C6 The Final Battle Was Coming!!

Chapter Six: The Final Battle Approaches!

"Qing Tan, I'm back." Lin Xuan tenderly wrapped his clothes around Qing Tan, his heart aching for her. Despite Qing Tan's advancement to the second level of Spirit Cultivation, the thought of what could have happened had he arrived even a moment later was too dreadful to contemplate.

"Lin Xuan! You're asking for death!" Lin Tong's face twisted in rage, incredulous that he'd been bested by someone he considered worthless. His power as a Seventh Level Spirit Cultivator burst forth with fury.

"Spiritual Technique: Giant Strength!"

Lin Xuan's gaze sharpened, a lethal intent flashing in his eyes. He became a blur, closing the distance to Lin Tong in an instant. His fist morphed into a claw, and he struck with ferocious force.

"Ah!"

"Today, I'll leave you with your life. But next time, I'll ensure you won't even have a corpse to bury. Get out of my sight!" With a thunderous roar, Lin Xuan sent Lin Tong flying once more. Despite exploiting Lin Tong's moment of weakness, killing him was no easy feat given his Seventh Level cultivation.

"Qing Tan, let's head back." Lin Xuan then escorted Qing Tan to their room.

"I'm going to kill him!"

Lin Tong, seething with rage, demolished everything in his room. He couldn't fathom being defeated by a nobody—it was more than his pride could bear.

"You useless fool, why weren't you guarding the door?"

Master Chen delivered a harsh kick to Lin Tong, his frustration boiling over. He thought bitterly, 'You're the one who told me not to follow, and now you're blaming me?'

Once Lin Tong's rage subsided, he glared ominously in the direction Lin Xuan had left, teeth clenched. "I won't kill you now. But come the Family Competition, I'll make you wish you were dead!"

Back in his room, Lin Xuan soothed Qing Tan with gentle words. Had he not arrived when he did, her entire life could have been destroyed.

"Young Master, it's all my fault. By striking Lin Tong today, have I brought trouble upon you?" Qing Tan was fraught with worry, the anxiety clear in her voice.

Lin Xuan sighed, a mix of resignation and reassurance in his tone. "Don't blame yourself. Just rest and recover. When the Family Competition arrives, I'll seek justice for you."

Bang!

Lin Xuan's palm slammed into the earth, and instantly, cracks webbed across the ground like a spider's delicate work.

"The might of this divine ability truly lives up to its reputation!"

Lin Xuan couldn't contain his laughter. He had been relentlessly honing this divine ability day and night, and now he wielded it with ease. The drain on his spiritual energy was considerable, but with this power at his disposal, he could overpower Lin Tong with sheer force, even if his opponent was prepared.

The day of the Clan Competition had arrived!

The Lin family members had all converged on the Martial Arts Practice Field, which was teeming with an eager crowd, each person's fighting spirit burning bright.

Perched on the elevated platform of the field, Lin Zhongfeng, the Lin family patriarch, sat with an air of authority. Flanking him were the esteemed Great Elder, Second Elder, Third Elder, and the Disciplinary Elder.

"Has Lin Xuan regained his ability to cultivate?" Patriarch Lin Zhongfeng inquired, surveying the sea of faces below.

"Merely a stroke of fleeting luck," the Third Elder huffed, his gaze laced with venom.

Neither the Great Elder nor the Second Elder offered a word, but the Disciplinary Elder chimed in, "This young man has not only resumed his cultivation, but he's also making rapid strides. It's highly probable that he's already ascended to the Fourth Level of Spirit Cultivation."

Before the Third Elder could counter, the Second Elder chuckled and interjected, "You must be getting senile. As fellow cultivators, don't we know the perils of an unstable foundation? It will surely hinder future achievements. Besides, the Fourth Level of Spirit Cultivation is trivial—a mere ant in the grand scheme of things."

The Disciplinary Elder gave a dismissive snort but remained silent. Lin Zhongfeng offered a nonchalant smile and gestured for the assembly to turn their attention to the Clan Competition.

