In Bai Yuze's eyes, asking his third uncle for a small favor and having Qiong Baicang reassigned to frontier reclamation duty was simply a family matter—a righteous act.
But for Lin Jiuxiao to pull strings with the Tribunal in an attempt to get the man released?
That was clearly abusing power for personal gain. Completely improper.
It might have been a blatant double standard, but that was simply Bai Yuze's personality.
Chen Beiyuan said nothing.
He knew his brother-in-law was the type who always sided with family, regardless of right or wrong.
Since he was the one benefiting from that favoritism, complaining about it would have been idiotic.
Compared to that...
There was something else that interested him far more.
"So Lin Xiao, the Child of Destiny, has still become entangled with the Donghua Lin Family."
"It seems that even though the gears of fate have been disturbed and thrown slightly off course... they never stopped turning."
Chen Beiyuan gently stroked the Strange Dragon Egg, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
He wasn't particularly surprised by the outcome.
Three days earlier, when Lin Xiao had been invited away by Lin Jiuxiao, the Third Young Master of the Lin Family, he'd already received the news.
In the original novel, Lin Xiao had eventually destroyed the Donghua Chen Family during the latter half of the story because one of the empire's top aristocratic families had joined his side.
That family...
...was the Donghua Lin Family.
Only a family of the same standing as the Chens could deliver the fatal blow that ultimately brought them down.
Within the military of the Donghua Empire, there were two towering mountains.
One bore the surname Chen.
The other bore the surname Lin.
The Chen Family controlled half of the empire's military power, wielding the largest gun in the nation.
The Lin Family controlled one-third of its military, holding the second-largest.
Their relationship was essentially that of the number one and number two.
And throughout history...
Every second-place contender dreamed of overthrowing the first and taking the throne.
The Lin Family was no exception.
The only problem was...
The Chen Family had always kept that dream firmly suppressed.
In the original story, Lin Xiao had joined forces with Lin Jiuxiao, eventually forming deep ties with the Lin Family.
To overthrow the Chens, Lin Xiao first secretly collaborated with the beast races along the border, committing outright treason.
Meanwhile, the Lin Family stabbed the Chen Family in the back.
Only through both betrayals working together was the mighty Chen Family finally destroyed.
Of course...
As the protagonist of the original novel, Lin Xiao was naturally portrayed as one of the righteous heroes.
Likewise, the Lin Family stood on the side of justice.
Together, they overthrew the "evil" Chen Family.
As for what happened afterward...
The entire northern frontier collapsed.
More than half of the Donghua Empire's northern territory fell into enemy hands.
Hundreds of millions of imperial citizens died.
Those...
...were merely insignificant details.
Tiny sacrifices made in the name of justice.
After all...
Sometimes, for justice to prevail, a few hundred million people dying was apparently no big deal.
And later...
When the Divine Doctor protagonist finally rose to power and immediately turned around to exterminate his former ally—the righteous Lin Family—to erase evidence of his own dark past...
Well...
That supposedly wasn't a problem either.
After all...
Everyone eventually pays for what they've done.
"Lin Xiao... the Lin Family..."
Chen Beiyuan's eyes darkened as his hand paused atop the Strange Dragon Egg.
The reflection of his face in the blood pool slowly curled into a sinister smile.
"If fate insists on tying the two of you together..."
"...then I'll deal with both of you at once."
He retrieved the Dragon Blood Grass from his system storage and tossed it into the blood pool.
The instant it touched the crimson liquid...
The herb dissolved completely, merging with the pool.
Boom!
An even denser and more terrifying aura of blood qi erupted.
The entire blood pool began boiling violently.
Its temperature rose rapidly as crimson mist billowed into the air.
The Strange Dragon Egg floating within the pool immediately radiated cheerful emotional fluctuations.
The blood-red veins across its shell pulsed rhythmically.
Clearly...
It had received enormous nourishment.
Chen Beiyuan calmly removed his clothes, revealing a lean yet powerfully built physique before stepping into the blood pool.
Now enhanced by the Dragon Blood Grass, the boiling blood continuously stimulated his body, strengthening the bloodline flowing through his veins.
It felt as though he were soaking in a volcanic hot spring.
Leaning against the edge of the pool, Chen Beiyuan closed his eyes.
His left hand rested atop the Strange Dragon Egg.
His right hand held his phone as he casually chatted with Bai Yuze.
