I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

Twenty years is enough for a sapling to grow into a big tree, and enough for a boy to travel thousands of miles across the sea.

The last time Lin Xinyou stood outside the gates of Chuyang City was before the arrival of the beast tide.

He had just turned sixteen and had recently completed his Foundation Establishment. Carrying a hand-drawn nautical chart, he rode a spirit steed that treads the wind eastward along the official road and began his sea voyage on the gray-white coastline at the end of the Gobi Desert.

At that time, the Lin family had not made any arrangements in the South China Sea. All they had were some nautical charts that were said to have been left over from ancient times. The paper of those nautical charts was yellowed and brittle, and there were many traces of seawater stains on the edges. The charts marked the coordinates and routes of several islands that might be remnants.

Using these scattered pieces of information, he pieced together a nautical chart and, carrying enough spirit stones for a year and a small spirit boat personally crafted by Master Tie Wushuang, left the coastline in the morning light.

More than 20 years later, he finally stood outside this city gate once again.

Now, he looks completely different standing outside the gates of Chuyang City.

His skin had been tanned to a deep bronze color by the sea breeze and sun, with fine sunspots on his cheekbones, marks left by years of sailing.

His jawline was much more defined than it had been back then, and the youthful exuberance in his eyes had been replaced by composure. Yet, when he saw the city wall built of bluish-gray spirit rock, a very faint, gentle moisture, like a tide, still welled up in his eyes.

He slowly moved his gaze along the city wall, from the corner tower in the east to the crenellations in the west, and then back to the Lin family flag that was unfurling in the wind above the city gate.

Sunlight shines on the wall, and the light patterns on the surface flow at a continuous frequency.

It was a complete defense system, more sophisticated than any array he had ever seen in the South China Sea.

Below the city wall, the queue stretched out like a dragon.

The spirit beast caravan was loaded with goods, merchants were haggling loudly over prices, and children were chasing and playing at the edge of the procession.

Spirit boats occasionally swept across the sky, their hulls leaving short, silver streaks in the afternoon sunlight, crisscrossing and then dissipating.

Even before entering the city, he could feel the prosperity of Chuyang City.

Behind him, Shen Qinghuai led the two children by the hand to his side.

Lin Ruolan, the daughter, tiptoed towards the city gate, her gaze following a procession of spirit beasts queuing to enter the city for a while. Then she turned to her father, her voice carrying the clear, childlike innocence of a sea breeze: "Dad, is this your home?"

"Yes." Lin Xinyou's voice trembled slightly, without him even realizing it. "My home is right here." He paused, then repeated it in a low voice, as if speaking to himself, "It's just... so much more developed now, I almost don't recognize it anymore."

When he left, Burning Bone Pass was still in the hands of the Fang family, and the area south of Qingfeng Pass was still a wild wilderness. The Lin family was still preparing for a desperate battle against the beast tide.

But on his way back, all he heard was news of the new cities the Lin family had built outside the pass, the prosperity of Chuyang City, and the spirit beast trade routes connecting all directions.

Those words, spoken by caravans at post stations, on the decks of passing airships, and at every port he stopped at, gradually pieced together a family portrait he could hardly recognize.

All of this made him feel unfamiliar and surprised, along with a burning sense of pride rising from the depths of his heart.

"Let's go." He turned around, tightened his grip on each child's hand, and his voice finally regained its composure. "We're going into town."

…………

The stone door of the secluded training room slowly closed behind Lin Che, making a dull creaking sound, which was completely drowned out by the lingering echo of the sound after he took a few steps.

He came out of seclusion because of a piece of news from his family that he had been paying close attention to recently—Qin Yulin had broken through to the Nascent Soul stage.

This means that the Lin family will soon have a second fourth-tier array master.

As for who is first? It's naturally Lin Xuanqing.

Over the years, she has devoted almost all her time to cultivation. With the acceleration of the cultivation tower, the secret technique of sacrificing lifespan to gain cultivation, and the feedback from her natal spirit beast, she broke through to the Nascent Soul stage three years ago.

As for formations, he naturally progressed to the fourth tier.

It can be said that what trapped Lin Xuanqing was never his understanding of formations, but his cultivation level itself.

As her cultivation level increased, the high-level array patterns that had troubled her for many years were revealed one by one, as if a veil had been lifted.

After her breakthrough, the responsibility of coordinating the formations in each of the expansion zones once again fell on her shoulders.

Now, including Chuyang City, all the cities under the Lin family's control have been equipped with fourth-order formations.

Qin Yulin, who had been exploited for more than a decade, was finally able to break free and go into seclusion, and recently broke through to the Nascent Soul stage.

Looking at the scenery in the backyard through the railing, Lin Che thought of the scene when he first met Qin Yulin in Burning Bone City.

