I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

"Brother, let me tell you, if you always have that long face, like someone owes you eight hundred spirit stones, no one's going to like you!"

Lin Xuanjing held a warm, white jade chess piece in his hand, turning it nimbly between his fingertips.

His gaze fell on the face opposite him, which bore a striking resemblance to his own but seemed as frozen as a lake that never thaws.

"Oh, right," he said, as if suddenly remembering something, tapping a chess piece lightly on the edge of the board with a "tap," quickly changing the subject.

"Has your Xuanbing Azure Feather Falcon broken through to the late stage of Qi Refining yet? Last time I saw it chasing after the Silver Thread Spirit Stream Fish in the lake, it didn't look like a raptor at all."

Seeing that the other party had no reaction, only a barely perceptible furrowing of his brow, Lin Xuanjing became even more excited.

He leaned forward, lowered his voice, as if sharing some major secret:

"And also, how about we sneak out to the dining hall for a private meal tonight? I heard the boss has invented a new dish called 'Braised Venison with Perilla Leaves,' it smells so good it'll make your mouth water..."

"despair!"

A much crisper sound than before as a piece was placed interrupted Lin Xuanjing's incessant chatter.

Lin Xuanyu's cold eyes narrowed slightly, and the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she raised her head, her gaze piercing like an icicle towards her ever-restless older brother.

"Your mouth... is it never going to stop?"

"Can't we just finish this game of chess properly?"

Before he finished speaking, his slender fingers had already reached out and precisely pressed down on Lin Xuanjing's wrist, which was about to quietly move a black piece to the side by half an inch.

The movements were fluid and natural, clearly indicating that they were already quite accustomed to this kind of "underhanded tactic".

With a blank expression, he pressed the piece that had been moved back to its original position on the intersection, making a firm, soft sound.

This is the front yard of the Lin family's main residence on the island in the lake.

A hexagonal pavilion made of green jade stands quietly in the center of the courtyard.

Several clumps of bamboo and graceful orchids dot the surrounding area. A gentle breeze rustles the bamboo leaves, bringing with it the unique moisture and subtle spiritual energy of Shattered Star Lake.

On the stone table in the pavilion, a chessboard is covered with black and white pieces.

The two players playing chess were Lin Che's two sons.

Ten years have passed, and the child of yesteryear has grown into a handsome young man.

They inherited their mother Liu Qingxue's unforgettable good looks, with delicate features, but their temperament was quite different.

Lin Xuanyu was dressed in a dark, narrow-sleeved casual outfit. He sat upright like a pine tree, his eyebrows and eyes were covered with frost, and he exuded a cold aura that kept strangers at bay, like a walking iceberg.

Lin Xuanjing, who was opposite him, was wearing a jade-green long robe.

A faint smile naturally graced the corners of her lips, giving her a gentle and refined appearance, like a spring breeze.

Unfortunately, the moment he opens his mouth, that facade of "gentleness" crumbles instantly, leaving only his eccentricity and chatter.

Seeing that his little trick had been caught on the spot, Lin Xuanjing was not embarrassed at all, and simply threw the chess piece in his hand into the chess jar.

He leaned back against the cold stone chair and said in a spoiled manner:

"Damn it! I'm not playing anymore! Let's call this a draw! You're so good at chess, don't you even know how to let your poor older brother have a turn?"

Lin Xuanyu's icy expression remained unchanged; she didn't even bother to look at him.

He simply picked up a white piece, his gaze returning to the chessboard, and continued playing the game as if continuing from where he left off.

The voice was flat and emotionless.

"I've already given you eight points, but your own skills are too poor and you haven't improved at all."

Seeing his younger brother continue playing chess and completely ignoring him, Lin Xuanjing felt bored again.

He slumped in his chair, gazing up at the bronze wind chime engraved with calming runes hanging from the corner of the pavilion, and the topic shifted again:

"Hey, do you think... Father will come out of seclusion this time? The news coming from the Silent Forest is about a spiritual object that can help people form their core! Father is currently stuck at the peak of Foundation Establishment..."

Lin Xuanyu paused slightly in the hand holding the child, then lowered it, still without looking up.

"You can ask Father's spirit beast, Crimson Flame. You ask me? How would I know how Father makes his decision?"

"I just... wanted to go out and see the world too."

