Chapter 245: A Quarrel.

Lin Xuan looked at Su Qinglan, who was still kneeling before him, and sighed.

“Alright, I’ll help you.”

Su Qinglan raised her head, her eyes widening slightly.

“However, I’m certain I sealed my memories for a good reason. My warning to you might have been because searching for my mother was genuinely dangerous.”

He paused before continuing.

“But I’ve also come to realize that I shouldn’t make decisions on behalf of others. If you wish to search for mother, I won’t stop you. Now, tell me everything you know about the memory sealing.”

“Ah! Right, yes!”

Su Qinglan hurriedly got back to her feet, looking considerably relieved.

“Well, for starters, one of your memories was sealed inside the eyeball of a beast. You had me throw it into the Yew Woods.”

“I’ve already recovered that one. What else?”

“Umm…”

Su Qinglan scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“One of them is sealed inside our treasury.”

“Our treasury?” Lin Xuan frowned. “What is it?”

“It’s a stone. A rather rough-looking stone.”

Lin Xuan’s expression changed slightly. He immediately took out the Asteroid Stone and placed it on the table.

“Is this it?”

Su Qinglan leaned forward to examine the stone. She studied it for a moment before shaking her head.

“No, that’s not it. But it looks somewhat similar. The one in our treasury is smaller.”

“Ah, I see.”

Lin Xuan put the Asteroid Stone back into his spatial ring.

“Alright, take me there.”

As he stood up, Lin Shuli, who had been standing awkwardly to the side throughout their conversation, finally spoke.

“Um… Should I come along too?”

Lin Xuan and Su Qinglan both turned toward her. They exchanged a brief glance before nodding.

“Of course,” Lin Xuan answered.

He gave the Supreme Elder a somewhat amused look.

“Come along. You’re the Supreme Elder, so grow some backbone.”

“Ah, alright.”

Lin Shuli nodded awkwardly, muttering under her breath, “I thought this was something personal…”

Treasury Room:

“Hello, Teacher! Hello, Patriarch! Hello, Supreme Elder!”

Hei Bing’er greeted the three of them excitedly as they entered.

Lin Xuan returned her greeting with a gentle nod, and Lin Shuli followed suit.

Su Qinglan, however, immediately walked over and pulled the young woman into a tight embrace.

“Ahh! I’ve missed you so much!”

“But we only met a few hours ago,” Hei Bing’er replied, patting her teacher’s back.

“Haha! Ignore my nonsense. Alright, keep doing what you’re doing. I have something to show the Patriarch and Supreme Elder.”

Su Qinglan gave her a final pat on the head before leaving with the other two.

Hei Bing’er watched her teacher leave with a bright smile. Only after the three had disappeared did she turn around and notice her coworkers staring at her.

“What are you all looking at?”

Her coworkers immediately looked away.

Hei Bing’er paused, then gave a light cough.

“Ahem! Anyone who finishes today’s tally before sunset will receive a meal on me!”

The treasury room immediately erupted into cheers.

??? ??? ??? ? ? ? ?

Clearbrook City:

The Su Family was currently in a state of turmoil.

Following the destruction of their Patriarch’s dantian, the family had gradually split into two factions. One faction supported Su Haolang and insisted that he should retain his position until he recovered.

The other believed that a Patriarch who could no longer cultivate was unfit to lead the family and wanted him removed.

At present, Su Haolang and his supporters were gathered in a meeting.

“Patriarch, that Lin Xuan is simply being arrogant. There’s nothing he can actually do against us,” one of the elders said, seemingly hoping to console him.

Su Haolang glanced at the elder before looking away, disappointment written across his face.

How foolish.

Ever since his dantian had been shattered, he had been consumed by anger toward the person responsible. Unfortunately, the perpetrator had concealed his appearance that night, leaving Su Haolang with no way to identify him.

That was until recently when news spread that Lin Xuan had reached the Nascent Soul Realm, the scattered pieces of the puzzle suddenly began falling into place.

Everything that had happened that night started making sense.

Su Haolang slowly clenched his fists. There was little doubt in his mind anymore. The person who had crippled him was Lin Xuan.

“Patriarch, are you listening?”

The elder’s voice brought Su Haolang out of his thoughts.

