He slowly walked over. Upon seeing Lin Yun, the young man’s expression turned frigid, and he threatened, "Brat, the moment you step outside the Capital City, you’re a dead man."

Lin Yun simply ignored the young man’s threat. ’Once we’re out of the Capital City, it’s not yet certain who will be the one to die.’

Lin Yun shifted his gaze to the other young man speaking with Wangcai. He keenly noted that Wangcai’s expression was extremely complex as they spoke.

Resentment, anger, fear—all these emotions mingled on Wangcai’s face, creating a deeply conflicted expression.

At Lin Yun’s arrival, the young man stopped berating Wangcai and turned to him instead. "So you’re the one who screwed over my friend?"

Hearing this, Lin Yun was baffled. ’Why are all these young masters from the noble families so arrogant? They don’t give a damn about anyone else.’

Before Lin Yun could reply, Wangcai stepped forward to introduce the newcomer. "Young Master Lin, this is my cousin, Wang Yun. He’s the recognized Young Master of the Wang Family."

As Wangcai gave the introduction, Lin Yun could clearly sense his resentment when he uttered the words "Young Master."

Lin Yun had a particular way of making friends: he didn’t care for status or strength. As long as he considered someone a friend in his heart, he would go to hell and back for them.

Completely disregarding Wang Yun’s status as the Young Master, Lin Yun replied calmly, "He’s your friend? That explains it. Birds of a feather really do flock together."

Lin Yun’s words dripped with sarcasm. Upon hearing them, Wang Yun’s face slowly darkened. As the Young Master of the Wang Family, he feared no one in the Capital City aside from the scions of the Royal Family.

Furthermore, as an expert at the Qi Sea Realm Eighth Layer, Wang Yun’s own strength was formidable. He was confident he could instantly kill someone like Lin Yun, who was merely at the Eighth Layer of the Opening Realm.

Perhaps having heard about Lin Yun’s sharp tongue, Wang Yun chose not to argue with him. He simply said coldly, "Brat, fighting is forbidden in the Capital City. But once you step outside... we’ll each have to answer to our own fate."

Without waiting for a reply, Wang Yun turned to Wangcai and continued, "Wangcai, you continue to disgrace the Wang Family’s name. Befriending a scoundrel like this... I see you have no need for your title as a young master of our family anymore."

Berated so ruthlessly by Wang Yun, Wangcai’s expression turned ugly, but he never talked back. Even as Wang Yun left with the other young man, Wangcai said nothing, but the look on his face was enough to reveal the fury in his heart.

"How despicable! He only acts so high and mighty because his old man’s in power. Does he have to be so nasty?" Chen Xin said indignantly.

Lin Yun didn’t know much about the Wang Family’s affairs. Having just arrived in the Capital City, he wasn’t in a rush to do anything. He found a restaurant, and the group ordered a table full of food and wine, starting to chat as they ate.

After a few cups of wine, and with Chen Xin by his side, Lin Yun quickly learned about the Wang Family’s situation. It wasn’t much of a secret; at least, everyone in the major families of the Capital City was aware of it.

About five years ago, Wangcai’s father was still the Patriarch of the Wang Family. It was during that time that the family’s fortunes reached their peak, cementing their status as the wealthiest family in the Capital City.

But things took an unfortunate turn. During an outing, Wangcai’s father was ambushed. Although he managed to escape with his life, he was gravely injured, his meridians severely damaged. The diagnosis was that his cultivation would never be able to advance again.

Such a massive family naturally couldn’t have a Patriarch who was incapable of progressing. And right around that time, as fate would have it, Wang Yun’s father achieved a breakthrough.

Through the machinations of Wang Yun and his father, Wangcai’s father was stripped of his position as Patriarch, and Wang Yun’s father successfully took his place.

With his father’s fall from power within the family, Wangcai’s own status plummeted. Compounded by Wang Yun’s deliberate suppression, Wangcai had been completely cut off from the family’s resources for the past five years, which explained his slow progress.

Learning all this, Lin Yun couldn’t help but reflect on the matter. ’This must be the tragedy of great families. There’s no affection, only interests. Sometimes, your own relatives are more dangerous than any outsider. One moment of carelessness, and you could be killed by your own kin.’

"Is there really no cure?" Lin Yun asked.

Hearing the question, Li Ji replied, "There is a way, but it’s incredibly difficult. Only an Earth Level Six-Stars Alchemist could heal Wangcai’s father. And in all of Yanhuang Country, the Royal Family has the only one."

Now Lin Yun understood. ’An Earth Level Six-Stars Alchemist... The Wang Family probably can’t afford to hire one. Even if they could, would Wang Yun’s father ever make the request? He’s lucky they didn’t kick him while he was down.’

Lin Yun clinked his cup with Wangcai’s and offered some comfort. "Don’t worry, Wangcai. There’s an old saying: when one door closes, another opens. I’m sure your father will recover. And when he does, Wang Yun and his father will get what’s coming to them."

Wangcai appreciated the sentiment, but healing his father was far easier said than done. Without the family’s backing, it was nothing more than a pipe dream.

Changing the subject, Lin Yun asked the three of them, "I’d like you to help me find out about something..."

He told them about Lin Xiaotian and his wife. Naturally, Chen Xin, Li Ji, and Wangcai had heard of Lin Xiaotian. As one of the three Grand Generals of the Yanhuang Country, his name was famous.

When they heard Lin Yun wanted to ask about General Xiaotian, the three of them readily agreed. For them, gathering information in the Capital City was a simple matter. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

They even had ways of digging up more secretive information.

"Young Master Lin, don’t you worry. Consider it done," Li Ji said, patting his chest in assurance.

"Then I thank you," Lin Yun said.

With that, the four of them raised their cups.

After the meal, Lin Yun found an inn to stay at. As for Chen Xin and the other two, they went home. They hadn’t been back in days, and they needed to start making inquiries about Lin Xiaotian, so returning home was their first step.

The inns in the Capital City were outrageously expensive. A normal room cost one hundred Low Grade Primordial Stones—several times the price in Yunlu County City.

Back in his room, Lin Yun rested for a moment. ’I’ve already reached the limit of the Eighth Layer of the Opening Realm. I can break through to the Ninth Layer of Opening at any time.’

’I’ve been on the road constantly these past days, so I haven’t had time to focus on a breakthrough. Now is the perfect opportunity.’

Without another thought, Lin Yun swallowed a Qi Essence Pill. As its energy spread through his body, he began to assault the barrier to the Ninth Layer of the Opening Realm.

Because he had been stuck at the Eighth Layer of the Opening Realm for so long, the breakthrough went very smoothly. He shattered the barrier to the Ninth Layer of the Opening Realm with almost no effort.

Upon entering the Ninth Layer of the Opening Realm, the two great Cultivation Techniques within him began to circulate. His Dantian became ravenous, madly absorbing the power of the Qi Essence Pill.

(Please add this to your collection and give a recommendation! I’m begging for everything!!)