"STOP!"
A loud roar followed, and an extremely powerful aura of a Martial Grandmaster attracted everyone's attention, including Lin Kai and the other six men, who were forced to stop their actions because the terrifying aura locked onto them. They vaguely felt death grip their throats; it was as though if they dared to make a move, they would instantly be killed by the pressure.
Everyone present turned toward the voice.
There were two people walking briskly toward the rundown courtyard. One was a middle-aged man with faint wrinkles on his face and bags under his eyes, showing he had frequent sleepless nights due to the immense pressure he was under. Walking beside him was a young girl in tattered clothes—Ye Feifei, who had run to get the Third Elder. The middle-aged man was the Third Elder, Lin Mu.
Watching the Third Elder walk into the courtyard, the members of the Lin family were stunned.
"Wait, isn't that the Third Elder? What is he doing here?" one member of the Lin family whispered.
"Yeah, I can't believe such a case attracted the attention of the Third Elder. The elder is usually elusive on weekdays. I can't believe we get to see him now," another replied.
"Don't you understand? The Third Elder is from the previous clan leader's faction, and the Law Enforcement Elder is from the Grand Elder's faction. They are trying to kill the young master, so of course the Third Elder would show up to save him," someone sneered.
"Oh…" Hearing that person's words, everyone immediately realized and looked as if they were watching a show.
The person who spoke wasn't feeling good at the moment. As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a sinister killing intent fix on him. His legs felt weak, and he almost collapsed in fright. He turned around with shaky legs to look at the source of the pressure.
Lin Feng glanced at the speaker who called his father the "previous clan leader" with a look cold enough to freeze hell.
The one who spoke immediately yelped in fright, then turned around and fled.
Those close to the man laughed at his stupidity.
Lin Feng snorted coldly at the fleeing man's back and withdrew his killing intent, not giving chase.
Lin Mu walked up to Lin Kai.
"Third Elder," Lin Kai bowed slightly to Lin Mu perfunctorily, without any respect.
Lin Mu snorted at his bow.
"Lin Kai, what is the meaning of this?"
Before Lin Kai could answer, Lin Tian started to speak.
"Third Elder, Lin Feng unlawfully killed Fu Chi and should be punished according to the clan rul—"
"LITTLE BASTARD, SHUT UP!"
Lin Mu burst out with overwhelming pressure and pressed it onto Lin Tian.
"Ahhh!!"
Lin Tian screamed in pain, being pushed to kneel on one knee by the pressure of the Third Elder.
"How dare a junior like you interrupt when this elder is speaking?" Lin Mu roared.
"Do you think because you have the support of da-ge I don't dare to touch you?"
Lin Mu continued to vent as he increased the pressure. Although he held back so as not to kill him, he wanted to force him to kneel with both knees in public to cut down his arrogance.
Lin Tian roared and released his own cultivation to resist the pressure. It was a pity that the aura of a Grandmaster wasn't something a puny Martial Warrior could withstand. He was forced onto both knees instantly, without any form of resistance.
The onlookers were stunned watching the scene in front of them.
"Hiss, I can't believe the Third Elder is willing to humiliate Lin Tian like this."
"Yeah, he just said a few words. Isn't this a bit too much?" someone else couldn't help but say.
"Hehe, what do you expect? Lin Tian is the Grand Elder's son, so he belongs to their faction, and the Third Elder is in the clan leader's faction. Of course they would take any opportunity to humiliate the other. Do you think if the Grand Elder was here today, he wouldn't do ten times worse to Lin Feng?" some of the smarter people said, while others mocked Lin Tian.
"This is really stupid. Does he think because he is the Grand Elder's son that he is untouchable? Really stupid."
"But he deserves it. He often bullies and robs clan members of their resources. This is truly heavenly retribution."
Lin Tian, hearing the mocking voices of the onlookers, clenched his fists, his fingernails digging into his palms and causing blood to drip onto the floor.
'LIN MU, YOU OLD BASTARD! YOU DARE TO HUMILIATE ME LIKE THIS JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE OLDER THAN ME AND HAVE A HIGHER CULTIVATION LEVEL. SOMEDAY I WILL AVENGE THIS SHAME! I WILL PAY YOU BACK TEN TIMES FOR TODAY'S HUMILIATION!' Lin Tian roared sinisterly in his mind.
Lin Fang, his younger brother who had originally been beside him, sucked in a deep breath after witnessing Lin Mu's ruthlessness. He started stealthily moving back toward the crowd, as if asking them to swallow him.
Lin Mu noticed him but ignored him. He wasn't interested in cowardly trash.
Lin Feng was stunned by the Third Elder's actions for a moment, then his heart felt warm, knowing that the Third Elder was doing this to help him vent his anger.
'Just like I remember, it seems like only the Third Elder truly treated him with sincerity,' Lin Feng thought.
Lin Kai, the Law Enforcement Elder, recovered and hurriedly walked to Lin Mu and bowed. He suddenly remembered that the elder was one of the two remaining Grandmaster-level powerhouses in the clan. Just because he acted like an amiable old man didn't mean he didn't have a temper.
