A while after the bizarre lightning strike, Su wan lin appeared before the entrance of the Lin Clan. In his arms, he carried Yohan, who was completely naked. Two towering dragon statues faced each other at the threshold, marking the grand Entrance Gate of the Lin Clan. Upon seeing the old man approach, two guards hurriedly stepped forward and bowed their heads in deep respect.
"Welcome back, Elder Lin," they greeted him in unison.
The old man simply nodded and passed through the gates into the estate without a word. Once he was safely out of earshot, the two guards turned to watch his retreating figure.
"That good-for-nothing young master... what kind of wicked trouble did he stir up this time?" one guard whispered. "Looking at that innocent face of his, who would ever guess he's the trash of the Mighty Lin Clan?"
"You bastard, do you have a death wish?!" the other guard hissed, his voice cold with fear. "If anyone hears you speaking about Young Master Yohan like that, you'll forfeit your life along with your entire family! Keep your damn mouth shut. Even if he is trash... he is still the heir of the Lin Clan."
"You're right, you're right. I need to watch my tongue. I don't want any trouble," the first guard muttered, nervously scratching his head.
Meanwhile, Elder Lin let out a heavy sigh. The guards' whispers had reached his sharp ears, but he didn't bother to waste his breath on them. He tightly held Yohan and walked purposely in a specific direction.
The interior of the Lin Clan estate was vast and spacious, dotted with various elegant, high-class buildings. Clan members were busy going about their daily routines, yet every single one of them stopped to bow in respect as the old man passed. With a single glance, they all recognized the unconscious, naked Yohan in his grandfather's arms. However, no one dared to say or do anything out of fear for their lives. In this world, cultivators were supreme beings; ordinary humans who failed to awaken their cultivation talent were viewed as mere afterthoughts.
After walking for a few more minutes, the old man arrived at a massive structure—the Lin Clan Manor. Nestled amidst lush greenery, the manor was heavily secured by multiple guards. Upon seeing the elder, they all bowed respectfully, intentionally ignoring the young master in his arms.
Elder Lin ignored them right back, stepping inside the manor with his grandson.
"Father! What happened to my child?"
The moment his foot crossed the threshold, a beautiful woman hurriedly approached them. Her gaze immediately locked onto the boy cradled in his grandfather's arms. The woman's beautiful face turned pale, and her striking blue eyes welled with tears at the sight of her son. This was Yohan's mother, Alena.
"Father, what happened to Yohan? Why is he in this state?" Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she gently took Yohan into her own embrace. The fact that he was naked didn't matter to her in the slightest; such trivialities were insignificant to a worried mother.
"He was fooling around in the Pleasure District again," Elder Lin explained with a heavy sigh, recounting everything that had transpired within the River Shore City—the massive city governed entirely by the Lin Clan. "Su Lin found him there and lost his temper. He actually tried to kill his own son. That bastard is losing his mind day by day."
Alena's expression hardened as she listened. "He tried to kill his own son? How dare he harm his own flesh and blood!" For a fleeting moment, a flash of pure killing intent sparked in her eyes. However, she quickly reined in her emotions, knowing this wasn't the first time such an altercation had occurred. Yohan frequently sneaked off to the brothels, and his relationship with his father had always been strained.
"Alena, you have to understand," the old man said softly, looking at her. "He is already seventeen years old, and he is your only son. Yet, compared to the other youths, he is incredibly fragile. He lacks strength, and worse, he continuously shames our mighty clan in front of the public. Sometimes I wonder what the future holds if he keeps behaving this way. I am genuinely worried about the legacy of the Lin Clan."
"Um... Father..." Alena started, but the words died in her throat. She had no real defense for her son's actions. She was fully aware of his disgraceful behavior, but despite his flaws, she loved him fiercely. After all, he was her only child.
"He spends his days chasing girls and lounging in brothels," the old man continued, closing his eyes as a wave of sadness washed over his face. "He hasn't even achieved a breakthrough in his very first cultivation realm. It has been six months since he joined the Divine Blossom Sect, and our clan has become the laughingstock of the entire sect because of him. We are losing face, Alena."
"I truly thought he would do well as a dual cultivator," Alena replied, a bitter, unconvincing smile touching her lips. "But I was wrong. Still, Father, he is my only son. I cannot bring myself to be cruel to him. Perhaps, one day, he will realize the error of his ways and lead the Lin Clan to new heights. I have to remain optimistic."
"I only wonder when that day will come..." Elder Lin murmured, glancing down at Yohan, who was sleeping peacefully in his mother's arms.
A short while later, Alena carried Yohan to his bedchambers and gently tucked him under a blanket.
"Look after him," Elder Lin instructed. "I have urgent matters to attend to in the Elders' Hall. I will return later to check on him." With that, the old man vanished from sight, leaving Yohan in his mother's care.
"My son, why can't you understand that you carry the weight of the clan on your shoulders?" Alena whispered softly, leaning down to press a tender kiss against his forehead. "Why must you break your father's and grandfather's hearts with your antics? Still... my heart tells me that one day, you will make us proud. I don't care what the world says about you. I believe in you."
Meanwhile, in another part of the manor, a man stood by a large window, staring out at the estate. His expression was dark and brooding. Suddenly, a faint rustle echoed behind him. He took a deep breath and turned around, finding the old man standing there, watching him intently.
"Father," the man asked, his voice tinged with a mix of regret and sorrow. "Is he alright?"
Elder Lin nodded slowly, stroking his long white beard. "He is your only son, Su Lin. Why must you be so ruthless with him? I understand your frustrations, but the boy is still naive. One day, he will understand his mistakes."
"But Father, we are cultivators," Su Lin countered, clenching his jaw as he looked at his father. "In our world, a single mistake can cause an entire family to crumble. The world out there is chaotic, cruel, and unforgiving."
"I know," the old man replied quietly. "We will drop this matter for now. We have an urgent issue to discuss, so let us head to the meeting hall."
Without waiting for a response, the elder vanished. Su Lin took a deep breath, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists. A moment later, he too disappeared, following his father's command.
Meanwhile, back in the bedroom...
"Don't kill me, you cold-hearted bastard! I'm your only son!"
Yohan bolted upright, screaming at the top of his lungs. His deep blue eyes—a striking trait inherited from his mother—shot wide open. Panting heavily, he frantically checked his body before letting out a massive sigh of relief.
"Sigh... thank God I'm alive," Yohan muttered to himself, wiping the sweat from his brow. "That was the most terrifying nightmare I've ever had. That man was completely insane; I really thought he was going to murder me. The bastard even called me shameless, when he's the shameless one trying to kill his own blood! Who does that?"
As Yohan continued to curse Su Lin under his breath, his eyes accidentally drifted toward the corner of the room.
There, standing perfectly still, was a beautiful young lady. Her mouth was draped wide open in sheer shock, having clearly just heard Yohan calling his own father a "shameless bastard."
Meeting her stunned gaze, Yohan could only offer a strained, miserable smile.
Yep, he thought. I am completely screwed.