Chapter 316: Chapter 316

Lin Tianyou spoke while sneaking a glance at his brother’s expression and then feigned a sigh, "Think about how much treasure the ancestors bestowed back then, surely no less than what Mr. Jiang has arranged here.

If Father was willing to provide these resources for us brothers to cultivate, we would have successfully reached Foundation Establishment long ago."

A teenage boy is often at the age of arrogance, especially a "Young Patriarch" like his brother, who was spoiled since childhood and cannot tolerate being trampled upon by others.

Lin Tianyou, thinking himself clever, believed that even if they seized Wan Mingchuan’s opportunities, Father could bring out treasures from the vault to clean up after, just like those years before.

If Lin Tianzuo gets hot-headed and really rushes out to cause trouble, there’s no way he could hold onto the Young Patriarch position!

Though the two brothers were born just a short interval apart, with him coming later than Lin Tianzuo, Lin Tianzuo as the eldest legitimate son enjoyed the treatment of being adored by all, while he could only be his shadow!

In terms of cultivation talent, he was not inferior; in looks and demeanor, no one could easily discern between them, yet because he was born a bit later, he had to live forever in his brother’s shadow. It was not fair!

As the saying goes, it’s not the scarcity that you should worry about, but the uneven distribution. Lin Tianyou was very dissatisfied with the favoritism toward his brother since childhood, especially as Father often gave Lin Tianyou preferential treatment in private, making their father-son relationship evidently closer.

As things stood, Lin Tianyou hoped even more that Lin Tianzuo would make a great mistake, giving him a chance to shine.

So when Wan Mingchuan, the true eldest legitimate son, appeared, Lin Tianyou was overjoyed, feeling that Lin Tianzuo was finally pushed down!

Seeing him fall from grace to being as neglected as himself, before he could bask in schadenfreude, he learned that after family elders’ discussion, Wan Mingchuan was appointed as the main head responsible for external affairs, while Lin Tianzuo was made the second head to bear the Lin family’s responsibilities in the future.

Lin Tianyou was infuriated—neither of the two main positions fell to him!

Then he would incite the two to compete, knowing Father would stand by Wan Mingchuan, and then when Lin Tianzuo is ruined, he would have his chance!

"Yes, everyone says our talents aren’t as good as Wan Mingchuan, but actually, it’s just that our conditions aren’t as good as his!" Lin Tianzuo gave his brother a sideways glance and heavily sighed, as if he wished to say more but stopped.

He was indeed very angry but not stupid. Father is so sycophantic towards Mr. Jiang, planning to snatch Wan Mingchuan’s opportunities? Is he tired of living?

Foolish brother, your provocations are too clumsy.

However, with such an obvious intent to usurp, he must not be kept!

"Do you know why Wan Mingchuan is going to such great lengths to enter the tower to seclude himself?" Lin Tianzuo acted more naturally, leaning closer to lower his voice, "Yesterday, Father told me a family secret only the Young Patriarch is entitled to know—a secret realm inside the ancestor’s tower."

Family secret? Secret realm?!

Lin Tianyou’s heart skipped a beat, realizing why Wan Mingchuan would rush back despite having excellent cultivation conditions, it all-rooted here! No wonder the family always strictly selects the list of participants, not giving the branches any chance; it truly housed a heaven-sent opportunity!

"As you know, Father participated in secluded cultivation in the tower as the Young Patriarch." Lin Tianzuo half-truthfully said, "The secret realm contains hidden inheritance from the Lin bloodline. If one can enter, they can obtain a Heavenly Level cultivation technique left by our ancestors!"

"Heavenly Level?!" Lin Tianyou’s eyes lit up immediately, "Brother, what about Father..."

Lin Tianzuo shook his head and said quietly, "Do you think a Heavenly Level technique is something commonplace? Wan Mingchuan has made two grand returns, dead set on securing the tower entrance; he’s aiming for the Heavenly Level technique!

Since the ancestor bestowed the Silent Cultivation Tower upon the Lin family, no one has entered the secret realm to receive the technique inheritance. Father said I was the most likely to get the inheritance, but now Wan Mingchuan is back...

