The Lin's Patriarch is weird.

Chapter 167: 167. Winter Harvest.

The night gradually gave way to morning.

Azure Willow City remained peaceful on the surface, but far away in Clearbrook City, the Su Family was already experiencing a completely different kind of dawn.

The grand celebration that had filled their estate the previous night had vanished.

The lanterns were still hanging beneath the eaves, but there was no laughter beneath them now. The tables that had been filled with spirit wine and delicacies had already been cleared, leaving behind only an unsettling silence.

The Martial Spirit awakening ceremony had been cancelled.

Every guest had been sent away with an apology.

The Su Family had done everything within its power to prevent the matter from spreading.

Unfortunately, there were some things that could not be concealed so easily.

Five Golden Core experts had been crippled.

The Patriarch himself had suffered the same fate.

The treasury had been robbed.

And the culprit was a mysterious cultivator whose strength had clearly surpassed the Golden Core Realm.

Inside the main hall, the remaining elders sat in silence.

No one spoke.

The atmosphere was so heavy that even the servants entering the hall lowered their heads and moved carefully.

Su Haolang sat at the head of the hall, his face pale.

His cultivation had been completely destroyed.

For a cultivator who had spent decades advancing toward the peak of the Golden Core Realm, losing his cultivation was almost equivalent to losing his life.

Yet Su Haolang’s expression was not one of despair, it was anger.

"Patriarch."

An elder finally broke the silence.

Su Haolang raised his eyes.

"Speak."

The elder hesitated before continuing.

"The treasury has been thoroughly inspected and several artifacts are missing."

His expression immediately hardened.

"Which ones?"

The elder lowered his head.

"The Low Grade Legend Rank saber."

Su Haolang’s fingers tightened around the armrest.

"The breastplate, flute, brush and helmet are also gone."

Another elder spoke.

"The Bracelet of the Phoenix is missing as well."

The hall became silent once more.

Su Haolang’s expression changed slightly.

"The Bracelet of the Phoenix?"

"Yes."

The elder nodded.

Su Haolang’s eyes narrowed.

That artifact possessed a powerful ability, it was a dowry from the Lin family and the only ones who knew about the ability of the bracelet was the Su family and the Lin family.

That meant the intruder likely knew what it was.

"Anything else?"

The elder lowered his voice.

"No, that’s about it."

The treasures themselves were valuable, but something about the theft bothered Su Haolang.

His gaze drifted toward the empty space before him.

There was also another problem that disturbed him.

The mysterious intruder had clearly possessed Nascent Soul-level strength.

Yet he had deliberately concealed his identity.

Why?

If the intruder possessed enough strength to crush the Su Family, there was no reason to wear a mask unless he feared being identified.

That meant the man had a reason to hide.

And if he had a reason to hide...

Then there was a possibility that the attacker was connected to someone nearby.

Su Haolang’s eyes became cold.

"Find him."

The remaining elders exchanged glances.

"Even if it takes years, find him."

The elder at the front of the hall immediately cupped his fists.

"Understood."

Su Haolang’s gaze remained fixed upon him.

"Do not make this matter public. We cannot afford to let the other families learn how badly we have been weakened."

"Patriarch, what about the guests who witnessed the cancellation?"

"They already know something happened," Su Haolang said coldly. "But knowing that something happened is different from knowing the truth."

He slowly tightened his fingers around the armrest.

"If anyone asks, tell them that an unforeseen problem occurred within the Martial Awakening Altar and that the ceremony was postponed."

The elder nodded.

"Understood."

Meanwhile, several hundred kilometers away, Lin Xuan had already returned to his ordinary routine.

The incident in Clearbrook City had been left behind.

He sat inside his courtyard with a furnace before him.

The flames beneath it burned quietly.

A medicinal fragrance gradually spread through the room.

Lin Xuan watched the furnace with a calm expression.

The knowledge of an Alchemy Master had fundamentally changed his understanding of alchemy.