At that moment, the Lin family disciples commenced their cultivation assessment.

"Lin Tianyi." Upon the announcement, a dashing young man clad in white ascended the testing platform and laid his hand upon the stone tablet.

The monolith at the heart of the field burst forth with a brilliant green glow.

"Lin Tianyi, a Spirit Cultivator of the Ninth Level!"

"The young master truly lives up to his name, having reached the Ninth Level as a Spirit Cultivator. Without a doubt, he stands as the Lin family's foremost figure!"

"He's destined to lead the Lin family in the future!"

"How can Lin Xuan, hailed as a once-in-a-century genius, even hold a candle to the young master?"

The crowd at the martial arts field buzzed with conversation.

"Lin Yumo, a Seventh Level Spirit Cultivator!"

"Lin Zifeng, a Seventh Level Spirit Cultivator!"

...

"Lin Tong, an Eighth Level Spirit Cultivator!"

Suddenly, a wave of excitement swept through the martial arts field. Lin Tong had achieved the Eighth Level as a Spirit Cultivator!

"Who would have thought Brother Lin Tong was so formidable? He's truly intimidating!"

"Indeed, it seems only the young master might match up to him!"

"Hey, remember how our once-proclaimed genius Lin Xuan challenged Brother Lin Tong? You've got to admire his bravery."

"Him? A genius? He barely managed to start cultivating and instead of lying low, he's courting death. He's on his way back to being a nobody."

As the crowd showered him with praise, Lin Tong wore a smug look, his eyes sweeping over to Lin Xuan in the crowd, where he flashed a malicious grin.

"Next up, Lin Xuan!"

"Lin Xuan? Isn't he just a failure? How can he show his face at this test?"

"Hey, didn't you hear he's started cultivating?"

"What good does that do? He's challenged Lin Tong, who's already an Eighth Level Spirit Cultivator. What chance does he stand?"

"He's just humiliating himself!"

The crowd's chatter was incessant. Down below, Lin Tianyi glanced sideways, a glint of light crossing his eyes as he frowned and remarked, "Lin Xuan is only seeking attention."

Amidst the jeers, Lin Xuan stepped onto the stage, took a deep breath, and placed his hand on the stone tablet.

Just as the crowd was gearing up to ridicule him once more, the stone tablet burst into a brilliant green glow.

"Lin Xuan, a Sixth Level Spirit Cultivator!"

What?!

A Sixth Level Spirit Cultivator!

How can that be?

The crowd at the martial arts stage was dumbfounded. Wasn't Lin Xuan supposed to be finished, his cultivation ruined? Even if he could somehow train, reaching the Sixth Level as a Spirit Cultivator seemed out of the question!

"Impossible, how can this be possible?" Lin Tong exclaimed in disbelief. How could this good-for-nothing be at his level?

"Lin Xuan, are you making a comeback?" Lin Yumo watched from below the stage, her eyes brimming with hope.

Lin Xuan surveyed the astonished onlookers with a cold laugh, then pointed directly at Lin Tong.

"Lin Tong, do you have the courage to battle me?"

On the martial arts stage, Lin Xuan let out a thunderous bellow that startled everyone present.

"What? Am I hearing things?"

"Lin Xuan, that waste, actually challenging Young Master Lin Tong? He's incredibly bold and foolhardy!"

"Ha, I can practically envision Lin Xuan getting thrashed already!"

The moment Lin Xuan's shocking declaration echoed, the martial arts stage erupted into pandemonium. Many scions of the noble families sneered at Lin Xuan, deeming him overly conceited and on a path to disgrace himself!

Even Lin Yumo, who had just begun to foster a glimmer of hope for Lin Xuan, couldn't help but shake her head, her gaze laden with disappointment. How could he possibly stand a chance against Lin Tong?

"Lin Xuan... you're being too rash. Even if you've managed to resume your cultivation, how can you expect to contend with Lin Tong with your mere Sixth Level Spirit Cultivator's prowess? He's already a formidable Eighth Level Spirit Cultivator..."