The initial joy vanished in an instant. The message from the main family made it clear—they were being sent to their deaths.
Back when the Chen Family was dealt with, many of those involved had already passed, but quite a few were still alive. Add to that those who had personally acted against the Liu Family—if all of them were to die, the Qingshui Lin Family would lose at least half its members.
Most crucially, all three elders of the Qingshui Lin Family had participated in the attack on the Chen Family back then. This was a direct strike at the foundation of their family. How could they possibly accept this?
The Lin Family patriarch, Lin Xiong, wore a grave expression, while the three elders furrowed their brows in deep thought. Though the main family hadn’t explicitly stated what would happen if they went, even a fool could guess why they were being summoned.
"Are Chen Chang'an and Gu Xian'er truly so formidable?"
"Even after our ancestor has broken through to the Immortal Realm, must he still obey their demands?"
"This… it can’t be Gu Xian'er. It must be Chen Chang'an."
"Just who is he? Even our ancestor dares not provoke him?"
Lin Xiong was filled with regret. No matter how he calculated, he never could have predicted that the Chen Family of the past would produce someone like Chen Chang'an.
But now, he understood clearly—even if he didn’t seek Chen Chang'an out, the man would come for them. After all, his arrival in Langya was solely for the events of the past.
"This is the ancestor’s decree. What? Do you intend to defy him?"
"We wouldn’t dare, but—"
"The ancestor has already done his best to preserve our foundation. Do you truly believe there would be any other outcome?"
"Don’t try to scheme your way out of this, or even the ancestor won’t be able to save you."
Hearing this, Lin Xiong felt utterly powerless. If even the ancestor couldn’t save them, was the Qingshui Lin Family branch truly doomed to decline?
"Elders, what should we—?"
Helpless, Lin Xiong could only turn to the three elders, as the final decision rested with them.
At this moment, the faces of the three elders were dark with fury. Having fought their way to their current status and achievements, how could they willingly march to their deaths?
Exchanging glances, they saw the same resolve reflected in each other’s eyes.
"Rebel?"
"Rebel!"
Their expressions hardened, and without hesitation, they struck at the envoy from the main family.
The rest of the Qingshui Lin Family watched in shock. Had the elders gone mad?
Even if the ancestor hadn’t broken through to the Immortal Realm, this act alone was suicidal.
The envoy from the main family was equally stunned—they never imagined the Qingshui Lin Family would actually dare to rebel!
Caught off guard, the envoy stood no chance against the combined assault of three Void Comprehension Realm experts and was instantly slain.
"Elders! What—what have you done?"
"The main family will never let this go!" Lin Xiong cried out in panic.
"Fool!"
"Do you think any of us would survive if we went to Tianshui Lake?"
"Since death is certain either way, we might as well act decisively. At least this way, there’s a sliver of hope."
"But now, we must choose someone—one willing to sacrifice their life to buy time for the rest of us."
"Who among you… is willing?" the Grand Elder asked solemnly.
Sacrifice their life?
To die so the others of the Qingshui Lin Family could live?
"I’ll do it!"
"I volunteer as well!"
"Good! You do our Qingshui—no, from this day forth, we are simply the Lin Family, no longer the Qingshui Lin Family—proud."
"Lin Ruoheng, you will go. You’ve interacted with Gu Xian'er and even met Chen Chang'an once. You’re the most suitable."
Lin Ruoheng?
Though Lin Xiong had never been particularly satisfied with his son, blood was still blood. To send him to his death?
But this was the elders’ decision. Even if he objected, there was nothing he could do.
"Elders, for the sake of the Lin Family, Lin Ruoheng is willing to die. What must I do?"
"Chen Chang'an likely came to Langya for the Chen Family’s treasure."
"Though valuable, it’s not worth our lives. Take this orb and go alone to Tianshui Lake."
"Once you arrive, delay as long as you can. After you leave, we will abandon Qingshui and flee Langya altogether."
"The world is vast. I refuse to believe there’s no place left for us."
The three elders had already made their plans—escape was their only hope for survival.
Once they left Langya, the boundless expanse of the Central Heaven Domain would surely have a place to hide. No matter how powerful the main family was, they wouldn’t find them easily.
"Elders, rest assured. Lin Ruoheng will not fail in this duty."
"As the son of the Lin Family patriarch, this is the example I must set."
"I will not disappoint you."
Lin Ruoheng’s resolve even made Lin Xiong look at him in a new light. His son had truly grown.
"Good!"
"That’s the spirit of a true Lin Family man."
The Grand Elder walked up to Lin Ruoheng and gave him a heavy pat on the shoulder before handing over the pearl seized from the Chen Family.
"Delay breeds trouble. You must set off at once."
