Chapter 635
The Rise and Fall of the Lin Family: A History of Blood and Tears
He took a deep breath and slowly opened his mouth, his voice old and hoarse, as if he were unveiling a long-sealed history book soaked in blood and tears.
“Young Master, our Lin family…our ancestors were once wealthy and glorious.”
Lin Zhong's gaze fell upon the dome of the main hall, as if piercing through time.
"About five hundred years ago, the Lin family's ancestor, Master Lin Daochen, was a genius of unparalleled talent, with cultivation reaching the heavens. He stepped into the 'Life and Death Realm' and became the king of his time! At that time, the Lin family ranked above the seventy-two powerful clans of the Forbidden City, a top-tier force on par with the seven superior clans! They were renowned and influential throughout the land!"
"King of the Life and Death Realm..."
Jiang Xuan repeated in murmur.
This is a colossal chasm on the path of cultivation. Stepping into this realm grants one dominance over a region, a long lifespan, and the power to move mountains and overturn seas. I never imagined that the Lin family ancestors produced such a figure.
"Unfortunately... the good times didn't last long."
Lin Zhong's voice lowered, filled with sorrow.
"In order to resist foreign enemies, Lord Daochen fought bravely and died in a fierce battle against the 'Dark Royal Court'. The Lin family lost its pillar of strength and suffered a great loss. From then on, it fell from the ranks of the top aristocratic families and barely maintained its position at the forefront of the middle-class families."
Even so, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse.
Lin Zhong continued.
"Thanks to the legacy left by Lord Daochen and the family's accumulation over hundreds of years, the Lin family has not produced any more Kings of Life and Death in the following centuries."
However, it also produced many experts at the Spirit Sea Realm, and its family businesses were spread throughout the empire. It still had considerable influence in the Forbidden City, and its power was second only to the seven superior families, making it a leader among the middle-class families.
This stability lasted for hundreds of years…
His voice grew softer and softer, filled with endless sorrow.
"...Until fifteen years ago, that sudden bloodbath. Young Master Wenjing was murdered, the young mistress disappeared, and you...your whereabouts are unknown. Immediately afterwards, Master Zhenshan passed away in grief...the main family's direct line was almost wiped out overnight!"
"The group is leaderless!"
Lin Zhong clenched his withered fists, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Once the main family falls, the remaining branches don't think about how to unite against external forces and protect their ancestral heritage. Instead, they fight tooth and nail for power and resources, attacking each other and even... some even collude with outsiders in secret! How could those powerful families that have long coveted the Lin family let go of such a golden opportunity?"
They used coercion, bribery, or outright extortion... In just a few years, the Lin family's centuries-old accumulation and vast assets were completely divided up! The once mighty Lin family fell apart, plummeting from a leading middle-class family to the bottom.
Now... now it probably can't even be considered a decent lower-class aristocratic clan anymore, only Xixin Peak is left, struggling to maintain the last bit of its prestige..."
Jiang Xuan listened quietly, his heart sinking with each word Lin Zhong narrated. Five hundred years of glory, fifteen years of dramatic decline, and now only ruin and desolation... The rise and fall of a family was condensed into this short narrative, filled with the tragic songs of heroes and the helplessness of betrayal.
A sense of loss filled my heart. Once on par with the seven great noble families, now I've fallen to this state... What a huge fall from grace.
After a moment of silence, Jiang Xuan spoke again, asking a more practical question.
"Uncle Lin, how many people are left in the Lin family now? Apart from those good-for-nothings from earlier, where are the other clansmen?"
Lin Zhong wiped his eyes, his voice becoming even lower and more sorrowful.
“Young Master, after the massacre that year, the Lin family’s direct line… you can be said to be the only one left. The others who are still alive are all from collateral branches.”
He gathered his thoughts and explained in detail.
"The Lin family originally had five branches. Your grandfather, Master Zhenshan, was the main direct line, holding the reins of the family. The other four branches were the descendants of Master Zhenshan's four younger brothers, as well as some more distant relatives by marriage and other relatives, collectively known as collateral branches."
"After the dramatic changes fifteen years ago, the main line collapsed, and the four collateral branches not only failed to work together, but each pursued their own selfish interests."
Seeing that their family business was about to collapse, they sold off most of their assets and moved out of Xixin Peak with their people. They bought houses in different neighborhoods within the Forbidden City and settled down there.
Nominally, they are still considered members of the Lin family, and they might still visit each other during festivals, but in reality... they have long since split into four small, independent factions, and they have been fighting each other openly and secretly for the remaining resources and living space in the Forbidden City.
