Chapter 7— Summoned by the Elders
Morning light filtered gently through the bamboo blinds of Lin Xian's courtyard. The golden kitten was sprawled on his lap, purring softly as Lin Xian read a worn scroll, his expression calm and unreadable.
A quiet knock came at the door.
> Tok tok tok.
Without looking up, Lin Xian said,
> "Come in."
The door slid open, and a tall man with streaks of silver in his hair stepped inside — Lin Yuan, his father. Though his robes were simple, his bearing held the quiet dignity of a man who had once been great but was long overshadowed by the clan's politics.
> "Father."
Lin Yuan nodded faintly, his gaze lingering on his son for a moment before he spoke.
> "You've been busy lately, Xian."
Lin Xian gave a small smile.
> "It seems the world decided not to let me rest."
Lin Yuan sighed, walking closer.
> "Word travels fast. They're saying you humiliated Tianhao in the courtyard yesterday."
> "He humiliated himself," Lin Xian replied lightly. "I merely gave him a gentle reminder."
Lin Yuan's lips twitched, suppressing a smile.
> "A gentle reminder, hmm? The boy coughed blood and hasn't come out of his room since."
> "Then perhaps it was an effective lesson."
For a brief moment, father and son shared the same faint amusement. Then Lin Yuan's tone turned serious.
> "But it's not just about Tianhao. The elders are restless. The night that star fell — too many saw you near the eastern forest. They're convinced you brought something back."
Lin Xian set the scroll aside, his gaze deepening.
> "They want to summon me."
Lin Yuan nodded slowly.
> "The head elder has called a council at noon. They say it's a formal inquiry, but…" He hesitated. "You know how they are. If they think you've gained something powerful, they'll use the clan's laws to take it."
The air between them grew heavy.
Lin Xian brushed the kitten's fur gently, his voice soft but edged.
> "They can try. But I won't hand over what's mine again."
Lin Yuan's eyes darkened with worry.
> "Xian… sometimes, restraint is the sharper blade. The Lin Clan may be flawed, but it's still your home — your sister's shelter. Don't make them your enemy too soon."
For a moment, Lin Xian said nothing. The golden kitten looked up, sensing the tension.
Then he rose, adjusting his robe.
> "I understand, Father. I'll be careful."
Lin Yuan nodded slowly, though doubt lingered in his eyes.
> "That's all I can ask. The elders are waiting in the main hall."
Before leaving, he paused at the door.
> "Your mother used to say… you always carried storms in your eyes. Just remember — even storms can bring rain, not just ruin."
Then he left.
---
The Lin Clan's great hall was solemn, its pillars carved with ancient runes of dragons and clouds. Incense smoke curled toward the high ceiling like silent witnesses to judgment.
Lin Xian stepped inside, his robes white as snow, the golden kitten perched quietly upon his shoulder.
Dozens of gazes followed him — some curious, some hostile.
At the front sat four elders, and at their center, the Great Elder Lin Wuji, father of Lin Tianhao. His aura, even at rest, carried the weight of a mountain.
> "Lin Xian," Wuji said, voice cold as winter frost. "You've stirred quite the commotion these past few days."
> "A fallen star, rumors of breakthroughs, fights in the courtyard… You seem intent on drawing the entire clan's eyes upon yourself."
Lin Xian clasped his hands and bowed politely.
> "The heavens decide where their light falls, Great Elder. I merely walk beneath it."
A ripple of restrained laughter spread among the elders. Wuji's gaze darkened.
> "So it is coincidence, then? You just happened to be near where a celestial treasure fell?"
> "Indeed," Lin Xian replied lightly. "If Heaven wanted to gift me something, should I have refused out of humility?"
The First Elder coughed to hide his grin.
Wuji's expression, however, froze.
> "You think sharp words make you clever? The clan cannot thrive on arrogance."
Lin Xian's calm tone sliced through the air.