At that time, the short woman was squatting among a pile of messy array diagrams, and Wang Qinian stood beside her, coaxing and persuading her, but he felt that this person was unreliable.

However, when discussing formations with her, he was impressed by her knowledge and decided to make her Xuanqing's master.

Later, he was brought into the Lin family as a guest advisor, and his family invested heavily in the research of formations and the improvement of cultivation.

Now it's finally time to reap the rewards.

He chuckled softly, "I'll have to squeeze you even more in the future."

With a swift movement, Lin Che flew towards the general area.

The morning light falls on the surface of Broken Star Lake, breaking into thousands of golden scales, and the outline of the island in the center of the lake appears and disappears in the mist.

Several birds of prey were startled from the reeds and took flight, tracing graceful arcs in the sky. The sound of their wings flapping was scattered into a soft patter in the morning breeze.

Twenty years have passed, and the lake remains as tranquil as ever, but the scenery on both sides of the lake has changed completely.

The newly built residential area stretches out along the east, south, and north sides, with courtyards of blue bricks and gray tiles arranged in a well-organized manner, and willow branches hanging down to the water's surface, their tips brushing against the ripples.

The faint sounds of children's laughter drifted from the courtyard, mingling with the ripples on the lake and the rustling of the wind through the leaves.

The lights in the council chamber of the comprehensive area are already on.

Lin Xuanqi noticed Lin Che as soon as he pushed the door open and entered.

Lin Xuanqi is now over seventy years old, and his face looks no different from that of a man in his thirties, but the aura between his brows is completely different.

It was a composure that came from years of taking on responsibilities; a steady gaze and measured demeanor in every gesture.

"Father, you've emerged from seclusion?" He put down the documents in his hand and stood up in surprise.

Lin Che smiled and waved his hand: "No need to get up, you can continue with your work. I just finished my cultivation and happened to hear that Master Qin has broken through, so I was going to congratulate her." He slowly walked to Lin Xuanqi's side, patted his shoulder, and said, "You've worked hard all these years."

The words were spoken softly, but the force that landed on Lin Xuanqi's shoulder was heavier than usual.

For the past twenty years, with Lin Che not involved in affairs, the heavy responsibility of developing the Lin family has fallen entirely on Lin Xuanqi's shoulders.

From the initial chaos to the current prosperity, every step has been taken by him.

The most obvious price to pay is one's cultivation level.

Despite having unlimited access to the cultivation tower and the support of his natal spirit beast, he was still only at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm.

The energy spent on paperwork and coordination, which could have been used to break through bottlenecks, has instead been transformed into the continuation and stability of the family.

Lin Che paused for a moment, wanting to say, "You won't blame me for not passing the position of family head to you, will you?" But he stopped himself from saying it.

To be honest, in my previous life, when I saw those emperors in ancient times who never passed on the throne until their death, even though I understood that they were power-hungry, what could be more important than an orderly succession and national stability?

But he only understood that feeling after he actually took power.

Now, as the head of the Lin family, he is absolutely the one who has the final say, not only because of Lin Che's own strength, but also because of his prestige.

But once you relinquish your power, uncertainty ensues.

It's a feeling that things are no longer in your control.

Lin Xuanqi seemed oblivious to his momentary pause, or perhaps he noticed but neither pressed for an answer nor pointed it out.

His voice remained steady: "Father, there's more good news. Xinyu, that child, can now refine the Breaking Golden Elixir."

The name disrupted Lin Che's thoughts.

Lin Xinyu is Lin Xuandong's eldest daughter and one of the few young people in the Lin family who are focused on alchemy.

He was raised by Su Wanwan from a young age and grew up in the spirit herb garden. By the age of twelve, he could distinguish the year and place of origin of thousands of spirit herbs. At the age of sixteen, he began to independently refine first-grade high-quality pills, and at the age of twenty-two, he broke through to the second grade.

She was given special attention and resources by the Lin family. Now in her thirties and at the early stage of the Golden Core realm, she has finally succeeded in refining the Breakthrough Golden Core.

What is the Lin family lacking most?

Naturally, they belong to their own high-level alchemists.

Although there has never been a shortage of high-grade pills since establishing diplomatic relations with Baicaogu, it is never as good as having them yourself if others have them.

"Okay, okay."

Lin Xuanqi then talked with Lin Che about the family's recent situation and his future plans.

Which new city's defenses need upgrading? Which trade routes need widening? Which spirit beast populations have reached a critical stage in their breeding progress?

Time slowly passed until noon.

Just then, a voice came from outside the door: "Reporting to the acting head of the family, Lin Xinyou has returned."

Lin Che and Lin Xuanqi looked up at the same time.

The two exchanged a glance, a fleeting look of surprise in their eyes.

After the sea mounts were trained to maturity, the Lin family began to explore the South China Sea in recent years, but there was still no news of Lin Xinyou. He left too early and too far away, and their contact was cut off for more than 20 years.

