Could You Be a Little More Sensible?

After the typhoon, the air in Eastsea City felt especially fresh, carrying a faint mistiness. Sunlight spilled across the land, and now and then, the Nine-Colored glow of a rainbow could even be seen at the horizon. Not a cloud stretched across the sky, and the whole world seemed to brighten.

Lin Xiuran walked along the academy's concrete path, breathing in the fresh air. Even though he had not fully recovered from his illness, he still felt comfortable all over.

Having just reached the school gate, he thought it over. Donghai Spirit Transfer Pagoda was still too far from Eastsea Academy. Walking there would save money, but it was not very practical.

Eastsea Academy was one of Eastsea City's landmark buildings, so there was naturally a Soul Guidance Bus Stop at its entrance. Cheap and convenient, it was undoubtedly Lin Xiuran's best choice of transportation.

Yet before the bus arrived, he encountered the young woman who had cared for him not long ago—Ouyang Zixin.

Seeing her, Lin Xiuran instinctively smiled. "Sister Zixin, where are you going?"

But as soon as he spoke, Lin Xiuran sensed that something was wrong. Ouyang Zixin was clearly angry, and even the way she looked at him felt off.

Completely unlike the gentleness she usually showed him, Ouyang Zixin spoke with reproach in her voice. "Your brother has always treated you so well. Why did you still do something like that?"

"I don't really understand." Even if the other person was Ouyang Zixin, he would not accept such baseless accusations.

Ouyang Zixin was clearly still furious, but there were quite a few people at the bus stop. She shot him a cold glance, then grabbed his arm. "Come with me."

Lin Xiuran did not resist. There was only a faint sorrow in his eyes, as though he had already realized what was about to happen.

Before long, Ouyang Zixin had pulled Lin Xiuran to a corner of the academy field. The typhoon and torrential rain had stopped, but school would not begin until the day after tomorrow. Although some students had gradually returned to campus today, there were still very few of them, and those on the field were practically nonexistent. Only then did Ouyang Zixin raise her voice slightly.

"Senior Xu has already done everything he could as your brother. You need to understand that even for the Xu Family, obtaining a few tickets to the Riotous Spirit Ascension Platform was extremely difficult. Not only did you fail to cherish this opportunity, you acted on your own and caused Senior Xu to be eliminated." As Ouyang Zixin spoke, her tone grew increasingly forceful.

"Can't you be a little more sensible? What more do you want your brother to do for you?"

"Heh." Lin Xiuran let out a soft laugh and muttered quietly, "That again."

He was far too familiar with those words. The Xu parents had said them to him countless times.

"So, Sister Zixin, is this why you came?"

Ouyang Zixin frowned slightly and said coldly, "I heard from Senior Xu that he took the blame for you in the end and got severely scolded by Uncle Xu."

"After all that, you still ran away from home? Who do you think you're worthy of? How did I never realize before that you were such a selfish person?"

Lin Xiuran raised his head and took a deep breath. "If I said things weren't like that, would Sister Zixin believe me?"

"You're saying Senior Xu lied to me?" Ouyang Zixin said speechlessly. "Do you think that's possible?"

Lin Xiuran was not surprised by her answer. He slowly withdrew the faint expectation in his gaze, fell silent, and did not say another word.

Seeing this, Ouyang Zixin could only give him one final warning in a low voice. "Lin Xiuran, be more sensible from now on. Stop making your brother and parents unhappy. Then you can be a good younger brother at home, and still be my good younger brother. Otherwise..."

Ouyang Zixin did not finish, but her meaning was already obvious.

Lin Xiuran merely shook his head with a bitter smile. The supposedly precious Riotous Spirit Ascension Platform slot had never been an investment the Xu parents intended for him. How could they have willingly given such a slot to him? It had only been demanded by the Clan Elder. Certainly, qualification for the Riotous Spirit Ascension Platform was precious, but Xu Wenjun would have had to owe the master of Donghai Spirit Transfer Pagoda a favor whether he asked for two slots or three. There was not much difference; it was not some enormous number. First, they had been pressured by the Clan Elder. Second, once inside, he could offer Xu Xiaoyan additional protection. That was why they had reluctantly allowed him in.

Was he really being unreasonable? Whether he was or not, in Ouyang Zixin's eyes—and in the eyes of the Xu parents—he was.

At that moment, two figures in the distance were watching them.

"Brother, why did you do this?" Xu Xiaoyan asked from the side, confused.

Xu Xiaoyu shook his head and said coldly, "No matter how much our parents dislike him, he is still part of the Xu Family. The future inheritance of the family is still a threat. I've already been merciful by doing this."

To him, using some methods in the family's internal struggles was only natural. Although his parents despised Lin Xiuran, the family inheritance was not something his father could decide with a single word, even as the family head. The Clan Elder who truly held authority in the Xu Family had stepped forward to protect Lin Xiuran more than once. That was what made Xu Xiaoyu feel such a sense of crisis, prompting him to repeatedly frame the other party.

Xu Xiaoyan still did not understand. At her age, she naturally could not comprehend such things. Her adorable little face scrunched up tightly. "But Second Brother is already so pitiful..."

"Enough!"

Xu Xiaoyu's sudden sharp shout startled Xu Xiaoyan. Fear appeared on her face as she looked at her eldest brother in alarm.

Seeming to realize that he had gone too far, Xu Xiaoyu hurriedly adjusted his mood. After all, Xu Xiaoyan was his younger sister, and because she was exceptionally talented and possessed Innate Full Soul Power,

her Martial Soul had also been found during last year's examination to display the Star Wheel Phenomenon, something extraordinarily rare in the family's history. Because of this, Xu Xiaoyan was especially valued by the family.

Naturally, he could not make his sister unhappy. If Xu Xiaoyan went to complain to their parents, he would be in trouble.

If there were levels to how favored everyone in the family was, Xu Xiaoyu was only one level above Lin Xiuran, though his treatment was worlds apart from Lin Xiuran's.

"Alright, Xiaoyan. Your brother was too anxious. I'll treat you to your favorite ale later."

Xu Xiaoyu comforted her gently and reached out to stroke Xu Xiaoyan's smooth hair.

"But Brother still hopes that you'll stand on my side. You need to know that all these years, Brother has been the one taking care of you."

Xu Xiaoyan nodded vaguely. Although she felt sorry for her second brother's miserable situation, she was indeed closer to Xu Xiaoyu.

After all, Lin Xiuran had barely been home while she was growing up. Xu Xiaoyu had always been the one accompanying her, and whenever they went out to eat something delicious, Xu Xiaoyu was the one who paid.

Lin Xiuran had been absent for almost her entire childhood. How could she possibly be too close to him?

And that was indeed the case. Lin Xiuran barely had any pocket money. Forget treating Xu Xiaoyan to delicious food—for the sake of saving money to buy his first Soul Spirit, he could barely even afford to take care of himself. Sometimes, because he was growing so quickly and frequently needed to buy larger clothes, he could not even bear to spend the money.