I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

Zhou Wanhong had obviously also noticed Lin Che.

He paused almost imperceptibly, then immediately a warm smile spread across his face, and quickened his pace as he stepped forward to greet her.

"Oh my, isn't this Patriarch Lin? What a coincidence to run into him here!" Zhou Wanhong's voice was loud and clear, as if he and Lin Che were old friends who had known each other for many years.

"I presume that Patriarch Lin's visit is also at the invitation of City Lord Yan, to discuss the secret realm south of the Silent Forest?"

As he spoke, he quickly and meticulously scrutinized Lin Che, who was standing right in front of him, with his sharp, intelligent eyes.

Five years had passed, and this young-looking patriarch seemed to have become more composed and reserved. His aura was so harmonious that it was hard for the patriarch to see through him.

Lin Che was not surprised by Zhou Wanhong's appearance. He remained calm, with a perfectly polite smile on his lips.

He calmly returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "So it's Clan Chief Zhou. I've come at the invitation of City Lord Yan. Judging from the direction Clan Chief Zhou is heading, it must be the same?"

"That's right, that's right." Zhou Wanhong nodded repeatedly, his smile unwavering.

She naturally walked to stand next to Lin Che, posing as if she wanted to enter the city with him, as if the two had a very close relationship.

He said with emotion, "I never expected that such a great opportunity would appear in our Chuyang City. It is truly a blessing from heaven, and we are destined to gain something from it."

However, exploring this hidden realm is fraught with both risks and opportunities, and is by no means an easy task. To proceed prudently and reap the rewards, our two families must work together, advancing and retreating in unison.

As he spoke, Zhou Wanhong seemed to suddenly remember something troubling him. The smile on his face faded, replaced by a worried expression, and he let out a long sigh.

"Alas! Speaking of this 'joint effort,' our Zhou family has been having a really tough time lately! Expenses are enormous, our businesses are stalled, and we're almost at the point where we can't make ends meet!"

He sighed, looking at Lin Che with a gaze tinged with guilt and helplessness, his tone sincere:

"To be honest, I really feel bad for Patriarch Lin. Recently, due to the Zhao family's intensified targeting and suppression, several of my Zhou family's important spirit beast breeding grounds have been affected, and we have been forced to reduce production."

With the supply of these spirit beast cubs tightening, it must be affecting the Lin family's "Hundred Flavors Restaurant" business, right?

I, Zhou Wanhong, am truly deeply sorry for this! But this is something I had no choice but to do!

His performance was sincere and moving, perfectly portraying the image of a victim who was forced by his competitors and whose partners were also affected.

Lin Che was speechless; Zhou Wanhong was certainly putting on a good show.

However, he wanted to see what the other party was really up to, so he also put on a worried expression.

He sighed and continued, "It would have been better if Clan Chief Zhou hadn't brought this up. Now that he has, I'm really worried and don't know how to resolve this issue!"

Our Lin family relies entirely on Baiweizhai, but now that we've lost a stable supply of spirit beast cubs, we're afraid we won't even be able to gather enough spirit beast meat next month, and our signature dishes will be out of stock!

If this business fails, my Lin family... Alas, I am worried day and night, and I don't know what to do!

Seeing Lin Che's "anxious" appearance, a hint of smugness flashed quickly in the depths of Zhou Wanhong's eyes.

But his face immediately changed to an expression of indignation and shared hatred, as if he had found a kindred spirit:

"Brother Lin! I understand your difficulties! As you know, I, Zhou Wanhong, value reputation above all else in business. How could I bear to see my business partner suffer as a result?"

"It's all that damned Zhao family's fault! If they hadn't clung to our Zhou family like mad dogs, constantly tripping us up, how could our Zhou family have fallen to such a state, causing Brother Lin to suffer as well!"

Lin Che also timely revealed a look of deep sympathy and indignation, nodding and saying:

"Patriarch Zhou is absolutely right! That Zhao family... Hmph, they've always acted domineeringly, and they've targeted my Lin family quite a bit in the past. I just didn't expect them to become even more outrageous now!"

