As for Xu Chao and the immortal behind him, Lin Xiaotian found them utterly vulnerable.
Young Master Xu claimed his twenty-odd bodyguards were no match for Lin Xiaotian. If Lin Xiaotian had intended to kill, not a single one of those twenty would have survived.
However, Lin Xiaotian saw no need to act so ruthlessly. After all, those twenty men were merely following orders.
Young Master Xu was now thoroughly terrified. If given another chance, he would never have appeared before Lin Xiaotian. This fellow was simply a demon.
"I truly know I was wrong. I can apologize for everything that happened before. I admit I was just a tool they used, but I had no choice. If I hadn't come, everything I possess might have been wiped out. They pushed me out."
"I came before you because they wanted to use me as a shield. If I hadn't, they might have said other things, pushing me into an inescapable corner."
"Just give me one chance, and I'll disappear immediately. I'll never show my face before you again. Even if I don't get to inherit any positions in the Xu family, I will never be your opponent."
Everything he said was the truth. The moment he witnessed Lin Xiaotian's power had deeply shaken him.
The effect surpassed his comprehension. Twenty bodyguards, each capable of fighting ten men, had been utterly powerless before Lin Xiaotian. If Lin Xiaotian wished, he could have killed him at any moment.
Once the seed of fear takes root in one's heart, the consequences are not uniform for everyone.
Lin Xiaotian said with a half-smile, "I gave you a chance, but you didn't cherish it. Now, if I want to deal with you, it's just a matter of moving my fingers."
"You should understand your current predicament. However, I can give you a chance to continue living. Aren't those people around you trying to get their hands on my precious bone pills? I can give them that opportunity."
"I can even let you take these things back without spending a single cent, so your family can appraise their authenticity. If they identify any fakes, I'll compensate you tenfold."
"But you must be clear, once you agree to this, there will be no turning back."
Young Master Xu was stunned. He never expected Lin Xiaotian to agree so readily. His eyes were filled with unconcealable excitement. He hesitated and said, "If you give me some antiques, it would be a great favor to me. Those people would laugh at me because they think I'm useless. Coming here to trouble you would at most be a minor setback."
"Who knew they wanted to use this setback to damage your reputation and attack you."
"But if I achieve something like this, it would bring immense benefits back home. Those people will never give up so easily because their original target was the antiques from your company, and more importantly, the strength you displayed."
"I can tell you clearly, the cooperation they spoke of is all a ploy. What they truly desire are the treasures in your hands."
"Once you give them those things, the consequences will be unimaginable. They won't need to cooperate with you at all. As long as they wish, they can cash in those treasures immediately. By then, even if you want to pursue them, they can use contracts to utterly crush you."
Young Master Xu revealed everything he knew without hesitation, because he knew very well that Lin Xiaotian had no reason to play games with him.
As long as Lin Xiaotian willed it, he could send him to the underworld at any moment.
Lin Xiaotian smiled and said, "Your performance is quite good. You've made me aware of the Xu family's true schemes. However, I also know that you understand very well that in your family's power struggles, you are just a loser. In their eyes, you are merely a tool to be used."
"I can give you a chance now to transform from a tool into a truly powerful expert, and even allow you to become the head of the Xu family."
"However, this might also cause your family's wealth to plummet in a short period. If you are willing to cooperate, I can give you this opportunity. If you are unwilling, I can even let you go right now. Even if your family members want to get enough opportunities from you, it will be impossible."
"Besides you, I will absolutely not cooperate with anyone else. You can tell them this directly. If they are unwilling, they can come find me."
Young Master Xu's smile grew more excited. "I agree. I will do whatever you say. If those people truly intend to attack you, I will inform you immediately."
"Although the infighting in our family is fierce, I can assure you that if I wish, none of them will escape my grasp. After all, I am considered a high-ranking member of our family."
"I am a legitimate young master in the family, not some insignificant pawn for you to trample on."
"Even if the struggle is unsuccessful, they wouldn't dare do anything significant to me. My father is still alive, and he is an absolute powerhouse."
Lin Xiaotian said with a half-smile, "I only half-believe what you say."
"I'm too lazy to listen to your superfluous nonsense. Now, just tell me if you are willing to cooperate with me. If you are, you can take some things with you now. Of course, I'm only giving you a sample. If you are willing to take it back, I don't mind establishing a trading relationship with you."
"These things are not the treasures I'm known for, but unknown rare items. As for what those rare items are, once you take these treasures back, I believe you will have a clear idea."
Upon hearing this, Young Master Xu agreed without hesitation, because he knew very well that if Lin Xiaotian wanted to deceive him, he wouldn't need to go through such trouble.