The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

However, looking at the calm yet extremely serious profile of the young man in the hall, and feeling the unquestionable determination in his words, the sense of absurdity in their hearts was replaced by a faint unease.

Who exactly is Jiang Xuan? What does he want? Could it be that what he said is true?

Jiang Xuan stood at the entrance of the palace, the moonlight stretching his shadow long, covering the row of disheveled figures kneeling outside the door.

He could clearly feel those gazes—fear, humiliation, resentment, and a deep-seated disdain and suspicion.

Do they submit? Of course not. They're just temporarily suppressed by force, daring not to speak out against it.

They were probably cursing inwardly, convinced that they were just ignorant and arrogant young men with a bit of luck, and that they had no right to take over Xixin Peak. What right did they have to give orders to these "Lin family scions"?
Jiang Xuan didn't care whether they submitted or not, nor was he in a hurry to prove anything to them.

His ruthless actions tonight were not intended to make these spoiled brats submit.

What he wanted was to establish his authority, to announce, and to spread the news of "Jiang Xuan's return and take over Xixin Peak" as quickly as possible through these restless mouths, to spread it throughout the Lin family's collateral branches scattered throughout the Forbidden City, and to reach the ears of those who were secretly watching the Lin family and watching him.

He wanted to see just how much of a splash this stagnant pool, dormant for fifteen years, could create, and how many fish, turtles, shrimps, and crabs hiding in the shadows could be made to jump out impatiently.

When Lin Zhong returned after seeing off the courtesans and their male lovers, he saw the young masters and ladies from the collateral branches kneeling outside the hall, their faces bruised and swollen. He couldn't help but show a worried expression on his face.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but seeing Jiang Xuan's calm yet profound eyes, he swallowed his words back.

This young master's actions seem domineering and drastic, but Lin Zhong, having lived for so many years, could vaguely sense that the young master wasn't acting rashly; every step seemed to have a deeper meaning. Perhaps, this tough stance was precisely what was needed to revitalize the Lin family at this moment?
"Uncle Lin."

Jiang Xuan turned around, no longer looking at the people kneeling outside the door, and his voice rang out calmly, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"Considering that you are of the Lin family bloodline, and that tonight is my first time setting foot on Xixin Peak, I will temporarily waive your charges of desecrating the clan's sacred ground and engaging in debauchery."

Upon hearing this, the kneeling men relaxed slightly, a hint of relief flashing in their eyes.

Are you letting us go so quickly?
However, Jiang Xuan's next words made their hearts tighten again.

"But this is a one-time exception. From this day forward, I, Jiang Xuan, will take over Xixin Peak. No one may enter without my permission, nor may they act recklessly here. Violators will be punished according to clan rules."

His voice wasn't particularly loud, but it carried an undeniable decisiveness, as if stating an established fact.

After speaking, Jiang Xuan ignored them, turned around, and walked back into the still messy but much emptier main hall. Lin Zhong quickly followed, barely managing to close the two broken doors, isolating the inside from the outside.

Outside the hall, the seven kneeling people looked at each other in bewilderment. Only after Jiang Xuan's figure completely disappeared behind the door did some of them dare to curse under their breath and struggle to stand up.

"You're just... letting us go like that?"

A young man covered his swollen cheek and whispered in disbelief.

"Otherwise what? Would he really dare to kill us?"

The other person gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with hatred.

"He only succeeded by sneaking up on us because he has some brute strength! Let's go back and report to our elders, and see how long he can keep up his arrogance!"

"That's right! Some bastard who popped up out of nowhere dares to talk about taking over Xinxin Peak? That's just wishful thinking!"

"Go! Go back quickly! Tell Father everything that happened tonight! How can this Xinxin Peak tolerate a brat of unknown origin running rampant!"

The group helped each other up, stumbling and ignoring their own pain and Lin Yujiao, who was still kneeling on the ground sobbing. They staggered towards the Rainbow Steps leading down the mountain.

Everyone was seething with anger and humiliation, and all they wanted was to get back as soon as possible to call for reinforcements and have the elders of their clans step in to severely punish this arrogant young man.

As they reached the bottom of the peak and were about to step into the teleportation array to leave, a slightly calmer woman suddenly stopped, turned around and looked at Lin Zhong, who had been silently following behind them and was about to activate the array to send them away, and asked.

"Lin Zhong, who exactly is that kid? What's his name? What's his connection to the Lin family?"

Her question made the others suddenly realize something. Right, after all that commotion, getting beaten up, and kneeling for so long, they still didn't even know this scoundrel's name or background! They only knew he called himself "Jiang Xuan."

