I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

"Come out! Lin Che, you brat, get out here right now!"

A powerful, furious aura, accompanied by a roar, exploded from outside the Lin family's Shattered Star Lake territory, causing ripples to spread across the lake's surface and startling a large flock of spirit ducks from the reeds.

Inside the clan's territory, the Lin family members and all the guest elders stopped what they were doing and looked up at the clan gate with blank expressions.

Who has the audacity to shout outside the Lin family's territory?

Moreover, he insulted the clan chief, Lin Che.

Keep in mind that this is Chuyang City, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the Lin family here is "all-powerful."

To act so recklessly outside the Lin family's territory, they must be courting death, right?

Sensing the undisguised pressure of the Golden Core cultivator, Lin Xuanjing, who was cultivating, suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze shifting slightly.

He immediately got up and left the pass, his figure as swift as the wind, and in the blink of an eye he arrived at the council hall of the comprehensive area.

"What's the situation outside?" Lin Xuanjing asked, his brows furrowing slightly as he entered, his tone grave.

Lin Xuanqi shook his head, holding a spirit mirror in his hand.

The mirror reflected the images transmitted back from the external formation.

Standing outside the gate of the Lin family estate was none other than Cheng Wanjun, the former head of the Cheng family.

"The person outside is Cheng Wanjun, the previous head of the Cheng family." Lin Xuanqi turned the spirit mirror over, allowing Lin Xuanjing to see the weathered and tired face reflected in it.

The Cheng Wanjun in the mirror no longer resembled the spirited man he was fifteen years ago.

His temples were gray, his eyes were sunken, his face was deeply lined, and he looked much thinner, with a look full of fatigue and resentment.

Since the incident in the secret realm fifteen years ago, the Cheng family's Golden Core power has been reduced by more than half.

As the leader of that operation, Cheng Wanjun naturally bore the brunt and was removed from his position as clan chief within a few days.

After that, the three families attacked each other.

The Cheng and He families jointly demanded an explanation from the Liu family, since the Nascent Soul artifact was taken away by "Liu Zhengyun".

However, the Liu family insisted that the Cheng family was behind it all, and soon after, they began to seize the Cheng family's market share and squeeze their living space.

The He family, who originally shared the same hatred as the Cheng family, also began to take advantage of the situation and joined the ranks of those vying for territory.

The situation escalated year by year, evolving from initial market competition into battles between cultivators.

Fifteen years have passed, and the Cheng family is now in dire straits.

"Xuan Jing, go out and check what's going on. I'll organize the defenses here."

Lin Xuanqi put down the spirit mirror, his tone calm and steady.

"Although we don't know what Cheng Wanjun's intentions are, we cannot sit idly by while he insults the family head."

Father is still in the process of breaking through, so the Lin family should prioritize stability in its actions.

"Go and find out what Cheng Wanjun is up to. I'll quickly gather intelligence and see what happened. I've already sent a message to Zhihei; we should get a reply soon."

Lin Xuanjing, now 43, is no longer the impetuous young man he once was.

Years of experience had made him much more composed, and he immediately understood what his elder brother meant.

"Understood. I'll go and find out what the Cheng family is up to." He turned and went out, taking off on his sword and flying straight towards the gate of the clan's territory.

At the same moment, the entire Lin family sprang into action.

The defensive formation began to envelop the clan's territory, and a golden light shield spread out from the direction of the ancestral hall, like an inverted giant bowl, protecting the entire Shattered Star Lake within it.

Runes flowed across the surface of the light shield, and layers of illusory mountain shadows overlapped, giving people a sense of immovable solidity.

Under Lin Xinqing's command, the guards quickly assembled, their armor gleaming, their spiritual weapons unsheathed, and they formed a square formation within the clan's gate.

The clansmen stopped their cultivation, went into the defensive fortifications, or climbed the watchtowers. The entire clan territory was like a sophisticated machine, operating in an orderly manner.

