Chapter 3: Holding One's Head High and Breathing Freely

Over the years, have they not endured humiliation in silence?

Fearing that a single disagreement might lead the other party to devour oneself alive

The members of the Ling family were also greatly shocked, and the clan elders pounded their chests and stamped their feet, wanting to come forward to advise, but upon meeting Ling Xian's gaze, they hesitated in fear

Just now, when the Grand Elder was ambushed, none of them had the courage to act. Yet in the blink of an eye, they transformed into fierce wolves and tigers, daring to assault the young master of the Chen family at the slightest disagreement

Before the words of the elder were finished, several elders of the Ling family had already begun to dissuade him. Over the years, the Ling family had fallen into decline, and the ambitions of its members had long been worn away.

Doing this on my part can be considered as showing mercy

A single misstep leads to total defeat, one by one they are beaten into a state of panic, soon left bruised and unable to rise.

That young master of the Chen family remains arrogant and full of himself, displaying a contemptuous and shameless demeanor. I am merely taking advantage of you; what can you do about it?

In an instant, everyone's gaze was focused on Ling Xian.

Ling Xian spoke softly

Ling Xian's voice was exceedingly calm, devoid of any trace of anger, yet it inexplicably carried a sense of intimidation in the ears of the crowd

Patriarch, what should we do now

Indeed, Brother Xian, my Ling family is no longer what it used to be; in all matters, taking a step back opens up a vast expanse of possibilities

Who would have thought that in the end, they would be thrown into the cesspool for a bath, one by one, and that this would change their color? Some cursed loudly, while others begged for mercy.

The big bull kicked the Chen family disciples beside him, expelling a mouthful of the foul air from his chest. Over the years, he had endured too much humiliation, and just now he had been insulted by these young rascals.

Although they felt that the approach was inappropriate, they did not dare to go against the persuasion.

A man, if he cannot take pleasure in avenging grievances, what is the purpose of living in this world

It is so suffocating

... ...

He accurately gauged that the Ling family had no way to deal with him

See how he handles it

Two young men stepped forward, respectfully waiting for his instructions. Ling Xian's performance had already impressed them. The youth were relatively naive and were completely unaware of what this moment would bring to the Ling family.

Many people are secretly pondering how to report to the head of the Chen family, embellishing the story, and they must ensure that this experience is a hundredfold or a thousandfold more exquisite.

Elder brother, it was Third Uncle who was injured due to an ambush orchestrated by him.

You... do you dare to hit me

As Ling Xian approached, the young master of the Chen family was greatly terrified and no longer dared to show off verbally. He realized that the Ling Xian before him was vastly different from the one in his memory

Moreover, not to mention that this piece of land on the southern slope is extremely important to the Ling family and is fundamentally not for sale, even if it were to be sold, it would be no problem to exchange it for several thousand taels of silver at market price

Such a grand style, however, has never been seen in the old patriarch

A typical dandy

Today's Xian Ge Er is different from before, possessing a certain calm demeanor

Big Bull, Ling Feng

The elders of the clan have grown old and have become accustomed to forbearance, yet the younger generation is full of vigor and passion

Patriarch, do not act impulsively

Originally, Ling Xian was young and took over as the clan leader, which had led to some murmurs of discontent within the clan. However, after this battle, all the young men present were completely convinced and devoted to him, each one becoming his staunch supporter

"The death penalty can be avoided, but the living crimes cannot escape. These fellows have destroyed our fields. You should search them for any valuables they possess and bring them for compensation. Additionally, strip them of their outer garments, bind them one by one, and throw them into the cesspool for a bath."

This useless fellow actually got so scared that he lost control of his bowels and bladder

A group of useless people

Chen Yunfei felt a surge of anger within him, yet he dared not express it in the face of Ling Xian's gaze. He refrained from even uttering a retort, fearing that this devilish young man might change his mind again.

The members of the Chen clan were left speechless, wondering when the Ling family had become so audacious

Ling Xian's face revealed a trace of disgust: "Rest assured, I will not kill you. It is not out of fear of your Chen family, but rather because killing a waste like you would dirty my hands."

If this piece of land is occupied, it is unknown how many of our people will die from hunger and cold

"Ling... Ling, with the surname Ling, may you meet a terrible fate."

What of hitting you?

The patriarch has accumulated a great deal of wealth

Several clan elders exchanged glances, obediently closing their mouths. This is not how Ling Xian usually behaves.

The fourth grandfather approached unsteadily, and although he was intimidated by Ling Xian's aura, he still felt it necessary to offer advice, lest the young clan leader, in a moment of impulse, make a grave mistake

Ling Xian stepped forward and said: "This is the land of the Ling family"

The head of the Ling family wields immense power; although they are elders, they can only obey.

You ... ...

The sound of the big bull grinding its teeth reached my ears; if it weren't for someone holding it back, it would have rushed forward to confront Chen Yunfei.

The entire process was swift and unexpected, leaving everyone astonished

In a moment, exclamations of surprise arose one after another. Although the Ling family had fallen from grace, they still had a considerable number of members. The Chen family was merely a third-rate small clan, and those sent to provoke were nothing more than a group of young rascals.

However, although Ling Xian appeared somewhat domineering, they did not express any complaints; instead, they felt a sense of reassurance. Shouldn't the leader of a clan be a person of responsibility?

At this moment, witnessing Ling Xian fiercely beating the young master of the Chen family, everyone was filled with pride and excitement, their brows raised and spirits soaring.