Apart from the old servant and a few elderly and weak servants who had long since lost their relatives and voluntarily stayed behind, no one else inquired about Xixin Peak.
Four collateral branches split and became independent, each governing its own way...
Jiang Xuan silently processed this information, his brows gradually furrowing.
He grasped a key point in Lin Zhong's words, raised his head, and looked sharply at Lin Zhong.
"Uncle Lin, you just said that those collateral branches sold their property and moved away from Xixin Peak?"
"Yes, it is."
Lin Zhong nodded.
"Xixin Peak is one of the seventy-two aristocratic mountains in the Forbidden City. It is rich in spiritual energy and has a special status. It is a symbol of the family's glory and foundation."
Jiang Xuan spoke slowly, his eyes revealing contemplation and doubt.
“Since those collateral branches were able to fight for power and profit when the family was in danger, and may even have secretly colluded with outsiders to divide up the property, it shows that they are not incompetent, nor are they people who are indifferent to fame and fortune.”
How could such a group of people be willing to give up such a precious place as Xixin Peak, which has great symbolic significance and practical benefits, and move to the ground?
Even if the Lin family declines, as long as Xixin Peak remains under their name, they will still enjoy the halo of being 'scions of a powerful family' and benefit from the spiritual energy of this place. What good would it do them to give up this place? Or rather…”
Jiang Xuan's voice became low and cold.
"Who, or what force, forced them to give up? The fact that Xinxin Peak has been preserved to this day and not occupied by other races is probably not just because of the 'old agreement', is it?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhong was startled. He looked up at Jiang Xuan, his gaze filled with shock. His young master… had actually noticed something amiss so quickly! This keen insight far exceeded his expectations!
Lin Zhong felt a chill run down his spine under Jiang Xuan's sharp gaze. He remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing something, before finally letting out a long sigh. A bitter smile appeared on his aged face, tinged with a complex mix of pride and satisfaction.
"Young Master, you've hit the nail on the head."
Lin Zhong lowered his voice even further, as if he were telling a long-buried secret.
"The reason why Xixin Peak has been preserved to this day, and why those branches dare not and cannot occupy this place, is not only because of some force that forced them to give up, as you just speculated, but the most crucial reason is actually... it lies with you."
"On me?"
Jiang Xuan raised an eyebrow.
"Yes." Lin Zhong nodded, a look of reminiscence flickering in his cloudy eyes.
"Young Master, do you know that our ancestor, Master Lin Daochen, did not simply die fighting in the great war against the Dark Royal Court?"
Jiang Xuan shook his head, waiting for the next part.
"Based on what this old servant learned from some extremely ancient fragments of clan history and from the occasional words mentioned by Master Zhenshan."
Lin Zhong's tone became solemn and dignified.
"In that great battle back then, Lord Daochen actually used himself as a trigger to detonate some kind of forbidden power. He not only severely injured the enemy's king, but also completely destroyed a 'spatial anchor point' that the enemy was trying to establish that could threaten the heartland of the empire, thus averting a catastrophe that could have swept across the entire eastern part of the empire!"
It can be said that Lord Daochen, single-handedly, performed an unparalleled feat of saving countless lives and preserving the empire's territory!
He sacrificed himself for his country, averting a catastrophe! Jiang Xuan was deeply moved and felt a surge of respect for the ancestor he had never met.
That's exactly why.
Lin Zhong continued.
"The Imperial Family, in gratitude for Lord Daochen's achievements and sacrifices, has issued a special decree. The decree states that Xixin Peak will be a permanent honor bestowed upon Lin Daochen and his direct descendants, belonging only to Lin Daochen's direct bloodline!"
In other words, only the direct descendants of Lord Daochen are truly qualified to own and reside on this prestigious mountain! Other collateral relatives, even those also surnamed Lin, and no matter how close their bloodline, have no right to occupy it unless they are from the direct line!
He looked at Jiang Xuan, his eyes gleaming.
"Your grandfather, Master Zhenshan, was the eldest son of Master Daochen. Your father, Young Master Wenjing, was also the eldest son of Master Zhenshan, making him Master Daochen's eldest grandson. And you... are Young Master Wenjing's only son, the rightful and purest direct great-grandson of Master Daochen's lineage!"
"Therefore, according to the ancient decree of the royal family, only you, Young Master Jiang Xuan, are qualified to truly inherit and lead this Cleansing Heart Peak within the entire Lin family!"
Lin Zhong's tone was resolute.
“Those collateral branches didn’t not want to take over back then, but they didn’t dare to, and they couldn’t! If they had forcibly taken over, they would have been going against the imperial decree, which would have been illegitimate and would have attracted the intervention of the empire!”
