The Qingling Sect personally came to the Lin household that day to apologize to Lin Mo, even handing over thirty percent of their income from the previous year.

Lin Mo also completely reclaimed his influence across the various regions, and soon news spread everywhere: “The demonic cultivators from the Qingling Sect who harmed their fellow disciples have already been dealt with by Lin Mo according to the law.”

After the Chen family head Chen Sheng died, the Chen clan’s power was likewise brought entirely under Lin family control. With the annual subsidy promised by the Nangong family added on, the Lin clan could be said to now firmly hold the number-one position among the great households of the Middle Realm.

Today happened to be the day when Lin family members came to collect their monthly cultivation resources, and the courtyard was packed with excited voices.

“Heavens, this month’s cultivation resources are actually three times as much as before!”
“Who says only the resources are abundant? The spirit stones are over five times what they used to be! Has our Lin family finally risen up?”

Many of the younger clansmen stared wide-eyed at the piles of spirit stones and resource bags they had just received.

At that moment, Lin Tian, known as Lin Mo’s number-one flatterer, proudly stepped into the center of the crowd to explain:

“All the resources we’re holding right now were fought for by Uncle Mo himself! From now on, our cultivation resources will only get better and more plentiful. As long as we follow Uncle Mo and play it smart, I guarantee everyone: Golden Core in three years, Nascent Soul in another three, and direct ascension through tribulation in ten years!”

Although Lin Tian’s final boasts were obviously absurd, that didn’t stop the younger generation from idolizing Lin Mo even more.

Since the Jiang family broke off the engagement, the standard of living for every Lin family cultivator had skyrocketed. Lin Mo had brought them countless benefits.

“You could say that the reason our cultivation resources are so plentiful now,” Lin Tian declared again, “is all thanks to Uncle Mo’s schemes—his scams, deception, and outright plunder!”

Before he could finish, Lin Qingqing kicked him hard.

“Lin Tian, are you out of your mind? Can’t you use your head for once?”

Grimacing and clutching his side, Lin Tian groaned, “Wait… were those two idioms supposed to be insults or compliments?”

The younger clansmen nearby exchanged looks. To be honest, what he said… didn’t sound entirely wrong.

Lin Qingqing snapped, “There are so many adjectives—did you really have to pick those two?”

Lin Tian shot her a look and laughed, “Oh, come on, Qingqing-jie—you haven’t even confessed yet and you’re already jumping in to defend the family’s big shot?”

Qingqing’s cheeks flushed. She lunged at Lin Tian with both hands and feet.

“Hey, Qingqing-jie, I was wrong—go easy!”

Lin Tian howled in pain. Just then Lin Mo happened to pass by, and Lin Tian looked like he’d seen a life raft. “Uncle Mo, save me—your little wife is about to beat someone to death!”

Lin Mo glanced at Lin Tian—he’d seen what happened. Smiling at Qingqing, he said, “Don’t beat him to death. Even if you break something, I’ve got pills on me.”

Qingqing had been a little embarrassed, but once she heard Lin Mo’s words, she let her fists and feet fly in earnest.

Lin Mo, truth be told, didn’t have any special feelings for Lin Qingqing. Besides, although seven or eight generations removed, she was still his niece. He wasn’t Xiao Yan; he couldn’t possibly make a move on his own kin. So he always tried to avoid being alone with Qingqing, lest any unnecessary sparks get struck.

Anyway, he’d already picked out his “little wife,” and at that the system piped up, curious:

“Host, who do you consider your little wife?”

Lin Mo replied evenly, “Gu Qingxue and Yan Ruyu.”

The system blurted out in surprise: [Wucao! Every woman connected to you is a little wife???]
[How did I never notice the host actually has other people he loves!]

Lin Mo chose silence.

“Host, just tell me—who’s the big wife in your heart?”

By now Lin Mo could hear the system getting excited. He smiled and said gently, “Silly thing—only you have stayed by my side from the start. Who else could my big wife be, if not you?”

[…]
[!!]

“System?”

Lin Mo waved a hand. Sometimes this system was downright cute—tease it a little and it vanished. Other people’s systems were all cold and emotionless. How did his get so clever? Don’t tell him…the system was a girl?

[…]
When the ceremony began, Lin Mo headed to the Lin family’s council hall.

Now, Lin Mo had already earned the right to attend the clan assembly.

As soon as the meeting began, every gaze in the hall turned toward him.
Lin Mo blinked.

“Why’s everyone staring at me?”

Lin Zhan leaned over and whispered,

“Mo’er, in our clan meetings, the person who has contributed the most and has the highest cultivation always speaks first.”

“Seriously? That’s actually pretty fair,” Lin Mo said in surprise.
“But this is my first time attending as a junior—wouldn’t it be improper for me to speak first?”

He looked toward his grandfather, then swept his eyes over the family elders.
None of them, including Lin Nantian, looked the least bit uncomfortable. They gestured for him to go ahead.

Lin Mo cleared his throat.

“Ahem. In that case, I’ll just say a few words.”

All eyes once again focused on him.

“Right now, our Lin family still faces several major problems.

First—the Nangong family. We’ve already made enemies of them, and sooner or later they’ll try everything, just like the Chen family once did, to strike at us.

If we want the Nangongs to truly submit, then we need to make them, like the Chens, completely part of our Lin family.”