No one expected that he would suddenly return on such an ordinary noon.

"Quickly." Lin Che had already stood up. "You first inform Xuan Dong that his son is back. I'll go pick up Xin You myself."

"Understood, I'll inform him right away." Lin Xuanqi's voice carried a rare lightness as he turned and strode quickly toward the communication array.

As Lin Che walked out of the complex along the bluestone path on the shore of Shattered Star Lake, the midday sun shone on the water, turning the blue waves into a flowing golden expanse.

He walked a little faster than usual, his clothes fluttering slightly in the wind from his footsteps. Several ducks resting on the shore behind him were startled and flapped their wings, slipping into the water.

In the direction of the main gate of Chuyang City, the figure was standing outside the queue to enter the city, with a woman holding a child standing next to him.

Lin Che recognized him from afar.

Even after twenty years, even though his skin has turned a deep brown from the sea breeze, the outline of his eyebrows and eyes still carries the shadow of his youth.

At that moment, he was bending down and talking to a little girl beside him. After listening, the girl looked up and cast a curious glance at the Lin family flag fluttering above the city gate.

"Heart Wanderer." Lin Che's voice wasn't loud, but when those two words fell amidst the clamor at the foot of the city wall, the figure suddenly stopped.

Lin Xinyou straightened up and turned around.

The moment he saw Lin Che, the expression on his face changed from recognition to confirmation. He took a few steps forward, his boots landing on the bluestone ground. His pace was much faster than when he first entered the city, and his brisk walk turned into an almost jog.

The man who had sailed the seas for twenty years stopped a few steps away from Lin Che. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice trembled slightly, though he tried to suppress it: "Grandpa."

Lin Che looked at him.

On that face, weathered by the sea breeze and sun, there were fine sunspots on the cheekbones, fine lines at the corners of the eyes, and the jawline was much more defined than before.

Those eyes were now glistening with a very faint watery light.

Lin Che didn't say anything polite, he just walked up and patted him on the shoulder.

The force of that blow was a bit heavier than usual, making a dull thud as it struck his shoulder, as if it were trying to bury the twenty years of separation across the sea into that one palm strike.

"It's good that you're back."

Lin Xinyou's lips twitched, as if she wanted to say something, but she swallowed it back. In the end, she just nodded vigorously, her voice hoarse: "It's good that you're back."

The little girl looked up at the scene, then glanced at her mother beside her, and whispered, "Mommy, why is Daddy crying?"

Shen Qinghuai did not answer, but simply reached out and gently patted her daughter's head, preventing her from asking any further questions.

Lin Che shifted his gaze from Lin Xinyou to the mother and daughter.

The little girl looked to be about six or seven years old. She was wearing a light blue dress and her hair was tied into two small buns. Her eyes and brows already showed some of the liveliness that Ruby Lin had back then.

Her younger brother, about three years old, was being held in Shen Qinghuai's arms. His round face was covered with the dust of the journey, and he was looking around curiously with his dark eyes.

"This is Ruolan, my daughter."

Lin Xinyou's voice had returned to normal. He turned to the side, making way for his wife and child.

"This is my wife, Shen Qinghuai. We met in the South China Sea. She grew up by the sea and knows much more about the ocean than I do. If it weren't for her, I might not have made it back."

He then pointed to the boy in his wife's arms, "This is the younger one, Ruofan, he just turned three."

Lin Che looked them over one by one, his gaze lingering on Shen Qinghuai's face for a moment.

That face wasn't exactly refined, but it possessed a tranquility that only someone who had spent years working with the sea could have. His brow bones were slightly prominent, and there were tan lines on his cheekbones similar to Lin Xinyou's. His eyes were peaceful and clear, carrying a kind of ease that was different from that of people from the land, nurtured by the open waters.

"Okay." Lin Che nodded. "Let's go home first. Your father is on his way; he's missed you terribly all these years."

Lin Xinyou's throat moved slightly, but she didn't reply. She just nodded and followed Lin Che into the city gate.

As they spoke, they arrived at the entrance to the Lin family's Shattered Star Lake clan territory.

A figure was standing outside the gate.

The figure was a little rounder than twenty years ago, with a few strands of gray hair at his temples, but the light in his eyes lit up the moment he saw Lin Xinyou.

Lin Xuandong's lips twitched, but he didn't call out the name. He just watched the person, whose appearance had been draped by the sea breeze, approach step by step. His Adam's apple bobbed several times before he finally squeezed out a single word from deep within his throat: "You brat."

Lin Xinyou stopped a few steps away, her gaze falling on her father's face.

Those few strands of gray hair at his temples, those deeper wrinkles around his eyes than he remembered—these were all evidence of the time he had missed.

He opened his mouth, a thousand words swirling in his throat, but in the end, they all boiled down to one sentence: "Father, I'm back."