Chapter 34: The Lin Family

He glanced at He Shi’an, and He Shi’an shrugged.

Lu Fengmian said, “Please come in.”

A moment later, a figure appeared at the door.

It was an old man.

He wore a dark gray robe, with white hair and a white beard, and his eyes revealed the steady dignity unique to one who had long stood in a high position.

Though he was slightly stooped, his steps were steady and forceful. When he entered, he bowed slightly, his manner refined and courteous.

“This old man is Uncle Lin. Sorry for the disturbance; I ask the two young masters for your understanding.”

He lifted his head and swept his gaze across the room.

When he clearly saw He Shi’an’s face, he visibly froze.

“Young Master He?” the old man blurted out, a trace of surprise in his tone.

He Shi’an leaned against the back of the chair, a spirit fruit in hand. Hearing this, he merely raised a brow, his attitude neither warm nor cold. “Uncle Lin.”

Uncle Lin’s expression instantly became subtle.

He looked at He Shi’an, then at the calm and composed Lu Fengmian beside him, as though quickly calculating something.

After a moment, he gave a light cough and said to He Shi’an, “Young Master He, regarding the bidding just now, this old man takes the liberty of asking: was it you who placed the bid?”

He Shi’an frowned slightly. “What do you mean by that?”

Uncle Lin smiled, with a trace of craftiness in that smile. “Young Master He, please don’t take offense. This old man merely thinks that since the Lin'an Chamber of Commerce is, after all, your family’s business, for you to personally step in and drive up the price is, more or less...”

He did not finish the sentence, but the meaning was very clear.

He suspected He Shi’an of maliciously raising the price at his own family’s auction house.

He Shi’an’s expression darkened instantly.

He gave a cold laugh and tossed the spirit fruit back onto the tray.

“Uncle Lin, I don’t like that way of speaking,” his voice carried obvious chill. “Even if I, He Shi’an, were stupid, I still wouldn’t use such despicable methods. The one who bid just now was my Senior Brother. I merely came along with him.”

Uncle Lin was startled and turned to look at Lu Fengmian.

Senior Brother?

He had originally thought this person was only one of He Shi’an’s fellow disciples, but on closer inspection, he found that this young man was calm and self-possessed.

But at the time, he was only a young man standing at the Golden Core stage.

Uncle Lin made his judgment, though his face remained expressionless. He turned toward Lu Fengmian and cupped his hands.

“Young Master, this old man has been too presumptuous. To speak plainly, my young lady is determined to obtain that sword seal. If you are willing to give it up, I am willing to exchange it for a treasure of equal value, or Young Master may name a price and we can discuss it further?”

Lu Fengmian raised his eyes to look at him.

“Not for trade.”

Uncle Lin froze. “Young Master, this old man hasn’t even said what the treasure is yet.”

“I would never exchange it for any treasure,” Lu Fengmian said firmly. “This sword seal is extremely important to me. I absolutely will not give it up.”

The smile on Uncle Lin’s face gradually disappeared.

“Young Master, this old man advises you: some things are not meant for just anyone to possess. If harmony is damaged over a single magical treasure, then when traveling the cultivation world in the future, I fear things may become rather inconvenient.”

The wording was polite, but the threat in it was already very obvious.

Lu Fengmian did not respond.

He reached toward his waist, removed a token, and lightly placed it on the tea table beside him.

The token was entirely deep green. On the front was carved a striking “Ling” character, and on the back was a faint cloud-pattern design.

Uncle Lin lowered his head, and his expression changed instantly.

The Lingyun Sect sect master’s token.

Only the direct disciple of the Lingyun Sect’s sect master could possess such an item.

Recently, the matter that had caused a sensation in the cultivation world was that Venerable Lingxuan had finally accepted a disciple.

He had thought it was only a rumor.

He had not expected to run into him here.

“Uncle Lin,” Lu Fengmian’s tone remained gentle, “This junior bears no grudge against the Lin family, nor does he intend to make enemies. But this sword seal truly cannot be given up. Please leave first.”

Uncle Lin opened his mouth, only to discover that he could not say a single word.

After a long silence, he finally let out a heavy sigh.

