Lin Zhentian's Shock—Who Cured Lin Xiao? Invite Him at Once!

At this moment.

Faced with Qing Tan's bashful appearance.

Lin Xiao merely waved his hand calmly.

His face bore an expression that said, "I've been through it all. I understand. No need to explain."

He even gave Qing Tan a meaningful look.

The meaning was obvious:

It's fine, daughter. Your father is open-minded. You young people are full of energy—it's normal, normal.

But Qing Tan was so anxious she was nearly in tears.

If this misunderstanding became settled fact, how could she ever face anyone again?

So.

She no longer cared about being shy.

She rushed two steps forward.

Taking a deep breath, she spilled everything that had happened the night before, aside from the little matters of kissing and hugging Liu Yuan:

"Father!"

"It really isn't what you think!"

"Last night... the cold energy in my body flared up again!"

"Brother Liu Yuan was trying to save me!"

"He spent the entire night using Origin Power to suppress the cold energy for me. He absolutely didn't..."

At that point, her little face turned red again, and she swallowed the rest of her words.

As soon as she said that.

The expressions of Lin Xiao and the other two, who had been smiling teasingly, changed at once.

Their smiles froze.

They were replaced by deep concern and astonishment.

"What?!"

Lin Xiao abruptly rose to his feet, his brows tightly furrowed.

"Your cold energy flared up last night?"

"Why didn't you tell Father?!"

His tone was stern, but the concern in it was impossible to conceal.

Qing Tan lowered her head, twisting the corner of her clothes between her hands as she spoke softly:

"Yesterday... Father was so happy for once."

"I didn't want to spoil Father's mood..."

"Besides, you and Brother Lin Dong were both dead drunk. Even if I'd told you, what could you have done?"

Lin Xiao stiffened at her words.

That really did seem to be the case.

At that moment, Lin Dong hurriedly asked from the side:

"What about Brother Liu Yuan?"

"He helped you suppress it all night. Is he alright?"

Lin Xiao also cast over an inquiring gaze.

He had personally experienced the terror of Yin Sha Qi. Getting tainted by that stuff was no pleasant matter.

Qing Tan shook her head.

"He's fine."

"It's just that he used too much Origin Power to help me completely suppress the cold energy, so he's exhausted."

"He's still asleep in his room."

Hearing this.

Lin Xiao finally let out a sigh of relief.

Then.

A look of confirmation appeared in his eyes as he sighed:

"It seems Xiao Yuan's cultivation truly surpasses mine."

"Even I would probably find it difficult to help Qing Tan suppress her cold energy."

"Yet he was able to help Qing Tan without suffering any harm himself..."

"That level of strength is truly terrifying!"

Nearby.

After hearing the whole story, the affection in Liu Yan's eyes deepened.

She looked at Qing Tan and said gently:

"So, Qing Tan, Xiao Yuan has saved you once again."

"And he took such a great risk to do it."

At this point.

Liu Yan took Qing Tan's hand and spoke earnestly:

"Daughter, Mother will speak frankly with you."

"Mother likes Xiao Yuan very much."

"You should know that a good boy like him is hard to find even with a lantern."

"His strength goes without saying."

"But more importantly, he has good character and a good temperament."

"Qing Tan, you need to work harder. Don't let him get away."

Lin Xiao nodded in agreement from the side.

"Your mother is right!"

"If it were some other rash young brat, I would never feel at ease handing you over to him."

"But if it's Xiao Yuan..."

"I, Lin Xiao, would be a hundred times reassured!"

Listening to her parents' undisguised talk of urging her into marriage.

Qing Tan felt as though her face was about to catch fire again.

"Ah!"

"Father! Mother!"

"You... you've started again!"

Qing Tan covered her burning cheeks, stomping her feet in embarrassment.

"I'm ignoring you!"

After saying that.

Like a startled little rabbit, she turned and ran outside.

Behind her.

The hearty laughter of Lin Xiao's family of three rang out.

Elsewhere.

Liu Yuan slept as though the world had gone dark around him.

He truly had been exhausted.

By the time he groggily opened his eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.

He gave a huge stretch.

His joints crackled all over.

Liu Yuan got out of bed.

He looked around, but Qing Tan was nowhere to be seen.

He pushed open the door and went outside.

Under the large tree in the courtyard, he found Qing Tan listlessly kicking pebbles.

"Qing Tan."

Liu Yuan called out and quickly walked over.

He looked the maiden up and down.

"Are you alright?"

Hearing his voice.

Qing Tan spun around sharply.

Seeing the concern in Liu Yuan's eyes, warmth filled her heart, and she smiled helplessly.

"Brother Liu Yuan, you're so foolish."

"You spent all night helping me suppress my cold energy. What could possibly be wrong with me?"

Right now.

She felt completely refreshed, healthier than she had ever felt before.

After saying that.

Qing Tan did not care that they were in the courtyard.

She directly opened her arms and threw herself into Liu Yuan's embrace.

Holding him tightly.

She pressed her face to his chest, her voice muffled:

"From now on... you're not allowed to be so reckless again."

"If you get hurt, I'll be heartbroken."

Liu Yuan froze slightly.

Then the corners of his lips lifted. He wrapped an arm around the maiden's slender waist and gently patted her back.

Feeling the soft, fragrant body in his arms.

He felt utterly content.

However.

Just as the two of them were enjoying this warm moment.

"Ahem..."

A soft cough rang out at a most inappropriate time.

Liu Yuan's body stiffened.

He looked up.

Just in time to see Liu Yan walking in through the courtyard gate.

She was carrying a plate of freshly washed fruit.

Their eyes met.

