In the blink of an eye, the Lin family's two strongest lay broken: Clan Head Lin Cheng badly wounded, and First Master Lin Ming dead on the spot.
No one had expected it to end like this.
Zhang Cuilan had already collapsed to the floor, panting, eyes glassy, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Lin Feng's legs went weak; a stench of fear leaked from him as he slumped to the ground.
It was all too horrifying.
This boy, before the m wasn't simply powerful—he was a demon clawed up from hell.
Lin Yi had been crippled by them once. After they maimed him, they'd treated him like less than human, mocking and humiliating him at every turn.
How could he possibly forgive them?
Only Third Master Lin Zhou felt a bitter relief. He'd kept his mouth shut earlier and hadn't joined the calls to execute Lin Yi. Thank god he had. Lin Yi's power was beyond terrifying.
Lin Yi casually lifted his robe and wiped the warm flecks of blood from his face. Then he turned and fixed his gaze on Lin Feng.
"You pushed me too far," he said.
The words were quiet, but they cut like a winter wind.
Lin Feng shuddered violently, tears and snot streaming as he crawled toward Lin Yi on his knees. "Lin Yi… no, Big Brother, I was wrong—please, I swear I know I was wrong! Please spare me! I'll do anything! I'm truly sorry!"
Lin Yi seemed not to hear. He advanced slowly toward Lin Feng with the same cold indifference. With one hand, nd he grabbed the long wooden table—several meters across—and swung it down hard.
Crack!
The table exploded on impact; splinters flew.
He picked up a broken table leg and smashed it into Lin Feng's blanching face.
Thud!
The leg shattered into pieces.
"You didn't realize your crime back when you crippled me—sabotaged my meridians—didn't you?" Lin Yi's voice held no emotion.
"You didn't know you were wrong when you sent rotten scraps and stale food—things even dogs wouldn't eat—just to humiliate me every day."
"You still didn't know you were wrong. And now that you're about to die, you suddenly understand?"
Lin Yi stepped his foot down across Lin Feng's leg.
"I don't think you realized you were wrong. I think you're afraid."
"Ah—!"
Lin Yi drove his weight down.
Crack!
A bone-chilling snap sounded. Lin Feng's leg bones were crushed beneath him, blood and flesh mashed together, white jagged bone exposed.
Lin Feng howled in pain, tears mixing with snot on his face. "Brother! I was wrong! I truly—"
"I know," Lin Yi said.
He clenched his fist and brought it down at Lin Feng's face.
Splat!
Lin Feng's skull caved in like it had been hit with a hammer. The cranium splintered; gore sprayed in every direction.
"You ingrate—my son!" Lin Cheng roared with eyes bulging, every last ounce of strength ripped from him. "Do you want to destroy the entire Lin family?"
Lin Yi rose slowly, blood smeared across his face. He smiled—thin, terrible—in the candlelight.
"Yes. I intend to destroy the Lin family."
"You all wanted me dead, so you should all die."
He shut the main hall's doors.
After that, the hall filled with dull thuds, the sound of bones breaking, and agonized screams. The building itself seemed to tremble, as if even the wood inside was afraid.
…
After a while—
Creak—
The main doors opened.
A figure stepped out, drenched in blood.
The young man was still thin, expressionless, and icy calm. Behind him, the main hall had become a sea of red.
Every core member of the Lin family lay dead, strewn across the floor.
Only Third Master Lin Zhou remained, rigid and pale, eyes hollow.
He had survived.
Lin Yi did not spare him a glance. He waved once, casually, voice flat and without ripple.
"Uncle Lin Zhou," Lin Yi said evenly, "from this day on, you're the new head of the Lin family."
With that, his figure slowly faded into the night.
Leaving the Lin family's main hall behind, Lin Yi ordered a servant to prepare a quiet courtyard for him to stay in.
The place he had lived before was far too dilapidated.
