Overnight, the entire Lin Family was thrown into a frenzy over the upcoming life-or-death duel. Every disciple, from the outer courtyard to the inner courtyard, and even most of the elders, were talking about it—and not a single one believed Lin Chen stood a chance.
Lin Xiaotian, the Clan Leader's son, was the undisputed number one genius of the Lin Family. He had just broken through to the 7th level of Qi Refining after three months of seclusion, a realm most disciples would spend decades trying to reach. Lin Chen, on the other hand, was only at the mid-stage of the 5th level of Qi Refining, a two-realm gap that was considered unbridgeable in the cultivation world.
Everyone thought Lin Chen was crazy. They said his recent victories had gone to his head, that he had forgotten his place as a former trash, and that he would be crushed to death by Lin Xiaotian on the martial stage.
But inside his courtyard, Lin Chen was completely calm. He sat cross-legged on his stone bed, his eyes closed, completely unaffected by the rumors and mockery spreading through the clan. He knew exactly what he was doing.
Just as the first rays of dawn peeked over the courtyard walls, the familiar cold mechanical voice rang in his mind.
[Ding! Daily sign-in refresh completed! Do you want to sign in now?]
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Lin Chen's mouth. This was exactly what he had been waiting for.
"Sign in."
[Ding! Sign-in successful! Congratulations to host for obtaining:
1. Cultivation Base Upgrade: 6th Level of Qi Refining!
2. High-Grade Heaven-Rank Movement Skill: Thunder Dragon Steps!
3. Special Item: Invincible Shield Talisman x1!
4. Spirit Stones: 40,000!]
Boom!
A violent surge of pure spiritual energy exploded inside Lin Chen's body, like a tidal wave rushing through his meridians. His cultivation rose without a single obstacle, breaking through the peak of the 5th level and stepping straight into the 6th level of Qi Refining. In an instant, his aura doubled, the air around him rippling with suppressed, explosive power.
At the same time, a complete set of movement skill memories flooded into his mind. Thunder Dragon Steps, a genuine heaven-rank skill that combined the speed of thunder and the ferocity of a dragon. Once activated, his figure would become almost invisible to the naked eye, faster than any attack below the 8th level of Qi Refining.
Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing through them. Now, with the 6th level of Qi Refining, the Vajra Unbreakable Body, the Azure Dragon Thunder Fist, and the new Thunder Dragon Steps, he had more than enough power to crush Lin Xiaotian.
By noon, the entire clan had gathered around the huge martial stage in the center of the Lin Family. The stands were packed with thousands of disciples, and the high platform at the front was filled with all the clan's elders, including the Clan Leader and the three Grand Elders.
Everyone was here to watch the duel between the former trash and the number one genius.
Suddenly, a loud cheer erupted from the crowd. Lin Xiaotian jumped onto the martial stage, his white robe fluttering in the wind, his face sharp and arrogant. He was at the 7th level of Qi Refining, his powerful aura pressing down on the entire crowd, making many disciples tremble.
"Lin Chen! Get up here right now! I'll show everyone what a real genius looks like, and crush your pathetic luck into dust!" Lin Xiaotian roared, his voice echoing across the martial ground.
The crowd cheered even louder, chanting his name. Everyone was sure he would win.
A few seconds later, the crowd fell silent. All eyes turned to the entrance of the martial ground, where Lin Chen was walking slowly toward the stage. He was dressed in a simple black robe, his expression calm and indifferent, completely unaffected by the thousands of eyes staring at him.
He stepped onto the martial stage, stopping ten meters away from Lin Xiaotian.
"You actually dared to show up," Lin Xiaotian sneered, looking at Lin Chen with disdain. "I'll give you one last chance. Kneel down and kowtow to me three times, admit you're a worthless trash, and I'll spare your life. Otherwise, I'll break every bone in your body today."
Lin Chen looked at him coldly, and said in a flat voice. "Stop talking nonsense. Let's start."
The Clan Leader, who was sitting on the high platform, frowned and stood up. He raised his hand, and the entire martial ground fell silent.
"This is a life-or-death duel. Once it begins, there are no rules. Life or death is decided by your own hands. Do both of you understand?"
"I understand!" Lin Xiaotian shouted immediately, his eyes blazing with killing intent.
Lin Chen nodded slightly. "I understand."
The Clan Leader sat back down, and waved his hand. "Begin!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Lin Xiaotian exploded into action. He roared, and a huge tiger made of bright yellow spiritual power formed behind him. This was his strongest skill, the Tiger Roar Heaven Fist, a high-grade earth-rank technique that had defeated countless opponents.