He bowed deeply to Lu Fengmian, and his voice no longer carried the oily sharpness from before.

“It is this old man who failed to recognize your greatness and offended Young Master. I shall take my leave.”

He turned and walked out the door with somewhat unsteady steps.

The door closed gently, and the sound of footsteps gradually faded.

The room fell silent once more.

Lu Fengmian lowered his head to look at the token in his hand and raised a brow slightly.

He had not expected this token to actually come in handy.

He had originally thought that the main purpose of the thing his master had given him was merely to make it convenient to enter and leave the various parts of the sect.

He picked up the token and spun it between his fingers.

“This thing is really that useful?”

Seeing his expression of

“I didn’t expect that either,”

the corner of He Shi’an’s mouth twitched.

“Senior Brother,” he endured it, but in the end still could not hold back, “You can’t possibly not know what this token represents, right?”

Lu Fengmian thought about it, then answered honestly, “I thought it was just a sect key.”

He Shi’an: “...”

He silently covered his face.

Senior Brother, you really were...Like this. .

As long as you were happy, that was enough.

“Right,” Lu Fengmian put away the token and looked at He Shi’an, “Who is Uncle Lin?”

He Shi’an lowered his hand, and the expression on his face cooled slightly.

“A member of the Lin family. The Lin family is a cultivation clan,” he said, the distance in his tone completely undisguised. “The person next door is most likely the Lin family’s eldest young lady, Lin Xiangfeng.”

He pressed his lips together.

“Every time she comes to the council hall, she’s only here to send money to my family. The Lin family was already rich to begin with, and she lacks nothing. But I just don’t like her.”

Lu Fengmian raised a brow.

“Why?”

He Shi’an wrinkled his nose and muttered, “It’s not that she’s bad. She’s the most capable person of the Lin family’s generation. But the way she looks at everyone is like she’s looking down on them, and I simply don’t want to talk to her.”

Lu Fengmian recalled that woman’s voice from earlier and the old man’s attitude.

They were indeed quite arrogant.

But in this round, he had won.

A moment later, there was another knock at the door.

This time, it was someone from the hall delivering the sword seal.

Leading them was the auctioneer from earlier, Su Jinxiu, followed by four attendants carefully carrying an ancient bronze coffin.

She bowed and gestured for the attendants to place the coffin on the side table.

“The sword seal is here. Please inspect it, Young Master.”

Lu Fengmian nodded and reached out to lift the lid.

A vast and ancient sword intent instantly rushed toward him.

Inside the box, that green jade sword seal lay there quietly, covered in cracks. Yet the light radiating from deep within those cracks was like sleeping fire, ready to ignite again at any moment.

Lu Fengmian looked at it and slowly extended his hand.

At that moment, he seemed to hear the ring of a sword, like an echo coming from the ancient past.

His sword intent trembled slightly, as though drawn by something, wanting to burst forth from within his body.

Lu Fengmian closed his eyes, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and lowered his eyelids.

This was real.

This sword seal truly contained the lingering remnant of an ancient powerhouse’s sword intent.

He closed the ancient coffin and nodded to Su Jinxiu. “Confirmed.”

Su Jinxiu’s smile deepened slightly. “Many thanks, Young Master. As for the payment in spirit stones...?”

“I’ll pay now.”

She was slightly startled, then nodded. “Very well. Young Master, please wait a moment while I handle it for you.”

She took out a pure white jade slip and held it in both hands.

Lu Fengmian took it, his mind full of thoughts.

Within his sea of consciousness, the System’s voice sounded:

【Confirming payment...】

【Payment completed. One hundred million spirit stones have been transferred.】

Seeing Lu Fengmian pay so decisively, Su Jinxiu could not help marveling inwardly: as expected of someone brought here by that young master.

“The transaction is complete. The sword seal now belongs to Young Master. May your dao path be smooth and unimpeded.”

After saying that, she led the attendants out of the private room and gently closed the door.

He Shi’an leaned closer and looked curiously at the stone box. “Senior Brother, is this sword seal really that powerful?”

Lu Fengmian did not answer.

He did not know whether it was powerful.

He only knew—Junior Sister Yun’s sword bone could be preserved.