The Wishes of Lin Xin Tong

"Elder Su, it's been a long time."

Upon seeing Su Jie, the woman in palace attire smiled and said...

Su Jie knew perfectly well what those two old guys were planning to do when they came over; they were simply there to spy on him.

Su Jie simply responded with a faint "yes" and said nothing more.

Just then, Su Jie suddenly had a thought. He turned around and saw a group of beautiful women walking over in the distance. Most of them were young girls, and among them was an old woman with silver hair and brocade clothes.

The old woman held a dragon-headed cane and wore a gold and jade hairpin in her hair. Although her face was full of wrinkles, her complexion was still healthy and rosy.

The woman in palace attire and Lin Xin Tong's Sixth Uncle immediately stepped forward to greet them. Yi Yun naturally understood that this silver-haired old lady in brocade robes was the Old Madam of the Lin family.

Apart from a few elders, this Old Madam was the most powerful figure in the Lin family, especially in matters of internal affairs.

However, despite the high position and power of the Lin Family Old Matriarch, she did not give people the slightest sense of oppression. Yi Yun truly felt that the Old Madam in front of him was just like an ordinary wealthy family's grandmother, kind and approachable.

"Xin Tong, how long have you been in seclusion this time...?"

The Old Madam looked at Lin Xin Tong with affection, Lin Xin Tong smiled sweetly and said, "I originally planned to pay my respects to the Xin Tong today, but I didn't expect the matriarch to come in person."

Lin Xin Tong deeply respects and loves the Lin Family Old Matriarch.

This was the elder who loved her the most back then. When Lin Xin Tong suffered a lot of neglect in the Lineage, the Old Madam always showed her great care.

If the Old Madam had any wishes, she would do her best to fulfill them.

Seeing that even the Lin Family Old Matriarch had arrived, Su Jie felt a little awkward. He had originally planned to have a private talk with Lin Xin Tong and ask for her thoughts, but before he even entered the courtyard of Lin Xin Tong's bamboo house, so many important figures from the Lin family had arrived, even alarming the Old Madam.

Although Su Jie was Lin Xin Tong's master, he was, after all, an outsider in the Lin family's affairs, especially in front of the Old Madam, so there were some things he couldn't say.

Old Madam Lin guessed Su Jie's thoughts and took the initiative to speak, saying, "Xin Tong, your master is here today. Just say what you have to say. This matter has dragged on for two years. Those old guys in the elders' council are arguing endlessly, and the Shen Tu family has been annoyed for the past two years. Perhaps... it's time for a decision."

When Old Madam Lin said this, Lin Xin Tong's great-aunt and Sixth Uncle both perked up their ears. They knew that in front of Lin Xin Tong, even a slight nod from Old Madam Lin was worth a hundred thousand or a million words from them.

The old lady's attitude is so important!

At this point, it was not appropriate for Su Jie to speak. He could only look at Lin Xin Tong and leave everything to Lin Xin Tong to decide.

Su Jie was also conflicted. He preferred that Lin Xin Tong reject the marriage proposal. He had spent so many years searching for a solution to Lin Xin Tong's Innate Yin Meridian, reading countless ancient books, but had never been able to find one. Now, the Shentu Family, which he had always disliked, claimed to have found a solution, which he found difficult to accept emotionally.

But... he was also worried that Lin Xin Tong would refuse the marriage proposal, and he wouldn't be able to save Lin Xin Tong. In that case, Lin Xin Tong would probably die young, and Su Jie certainly didn't want to see that happen.

Lin Xin Tong pursed her lips and remained silent.

Everyone was watching Lin Xin Tong, and Yi Yun was also observing Lin Xin Tong expression, trying to guess what she was thinking.

"Let's go into the yard."

Lin Xin Tong said something indifferently, and led the Old Madam, Su Jie and others into the courtyard of the bamboo house.

The courtyard was small but elegantly decorated. In the center of the courtyard was an antique rattan chair. Lin Xin Tong first invited the Old Madam to sit down, and then Su Jie, Sixth Uncle, and Great-Aunt followed suit.

Lin Xin Tong brewed a pot of tea and said softly, "From the time Xin Tong was old enough to understand, I knew that I was born with a congenital Fatal Meridian and was destined to die young. Our ancestors doted on Xin Tong, so when Xin Tong was young, the Lineage's elixirs and relics I used for martial arts training were always the best. At that time, some of my older cousins felt uncomfortable. They said that I was already destined to die, yet I was wasting the Lineage's resources. They said that if these things were given to them, they would do this and that. My aunts and uncles always looked at Xin Tong strangely, and behind my back they said that I was a little Xin Tong, that I was cursed to have this constitution..."

Lin Xin Tong's voice remained calm throughout, but Yi Yun and Su Jie felt a pang of sorrow. They could imagine the impact on a young girl's fragile self-esteem when she was being mocked and ridiculed like this in the absence of their ancestor.

Yi Yun knew that the hardships Lin Xin Tong experienced growing up were definitely more than what she had mentioned.

