Lin He and Lin Hao were good friends, having met at the Lin Family headquarters. Their relationship had always been very close.
"What's wrong?" Lin Hao didn't understand why Lin He suddenly said such things.
"You beat up Lin Kuan yesterday. Aren't you afraid of his older brother, Lin Tao?" Lin He poured a cup of water, drank it, and then said.
"What if I'm afraid? What if I'm not?" Lin Hao shrugged, his face calm.
"Heh... I like your masochistic personality. You probably don't know, but Lin Tao challenged an outer gate elite disciple the day before yesterday evening and won in just three moves. He's now ranked eighth in the outer gate. You should be careful," Lin He warned.
Lin Hao wasn't worried about this. After all, this was the Lin Family headquarters, and no one would dare cause big trouble here.
"By the way, I went to Fenglin Town yesterday to take revenge for you. I crippled Lin Tong, and I also gave his father, Lin Zhan, a good lesson." Lin He couldn't help but feel a cold sweat when he remembered how Lin Hao complained to Elder Lin Chen.
This time, Lin Hao had offended quite a few people, and the main culprit was Lin Zhan and others. Lin He, unable to bear it, specially went to Fenglin Town.
"They have already been expelled from the Lin Family branch. Even if you kill them all, the headquarters won't punish you," Lin Hao said with a smile.
"Are you telling me to go kill people? I won't do that... By the way, I came to tell you that the outer gate ranking tournament will start in half a month. Are you going to participate?" He knew that Lin Hao's lin gen (spirit root) was already broken and was somewhat worried.
"Of course, I obtained a Lin Gen Reshape Pill, and my spirit root has been repaired. You don't need to worry about me," Lin Hao, knowing what Lin He was thinking, said with a light laugh.
"Lin Gen Reshape Pill?! That's a Fourth Rank Earth Treasure Pill! The headquarters treats you so well?" Lin He was shocked, believing that the headquarters had found the Lin Gen Reshape Pill for Lin Hao.
The 'Lin Gen Reshape Pill' is only available in major forces that have reached the First Heaven. The four major families in Liuyun City absolutely do not have such a treasure pill.
"This must have been bought at a high price from a First Heaven force... The Lin Family is so concerned about us ordinary outer gate disciples, which is unbelievable." Seeing that Lin Hao didn't speak, Lin He was even more convinced of his thoughts.
"You don't need to ask more. The spirit root has been repaired, which is a fortunate thing. Let's go collect our stipend," Lin Hao waved his hand to stop Lin He's incessant chatter.
Today, the Lin Family was distributing stipends to the outer gate disciples, which included ten silver taels and ten 'Gong Ling Dan' (Spirit Consolidation Pills).
Even a small amount is still something, and Lin Hao naturally wouldn't miss it.
The two walked out of the bamboo garden and headed toward the back yard together.
On the way, some outer gate disciples looked at Lin Hao with strange expressions, even deliberately keeping their distance.
Seeing this, Lin Hao was puzzled.
However, Lin He's explanation made him realize the reason.
Since Lin Hao reported the Grand Steward to the elder, no one wanted to have any interaction with him.
Although the Grand Steward wouldn't make things difficult for Lin Hao in the Lin Family, some outer gate elite disciples had connections with the Grand Steward and could attack Lin Hao at any time.
"Lin He, aren't you afraid that someone will cause trouble for you if you stay with me?" Lin Hao looked at Lin He and said softly.
"Haha... I'm scared to death. Because of my fear, I went to Fenglin Town yesterday and gave the Grand Steward's brother, Lin Zhan, and his nephew, Lin Tong, a good lesson," Lin He laughed exaggeratedly.
Hearing this, Lin Hao felt somewhat comforted.
He and Lin He had known each other for a long time and knew that Lin He was a generous and righteous person.
...
Soon, everyone arrived at the inner courtyard, waiting for the distribution of stipends.
Although ten silver taels were not much, the ten Second Rank Earth 'Gong Ling Dan' were extremely valuable, greatly aiding the cultivation of martial artists.
"Lin Tao is here."
"Outer gate top eight... Lin Kuan's older brother, Lin Tao..."
Many ordinary outer gate disciples came from various towns and counties, and many had never seen outer gate elite disciples, but they had heard of their names.
Like Lin Tao, known as the 'Soul Breaker Prince,' who was extremely powerful.
Lin Yan'er stood to the side, her gaze falling on Lin Hao, then on Lin Tao.
"Brother... It's him!" Suddenly, the black-clothed fat man following Lin Tao shouted angrily.
Hearing this, Lin Tao's expression was indifferent, and he glanced at Lin Hao with the corner of his eye.
"Is he the Lin Hao who was beaten and had his spirit root broken for flirting with the Luo family's young lady?" Lin Tao said coldly.
"Yes! He's that waste of a person!" Lin Kuan nodded repeatedly.
However, whether Lin Hao was really beaten and had his spirit root broken for flirting with the Luo family's young lady, Lin Kuan didn't know. The story of Lin Hao's spirit root being broken in the sect world had many versions.
...
Lin Tao gave Lin Kuan a strange look and suddenly sneered, "If he's a waste, what are you? Even worse than a waste?"
Hearing this, Lin Kuan's face changed drastically.
Lin Kuan was indeed worse than a waste after being defeated by Lin Hao yesterday.
"Lin Kuan, go and give Lin Hao a few slaps." Seeing Lin Kuan's confusion, Lin Tao sneered.
"Brother... This..." Lin Kuan was hesitant. He had been severely beaten by Lin Hao yesterday and knew he wasn't Lin Hao's match.
