Chapter 232

Chapter 232: The Flame Burns Low

At the core area of Qinyuan Immortal City.

Because it was built atop a spiritual vein, the entire region was actually a great mountain.

Before a certain cave residence in the mountain, several senior members of the Lin Family who had departed stood there with worried expressions, guarding the entrance. Only the Second Elder, Lin Guang Xuan, entered alone.

Inside the cave residence, it was brightly lit. Palm-sized luminous pearls were inset into the rocks, radiating a brilliant light.

In the deepest part of the cave residence, the spiritual energy was rich. A jade-carved Dao platform was placed there.

On the Dao platform sat an elderly man wearing a white daoist robe, his hair gray and his face deeply wrinkled.

This was the Great Elder of the Lin Family.

At that moment, he was nothing like the energetic person he had once been for his age. Instead, his already heavily lined face held more worry. His once kindly appearance now seemed somewhat desolate and lonely.

His somewhat clouded eyes were fixed upon the tortoise shells and animal bones for divination in front of him.

Lin Guang Xuan hurried with swift steps to the front of the cave residence. Seeing the Great Elder unharmed, he silently breathed a sigh of relief.

He bowed in salute, his posture humbly respectful.

"How is the family?" the Great Elder slowly raised his eyes and asked gently.

"Great Elder, things are not very well…" Lin Guang Xuan recounted everything that had happened over those years in detail.

When Zhou Luo had been newly promoted to the Sixth Elder, the Great Elder had still been closely following the family’s changes.

Just five years before, the Great Elder suddenly announced he was about to attempt a breakthrough, and after that, he never contacted the family again.

Until a few days prior, he abruptly shattered the spiritual object used for communication, leading Lin Guang Xuan to rush over quickly with a large group of people.

They all knew clearly that if the Great Elder succeeded in his Foundation Establishment, he would have descended directly to the family instead of acting this way.

Thus, they traveled the journey anxious and burdened. Now that they saw he seemed to have no life-threatening danger, the stone in their hearts finally fell to the ground.

After listening, the Great Elder remained silent.

Time passed slowly. It was unknown how long had gone by when the Great Elder finally said slowly, "I failed to break through."

Lin Guang Xuan’s heart sank. He bowed his body even lower, becoming more respectful, "Great Elder, you are abundantly blessed, fortunate to have no life-threatening danger. You will still have a chance at Foundation Establishment in the future."

But the Great Elder shook his head, "I am the same age as Zhi Shou. I merely used Closed-Door Training as an excuse to live over a dozen years longer; now, there is surely no chance left for me to establish my Foundation."

"Great Elder…" Lin Guang Xuan lifted his head, his expression complicated.

If the other party gave up, their faction would probably never rise again.

The Great Elder heaved a sigh, "I have few days left, so I borrowed my life to cast a divination."

At these words, Lin Guang Xuan’s body shuddered as if struck by lightning. He looked at the other in utter disbelief.

Previously, seeing the Great Elder’s appearance, he had assumed all was fine. But now, as he carefully observed, he realized the Great Elder already emanated an aura of imminent death.

This signified that his life was drawing to an end; unless he succeeded in Foundation Establishment, he would follow in the footsteps of Lin Zhi Shou.

"Great Elder, what was the divination result?"

Lin Guang Xuan knew saying more about other matters was pointless. Since the other was dying, it was all the more crucial to ask about the key information.

Upon hearing this, a flicker of gloom passed through the depths of the Great Elder’s eyes. He raised his head to gaze at the brightly lit rocky wall, his face showing a grieving expression.

"I witnessed the Lin Family’s ruin and the Ancestor’s death and the dissipation of his Dao."

That pale, powerless, despairing tone struck Lin Guang Xuan like a bolt from the blue.

He stood dumbfounded, eyes wide, rooted like a wooden stake, while stormy waves churned within his heart.

The Lin Family would be annihilated?

Lin Guang Xuan had never imagined the divination would show such an outcome. He didn’t want to believe it, but seeing the Great Elder’s expression, he knew it must be true.

Because the other had used life-forfeiting divination.

Divination was an art, and the Great Elder possessed it. What’s more, he had employed the most profound method – life-forfeiting divination.

It was equivalent to paying the price of one’s life to deduce the future’s course.

The diviner must often sacrifice all remaining lifespan. In return, the result gleaned from such divination was usually accurate to nine-tenths.

"Great Elder… how could it come to this?" Despair washed over Lin Guang Xuan’s face as his mind reeled; he even staggered slightly on his feet.

The Ancestor dead and his Dao extinguished, the family destroyed.

Was this the future fate of the Lin Family?

The Great Elder withdrew his gaze, his expression resolute, enunciating each word deliberately: "I saw the flames of destruction grow within the main branch’s grasp, until they ignite themselves, consuming the entire Lin Family…"

Lin Guang Xuan thought of the Lin Family’s conflicts with the Lu Family over these years. He clenched his teeth, fists tightening involuntarily: "But once you die, we cannot stop the main branch."

"No. We can stop it." The Great Elder suddenly declared with unmistakable force.

A faint flush rose on his face, much like Lin Zhi Shou in his final moments, a sign of his life rallying before the end.

Summoning all his strength, he said: "Help Zhou Luo overthrow the main branch."

Those eight short words carried immense weight in that moment. The voice echoed within the cave residence, causing palpable tremors.

Lin Guang Xuan was utterly shocked, his voice trembling: "Great Elder, what did you say?"

The Great Elder offered no explanation, only continued: "To overthrow the main branch, only he can do it."

"Only an outsider would genuinely desire their downfall. No one born under the Lin family name could truly bring themselves to do it."

"Our faction… we lack anyone capable left to present…"

In this moment, the Great Elder seemed to regain the bearing of his peak.

His gaze was firm, his tone decisive.

He understood perfectly: if someone from their own faction tried to do it – not to mention their lack of capability – after his death, they would certainly harbor no real desire to destroy the main branch.

Because they were all Lin family members, sharing the same bloodline.

Once they lost their backing, aligning with the main branch would be their best choice.

That is why the Great Elder had spoken Zhou Luo’s name.

Lin Guang Xuan understood his meaning, but couldn’t grasp why it had to be Zhou Luo. So he asked: "Great Elder, could Zhou Luo truly do it?"

Over these ten years, Zhou Luo, the Sixth Elder, had seemed like a ghost, living secluded, barely ever seen within the family.

Some clan members didn’t even know he existed.

Entrusting the immense task of overthrowing the main branch to such a man felt unrealistic to him.

After uttering that declaration, the Great Elder’s vital energy waned again. He explained:

"I have observed him for a long time. Though outwardly low-key and humble, he harbors ambition within, only knowing how to hide his prowess. He is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He is the perfect candidate…"

"But after all, he’s an outsider. What if he usurps the nest? What becomes of the Lin Family then?" Lin Guang Xuan couldn’t help but blurt out.

The Great Elder looked at him, his eyes growing increasingly clouded.

"That is still preferable to total annihilation. Even if the Lin Family became the Zhou family, the Lin lineage would still form its core, and we would share in the glory of the new founding."

"Moreover, Zhou Luo’s descendants carry Lin blood in their veins. They will surely treat our Lin clansmen well in the future."

Lin Guang Xuan regarded him with a complex expression, his face etched with conflict.

The Great Elder stared intently at him, his voice growing stronger:

"Remember what I say! If you wish the Lin Family to survive, he is the only choice!"