At this hour in the past, Fenglai Restaurant would have had its doors wide open long ago. Today, however, there was still no sign of it opening. That was because an extraordinary person had come to the restaurant.
Inside, Father Xiao and Mother Xiao sat on square stools, looking somewhat ill at ease. They felt awkward even in their own restaurant, which showed just how unsettled they were.
Across from them sat a pretty young woman with delicate features. She was not stunningly beautiful, but she had a face that grew more pleasing the longer one looked at her. This was Xiao Ling'er, who had just entered the Qi Refining Stage—and Luo Mu's fiancée.
Beside Xiao Ling'er sat a young man in flowing white robes, smiling faintly. He looked to be just over twenty and was fairly handsome. Though a faint smile never left his face, he gave off an immense pressure all the same. That was exactly how Xiao Ling'er and her parents felt at that moment.
The young man in white was named Bai Lin, and he came from Jinxiu City. Jinxiu City was vast and rich in resources, utterly incomparable to the tiny Dragon Gate Town. Yet in one respect, the two were alike: Jinxiu City also had a cultivation academy, called Jinxiu Academy. But this Jinxiu Academy was in no way comparable to the small school in Dragon Gate Town.
Of course, no matter how large the Academy was, it still belonged to the Wanfa Sect.
The Academy had not only a large number of students, but every one of them was a genuine cultivator. They had all been discovered in towns across the region, just like Xiao Ling'er before him. The moment someone entered the Qi Refining Stage, people would come knocking. It was precisely because of Academies like these that a steady stream of fresh blood flowed into the Wanfa Sect, allowing it to flourish without decline!
Bai Lin had come this time on a mission from the Academy: to bring Xiao Ling'er, who had entered the Qi Refining Stage, to Jinxiu Academy for further cultivation.
As Bai Lin looked at Xiao Ling'er, his eyes flickered as though he were weighing something. Ever since he had examined her spiritual root, he had been like this, not saying a word. Father Xiao and Mother Xiao were mere mortals; they hardly dared ask what was wrong. They thought they must have failed to entertain him properly and displeased this esteemed immortal cultivator.
The two of them were at a loss.
"I never expected her to have a single water attribute. I've found what I was searching high and low for without even breaking a sweat!" Bai Lin had discovered Xiao Ling'er's constitution. Though he looked thoughtful, delight surged in his heart.
Like Xiao Ling'er, he had a single attribute, though his was wood while hers was water.
Metal, wood, water, fire, and earth were the five elements. Everyone was born with attributes. Some possessed all five, and because their constitutions were too mixed, their cultivation progressed slowly. Others had four or three attributes; they were better off than the first group. A very small number had two attributes. Once these people entered the Qi Refining Stage, they could cultivate much faster.
Rarest of all were those with a single attribute. They were exceedingly uncommon. If one person in a thousand could cultivate, then among ten thousand cultivators, perhaps only a handful would have a single attribute.
Though these people were incredibly rare, there was no disputing their cultivation speed. Those with more mixed attributes simply could not compare; they were on entirely different levels.
Bai Lin was one of those rare cultivators with a single attribute. But he had never imagined that this young woman, who had just entered the Qi Refining Stage, would also have a single attribute—and that it would be water.
Water nourished wood. As a cultivator, Bai Lin understood this better than anyone. If he could dual-cultivate with her, then by relying on her water-attribute body, his strength would surely soar.
In that very instant, Bai Lin had formed designs on Xiao Ling'er, who knew nothing of his thoughts. Even so, he sighed inwardly and shook his head. Her features are quite pretty, but she isn't my type. Still, for the sake of my immortal path, I'll have to put up with it for now. I can always find someone else once she's no longer useful.
They had only just met, yet because Xiao Ling'er possessed an attribute that benefited him, Bai Lin had already secretly claimed her as his own!
He was doing it only to advance his own immortal path. There was not a trace of affection involved.
