The day after the life-or-death duel, the entire Lin Family was still in a state of frenzy. The news of Lin Chen crippling Lin Xiaotian, the former number one genius, and claiming the title of the clan's strongest young disciple had spread to every corner of the family, and even to the rest of Green Sun City.
Early in the morning, the entrance to Lin Chen's courtyard was packed with people. Elders who had once ignored him, inner courtyard disciples who had mocked him, and even outer courtyard disciples who had never dared to speak to him before all stood outside, holding expensive gifts, their faces full of flattery and respect.
"Senior Brother Lin Chen! This is a set of high-grade spiritual herbs I collected, please accept it!"
"Elder Lin Chen! I was blind before and insulted you, please forgive me! I'm willing to be your servant for the rest of my life!"
"Senior Brother! You are the true genius of the Lin Family! We all follow you!"
Their voices were full of awe, not a single trace of the disdain they had shown him just a few days prior. In the cultivation world, strength was the only truth, and Lin Chen's power had earned him the respect of the entire clan.
But Lin Chen didn't even open the courtyard door. He stood inside, his expression calm and indifferent, and said in a cold, clear voice that everyone outside could hear.
"Take your gifts and leave. I don't need them. If you have nothing else to do, don't disturb my cultivation."
The crowd outside fell silent instantly. No one dared to make a sound, let alone argue. They all bowed deeply toward the courtyard, then quietly left, not daring to offend the young man who now held the highest status in the clan's younger generation.
Only one person stayed behind.
"Senior Brother Lin Chen? It's me, Lin Yue." A soft, gentle voice came from outside the door.
Lin Chen's expression softened slightly. He walked over and opened the door. Lin Yue stood there, holding a small basket of spiritual fruits, her face a little nervous, her eyes full of genuine joy for him.
"I… I just wanted to congratulate you on winning the duel," she said, bowing slightly. "I knew you were extraordinary."
Lin Chen smiled faintly. He had never forgotten the small kindness she had shown him when he was at his lowest. In his previous life, she had been the only one in the Lin Family who had ever treated him with kindness, even when everyone else called him trash.
"Come in," he said, stepping aside to let her in.
He took out a jade bottle from his storage bag and handed it to her. Inside were three Body Cleansing Pellets and five Qi Gathering Pills, precious medicinal pills that even inner courtyard disciples could only dream of.
"These are for you," Lin Chen said calmly. "They will help you break through to the 3rd level of Qi Refining, and strengthen your foundation."
Lin Yue's eyes widened in shock. She stared at the jade bottle, her hands trembling. These pills were worth tens of thousands of spirit stones, a fortune she could never afford.
"I… I can't take this," she said quickly, shaking her head. "It's too precious."
"Take it," Lin Chen said, his voice gentle but firm. "You were the only one who treated me well when no one else would. This is just a small repayment."
Lin Yue looked up at him, her eyes filling with tears. She nodded slowly, taking the jade bottle carefully, her heart full of gratitude. "Thank you, Senior Brother Lin Chen. I will never forget this."
After Lin Yue left, Lin Chen closed the courtyard door and returned to his stone bed. Just as he sat down, the familiar cold mechanical voice rang in his mind.
[Ding! Daily sign-in refresh completed! Do you want to sign in now?]
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Lin Chen's mouth. "Sign in."
[Ding! Sign-in successful! Congratulations to host for obtaining:
1. Cultivation Base Upgrade: 7th Level of Qi Refining!
2. High-Grade Heaven-Rank Skill: Primordial Chaos Divine Sense!
3. Special Item: Foundation Establishment Pill x2!
4. Spirit Stones: 50,000!]
Boom!
A violent surge of pure spiritual energy exploded inside Lin Chen's body, rushing through his meridians like a raging river. His cultivation rose without a single obstacle, breaking through the peak of the 6th level and stepping straight into the 7th level of Qi Refining. In an instant, his aura doubled, the air around him rippling with the power of his new realm.
