C15 Bet

"Is this what it feels like at the pinnacle of Foundation Building? He's incredibly strong!" Lin Hao thought to himself, deeply impressed.

Despite giving it his all, he knew he was no match for a Foundation Building peak expert. He couldn't even muster the will to resist; the gap in strength was overwhelming.

"One day, I'll be that strong too!" Lin Hao declared, his fists clenched with determination.

"The rumors seem to be true after all. You've broken through to the peak of Foundation Building, leaving us all behind," Lin Xiao remarked to Wang Le.

Wang Le approached Wang Ping, checking to see if he was injured. If Wang Ping had been hurt, it would have given him the perfect pretext to take action against the Lin family that day.

But Wang Ping was unscathed, so Wang Le turned to Lin Xiao and suggested, "It was merely a stroke of luck. Why not let the younger ones handle their own affairs? It's better for them to resolve it themselves, don't you think? It's a good way to toughen them up."

"Handle it themselves? Wang Le, did you not see what your son brought out? A runic weapon! Isn't that practically a death sentence for Lin Hao?" Lin Xiao retorted.

"There's no need for such anger. I'm confident that Ping won't actually go through with it. They're just sparring, after all. Why take it so seriously?" Wang Le replied, smiling.

Lin Xiao gave a cold snort and declared, "As long as I'm here today, no one will harm a member of the Lin family! If necessary, I'll fight to the death to protect them! It's time for you to leave."

"What's there to be smug about? Dad, show him what for!" Wang Ping called out before Wang Le could respond.

With a light laugh, Wang Le conceded, "Fine, we'll leave for today. You're close to breaking through to the late period of Foundation Building, aren't you? Well, we'll just see how you fare in a month's time."

"What! Middle period of Foundation Building?" Lin Xiong was taken aback. He had assumed that reaching the Foundation Building stage would put him on equal footing with Lin Xiao, vying for the position of family head.

Little did he expect that Lin Xiao had already reached the middle period of Foundation Building, and might even be on the cusp of advancing to the late period.

"He's kept his true power well hidden," Lin Xiong said through gritted teeth.

If Wang Le hadn't reached the pinnacle of Foundation Building, the news of Lin Xiao's impending breakthrough to the late period of Foundation Building would have thrilled everyone.

But now, the family's response was muted, as Wang Le's achievements had eclipsed Lin Xiao's shine.

Even at the late period of Foundation Building, no one would be a match for Wang Le.

Seemingly recalling something, Wang Le added, "Oh, and someone from our Wang family is on the verge of a Foundation Building breakthrough. You all better watch out, hahaha..."

Wang Ping, in a panic, said, "Father, we can't just leave. What about Lin Wen?"

Lin Hao stepped forward with determination, "As long as I'm here, no one will take Lin Wen away."

Wang Le glanced at Lin Hao with contempt, "You're his son, aren't you? How pathetic. Your father was much stronger than you."

"Do you know my father?" Lin Hao asked, puzzled.

Ignoring Lin Hao's question, Wang Le said, "Come along, Ping'er. We'll discuss this in a month."

Undeterred, Wang Ping challenged Lin Hao, "We'll meet at the competition in a month. If you lose, Lin Wen will become my partner."

"Hmph! As if I'm scared," Lin Hao shot back.

"I notice there are three weaklings in the Lin family. You'll have to beat them to qualify for the competition. I'd like to see you try," Wang Ping taunted.

"Don't concern yourself with me; I'll handle it," Lin Hao replied.

"Enough talk, let's go," Wang Le interjected.

Privately, Wang Le sent a message to Lin Xiao, "Don't you forget our upcoming match. Hahaha..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao felt a surge of anxiety. His greatest fear wasn't the family disciples' competition failing, but his own defeat in the upcoming challenge!

The heads of the four families had a tradition of competing every three years, with the strongest member representing each. The victor would govern Thunderfall for the next three years.

Lin Hao's father had won the last competition, but now, with his mysterious disappearance and Wang Le's breakthrough to the peak of Foundation Building, it seemed unlikely that Lin Xiao could claim the top spot.

"All I can do now is try not to come in last," Lin Xiao thought to himself.

A gust of wind swept through, and Wang Ping and Wang Le vanished from the Lin family's presence.

"Dad, why didn't you show them what you're made of? I don't think there's anyone in the Lin family who can match your strength!"

Once Wang Le and Wang Ping were back home, Wang Ping raised the question.

Wang Le narrowed his eyes and replied, "I've just reached the peak of the foundation building stage. My energy is still settling, and if I were to act now, I might injure myself. Moreover, Lin Xiao is nearing the late period of foundation building. I'll take care of him in a month!"

"Right, Dad, I forgot to mention, I defeated Lin Qing in the Misty Forest. This is his Windsong sword!" Wang Ping said, producing the Windsong he had acquired.

"Oh? I had a feeling you were the one who did it. Scarface already filled me in. Keep the Windsong for yourself, and bring it out in a month. By then, my foundation building peak will have stabilized."

Wang Ping felt a pang of anxiety, wondering if his father would be upset with him for not speaking up sooner. But seeing Wang Le's expression remain unchanged, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I'll leave you to it, then."

"Yes, focus on your cultivation..."

"Alright, everyone, dismiss yourselves and get ready for the family competition," Lin Xiao instructed.

Lin Hao had intended to inquire further about his father, but after some thought, he decided against it. He had asked over ten times already, and each time, Lin Xiao had evaded the question without revealing the truth. So, Lin Hao resolved to conduct his own investigation.

Once alone, Lin Hao approached Lin Wen and asked, "Do you resent me for making that promise on your behalf? If I fail, you..."

Before Lin Hao could finish, Lin Wen placed her hand over his mouth and said, "I trust you! Even if you fail, I would rather die than go with him."

Lin Hao let out a heavy sigh.

"I need to get back to my training. I'll see you at the family competition. I must practice diligently, or I might not even make it through the family selection."

As Lin Hao walked away, Lin Wen watched, her eyes reflecting the sorrow and defiance within him. Her vision blurred with emotion. Since Lin Hao's parents disappeared three years ago, she had not seen him truly smile, a testament to the immense pressure he carried.

The following day, word of the events at the Lin family had already swept through Thunderfall City.

The revelation sent shockwaves through the community. For three years, Lin Hao had been labeled as good-for-nothing, and now, to everyone's astonishment, he appeared to be a force to be reckoned with.

It was a turn of events that many found hard to believe.

As a result, Lin Hao quickly became the talk of the town within the Lin family.

Meanwhile, Lin Hao was oblivious to the chatter surrounding him. He was diligently practicing in his room, eagerly anticipating the start of the family competition.

Lin Hao had been striving to advance to the sixth level of Qi Refining, but progress was challenging. Just two days prior, he had achieved the fifth level, and the next step seemed even more daunting.

Realizing a breakthrough was unlikely in the short term, Lin Hao opted not to chase after the next level. Instead, he focused on honing the techniques he had learned.

He had already pushed his training in the Gold Needle Technique and the Fireball Technique to the limit, so Lin Hao quickly reviewed them once more.

He put extra effort into mastering the Petrification technique, sensing there was more to it than met the eye.

Three days flew by, and the family competition was on the horizon.

"Don't worry, you're going to win, Lin Hao. You've got to take down Wang Ping!" Lin Hao said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Having confidence in his ability to defeat Lin Hu and his brothers, Lin Hao felt assured.

"Absolutely!" Lin Hao tightened his fists and declared with conviction. Everything was in place, all for the family competition today and the grand tournament one month from now.

"Success is the only option. Failure is not permissible!"

And with that, the family competition commenced!