"Die, trash!"
He threw a heavy punch straight at Lin Chen, the tiger roaring as it charged forward, the force of the attack shaking the entire martial stage.
The crowd screamed in excitement. They knew this was the end for Lin Chen. No one could survive a full-power attack from a 7th level Qi Refining warrior.
But at that moment, Lin Chen moved.
He didn't dodge. Instead, he took a deep breath, and activated the Vajra Unbreakable Body skill. A bright golden glow wrapped around his entire body, like an unbreakable armor.
Boom!
The huge tiger slammed into Lin Chen with a deafening crash. The stone stage under his feet cracked and shattered, dust flying everywhere.
The entire martial ground fell dead silent.
Then, as the dust cleared, everyone's eyes widened in shock, their mouths hanging open.
Lin Chen was still standing there, completely unharmed. The golden glow around his body had faded slightly, but he didn't have a single scratch on him.
He had blocked a full-power attack from a 7th level Qi Refining genius with his body alone.
"How… how is this possible?!" Lin Xiaotian stared at Lin Chen, his face filled with disbelief and terror. He couldn't understand how a 6th level disciple could block his strongest attack.
Lin Chen looked at him coldly, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Is that all you've got?"
He activated the Thunder Dragon Steps skill, and his figure turned into a flash of blue thunder, closing the distance between him and Lin Xiaotian in the blink of an eye. Before Lin Xiaotian could even react, Lin Chen raised his right fist, and a violent blue thunder glow wrapped around his hand, accompanied by the deafening roar of a dragon.
Azure Dragon Thunder Fist! Full power!
Boom!
The punch slammed into Lin Xiaotian's chest.
A terrifying explosion of thunder and dragon might erupted, tearing through Lin Xiaotian's spiritual defense in an instant. Lin Xiaotian let out a shrill, blood-curdling scream, and his body was sent flying across the stage, slamming into the barrier at the edge with a sickening crash.
He fell to the ground, spitting out large mouthfuls of blood, his chest caved in, his dantian completely shattered. His 7th level Qi Refining cultivation, which he had spent years building, was gone forever.
The entire martial ground was dead silent. Not a single breath could be heard.
Every single disciple, every elder, even the Clan Leader and the Grand Elders, were staring at the stage in shock, unable to believe what they had just seen.
Lin Chen, the former trash who had been mocked for more than ten years, had just defeated and crippled Lin Xiaotian, the 7th level number one genius of the Lin Family, in two moves.
This was a miracle that had never happened in the entire history of the Lin Family.
[Ding! Host has defeated Lin Xiaotian and completed the side mission!]
[Reward issued: 50,000 Spirit Stones, High-Grade Heaven-Rank Offensive Skill: Dragon Slayer Thunder Strike, and Divine Body Upgrade: Primordial Chaos Physique (Early Stage)!]
A powerful surge of energy flooded Lin Chen's body, strengthening his physique even further. He could feel his strength rising once again, even without breaking through to a new level.
Lin Chen slowly lowered his fist, and looked at the terrified crowd around him. His voice was cold and clear, echoing across the silent martial ground.
"From today onward, anyone who dares to call me trash, or come to my courtyard to cause trouble, will end up just like Lin Xiaotian."
No one dared to make a sound. All the disciples lowered their heads, their eyes filled with awe and fear. The name Lin Chen was now the most respected, and most feared, in the entire Lin Family.
The Clan Leader slowly stood up, his face complex, but his eyes filled with unconcealed amazement. He took a deep breath, and announced in a loud voice that echoed across the martial ground.
"Lin Chen wins the duel! From today onward, he is the number one genius of the Lin Family, and the only supreme core disciple of the clan! He will receive the highest level of resources, and full access to all the clan's treasures and techniques!"
The crowd erupted into a deafening cheer. This time, it was for Lin Chen.
Lin Chen turned and walked off the stage, his steps steady and confident. As he walked, the crowd automatically made way for him, bowing deeply as he passed.
He knew that this was just another step on his path. The Lin Family was just a small starting point. The outside world, the other powerful clans, the immortal sects, the higher realms—all of them were still ahead of him.
But with the Supreme Sign-In System, nothing could stop him.
Every day, he would grow stronger.
Every sign-in would push him closer to the peak.
Before long, the entire world would tremble at the name of Lin Chen.
His journey from trash to Immortal Emperor had only just begun.