"Back in the day, when I was wandering beyond the borders, I once got into a conflict with a local faction during a scramble for resources. That ended up creating a personal vendetta."
"About six years ago, I was ambushed. I was badly wounded, and most of the people following me were either dead or gravely injured. In the end, I had no choice but to flee back from beyond the borders."
As Xie Tu spoke, his eyes glistened with tears — clearly remembering a painful past.
"By chance, I met Liang Wangba. He did me a small favor, so I followed him back to the Liang family as an enshrined guest. He promised me a sum of money and the cultivation materials I needed. Since I also happened to need a quiet place to recover, I agreed."
"I remember… about five years ago, the Liang family received a group of mysterious visitors. These people—"
At that point, Qian Feng's expression grew serious. He waved to the people behind him."You all, get out. No one is to come near."
Those who had followed him immediately went downstairs.
He withdrew his gaze, looked at Murong Qingcheng and He Ling, then turned back to Lin Chen."Mr. Lin, what I'm about to say… it's better if they don't hear. If those people were to find out, they might come after them."
Lin Chen pondered for a moment. Xie Tu had a point — he could trust these two women, but there was no need to drag them into danger. Whoever had destroyed the Lin family… maybe he didn't fear them himself, but Murong Qingcheng and He Ling definitely couldn't withstand that storm.
"You two should step outside for now." Lin Chen gave them a glance.
Though curious, the two women knew this was serious business. They nodded slightly and left the room.
"Those mysterious martial artists had only been at the Liang family for less than a month when the old family head, Liang Wangba, broke through to the Grandmaster realm. I've spent time with Liang Wangba before — I know his talent. With his aptitude, he could never break through the bottleneck to Grandmaster in his lifetime."
"He'd been stuck there for five years. Yet somehow, those people had a way to make him a Grandmaster. And in just five years after that, he's already at the Fourth Heaven of the Grandmaster realm."
"I even heard a rumor… they promised Liang Wangba that he could become a Great Grandmaster!"
Lin Chen frowned slightly. If that timeline was correct, the Lin family's troubles had also begun about five years ago.
And if those people could make Liang Wangba break through — and even dare to promise him the Great Grandmaster realm — then they were far from ordinary.
Wait. If Xie Tu was right about Liang Wangba's poor talent, then those mysterious martial artists must have used some kind of elixir to force the breakthrough. And such a pill… the materials required would be unimaginably rare and precious.
The refining methods for such medicine were not something ordinary people could possess — they would belong only to ancient clans, or perhaps reclusive masters hidden from the world.
Lin Chen's brow furrowed. Just what kind of people had such resources and audacity?
"Later, that group of mysterious martial artists went to the Lin family. I don't know exactly what happened there," Xie Tu continued. "But when I saw them return, they were covered in a thick stench of blood."
"Oh, and the Tiger Might Army came. It was Xiao Yang from the Tiger Might Army who sealed the matter. No one knew what really happened to the Lin family, and no one dared to investigate.
"All I know is the surface — that on that night, many Lin family members died. The survivors… one by one, they died later in various 'accidents.'
"This matter is definitely connected to the Liang family. If you want the details, you'll have to ask Liang Wangba himself."
Hearing Xie Tu's words, many doubts in Lin Chen's heart were finally answered.
The real mastermind behind the destruction of the Lin family… was those mysterious people.
To silently slaughter the Lin family without causing the slightest ripple, to make it so that no one in Yan City dared even speak of it… that was beyond anything the Liang family could accomplish. Even Jiang, the Marshal of the Northern Territory, couldn't pull that off.
Only the kind of superpowers that had been passed down for centuries — forces hidden in the shadows of the Dragon Nation — could do such a thing.
If he wanted to catch the tail of those mysterious people, he would have to start with the Liang family. Now that the Liang family and Jiang Feng had shown themselves, he had a target — a path to dig out these hidden enemies.
"Mr. Lin, do you want me to stay in the Liang family and gather intel for you?" Xie Tu asked carefully.
"No need," Lin Chen shook his head lightly. "I'll go to the Liang family myself and get the answers I want."
"You've done the first task. Your injuries still need recovery — focus on pushing yourself to the Eighth Heaven of the Grandmaster realm first."
"As for the second task, I'll contact you."
"Yes!"
Knowing he'd lost his chance to impress further, Xie Tu could only bow respectfully and leave.
Once he was gone, Murong Qingcheng and He Ling came back inside.
"Honey, what did he say? Don't tell me… the Lin family's destruction really was the Liang family's doing?" Murong Qingcheng asked.
"The Liang family can't wash their hands of it. I'll personally make them pay." Lin Chen nodded slightly — then shook his head. "But the Liang family alone couldn't have done it."
He Ling frowned. "You mean…?"
"Exactly. The force behind them is huge. This isn't something you two can be involved in," Lin Chen said seriously. "The Liang family might be nothing in He Tianchi's eyes, but Jiang Feng of the Northern Territory is not someone you can just provoke. No need to drag you in."
"Dinner's over. You should go back and handle your company matters."
He Ling thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. I'll head back."
After she left, Lin Chen and Murong Qingcheng also departed, getting in the car and heading toward the Lin family estate.
"Honey, who exactly are the people behind the attack on the Lin family?" Murong Qingcheng asked, a trace of worry in her voice.
"The Liang family isn't much. Behind them is Jiang Feng, the Marshal of the Northern Territory, and a group of terrifyingly strong mysterious martial artists."
Lin Chen didn't hide anything from her — ever since the day she said she would marry him, they'd been bound together.
"The Northern Territory's Jiang Feng… the Tiger Might Army. That's a hundred thousand elite troops!" Murong Qingcheng inhaled sharply. "Jiang Feng can move a hundred thousand Tiger Might soldiers at will. He's hard to deal with!"
She thought for a moment, then looked at Lin Chen. "At this point… we should call Xiao Han in."
"Hm? My second wife? She's just a War God — commander of the Phoenix Army. How could she deal with Jiang Feng?" Lin Chen looked at her with mild confusion.
"That's right, Xiao Han is a commander — but her godmother is the Marshal of the Phoenix Army!"
Lin Chen blinked in surprise, giving her another look. "The Fire Phoenix is my second wife's godmother?"
Murong Qingcheng tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, nodding proudly. "Exactly. Since we know Jiang Feng's involved, we should have Xiao Han send some people to protect you."
Lin Chen just shrugged. "No need. I'm very powerful."
Murong Qingcheng rolled her eyes. If he was really that powerful, his master wouldn't have sent the three of them to help him.
"Yes, yes, yes, you're powerful. You're the most powerful in the world. But that shameless Jiang Feng will definitely send plenty of experts after you. No matter how strong you are, can you fight dozens… hundreds of them?"
Lin Chen smiled confidently. "Not just hundreds — even thousands, tens of thousands… I can wipe them out easily."