I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

News of the Chen family's destruction and the change of ownership of Lingcao Valley spread like wildfire throughout Chuyang City.

Whether it's the few Foundation Establishment forces that still have a foundation, or those small Qi Refining clans that depend on others for survival.

They all truly felt the chilling aura of an impending storm.

For a time, people were restless, bewildered, and uneasy.

Inside the halls of each family, arguments arose as everyone eagerly discussed a pressing issue:

How should we deal with Lin Che, the newly promoted Golden Core cultivator who has risen to prominence suddenly and is ruthless, as well as the Lin family behind him who is showing off their strength?

……

Meanwhile, Lin Che, who was at the center of the vortex, spent the last few days searching for a reliable array master.

In addition to preparing for the takeover of Lingcao Valley and even the possible future expansion of the family.

Most of the attention was focused on the unusual calm at the Zhao family's residence.

However, several days passed, and he still couldn't figure things out.

The Zhao family continued to operate their shops, remained open to customers, continued their cultivation in seclusion, and maintained a respectful yet assertive demeanor in their interactions with other forces.

Everything was as usual, even exuding an eerie "calmness," completely devoid of the panic and urgency one would expect when facing a formidable enemy and facing life and death.

This was by no means resignation to death; rather, it was more like being fearless and waiting for Lin Che to come knocking on their door.

There must be something fishy about this.

Lin Che suppressed his urge to act immediately and decided to hold back for the time being.

"I'll allow you to cause trouble for a few more days. Once I've dealt with the spiritual veins and the foundation of the formation, I'll settle things with you then." He thought coldly.

Setting aside the Zhao family's affairs for the time being, he prepared to personally travel to Chuyang City to seek out a truly reliable array master through the connections made by Wang Miaoxue.

However, just as he was preparing to set off, news of a visitor's arrival arrived.

……

The Lin family's reception hall is spacious and bright. Although the furnishings are not extremely luxurious, they have their own elegant charm.

There were already three people in the hall at this moment.

The most restless of them all was Zhou Wanhong, the patriarch of the Zhou family, who was plump and dressed in a brocade robe.

His face was bitter, and there were beads of sweat on his forehead. He paced back and forth in the hall, his heavy footsteps and occasional sighs revealing his inner anxiety.

In contrast, Li Guanhai, the head of the Li family, and Sun Zhiyuan, the head of the Sun family, who were seated in the guest seats, appeared much calmer.

Li Guanhai, with his aged face, was slowly sipping the spiritual tea in his cup, his expression calm.

Although Sun Zhiyuan, who was exceptionally tall and strong, was sitting, he exuded a fierce and imposing aura.

He was just sitting quietly at the moment, his gaze occasionally sweeping over Zhou Wanhong, who was pacing back and forth, with a hint of speechlessness in his eyes.

Having learned from the Chen family's experience, they are no longer as resistant to the idea of ​​becoming vassals of powerful figures as they were initially.

The contract of vassalage, which was coerced by the Chen family into signing, was never actually implemented before the Chen family was wiped out.

Now they face the Lin family, which is even more powerful and uses more ruthless methods.

Instead of passively waiting for the other party to settle accounts or exert pressure, it's better to take the initiative and perhaps even fight for better benefits.

Just then, Zhou Wanhong approached them to discuss countermeasures.

After weighing their options several times, the three decided to stop waiting and come together to "surrender".

After all, the strength and ruthlessness that the Lin family had displayed in the past few days had truly terrified them.

"snort!"

Sun Zhiyuan finally couldn't stand it anymore.

"Fatty Zhou, can't you sit down in peace? You're making my eyes dizzy! If you knew this would happen, why did you always make things difficult for the Lin family?"

He and the Li family have always kept to themselves, as have the Lin family.

I wasn't too panicked at this point.

If the Lin family really oppresses us too much, we can just run away later.

Li Guanhai put down his teacup, stroked his beard, and said quietly, "Clan Chief Zhou, are you scared now? I'm afraid it's a little too late."

Zhou Wanhong's face turned even paler. Just as he was about to defend himself, an aura of authority came from afar and instantly enveloped the entire reception room.

Li Guanhai and Sun Zhiyuan's expressions tightened, and they immediately put down their teacups, stood up, and faced the hall door with respectful postures.

Zhou Wanhong trembled all over and immediately stopped, bowing his head and bending over, his obese body trembling slightly as he tried his best to keep his posture as low as possible.

"Squeak—"

The hall door was gently pushed open, and Lin Che, dressed in a dark blue casual robe and with a tall and straight figure, slowly walked in.

His expression was calm, his gaze like a deep pool, sweeping over the three people in the hall without any aggressive attitude.

But the natural aura of the Golden Elixir that it exuded made the air seem a bit heavier.

"Congratulations, Senior Lin, on achieving the Golden Core stage! The path to the Great Dao is now clear! Your demeanor is even more impressive than before!"

The three spoke almost simultaneously, their voices in unison and with utmost respect.

Lin Che, a faint smile playing on his lips, walked calmly to the head seat and sat down, raising his hand in a gesture of apology:

"The three patriarchs need not stand on ceremony, please be seated. What brings you all here today?"

Li Guanhai and Sun Zhiyuan exchanged a glance, tacitly refraining from speaking first, their gazes seemingly falling on Zhou Wanhong.

Zhou Wanhong understood immediately and, disregarding his pride, hurriedly stepped forward.

He presented a bulging brocade storage bag with both hands, bowing even lower, his voice filled with obvious fear and pleading:

"Master Lin, please understand! In the past... in the past, our Zhou family was blind, foolish, and arrogant, and we have offended and offended you in many ways! We beg your forgiveness!"

He took a deep breath and handed over the storage bag.

"This is a small token of our Zhou family's appreciation, totaling 500,000 low-grade spirit stones, offered as an apology. We humbly request that you accept it, Master!"

He paused, then glanced at Lin Che's expression. Seeing that the other remained calm, he continued cautiously:

"We hope that you, sir, will forgive past grievances and protect our Zhou family in the future. From this day forward, our Zhou family is willing to be a vassal of the Lin family, following their lead without question, and regularly offering tribute without any disloyalty!"

They were forced by circumstances to bow their heads and seek survival.

But when he said it, it came out as a plea for protection from a powerful figure.

Li Guanhai and Sun Zhiyuan, who were listening nearby, secretly curled their lip in disapproval.

This week, Fatty really showed great flexibility and his dough-making skills have reached a high level.

However, they were quick to speak as well.

Li Guanhai stroked his beard and smiled, "What Clan Chief Zhou said is also the sentiment of my Li family. I have long admired Master Lin's talent and demeanor. If Master Lin does not despise us, the Li family is willing to obey your commands and provide for your needs without delay!"

Sun Zhiyuan clasped his hands in a deep voice and said, "I am a rough man and not good with words. Master Lin's strength is extraordinary, and my Sun family is willing to follow you and serve you. I believe that with Master Lin's guidance, Chuyang City will surely usher in unprecedented prosperity!"

Lin Che sat in the main seat, taking in the expressions of the three men, and understood their thoughts.

These Foundation Establishment families were quite pragmatic; they came to him on their own before he could even exert pressure.

Especially the Zhou family this week.

Five hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones—given the Zhou family's earning power, they'd probably have to work for nothing for several years.

His smile deepened, and he slowly began to speak:

"Since the three family heads are so sincere and earnest in their invitation, it would seem unreasonable for me to refuse again."

His gaze swept over the three of them.

"Very well! From now on, as long as you all abide by your duties and remain loyal, my Lin family will protect your families."

"With everyone working together in the future, how can we not create a new era for Chuyang City?"