Young Master of the Lin Family!
The shocking words echoed in Lin Xuan's mind. No matter how he racked his brain, he had never imagined this. He was actually the Young Master of the Lin Family, and the one he was in now was merely a side branch!
In an instant, he had a flash of insight. 'No wonder they protected me this way.' But it still sounded too strange. 'Their own Young Master, yet they didn't help heal my eyes and let me be bullied.' Perhaps it was like a ruse of feigned injury, meant to make everyone believe Lin Xuan wasn't part of the Lin Family. That way, if a real problem arose, they could still sneak him away.
With an unremarkable status, no one would know his true identity, nor would they bother to investigate.
He quickly calmed down and asked, "Clan Leader Lin, may I ask why you've summoned me today? I imagine it wasn't just to tell me these things."
They hadn't told him anything for so long, only revealing it today. Lin Xuan guessed it had to do with his performance yesterday, and perhaps even with Lin Xue.
Lin Feng said gravely, "To be frank, I have only cared about two matters in my entire life. One is you, the other is Lin Xue. Lin Xue has already left for Qingcheng Mansion. With her talent, she'll be able to protect herself there. Now, only you remain. While you may be the Young Master of the Lin Clan's main branch, in my eyes, you don't count as one right now. This is a side branch of the Lin Clan, but our blood ties are almost negligible. We have received next to no favors from the main branch, apart from those Cultivation Techniques. So, any talk of loyalty to the main branch is a joke, especially when the main branch is scattered and on the run. In that context, your status as Young Master is utterly insignificant."
Lin Xuan remained silent. 'The main branch of the Lin Family must have run into serious trouble; otherwise, that guard wouldn't have escaped covered in blood.' He deduced from this that the family he was born into had undergone a great upheaval. Since the main branch had suffered such a catastrophe, a side branch with negligible blood ties had no reason to care whether he, Lin Xuan, lived or died.
'They never paid much attention to the side branches or granted any favors, and now the main branch is on the run. So why should they care if the Young Master lives or dies?'
"I chose to protect you not for the sake of the main branch, but because of my elder brother!" Lin Feng said gravely once more. "He entrusted me with your safety, and I am merely fulfilling my promise to him!"
Elder brother!
That word made Lin Xuan's body tremble slightly. The one who had risked his life to escort him here must have been Lin Feng's elder brother.
Lin Feng closed his eyes, immersed in sorrow for a brief moment before he recovered. He continued, "Let me be clear: people from the main branch can't order me around. If I don't want to do something, no one can force me! Two things made me resolve to protect you. First, my elder brother. Second, the fact that you used your own body to shield Lin Xue!" His voice was low, suggesting the Lin Clan's main branch hadn't treated him well.
In truth, it wasn't that the main branch had treated him poorly; they simply hadn't provided anything special beyond the Cultivation Techniques. Despite this unremarkable relationship, they had saddled him with a time bomb that could detonate at any moment. If the enemies hunting the Lin Family were to attack this place, it would mean annihilation!
To receive no favors yet invite a fatal disaster, all to protect some unknown Young Master. Anyone would be furious. If not for his elder brother, he truly would not have taken on this "bomb" that threatened to exterminate his clan.
Furthermore, Lin Xuan shielding Lin Xue with his own body was what truly made Lin Feng accept him.
"I know you've worked hard all these years. Even after losing your sight, you continued your Cultivation on the back mountain every day. And yesterday, you defeated three opponents at once. That is very good!" Lin Feng continued. "But that alone is not enough for me to recognize you as the Young Master. That's impossible. Status must be earned, and you are no exception. I am now giving you one chance—a chance to have your sight restored!"
He was still unaware that Lin Xuan's eyes had recovered, since there was no visible difference. His words seemed disrespectful, but they were, in fact, the highest form of respect. A Young Master without strength is a lost cause. If Lin Xuan had continued to be disheartened, Lin Feng would never have summoned him.
