"That’s true. Lin Minghao is far too petty; talking to him would be useless," Lin Mingye proposed. "How about I speak with Uncle Shouzhi? Lin Minghao would have to defer to him. Or you could ask the Third Branch elders to step in?"
’Ask the Third Branch elders?’
The thought flashed through Lin Yan’s mind, but he immediately dismissed it.
When he had faced the Water Bandit Alliance, it was because of a True Gang Realm Powerhouse he couldn’t defeat. It had also been a way to test his standing in the eyes of the Third Branch elders.
But to run to the elders now over a squabble with a peer would be like a child crying to their parents after losing a fight.
"If I recall correctly, the clan doesn’t prohibit challenges between its members."
"They don’t just allow it; they encourage it." Lin Mingye paused, his expression turning serious. "Are you going to challenge Lin Minghao? Lin Yan, even though you’ve reached the Blood Exchange Second Transformation, Lin Minghao achieved that level years ago. You have Sword Gang, but he has also cultivated Saber Gang. There’s no guarantee you’ll win."
Lin Yan just smiled. "Who said I was going to challenge Lin Minghao? He is my elder. How could I disrespect him?"
"If you’re not challenging Lin Minghao, then who..."
"I’m going to challenge Lin Xiao."
Lin Mingye’s mouth fell open. It was a long moment before he could close it.
’Lin Yan challenging Lin Xiao?’
’What’s the difference between that and Uncle Qi challenging an ordinary True Gang Realm elder with a spear?’
It was a completely one-sided beatdown.
And yet, both were from branch families, making their statuses equal.
If Lin Yan issued a challenge, Lin Xiao would find it very difficult to refuse. To do so would be a massive loss of face.
"So you plan to challenge him on the grounds that you’re ’fellow branch clan members’?"
"During the last branch family tournament, I was unfortunately unable to cross swords with Brother Lin Xiao. This has been a great regret of mine, so I have come seeking his guidance."
Lin Mingye: "..."
In the last branch family tournament, Lin Yan had taken first place. Even though he hadn’t fought Lin Xiao, the Fifth Branch hadn’t objected. They must have known Lin Xiao was no match for Lin Yan, and Lin Xiao himself had accepted the outcome.
For Lin Yan to use this as his reason to challenge Lin Xiao now... it was a move designed not just to defeat him, but to utterly crush his spirit.
He offered a moment of silent pity for Lin Xiao. Of all the people to cross, he had to become Lin Minghao’s pawn and make an enemy of Lin Yan.
If he refused the challenge, he’d be utterly disgraced.
If he accepted, he’d just suffer an even more brutal defeat on the Combat Platform.
"I’ll go speak with Uncle Shouzhi for you. Leaving for three to five days shouldn’t be a problem."
According to the rules, one couldn’t abandon the mission to guard the East River without cause. But since Lin Shouzhi was the one in charge, as long as he didn’t make an issue of it, the clan wouldn’t care either.
"Then I’ll have to trouble you."
Lin Yan didn’t stand on ceremony. He knew Uncle Shouzhi would grant him leave if he asked himself, but it would be far more effective if Mingye were the one to ask.
In a way, owing a favor was also a method of strengthening a relationship.
「The Lake Fishery.」
A few fishing boats bobbed lazily by the shore. Fishermen squatted in twos and threes on the bows; no one cast their nets, and no one called out. A suppressive atmosphere filled the air, like the heavy calm before a storm.
For days on end, their superiors had subjected them to all sorts of questioning. They’d even had to confess to things as trivial as sneaking a few worthless fish home to make soup for their children.
"What do you think is going on? The main family is so powerful and their enterprise so vast, why are they investigating such trivial matters?"
"Who keeps books this way? We have to weigh them *and* record the exact number of fish. Isn’t this just making more work for us for no reason?"
"Keep your voices down. I heard the one who came from the main family is at odds with the Bai Family and is just deliberately looking for trouble. For us small folk, it’s best to just do our jobs. The squabbles of great figures have nothing to do with us."
One of the more well-informed fishermen jutted his chin toward a nearby courtyard.
Lin Xiao’s voice drifted out from the courtyard.
"These books are a complete mess. Do them again. Within three days, I want to see perfectly clear accounts. The destination of every single catch must be specified—and not just the rare fish, but the common ones too. I want to know which shops they were sold to, who handled the transaction, and which vault the silver coins went into. Anything that isn’t perfectly clear will be treated as embezzlement."
Lin Xiao pinched a ledger between his fingers. He casually flipped through a couple of pages before tossing it onto the table. His tone was light, but it dripped with an arrogance that permitted no argument.
Bai Feng stood to one side, his hands clenched into tight fists, his knuckles white.
Bai Ruo stood beside him, her simple white robes as pure as snow. Her waist was slender, and her jet-black hair flowed like a waterfall.
Her face was expressionless, but she gave her older brother a slight shake of her head, signaling him not to argue with Lin Xiao and to just endure for now.
"What is it? Does Young Master Bai have an objection?"
Lin Xiao’s gaze fell on Bai Feng, but Bai Ruo gently placed a hand on her brother’s arm. A light smile remained on her face. "You jest, Young Master Lin Xiao. Since you are unsatisfied with these ledgers, we of the Bai Family will simply rewrite them."
"That would be best. Don’t think you can disrespect me just because you have Lin Yan backing you. It would be useless even if Lin Yan himself came here today."
He spat out the name "Lin Yan," his voice full of contempt.
"Brother Lin Xiao is right."
A calm voice drifted in from the entrance.
Lin Xiao’s smile froze on his face. He shot up from his armchair, almost by reflex, and whipped his head toward the courtyard gate. There, he saw a figure in white strolling in at a leisurely pace.
Lin Yan was dressed in white, the Abyssal Sword hanging at his waist. His expression was placid as his indifferent gaze fell upon him.
"Lin... Lin Yan?"
Lin Xiao’s voice jumped an octave. A flicker of panic showed in his eyes before he forced himself to regain his composure.
’So what if Lin Yan is here? Everything I’ve done has been by the book.’
’If he dares to lay a hand on me, I’ll report him to the clan. That’ll be enough to put him in a world of hurt.’
"Young Master Lin Yan."
The moment Bai Ruo saw Lin Yan, her almond-shaped eyes instantly brightened, like a still lake stirred by a stone, sending out shimmering ripples of light.

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