Chapter 30: That Is the Heir of My Lin Family!

Imperial Capital, Lin Estate.

"I'm home!" Yang Huier stepped into the house, only to find the atmosphere in a state of agitation. The various faction leaders under the Lin family were gathered together, their emotions running high as they seemed to be deliberating over something.

"Martial King, such a heaven-sent prodigy has been born in our Great Xia; we must secure him!" one of the confidants, gauging Lin Zhengyang's expression, said with tentative excitement. "A Level Nine Martial Talent! If he remains in our Great Xia, given time, our nation will have the strength to contend for the Central Plains. When that day comes, even if the Royal Court and Jixia Academy intervene, it might be to no avail."

Lin Zhengyang did not rebuke his subordinate. This reaction made it clear to everyone present exactly where the Martial King's heart lay. It turned out that the Martial King also harbored ambitions of contending for the Central Plains and vying for the throne.

There is a saying: a weak general produces a weak army. Having conquered eighteen demon cities, Lin Zhengyang was hailed as the strongest of the current generation's titled kings. With his influence unparalleled, the ambitions of his subordinates naturally rose as well. Who among them wouldn't want their leader to climb to a higher position so they could reap the rewards? Otherwise, how could certain figures end up draped in imperial robes by their followers? It wasn't just his own desire; his subordinates wanted it just as much.

They didn't fear a leader with weak abilities; they only feared a leader without ambition. Seeing Lin Zhengyang fall silent, the confidants became even more animated. Some even suggested, "If we bypass Xia Changsheng and the White Deer Academy and keep that child in our Martial King's Mansion, who knows? Perhaps one day our residence will become the second Royal Court of humanity. Hahaha!"

Watching them, Yang Huier could not help but think of her recent meeting with Yang Xiao at the Royal Court. A Level Nine Martial Talent—had such a terrifying child truly appeared in the world once more?

Yang Huier joined the discussion. "Zhengyang, I understand your desire to reach higher, but this matter is likely not so simple. When I left the Royal Court, the great bells tolled three times. Do you know what that means?"

Lin Zhengyang nodded gravely. "Yes. That child has entered the sight of the Royal Court."

The words struck the confidants like a plunge into an icy cellar, draining them of their excitement. After all, if the Royal Court were to intervene, who could possibly compete? Lin Zhengyang felt helpless as well; even if he wanted to, he knew he couldn't win. Whether it was the benefits offered or the status of authority, the Martial King's Mansion simply could not compete with the Royal Court.

"In that case, it seems we must give up. What a pity," the Martial King sighed.

*Thump, thump, thump!*

Rapid footsteps suddenly echoed. It was Kai.

Dressed in black, Kai stood in the doorway, blocking out the sunlight. His face was etched with irrepressible panic, yet also a profound sense of excitement.

"Martial King, do you know who that fresh graduate with the Level Nine Martial Talent from Tianhe City is?"

At that moment, Lin Tianjiao was passing by behind Kai, carrying a bowl of demon bone tonic his mother had just finished brewing.

"Who?"

"He is the student of Master Jiang, your son, the young lord Lin Yin."

*Boom!* It was as if several thunderbolts had exploded in the hearts of those present. Lin Tianjiao froze behind Kai, not even noticing when the tonic spilled from his bowl. Inside the room, everyone was dumbfounded. Even Lin Zhengyang remained motionless for a long time, unable to process the news.

The first to react were the confidants of the Martial King's Mansion. They roared with laughter, slapping their thighs, and some even shook the stunned Lin Zhengyang violently.

"Martial King! Martial King! That person is the young lord Lin Yin! The heir to our Martial King's Mansion, the future head of the Lin family!"

Although Lin Zhengyang had never officially announced Lin Yin's identity, as the inner circle of the Lin family, these men had always known of his existence and lineage.

"Is it true?" Yang Huier rushed to Kai, her voice trembling with excitement.

Kai nodded heavily and handed over the latest intelligence. "It is indeed young lord Lin Yin. Currently, four monarchs of human nations have gathered in Tianhe City, and the top-tier figures of other nations have also arrived, all to compete for Lin Yin to join their respective academies. Today, Tianhe City has gathered half of humanity's elite and most powerful beings!"

Yang Huier handed the report to Lin Zhengyang. "Look! Look! Our son! Yin'er!"

As a mother, Yang Huier was thrilled, seemingly forgetting that only moments ago she had returned from the Royal Court with the intent to have Yang Xiao arrest Lin Yin as a criminal. She read the words and looked at the photographs repeatedly. Familiar faces of humanity's highest elite surrounded that young boy with the confident, bright smile.

Lin Zhengyang finally exhaled a long breath, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Martial King, hurry and bring back the young lord Lin Yin!" Suddenly, all the confidants knelt in unison. Every one of them was agitated, as if they saw a glorious future beckoning to them.

"Martial King, please, bring back young lord Lin Yin!"

"With such a young lord, it is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity and blessing for our Martial King's Mansion!"

"Martial King, with this young lord, our dream of contending for the Central Plains is no longer just a dream!"

"We implore the Martial King to bring back young lord Lin Yin!"

Lin Zhengyang stood up, a smile on his lips, and looked at Yang Huier.

"What do you think, Zhengyang?" Yang Huier's eyes were filled with excitement. Although she came from the Royal Court, she was a woman, and the Royal Court could only be considered her maternal home. Furthermore, the Royal Court was not dominated solely by the Yang clan; there were many other clans above them, so she did not oppose Lin Zhengyang's ambition to contend for the Central Plains. Besides, that was her Yin'er; what mother wouldn't want to see her child succeed?

"Then it must not have been a forbidden technique," Lin Zhengyang said, rarely showing approval for Lin Yin. "With so many human elites at the scene, including that old dean from the Zhou Gong Academy, if Lin Yin had used a forbidden technique, they would have certainly noticed."

"A Level Nine Martial Talent—why didn't we detect it before?" Having said this, Lin Zhengyang pondered for the first time whether the suppressive education he had enforced was correct.

"There's no time to discuss this. Let's go immediately. It is time to announce to the world the identity of the Lin family's young lord!" Yang Huier took Lin Zhengyang's hand, ready to head out in high spirits.

Lin Zhengyang hesitated, his expression conflicted. Should he really announce it? But he had already told Xiao Chen, the King of the North, that the Lin family had only one young lord, Lin Tianjiao. Admitting this now would be like slapping his own face.

"Tianjiao, why are you standing at the door without coming in?" Yang Huier noticed Lin Tianjiao, who was hanging his head in the doorway. She paused for a moment and smiled, "Come with us. Your brother is quite the hot commodity now; even the monarchs of various nations are personally inviting him."

Yang Huier instinctively wanted to share the joy. However, she did not see that the muscles on Lin Tianjiao’s lowered face were twisting, and his pupils were dilating. He suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with such extreme jealousy and resentment that Yang Huier’s joyful expression slowly stiffened.

"Tianjiao, what is this..."

"Mother." Lin Tianjiao’s voice was low and hoarse, a tone Yang Huier had never heard before. It sounded as if it carried a silent, suffocating roar that caused her immense heartache.

"Are you all planning to bring brother home and then announce to the world that he is the young lord of the Lin family?"