"That's the situation. Time is short, so tomorrow I'll take my junior sister to Jinxiu City. She can report to the Academy there, and I'll explain the other details to her once we arrive." Having gathered his thoughts, Bai Lin spoke to Xiao Ling'er.
From beginning to end, Bai Lin had not looked at Father Xiao or Mother Xiao once. In his eyes, they were mere mortals, not worth a glance.
"Ling'er will follow your arrangements, Senior Brother." Happiness had come so suddenly that even now, Xiao Ling'er still had not come down from the joy of entering the Qi Refining Stage. Seeing that her senior brother had come all this way to find her, she had no other thoughts. She just kept nodding.
Xiao Ling'er was floating on air. She had not even heard some of what he said, yet she kept nodding and repeatedly answered, "Yes."
Though she had learned that Father Luo had died of poisoning, as his future daughter-in-law, she had felt only a brief pang of sorrow. Her joy at entering the Qi Refining Stage quickly swept it away. After all, he was not her father, so her grief was not profound. Now that such a great opportunity lay before her, she had long since put Father Luo's death out of her mind.
Fortunately, Father Xiao and Mother Xiao were still there. As the saying went, the bystander saw more clearly than the person involved. When Bai Lin said he would take Xiao Ling'er away the next day, Father Xiao furrowed his brows, as though he had thought of something that pained him. The image of the late Father Luo instantly appeared in his mind.
"May I ask, Immortal, when might Ling'er be able to return after she leaves tomorrow?" Father Xiao thought for a moment, then asked Bai Lin very cautiously and deferentially.
The other man was a cultivator, a being whom ordinary people like him could only look up to. So Father Xiao spoke very carefully, afraid that a misstep might anger him and bring disaster upon himself. Even though his daughter was now a cultivator too, he still could not shake this habit.
Fortunately, Bai Lin had designs on Xiao Ling'er, so his attitude was not harsh. Instead, he smiled at Father Xiao. Under ordinary circumstances, he would not have so much as glanced at these mortals.
"When she'll return is hard to say. It could be a year, three years, or even ten. It all depends on junior sister Ling'er's progress in cultivation." Though he was unwilling, Bai Lin still patiently explained.
"I see!" Father Xiao looked uncomfortable, an awkward expression crossing his face.
"What is it? Is there a problem?" Bai Lin asked with a smile.
Father Xiao exchanged a glance with Mother Xiao. When she nodded, he briefly considered the matter, decided there was nothing improper about asking, and slowly explained it to Bai Lin.
"Men marry when they come of age, and women do too. Ling'er will turn eighteen in a few months, the age when she should marry. We arranged her marriage long ago. If she leaves and can't return for some time, how are we supposed to explain that to the other family?"
As he spoke, Father Xiao thought of Father Luo, who had died not long ago. Deep sorrow showed in his eyes. After hearing this, Xiao Ling'er also came fully to her senses, her face turning thoughtful as she wondered what to do.
"Get married?" Bai Lin was shocked. He had just formed designs on Xiao Ling'er, only to learn that someone else had already laid claim to her. It left him deeply displeased. "Is the other party also a cultivator?"
"No. He's just an ordinary person, the beloved son of a good friend of mine." Father Xiao did not hide anything and answered honestly.
It was good that he wasn't a cultivator. Bai Lin relaxed. As far as he was concerned, Xiao Ling'er's wood-nourishing water constitution was already as good as his.
"Junior sister Ling'er is now a proper cultivator, with a status of the highest honor. How could a mere mortal be worthy of her? I hope, Uncle, you'll think this over carefully. Don't ruin junior sister Ling'er's future!" Bai Lin said with a solemn face, speaking as though he meant every word. Yet a faint displeasure ran through his serious tone.
Father Xiao ran a restaurant. He had seen and dealt with all kinds of people. The moment Bai Lin said this, Father Xiao heard the displeasure in his words.
