Chapter 40: Raising an Army to Condemn

Li Tan followed Lin Cui into the grand hall.

Apart from Lin Long and Gu Lin, the only other people whose names he recognized were Lin Yuan, who sat in a wheelchair glaring at him with rage, and a haughty young man dressed in luxurious robes who looked at Li Tan with disdain. This young man was Lin Ge, whom Li Tan had encountered when leaving the auction house.

Li Tan had previously stated that he needed the Bone Mending and Vein Renewing Pill. The reason the Lin family was suddenly in urgent need of such a pill could only be to treat Lin Yuan. Therefore, the fact that Lin Ge was Lin Yuan’s older brother was not particularly surprising. Li Tan had already guessed most of this.

Beside Lin Ge was an elderly man with white hair, who appeared to be meditating with his eyes closed. Since he was with Lin Ge, he was likely the Second Elder, whom Li Tan had barely interacted with before his rebirth.

None of the other elders of the Lin family had come. Some weren’t interested, but most were likely avoiding taking sides directly.

This was understandable. The Second Elder had been eyeing Lin Long aggressively, and it was only a matter of time before their conflict erupted openly. Choosing sides meant aligning with the stronger faction, and the current commotion directed at Li Tan served as a perfect platform for such a display.

As Li Tan entered the hall, all heads turned toward him, and a variety of gazes, filled with different meanings, fell upon him. Most of these looks carried a hint of disdain.

Although Li Tan had crippled Lin Jingwu and Lin Yuan, it was widely believed that he must have relied on external help. The deeply ingrained perception was that someone without cultivation was essentially useless, and this belief was not easily shaken.

Lin Cui sat down next to Lin Long. Li Tan looked for a seat, but found every spot occupied. He then realized his current status—as a prisoner.

He didn’t particularly care, so he calmly stood in the center of the hall, where all eyes were focused.

“You seem harmless enough on the outside, but it’s hard to imagine how malicious you truly are. Relying on your status and some underhanded tricks, you dared to break my younger brother’s leg.”

Lin Ge stared coldly at Li Tan.

“Li Tan! I’m telling you now, this isn’t over. Get ready to rot in jail and regret everything!”

Lin Yuan gritted his teeth, his anger boiling.

Before Li Tan could respond, Lin Cui spoke up first.

“Lin Yuan, shut your mouth! You have no right to speak here. As for you, Lin Ge, I hope you understand that your younger brother, as an innate cultivator, provoked Li Tan first and attacked him directly. He lost because his skills were inferior. Li Tan was merely defending himself. What crime has he committed?”

“Crime?

You actually have the nerve to say that? Li Tan was defending himself?

Then tell me, how exactly does self-defense justify breaking my brother’s leg?” Lin Ge immediately retorted.

Lin Cui furrowed her brows, quickly thinking. After a moment, she replied.

“Li Tan is merely an ordinary person. Mr. Li Zhen provided him with some self-defense items. When confronted by Lin Yuan, a mid-stage Xiantian cultivator, isn’t it understandable that he panicked and lost control?”

Lin Ge snorted coldly and pointed at Li Tan.

“You keep saying that Li Zhen gave him tools for self-defense. Then tell me exactly what these tools are. If an ordinary person can cripple a cultivator with them, could they be some kind of dark sorcery?”

Lin Cui clenched her fists slightly and turned her head away in frustration. Lin Long took over the questioning, casting a distant glance at Li Tan.

“Explain how you, as an ordinary person, managed to defeat Lin Jingwu and Lin Yuan. As long as it’s not some forbidden dark art, I guarantee no harm will come to you.”

At these words, many eyes turned toward Li Tan, many filled with mockery.

Li Tan caught Lin Cui’s gaze, which seemed to urge him to tell the truth. So he did.

“I hit him with my hands.”

An eerie silence filled the air, creating an awkward atmosphere. Lin Long and Lin Cui’s faces turned dark with frustration, their hands trembling.

Li Tan felt a bit helpless. The trouble this would cause was obvious. He had told the truth, but no one believed him. They all thought he was lying, and the misunderstanding had reached its peak.

“Li Tan!”

Lin Cui glared at him furiously, clearly asking why he hadn’t followed her script.

“This is no joke. If you refuse to tell the truth again, you’ll bear the consequences yourself,” Lin Long’s eyes burned with anger.

“Hmph! If it’s not some dark art, why hide it? In my opinion, the Li family is no good either. To grow stronger, they’ve already lost all sense of direction. We should cut ties with them immediately. Housemaster, do you have anything to say?” Lin Ge stood proudly, his tone heavily provocative, barely concealing his intent to undermine Lin Long.

“You—” Lin Long glared furiously at him but was helpless. At this moment, Gu Lin tugged at his sleeve and stepped forward.

“Young Ge, the Li family has done us great favors. How can you slander them like this?” Seeing Gu Lin, Lin Ge softened his tone slightly, but still refused to yield.

“Fairness first. The Li family’s past kindness doesn’t directly relate to what they’re doing now. After all, when survival is at stake, people can do anything.”

At this, Li Tan’s expression subtly changed.

As previously mentioned, the Li family had suffered heavy losses due to the sudden declaration of war by the demon race, leaving them like a poorly guarded treasure vault where everyone sought to take a share. Under such circumstances, anyone would resort to any means necessary to ensure the family’s survival. Therefore, Lin Ge’s words were not without justification.

“Don’t talk nonsense, Lin Ge! Li Tan, what are you hesitating for? Hurry up and speak!”

Lin Cui interrupted the conversation.

Once again, all attention turned to Li Tan.

Li Tan pursed his lips and turned his body sideways to face Lin Ge.

“What exactly are you here for today?”

“You broke my younger brother’s right leg, and you dare ask me that? Hmph!”

“So you’re here to accuse me then. Yes, I did break Lin Yuan’s leg. But according to your family’s rules, he was the one who attacked first. It seems I could have even killed him, and it would still be justified. How is that excessive self-defense?

Moreover, you accuse me of hiding some dark art because I won’t reveal how I defeated Lin Yuan. Then tell me, if my family truly had a dark art that allowed ordinary people to defeat cultivators, would they have allowed me to become a son-in-law?”

Despite the many people present, Li Tan stood unflinchingly and spoke eloquently.

The Second Elder opened his eyes, his gaze filled with confusion. Lin Ge and Lin Yuan looked increasingly grim, while Lin Long, Lin Cui, and Gu Lin were all taken aback.

Was this Li Tan truly the so-called “good-for-nothing” that everyone spoke of?

Everyone stood stunned for a while until Lin Long’s cough broke the silence.

Hatred burned in Lin Ge’s eyes as he glared at Li Tan, his resolve to eliminate him growing stronger.

“Don’t try to change the subject. Today, unless you explain how an ordinary person like you defeated Lin Yuan, prepare to spend the rest of your life in jail.”