You... don't act recklessly

However, Ling Xian turned a blind eye to it. The destruction of the farmland would leave the Ling clan members in dire straits, and the forcible occupation of the southern slope to establish a horse ranch, regardless of the purpose, is utterly unforgivable

Fourth Uncle, did you see? This kind of person, if you let him go, he will only go back and embellish the story. Do you think they will be grateful for our mercy?

Bang

Hehe, that is in the past. From today onwards, it will no longer be the case. This area of one hundred acres will become the horse ranch of the Chen family. Here are ten taels of silver, which shall be regarded as the wealth for purchasing the land. Do not say that our Chen family has resorted to cunning and plunder.

They anticipated that the Ling family would be timid and would only retreat, never expecting that such an unconventional clan leader as Ling Xian would emerge.

The big ox and others joyfully brought one money bag after another to Ling Xian. The Ling family has now fallen to the point where they must be meticulous even about their meals, and for several years, the clan members have found it difficult to afford a full set of clothing. Seeing so much money, they were all envious, yet no one sought to hide any for themselves. This income should be handed over to the clan leader for unified distribution

In an instant, all eyes were focused on Ling Xian.

Young people are often not overly concerned, and at this moment, inspired by the clan leader, their blood surges with excitement, each one raising their fists and striking towards the Chen clan members

To avoid trouble and to get by

He looked at Ling Xian with an expression full of reverence, and the expressions of Ling Feng, Ling Yu, and the other young men and women were similar. If it were not for the wise and mighty leadership of the clan leader, they would still be bullied by the other party now.

Chen Yunfei's face was filled with disbelief; the small Ling family actually dared to defy him, the young master of the Chen family, as if they were tired of living

Ling Xian spat at him twice and slapped him twice, the sound was incredibly loud

Ling Xian's strength is far beyond his own, yet over the years, he has endured considerable humiliation at his hands, having been subjected to various forms of indignity, unable to express his anger. Even now, as he has become the leader of a clan, he remains arrogant and overbearing

Everything went dark before my eyes, stars were swirling, and I was knocked down like a rolling gourd by a punch

The voice of the young master of the Chen family, akin to a broken gong, filled the ears, brimming with malice; however, paired with that face beaten to a pulp, it was utterly laughable.

Buying land for ten taels is indeed extremely absurd

These individuals are all martial artists; their lives are not in danger today. However, the experiences they have encountered will surely be unforgettable for them throughout their lives

Chen Yunfei, the young master of the Chen family, is said to possess utterly poor qualifications; however, he relies on his status to bully both men and women, committing all manner of wrongdoing

Currently, the Ling family is in a state of decline, while the strength of the Chen family far surpasses it. Within the clan, there are as many as five third-rate experts who have reached the fourth level of body refinement. Such combat power is simply beyond the capability of the Ling family to contend with

In the distance, the sound of "thud thud" could be heard. Here, there are hundreds of acres of fertile land, and there are dozens of manure pits used for storing fertilizers. Soon, all the members of the Chen clan were thrown in without exception.

You... please do not kill me

In the patriarch.

The big bull spat at the Chen family disciples beside him, having completely ruined the crops.

Xian Ge'er, do not act impulsively. The Chen family is much stronger than us. Upon learning of today's events, they will surely retaliate fiercely.

The members of the Chen clan heard that the death penalty could be avoided, but the lesser crimes were inescapable. They initially breathed a sigh of relief, and even when they heard that their wealth would be confiscated, they were unconcerned. They were all the idle sons of wealthy families, possessing gold, silver, and jewels. Even if some were taken from them, it would not matter.

Ling Xian, you are so bold to dare to strike me. My father will definitely not let you go. You... you will suffer a thousandfold torment. Your Ling family... will all meet a terrible end.

Rest assured, as the head of the family, Lin will take responsibility for each and every member of the household

Even if one is aware, it does not matter. The once-great first family of the Wu Kingdom has fallen to this state. Rather than living in a state of mere survival, it is better to fight fiercely, even if it leads to the complete destruction of the army; it is still preferable to such a wretched existence

But in the next moment, a huge fist appeared before my eyes

However, this time, there is no room for retreat, as others have already placed their knives to our throats

The elders looked around in confusion, while the young members clenched their fists one by one. The Ling family had endured humiliation for too long; once a noble clan of a different surname, they had now fallen to the point of being bullied by third-rate families without daring to speak up.

These crops are of little significance to the Chen family, but they are a matter of life and death for the Ling family. Without the harvest of these grains, many clan members will starve to death

Several clan elders sighed, having nothing to say

Do not provoke trouble

Hmph, when the Ling family was weak and easily bullied, that was in the past. My creed is: if others do not offend me, I will not offend them; if others offend me, I will make them regret it for a lifetime

He is a few years older than Ling Xian, and his current level of cultivation is largely due to the assistance of elixirs. Although both are at the second level of cultivation, one is at the peak while the other is at the beginner stage, resulting in a significant disparity.

A voice of a rogue reached my ears, belonging to a person dressed in luxurious attire, with an expression of arrogance on their face. Despite being at the second layer of the Refinement Stage, they displayed an air of ostentation.

However, the other party offered a price of ten taels, which is not only a blatant act of extortion but also an intentional insult

"Fourth Grandfather, esteemed elders, I, Ling, am the head of the clan, so I kindly ask you to heed my instructions"

Ling Xian smiled as he walked over.

What do you want to do