Chapter Thirty-Three: Verbal Sparring

If Lin Qingyun were still the eighteen-year-old who had just graduated high school, it would indeed be difficult to deal with Lin Kunshan. No matter how he responded, he would be forced into a passive position.

But unfortunately for them, Lin Qingyun was no longer that same youthful self.

“Ah…” Lin Qingyun sat up suddenly, feigning surprise. “There’s such a thing? Second Uncle, why didn’t you mention it earlier?”

Even the seasoned Lin Kunshan was momentarily caught off guard by this abrupt retort. Lin Qingyun didn’t follow the expected script; instead, he cut straight to the point—why hadn’t his uncle said so earlier? With those words, he turned everything back on them. No matter what was said, Yantian Island was his inheritance, and if the others had been tampering with it for a year without informing him after his succession, any explanation now was entirely their fault.

“Yes, it’s all Second Uncle’s fault. I’ve been so busy with the group’s affairs this past year, laying a foundation for you and your brother to inherit the company in the future, trying to minimize the impact of your parents’ disappearance on operations. I didn’t think things through,” Lin Kunshan replied.

“I was so preoccupied that I forgot your brother was still on Yantian Island, and I never expected such an unfortunate misunderstanding would occur. This is all my fault. But you’re brothers, you must stand united. This concerns your cousin’s future achievements—”

“Second Uncle, look how things have become…” Lin Qingyun interrupted with a sigh, “If you’d mentioned this sooner, none of this would have happened. My cousin, too—he flared up as soon as he saw me taking over the estate, even raised his hand against me, threatened to kill me, all because I was simply inspecting my own assets. It’s as if I’d come to fight for the inheritance…”

For Lin Qingyun, saying the right thing to the right person was second nature. Since his uncle liked to talk in circles, so long as things hadn’t come to a direct confrontation—unlike with Lin Qingfeng—he’d play along.

Despite all that had happened, including Lin Qingyun’s strong response to Zhang Baole, Lin Kunshan had never felt as uncomfortable as he did today. Lin Qingyun neither lost his temper nor offered the explanations Lin Kunshan expected. Instead, every word Lin Qingyun spoke stuck in Lin Kunshan’s throat, making him feel increasingly stifled.

The subtle barbs in Lin Kunshan’s words were no match for the hidden thorns in Lin Qingyun’s replies.

“Qingfeng is just too impulsive, speaks without thinking. Among family, people are less guarded and say whatever comes to mind. He may be older than you, but in this regard, he’s not as mature as you are,” Lin Kunshan continued.

“I always said the Lin family’s true prodigy is you, Qingyun. You may be young, but you’re the pillar of the family’s future. You should be more understanding and supportive of your cousin…”

Although stifled, Lin Kunshan managed to keep up the conversation.

“Second Uncle, please don’t say that. My cousin said himself that he’s the future heir of the Lin family. I think he’s quite capable…”

Lin Kunshan’s face twitched slightly, cursing Lin Qingfeng inwardly. He wasn’t surprised that Lin Qingfeng said such things in a fit of pique—he’d said all sorts of things when venting to Lin Kunshan. What Lin Kunshan hadn’t expected was that Lin Qingfeng would say such things in front of Lin Qingyun, making it impossible for him to continue down that line of reasoning.

Just these few exchanges left Lin Kunshan inwardly shocked. He didn’t know if Lin Qingyun had learned this from someone, or if he had simply been hiding his abilities all along, but this sudden change far exceeded his imagination.

Neither his elder brother nor sister-in-law possessed such talent, yet Lin Qingyun’s skill with words left even Lin Kunshan struggling to keep up.

It was clear now that his attempt to ensnare Lin Qingyun in conversation had failed utterly.

“With that temperament and headstrong nature, Qingfeng might be good at charging ahead, but what kind of family leader says such things? Don’t take his words to heart,” Lin Kunshan said.

“Qingyun, let’s stop playing word games. You’re clever enough to understand Second Uncle’s intentions. We’re all family here, and I admit that both Qingfeng and I failed to consider your feelings. I’ll make it up to you—I apologize.”

“But—”

As soon as Lin Kunshan began to apologize, Lin Qingyun waved his hands frantically, refusing, “Second Uncle, please, there’s no need for apologies. We’re family, let’s leave it at that. As the younger generation, how could I accept such an apology? It would shorten my lifespan!”

“That’s all, just a minor thing.”

With those words, Lin Qingyun ended the call.

He burst out laughing, grabbing a fruit bursting with spiritual energy and biting off a large chunk. It didn’t have the miraculous effects of legends, but it tasted exceptional—especially now, with his spirits high.

A heavy thud sounded as Lin Kunshan’s palm slammed onto his massive jade desk. Fortunately, the desk was as hard as an enchanted artifact and didn’t break—just echoed with a dull bang.

This defeat was wholly unexpected for Lin Kunshan. He hadn’t gained the upper hand in his verbal sparring with Lin Qingyun—in fact, he’d ended up at a loss. And at the crucial moment, just as he was about to lay his cards on the table, Lin Qingyun seized the chance to abruptly end the call.

Yet, the manner in which Lin Qingyun ended things—unable to bear an elder’s apology—left Lin Kunshan with a breath stuck in his chest, unable to let it out.