Lin Zhong stopped what he was doing, raised his somewhat cloudy old eyes, and looked at the once arrogant but now disheveled offspring of the collateral branches. For the first time, his aged face revealed an undisguised expression of pride and complex emotions.

He straightened his hunched back and spoke clearly, word by word.

"His name is Jiang Xuan. He is the biological son of Young Master Wenjing and Young Madam Luo Qingxun. He is the grandson of Master Zhenshan. He is the rightful and legitimate young master of our Lin family!"

boom!
These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the ears of the seven people!

Young Master Wenjing's son?! The child who should have died in his swaddling clothes fifteen years ago?! The eldest grandson of Master Zhenshan?! The rightful young master of the Lin family?!
For a moment, everyone was stunned, their faces drained of color, and their eyes were filled with extreme shock and... a hint of panic.

"No...impossible! Uncle Wenjing's son already..."

"Lin Zhong! Are you senile?! How could that child still be alive?!"

"Yes! Back then... back then everyone said..."

They instinctively retorted, their voices trembling involuntarily. Lin Zhong's words, combined with the boy's striking resemblance to Lin Wenjing, and his ruthlessness and imposing manner beyond his years... a terrifying thought uncontrollably surfaced in their minds.

Could it be... that legendary child really didn't die? And... has returned?!
“This old servant has served the master for decades, how could I mistake the young master?”

Lin Zhong's voice was resolute, carrying the excitement of years of suppressed emotions finally being released.

"Young Master Xuan's return today is a blessing upon the Lin family! You have offended the young master today, and you will face the punishment of the clan rules in the future! Now, please leave!"

Having said that, Lin Zhong said no more and activated the teleportation array. The light shone, enveloping the seven people whose expressions were constantly changing and whose hearts were filled with an ominous premonition.

"Quick! Go back immediately! We must report this matter at once!"

"Something terrible has happened! Lin Wenjing's son is back! He even said he wants to take over Xixin Peak!"

"No wonder...no wonder he dared to be so reckless..."

The light faded, and the seven figures, along with their panicked murmurs, vanished from the formation. Below Wash Heart Peak, silence returned, broken only by the mournful howl of the night wind through the forest.

Lin Zhong gazed at the empty array diagram, letting out a long breath. His eyes held both worry and an unprecedented anticipation. A storm was brewing. But this time, on Cleansing Heart Peak, there was finally a leader.

…Inside the main hall, Jiang Xuan did not concern himself with how Lin Zhong sent the people away, nor did he immediately begin to clean up the mess on the floor.

He simply walked to a relatively intact rosewood chair, brushed away the dust and wine stains with his sleeve, and sat down.

The lights inside the hall remained bright, illuminating the scattered cups and plates on the floor, the overturned tables and chairs, the spilled wine, and the lingering scent of perfume. Compared to the cool, sacred moonlight outside, this place seemed like a completely different world.

Jiang Xuan sat alone in the center of the empty, cold hall, which was filled with an atmosphere of decadence. His back was straight, but his gaze was somewhat unfocused as he stared into the void ahead. The coldness and decisiveness that had once dominated the entire scene on his face gradually faded, replaced by a deep weariness and a trace of... barely perceptible confusion.

Learning about one's origins and finding one's roots should be a joyous occasion. However, this "joy" is weighed down by something far heavier, making it almost impossible to breathe.

The father, Lin Wenjing, was a man of extraordinary talent, but he was ambushed and killed while traveling. The mother, Luo Qingxun, went to find her husband with her young son, but they were intercepted by a mysterious powerful figure. After a fierce battle, she disappeared without a trace, and her fate is unknown.

Overwhelmed with grief, Grandpa Lin Zhenshan's old wounds flared up, and he passed away. The Lin family's direct line collapsed almost overnight.

Who is the murderer? Aside from knowing a name named Yun Qingbai from the "Tongtian Sword Sect," there are no other clues. It's as if an invisible hand has erased all traces.

Within the family, there was no leader. Instead of uniting to overcome difficulties, the various branches fought for power and profit, falling into a frenzied infighting. Ultimately, the powerful forces in the Forbidden City took advantage of the situation, divided up the family, and the family fell into complete decline.

This deep-seated hatred, this resentment over the downfall of his family, weighed heavily on his fifteen-year-old shoulders like two invisible mountains.

He could have ignored all of this.

Fifteen years ago, he was just an infant in swaddling clothes. What did all this have to do with him? In Donglin City and Yanxia City, he was just a young man named Jiang Xuan struggling to survive and wanting to become stronger.

