Chapter 70: First Meeting with Lin Dong
"Langtian greets Elder Lin…"
Recognized by the family, Lin Langtian smiled calmly and gave a respectful nod to Lin Zhentian. He was, after all, a guest at the Flame City branch, and courtesy was appropriate.
The hall went silent for a moment as Lin Langtian introduced himself. The famous young talent of the Lin Clan had indeed arrived in Flame City, bringing a sense of awe, almost like a celebrity stepping into an ordinary household.
After a brief pause, the family members regained their composure. Lin Mang, one of Lin Zhentian's sons, quickly smiled respectfully and said, "What an honor! To think that Young Master Langtian himself would grace our Flame City branch with his presence. If we had known, we would have prepared a grand welcome at the city gates!"
With that, Lin Mang moved aside, inviting Langtian to take the main seat.
Lin Zhentian, observing Langtian, noted the depth of his presence—powerful yet lacking the rumored arrogance associated with the main family. Remembering the family's debts to Langtian, he smiled and said, "So it is indeed Young Master Langtian. Surely something significant is happening near Flame City, or the clan wouldn't send its brightest talent."
"Elder Lin, you're correct. Recently, an ancient tomb was discovered in the Tianyan Mountains near here, and it's believed to belong to a Nirvana-level warrior. The family deemed it important enough to send me personally," Langtian replied with a small smile, noting Zhentian's friendliness.
"A Nirvana-level tomb…" Lin Zhentian and his sons were visibly astonished. For a branch family in Flame City, this news was nothing short of monumental.
Lin Zhentian's eyes flickered, considering the opportunity. Seeing this, Langtian immediately sensed what was on his mind—no doubt hoping to insert Lin Dong into the main family's expedition to secure some benefits from the ancient tomb. As the group's leader, however, Langtian knew he held the final say in such matters.
As Langtian scanned the crowd, he was struck by the admiring looks cast his way by the branch family members, who seemed filled with awe and respect. He'd expected the branch family to view him with disdain or resentment, given his past conflicts with Lin Xiao. But their expressions were warm, even reverent—perhaps more so than from his main family peers.
Seeing Langtian's curiosity, Lin Mang explained with a smile, "Young Master Langtian, you may not know this, but our branch family owes you a tremendous debt. Thanks to the Pure Yuan Pills you generously provided, we were able to establish ourselves here in Flame City. Without them, we might not have survived attacks from the Lei and Xie families, let alone the local forces in Flame City. So truly, Young Master, you have a place of honor in our branch."
Hearing Lin Mang's words, Langtian was momentarily taken aback and glanced around the room. He saw that, beyond Lin Zhentian, both Lin Xiao and his brothers Lin Mang and Lin Ken had also reached the Yuan Dan level. The branch family's strength had indeed surged, making them a significant power in Flame City, second only to the City Lord's forces.
"So, it was the Pure Yuan Pills that helped them rise so quickly…" Langtian mused. In the original timeline, the Flame City branch family had barely survived constant threats, with Lin Dong himself saving them from disaster several times. But with Langtian's gift of ten thousand Pure Yuan Pills, they'd grown much stronger and avoided those same crises.
Understanding this, Langtian chuckled to himself, realizing that the gratitude originally directed at Lin Dong had now been transferred to him instead. Nodding slightly, he looked at Lin Xiao, whose expression was both complicated and thoughtful. Compared to the branch family's respect, Langtian was more interested in how Lin Dong's family viewed him.
Lin Xiao's gaze remained on Langtian, and he felt as if he was looking at a stranger. Gone was the arrogant boy from years ago, replaced by a young man whose calm, composed presence was deep and unreadable. Perhaps, he thought, Langtian's past arrogance was merely youthful brashness.
Seeing the respect Langtian received from his father, brothers, and other family members, Lin Xiao's previously tense stance relaxed. His clenched hands eased as he took a deep breath and said in his usual calm manner, "It's been a long time, Young Master Langtian."
"Indeed it has, Lin Xiao." Langtian's reply was calm, his tone respectful.
Their conflict had been severe but not irreparable, especially since it was something he inherited from his predecessor. Two years ago, Tao Lao's mediation had started changing that trajectory, pushing their interactions down a different path. Although their words were simple, the peaceful exchange marked a significant turning point.
Just then, hurried footsteps could be heard from outside the hall, and a few of the young talents from the main family stumbled inside, looking agitated.
"Lin Feng, Lin Qiang, can't you see Brother Langtian is speaking with the elders? Show some respect!" Lin Chen, another main family member, scolded them.
Lin Feng shrank back, looking aggrieved. "Brother Lin Chen, it wasn't our fault! Some branch family kid attacked us!"
"What?" Lin Chen's expression darkened. Lin Zhentian and the others, too, were startled. The branch attacking the main family would be a serious offense.
Langtian, however, chuckled knowingly and raised his hand. "It was probably just a friendly spar. No harm done. Elder Lin, if you could bring over whoever was involved, I'm sure we can clear up the matter."
Relieved that Langtian was willing to dismiss the incident so lightly, Zhentian exhaled, guessing it had to be his talented grandson who'd been involved. He glanced meaningfully at Lin Xiao, then nodded to Lin Xia, gesturing for her to retrieve the young man.
Moments later, Lin Xia returned, escorting a young man dressed in black robes. Though still young, his face was resolute, his posture grounded like a mountain, exuding a calm maturity.
Who else could it be but Lin Dong?