Upon receiving the message, Lin Xuanfeng, who was located in Qingze, immediately led his team back.

……

"Why are you making a scene outside the Lin family's territory, senior? And why are you insulting the head of the Lin family? If you don't give us a reasonable explanation, the Lin family won't stand for it!"

Lin Xuanjing's voice rang out from afar, clear and steady, carrying the unique pressure of the Golden Core stage.

Before he finished speaking, he had already landed on his sword above the clan gate, his robes fluttering, his gaze fixed on Cheng Wanjun.

That aura was unmistakable.

Early stage of Golden Core!

However, the subtle fluctuations of malevolent energy emanating from it caused Cheng Wanjun's expression to suddenly turn cold.

"As expected! It really was your Lin family!" He gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot. "You broke through using the Breaking Fiend Golden Pill, didn't you! Call that brat Lin Che out! Back then, the disappearance of my Cheng family members in the Suppressing Fiend Secret Realm was your Lin family's doing!"

There were many suspicious points surrounding that incident.

It was only recently, when the news of the Lin family's little brat breaking through to the Golden Core stage reached the Cheng family, that Cheng Wanjun had a flash of inspiration.

The combination of multiple pieces of information led him to a bold guess: could that incident really have been done by the Lin family?

According to intelligence, the Lin family has no way of obtaining materials for Core Formation.

Back in the secret realm, each faction had a limited number of Core Formation materials they obtained, and not a single one was sold to the Lin family.

So, where did Lin Xuanjing's Demon-Slaying Golden Pill come from?

Seeing the fluctuations in the other person's aura with my own eyes at this moment undoubtedly confirmed this point: the other person must have broken through using the Golden Elixir of Destruction.

Lin Che must have gained something in the secret realm, and it's very likely that he was hiding his true strength.

Those so-called "being driven back by rogue cultivators" are likely just putting on a show for Lin Che!

He looked through the intelligence about the Lin family over the years and found that Lin Che had not shown his face since five years ago.

The other party is very likely in seclusion breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage!

That's why we have this question today.

Lin Xuanjing was startled, but his expression remained unchanged, and his tone remained calm: "What is Master Cheng talking about? I don't understand. What, does it bother you that I use a Golden Core to break through? Your insolence today is unacceptable. If you don't give me an explanation, my Lin family will absolutely not let this go!"

The other party guessed correctly, but Lin Xuanjing naturally wouldn't admit it.

When the three families first had internal strife, they were also surprised by how things unfolded.

Even though their father didn't elaborate, they could roughly guess that the incident in the secret realm was his doing.

That incident made them realize their father's strength back then.

Not only is he at the late stage of the Golden Core realm, but he also likely possesses more than one Golden Core realm spirit beast as a trump card.

After all these years, they had only ever seen their father's Hellfire Tiger; they knew nothing about any other spirit beasts.

However, since they practiced the same cultivation method as their father, they could naturally sense that this Hellfire Tiger was not even their father's natal spirit beast.

Even ordinary contracted spirit beasts have reached the Golden Core stage, so you can imagine how powerful Father's natal spirit beast is.

In an instant, they gained a vague yet shocking understanding of their father's strength.

His gaze was calm, but a sense of worry rose in his heart.

This is getting a bit complicated.

The trouble is certainly not with the person in front of us.

He's only at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm; even if he's only just formed his core, he's confident he can fight him.

The problem lies in the chain reaction.

If the Liu and He families knew about his conjecture, even if it was somewhat far-fetched, they would definitely not let it go.

Today it may only be Cheng Wanjun visiting, but tomorrow it may be a large number of Golden Core cultivators from three different families visiting at the same time.

After all, for these established Golden Core families, mere suspicion is enough to prompt them to take action; no substantial evidence is required.