Lin Xuanjing's eyes lit up. He leaned closer, lowered his voice, and spoke with obvious anticipation:

"If Father intends to go to the Silent Forest to fight for that spiritual artifact himself, maybe he'll take us with him? We've never even left Shattered Star Lake before!"

Lin Xuanyu finally gave him a proper look, her eyes clearly conveying the words "you're delusional," along with a cold, indifferent eye roll.

"Want to leave your clan's territory?"

"It would be more practical for you to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage as soon as possible."

In order to protect his offspring to the greatest extent possible and prevent them from encountering misfortune when they are not strong enough, Lin Che established rules in his early years.

His seven children are not allowed to leave the territory of the Shattered Star Lake tribe before they have successfully established their foundation.

Currently, the situation in Chuyang City appears stable, and the Lin family's businesses are relatively concentrated, mainly within the clan's territory, so they do not need to travel frequently.

Moreover, with their cultivation level at the Qi Refining stage alone, they really couldn't help much with the core affairs of the family.

Therefore, this rule has continued to this day.

Just as one brother was full of dreams while the other was constantly being dampened by skepticism—

A clear and gentle yet undeniable fluctuation of spiritual energy, like ripples spreading when a pebble is thrown into a calm lake.

The sound came from the secluded meditation room deep within the main house in the inner courtyard, instantly sweeping across the entire front yard.

The two of them paused, stopped talking, and looked at each other.

"Father has emerged from seclusion!"

Lin Xuanjing reacted the fastest; before he could finish speaking, he sprang up from the stone chair like a gust of wind.

Her jade-green robes swept across the sky in an arc, and in the blink of an eye, she had dashed out of the pavilion and rushed towards the inner courtyard, leaving only a trail of fading footsteps behind.

Lin Xuanyu also immediately stood up, but he frowned slightly when he glanced at the unfinished mess on the stone table.

In a flash, his fingers moved rapidly, making several soft "snap, snap, snap" sounds as he placed the last few pieces at an astonishing speed, instantly ending the game for both sides.

Then, with a swift movement, he was just as agile but more composed than his brother, and followed closely behind as he rushed towards the inner courtyard.

The spiritual energy fluctuations that Lin Che naturally emitted when he emerged from seclusion silently notified everyone on the island.

Besides the offspring that were sensed immediately, there was also the Fiery Tiger of Purgatory, leisurely strolling among the trees on the island's edge, fulfilling its duty of protection.

He also suddenly raised his majestic tiger head, a glint of light flashing in his dark golden beast eyes.

It let out a low growl, and its massive yet agile body transformed into a blur of dark red and black, covering a considerable distance in a few leaps and bounds, and was the first to return to the inner courtyard of the main house.

When it saw Lin Che standing quietly in the central courtyard, his aura growing increasingly profound and restrained, the natural majesty and vigilance of the king of beasts on its face instantly melted away.

Instead, there was an undisguised closeness and dependence.

It strode forward, its huge head instinctively and tentatively nuzzling against Lin Che's palm.

Lin Che smiled slightly, reached out, and skillfully stroked the exceptionally soft and thick fur around the neck of the Hellfire Tiger, gently rubbing it.

"How's it going? Are you confident you can condense the demon core?"

The Hellfire Tiger let out a low growl, but shook its head.

It felt that it was still missing something before it could form its core.

It's not that my demonic power is insufficient, nor that I haven't reached the required level, but rather a mysterious "feeling" or "state".

Before it was contracted by Lin Che, it had already stagnated in the late stage of Foundation Establishment for many years.

After the Bloodline Meridian System was upgraded, the bottleneck loosened, and his cultivation level quickly and naturally reached the Foundation Establishment Perfection stage.

Now, it seems to be only one step away from the Golden Core Path, but it still can't find that final opportunity.

Realizing that what he lacked was not demonic power, Lin Che left it in the clan's territory.

Since I often go into seclusion in the secret realm, having him oversee the family's safety provides an extra layer of protection.

Taking a walk outside can also help you get a feel for things.

"Don't rush, the time isn't right yet. Take it slow, things will fall into place naturally." Lin Che rubbed its big head again.

Just then, a joyful and eager call came from afar:

"Father! You've emerged from seclusion?!"

Lin Xuanjing's figure swept into the inner courtyard like a gust of wind, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Lin Che, eagerly asking:

"Dad, are you planning to go to the Silent Forest to compete for that Core Formation treasure? Take me with you! I promise I'll behave and won't cause any trouble!"