The Tiger-Mom Who Made the Household Swarm?

After seeing the old man off, the courtyard soon returned to tranquility.

Lin Tianlu was just about to return to his study when a knock suddenly sounded at the gate.

"Who is it?"

He hurried over and pulled open the gate, only to see a young man in white standing outside, carrying an air of refined elegance.

"You are..."

"My name is Hu Sheng. I'm merely an ordinary scholar from East Street."

Hu Sheng revealed a gentle smile and clasped his hands. "I heard that Mister Lin possessed great talent, so I came to pay you a visit and impose on you for a while. Now that I've seen you in person, you truly are exceptionally handsome. I'm thoroughly ashamed by comparison."

"Not at all, not at all. Mister Hu's talent is extraordinary as well."

Lin Tianlu suddenly understood and quickly returned the greeting with a smile.

The two stood at the gate exchanging polite compliments for a while. Before long, the scholar took his leave with complete satisfaction.

Lin Tianlu returned to the courtyard carrying two scrolls of handwritten poetry.

Hua Shuya, who had been quietly contemplating the way of the sword in the courtyard, could not help asking in surprise, "Senior, the person outside the gate..."

"He just came by to visit and give me a gift." Lin Tianlu smiled and waved the manuscripts. "Perhaps scholars simply admire one another."

Hua Shuya nodded slightly, then closed her eyes and focused once more.

Knock, knock—

The knocking sounded again.

Lin Tianlu gave a soft cry of surprise, hurriedly set down the manuscripts, and went to open the gate.

"Mister Lin, I've long heard of your great name!" A burly bearded man laughed heartily and called out, "I'm Liu the Butcher from Wuyuan Lane. I've come especially to pay you a visit and have a chat!"

"Of course, of course—"

Some time later.

Lin Tianlu returned to the courtyard carrying half a chicken.

Hua Shuya opened her eyes again and asked in astonishment, "Senior, that person just now was..."

"A butcher."

Er... That sounded a little ambiguous.

Lin Tianlu thought it over, then amended, "A cook who specializes in slaughtering chickens and pigs. He said he wanted to bask in my good fortune, and this chicken was a gift for the visit."

"Senior is truly famous throughout Changling County." Hua Shuya gave a light laugh.

Not long ago, she had already learned about the ghostly calamity that had occurred the previous night. It was just a pity she had not witnessed Senior's heroic bearing in person.

"I just wonder what bizarre form all those wild rumors have made me out to be."

Lin Tianlu shook his head and laughed.

That Liu the Butcher had actually claimed that Lin Tianlu had charged into the sea of flames and torn the evil spirit apart with his bare hands, his masculine righteousness terrifying the entire region...

Did he think the evil spirit was shredded chicken?

Tear it apart whenever he said so.

Knock, knock—

The knocking sounded again.

Lin Tianlu sighed, set down the chicken, and went outside once more to receive the visitor.

"Mister Lin, I'm a schoolteacher from Zhou'an Township."

"Of course, of course..."

"Mister Lin, I'm Wang Anqing from the neighboring street."

"Nice to meet you, nice to meet you..."

Visitors came one after another, making the gate as noisy as a bustling marketplace.

Meanwhile, Lin Tianlu's face was almost stiff from smiling.

He had never expected that saving someone once would cause such a commotion throughout the town and county. Judging by the situation, the visitors outside were not only failing to decrease—they had even begun lining up.

"Mister Lin, I'm from the county... Huh?"

But the moment this middle-aged man stepped forward, clasped his hands, and began his greeting, he suddenly felt uneasy. Sweat appeared on his forehead.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of an elegant woman dancing freely with a sword in the courtyard. Cold light shot from the blade as it whistled through the air. When her gaze swept over him, it felt as though a sharp sword had pierced his heart, and a sudden chill of dread rose within him. His face instantly paled, and he abandoned his gift, clasping his hands and hurriedly taking his leave.

"Mister Lin, I'm Dongbao!"

"Mister Lin, this old man came especially to—cough, cough, cough!"

"Mister Lin, I... uh!"

"Lin... bleurgh! Ugh!"

Before long, the visitors outside began to dwindle rapidly, until the area once again fell quiet. Only the last guest remained, staggering away with his hand over his mouth.

Lin Tianlu stared in utter bewilderment.