"This..." Father Xiao was speechless for a moment. The pressure of the other man's status as a cultivator was simply too much for him. Bai Lin was clearly opposed to Xiao Ling'er marrying. Though this was a family matter and Bai Lin had no right to interfere, Father Xiao still had to show him due respect because he was a cultivator. Moreover, as Bai Lin had said, Father Xiao had to consider his daughter's future. After all, Xiao Ling'er was his only child.
For a while, Father Xiao and Mother Xiao were caught in a dilemma. Xiao Ling'er merely furrowed her brows and said nothing, her thoughts unclear.
Bai Lin saw the couple's expressions and chuckled to himself. He knew Father Xiao was not an obstinate man, so there was still room to turn things around regarding Xiao Ling'er's marriage.
"Junior sister Ling'er has entered the Qi Refining Stage, and even at the very least, she can live to around a hundred and fifty. I can also see that she has excellent talent. Once she returns to the Academy with me, if she cultivates diligently, she may well reach the Foundation Establishment Realm. At that point, her lifespan will multiply! Even if she doesn't reach the Foundation Establishment Realm, with her talent, she'll sooner or later be accepted into the Wanfa Sect and become one of its disciples. What a tremendous opportunity! And your Xiao Family will flourish from then on. With a cultivator backing you, who would dare bully you?"
"Men and women marrying when they come of age is a rule meant for ordinary mortals like you. But don't forget: from the moment junior sister Ling'er entered the Qi Refining Stage, she was no longer an ordinary mortal. So don't use mortal rules to bind her."
Bai Lin grew more and more animated as he spoke, pouring honeyed words into Father Xiao and Mother Xiao's ears. The couple's faces flushed, their hearts pounding, as if they could already see their Xiao Family flourishing and expanding under his protection!
Yet Xiao Ling'er, the person at the center of it all, still did not speak. Her expression kept changing, as though there were something she could not bring herself to decide.
Under Bai Lin's endless "persuasion," reality still won out over the feelings they had once shared. Father Xiao and Mother Xiao were truly swayed by his words. The struggle vanished from Xiao Ling'er's face, replaced by anticipation and yearning for the future. That alone was enough to show that she, too, had given in.
That was human nature: before reality, feelings were so fragile that the slightest touch could shatter them!
"So what should we do? If we take Ling'er away without giving the other family an explanation, it'll never do. The whole town of Dragon Gate will condemn our Xiao Family! And I don't know whether Luo Mu will agree. If he refuses..." Father Xiao said, still worried.
He said he was worried, but it would be more accurate to say his conscience troubled him. Father Xiao and Father Luo had been close friends, and they had made the engagement themselves. Moreover, Luo Mu and Xiao Ling'er had been in love with each other. Now his daughter had stepped onto the path of immortality, Father Luo had quietly passed away, and only Luo Mu remained, all alone with no one to rely on. Who could possibly agree to breaking off the engagement under those circumstances?
"Don't worry, I'm here. I'm sure he'll agree." Bai Lin's lips curled into a smile again, and he spoke with absolute confidence.
"Immortal, please, whatever you do, don't hurt Luo Mu. His father just passed away, and we're breaking off the engagement at a time like this. This... this really is a bit... sigh!" Unable to bear it in good conscience, Father Xiao voiced his final plea, then let out a deep sigh.
"Yes, Senior Brother. Ling'er has decided to go with you. I only hope you won't hurt Brother Luo Mu. Though our paths have diverged now, we once loved each other deeply." Xiao Ling'er spoke up as well, pleading for Luo Mu. She felt she had wronged him, and hoped that doing this would at least ease her conscience.
"Heh... don't worry. I'm a dignified cultivator. Why would I casually hurt an ordinary mortal?" Bai Lin said with an airy smile.
Bai Lin's smile made Father Xiao's expression relax, and the stone hanging over his heart finally settled. That smile seemed so sincere that he could not help believing Bai Lin's words.
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