Chapter 21: As long as it's more than others, that's all that matters

  "It's impossible!"

  Lin Tianxiang almost subconsciously retorted, but then came to his senses. After thinking carefully for a moment, Lin Tianxiang still shook his head decisively: "I won't let the Lin family become your puppet."

  "Is that so? You should think carefully, now the situation is such that even if I let you go, without the Golden Image, you'll likely be attacked by some people. When that happens, your Lin family's most important members will be at each other's throats, and even if someone emerges victorious, it will be a pitiful victory. How much of your Lin family will be left? Since you're known as a business genius, surely you should know the consequences this time, or rather, how big the chain reaction will be." Xia Lin said slowly, without getting angry.

  Lin Tianxiang clenched his fingers tightly, a hint of unwillingness flashing in his eyes.

  "And I can assure you, all I need is the Lin family's intelligence. As for using your Lin family as puppets, I have no interest." Xia Lin said to him.

  Lin Tianxiang fell silent for a moment before saying, "How can I trust you?"

  "After a glance at him, Xia Lin gazed into the distance and said faintly: 'Because of my goal, I will never stop at Linjiang City! I must become at least a Sect Master!'"

  Lin Tianxiang was shocked upon hearing this and looked at Xia Lin for a moment, only to discover that this sixteen-year-old youth actually had such an enormous ambition.

  Who gave him confidence?

  Such absurd words, if someone else said them, he would absolutely not believe it, but Xia Lin... this sixteen-year-old freak who had already expanded his Lingfeng Palm on his own, how many years has it been since anyone last heard of him?

  Maybe there really is such an opportunity.

  "How about it? Have you thought it over?" Xia Lin looked at him with a smile.

  Lin Tianxiang took a deep breath and said fiercely: "I promise you! Damn it, this time I'll go back and settle the score with them!"

  "Alright." Xia Lin nodded in satisfaction, "Let's go, take your family back home."

  Lin Tianxiang was taken aback: "You don't need to concoct any poison or restrictions?"

  Xia Lin looked at him and said: "I believe you——"

  Lin Tianxiang suddenly had a somewhat moved expression, but it hadn't surfaced yet, and was immediately stifled by Xia Lin's second half of the sentence, "Will never surpass mine."

  "What is meant by 'forever won't surpass you'?"

  Lin Tianxiang wanted to loudly prove himself, but in the end could only helplessly sigh. It's also true that at the age of twenty, he was defeated by Xia Lin who was only sixteen years old, and still hasn't figured out Xia Lin's actual strength, so where can he muster up any grand ambitions?

  Just then, Xia Lin suddenly said: "Right, you should have some silver on you, give me a thousand taels of silver."

  "You don't even want the golden statue, what's the point of asking for a thousand taels of silver?" Lin Tianxiang felt somewhat strange.

  "It's great." Xia Lin said.

  Lin Tianxiang: "......"

  As they went back, they saw Lin Tianxiang with a gloomy face.

  Young master.

  Seeing Lin Tianhui return, Lin Qi hurriedly went to his side and checked if he was injured.

  Xia Lin snorted coldly and said to them: "Then let's execute as scheduled, leave everything behind, take your people, and get out!"

  "You!"

  Lin Qi said angrily.

  Lin Tianxiang was taken aback, didn't he just say to let himself take the Golden Image away? How is it now... Seeing Xia Lin seemingly unconscious glance at the surrounding mountain bandits, Lin Tianxiang suddenly realized and his face turned cold. He said to the people of the Lin family: "Leave all the spiritual grass behind, the people of the Lin family, retreat!"

  The sound of horseshoes echoed, and the Lin family members reluctantly put down batch after batch of horse-drawn carriages, standing indignantly beside their young master.

  But at this moment, Lin Tianxiang asked: "Young master, the carriage I'm sitting in is not a cargo carriage, but one prepared for ladies. Can we not leave it behind?"

  Xia Lin said impatiently: "Take your carriage and get out of here."

  "We will meet again."

  Lin Tianxiang clenched his fists in anger and led the crowd to turn around and leave, leaving behind three horse-drawn carriages filled with low-grade spiritual grass.

  Sun Zhong on the other hand was startled, because he suddenly saw that some of the Lin family disciples' faces actually showed a hint of surprise, yes, surprise!

  Under these circumstances, how can they still have surprises?

  Upon careful consideration, it seemed that it was when Lin Tian Xiang mentioned bringing the horse carriage along that those people revealed a hint of strange expression, although they hid it very deeply, but he still caught sight of it.

  Thinking of this, Sun Zhong hastily said to Xia Lin: "Young master, they..."

  Xia Lin waved his hand, interrupting him: "You take a few people and go get the Ling Grass."

  Sun Zhong felt somewhat anxious, looking at the figure in the distance: "Young Master..."

  "I know what you want to say, don't mind, first count the spiritual grass." Xia Lin looked at him with a smile.

  Sun Zhong was stunned, although he didn't quite understand why the young master didn't stop him, because if he wasn't mistaken, the most valuable thing in the Lin family's merchant caravan was probably inside Lin Tianxiang's carriage!

