Everplain Jiang Clan?

"Cough, cough, please forgive me, Senior. This Black-Scaled Viper wasn't killed by me; I only knocked it unconscious. Since this sister wants it, I'll give it to her."

After recognizing the disparity in strength between them, Jiang Lin had no intention of resisting. He directly pulled the Black-Scaled Viper from the sack and handed it to Meng Yiran.

"Sister, I'm truly sorry. Please accept this Black-Scaled Viper as my apology. I really didn't do it on purpose."

"Huh? You're really willing to just give it to me?"

Seeing this, Meng Yiran's face immediately filled with surprise. She clearly hadn't expected Jiang Lin, who had been so unyielding before, to back down so quickly.

"Heh, you're a sensible kid. Judging by your age, you must have only awakened your Martial Soul this year, right? Yet even Yiran isn't your match. Your background must be anything but ordinary."

Chao Tianxiang gave Jiang Lin a careful look, a trace of approval appearing on her face.

Just then, Little Dragon Girl and the others hurried over from the distance.

The instant she saw Chao Tianxiang, a hint of gravity appeared on Little Dragon Girl's face.

Tian Yan, on the other hand, paid no attention to Chao Tianxiang. She merely gazed quietly into the distance, profound wariness surfacing in her eyes.

Then she whispered into Jiang Lin's ear, "Jiang Lin, you'll have to handle this matter yourself. I'm no match for the person hiding in the shadows. I can't even take you away and escape."

"This..."

Upon hearing this, helplessness immediately appeared in Jiang Lin's eyes. It seemed Meng Shu really had come.

Xiao Wu's face also showed concern, though there was even more hesitation beneath it. She was hesitating over whether to call Er Ming out.

If she called him out, they could resolve the crisis before them, but Jiang Lin and the others would definitely suspect her identity. She truly didn't want to lose Jiang Lin as a human friend...

"Kid, are these people your companions? Their cultivation is quite impressive."

Chao Tianxiang swept her gaze over Little Dragon Girl and the other two, surprise appearing in her eyes.

Whether it was Little Dragon Girl or Tian Yan, neither of them was particularly old, yet their cultivation far surpassed that of their peers.

Even when she had been Little Dragon Girl's age, she had still been lingering at the Great Soul Master realm.

Hearing that, an idea immediately arose in Jiang Lin's mind, and he spoke at once.

"Senior, these two are my cousins, while she is my younger sister. We came to the Star Dou Forest this time under the orders of our family elders to train."

"Oh? Family elders? Which family do you belong to, kid? Tell me. Perhaps I even know your elders."

Chao Tianxiang did not doubt Jiang Lin's words. After all, whether it was Jiang Lin or the others, they were all genuine geniuses, absolutely not people that minor forces could raise.

"Senior, my family has remained hidden from the world for a long time. Every generation, only a few of us appear in the outside world, so you may not have heard of us."

"Oh? That only makes me more interested."

A trace of surprise appeared in Chao Tianxiang's eyes.

"Senior, the family behind me is the Everplain Jiang Clan. Our ancestral grounds are in Everplain City within the Death Desert—"

"The Death Desert?"

Upon hearing those words, Chao Tianxiang immediately furrowed her brow and interrupted Jiang Lin.

"The Death Desert is sparsely populated and severely lacking in water. How could there possibly be an Everplain City there? Kid, are you sure you aren't making a fool of me?"

"Senior, that only shows the limits of your knowledge. In the deepest part of the Death Desert lies an oasis, and Everplain City was built upon it. My Jiang Clan has managed Everplain City for generations, and it now has a history of 1,320 years."

Although Jiang Lin knew perfectly well that he was making it all up, his expression was utterly serious, and he spoke with complete certainty.

Unless Chao Tianxiang truly had the ability to investigate the Death Desert herself, even if she did not believe him, she would have to exercise caution.

"This..."

Seeing that Jiang Lin did not seem to be lying in the slightest, Chao Tianxiang truly began to hesitate.

Just then, a gentle voice sounded beside her ear.

"Old woman, since this kid didn't cause Yiran any real harm and even took the initiative to apologize by giving that Mutated Black-Scaled Viper to her, don't keep pursuing this matter. Just take Yiran and leave."

"Whether what that kid said is true or false, don't provoke him any further, just in case."

Hearing that, Chao Tianxiang immediately fell silent. After thinking for a while, she agreed with Meng Shu's view.

"It seems my knowledge truly is limited. Kid, I still have matters to attend to. When I have the time someday, I will personally visit Everplain City."

"Yiran, let's go."

"Huh? Grandma, we're leaving already? But it doesn't seem like we have anything to do."

Meng Yiran's face was full of confusion. She had wanted to get acquainted with Jiang Lin. After all, this was the first time she had encountered someone so much younger than herself who could still defeat her so easily.

Thus, just as Chao Tianxiang was about to disappear with her, Meng Yiran shouted at Jiang Lin, "Kid, remember this! My name is Meng Yiran. I'll definitely defeat you someday!"

"Haha, alright, Sister Yiran. I'll be waiting."

After Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran had completely disappeared, everyone let out a quiet sigh of relief in unison.

Suddenly, Little Dragon Girl spoke softly.

"Jiang Lin, was that Everplain City you mentioned real? Can there really be an oasis in the desert? I've never seen one before."

"Sister Long, Everplain City may not exist yet, but if you want to see it, I'll definitely take you there someday."

"Mhm, Jiang Lin, I believe you."

Seeing the seriousness on Jiang Lin's face, Little Dragon Girl nodded firmly.

[Ding!]

[Little Dragon Girl's favorability +5. Current favorability: 55]

"Hm? Her favorability actually increased? It didn't seem like I did anything. Could it be because of what I said just now?"

Hearing the system prompt, confusion immediately appeared in Jiang Lin's eyes.

He felt that this increase in favorability was rather strange. The first increase had come after he dealt with the villagers in Holy Soul Village who had insulted Little Dragon Girl during the day, which made sense.

But this second increase seemed to have happened simply because he promised Little Dragon Girl that he would take her to see Everplain City someday?

Unable to help himself, Jiang Lin questioned the system in his heart.

"System, is there any pattern to increases in favorability? Or are there any items that can increase favorability?"

[Ding!]

[Host, please note that summoned individuals are complete beings with thoughts of their own, not NPC-like characters in a game.]

[Changes in a summoned individual's favorability are determined solely by that individual's attitude toward the host.]

"Uh, that sounds like you said nothing at all."

A trace of helplessness appeared on Jiang Lin's face. Then he shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

He would let nature take its course. Given enough time, he would eventually fill up her favorability.