Lin Fenglei originally didn't want to agree, because he believed that as soon as Zhang Jie left the Lin family, Lin Caivi would lose her control over her, and thus lose control over Qin Feng. Holding Zhang Jie tightly in his grasp would ensure that Lin Caivi continued to follow the Lin family's instructions, and Qin Feng would then have to tread carefully. Lin Jiahou signaled to him to agree, with the intention of first securing the alchemy skills—once that was done, Qin Feng would lose his negotiating leverage. Moreover, even if Zhang Jie were released, she would merely be an ordinary person, and retrieving her would be quite easy. Therefore, it shouldn't be now that they broke ties. Understanding Lin Jiahou's intention, Lin Fenglei finally agreed. "Alright, I'll first take Aunt Zhang out, and then return to demonstrate for you," Qin Feng said. "No way. "Lin Jiahao directly declined, saying, "Chang Jian has lived here for over ten years, and the relationships among everyone have always been solid. If we're leaving, I believe it's very necessary to hold a farewell banquet. What do you think, Master?" What a stretch! Chang Jie has lived here for over ten years, yet no one has ever truly cared about her well-being. Now, they're proudly claiming that everyone gets along well—this is pure fiction. Lin Fenglei immediately replied, "Exactly. I think the farewell banquet should be held tonight. Everyone should gather and enjoy themselves. You can leave tomorrow morning if you'd like!" What a group of seasoned foxes! Qin, deeply aware of this, feels the strain of dealing with such sharp, perceptive people. It seems there's no way to refuse now. He can only nod and say, "Then I'll be grateful for your kind arrangements. The banquet doesn't need to be elaborate—simple and straightforward would be perfect!" "Absolutely," Lin Fenglei smiled. "Xiao Feng, there's still a long time until evening. Why don't you give us a demonstration?" "Qin Dashi was very enthusiastic in his agreement: 'Alright, but right now I'm in a bad mood, which might affect my performance. You'll come at one hour from now. The courtyard can only accommodate twenty people—please confirm who will come and who won't. Mind you, I don't want the walls to be crowded with people climbing up, or the sky filled with those who suddenly step on their flying swords. If it turns out that way, I'll simply decline the demonstration!' You've been creating trouble for me—now I'm going to create some of my own. It's obvious everyone wants to witness it firsthand, yet I've only reserved twenty spots. Those who get in will be delighted, while those who don't will surely complain. After saying this, Qin Dashi slammed the door shut with a loud 'thump.' Everyone rushed eagerly to the home master, hoping to be among the twenty selected. 'Just calm down,' Lin Fenglei realized this was a rather tricky situation—should it not be handled well, he'd surely offend many." Lin Jiahao looked at him with deep intention, waiting for him to make a mistake. The old man squared his shoulders: "According to the ranking in the living room, anyone with a seat qualification, plus the person ranked twenty-first, makes twenty in total. Do any of you have objections?" Of course—not according to strength rankings, who would have any objections? Without the opportunity to observe on-site, it clearly meant you weren't strong enough. With the matter already raised to this point, who would dare to stand up and challenge it with pride? "Since everyone agrees, it shall be settled this way—those with qualifications will gather here one hour from now." His gaze swept over several who didn't have seats, and he said firmly, "Those without qualifications are not allowed to appear within one hundred meters, nor are they permitted to use binoculars or any other devices to observe. Otherwise, they will be subject to the household regulations!" With that, he turned and walked away. One of Lin Jiahao's loyal associates whispered softly, "Are we really going to let him pass this challenge so easily?" "Old man Qin has been sitting in his position at home for several decades. If he can't even handle such a simple matter, wouldn't that be rather embarrassing? Only then would he truly qualify as my opponent," he said with a carefree air. "Only by defeating such an opponent can I feel a real sense of achievement. Everyone, get ready and come for the observation session one hour from now!" Since everyone can't live there year-round, and someone needs to take care of it, Jiang Zhang is the perfect choice. Most importantly, it's safe—both from ordinary people and from other cultivators who can't even reach it. The key point is that the disturbances from the Lin family have been completely eliminated. "Hey, Auntie, don't worry. I'll often go there with Xiao Wei and the others. You'll definitely never feel lonely," he smiled. Zhang Jiang nodded. "Alright. I used to be content living here because Xiao Wei was young, and I've always been waiting for her father to return—over ten years now. With her grown and independent, he still hasn't shown up. My hopes have completely faded. There's nothing here I truly care about anymore!" Qin, the young count, assured her, "As long as Uncle Lin is still alive, I and Weiwei will find him!" "Yes, I believe Dad is still alive," said the Lin beauty, her eyes glistening with tears. "I do too," Jiang Zhang said, equally determined. Qin Dashi had originally thought it had been over ten years since he last heard any news—perhaps he was in for a bad ending. But then he recalled how unpredictable life could be, just like his own origins: having lived for over a decade in a place with no access to sunlight, only to emerge and break free. Therefore, everything was still possible. Just half an hour ago, a group of people led by Lin Fenglei and Lin Jiahou had already begun gathering outside. With their disputes now fully broken, the previous sense of hierarchy and harmony had vanished entirely. Their supporters were now fuming, eyes narrowed, clearly ready to engage in a full-blown confrontation. Lin Fenglei felt he had regained the upper hand, yet neither he nor anyone else had truly succeeded. He had exhausted the medicinal supplies in the herb store, but many others had revealed clear instances of self-interest, making the situation a draw—everyone was equally matched, and no one could claim superiority over the other. Qin Dashi stood in the courtyard, yet he would never open the door until the moment was right, not even a single second earlier. He clearly knew what Lin Fenglei and Lin Jiahou were up to—they simply wanted to master the situation before letting Zhang Jie go, or else turn around and keep her detained.