201: Lin Family Carnival

"Not only are they willing, but they are also very afraid."

Lin Jingyu's voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable power, as if stating a simple fact.

However, this simple sentence was like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up monstrous waves in the hearts of Lin Lingshan and the others.

The air in front of the ancestral hall seemed to solidify.

The Lin Family Clansmen didn't understand why Lin Jingyu would say that.

After all, in terms of strength, the Zhong Family far surpassed the Lin Family.

The lingering glow of the setting sun filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves of the ancient pagoda tree, casting dappled light and shadow on Lin Jingyu's young yet resolute Face.

He stood there, his figure seemingly slender, yet possessing a profound and imposing demeanor that involuntarily drew the gaze of all the clansmen.

"President Gu Yue and Elder Wang Meng of the Alchemist Association, as well as Shopkeeper Shui Sheng of Tianfa Pavilion, accompanied me today."

Lin Jingyu continued to explain, his voice still calm, but each word was as heavy as a thousand pounds, striking deep into everyone's hearts.

"Zhong Yue wouldn't dare not give this Face."

Actually, there was an important reason he didn't mention.

That was the talent Lin Jingyu himself had displayed.

It was even more important than the three Ninth Layer of Qi Refining masters.

Upon hearing this, everyone first fell into a deathly silence, stunned.

Lin Lingshan opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times, but no sound came out.

Behind him, Lin Lingkuang's eyes, wide as brass bells, stared, and his rough hands subconsciously clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the effort.

Immediately after, a joyous cheer erupted like a long-dormant volcano.

"Heavens! The Vice President of the Alchemist Association! That's one of the top figures in the Southeast Market Town!"

An old Cultivator with white hair and beard trembled excitedly, leaning on his cane, tears glistening in his cloudy old eyes.

"And the Shopkeeper of Tianfa Pavilion! Tianfa Pavilion! Our Lin Family used to have to beg and plead just to buy a decent Magical Artifact!"

A middle-aged woman covered her mouth, her voice choked, her eyes filled with disbelief.

"Jingyu! You... you actually managed to invite them? This... this is simply..."

Lin Lingshan finally found his voice, his tiger-like eyes filled with tears, as he heavily patted Lin Jingyu's shoulder, his large, palm-fan-like hand trembling slightly from excitement.

"Excellent! This is truly excellent! I see who in the Black Mountain region will dare to look down on our Lin Family now! Who will dare to bully us arbitrarily!"

A true moment of pride and vindication!

The humiliation, resentment, and gloom that had accumulated in their hearts were completely washed away and cleared by this sudden immense joy.

It transformed into a boundless admiration and trust for Lin Jingyu, like a surging river! Everyone's Face glowed with excitement and pride, their chests puffed out, as if even their breathing had become exceptionally smooth.

The Alchemist Association and Tianfa Pavilion, these names were like beings in the clouds for the former Lin Family, colossal entities to be looked up to.

And now, they were actually supporting the Lin Family. How could this not make people ecstatic?

Lin Lingshan's tiger-like eyes were filled with tears, a thousand words churning in his throat, finally condensing into a choked yet powerful sentence:

"Good! Good boy! The Lin Family... owes you too much!"

Lin Jingyu shook his head slightly, a faint but sincere smile on his Face.

The golden light of the setting sun shone upon him, as if plating him with a sacred halo.

"Uncle Lingshan, you overstate it. I am also a part of the Lin Family; protecting the Family is only right."

He looked up at the gradually darkening sky, where the evening glow was blood-red, staining half the sky, and his tone became steady.

"Let everyone prepare. Tomorrow, we will accept the Zhong Family's apology. And let everyone see that our Lin Family is not to be trifled with."

The reason he specifically mentioned the presence of the Alchemist Association and Tianfa Pavilion was certainly to deter petty villains, but the deeper intention was to rebuild the confidence of the Lin Family disciples.

The rise of a Family not only requires external strong support but also internal spirit and vitality.

He wanted every Lin Family clansman to understand that the power standing behind them was enough to allow them to stand tall.

"Yes, Young Clan Leader!"

The clansmen responded in unison with a booming affirmation, filled with unprecedented high spirits. Everyone's eyes became exceptionally bright, and their backs were perfectly straight.

They began to busy themselves quickly and orderly, preparing to welcome the extraordinary "apology" tomorrow.

That night, the Lin Family ancestral hall was brightly lit, with incense smoke curling about.

Over a hundred clansmen gathered there, regardless of gender or age, their Faces filled with the relief of surviving a disaster and boundless anticipation for the future.

Thick candles crackled, illuminating the ancestral tablets with solemn dignity.

Lin Lingshan stood before the ancestral tablets, his expression solemn and agitated. He personally distributed a portion of the Spirit Stones and healing Medicinal Pills taken from the Zhong Family's compensation

to the injured Lin Lingxi, Lin Lingkuang, and their families.

The light of the Spirit Stones reflected on Faces that were both excited and hopeful.

"All clansmen!"

Lin Lingshan's voice was resonant, echoing inside and outside the ancestral hall, making the dust on the beams rustle down.

"Today, our Lin Family suffered a great humiliation, but also avenged a great disgrace! All of this is due to Jingyu's merit.

Tomorrow, the Zhong Family Patriarch will personally lead his son to our door to apologize! This is an unprecedented feat since our Lin Family established itself in Black Mountain!"

"We must let everyone know that the Lin Family cannot be easily insulted! The sons of the Lin Family still possess their spirit!"

The clansmen were greatly agitated, their long-suppressed emotions released at this moment. Many elderly individuals shed tears, murmuring prayers to the ancestral tablets, as if comforting the spirits of their ancestors.

Meanwhile, Lin Jingyu quietly left the bustling ancestral hall and returned alone to the cold, yet comforting, secret chamber.

Due to the Spirit Gathering Array and Spirit Awakening Array, the Spiritual Qi became increasingly dense.

The cold Qi, originally only present in the pond water, also began to spread outwards.

A thin layer of white frost condensed on the icy stone walls, even solidifying the moisture in the air into ice crystals.

Lin Jingyu could only add some enclosures around a few plants, hoping they could withstand this wave of severe cold.

Once the spirit eye absorbed enough Spiritual Qi and nutrients, the cold Qi would be drawn back.

It was terrifyingly silent here, with only his own heartbeat and breathing clearly audible. But Lin Jingyu felt that this place was safer and more peaceful than anywhere else.

Outside the window, moonlight, cold as water, streamed through the narrow ventilation holes, casting several lonely beams of light into the room.

He sat cross-legged on a futon by the cold pond, his hand caressing the seemingly ordinary Jade Slip brick that contained the supreme Legacy of the Spirit Refining Art and the Taihao Elixir Canon, his expression as calm as still water.

Today, he had successfully leveraged his influence, temporarily subdued the Zhong Family, and resolved the immediate crisis, but he felt no great joy; instead, he became even more vigilant.