But when he stepped into the Forbidden City and learned all this, when the identities of "Lin Wenjing's son" and "the sole heir of the Lin family's direct line" were branded onto him like a mark.

He knew he could no longer remain uninvolved. The bonds of blood, the call of responsibility, and the deep-seated conviction in truth and justice made it impossible for him to escape.

We must bear the consequences.

The idea was clear and firm.

But when you actually sit in this hall that symbolizes the power and past of the Lin family, and face this mess of devastation and disunity, the overwhelming sense of helplessness and helplessness still washes over you like waves.

From a prisoner in a dark and hopeless mine, to a fugitive being hunted down, and now to the "nominal" direct heir of this ancient aristocratic family, the dramatic change in his status and the huge disparity in his life are far more intense than a beggar becoming a prince.

To outsiders, this might seem like a glamorous comeback, a meteoric rise to power. But only Jiang Xuan himself knows the dire and perilous situation hidden beneath this seemingly prestigious title of "Young Master."

The enemy is watching closely. The Chi family, the other forces that divided up the Lin family back then, and the real culprit hidden in the mist, "Yun Qingbai of the Tongtian Sword Sect"—aren't they all behemoths? Aren't they all capable of crushing him with a flick of their fingers?
The clansmen may not tolerate it.

Those branches that were already used to acting independently, and might even have participated in the division of the family property back then, would they willingly accept this suddenly appearing "young master" taking over Xixin Peak and reorganizing the Lin family? They would probably be the first to jump out and oppose it.

Insufficient personal strength.

While a cultivation level of Earthly Fiend Realm might not be the lowest among the younger generation in the Forbidden City, it is far from sufficient when facing true powerhouses and complex power struggles.

One wrong step and you're doomed, reduced to utter destruction.

The fifteen-year-old boy sat in the empty, desolate ancestral hall, filled with an atmosphere of decay, feeling the pressure and malice surging from all directions, his heart filled with confusion and heaviness. The road ahead was long and fraught with thorns; how should he proceed?

In the silence, he suddenly remembered the letter from that mysterious, important figure in the royal family.

"Now that you're in the Forbidden City, you can do whatever you want. Even if you cause a huge upheaval, it's fine."

I also remembered what the old man from the Obsidian Sanctuary had said.

"How the outside world views your relationship with the Obsidian Sanctuary... This 'misunderstanding' might save you from a lot of unnecessary trouble."

A sharp glint of light re-emerged and shone in Jiang Xuan's deep eyes.

Yes, what's there to be afraid of? Since someone has tacitly approved of his "troublemaking," and since there's a "tiger skin" he can borrow, what's there to hesitate about? How bad can his situation be compared to being a slave in the mines? How strong can his enemy be compared to the void vortex that nearly tore him apart?
The somber mood, like the surface of a lake tossed with a pebble, rippled with resolute determination. The confusion and pressure hadn't disappeared, but they were suppressed by a stronger, more ingrained resilience and tenacity.

"No matter what lies ahead, now that we're here and have taken on this responsibility, let's... turn the world upside down!"

Jiang Xuan silently made a vow in his heart, slowly loosened his clenched fist, and his eyes became firm and cold again.

"Let those hiding in the shadows, those high and mighty, see just how much of a commotion I, this 'dead' man, can cause!"

After an unknown amount of time, faint footsteps sounded outside the hall. Lin Zhong, having finished dealing with the departure of the guests, returned to the main hall.

He saw Jiang Xuan sitting alone amidst the mess, lost in thought, and felt a pang of sadness in his heart. He called out softly to him.

"Young Master..."

Jiang Xuan snapped out of his thoughts, the vulnerability and confusion in his eyes completely gone, and he regained his usual composure.

He looked at Lin Zhong and pointed to a relatively clean chair next to him.

"Uncle Lin, please sit down. There are some things I'd like to ask you."

Lin Zhong was flattered and waved his hands repeatedly.

"This old servant can answer while standing, young master, please ask."

"Sit down, there are no outsiders here."

Jiang Xuan's tone was gentle but not stern.

Lin Zhong then carefully sat on the edge of the chair, his back ramrod straight.

"Uncle Lin, tell me about the Lin family."

Jiang Xuan's voice rang out in the empty hall.

"Tell me what the Lin family was like in the past, and tell me... why it has become what it is today."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhong's dim old eyes revealed a mixture of reminiscence and pride, which was quickly replaced by deep sorrow. (End of Chapter)