At the same time, a complete set of profound skill memories flooded into his mind. Primordial Chaos Divine Sense, a top-tier heaven-rank sensory skill that would strengthen his spiritual sense tenfold, allowing him to see through illusions, sense enemies from kilometers away, and even launch spiritual attacks to cripple an opponent's mind.
This was an extremely rare and precious skill, one that even the strongest elders of the Lin Family could only dream of possessing.
Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing through them. Now, at the 7th level of Qi Refining, with his Primordial Chaos Divine Body and a full set of heaven-rank skills, he was already the strongest person in the Lin Family's younger generation, and even most of the clan's elders were no longer his match.
Just as he was about to stabilize his new cultivation base, a light, respectful knock sounded on the door.
"Senior Brother Lin Chen, the Clan Leader and the Grand Elder are here to see you," the guard's voice came from outside.
Lin Chen raised an eyebrow slightly. He had expected them to come.
"Let them in."
The door opened, and Clan Leader Lin Tianxiong and the Grand Elder walked in, their faces full of respect and admiration. They no longer treated him as a young disciple, but as an equal, someone who could bring glory and strength to the Lin Family.
"Lin Chen, congratulations on your breakthrough to the 7th level of Qi Refining," the Clan Leader said with a smile, bowing slightly. "At your age, this is unprecedented in the entire history of Green Sun City."
Lin Chen nodded slightly, gesturing for them to sit. "What brings you two here today?"
The Grand Elder took a deep breath, his expression serious. "We have come to tell you about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Qingyun Sect, the number one cultivation sect in our region, is holding its triennial entrance selection in one month. This is the chance for young disciples to enter a true immortal sect, to reach heights we can only dream of."
Qingyun Sect.
Lin Chen's eyes lit up. He knew this sect well from his previous life. It was the most powerful sect in the surrounding hundred cities, with powerhouses at the Foundation Establishment realm and even higher. Entering the Qingyun Sect was the dream of every young cultivator in the region.
In his previous life, he had never even had the qualification to sign up for the selection. But now, things were different.
"The Lin Family has only three spots for the selection," the Clan Leader continued. "We have already decided that the first spot is yours, without a doubt. You are the only one in the clan who has a real chance of passing the sect's tests."
Lin Chen nodded slowly. This was exactly what he needed. The Lin Family was just a small starting point. To truly grow strong, to rewrite his fate, and to take revenge on those who had betrayed him in his previous life, he needed to enter a larger stage, and the Qingyun Sect was the perfect next step.
"I will go," he said calmly, his voice firm.
The Clan Leader and the Grand Elder both smiled in relief. They knew that with Lin Chen going, the Lin Family would finally have a chance to rise in Green Sun City.
But just as they were about to continue speaking, a loud, arrogant roar came from outside the Lin Family's main gate, echoing through the entire clan.
"LIN CHEN! GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW! I HEARD YOU'RE THE SO-CALLED NEW NUMBER ONE GENIUS OF GREEN SUN CITY? I'M HERE TO PROVE YOU'RE JUST A LUCKY TRASH!"
The voice was full of disdain and arrogance, so loud that every disciple in the clan could hear it clearly.
The Clan Leader's face darkened instantly. "That's Wang Teng! The number one genius of the Wang Family! He's at the peak of the 7th level of Qi Refining, and he was the top seed for the Qingyun Sect selection last time! He's here to challenge you!"
The Wang Family was the Lin Family's biggest rival in Green Sun City. The two clans had hated each other for decades, and Wang Teng had always looked down on the Lin Family's disciples. Now that he had heard about Lin Chen's sudden rise, he had come to crush him, to prove that he was still the true number one genius of the city.
Lin Chen stood up slowly, a cold, faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Another arrogant fool who thought he could step on him to prove himself.
But Wang Teng was just another stepping stone on his path to the Qingyun Sect, and beyond that, to the Immortal Emperor throne.
"Let's go," Lin Chen said calmly, walking toward the door. "I'll show him what a real genius looks like."