Liu Yuan immediately felt awkward.

It was broad daylight, and he was hugging and cuddling in the courtyard—only to be caught red-handed by his future mother-in-law...

This was far too embarrassing!

He instinctively wanted to let go.

"Um... Aunt Liu... we..."

Liu Yuan stammered, trying to explain.

However.

Liu Yan did not give him any chance to explain at all.

Not only was she not angry.

She even winked at Liu Yuan.

Then.

Right in front of him, she made a gesture telling him to keep it up!

Immediately afterward.

She gave Qing Tan, who was still buried in Liu Yuan's embrace and too embarrassed to lift her head, a mischievous look.

This girl.

She had been stubbornly insisting that morning that "it wasn't like that."

But now, it did not seem as innocent as she had claimed.

Just look at that little face.

She looked like she was enjoying herself.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

After giving the two of them a look that said, "I won't disturb you," Liu Yan carried the fruit and walked straight back into the house with a smile.

Only after Liu Yan closed the door.

Did Liu Yuan finally breathe a sigh of relief.

In his arms.

Qing Tan's little head shifted, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz:

"There's no need to explain... Brother Liu Yuan."

"My parents... and Brother Lin Dong..."

"They... all quite approve of us."

At those words,

Liu Yuan's eyes lit up.

Did that mean...

They had made it official?

"Oh?"

A mischievous smile curled Liu Yuan's lips as he looked down at the girl in his arms.

"So that means..."

"From now on, we can be open about it?"

Qing Tan had yet to process it

when she suddenly felt her body grow light.

"Ah!"

With a startled cry,

Liu Yuan scooped her up by the waist and spun around twice on the spot.

"Come on!"

"I'll take you out to have some fun!"

The days that followed

were practically heavenly for Liu Yuan.

During the day,

whenever he had nothing to do, he would practice the Thunder Spirit Art and consolidate his cultivation.

Whenever he grew tired from training,

he would find Qing Tan to "relax."

Of course,

this "relaxing" only meant kissing her lips, touching her hands and feet, and holding her close. They had not gone all the way yet.

Still,

the sweetly sickening scent of pure romance permeated the entire Lin Family compound.

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye,

the Lin Family's annual clan tournament finally began.

That day,

the entire Lin Family was festooned with decorations and buzzing with excitement.

The training grounds were packed with people.

After all, Liu Yuan was not of Lin Family blood, so he naturally could not participate in this internal family competition.

Thus,

he sat with Qing Tan in the best seats among the spectators, acting as part of the cheering squad.

"Go, Brother Lin Dong!"

Qing Tan waved her little fists and shouted with particular enthusiasm.

Liu Yuan, meanwhile, leaned back against the chair back with a calm expression, peeling an orange and feeding it to Qing Tan.

He had absolute confidence in Lin Dong.

During this time,

under his personal guidance, coupled with the Mysterious Stone Talisman's assistance in cultivation,

Lin Dong was now only stronger than he had been at this point in the Original work!

And indeed, that was the case.

Once the competition began,

Lin Dong charged through it like an unbridled dark horse.

In the end, he easily claimed the championship.

However,

just as the referee was about to announce the results,

an accident occurred.

Watching his son get beaten so badly, Lin Mang, as his father, finally could not sit still.

With an angry roar, Lin Mang actually disregarded his status and leaped down from the viewing platform.

Origin Power surged throughout his body as he struck a palm toward Lin Dong on the arena!

Bullying the young with age!

The entire crowd erupted in uproar!

But at that critical moment,

"Lin Mang! How dare you touch my son?!"

A furious roar boomed like thunder.

A figure flashed forward like lightning, instantly appearing before Lin Dong.

He raised his hand.

And threw a punch!

Boom!

Their fists collided.

Violent shockwaves swept through the entire arena.

The next moment,

before everyone's utterly horrified eyes,

Lin Mang was sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the ground and coughing up blood!

Yet that figure remained utterly unmoved, standing as firm as a mountain!

It was Lin Xiao!

At that moment,

the entire arena fell silent.

The Heavenly Origin Realm!

The aura emanating from Lin Xiao was unmistakably that of a genuine Heavenly Origin Realm expert!

That former genius, that Lin Xiao who had been crippled for so many years...

Had returned!

"H-How is this possible?!"

Lin Mang clutched his chest, his face filled with disbelief as he lost all dignity.

On the High Platform,

Lin Zhentian, the family head, was so excited that even his beard trembled.

He paid no attention to Lin Mang at all.

His burning gaze was fixed on Lin Xiao.

"Lin Xiao!"

"Your internal injuries... have healed?!"

Even his voice was shaking.

Lin Xiao took a deep breath.

He first turned to look at the young man in the spectator stands, calmly eating an orange.

Then,

he turned back and nodded heavily at Lin Zhentian.

His tone was respectful and solemn.

"Father."

"A young man treated my injuries and cured them completely."

"I was only able to regain my strength because of him!"

At this point,

Lin Xiao pointed at Lin Dong behind him, raising his voice slightly.

"And!"

"Though Dong'er has worked hard himself and possesses considerable talent, allowing him to attain his current strength..."

"Even so!"

"He could not have done it without that young man's careful guidance!"

As soon as those words were spoken,

the entire crowd was shocked once more.

He had cured an old injury that had plagued a Heavenly Origin Realm expert for years?

And taught Lin Dong to become this powerful?

Just who was this extraordinary person?!

Lin Zhentian's eyes lit up even more, and he rose directly to his feet in excitement.

"Oh?!"

"Where is that young man now?!"

"Bring him here at once!"

"My Lin Family must properly thank him!"