When these words fell on his ears, Lin Jingtang's face flushed red. The horrifying memory of that defeat came flooding back to his mind.

He did not have a good background; no one knew who his parents were. Nevertheless, he had an upbringing that he was proud of. He had been adopted by the head of the Lin family, who had raised and taught him as if he were his own son.

Lin Jingtang had started shining quite early on due to his outstanding cultivation aptitude. Even though he had never formally joined the Heaven Origin Dao Sect, he had always been compared to the sect's disciples of his generation. He had lived up to everyone's expectations, refining his qi, establishing his foundation, and going all the way to forming his Nascent Soul.

The day he reached the Nascent Soul Realm was the happiest day of his life. The Lin family held a celebration ceremony for him. Members of many houses on friendly terms with the Lin family had come to congratulate...