When I first met Lin Xin Tong, I only thought of her as a high and Heavenly Proud Daughter, like a snow lotus on a high mountain, untouched by worldly affairs. I never imagined that she would have such a childhood.

"Child, you've suffered so much." The Old Madam sighed and lovingly stroked Lin Xin Tong's face.

Lin Xin Tong gently held the Old Madam's aged hand and continued, "When Xin Tong was little, whenever I was sad, my Xin Tong would tell me that being born with Fatal Meridian is not incurable. She said that if I could restore my Xin Tong Fatal Meridian, I could become the strongest empress in the entire Tianyuan Realm."

"From that moment on, Xin Tong swore in her heart that she would definitely restore the Fatal Meridian in this lifetime."

"I refuse to accept this fate, I refuse to be watched by them, or even wish for their deaths."

"This idea began to take root and sprout when I was very young, and it has grown over time, gradually becoming my greatest obsession and pursuit in this life."

At this point, Yi Yun recalled the words Lin Xin Tong spoken back in the Barren Human Valley of Yunhuang.

At the time, he only felt that Lin Xin Tong was pure and innocent, with unwavering beliefs, and that she did what she knew was impossible, but he didn't know why Lin Xin Tong was like that.

Just then, Lin Xin Tong's great-aunt couldn't hold back any longer and said, "Xin Tong, now that you've thought it through, what are you still hesitating about? The opportunity is right in front of you. Just nod your head, and your childhood obsession will be fulfilled! You'll become an unparalleled empress, lasting for generations—something countless people would envy!"

"When you were little, your great-aunt certainly didn't show you enough love, but... with so many children in the Lineage, which elder can possibly consider the feelings of every single one? Your great-aunt neglected you when you were young, yet now she repeatedly shamelessly comes to see you and try to persuade you. I know that you have absolutely no goodwill towards such a snobbish person as your great-aunt; you're filled with contempt and disdain, you just don't say it out loud."

"But what your great-aunt said makes sense, Xin Tong. I won't mention Lineage or anything like that anymore, I know you don't like hearing about those things. So, let me ask you, between life and innocence, which do you think is more important?"

The woman in palace attire spoke earnestly and frankly, Yi Yun had to admit that, given her current unpopular status, her words were quite pertinent.

Between life and innocence, which is more important?

I believe 99% of girls would choose the former.

Lin Xin Tong nodded, "My great-aunt is right. I understood these principles when I returned to the Lineage two years ago and received this news."

"But... I don't want to. It's not because I hate the Shentu Family so much, nor is it related to Shentu Nantian's questionable character, it's just because... I don't want to use my body to exchange for a martial arts path that has been carefully paved by others."

"My childhood ambition included not only reconnecting my Fatal Meridian, but also, after reconnecting Fatal Meridian, exploring the Martial Dao Peak."

"For those who practice martial arts, the path of martial arts lies within their own hearts. Practicing martial arts is also a struggle against fate, inherently fraught with countless difficulties!"

"Continuing to inherit a naturally Fatal Meridian is difficult, but is it more difficult than surpassing a peerless Great Emperor? Yet, there are still those who have reached the level of a peerless Great Emperor."

"The path of a martial artist is to overcome all obstacles, to forcibly carve out a way on a treacherous peak where there was no way to go. If I were to sell my beliefs and body to obtain such a path, perhaps I could become Great Emperor, but so what? The seed of failure would have already been planted in my heart, and the sold-out beliefs could never be found again. After becoming Great Emperor, I probably wouldn't be able to make any further breakthroughs, and I probably wouldn't even be able to reach the level of that peerless empress."

"This is not what I want. My life has only just begun. Although my life may seem short to you, it is incredibly long to mortals. I have made up my mind to fight against fate. Now, my struggle has only just begun. I still have nearly five hundred years to use. Why should I give up now?"

After Lin Xin Tong said this, everyone fell silent.

Yi Yun took a deep breath. Lin Xin Tong's words truly shocked him. The woman's willpower was almost unparalleled in his life.

The Old Madam jumped slightly, then finally sighed, "Xin Tong, you're still so stubborn, but sometimes, some paths can't be walked just by faith."

Having experienced so much, the Old Madam had a greater sense of awe for the world.

When people are young, they are often arrogant and conceited, wanting to challenge everything in the world. They believe that human will can overcome nature and that as long as they have perseverance and ability, they can accomplish anything.

However, compared to the young, the elderly are more inclined to succumb to reality. In the end, the Old Madam still did not believe that Lin Xin Tong could overcome her inevitable fate by giving up the opportunity provided by the Shentu Family.

Often, reality is far crueler than ideals.

Beside Su Jie, Yi Yun could tell that Lin Family Old Matriarch cared about most was Lin Xin Tong's life; she didn't want to bury her child.

So... she was actually already inclined to accept the Shentu Family's proposal.

Yi Yun suddenly spoke up, "Do you all believe that the Shentu Family can definitely cure Miss Lin?"

...(To be continued~^~)