What was going on?

Had they all fallen ill at once?

Turning back toward the courtyard, he saw Hua Shuya sitting upright inside the hall. She gently gathered her hair and tilted her head. "Senior?"

"Miss Hua, do I smell bad?"

Hua Shuya shook her head repeatedly.

Lin Tianlu rubbed his chin and said speechlessly, "That's strange. Why did that last visitor look as though he was about to vomit?"

"..."

The moon shone brightly among sparse stars, while dark clouds struggled to conceal it.

Lin Tianlu sat cross-legged in the courtyard, leisurely raising a cup of tea to his lips.

Such peaceful leisure was rare, so he naturally had to enjoy and relax while he could.

But Hua Shuya, sitting opposite him, had her lovely brows tightly furrowed. She remained silent, deep in thought, looking rather tense.

All of this was naturally because of the black-and-white board on the stone table.

The girl held a black piece and deliberated for a long time, yet still could not place it.

There had only been a few moves, but the piece in her hand already seemed as heavy as a thousand catties, difficult to control.

After a long silence, Lin Tianlu could not help speaking.

"Miss Hua, you've been holding that piece and trembling for half a quarter of an hour. Are you really not going to continue?"

"P-please, Senior, wait a moment!" Hua Shuya's pretty face flushed red, seeming both embarrassed and anxious, and even her voice trembled slightly.

"I... I'll find the right place to play it very soon!"

Lin Tianlu felt slightly speechless.

There were only six pieces on the board in total, three black and three white. Was it really necessary to think for so long?

Was she trying to force herself to produce the Heavenly Demon Transformation or Heaven and Earth in Unity?

Seeing her struggle once again, Lin Tianlu sighed and simply pointed to the center of the board. "When you can't decide, place it on the heavenly origin."

Hua Shuya's eyes brightened slightly. As if drawn by an unseen force, she accurately placed the black piece in the center of the board.

Only then did Lin Tianlu smile. "At last, it's my turn."

As he spoke, he picked up a white piece and prepared to place it.

But a faint sound of breathing already echoed beside his ear. When he looked up, he was stunned to discover that the girl's head was covered in sweat. Her long robe and skirt were soaked through, as though she had just been fished out of a well!

"Miss Hua, what happened to you..."

"Senior's guidance has truly benefited me beyond measure!" Hua Shuya let out a long sigh, as if expelling all the turbid air from her body. Her entire being seemed reborn, her heart empty, limpid, and clear.

The instant this game began, the courtyard scenery had vanished from her eyes.

What she saw instead was the galaxy chessboard she had once witnessed atop Taiyi Mountain, with all living beings as the pieces and heaven and earth as the board. The two players alternately placed their pieces, as though competing against the principles of Heaven's Way. Every move was a trial of the heart and a sublimation of the soul.

For that reason, those mere three black pieces had already completely drained her energy.

As for that final piece, she had exhausted her wits and strength without finding an opportunity to place it. It stood before her like a mountain range, as if countless obstacles blocked the way.

But this move to the heavenly origin...

Had been flawless.

Hua Shuya felt her state of mind become perfectly complete. A heroic spirit that arose from the depths of her heart made her want to let out a long howl and sing aloud.

But the moment she opened her mouth, she realized that she was still sitting in front of Senior. She hurriedly and sheepishly closed her cherry-red lips.

"Miss Hua, you should go wash up first."

Lin Tianlu shifted his gaze away and coughed twice. "The evening wind is quite cold. Be careful not to catch a chill."

Hua Shuya blinked her lively eyes. As if sensing something, she lowered her head and looked down, only to see that her clothes had become half-transparent. A rosy flush covered her delicate skin like flowers in bloom, her slender waist curving gracefully, while the faint outline of the bindings around her chest could be seen.

"..."

She stood there blankly for a moment.

The girl's face suddenly flushed crimson. She lowered her brows without a word, silently clutching her sleeves over her chest before rising and fleeing.

But when she reached the corner, she quickly stopped and glanced back. "Senior, I'll go... bathe and change my clothes first."

"Cough! Go ahead."

Only after her footsteps faded into the distance did Lin Tianlu finally relax.

"Luckily, this girl has a gentle, refined, and sensible personality. If she had screamed, I probably would have died of social embarrassment among the neighbors."

