Chapter 590: The Canglan Sect

In the courtyard, there was a moment of silence.

“To defeat ninety-nine opponents and lose to that one is not shameful.”

Teng Wangshan saw Lin Chen’s silence and assumed he was still brooding over being defeated in a single strike, so he spoke to comfort him.

“I don’t feel ashamed—I now understand why that man is destined to become the next Divine Seal bearer.”

Lin Chen gave a bitter smile; he had always known Dongfang Canglang’s father was strong, but he had never truly encountered him—only by facing him directly could one grasp just how powerful this man truly was.

Dongfang Canglang’s father was a mountain towering at the peak of the Yan Emperor’s realm, a mountain no martial artist could cross.

“What, are you discouraged?”

Ye Feiran, seeing Lin Chen’s bitter smile, asked coolly from beside him.

Lin Chen’s expression turned solemn: “I am not discouraged. I began my cultivation from the bottom. When I first entered the martial hall, my gap with those noble youths was no different from the one I face today with this Elder Dongfang—but now, all those former nobles have been left far behind me.”

Hearing Lin Chen recount his martial cultivation past, Ye Feiran and the other two felt no surprise; after Lin Chen reached the summit of Wudao Mountain, Canglan Sect and even the Hua Clan had sent investigators to Canglan Island.

They knew Lin Chen had risen from being an ordinary fisherman’s son to become the top martial artist on the island, and that beyond his innate talent, he required an unyielding heart for martial cultivation.

For a martial artist of humble origins, cultivation is far more difficult than for ordinary ones—not only due to lack of resources and hardship, but because while many martial artists can endure the hardships of cultivation, the greatest challenge for those from poor backgrounds is preserving their original heart after rising in status.

How many martial artists from humble beginnings, once they ascend in realm and escape the bottom, lose their resolve as temptations multiply, slowly eroded by power, wealth, and soft comforts?

“It’s good you have this ambition.”

Ye Feiran smiled. He had come to Lin Chen’s courtyard on his senior brother’s orders—his senior brother was clearly planning something, and Lin Chen was the centerpiece.

“Since the Hua Clan has invited you, you may accompany Elder Teng to the Hua Clan. Don’t worry about the sect—we are still here.”

Ye Feiran turned his gaze to Teng Wangshan: “Elder Teng, Lin Chen is temporarily entrusted to your Hua Clan.”

“Elder Ye, rest assured—Lin Chen is our Hua Clan’s Imperial Son-in-Law. We will protect him well.”

Teng Wangshan also gave Ye Feiran his assurance: as long as Lin Chen went to the Hua Clan, neither Dongfang Canglang nor the imperial court would dare approach—and as for the Bahuang Sect, they wouldn’t dare set foot in their territory even if given seven lives.

Ye Feiran left. Ji Cangtian clapped Lin Chen on the shoulder: “I won’t see you off—I’ll send word to your master. The Supreme Elder has said all that needs saying; I won’t add more.”

“Thank you, Sect Master.”

……

……

Three days later.

In the Central Plain’s imperial palace, all imperial family members stood solemnly before the Pagoda. Emperor Yan stood at the front, behind him were the Sixth Prince Yan Ran and two other middle-aged men, and further back were the younger generation like Yan Yang and Yan Hui.

The Pagoda’s door opened, and an imperial elder stepped out. All eyes turned to him, filled with anticipation.

The elder scanned the crowd and sighed: “This time, the Divine Seal has lost two-tenths of its fortune—it now holds only seven-tenths.”

At these words, every imperial family member’s face turned grim.

The already scarce fortune had been reduced by three-tenths because of Lin Chen alone.

The elder did not look at their pale expressions; after speaking, he turned and slowly walked back into the Pagoda.

He disapproved of the imperial family targeting Lin Chen, but as Emperor Yan’s decision was final, he had no choice but to obey.

This time, the imperial family had truly lost both the wife and the soldiers.

“Yan Hui, enter the ancestral shrine and remain in confinement for one year.”

Emperor Yan’s cold voice rang out. Yan Hui, standing at the back, trembled—he had barely been released from the ancestral shrine, and now his father had sentenced him to confinement again.

He could not defend himself; the feud between the imperial family and Lin Chen had begun because of him. If he had not gone to Wan Huozong and betrayed Lin Chen, none of this would have happened.

Yan Hui clenched his fists. He did not hate his father—he hated Lin Chen. If not for Lin Chen, how could he have lost face before all martial artists of the realm? How could the Divine Seal have lost three-tenths of its fortune?

For the first time, his hatred for Lin Chen surpassed his hatred for Dongfang Canglang.

……

“It seems the world has spoken much about our imperial family.”

Yan Ran sneered: “Those supreme sects are all opportunists—mere white-eyed wolves. Without our imperial family, how could the realm have enjoyed such lasting peace?”

“Our imperial family has guarded the realm’s peace for tens of thousands of years, yet no one remembers our virtue—it is truly heart-chilling,” added another prince beside him, his voice equally cold.

In their eyes, it was the supreme sects who had betrayed them.

The imperial family could never be at fault.

Their targeting of Lin Chen was because Lin Chen had disrespected them.

Emperor Yan’s face was icy: “Our imperial family must take no further action for now—but Lin Chen must die. Send word to the Bahuang Sect: accelerate their acquisition of the Sect War Edict.”

……

……

Hundred Blossom Valley.

Strange flowers and rare herbs filled the entire valley, exuding thick floral fragrance. Lin Chen followed behind Teng Wangshan, curiously surveying his surroundings.

The flowers and plants grown here were not merely ornamental; their fragrance made even a martial artist of Lin Chen’s level feel physically and mentally at ease—they were all priceless spiritual herbs.

Teng Wangshan led Lin Chen to the valley’s end. Lin Chen looked up, his eyes filled with surprise.

Before him stretched a colossal vine, coiling upward like a staircase, vanishing into the misty clouds.

“Elder Teng.”

As Teng Wangshan and Lin Chen stood before the towering vine, two figures descended at high speed from above. When they landed, they first bowed to Teng Wangshan, then turned curious eyes toward Lin Chen.

Teng Wangshan’s recent journey was no secret to the entire Hua Clan; these two men knew the young man behind Elder Teng was their future Imperial Son-in-Law, Lin Chen.

The Hua Clan had no martial seals, so though they had heard of Lin Chen’s name, they had never seen his face.

Now seeing him, the two men exchanged strange glances—this Imperial Son-in-Law’s appearance was not particularly outstanding; at least among the Hua Clan, where handsome men and beautiful women were common, he was merely average.

How had the Little Princess chosen Lin Chen?