Chapter 125— Guests at the Lin Clan

Chapter 125: Chapter 125— Guests at the Lin Clan

Inside the Lin Clan’s territory, Lin Hao sat comfortably in his usual place, checking the clan’s development through the system.

The younger generation continued to grow stronger, the elders were steadily improving their cultivation, and the family’s overall strength had increased considerably.

Satisfied with the progress, Lin Hao closed the clan status interface.

Then he remembered something important.

The demons.

The system had previously told him that the seal containing the demons might break within five months.

He wanted to know whether anything had changed since then.

"System, check the current condition of the demon seal."

[Ding! The system is checking the current condition of the demon seal.]

A few moments later, the system responded.

[Ding! Assessment complete.]

[The demon seal is weakening rapidly.]

Lin Hao raised an eyebrow.

"Explain."

[The seal may break before the previously projected five-month period. An enormous energy fluctuation has been detected on the other side of the seal. Its energy exceeds the limits of what should exist within the Mortal World, and its continued influence is accelerating the seal’s deterioration.]

Lin Hao’s expression turned serious.

"Can you determine the source of that energy?"

[The available information is insufficient to identify its source.]

Lin Hao tapped his fingers against the armrest.

Something powerful was lurking beyond the seal, and even the system couldn’t identify it.

He thought it over briefly, then asked a rather different question.

"System, are you going to issue a mission for saving the Mortal World?"

[Host, why are you asking?]

"Because if you’re going to issue a mission, I might as well save the world and collect the reward. If you’re not, I’ll simply take my family somewhere safe and let the rest of the Mortal World deal with the demons themselves."

[Host, you are truly shameless!]

Lin Hao clicked his tongue.

"What do you mean, shameless? I’m the Ancestor of the Lin Clan. My first responsibility is to protect my family. Why should I risk my descendants for the sake of the entire Mortal World without receiving anything in return?"

[The survival of the Mortal World affects the safety of the Lin Clan as well!]

"Then I’ll take my family somewhere safer."

[Host!]

"What?"

[You can’t possibly intend to abandon the entire Mortal World!]

Lin Hao shrugged.

"Why not? I didn’t create the demons, and I certainly didn’t create that seal. If you want me to solve the problem, at least give me a reason to do it."

The system fell silent.

Lin Hao waited a moment before speaking again.

"So, is there a mission or not?"

[...]

"System?"

[Ding! A special mission has been triggered!]

Lin Hao sat up at once.

There it was!

A new interface appeared before him.

[Special Mission: Save the Mortal World!]

[Mission Description: The seal containing the demons is weakening rapidly. Host must prevent the destruction of the Mortal World and resolve the approaching demonic catastrophe.]

[Mission Reward: ???]

Lin Hao stared at the screen.

"...System, why is the reward question marks?"

[The mission reward is currently classified.]

"Classified by whom?"

[...]

"System, I’m asking you a question."

[The reward will be revealed when the appropriate conditions are met.]

Lin Hao leaned back in his seat.

"So you want me to save the entire Mortal World without telling me what I’ll get in return?"

[The mission has already been issued, Host.]

"That’s not an answer!"

[...]

Lin Hao stared at the interface a moment longer, then shook his head.

"Fine. I’ll deal with the reward later."

Still, he wasn’t going to let it go entirely.

"System, that reward had better be worth it."

[...]

Lin Hao smiled faintly.

At least it hadn’t said no.

He dismissed the interface.

There was little point worrying about an unknown reward before the task was done.

He sent a message through his divine sense.

"Lin Wei, come see me."

A moment later, Lin Wei arrived and bowed respectfully.

"Ancestor."

"Gather all the Earth Immortals and True Immortals. I have something to tell them."

"Understood."

Lin Wei promptly left to carry out the order.

Before long, the immortals had assembled.

Lin Hao surveyed the gathering.

"Prepare for war. Demons will soon invade the Mortal World, and our clan will have to fight."

The brief announcement stirred the group.

They had spent a long time cultivating within the clan, with few chances to use their abilities.

Now they finally had one.