On the other side, facing Lin Xuanjing's questioning, Cheng Wanjun sneered, his voice hoarse and ruthless:

"Heh, who do you think you are? A mere Golden Core cultivator who just formed his core, yet you dare to spout such nonsense? Won't you let this go? What, you dare to make a move? Does your Lin family dare to be an enemy of my Cheng family?"

Lin Xuanjing smiled too.

The Flowing Cloud Jade Spear instantly appeared in his hand. The spear was long and slender, with a cold light flickering at its tip. The azure-green spiritual patterns on the spear shone brightly in the sunlight.

"Then I'll have to test your skills, Master Chen." His voice wasn't loud, but it turned icy. "I'll make you apologize in person."

The moment the words left his mouth, Lin Xuanjing's figure vanished from the spot.

His figure transformed into a streak of azure light, plunging straight down from the sky, tearing through the air with a sharp screech.

Three afterimages appeared in the air at the same time, each one so real that it was impossible to tell which one was illusory and which one was real.

Cloud-like steps.

Cheng Wanjun's pupils suddenly contracted.

He had seen fast opponents, but he had never seen a newly promoted Golden Core cultivator so fast.

That speed has already exceeded the scope of the early stage of Golden Core, and is approaching the peak of the middle stage.

What alarmed him even more was Lin Xuanjing's trajectory.

It is neither a straight line nor an arc, but something unpredictable, as fleeting as a cloud blown by the wind.

He had clearly locked onto a figure, but the figure vanished in the next instant, while the real attack came from his side.

"Cloud Steps" plus "Wind Eye Break".

Although Lin Xuanjing didn't have time to inscribe it onto his golden core and transform it into a divine power like his father, the extreme speed of the wind spirit root and his keen perception of the flowing wind made his movement technique enough to make him invincible among those of the same level.

The gun is fired.

The Rending Wind Spear transformed into a streak of cold, azure light, piercing straight towards Cheng Wanjun's left rib.

That was the weak point of the protective aura. When Cheng Wanjun turned his body slightly to the side, the "eye of the storm" where spiritual energy flowed was clearly visible to Lin Xuanjing.

Cheng Wanjun was, after all, a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, and his reaction was extremely fast.

He didn't have time to draw his sword, so he had to activate his protective qi and retreat rapidly.

A dark red light shield condensed on the body's surface, thick and concentrated, exuding a bloody aura.

"bite--!"

The spear tip struck the dark red aura, producing a crisp metallic clang.

The qi trembled violently, and cracks spread from the puncture point outwards, but it ultimately did not shatter.

Cheng Wanjun used the momentum to retreat several feet, his face ashen.

He glanced down at his left ribs. The cracks in his protective aura were slowly healing, but the penetrating force still caused a dull ache in his ribs.

"Good marksmanship." His voice was forced out through clenched teeth, a hint of apprehension in his eyes. "But do you think you can be so insolent in front of me with such meager skills?"

With a flick of his right hand, a jet-black longsword flew out of his storage bag and landed in his palm.

The dark red patterns on the sword suddenly lit up, like streaks of awakened blood snakes, emitting a pungent, bloody smell.

Cheng Wanjun did not wait for Lin Xuanjing to make another move, but instead took the initiative to attack.

His figure blurred, transforming into a dark red afterimage as he lunged straight at Lin Xuanjing.

The sword light was as red as blood, leaving a long arc in the air, carrying an indomitable momentum.

Lin Xuanjing did not retreat but advanced.

His figure split again, and three afterimages simultaneously rushed towards Cheng Wanjun.

Gunfire whizzed by like the wind, weaving a blue net in the air.

Swords and spears clashed, sparks flying.

The two clashed rapidly in mid-air, each collision producing a piercing metallic scraping sound.

Cheng Wanjun's swordsmanship was shrewd and ruthless, with each strike aimed directly at vital points.

Lin Xuanjing's spear technique was elegant and agile, each shot aimed precisely but concealing deadly intent.

Ten moves, twenty moves, thirty moves.