Seeing that Lin Che's emotions had been stirred up and that he seemed to harbor deep resentment towards the Zhao family, Zhou Wanhong felt that the time was right.

His face showed a solemn expression, as if he had gone through a fierce internal struggle and finally made up his mind.

His gaze was fixed intently on Lin Che, his voice lowered, sincere yet alluring:

"Brother Lin! Our two families have suffered the same fate as the Zhao family, and we both have our place in Chuyang City. We are in the same boat and depend on each other!"

Since the Zhao family won't give us a way out, why don't we join forces? How about we form an alliance?

He observed Lin Che's reaction and, seeing that the other party did not immediately object, pressed his advantage and offered what he considered to be the most attractive condition:

"As long as Brother Lin is willing to stand with my Zhou family and jointly deal with the Zhao family's suppression, I, Zhou Wanhong, can make the decision here!"

I can directly suspend or reduce the orders for spirit beast cubs that our Zhou family has previously signed with other families and shops, and give priority and sufficient supply to the Lin family with the saved share!

As for the price, we will definitely offer Brother Lin the most favorable friendly price! In this way, we can ensure that the Lin family's "Baiweizhai" business will not be affected, and may even take this opportunity to go further!

Hearing this, Lin Che suddenly understood and finally fully grasped the Zhou family's ultimate scheme.

So, after going through all this trouble, their ultimate goal was to use the spirit beast cubs to supply what they thought was their lifeline, in order to control and coerce the Lin family.

They wanted Lin Che and the entire Lin family to act as pawns against the Zhao family, to relieve pressure on the Zhou family, and even to charge into battle!

What a brilliant tactic – using one enemy to devour another, and killing someone with a borrowed knife!

They still want to get something for nothing, using the very thing they intend to use to control our access as a bargaining chip?

Lin Che sneered inwardly, but on the surface he made a hesitant and troubled frown, as if he was seriously considering this "tempting" suggestion, but was unable to make up his mind.

He hesitated and said, "This... forming an alliance against the Zhao family is no small matter; it concerns the survival of the family. Clan Chief Zhou, please allow me to consider this matter more carefully."

"Right now, our priority is to attend the meeting at the City Lord's Mansion. We shouldn't keep City Lord Yan waiting."

Seeing that Lin Che did not refuse outright but only said he needed to consider it, Zhou Wanhong was already reassured.

In his view, the lifeline of the Lin family's Baiweizhai restaurant was in his hands, and Lin Che's hesitation at this moment was nothing but a pretense; he would inevitably succumb in the end.

So he stopped pressing and immediately put on an understanding smile, nodding repeatedly: "That's right, that's right! Brother Lin's considerations are thorough and he should be cautious. The matter of the secret realm is indeed the most important thing right now, so let's hurry in and not be late."

Each with their own thoughts, they maintained a facade of harmony as they walked side by side toward the city lord's mansion.

Zhou Wanhong felt his plan had succeeded, and his steps became lighter.

……

Inside the council hall of the City Lord's Mansion in the northern district of Chuyang City.

Lin Che and Zhou Wanhong were among the first to arrive.

After the two took their seats, several more Foundation Establishment cultivators with solid auras entered the hall one after another.

Soon, a middle-aged man with a sinister face and sharp eyes walked in; it was Zhao Wenxuan, the patriarch of the Zhao family.

He immediately spotted Zhou Wanhong and Lin Che sitting together, seemingly having a pleasant conversation.

His face instantly darkened, and a clear, cold snort escaped from his nose.

He swept his unfriendly gaze over the two of them before walking to the other side, finding a spot far away from them, and sitting down heavily, radiating an aura of coldness that kept strangers at bay.

Aside from his old acquaintance Zhao Wenxuan and Zhou Wanhong, Lin Che was meeting the other three Foundation Establishment family patriarchs in the hall for the first time.

The first person to catch the eye was the oldest-looking cultivator—Li Guanhai.

His hair and beard were already gray, his face was old and wrinkled with the marks of time, he wore a simple Taoist robe, and his aura was peaceful and serene, like the deep waters of an ancient pool.

In the world of cultivation, a cultivator's appearance can, to some extent, be judged by their looks.