This is one of the reasons why, after their family business was completely divided up, they preferred to move to the ground rather than remain on Xinxin Peak.
Jiang Xuan suddenly realized. So that's how it is! A royal decree from hundreds of years ago had become an invisible shackle protecting Xixin Peak and restricting others.
This also explains why Xixin Peak remained under the Lin family's name after the Lin family's collapse, instead of being directly reclaimed by the empire or bestowed upon someone else—because, theoretically, no heir recognized by the empire had yet appeared.
"The royal family...has not revoked this decree? Nor has it made any other arrangements for Xixin Peak?"
Jiang Xuan pressed for an answer.
Lin Zhong shook his head.
"No. Since the massacre, Xixin Peak has remained vacant. Apart from routine maintenance and inspections of the formation, the empire has never issued any other decrees or taken any other actions."
Sometimes this old servant can't understand it. Logically, with the direct bloodline extinguished, the object protected by this decree no longer exists, and the royal family has every reason to reclaim Xixin Peak. But they didn't… Now that I think about it…”
He looked at Jiang Xuan, his voice trembling with a hint of hope.
"Perhaps... the royal family... knew something all along? Or perhaps they foresaw... that you... would one day return, young master?"
Jiang Xuan's heart skipped a beat as he recalled the mysterious letter from the palace and the phrase "go ahead and do as you please." Could it be that behind all this, a powerful figure from the royal family was pulling the strings? Was that figure connected to the achievements of his ancestor, Lin Daochen?
However, these speculations cannot be confirmed at this time.
Jiang Xuan shook his head, suppressing these chaotic thoughts. Right now, the most important thing was to make good use of his status as the "sole legitimate heir," truly take control of Xixin Peak, and establish a firm foothold.
"Uncle Lin."
Jiang Xuan's voice became serious, and he looked directly at Lin Zhong.
"If I told you that I'm not willing to let the Lin family fall into ruin, that I want to restore the Lin family, at least... to avenge my parents, find out the truth, and take back everything that belongs to us, where do you think I should start?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhong was startled. Looking at Jiang Xuan's young yet resolute face, a long-lost warmth welled up in his heart. But then, the cold reality quickly brought him back to his senses.
He gave a bitter smile, his voice filled with helplessness and heaviness.
"Young master, your heart is so kind, this old servant... has no regrets even in death. But... restoring the Lin family is easier said than done!"
He counted on his fingers, reciting each item to Jiang Xuan.
“You see, right now on Xixin Peak, the only two people we can use are you and this old servant. Although you are quite strong, you are still young and your cultivation will take time to improve. This old servant is old and frail, and apart from taking care of chores, I can’t be of much help.”
"The other four branches of the Lin family, after more than ten years of development, although they are not considered major forces, have all established their own territories in the Forbidden City, with some people and businesses under their control."
They're used to being independent; why would they willingly obey the orders of you, a young and suddenly appearing head of the household? It's already a miracle they haven't united to resist you! This is an internal problem.”
"Look outside again."
Lin Zhong's tone became even more somber.
"Which forces divided up the Lin family's assets back then? The Chi family, the Zhao family, the Wang family... and those small and medium-sized families and chambers of commerce that depended on them! Which one of them isn't a prominent and influential family in the Forbidden City today?"
How could they possibly spit out the flesh they've already swallowed? If you intend to revive the Lin family, you'll inevitably infringe upon their interests; how could they stand idly by? This is an external threat!
"Beset by internal and external troubles, we lack manpower, money, and a solid foundation... Young Master, this path is too difficult, almost... impossible!"
By the end, Lin Zhong's voice was choked with emotion, a mixture of helplessness and despair born from a deep understanding of the harsh realities of life.
Jiang Xuan listened quietly without interrupting. Every word Lin Zhong spoke was a cold, hard truth.
He lacked manpower, money, resources, and prestige; he had almost nothing. His enemies, however, were powerful and numerous, and internal dissent was possible.
"I know it's difficult, almost impossible."
Jiang Xuan spoke slowly, his voice calm yet carrying a rock-solid determination.
“But Uncle Lin, some things are not done because they have a chance of success, but because… they must be done.”
He stood up, walked to the entrance of the main hall, and looked out at the tranquil and beautiful Xixin Peak under the moonlight, as well as the dazzling lights of the Forbidden City in the distance, like a galaxy of stars.
"The hatred for one's parents is irreconcilable. How can the grudge of a family's downfall be easily forgiven? Now that I've returned, now that I know everything, if I back down because of difficulties, if I give up because of fear, then I will live my whole life in regret and resentment. Rather than living such a wretched life, I'd rather fight to the death." (End of Chapter)