Ding!
[Those without envy are mediocre. Unexpectedly, the host has just arrived at the Lin family of the Horn Constellation Realm, yet has already fallen into such a massive crisis.]
[The Huang, He, Lu, and even the Lin families—all have chosen to target the host.]
[Among these four great families, the He family is rather ordinary, but the Huang, Lu, and Lin families have grown rapidly over the past 500 years.]
[At present, they possess numerous Refining God and Yang God experts. Their numbers are vast, and their collective strength poses a significant threat to the host.]
[Activating mission selection: Option 1, the host flees from the Lin family—reward: One-Star Crimson Dragon Fist Domain. Option 2, the host faces these families without being defeated—reward: Two-Star Crimson Dragon Fist Domain. Option 3, the host suppresses all these forces—reward: Three-Star Crimson Dragon Fist Domain.]
[Note: This task is extremely difficult. Please choose carefully.]
"Option three," Yang Cheng said silently in his mind.
At the Lin family gate, a middle-aged man in a silver-cloud patterned robe stepped inside. His frame was lean, almost thin, yet his presence filled the space with quiet pressure.
His calm gaze swept across the hall, and even powerhouses like Lu Canglan and Huang Guinian—both Yin God experts—felt an involuntary chill creep down their spines.
"Elder Yu, I never imagined that my humble birthday banquet could draw someone like you. What an immense honor for me and my Lin family! Your arrival truly brings brilliance to our home!"
Lin Xiaotian was the first to react, excitement blooming across his face as he hurried forward with almost obsequious enthusiasm.
His heart leapt with joy. For an elder of the White Fish Society to personally attend—this was unprecedented glory for the Lin family.
Huang Guinian, Lu Canglan, and He Rongping all quickly set aside their hostility toward Yang Cheng. They replaced it with polite, even fawning smiles as they stepped forward to greet the newcomer.
After all, the White Fish Society was a power so high above them that they could only look up in awe.
Elder Yu Zhongxu met their flattery with a faint, detached smile. His calm demeanor carried a subtle air of superiority that was neither intentional nor dismissive—simply the natural bearing of someone standing far above worldly matters.
"Brother Lin, no need for such courtesy," he said. "Our President holds you in high regard. I came here today on his behalf, to wish you a happy birthday."
Hearing that, Lin Xiaotian's face flushed with pride. The old man almost looked decades younger as he repeatedly said, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! It's already a blessing beyond measure that your President would think of me. Elder Yu, please, take the seat of honor!"
He hurriedly stepped aside to lead the way, treating the man as if he were royalty.
Yu Zhongxu walked at an easy pace, smiling faintly as he spoke. "Brother Lin, I must say—you're quite fortunate."
Lin Xiaotian froze for a second, puzzled but still smiling. "Oh? What makes Elder Yu say that?"
"Heh."
Yu Zhongxu stroked his beard with a knowing smile. "Your granddaughter happens to be the personal attendant of His Highness Yang Cheng. That's what I'd call a blessing falling straight from the heavens, no?"
The entire banquet hall fell eerily silent.
Lin Xiaotian's expression stiffened completely, frozen as if time had stopped. Shock filled his eyes, as though his mind had failed to process what he just heard.
Even the respectful smiles on Huang Guinian, Lu Canglan, and the others began to fade, replaced by bewilderment and disbelief.
Lin Hui's jaw dropped. He thought he must have misheard.
"E-Elder Yu, surely you're joking," Lin Xiaotian said awkwardly, his face twitching. "For a child of our Lin family to become someone's servant—how could that possibly be called a blessing?"
He truly didn't understand Yu Zhongxu's words. In fact, he began to suspect the elder was mocking the Lin family.
But Yu Zhongxu's smile slowly disappeared. His sharp gaze flickered with something like disappointment as he caught the faint trace of disdain and humiliation in Lin Xiaotian's tone.
Yu Zhongxu's brows furrowed slightly. A trace of disbelief flashed through his eyes, as if he had just witnessed something utterly foolish. "Oh? Brother Lin, do you not realize that simply having a granddaughter like Lin Shu is already an immense blessing?"
