Cultivation Begins with Daily Intelligence Reports

26: Head-on confrontation with the Third ElderThe ancestral hall was deathly silent, the air as thick and heavy as lead.

The Grand Elder’s words, ”This is a notification, not a discussion,” pierced into everyone’s hearts like an ice-tempered awl.

His gaze, murky yet sharp as a hawk’s, slowly swept over those below, where pale faces looked like lambs waiting for the slaughter.

”Female Cultivators in the Family of eligible age, between fifteen and twenty, with decent Aptitude, step forward.” The voice held no emotion, yet every word weighed a thousand jin.

The brief silence was torn apart by suppressed sobbing.

The few young girls named instantly lost all color in their faces, their delicate bodies trembling like chaff.

Their parents gripped their daughters’ wrists tightly, their knuckles turning white, their eyes filled with a mixture of terror and raging fury.

But under the Grand Elder’s mountain-like pressure, any thought of resistance was firmly crushed.

The color drained from Lin Jingxia’s small face, her cold little hands clutching her brother’s arm so tightly her nails nearly sank into his flesh.

”Brother... I don’t want to...” Her voice was broken by sobs, her petite body shaking violently.

”Don’t be afraid.” Lin Jingyu gripped his sister’s cold hand back, his voice low but as firm as a rock. ”As long as I’m here, no one can take you away.”

His gaze, sharp as a cold blade, swept coldly over the hypocritical faces at the front of the ancestral hall, the rage churning in his chest nearly burning away his reason.

How is this an alliance? It is clearly a disgrace, selling women to seek glory!

”Lin Jingxia.” The Third Elder, Lin Chengyuan, spoke in an abruptly effeminate voice.

He stepped forward, his face wearing a look of compassionate regret, his viper-like gaze precisely locking onto the young girl behind Lin Jingyu.

”This girl is sixteen, exactly the right age. Although her Spiritual Root is impure, she has a gentle temperament and decent looks. Marrying into the Liu Family is just right.”

His tone was calm, as if he were stating something wonderful. ”This is a contribution to the overall situation of our Family, and it is also her fortune.”

Every word, however, was like a poisoned dagger, stabbing fiercely into the hearts of Lin Jingyu and his sister.

”Lin Chengyuan! You’re full of it!” A thunderous roar suddenly exploded, drowning out all the sobbing.

Lin Jingyu took a sudden step forward, like an enraged tiger, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at the Third Elder, spittle nearly spraying onto his face.

This was the first time he had confronted and scolded him directly since the enmity between them began!

”How old is my sister? What are you thinking? Fortune? Don’t you know what kind of scum that Liu Family is?”

His voice was filled with indignation, every word dripping with blood. ”What good could come from marrying over there? I think you’re deliberately trying to ruin people!”

Rage burned his lungs, nearly bursting from his throat.

”Since you want to form a marriage alliance, fine!” He laughed in extreme anger, his voice suddenly rising to resonate throughout the ancestral hall. ”Choose three from your own descendants to marry over! If there aren’t enough women, men will do too!”

His gaze, like lightning, swept over the few direct descendants behind Lin Chengyuan whose faces had suddenly changed.

”If that’s still not enough...” A mocking curve appeared at the corner of his mouth. ”Third Elder, it wouldn’t be impossible for you to marry over yourself!”

His voice was laced with biting sarcasm: ”Maybe the Liu Family likes old sticks like you!”

Lin Chengyuan’s eyes suddenly narrowed into slits, like a viper whose tail had been stepped on, his malice nearly solidifying.

He never imagined that this brat Lin Jingyu would dare to humiliate him like this in public!

This was simply trampling his dignity as the Third Elder underfoot!

If he allowed such insolence without severe punishment, his, Lin Chengyuan’s, reputation in the Family would be ruined!

”Lin Jingyu!” His voice was shrill like an owl’s cry, filled with raging fury. ”A mere junior of the Jing generation, how dare you insult an Elder!”