Cheng Wanjun grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed.

He discovered that he was powerless against this young man who had just formed his core.

It's not because he's stronger, but because he's too fast.

Every time he thought he had locked onto his target, Lin Xuanjing could change direction in the blink of an eye;

Every time he thought his sword strike would hit its mark, it would be deflected at the last moment by the azure spear.

What angered him even more was that Lin Xuanjing's spear always left fine cracks on his internal energy. Although those cracks could be repaired quickly, they accumulated and his spiritual energy was being consumed far faster than expected.

"Nine-ring Cloud Burst!"

Lin Xuanjing seized the moment when Cheng Wanjun withdrew his sword and went back to defend, and pointed his spear three times in quick succession.

Three bursts of energy struck Cheng Wanjun's protective qi from a distance, exploding inside the qi.

The first shock shattered the stability of the protective energy, the second caused the cracks to spread wildly, and the third blasted open a fist-sized gap.

Cheng Wanjun's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly activated his spiritual power to repair himself.

But Lin Xuanjing's spear had already pierced through the gap—

"hiss--!"

The tip of the spear grazed his shoulder, taking away a wisp of his robe and a piece of flesh.

Blood seeped from the wound, staining his left shoulder red.

Cheng Wanjun retreated several feet, clutching his wound, his face ashen.

His eyes were filled with disbelief. He had actually been injured by a newly promoted Golden Core cultivator?

"You're asking for it!"

He was furious.

The longsword was raised high, and the dark red patterns on the blade lit up wildly. The entire sword looked as if it had been soaked in blood, exuding a nauseating bloody stench.

The faint wails of the dead could be heard in the surrounding air.

"Blood Fiend Sword - Ten Thousand Souls Slash!"

He slashed down with his sword.

The dark red sword energy transformed into a blood-red sword beam several meters long, slashing down towards Lin Xuanjing.

Within the sword's gleam, countless distorted faces could be vaguely seen. These were the demonic beast souls accumulated by the Cheng family over many years, sealed within the sword, now released in full force, carrying a thousand years of resentment and killing intent.

Lin Xuanjing's expression was solemn, but he remained calm.

He took a deep breath, pointed the gun upwards, and stood firmly in mid-air like a pillar stabilizing the sea.

"Flowing Clouds - Heavenly Protection!"

Azure wind spiritual energy surged from his body, condensing into a layer of ever-flowing cloud-like light shield in front of him.

The surface of the light cover has the illusory image of flowing clouds, layer upon layer, like a thousand layers of cloud sea.

The crimson sword light struck the light shield.

"boom--!"

A deafening roar shook the heavens, and smoke and dust billowed everywhere.

The cloud-like light shield trembled violently, and cracks spread like a spider web.

Lin Xuanjing staggered back several steps, his hands and feet went numb, and a trickle of blood escaped from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes remained bright.

The crimson sword light dissipated.

He blocked Cheng Wanjun's all-out attack.

Cheng Wanjun's face was deathly pale, and his chest heaved violently.

That sword technique consumed most of his spiritual power, yet the opponent was still standing.

"You..." He opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Lin Xuanjing wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, slowly raised his spear, and pointed the tip directly at Cheng Wanjun.

"Master Cheng, do you still want to fight?"

Cheng Wanjun remained silent for a moment, then slowly sheathed his sword.

A flash of anger crossed his face, but he quickly regained his composure.

He acted impulsively today. The Lin family's resources far exceeded his expectations, and he alone could not get any information out of them.

"This matter will not end here." He turned around, leaped up, and quickly drove away into the distance.

His figure disappeared into the distance, leaving only his words echoing in the air.

Lin Xuanjing stood still and did not pursue.

He was confident that he could keep the opponent in place, and even kill him with the help of the formation.

But that would be far too blatant.

He took a deep breath and put the gun into his storage bag.

But just as he turned around to go back, he suddenly froze.