Lin Zhenyuan, an Earth Immortal, straightened his back.

*Finally, there’s something for us to do besides cultivating every day.*

Nearby, Lin Tianhe grinned.

"About time. My sword was getting bored."

Lin Yufeng chuckled at his remark, while Lin Qingshan nodded, already thinking about what preparations he needed to make.

Lin Hao didn’t prolong the meeting.

"Make your preparations. Wait for further instructions."

"Yes, Ancestor!"

The immortals answered together and dispersed to get ready for the coming battle.

---

Outside the Lin Clan’s territory, four figures had arrived.

The one at the front was Shi Wuheng, Patriarch of the Shi Family.

Beside him stood Mo Xuehan, Sect Master of the Blood Moon Sect; Yan Beiming, Sect Master of the Netherworld Sect; and Feng Jiutian, Patriarch of the Feng Family.

They had come because of Old Man Qingyuan’s breakthrough and the sword inheritance the Lin Clan had auctioned.

Shi Wuheng stepped forward and addressed the clan members guarding the entrance.

"Shi Wuheng of the Shi Family, with Mo Xuehan, Yan Beiming and Feng Jiutian, requests an audience with the Lin Clan’s Ancestor."

One of the guards bowed.

"Please wait a moment. I’ll inform the clan head."

The guard hurried away.

Shortly afterward, Lin Wei received the report and went to see Lin Hao.

"Ancestor, Shi Wuheng of the Shi Family has arrived with Mo Xuehan, Yan Beiming and Feng Jiutian. They’re waiting for an audience."

Lin Hao considered the names for a moment.

"Invite them in."

"Yes, Ancestor."

Lin Wei returned to the entrance and personally escorted the four visitors into the Lin Clan’s territory.

The moment they stepped inside, the surroundings caught their attention.

The spiritual qi was so concentrated that even breathing felt refreshing.

For cultivators, the place was remarkably suited to cultivation.

Mo Xuehan glanced around as they followed Lin Wei along the walkway.

"This place has an impressive environment for cultivation," she remarked.

"It certainly does," Feng Jiutian agreed.

His gaze soon fell on a cluster of flowers beside the path.

Their petals shimmered faintly, and the spiritual energy around them was unmistakable.

A little farther ahead, spiritual fruits hung from low branches, and patches of unusual spirit grass grew neatly along the walkway.

Yan Beiming slowed his steps.

"Those flowers... Are they—"

He examined them more closely, recognizing the signs of a rare spiritual variety.

"Does the Lin Clan cultivate these plants here?" he asked Lin Wei.

"Some grow naturally within the territory. Others are tended by our clan members."

Lin Wei offered no further explanation.

Feng Jiutian glanced at the flowers once more, then looked ahead.

He had a few more questions, but he understood that not every detail of another clan’s resources was his business.

As they continued along the path, the four visitors noticed more unusual plants beside the walkway.

Some carried medicinal fragrances.

Others gave off faint spiritual fluctuations.

None had been placed behind barriers or displayed as treasures.

They simply grew beside the path, as though they were ordinary scenery.

Mo Xuehan smiled faintly.

"We’ve asked enough questions. Please forgive our curiosity."

"There is no need to apologize," Lin Wei replied. "You are our guests."

The conversation moved on.

Eventually, they reached a quiet courtyard.

Lin Wei stopped at the entrance.

"The Ancestor is inside. Please follow me."

The four leaders straightened their robes before entering.

Lin Hao sat in the courtyard, looking much like an ordinary middle-aged man.

There was no overwhelming aura around him, and nothing in his appearance suggested the kind of power they had expected from the Ancestor of a clan with such extraordinary resources.

Shi Wuheng reached out with his spiritual sense and found nothing.

One glance at the others told him they had found the same.

The four leaders exchanged subtle looks.

They had come expecting to meet an exceptionally powerful figure, yet they couldn’t even determine Lin Hao’s cultivation.

Perhaps the Lin Clan was even more mysterious than they had assumed.

Shi Wuheng stepped forward and cupped his fists.

"Shi Wuheng greets Senior Lin."

