I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

Outside the territory of the Shattered Star Lake tribe.

As the sun rises, the surface of Shattered Star Lake is tinged with a golden-red hue.

What should have been a peaceful and serene morning scene was shattered by an atmosphere of grimness.

Just as Lin Che had predicted, the Chen family took action the very next morning after the upheaval in the Silent Forest.

They assembled a formidable force and quietly arrived at the main gate leading to the inner territory of the Lin family compound in the northwest.

There were many figures, about twenty or thirty people, among whom there were more than a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators, and the rest were all experts in the late stage of Qi Refining.

Chen Mingfei and his brother Chen Mingyi stood at the front of the formation, while Zhao Wenxuan followed with several Zhao family cultivators, clearly there to lend their support as vassals.

Their gazes all fell upon the pale yellow light screen that had suddenly risen from the Lin family's territory, enveloping the entire core area of ​​Shattered Star Lake.

Seeing that undisguised defensive posture, Chen Mingfei's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of displeasure and coldness flashing across them.

"This Lin family... seems to be rather ungrateful." His voice was not loud, but it carried a clear chill.

"Our Chen family has come to our door, and instead of welcoming us, you've raised your tortoise shell. Are you determined to put up a stubborn resistance?"

Chen Mingyi stepped forward and lowered his voice, saying:

"Chieftain, they must already know about what happened in the Silent Forest. Their choice to close the gates and defend themselves at this moment clearly shows their unwillingness to submit and their lingering hope."

"Should we take direct action, break this formation, and give them a warning, or...?"

Chen Mingfei shook his head slightly, his gaze still scrutinizing the shimmering array.

"No rush. Although the Lin family seems to be keeping a low profile, their formation is quite impressive. While a direct attack could break it, it would be time-consuming, laborious, and inevitably result in losses."

"Moreover, my Chen family is here today to 'subdue', not to 'destroy'."

"To show the magnanimity of my Golden Core family through courtesy before resorting to force, and to let the others in Chuyang City see that my Chen family is not one to bully the weak."

He paused, a meaningful smile curving his lips:

"Go and announce that Chen Mingfei, the head of the Chen family, a newly promoted Golden Core family in Chuyang City, and Zhao Wenxuan, the head of the Zhao family, have come to pay a visit to the Lin family head to discuss plans for the future stability of Chuyang City."

……

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away in Chuyang City...

Inside a quiet and elegant reception room deep within the city lord's mansion.

Chen Dai, with his white hair and beard, was sitting upright in the guest seat.

A servant dressed in the official uniform of the city lord's mansion gently offered him a cup of fragrant tea, its aroma wafting with spiritual energy, and bowed, saying:

"Please have some tea, Master Chen. The City Lord will be here shortly."

Chen Dai nodded slightly.

He picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and felt the spiritual tea transform into gentle spiritual energy to nourish his meridians, waiting calmly with his gaze.

A moment later, the door to the reception room, made of precious spirit wood, was silently pushed open.

A middle-aged man dressed in a moon-white casual suit, with a refined and scholarly demeanor, walked in slowly.

With a warm smile on his face, he was none other than Yan Shuming, the nominal supreme ruler of Chuyang City and the city lord.

Chen Dai immediately put down his teacup, stood up to greet him, and was very respectful.

"Haha, sit down, sit down!"

Yan Shuming walked forward with a smile, casually patted Chen Dai on the shoulder, and spoke in an affectionate tone:

"You brat, you're a Golden Core cultivator now, why are you still so formal and polite to me?"

Chen Dai, however, dared not be presumptuous in the slightest, his face still displaying a respectful demeanor as he stepped aside in a gesture of invitation:

"Master is too kind. I owe my success today entirely to your guidance and protection back then."

"Before Master, a disciple will always be a disciple. How dare I be disrespectful in the slightest? Master, please take a seat."

Standing together, the two appeared to be quite different. Yan Shuming was clearly much younger, while Chen Dai looked more like an elder. The scene was rather strange.

"You little rascal!"

Yan Shuming smiled and shook his head, no longer declining, and sat down comfortably in the main seat.

The servants immediately served him some spiritual tea.

The two exchanged a few casual pleasantries and sipped their tea.

Yan Shuming then got to the point, his tone casual yet carrying an undeniable air of authority:

"You...are you planning to make a move against the last family, the Lin family?"

