Chapter 195: Elder meeting.

Chapter 195: 195: Elder meeting.

Qiaoren gritted his teeth, his fists tightening at his sides as he struggled to respond. However, no words came out. Lin Xuan’s sarcasm had left him with nothing he could say without making himself look even more foolish.

Lin Xuan did not bother pressing him further.

He proceeded to soul-search every elder in the room.

It was a humiliating act for the elders, one that stripped them of even the slightest dignity. Yet when absolute power stood before them, there was nothing they could do to resist.

That was the law of the cultivation world.

The strong devoured the weak.

It was nothing like the modern world Lin Xuan remembered, where the strong were encouraged to protect those beneath them. Here, strength determined authority, and those without enough strength had little right to complain when someone stronger imposed their will.

Fortunately for Lin Xuan, aside from the five he had already dealt with, the remaining elders were relatively tame.

Their worst crimes were little more than embezzlement and abusing their positions for personal gain.

Lin Xuan finished searching the last elder’s soul and withdrew his hand.

"Hmph. If it were not for those five beasts, your crimes would have been the worst ones in this entire room."

Lin Xuan looked across the room at the remaining elders.

"Tell me, how does it feel when I abuse my power like this?"

The elders lowered their heads.

Not one of them dared to respond.

Lin Xuan waited for a moment before speaking again.

"It does not feel good, does it? That is how the children felt when you abused your authority. I understand that all of you want to grow stronger, but your strength should never come at the expense of the younger generation. They will become the pillars of our family one day, yet you are setting a terrible example for them."

His voice then softened, becoming calmer as he continued.

"The reason I have been pushing for mortals to hold positions within the family is simple. Does anyone here have any idea why?"

The elders exchanged glances.

Deep down, they already knew the answer.

To establish a proper hold over the family?

But what use was that?

Lin Xuan was already a Nascent Soul cultivator. If he truly wanted to control the entire Lin Family, none of them could stop him.

Still, they could not bring themselves to say that aloud.

One after another, they slowly shook their heads.

"No, Patriarch."

Lin Xuan gently nodded.

"Then let us use Elder Su Qinglan as an example once again. Why did she appoint a replacement and enter seclusion?"

"Because she is preparing to break through?" Lin Shuren cautiously answered.

Lin Xuan stared at him for a moment before shaking his head.

"No. It is because she finally has time to cultivate."

He turned his gaze toward the other elders.

"Before this, Elder Qinglan had to manage the entire treasury. She had to keep track of the family’s resources, handle its affairs, and ensure everything continued to function properly. With all of that occupying her time, when was she supposed to cultivate?"

The elders remained silent.

"Is that not the same problem all of you have?"

Lin Xuan’s voice remained calm.

"If you are afraid of losing control over the matters you currently manage, then find a mortal you trust. Find someone diligent, capable, and willing to handle the work you have been doing."

He paused briefly.

"Let that mortal work in your stead. Pay them properly. Give them enough authority to perform their duties, and use the free time you gain to cultivate."

The elders listened quietly.

This was the only compromise Lin Xuan could think of.

His original intention had been simple: let the mortals maintain the family while the cultivators protected it.

Unfortunately, life was never that simple.

Lin Xuan had now seen just how deeply rooted their fear was.

It was not merely about mortals holding positions.

It was about control.

These cultivators had spent decades accumulating authority within the family, and the thought of handing even a small portion of that authority to someone else frightened them. They were afraid that once they relinquished control, they would never be able to take it back.

They feared losing the power they had spent their entire lives building.

And perhaps that was the most troublesome part.

Lin Xuan had originally believed that strength and resources were the only things cultivators cared about.

Now, he realized there was something else they valued just as much.

The feeling of having control over their own little corner of the world.

"While we all bear the Lin Family name, not everyone is fortunate enough to awaken a proper martial spirit and embark upon the path of cultivation."

As he said this, Lin Xuan returned to his seat.

He glanced toward Qiaoren.

"Elder Qiaoren, I will go back on my own words and give you one more chance. This time, act like a proper elder and handle the loose ends. If you can do that, I will help restore your cultivation."

The entire room fell silent.

Qiaoren became the center of everyone’s attention.

His body was still trembling slightly, but he forced himself to bow his head.

"Thank you, Patriarch."

The words sounded respectful enough.

His heart, however, was filled with unwillingness.

You crippled me, and now you expect me to thank you for giving me an opportunity to restore my dantian?

Qiaoren lowered his head further, concealing the resentment in his eyes.

For the sake of restoring his cultivation, he could only endure it.

Lin Xuan did not dwell on Qiaoren’s response.

He leaned back in his seat and looked around the meeting hall. The tense atmosphere had finally eased, though the elders remained cautious, none of them willing to speak without first considering their words.

After everything that had happened, there was no point in continuing to dwell on the matter.

"Now that this matter has been settled, let us move on to something more important."

Lin Xuan’s gaze swept across the elders.

"How is the Winter Harvest going?"