"Oh, right, Brother-in-law."
"The little canary you got tired of has been running around asking everyone for help these past few days."
"She's completely lost that cold and arrogant attitude she used to have."
"But nobody dares offend you."
"I heard she's even lost quite a bit of weight recently."
"Want me to secretly help her?"
"Don't worry."
"As your brother, loyalty comes first."
"I definitely won't tell my sister."
Bai Yuze's mischievous voice came through the phone.
Just hearing his tone, Chen Beiyuan could practically picture the man wiggling his eyebrows with a sly grin.
Clearly...
Bai Yuze still didn't believe Chen Beiyuan had truly given up on Leng Ruobing.
After all, the original owner's obsessive devotion had left an unforgettable impression.
Still...
The fact that Bai Yuze was even willing to hide another woman from his own sister just to help his brother-in-law...
He really was a loyal guy.
"No need."
"I have my own plans."
Chen Beiyuan slowly opened his eyes.
After thinking for a moment, he shook his head and refused.
He had been keeping a close watch on Leng Ruobing all along.
After all...
There was still plenty of value left to extract from this Destiny Heroine.
It wasn't that she couldn't die.
But before she did...
Every last bit of profit had to be squeezed out of her.
After chatting a little longer, Chen Beiyuan ended the call and resumed absorbing the blood pool's energy to strengthen his body.
Just then...
Knock. Knock.
A knock at the door interrupted his cultivation.
His brows furrowed slightly.
Without opening his eyes completely, he asked,
"What is it?"
Outside the room, the old butler stood respectfully, holding a dark golden invitation.
"Young Master Chen."
"Third Young Master Lin has sent someone to deliver an invitation."
"He wishes to invite you to a banquet at the Imperial Club."
"Shall I accept it?"
Lin Jiuxiao?
Interesting.
Looks like someone could no longer remain patient.
A cold glimmer flashed through Chen Beiyuan's lowered eyes.
As if he had already guessed the other party's intentions, the corners of his lips lifted into a faint sneer.
"Accept it."
Kyoto Nightclub Supreme Imperial Suite
Bang!
Everything on the liquor table was swept onto the floor.
Lin Jiuxiao's eyes burned with fury.
His handsome face was twisted with malice.
"Bai Yuze..."
"Well played."
"You actually stabbed me in the back."
When he had recruited Lin Xiao, he had confidently promised to rescue Lin Xiao's adoptive father.
Partly to earn Lin Xiao's gratitude.
Partly to demonstrate the strength of the Lin Family.
Instead...
The result had been an outright slap in the face.
The men he had sent to the Tribunal hadn't rescued anyone.
They'd been thrown directly into the Tribunal's water prison.
And the Tribunal had even informed him personally—
If he wanted them released...
He would have to come and collect them himself.
How was that any different from someone publicly slapping him across the face?
No matter how foolish Lin Jiuxiao might be...
He knew someone had deliberately targeted him.
The Chen Family's influence was entirely within the military.
This couldn't have been their doing.
The Tribunal, meanwhile, was currently controlled by the Bai Family.
And the Bai Family happened to be the Chen Family's in-laws.
Bai Yuze was Chen Beiyuan's brother-in-law.
The two had always been close.
Almost immediately...
Lin Jiuxiao identified Bai Yuze as the culprit.
There was a ninety-percent chance Bai Yuze had acted on behalf of his brother-in-law, Chen Beiyuan, just to sabotage him.
Lin Xiao sat silently on the sofa.
His brows remained tightly knitted.
His expression was extremely ugly.
He had already learned that his adoptive father had been reassigned to frontier reclamation duty.
Going to the frontier...
Was practically a death sentence.
Just then, one of Lin Jiuxiao's subordinates entered the room and whispered something into his ear.
The anger on Lin Jiuxiao's face gradually disappeared.
His calm composure returned.
Then he burst into laughter before turning toward the silent Lin Xiao in the corner.
"Hahaha!"
"Brother Lin!"
"Chen Beiyuan has accepted my invitation."
"When the time comes, we'll meet him together."
"I'll personally ask him to release your adoptive father."
"Don't worry."
"No matter how arrogant or domineering he is..."
"He still has to give the Lin Family some face."
In Lin Jiuxiao's opinion...
The very fact that Chen Beiyuan had accepted the invitation meant he had no intention of completely falling out with the Lin Family.
-------------------
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