance, and quickly began to scavenge.

Gleaming spirit stones, shimmering magic artifacts, bulging storage bags… one by one, he systematically collected them into his own.

With each item he pocketed, Lin Lingshan's heart settled a bit more, and wild joy surged through his chest like magma.

He had initially thought today would be the day the Lin family was doomed to destruction.

He never expected… it would instead be an opportunity to soar to new heights!

Watching the wealth his family considered treasures being so casually ‘picked up as junk’ by their enemy, Liu Chengcai felt a sweet, metallic taste rush to his throat, and his vision swam with black spots.

“Robbers! Shameless robbers!”

He shrieked, his voice distorted by despair, having lost most of his sanity:

“What the Lin family has done today is openly declare war on my Liu family!

My Liu family has seven late-stage Qi Condensation experts, many times stronger than your Lin family!

When I return and inform the patriarch, gathering the family's experts, we will surely bring down our thunderous wrath and flatten your Lin family, making you regret what you’ve done today!”

He waved his arms, like a trapped beast in despair.

Lin Jingyu sneered, his laugh particularly harsh in the silent arena.

He turned to Gong Yunyu, who had been watching with schadenfreude, and said with a hint of playful mockery:

“Heh heh! The Liu family’s wrath? Sounds terrifying, doesn’t it? Fourth Boss, listen to that, how does that compare to your Black Wind Stronghold? Shouldn’t your Black Wind Stronghold also unleash some thunderous wrath to cooperate?”

Gong Yunyu was enjoying the spectacle, secretly wishing ill upon the Liu family, who had previously kicked them when they were down.

When Lin Jingyu suddenly called him out, he jolted, and instantly plastered on his most fawning smile, bowing even lower:

“I wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare! Fellow Daoist Lin, you jest! The Lin family is protected by a senior, blessed with boundless fortune! My Black Wind Stronghold can only look up to you, how would we dare mention ‘wrath’! We can’t even curry favor fast enough!”

His eyes darted around, and he immediately offered a token of allegiance.

“Oh, right! As an apology, and to congratulate the Lin family on overcoming their misfortune, I have over a dozen acres of prime spiritual fields in Little Willow Valley. The deed is here, consider it compensation, gifted to the Lin family.

I hope Fellow Daoist Lin will… say a few good words on my behalf to that senior!”

He deftly pulled out a jade slip from his robes and respectfully presented it with both hands. He just wanted to quickly establish a good relationship with that terrifying “Lightning Cultivator Senior.”

As for offending the Liu family?

Their strength was negligible; the Black Wind Stronghold wouldn't tolerate them at all.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to extort them so casually.

Having said that, his sinister gaze swept like a venomous snake over the ashen-faced Liu Chengcai, his voice suddenly becoming bone-chillingly cold:

“You little brat! From your tone, your Liu family is even more arrogant than my Black Wind Stronghold, huh? You want to ride on our heads and piss and shit? Fine! You’ve got guts!”

He let out a sinister laugh, revealing his pale teeth:

“When I get back, I’ll have my brothers in the stronghold ‘take good care’ of your Liu family’s caravans, mines, and disciples out cultivating! We’ll… see about that!”

His words were full of threats and a scent of blood, a blatant display of using power to oppress others.

Just like Liu Chengcai had used the Liu family's strength to oppress the Lin family earlier.

The tables had turned; what goes around comes around.

Liu Chengcai’s face instantly changed from red to green, then from green to white, finally becoming ashen.

The Black Wind Stronghold’s threat was a nightmare that could truly cripple his Liu family, even lead to its ruin!

The earlier bluster of “wrath” was doused by this bucket of ice water, leaving not even a wisp of smoke.

He was like a rooster with its neck squeezed, all his harsh words stuck in his throat, leaving only heavy, despairing gasps, his body trembling like a leaf in the autumn wind.

He could only watch as Lin Lingshan leisurely placed the last of the Liu family's magic artifacts into his storage bag, feeling as if a piece had been gouged from his heart, bleeding profusely.

Lin Jingyu no longer looked at the clown's final disgrace, his gaze turning to the two treacherous elders of the Lin family in the arena.

Two beasts worse than pigs and dogs.

He slowly walked towards the First Elder Lin Chenghai, who was slumped on the ground, looking like death warmed over.

Each step crunched softly on the loose soil, a faint rustling sound that, in the dead silence, echoed like heavy drumbeats.

He stopped in front of Lin Chenghai, his figure blocking the sunlight, casting a deep shadow that enveloped the First Elder, who had once wielded great power in the Lin family.

Lin Jingyu bent slightly, his gaze like a cold probe, piercing into Lin Chenghai’s cloudy and resentful eyes.

He casually tapped Lin Chenghai’s dust-covered knee with his toe, then pointed at the disheveled and grief-stricken members of the Liu family, his voice low but carrying a bone-deep chill:

“Old dog, look up and see clearly.”

He paused, his tone as calm as if stating an irrelevant fact:

“Is this the ‘high branch’ you schemed so meticulously for, selling out your ancestral foundation and fawning to cling to? Is this the ‘ally’ you believed would bring you supreme power and resources?”