Chapter 60: Father and Son's Conversation, Subduing Hongshan Lin Family!
Chapter 60: Father and Son's Conversation, Subduing Hongshan Lin Family!
"Hongshan Lin family thanks senior for saving our lives!"
Below, Lin Ji suddenly spoke solemnly and knelt down on one knee. On the side, Lin Shimin and Lin Qing'er exchanged glances and followed suit, also kneeling.
Originally, they thought that this senior wasn't willing to offend other Golden Core cultivators and had used Lin Zhongba and Lin Ran to repay the favor. They never expected that this Grand Ancestor of the Lin family was already so powerful that he didn't need to descend in person.
A single scale could resolve everything. No wonder Lin Ran and Lin Zhongba were so confident and composed from start to finish. They understood that they carried a trump card that could handle anything.
Under the Hongshan Mountain, when the numerous Lin family cultivators saw this, they hesitated for a moment, but in the next moment, they all kneeled down on one knee as well, saying, "Hongshan Lin family thanks senior for saving our lives!"
Lin Xuan cast a glance at the people below, his gaze falling on the family head, Lin Hongtu. "According to Xiuqi, you share the same bloodline as the Lin family of Azure Heaven Mountain?"
Lin Hongtu nodded. "Senior, that's correct. There are genealogical records within our Ancestral Temple. The Lin family of Azure Heaven Mountain is a branch that migrated from Hongshan County a hundred years ago, with a common mortal bloodline."
Lin Xuan spoke calmly, "There should be quite a few similar cases, right?"
Lin Hongtu responded, "There are 103 Qi Condensation forces and six Foundation Establishment forces. However, most of them have just entered the Second Rank. At most, there are three Foundation Establishment cultivators."
These forces weren't all composed of ordinary mortals. The Lin family of Azure Heaven Mountain, like theirs, was a rarity. Most of the forces were established by Lin family cultivators dispatched over the past millennium.
Lin Xuan then asked, "Have you ever considered reorganizing all of the Lin family forces and recalling them?"
On the side, Lin Ran and Lin Zhongba exchanged glances but remained silent.
Beneath them, Lin Hongtu's expression changed slightly. He was not a fool, and he understood Lin Xuan's intentions. A thousand years ago, when their ancestor established this mechanism, retaining the bloodline was one aspect.
Perhaps they foresaw a day when a Lin family member would reach the Golden Core Realm and could instantly recall all the Lin family members outside. This would complete the original accumulation of a Third Rank Golden Core force!
However, from Lin Hongtu's perspective, the condition for all of this to work would be that the Hongshan Lin Family served as the primary force.
But if it were implemented now, it was clear that the Lin family of Azure Heaven Mountain held a significant advantage, especially with someone like Lin Xuan, who could obliterate a Seventh Revolution Golden Core expert in a single strike. The dominance of the integrated Lin family after reorganization was already evident.
"Hongtu, agree to it!" Suddenly, Lin Ji, his father's voice, sounded in Lin Hongtu's ear.
Lin Hongtu glanced at Lin Ji, his response puzzled, "Father, don't you see it? He wants the Lin family of Azure Heaven Mountain to swallow our Lin family of Hongshan County. We're the main family!"
"Flowing the same bloodline in our veins, there's no distinction between main and subsidiary, no swallowing. Do you want to imitate the foolishness of the Wu family?"
Lin Ji's voice came through, and Lin Hongtu was rendered speechless. He was well aware of the idiocy of the Wu family in the Tianyuan Prefecture, which had long spread throughout the surrounding territories.
However, the consciousness of the main family's status over a thousand years was not something he could easily forget. Letting the Lin family of Azure Heaven Mountain become the main family and following that path seemed unlikely.
Seeing this, Lin Ji shook his head, sounding somewhat despondent, "Hongtu, how confident do you think you are in breaking through to the Golden Core Realm?"
Lin Hongtu opened his mouth but couldn't find words. Breaking through to the Golden Core was no easy task. He had neither the resources, nor the techniques, nor the experience of forming a core. He might have a one or two percent chance, but he dared not take that risk, and Hongshan Lin family couldn't afford to gamble.
"For a thousand years, our Hongshan Lin family has remained at the Second Rank force, without nurturing a single Golden Core cultivator. It's a matter of timing and destiny. Perhaps, heaven has already predetermined today's events.
"When our ancestor established the inheritance mechanism, he didn't consider distinctions of main and subsidiary. We're all his descendants. As long as someone can break through to the Golden Core Realm, it won't disgrace our millennium of accumulation.
"Furthermore, you're aware of the information about the Lin family of Azure Heaven Mountain. They've advanced from the brink of collapse at the Qi Condensation Rank to their current level in such a short time. Do you think that with the existence of the present figure, a Third Rank Golden Core force, or even a Fourth Rank Nascent Soul force, is beyond their reach?"
Lin Ji's words were like heavy hammers, pounding on Lin Hongtu's heart. Lin Hongtu lifted his head and looked at Lin Xuan, who occupied the entire sky above Hongshan County. He smiled bitterly.
A single scale could obliterate a Seventh Revolution Golden Core expert, forcing even the Ninth Revolution Golden Core Fairy Yunyao to tread carefully. Even if he were told that this Grand Ancestor's true form was at the Peak Nascent Soul Realm, he would probably believe it.
"Son, if the Hongshan Lin family continues to develop, the likely outcome is that it will forever remain at the Second Rank force level. It might disappear into the endless river of history in the cultivation world.
"Follow the Lin family of Azure Heaven Mountain, and while you may lose some things, the Lin family's bloodline will continue. The family's upper limit will be completely shattered, with the potential for a Third Rank Golden Core force, a Fourth Rank Nascent Soul force, or even a Fifth Rank Soul Formation force. Let yourself dream a bit."
Lin Ji's voice grew more impassioned, as he now saw a glimmer of hope for the family's rebirth. He felt that the latter half of his life, which should have been peaceful, might become vibrant.
Lin Hongtu fell into silence. His father's final words had indeed touched him. The Hongshan Lin family's continuation without breaking through to the Golden Core Realm and disappearing into the river of history in the cultivation world seemed like the inevitable outcome.
On one side was the result that had long been predetermined, and on the other side was the hope of possibly reaching the Third Rank Golden Core, Fourth Rank Nascent Soul, and even Fifth Rank Soul Formation levels, ensuring the thousand-year legacy of the Lin family from Renhuai County. Lin Hongtu naturally understood what choice he needed to make.
"Senior, I am willing to recall all of the Lin family members, reorganize the Lin family, and let the Lin family's bloodline shine brilliantly."
[Ding, Congratulations, Host, for subduing the Hongshan Lin Family...]