"What, do you think he will dare to fight back?" Lin Tao's lips curled up slightly.
"Alright!" Lin Kuan wasn't stupid and quickly understood his brother's meaning. With his brother backing him up, how could Lin Hao dare to fight back?!
At this moment, the outer gate disciples present looked at each other, thinking that Lin Hao was in for a bad day.
Lin Kuan took a few steps forward, walked up to Lin Hao, and sneered, "Lin Hao, you're still acting so cocky!"
Saying this, Lin Kuan raised his right arm, turning his fist into a palm.
With a whoosh, a sound of breaking air came, and Lin Kuan's palm fiercely slapped toward Lin Hao.
Slap!
A crisp sound echoed.
Lin He was about to stand up for Lin Hao, but he saw Lin Hao intercept Lin Kuan's palm in an instant.
Lin Hao's face was expressionless, his aura as cold as a thousand-year-old ice. When Lin Hao glanced at him, Lin Kuan felt a chill run through his body.
"You dare to fight back!" Lin Kuan, feeling somewhat guilty under Lin Hao's gaze, but remembering his brother was still there, immediately regained his confidence and shouted.
"Get lost!" Lin Hao exerted force with his right arm, ignoring Lin Tao's venomous gaze, and threw Lin Kuan away forcefully.
Everyone saw Lin Kuan's fat body fly through the air, drawing an arc, and then crash heavily to the ground.
Seeing this, everyone was secretly shocked.
They didn't know why Lin Hao's courage had grown so much. With Lin Tao right there, he dared to fight back against Lin Kuan!
"Lin Hao, this nobody, dares to be so arrogant. He's in for a bad day today!"
"In the outer gate rankings, Lin Hao is ranked 93, and Lin Kuan is ranked 98... but Lin Tao is in the top eight!"
The disciples whispered among themselves, with many doubts. They had heard that Lin Hao's spirit root had been broken in the sect world, but they didn't know if it was true. If it was true, how could Lin Hao still defeat Lin Kuan?
Some even suspected that Lin Hao had never been to the sect world, thinking it was all a trick to gain fame...
Lin Kuan got up, staggered to Lin Tao, and said with a pained expression, "Brother... This waste's spirit root doesn't seem to be broken at all!"
"Heh heh... If he's a waste, what are you?" Lin Tao sneered, "Never call your opponent a waste. If you win, you only win against a waste, but if you lose, you're even worse than a waste."
Hearing this, Lin Kuan's face turned extremely ugly. Being called worse than a waste by his brother, he was angry but dared not speak back.
...
"Lin Hao... you're very good." At this moment, Lin Tao's face was as cold as ice, and he walked toward Lin Hao.
With each step Lin Tao took, an endless pressure came, like a dragon or a tiger!
By the fourth step, his spirit and energy had reached their peak, terrifyingly so!
"Second Gate... Sixth Rank Spirit Body!" Many outer gate disciples were shocked by Lin Tao's strength.
The strength of the disciples present was generally between the Second and Third Rank Spirit Body, but Lin Tao's aura had already reached the Sixth Rank!
Lin Hao's eyebrows raised. His spirit root had just been repaired, and he hadn't had time to rebuild the gates. Lin Tao's aura indeed put some pressure on him.
In the distance, Lin Bai and Lin Yan'er walked over. Seeing Lin Tao's strong aura, Lin Bai was somewhat anxious and wanted to step forward to stop him.
However, he was stopped by Lin Yan'er before he could take two steps.
"Do you want to offend Lin Tao for Lin Hao?" Lin Yan'er said without waiting for Lin Bai to speak.
"Yan'er, weren't you and Lin Hao close friends back then?" Lin Bai was somewhat puzzled.
A cold smile appeared on Lin Yan'er's lips, but she didn't say anything.
Back then was back then. Now, Lin Hao and she were in completely different worlds and had no need for any interaction.
"What's all the noise about?"
Suddenly, a cold voice came from the inner hall, and a middle-aged man walked out.
"Pay respects to Lord Lin Ye!" Seeing the man, the disciples present bowed.
Lin Ye was the son of Elder Lin Chen, a noble figure and a candidate for elder, not inferior to the Grand Steward.
Lin Tao immediately retracted his aura, not daring to act rashly in front of Lin Ye.
"Everyone, come in to collect your stipends." Lin Ye glanced at Lin Hao and Lin Tao and then returned to the inner hall.
"Lin Hao, things are not the same as before. Some people can't be provoked... You should find a patron, or the Lin Family might not have a place for you." After Lin Hao collected his stipend and was about to leave, he heard Lin Yan'er's voice.
...
"Huh, didn't Lin Yan'er and Lin Hao have a very good relationship in the past? I remember they often practiced together on the training ground. Why would Lin Yan'er say such things to Lin Hao today?"
"Hehe, what's strange about that? Lin Yan'er's patron is now Lin Wuxin, who is a core disciple in the Hundred Refinements Mountain Range and has a very good relationship with the Grand Steward's son, Lin Xiurui."
"Lin Xiurui... a core disciple in the Hundred Refinements Mountain Range?!"
"That's right. The Lin Family's core disciples are all in the manor in the Hundred Refinements Mountain Range. Only core disciples have the资格 to enter the manor. Imagine, with Lin Yan'er relying on Lin Wuxin, she has benefited greatly, her strength has improved rapidly, and her standards have become very high. Now, how could she look at Lin Hao, a nobody?"
Seeing Lin Hao leave the inner hall without a word, a few informed disciples discussed.