Chapter Fourteen: Someone Seeks to Annihilate the Entire Jiang Family

Lin Yin smirked coldly with a hint of amusement. "Oh, so you’re a noble scion from a prestigious family."

Lin Zhentao responded arrogantly, "Good that you know. Now apologize immediately, then get as far away as you can..."

Smack!

A sharp slap landed hard on Lin Zhentao’s face, swiftly swelling into a clear, bright red handprint.

Instinctively, Lin Zhentao covered his face, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Well done!" Jiang Zixun cheered.

Old Master Jiang still wore a cheerful smile as he watched this little scene unfold.

Right or wrong, Lin Zhentao’s jealousy had bred hatred; how could he not see through it?

"In my life, I detest nothing more than these noble family heirs."

Lin Yin’s expression remained cold and unchanging as he struck out another slap with lightning speed, leaving a residual afterimage that even Lin Zhentao couldn’t react to.

Smack!

The last hit was on his left cheek.

This time, the right.

The palm prints were perfectly symmetrical.

"Say I’m scheming."

"Say I’m greedy for wealth."

"Say I have ill intentions."

"Say I’m full of trickery."

"Say I’m unworthy to be involved—but then, why are you worthy?"

Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!

With each accusation, Lin Yin struck a slap.

Though seemingly ordinary, each palm seemed to carry boundless force; the final blow sent Lin Zhentao, at the eighth stage of vitality, flying backward.

Step!

Lin Yin pressed one foot onto Lin Zhentao’s chest, letting out a light chuckle.

"Do I really need to explain to you?"

"Though this young friend’s vitality appears only at the fourth or fifth stage, he easily defeated an eighth-stage opponent without giving him a chance to fight back, even single-handedly killing an elite demon leader at the Bone Condensation third stage… He must either be a battle-hardened veteran or a super prodigy from a noble family. Judging by his age, it’s the latter."

Old Master Jiang shook his head and glanced at Lin Zhentao. What a brainless fool!

Zhang Zhang stepped forward: "I swear! Zixun and I just decided to come to the Seventh Security Zone on a whim. Meeting Sen Yang was pure coincidence—there’s no conspiracy!"

Jiang Zixun nodded: "Exactly!"

Lin Xuetao shouted hoarsely: "Impossible!"

Boom!

"Right and wrong, I can judge for myself. If you continue to stir trouble, I’ll take down both you and the Tianhe Lin family!" Old Master Jiang suddenly unleashed his aura, his tiger-like eyes glaring fiercely like a celestial general, silencing Lin Xuetao instantly.

That old man was as domineering as ever.

---

Lin Yin smiled faintly and lifted his foot.

Seeing the tide had turned, everyone sided with Lin Yin.

Lin Xuetao stood dazed for a long while, the palm prints searing like red-hot irons on his pride, burning unbearably.

His body trembled as he staggered away.

"Come visit my home sometime. I owe you a proper thanks," Old Master Jiang patted Lin Yin on the shoulder and then invited him to the Jiang residence.

Jiang Zixun eagerly echoed the invitation.

Helplessly, as evening fell, Lin Yin arrived at the villa next door—Villa No. 17.

"Come in quickly!"

Jiang Zixun had taken off her black leather jacket and changed into a white cotton lounge dress, her feet clad in lace-trimmed socks and soft Pikachu slippers. She carried a plate of something dark from the kitchen.

"This is..."

Lin Yin looked at it with great hesitation.

"Hehe… Actually, my cooking’s not bad. It’s just that today the gas stove was broken... Braised spare ribs! Try some!"

"Hmm… dark braised ribs."

"Alright, alright! Just kidding! I’ll make it again; toss this plate..."

"No need to throw it away. It’s edible."

Lin Yin took a piece, then another, claiming it didn’t taste good, yet he finished everything on the plate.

"You!"

Jiang Zixun was stunned. She knew her own cooking skills—they were award-winning. She had deliberately made a 'dark dish' just to tease Lin Yin. After all, she was in her prime, not some old auntie.

But why had the boy eaten it all?

"If it’s bad, don’t eat it. I was teasing..."

"It’s actually quite good."

Lin Yin’s expression was sincere, not joking.

"Really? I put a lot of soy sauce in to make it salty... Don’t you find my braised ribs very different from your mother’s?"

"I’ve never eaten them."

"Then the tomato scrambled eggs?"

"Probably not either."

"Oh, I forgot. The old man said you’re a prodigy from a noble family, so you must be used to fancy food, never these simple home-cooked dishes."

Jiang Zixun’s voice trailed off as she noticed a deep loneliness flash in Lin Yin’s eyes.

And she heard the boy whisper, "I have no home..."

"Alright! Since you haven’t eaten these, I’ll cook for you!"

Jiang Zixun quickly changed the subject with a bright smile, donned an apron embroidered with a white-eared cat, and headed back into the kitchen.

Tomato scrambled eggs, fish-flavored shredded pork, braised ribs, sweet and sour fish, Kung Pao chicken...

---

"Delicious!"

"This one’s good too!"

A table laden with flavorful, aromatic, and colorful home-style dishes.

Lin Yin devoured the food with gusto, his eyes reflecting utter satisfaction.

As evening stars settled over the lavender bushes and dining table, Jiang Zixun leaned against the kitchen doorway, quietly watching Lin Yin eat ravenously, her eyes filled with both pity and admiration.

Lin Yin’s belly was full and round, a happy smile curling at his lips. So this was the feeling and atmosphere of home-cooked meals.

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah, I like it!"

"Then call me sister, and I’ll cook for you often."

Sister? Lin Yin felt it was a bit strange—after all, having lived two lifetimes, his mental age far exceeded Jiang Zixun’s—but recalling the happiness this brought, he smiled and called out warmly,

"Sister Jiang."

"Hehe, good boy! But that sounds like I’m old. Just call me 'sister'!"

"Okay, sister."

Old Master Jiang held his teacup with a cheerful smile as he watched this scene.

Hmm?

Tea?

Lin Yin suddenly stood and approached Old Master Jiang, frowning deeply as he stared intently at the pale green tea in the cup.

"Sen Yang, what’s wrong?"

"This tea is poisoned."

Those words stunned Old Master Jiang into silence.

Jiang Zixun hurried over anxiously. "Poisoned?!"

"Yes! And it’s not human poison—it’s a very secretive demon toxin!" Lin Yin fixed his gaze on the tea, a sudden thought striking him like a thunderclap.

There was one question that had long puzzled him: In his previous life, even if Old Master Jiang couldn’t defeat the three great demon kings, he should have had enough strength to escape. So why did it seem as if his body was hollowed out, unable even to flee?

Recalling that Old Master Jiang once mentioned his son and daughter-in-law mysteriously died years ago in battle, and his granddaughter Jiang Zixun vanished without trace one day, as if evaporated from the world...

A chilling theory sent shivers down Lin Yin’s spine.

This tea was poisoned, with a slow-acting toxin.

Someone intended to wipe out the entire Jiang family!

At this realization, Lin Yin’s chest swelled with anger, unable to calm down for a long time. He had always harbored doubts about Old Master Jiang’s death in his past life, and now, with the evidence before his eyes, how could he not be furious?

"Who? Who wants to harm you?"

Yet, faced with Lin Yin’s question, Old Master Jiang’s gaze grew distant, as if enlightened. He did not answer but poured out the tea and looked directly at Lin Yin.

"Young friend, I wish to take you as my final disciple. Would you accept?"