C48 The Whole Place Exploded

"Bullshit!" Lin Liqiang's father exploded, cursing as he pointed accusingly at Chu Yan. "You and your trifling triplex—my son wouldn't give it a second glance! Stop making excuses!"

Seated at the head of the table, Lin Chongzhi's voice dripped with menace. "Chu Yan, if you're going to fabricate a reason, at least make it believable. Do you honestly think your insignificant triplex is something Lin Liqiang would covet? Or are you implying that we Lin family members are idiots?"

Previously, Lin Chongzhi had been baying for Chu Yan's blood, and now here he was again, pitting Chu Yan against the entire Lin family with a single sentence, revealing his malicious intent.

The tension in the room thickened, oppressive like the weight of a million tons of mercury bearing down on Chu Yan. If he couldn't provide a convincing explanation, he might well be crushed to dust and scattered to the winds.

Yet, Chu Yan's face remained composed. He looked up at Lin Chongzhi with a half-smile. "Deputy Chief, are you absolutely certain that what you're dismissing is just an inconsequential triplex?"

"I'm positive," Lin Chongzhi retorted with a cold laugh. "And I'm well aware that your silver scale spear originated from our Lin family..."

"Wait a minute!"

Lin Chongzhi's words were abruptly cut off by Lin Chongtian. Lin Chongzhi turned in astonishment, only to see not just Lin Chongtian's expression change, but the elders beside him were also staring, their breathing quickened.

One elder, in particular, had his chest heaving so dramatically, one might think he was an old bachelor who had just wed a stunning young bride.

"Really? It's just a triplex silver scale spear, a gift from our own Lin family, and this is the reaction it gets?" Lin Chongzhi couldn't help but sneer.

"Silence! Don't spout nonsense if you don't know the full story!" Lin Chongtian's bellow startled Lin Chongzhi and sent a shockwave through the other Lin family members, who were left wondering what had just transpired.

Lin Chongzhi's complexion underwent a rapid series of changes, yet ultimately, he remained silent.

A hint of venomous resentment flickered in his eyes as he bowed his head.

"Chu Yan... you... bring out the silver scale spear for us to see," an elder spoke up, breaking the collective confusion of the Lin family members who were at a loss about the sudden shift in the clan head's demeanor.

The elder's voice was raspy, his intense gaze fixed unblinkingly on the spear, the light in his eyes flickering ominously, almost making one suspect he might just snatch the spear and devour it whole.

Chu Yan let out a cold laugh and shot a glance his way, the message clear: if you want to see it, come and look for yourself.

Chu Yan was already aware that Lin Chongtian and several elders had uncovered the spear's secret.

With that knowledge, he was even more determined to project his confidence, the key to defusing the day's peril.

As the elder hesitated, Lin Chongtian rose swiftly to his feet and in an instant, was standing before Chu Yan.

The air hummed under the pressure, emitting a dull throb.

Lin Chongtian lifted the spear from the ground and scrutinized it closely; in a flash, his eyes sparkled with keen intensity.

"Well?" an elder asked eagerly.

Lin Chongzhi, too, cast a curious glance, eager to discover what was so astonishing about the triplex silver scale spear.

Lin Chongtian faced the seated elders and nodded gravely, "It's inscribed."

"Hahaha, I thought it was something serious, just an inscription—" Lin Chongzhi began to scoff loudly, but abruptly, he grasped the gravity of Lin Chongtian's words and his face drained of color, "What! An inscription! How can this be!?"

It wasn't just Lin Chongzhi; disbelief was etched on the faces of all the Lin family members present as they riveted their attention on the silver scale spear.

For a brief moment, the sound of heartbeats echoed distinctly throughout the council hall.

After a tense pause, Lin Chongzhi spoke again, his voice strained, "You must be joking... Only a medium-grade weapon can bear inscriptions... That silver scale spear is merely a third-class weapon..."

The elders who had been seated at the head of the gathering were now restless, springing to their feet one after another. In a flash, they stood before Lin Chongtian.

Lin Chongtian presented the silver scale spear for their inspection.

Among the elders, three were at the same Pulse Condensation Stage as Lin Chongtian, and their insights were naturally distinct from the rest.

With just one glance, they could confirm that the patterns on the silver scale spear were undoubtedly inscriptions.

"Inscriptions on a triplex weapon..." mused one elder, his gaze piercing as he turned to Chu Yan and demanded, "Chu Yan! Where did these inscriptions come from?"

The imposing aura of a Pulse Condensation Stage cultivator made Chu Yan's chest tighten.

For a moment, his blood seemed to freeze, and his consciousness nearly succumbed to the elder's influence.

But Chu Yan had battled on true warfields, where the murderous intent of facing ten thousand soldiers was far more intense than this cultivator's. He faltered only briefly before regaining his composure.

Crossing his arms, Chu Yan replied coolly, "I inscribed them myself."

"You're lying!" accused another elder, his white beard bristling.

Chu Yan turned to face him, a wry smile playing on his lips: "Are you aware of the consequences of doubting an Inscription apprentice?"

The white-bearded elder's scalp tingled, his lips quivered, but he ultimately fell silent.

The Lin family members on the scene were abuzz with shock.

This white-bearded elder, a Pulse Condensation Stage practitioner, had been silenced by Chu Yan's retort and dared not respond.

Yet, even more astonishing was Chu Yan's veiled admission of being an Inscription apprentice.

Within the entirety of Evergreen Town, only a handful of Inscription Apprentices capable of crafting inscriptions existed, all within the Wan Hai Chamber of Commerce. No other family, despite years of exhaustive effort, had managed to cultivate an Inscription apprentice of their own.

Chu Yan's declaration that he was an Inscription Apprentice was like tossing a spoonful of water into a cauldron of boiling oil; it sent shockwaves through the crowd, leaving them on the verge of an uproar, yet frustratingly speechless.

Lin Chongzhi was particularly astounded. He gaped at Chu Yan, his jaw nearly hitting the floor in disbelief.

Lin Chongtian, the clan leader, was the quickest to recover. He returned the silver scale spear to Chu Yan with a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Once he had ushered the elders back to their seats, he turned to Chu Yan with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Nephew Chu, since your arrival at the Lin household, we haven't had the chance for a proper chat. The news you've brought today is quite astonishing. Could you share the details with me, Uncle Lin?"

The shift in Lin Chongtian's demeanor did not go unnoticed by those gathered.