"Third Elder, please show mercy. He is the Grand Elder's son," he said.
"Are you trying to use eldest brother's name to pressure me?" he said as his gaze turned sinister, releasing killing intent.
Lin Kai shivered as he felt the killing intent and thought, 'He actually wants to kill me.' He hurriedly waved his hands.
"No, no, I dare not! I don't dare to. I was just reminding the elder that he is your nephew, and it isn't a good look for the family if you humiliate him like this in public."
"Humiliate? I am not humiliating anyone. I am simply correcting him. The Lin family is built on the rule of respecting one's elders and worshipping one's ancestors. He dared to reply to me without fear. If I don't show him some color, where will the rules of my family be? Where is the face of the elders?" Lin Mu spoke shamelessly.
Everyone couldn't help but roll their eyes inwardly, including Lin Kai.
'What "built on respecting one's elders and worshipping one's ancestors"? This is clearly made up by you. Everyone knows you are venting for Lin Feng. So shameless. You old man do not want face at all,' Lin Kai, as well as everyone else, thought.
Lin Feng couldn't help but laugh secretly at his Third Uncle's shameless behavior.
"Yes, yes, the Third Elder is right. The elder is very wise," Lin Kai bowed and flattered, hoping to end the matter there.
But unfortunately, Lin Tian seemed to have lost his mind in anger.
He roared, "You shameless old goat! Lin Feng is clearly the one who broke the rules by injuring the steward, yet you dare to frame me!"
Lin Kai nearly fainted upon hearing Lin Tian call the Third Elder a "shameless old goat."
"Hahaha, you still dare to quibble?"
Lin Mu doubled the pressure, making Lin Tian bash his head on the floor, leaving a horrible gash that bled profusely.
'Damn, why won't this idiot shut up? If you're courting death, do not drag me down with you. Is this fool really the one we want to make the young master of the Lin family?' Lin Kai thought as he clenched his teeth and shook his head, disappointed in Lin Tian and wondering if the Grand Elder's plot was the right move.
Everyone else looked at Lin Tian as if he were a fool. Lin Mu was clearly there to protect Lin Feng and find fault with him, yet he was willingly walking into that trap—the clear trait of a death-seeking fool.
Lin Mu turned to Fu Chi, who was still lying on the floor pretending to be a dead dog.
"STILL NOT STANDING UP FOR THIS ELDER?!"
Fu Chi pretended not to hear, hoping for a fluke, but unfortunately a pressure like a large mountain hit him when the elder released a fraction of his aura on him, making him sink further into the hole and immediately spit out a large amount of blood, worsening his internal injuries.
He hurriedly crawled out of the hole in fright.
The sight of him crawling out stunned everyone again.
"So Fu Chi wasn't killed," a person said.
"Yeah, so Lin Feng was telling the truth."
"Yeah, Lin Tian is so sinister. He actually used this method to frame Lin Feng. Who knows how many more people he has framed this way? So evil."
Lin Feng breathed a sigh of relief as the truth was revealed. He then turned to the now pale-faced Lin Tian and Lin Kai, his lips wearing a cold smile, wondering what they would do now.
Lin Mu turned back to Lin Kai.
"He's alive, so what murder crime has Lin Feng committed?" he asked in a furious tone.
"This… this… I thought he was dead."
"Oh? You thought? Did you carry out an investigation?" Lin Mu asked.
"This…" Lin Kai couldn't reply.
"So, as a Law Enforcement Elder, you don't conduct investigations but arrest as you please? Are you worthy to be Law Enforcement Elder?"
"MEN! SEIZE LIN KAI AND TAKE HIM TO THE PUNISHMENT HALL! PUNISH HIM ACCORDING TO THE FAMILY RULES!" the Third Elder ordered.
"Yes!"
The six men who had previously wanted to arrest Lin Feng turned around and surrounded Lin Kai.
"Elder Lin, you're under arrest. Please don't resist."
They tied up Lin Kai and dragged him toward the punishment hall.
Lin Mu then turned to the pale-faced and trembling Lin Tian. He retrieved his pressure, then ordered:
"LIN TIAN UNJUSTLY FRAMED HIS CLAN BROTHER FOR MURDER. SOMEONE DRAG THIS LITTLE BASTARD TO THE PUNISHMENT HALL AS WELL AND INFORM HIS FATHER!"
"Yes!"
Five more men jumped out of the crowd and held Lin Tian down as he tried to flee.
"Get off me! I am your young master! How dare you filthy servants arrest me? Don't touch me! My father is the Grand Elder! You're finished! You're all finished! Ahhh!"
Lin Tian roared incoherently as he was dragged out of the courtyard.
"Alright, everyone, the show's over. Disperse."
The Third Elder turned to all the spectators and waved them away impatiently.
They all bowedand started to exit the courtyard.
When everyone was gone from the compound, Lin Mu turned around to Lin Feng, his previously furious face now replaced by a doting one.