Chen Dai put down his teacup and said seriously:

"Master, you are wise. Of all the families in Chuyang City, only the Lin family has not yet made their stance clear."

"To ensure lasting peace in this area and prevent future conflicts, I believe we should bring them under our control as soon as possible and unify our command."

Yan Shuming nodded, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest:

"Well, consolidating forces makes management easier, so it's not a bad thing. However..."

He looked up at Chen Dai, his gaze calm:

"Remember, this is a one-time exception."

"On the surface, Chuyang City must maintain stability and avoid any more large-scale unrest that could trigger panic. The Zhou and Zhao families have already caused enough disturbances over the years with their petty actions."

As the city lord, his primary responsibility is to maintain stability in his jurisdiction and ensure tax revenue and resource output.

The previous infighting and constant friction among the Foundation Establishment families, while not shaking their foundations, still displeased him greatly.

Now, his nominal disciple has actually succeeded in forming his core.

A plan was proposed to integrate the various families and bring them under the Chen family's control, thereby making it easier for the City Lord's Mansion to manage them.

After weighing the options, Yan Shuming tacitly approved of the Silent Forest's plan, giving Chen Dai an opportunity to establish his authority and consolidate power.

Unexpectedly, the Lin family, who were usually low-key and seemed to be at the bottom in terms of strength, did not fall for the trap.

Now that the overall situation is almost settled, with only this last family remaining, Yan Shuming is prepared to turn a blind eye and let the Chen family complete this "final blow".

In his view, the Lin family had neither the courage nor the strength to resist a Golden Core family.

The process should be quick and peaceful, without any major problems.

Upon hearing this, Chen Dai felt reassured and quickly expressed his serious opinion:

"Rest assured, Master! This disciple understands the importance of this matter. From now on, the Chen family will fully support you and assist in maintaining the stability and prosperity of Chuyang City, and will never let you worry about these trivial matters again!"

"Great, that's thoughtful of you!"

With the business settled, the atmosphere relaxed.

Chen Dai seized the opportunity and began to ask Yan Shuming for advice on refining third-order pills.

He has just advanced to the Golden Core stage, and it is precisely the time when he needs a lot of resources to consolidate his cultivation and expand his methods. Improving his alchemy skills is of paramount importance.

Yan Shuming was in a good mood today, and felt that subduing the Lin family was a piece of cake.

He then patiently gave a few pointers to this disciple, whom he had almost forgotten but who was now showing great potential.

However, just as Yan Shuming was talking about the subtleties of controlling a certain type of alchemical fire...

A specially made communication stone in Chen Dai's bosom suddenly vibrated slightly, emitting a soft spiritual light.

He frowned.

The message was sent by his son, Chen Mingfei.

Unless something unexpected happens, Mingfei should not interrupt his meeting with the city lord.

He separated a wisp of his divine sense and quickly scanned the information within.

"What's wrong?"

Yan Shuming stopped speaking, picked up his teacup, and slowly sipped a mouthful to moisten his throat.

Chen Dai raised his head, a hint of displeasure on his face, and reported to the leader:

"Please excuse my poor performance, Master. It's just that Mingfei... encountered a small problem."

"The Lin family, whether they've eaten the gall of a bear or are just hoping for a lucky break, actually didn't choose to submit and compromise. Instead, they activated their clan protection formation, intending to put up a stubborn resistance."

Upon hearing this, Yan Shuming raised an eyebrow, seemingly somewhat surprised, but then smiled nonchalantly.

"Oh? You do have some backbone, or rather... you're out of touch with reality. It's a small matter, let your son handle it, just don't make a big fuss."

Chen Dai stood up, cupped his hands, and said:

"Master, this matter may seem small, but it concerns the final link in the Chen family's integration of Chuyang City, and it also relates to the 'stability' strategy set by Master."

"To prevent any unforeseen circumstances and to ensure everything goes smoothly, this disciple wishes to personally visit Shattered Star Lake."

"With disciples present, the Lin family shouldn't be able to cause any trouble, and the matter can be quelled as quickly as possible, preventing it from escalating into a riot."

Yan Shuming pondered for a moment, then nodded:

"Very well, you might as well go. Remember what I just said, stability is paramount."

"Your disciple will remember this!"

Chen Dai bowed respectfully, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

The next moment, his figure blurred slightly and disappeared from the reception room of the city lord's mansion, leaving only a faint golden core pressure that slowly dissipated.