> "Nor on envy, Elder."
The room stilled.
Even Lin Tianhao, standing beside his father, went pale.
The Great Elder's eyes narrowed dangerously.
> "Careful, boy."
The air thickened.
A wave of aura surged outward — invisible yet suffocating. The floor tiles groaned under the spiritual pressure of a Peak Spirit Foundation Realm expert.
Servants outside the hall staggered. Even the other elders frowned at the sudden release of power.
But Lin Xian stood firm.
His robes fluttered, his white hair rising slightly in the unseen wind. The kitten's fur bristled, letting out a low hiss — but Lin Xian raised his hand gently.
> "Stay."
Inside his body, the Heaven-Slaughter Nirvana Scripture roared to life.
Golden threads of qi flowed from his meridians, meeting the crushing pressure head-on.
His chest tightened. His veins trembled. Sweat beaded across his forehead.
But Lin Xian didn't move.
His white hair lifted slightly in the unseen wind, eyes calm — cold as a mirrored lake.
> "You dare pressure me with this meager cultivation…" he thought, his gaze turning faintly golden.
"When I once commanded stars to kneel, when I slew saints beneath the heavens... men like you weren't even qualified to polish my blade."
He forced the pressure down inch by inch, his gaze locking with Wuji's — calm, unwavering, divine light flickering faintly within his pupils.
> "Is this how the Great Elder shows his wisdom?" Lin Xian said at last, voice steady despite the weight pressing against him.
"Suppressing juniors… when logic fails?"
Wuji's hand trembled. The oppressive aura faltered slightly.
> "You—!"
Lin Xian took a slow breath, his words cutting like tempered steel.
> "If you truly believe I possess a treasure, then take it by force. But if you cannot, then perhaps… you should just keep quiet."
The air snapped as his qi flared outward — a pulse of invisible force that shattered the remnants of the elder's pressure.
A faint gust swept through the hall.
Lin Xian stood straight again, though sweat trailed down his temple. His breathing was steady, but his face was slightly pale.
The Great Elder blinked — eyes wide for the first time.
The boy he thought crippled had just broken through his suppression.
The silence was suffocating.
Finally, the First Elder spoke softly.
> "Enough. This is the clan's hall, not a dueling ground. Lin Xian, you may withdraw for now. The clan will… observe your progress."
Lin Xian bowed gracefully, concealing the exhaustion in his limbs.
> "Understood."
He turned to leave, the golden kitten leaping back to his shoulder. Its tail flicked once — and a tiny spark flew, landing near Wuji's robe hem before vanishing.
Lin Xian didn't look back.
"A Peak Spirit Foundation… and he dares glare at me?" he thought coldly.
"In my past life, I slew kings who could crush this hall with a breath."
The kitten meowed, as if agreeing with his arrogance.
He glanced down, a cool smile playing on his lips. "Even you can recognize true superiority, it seems."
And with that, he walked out beneath the morning light, calm and silent — leaving the great hall filled with whispers and the Great Elder's darkened, eyes.
In the Quiet of His Courtyard
Back in his courtyard, Lin Xian sat before a small wooden table, lost in thought.
The kitten batted at a dangling thread on his sleeve, meowing softly.
> "Even the clan pressures me," he murmured. "That's fine. Let them."
He reached out and placed his hand gently on the kitten's head.
>"All that matters is that I grow stronger. In the end, the one with the strongest fist decides what is truth."
His gaze turned toward the forest once more. The meteor site had drawn attention not only from the Lin Clan — but from outsiders. He could feel it.
> "If I were a scavenger, I'd send scouts by now," he whispered. "Which means…"
The kitten mewed again, as if understanding.
Lin Xian's lips curved faintly.
> "Yes, little one. It's time we pay that forest another visit."
He rose quietly, cloak fluttering behind him as he melted into the night's shadows — just as he once did, long ago, as the Monarch Assassin of Nirvana.