83: The king returns and commands the army

Though the Heaven-Reaching Divine Pillar had dissipated, the imprint of its terrifying power was deeply etched into the Soul of every eyewitness. The Long Family's Forbidden Ground returned to silence, but the entire world now understood—the sleeping Dragon had awakened.

Within the now-open secret chamber, Lin Tian stood quietly, his very existence a paradox. He appeared unremarkable, his vast and boundless power perfectly contained within him, making him feel less like a raging sea and more like a calm, bottomless ancient pool. However, in the perception of Long Qingtian, Dragon Snow Phoenix, and the others gathered there, it was this extreme stillness that was most chilling. This was absolute control, refined to Transcendent, a qualitative leap in life's hierarchy. They no longer looked upon a peer, no matter how gifted; but a being who had already surpassed their dimension of existence.

"Welcome back, number zero heir," Long Qingtian said, his voice a mix of awe and reverence. The last trace of his competitive spirit had been completely washed away by the undeniable power gap, like a chasm, before him.

Lin Tian merely nodded, his gaze sweeping over them: "You all did very well."

He then summoned the core members of his team, those who had fought alongside him in the War Emperor's Mausoleum. Without much ceremony, he began distributing the spoils of war.

"Long Qingtian," he said, tossing a gleaming S-Class Battle Axe to the stunned former heir, "Your fighting style is expansive. This 'Titan's Cleave' will greatly amplify your strength. Additionally, I have etched my understanding of its energy circuits into this data chip. Take it and study it."

"Dragon Snow Phoenix," he continued, handing her a small vial of shimmering ice-blue liquid, "'Ice Phoenix Marrow.' It can purify your Bloodline and help you Breakthrough to the next Realm."

He called out names one by one, bestowing treasures perfectly suited to each person's abilities—S-Class Divine Sharp Weapons, rare genetic potions, and Cultivation notes derived from his own enlightenment. This was not merely a distribution of wealth, but a display of leadership authority, a carefully calculated act of benevolence that not only solidified their loyalty but also collectively enhanced the strength of his forces.

Just as he finished the distribution, an urgent encrypted communication request flashed on his terminal. Su Mucheng's face appeared on the holographic screen; her usual calm and composed Empress demeanor was gone, replaced by an anxious and weary expression.

"Lin Tian!" she began, omitting all pleasantries, "We're under attack!"

She quickly summarized the desperate situation: a surprise attack by an Alliance of three major commercial giants, Pangu Biotech's city-sized headquarters surrounded, and the energy shield on the verge of collapse.

As she spoke, a prompt sounded in Lin Tian's mind—a familiar mechanical voice that only he could hear.

【 System Task Issued: The Duke's Open Conspiracy 】

【 Objective: Crush the Duke's scheme and protect the Key of Authority. 】

【 Reward: One five-star item. 】

All the pieces instantly clicked into place. This was not a random commercial war, but a precise targeted strike, orchestrated by the mysterious "Duke" who was collecting the "bronze gate" keys.

"I understand," Lin Tian said, his voice calm and unwavering, a stark contrast to the panic on the screen, "Hold on. I'll be there soon."

He ended the communication. The room fell silent, the heavy pressure of the crisis enveloping everyone. A direct attack on assets of such a scale belonging to the Long Family was tantamount to a declaration of war.

Long Qingtian stepped forward: "I'll go gather my personal guard, we can—"

"No need." Lin Tian interrupted him. He was no longer the lone Genius; he was the Alpha Heir, and his way of thinking had already evolved. "This is not a personal battle. This is a war. And we will respond to war with war."

He raised his hand, and a card crafted from pure crystalline gold emerged from his spatial ring. Etched on the card was an unimaginably complex ancient character representing the Long Family's progenitor.

The Alpha Heir's Genetic Key Card, a symbol of supreme authority.

He held the card towards the main console of the Family's command center.

"Access Long Family command authority: Lin Tian, number zero heir."

A synthesized voice echoed in the room: 【 Authority confirmed. Welcome, Al-pha Heir. The Long Family Armory is at your command. 】

Long Qingtian and the others' eyes widened in shock. Even as the former First Heir, Long Qingtian had never been granted such high, unrestricted authority. This was the power to mobilize the Family's most elite and secretive military assets.

Lin Tian's voice was cold and devoid of emotion as he, as the true leader of this generation, issued his first command.

"Order: Mobilize the 'Bulwark' Special Mech Division. Full deployment. Target coordinates: African Theater, Pangu Biotech Headquarters."

【 Order received. The "Bul-wark" Division is assembling. Estimated full deployment time: fifteen minutes. 】

A wave of awe swept over all the onlookers. The "Bulwark" Division was a legend—a combat team of thirty of the most advanced standardized mechs, each piloted by an Peak A-rank ace warrior. This was a terrifying force capable of flattening a small nation. To deploy the entire Division for a single operation was unprecedented.

This was the authority of the Alpha Heir.

As the Division assembled, Lin Tian turned his attention to the last piece of the puzzle. He took out the dull metal fragment he had found among the war emperor's remains.

He handed it to his grandfather, Long Zhanye. The old man had been observing everything with a proud and steady gaze.

"Grandpa," Lin Tian asked, "Do you recognize this Materials?"

Long Zhanye took the fragment. The moment his fingers touched it, his face, which had never changed even when confronting an S-Class Expert, underwent a dramatic shift. His expression became solemn, serious, filled with a profound weightiness that Lin Tian had never seen before.

He looked at the fragment, then at Lin Tian, his voice lowered to a near whisper.

"This... this is not something that should reappear."

"What is it?" Lin Tian pressed.

Long Zhanye's gaze drifted out the window, looking at the world outside as if seeing it for the first time.

"It is a Key," he said slowly, his words seemingly carrying the weight of ages, "A Key related to this planet's greatest secret..."

"...the Key to the 'Seven Great Transcendent Forbidden Grounds.'"