He glanced at the gathered elders, then slowly leaned back in his chair.

“Tell me something. How many people in this room believe Lin Xuan was responsible for my injuries?”

The atmosphere immediately grew tense.

Nobody answered at first. The elders exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.

Eventually, one of them cleared his throat.

“Patriarch, even if Lin Xuan was responsible, what can we do about it now? He is a Nascent Soul cultivator. We cannot afford to provoke someone of that level.”

“Then what?” Su Haolang asked coldly. “Are we supposed to pretend nothing happened?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Enough.”

Su Haolang raised his hand, silencing the elder.

He had spent months trying to identify the person who had crippled him. During that time, he had endured the humiliation of watching his authority weaken while the family split into factions.

And now that he finally knew who was responsible, he was being told to swallow his anger.

How ridiculous.

“Have you forgotten what happened to the Peng and Hao Families?” another elder suddenly asked. “If the reports are true, Lin Xuan wiped out both families. Do you really think the Su Family can withstand the same treatment?”

Those words caused several elders to lower their heads.

Su Haolang’s expression darkened.

He knew about the incident. Everyone in Clearbrook City knew about it by now. The destruction of two influential families had sent shockwaves throughout the kingdom.

And Lin Xuan had apparently done it without suffering any serious consequences.

“Patriarch, perhaps you should go in person to apologize and settle this matter before things get any worse.”

“Apologize?”

Su Haolang slowly turned toward the speaker.

“Tell me, what exactly should I apologize for? Having my dantian shattered? Having my son humiliated?”

The elder immediately lowered his head.

Su Haolang let out a bitter laugh.

He knew his current condition made him vulnerable. Without his cultivation, even the elders who once bowed before him had begun considering replacing him.

But he wasn’t ready to surrender everything just yet.

“Send someone to Azure Willow City,” he finally ordered. “Find out what Lin Xuan truly wants from the Su Family. Telling me to apologize is simply his opening move in the negotiations.”

“Understood.”

The elders exchanged glances before one of them hesitantly asked, “What if he acts innocent and demands the Lin Family heirloom?”

Su Haolang stared at him for a long moment.

“Then we’ll discuss it.”

He had no intention of provoking a Nascent Soul cultivator without a reasonable cause.

But neither could he simply accept whatever Lin Xuan demanded. If he went to Azure Willow City and personally apologized, it would deal another blow to his already diminished prestige. He might even lose the support of the few elders who still stood by his side.

Just as Su Haolang was contemplating his next move, the meeting room doors were suddenly thrown open.

Several elders strode inside without bothering to announce themselves. They belonged to the opposing faction, and their expressions made it clear that they had no intention of showing him any respect.

“Well, well. Look at this. The Patriarch is holding another meeting with his loyal followers.”

The leading elder sneered as he glanced around the room.

“Have you finally come up with a way to clean up the mess your idiotic son left behind?”

Su Haolang’s expression darkened.

“Elder, mind your words.”

“Mind my words?” The elder let out a mocking laugh. “Perhaps you should teach your son some manners instead! That little rascal, Su Linyuan, went to the Lin Family and caused a complete mess. Do you have any idea what trouble he has brought upon us?”

He stepped forward, slamming a hand against the table.

“The Lin Family has already delivered its demand. You have seven days to personally visit Azure Willow City and apologize on your son’s behalf!”

The room fell silent.

Su Haolang stared at the newcomers, his expression growing increasingly unpleasant. Taking advantage of the moment, the elder who had spoken earlier abruptly stood up.

“Who gave them the authority to make such a demand?”

“Authority?” Elder Su Haoming scoffed. “Do you think this is still the Su Family of old? Your Patriarch has his dantian shattered, and now his son has gone and offended a Nascent Soul cultivator! What exactly do you think you can use to negotiate with the Lin Family?”

He deliberately emphasized his words making no effort to conceal his contempt.

“Don’t drag the rest of us into the mess your faction has created. If Su Linyuan hadn’t gone looking for trouble, would the Lin Family even have a reason to demand an apology from us?”

His gaze shifted toward Su Haolang’s supporters.

“Or are all of you waiting for Lin Xuan to come and destroy the Su Family, simply because this prideful Patriarch refuses to admit that he raised his son poorly?”