"This…"
Lin Xiaotian froze, his throat tightening. He opened his mouth but couldn't find any words to respond.
Blessing?
A granddaughter who served as a maid to some boy from the Wasteland Realm—how could that possibly be called a blessing?
Behind him, the Lin family members, including Lin Hui, looked equally dumbfounded and confused.
"Of course, they wouldn't see it as a blessing."
A cool voice, laced with faint sarcasm, broke the silence. Lin Shu met Yu Zhongxu's gaze calmly and said, "In their eyes, that's not a blessing at all. It's a disgrace to the Lin family."
Yu Zhongxu turned toward the source of the voice. His eyes landed on Lin Shu and Yang Cheng, and at that moment, he seemed to suddenly understand everything.
His expression shifted instantly. The detached calm on his face vanished, replaced by a genuine, warm smile—one far more respectful than the one he'd given Lin Xiaotian earlier. He even inclined his head slightly, his tone carrying a rare hint of reverence. "Your Highness Yang Cheng, so you are here as well?"
The entire hall went dead silent.
It felt as though a heavy hammer had slammed into everyone's chest.
Lin Xiaotian's eyes went wide, nearly bulging out of their sockets. He couldn't believe what he was seeing or hearing.
Yu Zhongxu—the Third Elder of the White Fish Society—a man whose mere presence could shake the entire Southern Region, was now addressing Yang Cheng with such deference, even using the honorific "Your Highness"?
Lin Xiaotian instinctively blurted out, almost desperately trying to explain, perhaps even to convince himself, "Elder Yu, there must be some misunderstanding. This Yang Cheng, he's just the crown prince of a small, primitive empire in the Wasteland Realm. Talented, yes, but still—"
"Primitive empire? Crown prince?"
Yu Zhongxu's smile disappeared in an instant. He cut Lin Xiaotian off mid-sentence, his voice suddenly sharp and cold. His gaze carried the weight of frost. "Lin Xiaotian, I do not need you to tell me who His Highness Yang Cheng is. I know far better than you the worth of His Highness's identity—and his standing."
The stern rebuke hit Lin Xiaotian like a bucket of icy water. His entire body went cold, and the color drained from his face.
Yu Zhongxu's abrupt and complete change in attitude left him utterly dazed.
Ignoring the trembling Lin Xiaotian, Yu Zhongxu turned back toward Yang Cheng. His face softened once more, returning to a smile of genuine respect. "Your Highness, our President holds you in the highest esteem. He often speaks of you. He once said that if Your Highness ever has the time, you are always welcome at the White Fish Society. He would personally clear a place of honor and brew tea to discuss the Dao with you."
Yang Cheng's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. He nodded slightly, speaking casually, "Seems that Dongfang Sheng has been talking about me quite a bit among your people."
"Dongfang Sheng? The Young Master of the White Fish Society, Dongfang Sheng!"
That name exploded in the hall like a thunderclap.
Lu Canglan, Huang Guinian, and the others all went pale. Their eyes snapped toward Yang Cheng, filled with disbelief and awe.
He had just referred to the Young Master of the White Fish Society as "that kid"?
And from his tone, it didn't sound like casual familiarity—it was the way an elder might speak of a younger peer.
Yu Zhongxu, however, showed not the slightest hint of offense. Instead, his smile deepened, and his tone grew even more respectful. "Indeed, that is the case. If not for the Young Master frequently speaking of Your Highness's brilliance and remarkable feats, we might have been like certain others—narrow-sighted and ignorant—mistaking a priceless gem for a worthless pebble."
"Mistaking a gem for a pebble."
The final words struck like thunder from the heavens, crashing through the silent hall with unstoppable force.
Lin Xiaotian's lips trembled visibly, and a sense of dread rose in his chest.
This birthday banquet he had so proudly arranged, the supposed moment for the Lin family to elevate their standing, had become a complete mockery.
The granddaughter he saw as his family's humiliation—Lin Shu—had, in truth, been their greatest blessing.
And he himself, along with his entire Lin family, had become, in Yu Zhongxu's eyes, nothing more than blind fools who couldn't recognize a true treasure even when it stood before them.