"What kind of trial?" Lin Xuan asked, his heart calm. His eyes had already recovered, so after hearing the shocking news from before, this opportunity didn't stir him much. 'This opportunity is surely a trial of some sort!'
"Your strength stands out among the lower-level disciples. The opportunity I'm giving you is to clear the Lin Family's Copperman Array!" Lin Feng stated, revealing Lin Xuan's trial.
"The Copperman Array!"
Lin Xuan was taken aback. He had heard of the Copperman Array before. The number of Copper Men you fought was adjusted according to your own ability, and each one was extraordinarily strong. It could be set to a maximum of ten opponents. Dealing with ten Copper Men at once would be a challenge even for a cultivator at the Spirit Refining Stage.
"That's right. Considering your blindness, you only need to deal with four Copper Men simultaneously. As long as you can last for half an Hour, I will use all my power to help you restore your eyes, even if it costs me my entire Cultivation!" Lin Feng's tone was resolute.
"Four Copper Men…" Lin Xuan frowned. Dealing with four of them wouldn't be easy. With his current strength, it would be quite difficult. He would need to be at least at the Sixth and Seventh Layers of Body Refining Stage to handle four Copper Men. If he were actually blind, the difficulty would be significantly higher.
He knew in his heart that Lin Feng was not trying to make things difficult for him, but wanted to temper him further. Not just anyone could enter the Copperman Array. Only the core disciples of the Lin Family were allowed, because maintaining the Copperman Array consumed a lot of Primordial Stones. Disciples without talent were not permitted inside.
"There is no limit on how many times you can try. The goal is to last for half an Hour. Conversely, if you never succeed, then I will not have your eyes treated. During this time, I can provide you with any Elixir Pills you need. How far you can go is up to you," Lin Feng said gravely.
Lin Xuan fell silent. After a moment, he asked, "Clan Leader Lin, do you know the reason for the Lin Family's downfall?"
Lin Feng shook his head. "I don't know, nor do I dare to inquire. That was a battle on a completely different level. The slightest misstep could lead to the annihilation of our entire clan. All I can tell you is this: they are very powerful! If you have any thoughts of investigating, I advise you to give them up. Without sufficient strength, it is simply suicide."
This was the honest truth. Lin Feng didn't dare to investigate. There were countless Lin Families on this continent; it wasn't as if they could eradicate every single one, could they? This branch had almost no contact with the main branch, and their flight had been cautious, making them difficult to track.
It might be a matter of time before they were traced here, or perhaps they would never be found at all. For now, they remained undiscovered. Otherwise, he wouldn't have lived this long.
"Does Lin Xue know about this?" Lin Xuan asked another question.
Lin Feng said gravely, "She is well aware."
Lin Xuan fell silent again. After a moment, he said in a firm tone, "I accept this trial!"
"Follow me. On your own." Lin Feng did not help him, instead turning and walking deeper inside. His footsteps were heavy, clearly intending for Lin Xuan to follow the sound, and he did not walk fast.
But Lin Xuan no longer needed to follow by sound. He simply walked right along with him. In no time, they arrived at the Copperman Array located in the Inner Hall. It was a training room, filled with ten Copper Men. Each had a different expression, and they occupied the entire room, leaving virtually no blind spots.
Four Copper Men meant that only four of the ten would move, but it didn't mean the same four would move the entire time. Rather, it would be four random ones. For example, after fending off one wave of attacks and being forced back, a Copper Man behind you might suddenly activate and attack! This was a true test of one's reflexes.
"This is the Copperman Array. I will be watching from the side. When you can't take it anymore, lie flat on the ground, and the Copper Men will stop moving." Lin Feng's expression was serious. The Copperman Array was no joke. Once activated, the slightest carelessness could lead to severe injury, or even death!
These Copper Men were not flesh and blood; they wouldn't hold back. Every move was a killing blow!
At this moment, however, Lin Xuan couldn't hear what Lin Feng was saying. His gaze was fixed on the wall in front of him. Floating there was a soul! This soul wasn't just a small ball of Energy; it was a solid, human figure, and it bore a slight resemblance to Lin Feng.