He sat down beside the stone table in the courtyard, his mind stirring as the familiar system panel appeared before his eyes.
During the slaughter in the main hall, he had killed Lin Cheng along with five other Lin family experts of the Bone Forging Realm, plus Lin Feng and Zhang Cuilan—two cultivators of the Forging Body Realm.
In total, he had earned 1,800 Violence Points.
Now, the points he had accumulated were quite substantial.
"Upgrade my cultivation."
[Violence Points -350 | Bone Forging Realm (6th Level)!][Violence Points -400 | Bone Forging Realm (7th Level)!][Violence Points -450 | Bone Forging Realm (8th Level)!][Violence Points -500 | Bone Forging Realm (9th Level)!]
He spent a total of 1,700 points—and the bottleneck shattered. His strength surged all the way to the peak of the Bone Forging Realm.
A powerful energy coursed through his body; every bone seemed to hum with excitement.
But it still wasn't enough.
"Continue."
[Violence Points -1000 | Meridian Unsealing Realm (1st Level)!]
In that instant, it was as if an invisible shackle within him had been broken. His bones and meridians linked as one; the depth and density of his true energy now far surpassed that of the Bone Forging Realm.
[Name: Lin Yi][Realm: Meridian Unsealing (1st Level) (0/1500)][Martial Skill: Cloud-Crushing Fist (Mastery) (0/150)][Violence Points: 110]
Lin Yi slowly exhaled, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he felt the raw strength flooding through his veins.
"With my current power, there's no one in all of Qingshan County who can stand against me. Even in Qingfeng City, I could make my mark."
"But…" His brows drew together slightly. "I'll need a Tier-Three martial art."
Now that he had entered the Meridian Unsealing Realm, he could cultivate higher-level techniques—but the Lin family's martial hall only stored up to Tier-Two skills.
To learn something so compelling, he would have to leave Qingshan County and head to Qingfeng City.
"This small county is too limited. Once I've settled my old debts, I'll leave this place… and see what the world outside has to offer."
Stretching lazily, Lin Yi rose and walked back into his room.
The next morning, as dawn light crept across the sky, Lin Yi washed up and ate a simple breakfast. Then he called to one of the servants.
"Go to the Shen family and find Shen Zhaoxue," he ordered calmly. "Tell her that Young Master Lin Feng has something important to discuss."
"Yes, Young Master!" the servant replied, bowing before hurrying off.
At the Shen residence, inside Shen Zhaoxue's boudoir—
A Lin family servant stood respectfully outside the door, relaying Lin Yi's message.
"Lin Feng is looking for me?" Shen Zhaoxue set down the bronze mirror, a faint smile playing at her lips.
"It must be about our engagement again. What a troublesome thing this marriage has become."
Her tone carried a playful complaint, though the pride in her expression was unmistakable.
Her maid, Shuang'er, giggled softly behind her hand. "Miss, you say it's troublesome, but I know you're secretly happy! Young Master Lin Feng is the Lin family's heir now. You'll soon be the future matron of the Lin household!"
"You talk too much, you cheeky girl!" Shen Zhaoxue pinched the maid's cheek lightly.
Then, suddenly recalling something, she glanced toward the Lin servant. "Oh, by the way, how's that useless eldest son of your family doing these days?"
The servant hesitated. "I… I'm not sure, Miss…"
Of course, he knew exactly what had happened—but he also knew better than to say anything.
Shen Zhaoxue snorted softly. "Hmph, just a cripple. Look how scared you are."
Shuang'er laughed again, eyes full of disdain. "That trash had his meridians destroyed and his dantian shattered. He's worse than an ordinary man. What else could he be doing besides half-dying somewhere?"
"Forget it," Shen Zhaoxue said, brushing her sleeve. "I can't be bothered to care whether that cripple's alive or dead. Shuang'er, get the carriage ready. We're going to the Lin estate."
"Yes, Miss," Shuang'er replied with a grin.