The Heavenly Level technique is one of a kind, and you see the web they have laid; I don’t even have Supreme Treasures like a Teleportation Talisman to compete with Wan Mingchuan for resources."

Teleportation Talisman? I have one!

Lin Tianyou was briefly thrilled before coming to his senses, "Brother, the Silent Cultivation Tower opens for only one person at a time; even with a Teleportation Talisman, what can be done?"

"Are you dense?" Lin Tianzuo rolled his eyes at him, "The ancestor said: the Silent Cultivation Tower accommodates one for seclusion. He didn’t say others couldn’t force their way in—at most, it disrupts the other’s cultivation; what does that have to do with us?

Mr. Jiang must have given Wan Mingchuan some kind of Magical Treasure to open the secret realm smoothly. If one can slip in unbidden and unnoticed then... we are both legitimate sons; though he’s been wandering for years, we are the true orthodox. Whoever can gain the ancestor’s recognition and obtain the Heavenly Level technique is uncertain."

Every cultivator knows the worth of a Heavenly Level technique, and the family inheritance has only one!

What if I fail to snatch it from Wan Mingchuan and get blamed? But if he takes away the Heavenly Level technique, my lifetime prospects will truly be dim...

Thoughts flooded instantly; Lin Tianyou’s heart was indeed moved, yet he lacked the courage and casually asked: "How will we know if Wan Mingchuan successfully opens the secret realm?"

Lin Tianzuo thought to himself about how to cover up the lie of the secret realm as a single piece to make it more believable?

"Who’s to say, Father couldn’t even do it." He perfunctorily replied, "Perhaps there will be celestial phenomena. Look how far they’ve driven us out; there’s bound to be something fishy."

Lin Tianyou originally planned to anger and goad his brother against Wan Mingchuan, benefiting from the sidelines.

He had not expected the other party to half-truthfully coax him into action, waiting for Lin Tianyou to stir up some trouble and anger Mr. Jiang. By then, Father would inevitably punish him severely and drive him out to appease the honored guest’s anger, ridding him of the long-standing wolfish eyes.

"Brother, we share the same mother and have been inseparable since childhood; that’s why I’m telling you about the family secret." Lin Tianzuo deliberately emphasized, "You must keep this secret, or once the news leaks, the Lin family will be in extreme peril!"

Lin Tianyou casually replied, "Of course, I’m no fool; why would I betray my own family?"

The distance between them was truly too far; although he couldn’t see what the others were busy with, he could sense how seriously they valued Wan Mingchuan’s entrance to the tower.

Indeed, given it concerns the Heavenly Level technique.

Lin Tianyou’s fingers rubbed against the Teleportation Talisman his mother had given him recently, his internal scales swayed precariously under the weight of desire.

"Sir, where should these Thundercloud Talismans be placed?" Yun Shu asked, holding a stack of talismans, with a face full of sincerity.

Lin Shuo turned his head and couldn’t take his eyes off—the number of Magical Talismans! Mr. Jiang’s wealth and generosity were indeed extraordinary!

"Emmm... you can operate these basic talismans from afar to call down lightning, so place them further out..." Jiang Yuan, lacking combat experience, had to rely wholly on his imagination.

For instance, he imagined opponents teleporting and being struck by lightning upon arrival, then being overwhelmed by waves of paper effigies—though he wasn’t confident if the execution could proceed smoothly.

However, with four Yu Hu warriors in his inventory as trump card support, he wasn’t worried.

"May I ask Mr. Jiang..." Lin Shuo, hearing their conversation, couldn’t help his curiosity, and hurriedly asked, "How much would this young lady’s talisman treasure cost? To ordinary cultivators, is it an extremely rare item? To be honest, when the ancestor—no, rather, that old thief—arrived at the Lin family, he bestowed many of these talisman treasures.

The methods were simple, yet powerful; they could instantly transport dozens of miles away, summon rain and thunder, even fly upon clouds. Although each use was fleeting due to our insufficient Spiritual Power, it was utterly magnificent. I wish to know—at what level do these talismans stand in the Cultivation Realm?"

He still harbored hope that at least as bait, he could gain substantial benefit and foundation, possibly leading the Lin family to truly rise and conquer with the vault’s treasures and talismans!