Because the appearance of a cultivator is basically fixed at the age at the time of successful foundation building.

As one's cultivation level increases and lifespan grows, the main changes are in temperament, charm, and the aura brought by the level of life, rather than significant alterations to bone structure and appearance.

Therefore, without using special disguises, if a cultivator appears old, it often means that he was already quite old when he established his foundation, and his spiritual root aptitude or opportunities may be relatively ordinary.

This is the case with Li Guanhai.

His family, the Li family, was quite special in Chuyang City.

The Li family is not a blood-related family in the traditional sense; its roots lie in a well-known talisman-making shop called "Li's Talisman Shop" in Burning Bone City.

The shop owner was a highly respected old talisman maker. He took in and taught many children who had become orphans because their parents died in battle. He treated them as his own children and passed on his skills to them. Most of these children also took his surname, Li.

Li Guanhai, and Li Yunqing, who now manages the Li family's talisman business in Chuyang City, are both disciples of the old talisman master.

As these "Li" descendants multiplied and their population increased, the pressure on living in Burning Bone City grew.

Just as the order to expand Chuyang City was issued, they responded enthusiastically and migrated there collectively, establishing the "Li Family" with talisman-making skills at its core.

Because it arrived earliest, it occupied the second-tier spiritual vein closest to Chuyang City.

Sitting next to Li Guanhai was an exceptionally burly man, almost a head taller than the average person, who was none other than Sun Zhiyuan, the patriarch of the Sun family, a family specializing in weapon crafting.

He had bronze skin, thick eyebrows, and large eyes.

His large hands had thick knuckles, and the gaps between his fingers seemed to still bear the marks of years of working with furnaces and metal.

His eyes and brows also carried a unique air, as if they had been imbued with the scent of a long-term exposure to the intense heat of a furnace.

At that moment, he was chatting quietly with Li Guanhai, his voice loud and clear.

The last person to enter was Chen Mingfei from the Chen family.

He was thin and had a scholarly air about him, but a lingering gloom hung between his brows.

He remained silent after entering the room, sitting alone in a corner, looking preoccupied and isolated from the world.

None of the other families seemed to approach him to talk, which shows the Chen family's current popularity and rather delicate situation in Chuyang City.

After all the invited Foundation Establishment representatives from within Yangcheng had arrived, the small door behind the main seat was pushed open, and City Lord Yan Shuming strode in.

He looked to be no more than middle-aged, but his face was extremely dignified and his eyes were piercing.

Although he was nearly two hundred years old, his appearance was not significantly different from that of the Foundation Establishment cultivators present.

However, the air of authority that had been tempered by time and power, and the immense spiritual pressure that he was unabashedly releasing at this moment, belonging to the Golden Core stage, instantly silenced the hall.

Sensing this chilling aura, everyone rose to their feet and bowed respectfully: "City Lord!"

The dignified expression on Yan Shuming's face, typical of a Golden Core cultivator, softened slightly.

He flashed a friendly smile and gestured with both hands: "You are all pillars and backbones of my Chuyang City. No need for formalities, please have a seat."

After everyone had taken their seats again, Yan Shuming also sat down comfortably in the main seat.

He glanced around at the assembled clan leaders, his gaze lingering briefly on each face. He looked especially long at Lin Che, this "new face," before slowly speaking, his voice steady and powerful, echoing throughout the council hall:

"As you all know, a secret realm that has not yet been fully opened has appeared in the south of the Silent Forest."

"The reason I've invited you all here today is to discuss how to deal with the appearance of this secret realm, and how to ensure that all parties in my Chuyang City can benefit from it."

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Zhang Mo, the deputy city lord standing to the side, and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Zhang Mo understood and immediately stepped forward, placing several simple-looking jade tokens with a faint spiritual glow and intricate cloud patterns engraved on the front of each clan leader on the table.

Yan Shuming pointed to the token and said clearly, "The appearance of the secret realm is a major event and an opportunity for our Chuyang City region."

As for Chuyang City, we will never forget the contributions and support that your families have given to this place over the years.

Everyone has a part to share in this exploration of the secret realm.

These tokens are the keys to entering that secret realm.