He announced grimly: ”According to Family rules, thirty lashes, and confinement in the back mountain cliff cave for one month!”

”Someone!” He shouted sternly. ”Take him down, pin him to the ground, and lash him hard!”

The few Cultivators guarding the ancestral hall looked at each other, their eyes full of struggle and helplessness.

Their footsteps were as heavy as if filled with lead, and they shuffled toward Lin Jingyu, moving slower than an old mortal woman.

As guards of the ancestral hall, they should have obeyed orders.

But they had only just heard about this marriage alliance today, and their hearts were already filled with raging anger.

If this happened, what face would the Family have left? Where would its backbone be?

Lin Jingyu shielded his trembling sister behind him, his chest held straight, like a lone pine on a mountain peak.

”Our Family!” His voice was like a great bell, every word ringing with clarity and conviction.

”Since the time of Old Patriarch Lin two hundred years ago, we have destroyed evil Cultivators, slaughtered Yao Beasts, and fought bloody battles against powerful rivals from all directions!”

”How many ancestors shed their blood and sacrificed their lives without fear, only to earn this foundation from a sea of corpses and blood!”

His gaze burned as he swept over every face, whether angry, numb, or ashamed.

”Ancestor Lin Langtian once left a legacy!” His voice suddenly rose, like a thunderclap. ”We Cultivators would rather die standing than live on our knees!”

”The Family Bloodline can be severed, but our backbone—must never bend!”

He pointed sharply at the ancestral tablets above the hall and demanded sternly:

”May I ask you Elders, what is the use of a ’covenant’ obtained by sending women for marriage and begging for mercy?”

”In the eyes of the Liu Family, how are we any different from servants?”

”Are you going to personally hand over the two-hundred-year foundation that our ancestors exchanged with their blood for others to trample upon?”

Every word was like a knife, every sentence piercing the heart!

When his voice fell, the ancestral hall was deathly silent, so quiet a pin drop could be heard.

Even the candlelight seemed to have frozen.

Lin Jingyu’s words were half-true, but the deep affection for the Family within them was palpable.

Like a thunderbolt from the Nine Heavens, it struck hard at the heart of every member of the Family.

Not only was the Third Elder’s face livid, but even the Grand Elder, who sat in the main seat, had a flash of cold light suddenly pass through his murky old eyes.

His withered fingers silently tightened a fraction.

The eyes of the originally numb and fearful clansmen began to flicker violently.

A long-suppressed grief and humiliation surged wildly in the depths of their silent hearts.

Lin Chengyuan felt this terrifying change!

He was trembling with rage, feeling as if his lungs were about to burst.

The common masses are the easiest to control; one only needs to make them afraid, and they can be driven at will.

But what is most feared is a troublemaker like Lin Jingyu; once the spark in everyone’s hearts is ignited...

The consequences would be unimaginable!

He must not be allowed to continue agitating!

”What are you still dawdling for?” Lin Chengyuan roared sternly at the ancestral hall guards, his voice twisted with extreme rage. ”Take this villain down at once!”

The guards buried their heads even lower, their feet seemingly rooted to the ground, not moving an inch.

This open defiance made Lin Chengyuan almost cough up blood!

”Rebellion! This is truly rebellion!” He was so angry that his complexion turned from green to black, the murderous intent in his eyes fully exposed.

”Good! Good! Good! This Elder will do it himself!”

Green light suddenly surged from his body, and a spiritual pressure belonging to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer erupted ferociously.

Although it was slightly unstable due to his unhealed injuries, dealing with a mere Qi Refining Second Layer was still a simple task!

He flicked his sleeve, and a cold phantom of a green vine, like a viper flicking its tongue, shot straight at Lin Jingyu’s throat!

”Old Third, your temper is still this impatient.”

A figure like a ghost blocked Lin Chengyuan’s path, light as a feather.