84. Surprise

[Ding! Lin Dong feels guilt. Emotion Points +200]

“Dong’er, how… how are you feeling?” Liu Yan asked, her tears flowing.

Lin Dong forced a smile and replied, “I… I’m fine.”

Lin Qingtan stepped forward, her eyes glistening with tears as she murmured, “Brother Lin Dong…”

“Qingtan, Grandpa’s… Grandpa’s dream might have to be completed by you,” Lin Dong said weakly, looking at Lin Qingtan.

He had hoped that in this family competition, he would fulfill Lin Zhentian’s wish to bring the Yan City branch back into the main Lin Clan.

But instead, he faced this bitter ending.

He remembered Little Marten mentioning that his sister Qingtan’s talent was even more remarkable than his own.

With Little Marten’s guidance, her potential could be boundless!

“Brother Lin Dong…”

Qingtan was about to say something when Liu Yan interrupted.

“Have you no conscience? Look at the state you’ve put us in; what more do you want?”

Seeing her son’s suffering, Liu Yan could no longer hold back her emotions.

She erupted at “Lin Zhentian”—or rather, Chen Xuan, shouting angrily.

Chen Xuan was about to get angry, but Lin Dong took the blame himself. “Mother, don’t blame Grandpa. This is my fault.”

He had been through so much, yet here he was defending the person responsible!

Who else would do that?

“Dong’er, you don’t understand. He’s not your real grandfather; your grandfather is already gone.”

Liu Yan thought Lin Dong might believe her, but to her surprise, he replied weakly, “Mother, Grandpa just wanted to bring us back to the Lin Clan. What’s wrong with that?”

Indeed, Lin Dong didn’t know that the man before him was not his real grandfather, but Chen Xuan in disguise.

This realization made Liu Yan’s heart ache.

Dong’er, if only you knew how this “grandfather” has ruined our family.

Not only has he destroyed us, but he’s also humiliated both me and Qingtan.

However, she couldn’t bear to tell Lin Dong these things, fearing it would drive him to do something reckless.

Lin Xiao was also silent, unwilling to expose Chen Xuan, who still had a grand “surprise” prepared for Lin Dong.

Qingtan looked toward Chen Xuan, biting her lip as she quietly pleaded, “Can you please save Brother Lin Dong?”

[Ding! Lin Qingtan feels remorse. Emotion Points +100]

“Save him?” Chen Xuan shook his head firmly. “No.”

“If you save him, I’ll do whatever you want.”

“Heh, even if I refuse to save him, do you think you have a choice?”

Indeed, Chen Xuan wasn’t a merciful person; he wouldn’t hesitate to kill if angered.


Qingtan had no choice but to back down, though she felt her hatred toward Chen Xuan slowly fading for reasons she couldn’t quite explain.

Just then, a voice boomed across the arena.

“Lin Langtian, where is the man you spoke of last time?”

It was Wang Lei, here to seek revenge.

Lin Langtian glanced briefly at “Lin Zhentian,” seeking his guidance.

Lin Fan intervened, saying, “Brother Wang Lei, it’s been a long time since that matter. Let’s let it go, shall we?”

But Wang Lei was unmoved. “Lin Fan, I’m only waiting out of respect for your clan competition. Otherwise—hmph!”

Lin Fan fell silent, and after receiving a signal from Chen Xuan, Lin Langtian spoke up.

“Patriarch Wang, that elder said he’d arrive in three days.”

Wang Lei immediately decided to stay in the arena for three days and ordered Qin Zhenfeng to contact Mo Jingtian to inquire about this mysterious expert who might assist them in facing this adversary.

Meanwhile, in a secluded area of the arena, two people cloaked in oversized black robes reappeared.

In a place with tens of thousands of spectators, no one found their attire unusual.

The taller figure sighed regretfully, “Just a little more, we were so close.”

The shorter, stockier figure also sighed, “Looks like we’ll have to keep waiting.”

“After so long, what if we get discovered?”

The taller figure seemed slightly worried.

The shorter, stockier one shrugged indifferently, “What’s there to worry about? As long as the super sects of the Eastern Xuan Region don’t interfere, we can rest easy.”

The tall one nodded, adding, “I just hope that woman doesn’t suddenly go crazy and attack us.”

“She probably won’t.”

“Heh, who can say for sure?”

“What a bother!”

…

That night, the severely injured Lin Dong was placed in the lower level of the tomb mansion—the final resting place within the ancient tomb.

Back in this place, Lin Dong felt a flood of emotions.

Staring at the scattered rubble, memories pulled him back to that day two years ago. He recalled what he had said to her on the mountaintop.

At the time, it felt like courage, but looking back now, it seemed laughable.

As he was lost in these memories, suddenly, an weird voice reached his ears.

It sounded just like what he had heard last night!

[Ding! Lin Dong feels curiosity. Emotion Points +100]

Could it be that a remnant of that elder’s soul still lingered within the tomb?

Was he about to grant him another opportunity?

The thought sent a chill through him. Yet, his curiosity got the best of him, and he followed the sound.

In the previously empty space before him, two figures suddenly appeared! The scene made his eyes widen in shock. His already pale, weakened face turned even whiter.

Disbelieving, he rubbed his eyes and looked again. The scene was unchanged!

He saw Qingtan and “Lin Zhentian” doing the same thing he had once done with Ling Qingzhu.

The sight sent a rush of anger through him.

Lin Dong shouted, “Grandfather! Qingtan! What are you doing?”

Qingtan looked at Lin Dong with tears shimmering in her eyes, biting her lip but saying nothing.

Lin Dong never would have imagined that his elderly “grandfather” would be doing something so unspeakable with Qingtan here.

Thinking back to last night, was this what they had been doing, just on the other side of the wall?

He felt foolish for not having noticed sooner!

In that moment, Lin Dong coughed up blood.

His already wounded body suffered further. This was beyond shameful—utterly humiliating!

[Ding! Lin Dong feels rage. Emotion Points +500]

Quite the emotional value!

Good, good! Let’s take advantage of this and milk even more from his misery!

“Lin Zhentian” chuckled, “Didn’t you see what’s happening?”

“Grandfather?”

“My dear grandson, take a good look at the surprise Grandpa prepared for you!”

“??” Seeing “Lin Zhentian’s” grin, Lin Dong felt a chill creep up his spine.