  But since young master has spoken, let's do it according to young master's way.

  Thinking of this, Sun Zhong led the crowd to tie up the horse carriage, and soon everything was tidy.

  Xia Lin reluctantly shook his head and then ordered the crowd: "Pack up your things, clear the central road, and go rest on the mountain hills beside."

  "Yes!"

  A group of excited mountain bandits, carrying their spoils of war, rushed towards a nearby hill.

  Sun Zhong deliberately slowed down a few steps and followed Xia Lin to the end. He was still afraid that Xia Lin would misunderstand his intention earlier.

  Young Master?

  "Are you referring to the treasure in Lin Tianxiang's carriage?" Xia Lin looked at him with a smile.

  "Young master, you know." Sun Zhong put his heart at ease.

  "Don't worry, I may not have gone out to rob with you guys before, but I'm not stupid enough for that. Xia Lin shook his head, "As for Lin Tianxiang, don't mind him, it's just a transaction."

  "Oh."

  Sun Zhong nodded, trading what's that, he completely didn't understand, but since Xia Lin knew, he also put his heart at ease.

  When everyone arrived at the surrounding hills, this place had completely deviated from the central highway, and nothing could be seen from the outside.

  In the past, if there was an ambush here, this would be a good place for an ambush.

  Xia Lin slowly walked away, with Lu'er's little maid following closely behind. As for what Xia Lin said, from her dazed expression, it was clear that she hadn't taken in a single word.

  After all the vehicles were pulled up to this hill, Xia Lin let everyone rest first. They had been running for a day and had a fight, but they hadn't rested yet.

  After everyone had rested, Xia Lin stood up and looked at the hundred mountain stronghold disciples including Sun Zhong.

  The scene suddenly fell silent, and in the eyes of the mountain village disciples, Xia Lin was now a revered figure, just as he had expected. One battle had shocked everyone.

  "Some words, let me say first, I know you are all for those ten taels of silver, but now...... No."

  As he spoke, Xia Lin took out a large handful of silver and looked at the crowd, continuing to say: "If you are here for these ten taels of silver, you can take it and leave directly. It's been just one day and you've already earned it, so it shouldn't be considered a loss. If you're not here for the ten taels of silver but want to follow me, then there won't be even a single cent. And in the future, who knows when I might accidentally get killed off? But I can guarantee that as long as I have a bowl of soup to drink, you will absolutely have your share."

  "So now, make your choice. Those who choose silver can leave at any time."

  Xia Lin finished speaking and turned around to rest on one side.

  It wasn't until a quarter of an hour later that Xia Lin returned, with a hint of relief flashing in his eyes. The one thousand two hundred silver coins were still on the ground, not a single coin missing.

  Xia Lin gathered up the silver coins lightly and looked at everyone: "You all, have you decided?"

  "It's settled!"

  The mountain stronghold disciple responded with a loud and clear voice, his momentum soaring.

  This is the unanimous choice of the crowd, ten taels of silver can be saved and spent for a year, but what about after a year? Isn't it still the same old life of living on the edge of knife and licking blood? Since that's the case, why not follow young master to fight together?

  Young Master is no longer the weak and delicate young master he once was. Even Lin Tianxiang, who was once comparable to Xia Cheng, was easily defeated by Young Master. What can Xia Cheng do even if she reaches the ninth level of Body Tempering?

  For Xia Lin, the mountain stronghold disciples had a blind self-confidence.

  "It's settled then, no rest for the next few days." Xia Lin said with a smile at the corner of his mouth, and told Sun Zhong: "Bring all the spiritual grass from these three horse-drawn carriages over here, distribute them among all the disciples, and have everyone work hard to make progress in the next few days!"

  "What?!"

  "Are you giving everything to us?"

  The eyes of the mountain village disciples flashed with surprise, as ordinary mountain village disciples, they did not have the benefits of the Xia family's disciples, and could only rely on themselves to fight step by step. This was also the reason why their strength generally exceeded that of the mountain village disciples. So when Xia Lin said this, they all showed a flash of surprise, but felt it was unlikely, as in the past few times they had robbed, having one or two extra resources would be good enough, how could they possibly distribute all the plundered resources?

  Sun Zhong's eyebrows slightly furrowed as he stood up, and as the first general to strongly support Xia Lin, he was undoubtedly the most qualified one.

  "Master, if you give everything to us, how will you take the first place? These resources, or wait until the trial is over and then hand them over to the mountain stronghold?"

  Sun Zhongyi said, "Everyone suddenly realized that these resources are indeed the most important thing for Xia Lin to take down the inheritance position."

  "Yes, young master, you'd better stay here."

  "That's right, just wait until you become the village head and then give us some."

  "Master, trials are the most important thing."

  Everyone tried to comfort him.

  Xia Lin waved his hand to quiet down the crowd before asking, "What conditions are required for the first place in the Mountain Stronghold Trial?"

  "The one with the most resources!" said a mountain bandit disciple.

  "That's even better." Xia Lin took over, saying categorically: "In other words, the first place doesn't require many resources, as long as it's more than others, that's enough!"

  PS: New day, seeking collection, seeking recommendation!