Previously, refining pills had required him to rely heavily upon his accumulated knowledge and experience.

Now, countless formulas, techniques, and methods naturally surfaced within his mind.

After a few minutes later the nascent soul flames suddenly surged.

He raised his hand and the furnace lid opened.

Several pills flew out and landed neatly within his palm.

Lin Xuan examined them.

The pills were perfectly formed. Their surface carried a faint luster, and their medicinal fragrance was considerably pure.

He placed them into a jade bottle and then walked toward the window.

Outside, the shipyard could be seen in the distance.

Construction had continued smoothly.

The workers were gradually becoming accustomed to their new routines, and the framework of the future harbor was beginning to take shape.

Lin Xuan watched it quietly.

Everything was proceeding according to plan.

The afternoon sun hung over Azure Willow City when a servant hurried into the main hall.

Lin Xuan was seated at the head of the room, reviewing several reports concerning the shipyard, while Lin Shuli sat nearby.

The servant stopped several steps away and immediately cupped his fists.

"Patriarch, Supreme Elder, a letter has arrived."

Lin Xuan raised his eyes.

"From whom?"

The servant carefully presented the sealed letter with both hands.

"The royal family."

Lin Xuan’s hand paused above the report.

"The royal family?"

Lin Shuli also looked toward the letter, her expression becoming serious.

Lin Xuan accepted it and examined the seal.

The emblem of the Loushi Kingdom’s royal family was clearly engraved upon the wax.

He broke the seal and unfolded the letter.

His eyes moved across the contents.

For several breaths, he said nothing.

Lin Shuli noticed his expression.

"What does it say?"

Lin Xuan handed the letter to her.

Lin Shuli read it carefully.

Her eyes widened slightly.

"The Winter Harvest..."

She looked up.

"They want the Lin Family to host it?"

Lin Xuan nodded slowly.

The Winter Harvest was not an ordinary gathering.

Every year, the major cultivation families and influential forces within the Loushi Kingdom gathered to compete for resources, demonstrate their younger generation, and determine the strength and standing of the various families.

It was one of the most important events in the kingdom’s cultivation world.

Yet this year’s invitation contained something even more unexpected.

The royal family had chosen the Lin Family as the host.

Lin Shuli after finishing reading muttered in surprise, "The Shangguan Family recommended us?"

"Yes."

Lin Xuan nodded.

"The royal family apparently accepted their recommendation and decided that the Winter Harvest will be held under the Lin Family’s arrangements."

The Shangguan Family was the superior force to which the Lin Family owed allegiance.

If they were willing to recommend the Lin Family for such an important event, then the Lin Family’s position within their territory had clearly changed considerably.

Lin Xuan looked down at the invitation again before lightly tapping against the table.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"The timing is quite interesting."

Lin Shuli glanced at him.

"You think this is related to the Su Family?"

"It might be."

Lin Xuan placed the invitation on the table.

"The Su Family was already preparing for the Winter Harvest. Their promotion to Rank 7 would depend heavily upon their performance."

Lin Shuli looked at him curiously.

"How did you know that?"

Lin Xuan remained composed.

"The Su Family and the Lin Family have been allies for quite some time. We exchange information every now and then."

Lin Shuli stared at him for several moments.

She immediately knew he was spouting nonsense.

The Lin Family and Su Family had indeed maintained relations, but there was no way Lin Xuan could have known such specific information merely through their occasional exchanges.

However, she had no way to prove that.

After a moment, Lin Shuli simply nodded.

"I see."

She decided to accept his explanation and let the matter rest.

Lin Xuan chuckled at her adaptability.

He did not pursue the matter either and simply let it rest.

"Supreme Elder, how many Everwinter Soul Calming Pills do we currently have in stock?"

Lin Shuli blinked before giving him a slightly puzzled look.

"None, I always thought our Lin Family had opted out of the Winter Harvest events, so there was never much reason to prepare them in advance."

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