The crowd was stunned.
After witnessing Lin Mo’s strength and how he handled things, no one doubted his words.

Lin Nantian looked at his grandson in astonishment.

“Mo’er, the Nangong family seems to have half of Xuanming Hall backing them now. Do you have a plan?”

Everyone turned toward Lin Mo expectantly.

He shook his head.

“Not for the moment. The main issue is that they don’t have the Demonic Pearl right now, so I can’t use the same method I used against Chen Sheng to deal with Nangong Bisheng openly.”

Lin Nantian nodded.

“Then we’ll set that aside for now. Mo’er, go on—what other problems do you see?”

Lin Mo narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Another problem is the Lin family from the Upper Realm.

To be honest, my impression of the Upper Realm Lin clan isn’t great.

Still, they’re family of a sort—one more friend is always better than one more enemy.

I’m certain that before long, the Upper Realm Lin family will send people here again.”

Lin Nantian and the other elders all nodded in agreement.
They themselves had once come from that very Upper Realm Lin family.

Everyone in the hall understood the Lin family of the Upper Realm well: within that clan, talent and strength were everything. The power and aptitude Lin Mo had shown would inevitably make those old men of the Upper-Realm Lin family itch with envy.

Lin Nantian said, “Mo’er, your return to the main household is inevitable.”

He was already old. Though his cultivation had reached the Soul-Splitting Realm, that still wasn’t enough to stand out in the main family. It would be better for him to remain behind as an elder and take care of the younger generation of their current Lin family.

Lin Mo smiled. “What use is it for me to go back alone? Our whole Lin family should return together!”

“Just a few days ago, someone from the Upper Realm already sent me a secret message,” Lin Nantian continued. “In another year, the clan competition will be held. Within the required age range, as long as even one in five of our people can win, the entire Lin family will have a chance to rise again.”

“Mo’er, there’s no doubt that the Lin family in the Upper Realm commands enormous resources. Forget the rank differences—just look at the cultivation support they receive every month. Even their basic techniques are two full tiers above ours.

“Let alone us elders—even those of the same generation as you might not be able to win against them.”

Several elders nodded in agreement. In their eyes, Lin Mo was still too young, too optimistic.

Lin Mo only smiled. “These are small problems. They can be solved.”

With that, he waved his hand—and the next instant, the entire council hall filled with light.

He had taken out everything he had looted from the Demon Realm: a mountain of righteous-path cultivation manuals and magical artifacts. More than half the great hall was instantly covered by them.

“What… what is all this?” Lin Nantian was so shocked he could barely speak.

Everyone quickly released their divine sense to inspect the items. No one sat idle; the air rippled with spiritual fluctuations as their consciousness swept across the piles.

And the more they looked, the more stunned they became.

Not to mention the countless kinds of magical implements—the manuals alone numbered in the several thousands. Among them, two-fifths were Profound- and Yellow-grade, and another two-fifths were Earth-grade. In other words, every single one of them was unique—no duplicates at all.

There were all kinds of techniques and types — everything one could imagine.

Except for not having any Heaven-rank techniques, all the rest were top-tier methods Lin Mo had taken from others — a complete collection that could rival even those of major sects.

The Lin family members could hardly believe what they were seeing.
They had never imagined that Lin Mo would truly lead the Lin clan back into the Upper Realm.

Of course, there were still many matters to take care of.

Lin Mo also took out a large quantity of high-grade pills — more than eighty pills of fifth- to seventh-grade quality.
With just these pills alone, the Lin family could easily cultivate several dozen experts at the Divine Transformation stage.

Lin Nantian’s face was full of disbelief.
“Mo’er, where did you get all these things from?”

“The techniques were all taken from the corpses of demonic cultivators who came looking for trouble with me,” Lin Mo replied lightly.

At that, everyone involuntarily swallowed.
Just how many demonic cultivators did he have to kill to amass so many techniques?!

“As for those high-grade pills,” Lin Mo continued, “I refined them myself.”

Among those present, only Lin Zhan knew that Lin Mo could refine pills.
Lin Nantian was stunned yet again — there were seventh-grade pills in that pile!

Lin Mo nodded. “That’s right. I’m an eighth-grade pill refiner. Is there any problem with me refining seventh-grade pills?”

Having said that, he deliberately began to demonstrate a round of pill-refining right there in the hall.
Given the Lin family’s current situation, revealing part of his ability like this was no issue — it only helped to establish his authority.

When the truth came out, the Lin family members looked at Lin Mo with completely different eyes once more.
At just thirty years old, he already possessed cultivation at the Divine Transformation stage and was an eighth-rank alchemist.

They even began to wonder whether Lin Mo was some celestial immortal who had opened his heavenly eye and reincarnated to cultivate anew.

Thus, the clan assembly passed amid wave after wave of astonishment.
Lin Mo had, for the time being, taken care of all the Lin family’s internal matters.

Afterward, every family member would take pills daily and train according to the cultivation technique most suited to themselves.
In three years’ time, it would be entirely possible for the Lin family’s overall strength to rise by several levels.

Lin Mo thought to himself that, for now, there was nothing else to do in the clan — all necessary affairs were settled.
What remained was simply to wait for the grand clan competition of the main family three years later.

In the meantime, he could take the opportunity to visit the Yao clan and see how Qu Ruyan was doing.
He also rather missed his spirit pet — they had been bonded for so long, yet he’d never even ridden it once.