"Hahaha! Mister, this old man is back!"

At that moment, hearty laughter drifted through the night sky.

Mo Hong soared over the wall and into the courtyard as lightly as a swallow. After taking only two steps, he had already leaped into the pavilion.

"Old sir, you're rather late." Lin Tianlu smiled, rose, and clasped his hands, his eyes lighting up slightly.

That lightness skill was impressive.

It seemed the title of "expert" carried some weight after all!

"Mister, you're right to blame me. I failed to keep track of the time. Since I wanted to seek your guidance, I had to prepare some fine wine and food. I went all around Changling County, picking and choosing for ages before finding something of a suitable quality." Mo Hong chuckled as he placed the wine jug and carved wooden box in his hands on the stone table.

"Yet after only one day apart, quite a few interesting rumors have appeared in town. It seems the girl has been turned into a tiger-mom who enforces her household rules with an iron fist... Hmm?"

But he soon gave a soft cry of surprise and stared at the chessboard on the table. "This game..."

Lin Tianlu laughed. "I was merely playing a few casual moves with Miss Hua to pass the time."

"This, this..."

The old man's expression grew increasingly strange and solemn. His complexion shifted between light and dark, and his breathing grew heavier.

Seeing this, Lin Tianlu hurriedly swept the pieces off the board. "Old sir, don't get angry. It was only a random game played by young people. Don't take it seriously."

But when he saw all the pieces rolling off the board, the old man suddenly widened his eyes. They bulged like copper bells, and a red flush nearly surged across his entire face.

After sitting there in a daze for a long while, he collapsed into his chair, muttering incessantly:

"How could this be? How could this be?!"

Seeing the old man suddenly become so strange and mutter to himself, Lin Tianlu felt his teeth ache.

Was another patient with a medical condition here?

Would they let him play chess in peace or not? Why did everyone relapse the moment they saw a chessboard?

Were they trying to force him to develop a psychological shadow over black-and-white chess?

Fortunately, the old man did not vomit blood and faint like Hua Shuya had before, requiring immediate medical attention. After taking several deep breaths, he gradually calmed down.

But when he looked at Lin Tianlu again, his eyes already held a trace of reverence.

"Mister, your realm is indeed beyond the reach of ordinary people. This game... truly marvelous! I fear there isn't a second board like this anywhere in the world. For that girl from the Hua Family to discuss the Way with you throughout the night, she must have accumulated virtue and blessings for generations. How enviable!"

Indeed.

There truly was no second person in this world who would need half an hour to play Gomoku.

Lin Tianlu's heart stirred, and he asked in surprise, "Old sir, you know Miss Hua?"

"Hehe. This old man has traveled throughout the world, so naturally I've met many people. I can clearly recognize the Thirteen Forms of the Army-Breaking Sword used by that girl from the Hua Family." The old man stroked his beard and smiled. "I simply never expected that the girl from the Hua Family, despite her young age, had already cultivated her family's sword technique to such a level. She probably does not fall short of her father's generation in the slightest."

"The Hua Family is very famous?"

"Could it be that you've only just arrived in the Fengchen Kingdom, Mister?"

"Indeed, as you said. I met Miss Hua by chance, and only came to settle in Changling County after she recommended the place."

"I see." The old man nodded in sudden understanding. "The head of the Hua Family is King Zhengyang of the Fengchen Kingdom, whose reputation has spread far and wide. His six children are all extraordinary in martial arts, true dragons and phoenixes among men. That girl from the Hua Family must be King Zhengyang's granddaughter."

King Zhengyang?

That was quite an impressive position.

Lin Tianlu took a sip of tea.

No wonder that girl was filthy rich. She had bought two residences without even blinking.

"You seem to have known this already, Mister?"

"I'm simply not interested in princes and nobles." Lin Tianlu shrugged. "Miss Hua never showed off her identity either."

"Then it seems this old man was being vulgar."

Mo Hong laughed twice and raised his cup. "I apologize. I'll drain this cup first."

He gulped it down in one go. The corners of Mo Hong's mouth lifted as he was just about to praise it, but his face suddenly reddened. He covered his mouth and began coughing repeatedly.

Clearly, he had choked when he tried to speak.

Lin Tianlu: "..."

This old man... truly had nothing to do with peerless experts.

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