The true heritage of the Fire Talisman Celestial Master's Estate was evident here.
Li Yuemei drew a deep breath; she harbored no confidence in her ability to become the heir of the Li family.
"What about the Copper Coin Celestial Master's Estate? Whom do they support?" Mo Lin inquired of Li Yuemei.
"They seem to favor my elder brother, but have made no explicit declaration. I am not entirely sure," she replied.
As they spoke, they arrived at the Li family residence.
Inside the sitting room, Li Wuya and Li Gu were conversing and laughing, yet there was no sign of the Li Family Patriarch.
Upon seeing Li Yuemei and Mo Lin enter, their smiles faded swiftly.
"Still refusing to give up, Third Sister?""You really think a mere fifth-rank Ghost Handler can help you seize the heirship? Get real," Li Gu sneered at Li Yuemei.
Li Gu's disdain for Li Yuemei had always been obvious, from the very beginning until now. Whenever he encountered her, he could not resist a few cutting remarks.
Li Yuemei, by now, was accustomed to his barbs.
"Father is waiting for you both in the basement," Li Wuya said slowly.
Li Yuemei nodded, then led Mo Lin downstairs.
Seeing the Li Family Patriarch again, Mo Lin felt a jolt in his heart.
The Patriarch's hair had turned completely white, deep wrinkles furrowed his face, and his back was hunched. He seemed to have aged decades since Mo Lin first met him.
"You have come..." The Patriarch's voice was frail and weary.
"I was ambushed and almost killed," he said with a bitter smile.
Mo Lin did not know the full story, but he could sense that the Patriarch's time was nearing its end.
"You seek the Netherworld Ghostfire. I do not oppose it — but only if Li Yuemei succeeds in becoming the family heir," the Patriarch said plainly.
He had long since learned of the agreement between Mo Lin and Li Yuemei.
"Give me one reason—one that convinces me Li Yuemei is fit to inherit," the Patriarch asked Mo Lin.
Someone must lead the Li family after he passed, and that someone needed the strength to uphold its legacy. Calling Li Yuemei here was his final test to determine her worthiness.
"I am the Deputy Minister of the Ghost Handlers' Association. I represent the full support of the Association for Li Yuemei," Mo Lin replied calmly.
The Patriarch shook his head. "Not enough. The Ghost Handlers hold little power in the North Sea."
"I can persuade the Thunder Talisman Celestial Master's Estate to back Li Yuemei," Mo Lin added.
The Patriarch's eyes lit up. "How?"
Mo Lin slowly produced the Thunder Talisman and said, "With this."
Indeed, if Mo Lin were willing to gift the Thunder Talisman to Zhuge Mingyue, she would certainly aid Li Yuemei without hesitation.
"But that is not the crux," Mo Lin said. "The true core lies in my own strength."
Mo Lin then drew out the Ghost-Suppressing Tome and called out:
"Chen Xi. Chu Xing. Gan Liangjun. Hongye."
In a breath, over a dozen nightmare-class ghosts materialized before him.
He took out a stack of Underworld Coins, transformed them into a wisp of nether energy, and infused it into Chen Xi's body — a full fifty thousand Underworld Coins.
Gradually, the strength within Chen Xi began to swell.
Crack—
It was as though an invisible shackle had broken.
A wave of terrifying power erupted from Chen Xi, flooding the room.
Chen Xi had been on the verge of a breakthrough; Mo Lin merely gave him the final push.
Li Yuemei's pupils dilated.
"So powerful!"
Witnessing this scene firsthand, she truly grasped the immensity of Mo Lin's power.
To raise a ghost's rank with casual ease?
Utterly absurd.
This meant that, so long as Mo Lin had enough Underworld Coins, he could elevate all his ghosts to the lethal tier.
Was this not terrifying enough?
Even more astonishing — Mo Lin possessed so many ghosts.
The strength of a Ghost Handler depended upon the quality of their ghosts.For Mo Lin, quantity was no constraint either.
Wouldn't that mean, in the future, he could command even greater hordes?
At that thought, Li Yuemei's gaze toward Mo Lin changed completely.
A sliver of hope rekindled in her previously despondent eyes.
With Mo Lin's full support, she might truly ascend as heir to the Li family.
"This is my strength," Mo Lin said to the Patriarch.
For the first time in a long while, the Patriarch's face broke into a genuine smile.
"Impressive. Remarkable," he praised — a rare accolade from a man of his stature.
"I can even elevate Li Yuemei to a sixth-rank Ghost Handler," Mo Lin added.
The Patriarch's expression shifted once more in astonishment.
"The younger generation indeed surpasses the old. I truly am growing obsolete," he sighed.
"Now, do you still believe Li Yuemei unfit to be heir?" Mo Lin asked.
"No. With your backing, she is more than suited," the Patriarch affirmed.
As an experienced man, he understood: Mo Lin's capabilities far exceeded ordinary standards.
"In a few days, I shall hold a Tournament of Succession. All contenders may showcase their abilities, and the victor shall become the heir," he said.
He would not directly hand the title to Li Yuemei — that would be unfair to his other two sons. A tournament was the only just course.
"Agreed," Mo Lin replied.
Before the tournament, he needed to restore his full strength — to ensure no unforeseen variables could arise.
Outside—
Li Wuya's body trembled as he sensed the energy from below, a look of disbelief crossing his face.
Li Gu, too, was visibly shaken.
Lethal-tier ghosts!
The aura earlier unmistakably belonged to lethal-tier entities.
Both men instinctively turned their gazes toward the basement.
At that moment, Mo Lin and Li Yuemei emerged, followed closely by the Patriarch.
"Young Miss, someone seeks an audience with Mo Lin," a servant reported respectfully.
"Bring him in," Li Yuemei instructed.
Zheng Nan stumbled into the courtyard, panic-stricken.
"Mo Lin, trouble!" Zheng Nan said breathlessly.
"What happened?"
"Your friend, Lin Xi, has been captured by Xin Lang!"
"What?" Mo Lin's face darkened, his voice sharp with anger.
Of all the calculations, he had not foreseen a counterattack from the Xin family.
"I must go," Mo Lin said, bidding farewell to Li Yuemei before hastening after Zheng Nan.
"What's the situation?" Mo Lin asked on the move.
"The Xin family learned that Shen Zimin and his men intended to wipe them out. To retaliate, they kidnapped Lin Xi as leverage," Zheng Nan explained.
"Xin Lang demands to see you. He's at the Century Business Hotel," Zheng Nan added.
"Let's go," Mo Lin said grimly.
When they arrived at the hotel, they found the surroundings sparsely populated — no ordinary citizens, only Ghost Handlers.
Many were sixth-rank.
Scanning the crowd, Mo Lin quickly spotted Zheng Zimin.
"Such a minor matter, and you couldn't handle it? You couldn't even keep it secret?" Mo Lin barked at him.
Zheng Zimin bowed his head, remorseful. "Master Mo, I am truly sorry."
He understood — his negligence had caused enormous trouble.
Had he not allowed word of their plans to annihilate the Xin family to leak, there would have been no counterstrike, no hostage taken, and no threat against Mo Lin.