Mo Xuehan, Yan Beiming and Feng Jiutian followed his example.

"Greetings, Senior Lin."

Lin Hao nodded.

"Please, have a seat."

The four visitors sat, their earlier confidence giving way to a more measured attitude.

Shi Wuheng spoke first.

"Senior Lin, we’ve come to extend an invitation on behalf of the alliance already formed among several major forces. With the Calamity approaching, we believe the Mortal World will stand a better chance if its forces work together."

Mo Xuehan continued.

"Our forces have agreed to cooperate against the coming threat. We would like the Lin Clan to join us."

Lin Hao listened without interrupting.

When she finished, he answered calmly.

"There is no need. The Lin Clan will handle the Calamity ourselves."

The courtyard fell quiet.

Feng Jiutian looked at him, wondering whether he had misunderstood.

"Senior Lin, I understand that your clan has considerable resources, but this Calamity may affect the entire Mortal World. Even a powerful force could benefit from having allies."

"Indeed," Yan Beiming added. "The alliance’s members are already preparing to face the threat together. If the Lin Clan joins us, we can coordinate our forces and reduce unnecessary losses. Facing the Calamity together would be more practical than having each force fight alone."

They spoke respectfully, but they clearly believed Lin Hao was underestimating the scale of the coming disaster.

Lin Hao’s expression stayed calm.

"I understand your reasoning. However, the Lin Clan doesn’t form alliances with others. I have already said that we will deal with this Calamity ourselves."

Shi Wuheng hesitated.

"Senior Lin, this isn’t merely a matter of one clan’s interests. If the Calamity spreads, everyone in the Mortal World could be affected. Working together would give us more options."

"That is your decision to make," Lin Hao replied. "The Lin Clan will make its own arrangements."

The four leaders understood that continuing the discussion would achieve little.

Mo Xuehan rose first.

"We understand, Senior Lin. Thank you for receiving us."

Shi Wuheng and the others stood as well.

"Thank you for your hospitality."

Lin Hao nodded.

Lin Wei stepped forward to escort them out.

Once the four visitors had left, Lin Wei returned to the courtyard.

"Ancestor, may I ask why you refused to join the alliance?"

Lin Hao glanced at him.

"Why should we?"

Lin Wei hesitated.

"Wouldn’t cooperating with the other forces make dealing with the Calamity easier?"

"It might," Lin Hao replied. "But the Lin Clan has no need to rely on them."

He leaned back in his seat.

"If our clan deals with the Calamity, we will earn the rewards ourselves. Why should we share our glory with others?"

Lin Wei understood his meaning at once.

He bowed and withdrew, leaving Lin Hao to his thoughts.

---

Outside the Lin Clan’s territory, the four visitors had barely traveled a short distance before Feng Jiutian let out a quiet snort.

"That Ancestor certainly thinks highly of his clan."

Yan Beiming glanced back toward the distant entrance.

"Refusing to join an established alliance is one thing. Insisting that his clan can handle the entire Calamity alone is another."

"Perhaps their resources have made them overconfident," Feng Jiutian said. "Whatever treasures they have, they cannot expect to deal with every threat in the Mortal World by themselves."

Mo Xuehan was quiet for a moment.

"His attitude may be arrogant, but I wouldn’t be so quick to assume we’ve seen everything the Lin Clan has to offer."

Feng Jiutian turned to her.

"What do you mean?"

"We couldn’t determine the Ancestor’s cultivation," she replied. "And the clan was careful about what it revealed. I doubt that was accidental."

Shi Wuheng nodded slowly.

"I noticed the same thing. We went there hoping to learn more about the Lin Clan, but we left knowing very little about its true strength."

Yan Beiming folded his hands behind his back.

"That doesn’t mean the Lin Clan can withstand the coming Calamity alone."

"No," Mo Xuehan agreed.

She looked toward the distant horizon.

"But I still think there’s something they’re hiding."

The others fell silent.

Shi Wuheng eventually spoke.

"We should prepare our own forces. Whatever the Lin Clan decides, the Calamity is still coming."

The others nodded and continued on their way.

End of Chapter 125

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