Since taking control of Lin Pharmaceutical Group, he’d never felt so stifled, not even when facing a head of state or a powerhouse of the Huiyang Realm.

He simply couldn’t understand how Lin Qingyun had suddenly changed like this.

Had he really been hiding his talents all along?

If that were true, he’d need to be more cautious. He’d always thought of Lin Qingyun as just a child, but perhaps his wife had been right—perhaps he’d been deceived.

These matters, he realized, warranted a fresh evaluation. But for now, the most urgent thing was to obtain the Cold Flame Elixir.

To others, it might not be particularly valuable, but for Lin Qingfeng, it held unique significance. Even if it wouldn’t achieve the results originally hoped for, it could still make up for much.

He raised his hand, about to call Lin Qingyun again, but paused, deep in thought. In the end, he chose to send a message instead.

“Qingyun, Second Uncle apologizes to you on Qingfeng’s behalf. Whatever conflicts exist within the family, we settle them among ourselves. Especially between brothers—the bond remains. So, enough with the pointless talk. Regarding the damage to Yantian Island, consider it Second Uncle buying back both the island and the Cold Flame Elixir. Name your price, or let me know what you need.”

Lin Qingyun saw the message but didn’t respond right away. He had anticipated this outcome.

They believed the Cold Flame Elixir was merely a special power formed by the island’s medicinal energy and underground fire, not understanding its true nature. They thought it was as simple as destroying an island to refine one pill.

To most, it was of little value—only certain people could truly benefit from it.

At this stage, reselling it to Second Uncle would maximize his gains, while also mollifying his uncle’s family for the time being. After all, Lin Qingyun had already dealt with them harshly, and he didn’t want to force them into a corner—better to avoid provoking desperate measures.

After deliberately leaving Second Uncle hanging for a few hours, Lin Qingyun finally replied as they neared Haicheng.

“Second Uncle, you know I’m not short of money. This thing isn’t much use to me, but if you hadn’t asked, I really wouldn’t want to give it to Lin Qingfeng. You really need to discipline him and Zhang Baole—they’ve both gone off the rails.”

“How about this—I haven’t decided what I want yet. I’ll think it over. Lately, I’ve been betting with Li Daoze and his gang on participating in Haicheng University’s new student combat training. Once I’m done with that, I’ll let you know what I need.”

Though he didn’t agree immediately, Lin Qingyun left room for negotiation.

In his office, Lin Kunshan loosened his tie, finally able to breathe a little easier. The fact that Lin Qingyun wasn’t being as relentless as he had been with Zhang Baole was a relief.

Still, the succession of events weighed heavily on him, leaving him feeling somewhat suffocated.

Ever since the incident at Ruins No. 18, this nephew of his had become unreadable—his behavior unpredictable, his motives obscured.

Was he hiding his true self? Had he changed suddenly? Or was there someone guiding him from the shadows…?

After responding to his uncle, Lin Qingyun let the matter drop. He no longer cared what his uncle made of him; with this message, he was confident the family wouldn’t act rashly for the time being.

Now, he turned his attention to the messages from Chao-ge and Chu Qing.

Before retreating to Yantian Island to study the seed, he’d already informed them of his seclusion. They knew he was unavailable, but kept messaging him with updates on any changes or new developments.

Chao-ge mostly reported on the progress of their cooperation with Haicheng University—when the production line would begin mass production, projected sales, her struggles with the student council, and how she fought back…

Lin Qingyun read with keen interest, especially delighted when he saw that Chao-ge had succeeded in her counterattack and become vice director of the Student Council’s External Relations Department.

The trouble Chao-ge faced was all because of him. Seeing that Li Daoze had resurfaced with the help of Zheng Haoyue, Lin Qingyun wasn’t concerned about Li Daoze but rather about Zheng Haoyue.

Previously, when Li Daoze organized the class reunion, there’d been hints of Zhang Baole and Second Uncle’s involvement, but Zheng Haoyue hadn’t appeared. In the incident at Haicheng University, however, it was likely Zheng Haoyue who prompted Li Daoze to cause trouble.

Thinking back, Lin Qingyun vaguely remembered Zheng Haoyue from his previous life. This man had done well with Zhengang Group, which had made a name for itself in the pharmaceutical industry and prospered in other fields as well. At one point, Zheng Haoyue had even approached Lin Qingyun under the pretext of being old classmates to collaborate with Lin Pharmaceutical Group.

Although Zheng Haoyue hadn’t reached the pinnacle in cultivation, in terms of wealth and influence, he’d risen high among the upper echelons. Upon recollection, Zheng Haoyue had indeed leveraged Lin Qingyun’s influence in his previous life.

Back then, Lin Qingyun had risen quickly and, even after taking over the group, paid little attention to such matters.

If someone had stood out enough for Lin Qingyun to remember them in his last life, they weren’t insignificant—unlike Li Daoze, whom he barely recalled from later years. Zheng Haoyue was evidently unusual, though for now, he kept his ambitions well hidden.

It seemed it would be necessary to expose him eventually. People who liked to manipulate events from the shadows were the most detestable.

With that thought, Lin Qingyun turned to Chu Qing’s messages, and as he read through them, his mood lightened considerably.