"Yes, Grand Elder."
Lin Ruoheng cast a deep glance at the members of the Lin Family before turning away without hesitation.
As they watched his retreating figure, the Lin Family members were filled with reluctance.
"Lin Xiong, you’ve raised a fine son. In the past… you were too harsh on him," the Grand Elder remarked with a sigh.
"Indeed. Perhaps I underestimated him all along. He is my pride," Lin Xiong replied, barely holding back his tears.
"Time waits for no one. We cannot let Lin Ruoheng sacrifice his life in vain."
"Only by surviving, by living well, can we truly repay him."
"You have half an hour to gather your belongings. We depart after that!"
"Yes, Grand Elder!"
While the Lin Family busied themselves preparing for their escape, Lin Ruoheng, now far away, turned back for one last look in the direction of his home.
Suddenly, his lips curled into a cold smirk. "Sending me to my death? You all deserve to die!"
"Why should I throw my life away when I have this treasure—one even the three elders couldn’t decipher?"
"Running alone is the safest choice."
"What a bunch of fools!"
"Father… forgive your unfilial son. For my sake… go ahead and die."
With a derisive laugh, Lin Ruoheng sprinted at full speed in the opposite direction of Tianshui Lake.
Tianshui Lake, Lin Family Residence
After sending his men away, Chen Chang'an waited quietly—though not idly.
"So, there’s been a change of plans?"
Noticing Da Huang’s alertness, Chen Chang'an set down his teacup and asked with a faint smile.
"The Qingshui Lin Family has rebelled!" Da Huang nodded and relayed everything he had sensed.
"What?"
"They dare rebel?"
Lin Xiangliu’s expression darkened momentarily before quickly regaining composure.
A cornered beast will fight back—such a turn of events wasn’t entirely unexpected.
"Lin Xiangliu, your family’s internal affairs are yours to handle."
"Da Huang will point you in the direction of their escape."
"As for me… I’ll go meet that clever little rat."
ave】 Shen Qingling was a man with peerless looks, a cunning mind, and the ability to play both the aloof noble and the innocent sweetheart—a master of seduction who could outplay any player. But after an untimely death, he found himself bound to a system and transmigrated into the tragic "true young master" of a melodramatic novel. In the original story, his childhood sweetheart treated him as a backup plan, his fiancée swore to break off their engagement for the sake of the "fake young master," and his own sister saw him as the family's disgrace. He was nothing more than a rat everyone wanted to stomp on. System 077: "Your mission is to change the original fate and conquer the goddesses." Shen Qingling: "Thanks for the invite. If seduction had tiers, I’d be max level." His childhood sweetheart knelt, begging for forgiveness: "Qingling, I was wrong. Please give me another chance." His ex-fiancée refused to marry anyone else: "Shen Qingling, I was blind before. In this life, I’ll marry no one but you." A yandere CEO went mad for love: "Shen Qingling, you can only like me. I’ll stop at nothing to make you mine!" His green-tea sister clung to him daily: "Brother, look at me, won’t you? I’m more obedient than them—I love you the most~" At first, they scorned and trampled on him. Later, they burned themselves like moths to a flame, all for his sake. His looks were his weapon, his sweet words the bait—heroines obsessed over him, villains turned to madness for him. Shen Qingling became a true male siren, igniting battlefield after battlefield of women fighting for his affection. Years later, when System 077—now one of the elites—was asked how to become as outstanding as it, it lazily exhaled a smoke ring and replied: "Just know how to cheer ‘666’ at the right time."
world slacker. But a genius female disciple just had to get clingy, insisting that he take her as a disciple. Not only that, she was always making advances on him, thoroughly disrupting his peaceful slacker life...
ey change clothes. Li Chuan contributed all his possessions, only to find that things were not as they seemed. Almost a year after joining, he hadn’t managed to get a single Daoist consort. Thinking he had been deceived, he was approached by a stunning senior fellow disciple who asked if he would like to form a spiritual bond. For those who don’t practice cultivation, they might not know what “forming a spiritual bond” is. Let me put it this way: A long-term relationship is called a “Daoist consort,” while a short-term relationship is known as “forming a spiritual bond.” From then on, Li Chuan discovered the true way to interact with the Yin-Yang Sect’s Daoist consorts. As long as he had enough spirit stones, he could form a spiritual bond with anyone, Whether it’s Senior Sisters, aunts, Daoist consorts of aunts, female elders, Daoist consorts of elders, or even the Daoist consort of the sect leader, anyone can form a spiritual bond as long as there are enough spirit stones.” I've already joined the Yin-Yang Sect, and you're telling me to focus on cultivation? Do you even know what the Yin-Yang Sect is all about?
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
