Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

Lin Zhao did not go to see the clan leader Lin Shanhe first, but instead took Lin You to his grandfather's cave.

The interior furnishings remained simple. In the center of the cave, a blue futon sat quietly on the ground, and the grandfather was sitting upright on it.

Lin Zhao and Lin You bowed respectfully to the familiar figure on the prayer mat.

"You're back." Grandfather's voice was gentle and steady. His hair and beard were all white, but his eyes were still clear and bright, and he was in good spirits.

He smiled and waved to Lin You: "Little You'er, come to your great-grandfather."

Lin You obediently walked over and nestled beside the old man.

Her grandfather gently patted her head before his gaze fell on Lin Zhao, and he said with emotion, "Ten years have passed, and you've finally returned."

Cultivation level: Qi Refining Level 10.

But Lin Zhao could sense that his grandfather had not broken through the barrier of the divine realm. Although his blood and qi were vigorous, there was already a trace of decline deep within him.

At over seventy years old, the chances of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage for a Qi Refining cultivator are almost gone.

Lin Zhao sat down opposite her grandfather.

After chatting about the trivial matters of the past few years, Lin Zhao slowly recounted what he had seen and heard in Qingfeng Market, especially the domineering nature of the Qingfu Alliance and the Hundred Refinements Society, as well as the reputation of the Lin and Liu families in the market.

Grandfather listened quietly, his gaze as calm as an ancient well, his face showing no surprise or ripples.

After Lin Zhao finished speaking, she asked, "Does the clan leader know any of this? Is he truly incompetent?"

"Muddled-witted?" Grandfather picked up the conversation, shaking his head. "He's shrewd as a whiz."

Just then, Lin Xuan's clear and respectful voice came from outside the cave: "Brother Zhao, the clan leader invites you to the mountaintop cave for a chat."

"Okay, I'll be there in a bit," Lin Zhao replied.

Inside the mountain cave, after hearing Lin Xuan's report, clan chief Lin Shanhe was not angry at all. Instead, he picked up his teacup and a smile appeared on his lips:

"This kid has reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and his temper has grown along with it. Alright, you can go now."

He leisurely brewed a pot of spiritual tea, seemingly in a good mood, preparing to welcome this promising young talent who had been away from home for ten years.

Inside his grandfather's cave, he continued the conversation: "The clan chief is a man of impeccable character, integrity, and skill; he's especially protective of his own family. You should know that."

Lin Zhao nodded. This was precisely why he hadn't gone directly to the mountaintop, but instead came to his grandfather first to sound him out.

"But he also has the problem of being from a prominent family," the grandfather said calmly. "He is hard-hearted towards outsiders, especially those who block the family's path, and he doesn't care much about human life."

He played a significant role in helping the Azure Talisman Alliance reach its current state. For the sake of his family, he was capable of anything.

Lin Zhao frowned slightly.

But he didn't say much; the patriarch's personality wasn't a bad thing for the family.

"As for the reason for establishing the Azure Talisman Alliance," Lin Xiaotian looked at his grandson and said slowly, "the family does indeed have other plans, which involve the family's biggest secret. When you meet the patriarch, he will naturally tell you."

Hearing about other plans and "family secrets," the heavy weight in Lin Zhao's heart finally lifted.

As long as there is a reasonable explanation and it's not truly a case of being blinded by greed, then there's still room for maneuver.

With his current abilities and background, he can even barely suppress Master Qingming's side.

What he fears most is the disunity and moral collapse within the family, which would be truly beyond redemption.

With a firm resolve, Lin Zhao took out two prepared jade boxes and pushed them in front of her grandfather.

One box contained a Foundation Establishment Pill the size of a longan; the other box contained several auxiliary Foundation Establishment spiritual items.

The usually composed grandfather's breath hitched the moment he saw the Foundation Establishment Pill, and his hand on his lap involuntarily clenched.

He stared at the pill for several breaths before reaching out and carefully picking up the jade box, holding it tightly in his hand.

After a long while, he let out a long breath, his eyes filled with complex emotions that eventually turned into a look of relief.

"Since it's from you, Grandfather won't thank you." He carefully put the jade box away.

Then, he took out two jade boxes and handed them to Lin Zhao.

Lin Zhao opened it and found two second-tier demon cores brimming with spiritual energy inside!

"Over the years, the clan leader has been working for the Azure Talisman Alliance on one hand, and he has never forgotten to help this old man like me."

Grandfather explained, "It's a pity we never had the chance to use it to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill. Now that you're back, you can decide what to do with it."

Picking up the jade box, Lin Zhao's last trace of doubt vanished.

The clan leader has indeed not treated their lineage unfairly.

Grandfather looked at Lin You, who was nestled beside him, and his tone softened: "What happened to Xiao You'er's mother... was indeed an accident."

I personally led a team to deal with that group of robbers; not a single one was spared.

He paused for a moment, then said, "It's my and the clan chief's arrangement to have your parents and elder brother take her to Rift Bear Lake, away from this dangerous place. It's safer there, with Master Mingxuan as their backing."

Lin You blinked her big eyes. She didn't actually have many memories of her mother.

Her parents and grandfather told her a lot of things, just like her great-grandfather.

Lin Zhao stood up and said to his grandfather, "Then I'll go see the clan chief. Xiao You will stay here with you for now."

"Go ahead," Lin Xiaotian waved his hand.

-----

Lin Zhao left the cave and arrived at the mountaintop where the spiritual energy was most abundant.

The patriarch's cave entrance was wide open, as if it had been waiting for him all along.

The interior of the cave is spacious.

Lin Shanhe was sitting behind a heavy spirit wood tea table, slowly arranging the tea set, the aroma of tea filling the air.

When Lin Zhao's figure appeared at the cave entrance, Lin Shanhe raised his head.

His gaze fell on Lin Zhao, especially when he sensed the abyss-like Foundation Establishment aura emanating from him, and a proud smile, which he made no attempt to hide, appeared on his lips.

"Good, good, good!" he exclaimed three times in a loud voice. "It seems that Heaven truly intends to bring prosperity to the Lin family!"

Lin Zhao walked to the opposite side of the tea table, snorted irritably, sat down without ceremony, picked up the brewed spiritual tea, gulped down a large mouthful, and then pouted:

"The Qingfu Alliance has caused such a huge uproar that it took me a lot of effort to suppress it. I thought you had gone senile."

Upon hearing this, the clan chief was not angry at all; instead, the smile in his eyes deepened.

He smiled and took a sip of tea: "Isn't there you? You've been gone for ten years, you should at least do something for the family. The capable should do more."

Lin Zhao looked at the clan chief's nonchalant "dead pig doesn't fear boiling water" attitude and snorted again in annoyance.

The clan chief finally composed himself, his joking expression turning serious, and asked, "Now that you've seen the monastery master, what is his current condition?"

Lin Zhao replied solemnly, "Very strong, at the peak of Foundation Establishment. Within the Qingfeng Market formation, Foundation Establishment cultivators would likely find few rivals. Even if the Lin and Liu families were combined, they wouldn't be enough for him to handle with one hand."

The clan chief nodded, clearly not surprised.

Lin Zhao continued, "More importantly, his vitality is boundless, surpassing that of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators. I estimate he has at least another hundred years of lifespan left, likely due to consuming a second-tier longevity pill, and..."