Chapter 35

After a while, Lin Yan arrived at Lin Zhan’s residence.

“Yan’er, why are you here today?”

Just after discussing the resource allocation plan left by Lin Xuan, Lin Zhan, who was immersed in the bright future of the Lin family, revealed a kind smile upon seeing Lin Yan.

“Uh… Father… I want to learn alchemy!”

Lin Yan scratched his head, a hint of embarrassment on his youthful and delicate face.

“What?”

Lin Zhan placed a hand on Lin Yan’s shoulder and began to examine him closely. As he felt the flow of energy surging within Lin Yan, a look of astonishment appeared on his meticulous face.

“Consolidation Stage! Yan’er, you mustn’t take a crooked path. What on earth happened?”

Lin Zhan carefully checked Lin Yan’s condition but found nothing unusual. Suddenly, his expression grew serious.

Lin Zhan couldn’t help but worry; breaking through from the second layer of Body Refining to the Consolidation Stage in just one month was simply unfathomable!

There were rumored secret techniques that could overdraw a person’s lifespan in exchange for rapid cultivation, and he didn’t want to send a white-haired person to bury a black-haired one.

Seeing his father’s worried expression made Lin Yan’s nose tingle. When he was ridiculed by the family, how could his father feel any better inside?

“Father, it’s okay.”

“Well, it’s a long story to explain.”

“A few days ago, I saw a disheveled old man on the road. He said I was a rare alchemy genius and wanted to take me as his disciple. He gave me some elixirs and alchemy notes for me to practice.”

Lin Yan spoke with a smile.

“Great! I never expected that my son, Lin Zhan, would have such good fortune!”

Lin Zhan laughed heartily.

However, there was still some doubt in his eyes. Why did this kid’s story sound somewhat familiar? Have many prominent figures come to Tai’an City recently?

Should he go out and take a look?

Nevertheless, Lin Zhan didn’t dwell on it for too long. As the head of the Lin family, he didn’t care about the truth of this news; as long as it was beneficial for Yan’er, whether it was true or not didn’t matter.

“Here, take this. It’s 100,000 low-grade elemental stones. This should be enough for your father’s private stash to buy a Beast Fire. The family resources can’t be used for now, but you can borrow an alchemy furnace from Elder Wu. As the family head, I still have a bit of influence.”

Lin Zhan handed a storage ring to Lin Yan and then earnestly said, “By the way, Yan’er, if you have any questions about alchemy, you can ask your cousin Lin Xuan.”

“Cousin Lin Xuan?” Lin Yan felt a bit bewildered upon receiving the storage ring, a bad premonition rising in his heart. However, he was still confused about what this had to do with Lin Xuan.

“Lin Xuan is remarkable! He shares a similar opportunity as you, and he might have already become an alchemist by now. I suspect this kid is hiding his talents.”

“Just right, you’re close in age, so it’s beneficial to build a good relationship. For your future, it’s a huge advantage.”

“The emergence of such a true dragon from our Lin family is indeed a blessing. However, our Lin family is too shallow to keep this true dragon. In the future, he will surely venture into broader worlds. Now that your talent has recovered and you’ve received such an amazing opportunity, the path ahead must be walked by you young people. We won’t be able to help you much longer.”

“You all belong to the Lin family now. When you go out, you share the same bloodline. It’s good if you can look out for each other.”

A complex smile appeared on Lin Zhan’s face. He knew that the Lin family couldn’t hold back Lin Xuan or Lin Yan, but since they were still within the Lin family, helping the two young people to communicate and pave the way was the best he could do as the family head.

“?”

Lin Yan was completely bewildered, still confused even after leaving.

“Cousin Lin Xuan is an alchemist?”

“Teacher, can you tell me if I’m dreaming?”

Lin Yan murmured, struggling to accept reality. But since his father said so, there must be some basis for it. The thought that Lin Xuan might become an alchemist before him stirred a feeling of indescribable discomfort within Lin Yan.

“Little Yan’er, just give yourself a slap, and you’ll know if you’re dreaming.”

“Smack!”

“Ouch! That hurts! I’m not dreaming!”

“Little Yan’er, do you think your teacher is quite untidy?”

“No, that’s absolutely impossible! Teacher, you are the most dashing person under heaven. If anyone dares to say anything against you, I, Lin Yan, will be the first to not let them off!”

“…….”

…

In the following days, Lin Xuan kept accompanying Lin Yanran, making this handsome couple the envy of countless people.

During this time, Lin Yan personally went to borrow the alchemy furnace from Lin Xuan. It’s worth mentioning that there was a faint slap mark on Lin Yan’s delicate face, which made Lin Xuan feel somewhat strange. Who would dare to leave a mark on the face of a person blessed with fortune? Didn’t they fear retribution?

However, since Lin Yan was unwilling to talk about it, Lin Xuan didn’t ask further.

Soon, a few days passed in the blink of an eye, and it was time for the Lin family’s annual coming-of-age ceremony. This was the most lively time for the Lin family. On this day, the family would assess the cultivation of all sixteen-year-old boys and girls and categorize them into four ranks: A, B, C, and D.

Those who reached the A rank would be the focus of the family’s training, with the worst future prospects of becoming family elders. The B rank would serve as attendants; although they would receive fewer resources than the A rank, they would still be quite considerable. As for the C rank, they might still have hope of breaking through to the Consolidation Stage, while the D rank could only create value.

Among martial artists, cultivation aptitude is paramount. Even the relatives of prominent elders must strictly follow the rules. A D rank talent, no matter how much A rank resources are used, could never reach the A rank level. The survival of the fittest has always been an unchanging truth. There is no such thing as equality in this world; all equality must be fought for.

This day was not only very important for the Lin family but also for many forces in Tai’an City. This timely opportunity would allow them to glimpse the strength of the young generation of the Lin family and understand the Lin family’s foundation, making it a rare opportunity for these families rooted in Tai’an City.

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