Household Master's Secret

"I'll certainly tell you. That's right, although the person who abducted me back then never said who he was, judging from the information you gave me, there's a ninety percent chance it was Senior Dongli."

Lin Xiaotian paused briefly before continuing:

"I don't remember much about the place I was abducted to. It was only when I made the arduous journey back that I gradually formed a rough memory of the route."

"However, if you want me to draw a map by myself, you're making things difficult for me."

"If I hadn't met my sister and been taken in by her, I would have starved to death. How could I possibly remember the roads I traveled?"

"Once we get out, I can take you along the route I walked."

"But let me make this clear: I never saw the place you mentioned. Still, I estimate it was somewhere nearby."

"Back then, Senior Dongli said something strange. He mentioned experimenting on quite a few people... Also, he vomited blood at the time, and it was purple."

Everyone listened, exchanging glances. Plans could never keep up with changes, and this was different from what they had expected.

Instead, the hands gripping the blades tightened, and their killing intent grew even more chilling. For a moment, they hesitated over whether they should kill this boy.

Lin Xiaotian watched their reactions and understood. His explanation had disrupted their arrangements.

Judging from their reactions, apart from Ouyang Nianci, who remained relatively calm and composed, the others were nowhere near as deep in the ways of the world.

"What? Could it be that you weren't sincere when you asked me for the location?"

This time, Ouyang Nianci reacted a little faster. She spoke bluntly:

"Junior Brother Lin, it seems the Old Ancestor had a reason for choosing you back then. You aren't an ordinary person."

"Very well. I can guarantee your safety here, and the Ouyang Household will keep its promise. Whether you've reached External Force or not, you will join the Ouyang Household."

Lin Xiaotian did not clearly refuse:

"Miss, you're peerlessly beautiful and utterly captivating. Other than you, I wouldn't be interested in anyone else."

"However, since I've proven my value, could you prove your sincerity as well?"

His words left several people stunned.

Is this kid insane? It's already good enough that we aren't causing trouble for you, and you still dare to make demands?

Several of them swept strange looks over the boy before them. Only Miss Nianci wore an amused expression.

Before the others could speak, Nianci spoke again:

"You really are troublesome, but you've also made me somewhat interested in you. If you don't give us the runaround afterward and don't take a fancy to any of the women in the Lineage, I could try dating you."

"How does that sincerity sound?"

Lin Xiaotian laughed. What a tempting promise. For a lecher, that would indeed count as considerable sincerity.

But it certainly wouldn't work on him.

"Miss, I heard from my master that the Ouyang Household's medicines are extraordinary. Later, can all the herbs in that medicinal field, including the ones you picked, be counted as mine?"

"You brat, you're really pushing your luck! It's an immense blessing that Miss has agreed to date you, and you still want to make further demands? Dream on!"

An Ouyang Household disciple could no longer hold back and began cursing.

This reaction was understandable for the people of the Ouyang Household.

The young mistress of a Lineage was beautiful and possessed immense Martial Dao potential, an existence akin to a goddess in their eyes. To receive so much as a glance from her was already a blessing.

Now that he was making additional demands, it naturally infuriated them.

"Enough. Stop spouting all this nonsense. These are my conditions. Decide what you want to do."

Lin Xiaotian could not be bothered to bicker with them any longer. They had already wasted far too much time in the cave.

If they were hunting beasts or digging up herbs, he would not have minded.

But being surrounded like this and forced to listen to such pointless talk made him feel cheated no matter how he looked at it.

Speaking of which, he was not all that bad.

If he had truly been a bad person, he could have used the location he had provided as an excuse to take advantage of Miss Nianci right now. They would have been furious, but they would have only dared to grit their teeth and endure it.

They really took my goodwill for granted.

It seemed these Ouyang Household disciples usually relied on their family background and had bullied plenty of people.

Even now, they could not read the situation properly, despite being the ones asking him for help.

"Fine. I agree."

Ouyang Nianci glanced back at the other disciples and gave them a meaningful look before answering Lin Xiaotian.

"Heh heh, Miss really is magnanimous." Lin Xiaotian buttered her up, then turned and headed deeper into the cave.

Seeing that the several people blocking the way still lacked the sense to move aside, Lin Xiaotian straightened his body, raised his chin, and imitated the arrogant tone of those young masters, letting out a haughty cold snort:

"Move!"

The Ouyang disciples' fury surged again. In the narrow passage, it seemed even the temperature had risen.

This time, however, they did not roar in anger. They could at least be considered somewhat composed.

"Brothers, move aside for now. I'll take responsibility for this." It was the young mistress's voice.

Those Ouyang Household disciples moved aside, turning into her little followers.

Lin Xiaotian sneered inwardly. I'll grab some herbs first.

The group headed deeper into the cave. Along the way, they passed several places where herbs had been planted. A branch passage slanted off from one of them toward another section of the cave.

As they walked, an Ouyang disciple secretly tugged at the young mistress. Nianci understood and slowed down.

After they had fallen some distance behind, the man spoke in a low voice:

"Miss, the Household Master's orders were to torture him directly in the cave and force the location out of him."

"As for this boy's claim that he doesn't remember clearly, it's all an excuse. If we really give him a map and have him draw the surrounding area, even if there are some discrepancies, that would still be within the normal range. It wouldn't affect us."

"Why let this brat get so pleased with himself?"

"Look at how he acted just now. He didn't put you in his eyes at all, Miss."

"Besides, once we get out, the other forces will learn about this. Then the Ouyang Household will be put at a disadvantage. Only by killing this boy will the information remain exclusive to us."

"Miss... you haven't taken a liking to this boy, have you? The development of the Lineage outweighs everything. Besides, although the elders didn't say so this time, I know we must have encountered an unprecedented crisis."

Ouyang Nianci listened quietly as she followed the people ahead, her eyes shifting slightly in thought.

Only after the man finished speaking did she respond in an unhurried voice.

"Brother, don't worry. I'm a member of the Ouyang Household. I won't do anything that harms the Lineage."

"For a young man like this, tell me honestly, Brother: if I truly married him, would that be a blessing or a calamity for the Ouyang Household?"

Those words immediately left the man speechless, and his eyes widened considerably.

Finally, he let out a heavy sigh:

"What you say makes sense, but the timing is wrong!"

Ouyang Nianci's expression suddenly turned solemn, and the aura around her abruptly became imposing.

"The greatest crisis facing the Lineage comes from my father. But it isn't convenient to reveal the details right now. Even if I tell you this, Brother, you must not spread it."

The man's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets, and a look of horror appeared on his face:

"The Household Master is in the prime of his life. How could anything happen to him that would plunge the Lineage into crisis? If it really stems from the Household Master, then there's only one possibility—that is... ah!"

He suddenly realized something and hurriedly shut his mouth:

"Rest assured, Miss. As your elder brother, I won't say anything recklessly. Every one of us who entered here is a key talent nurtured by the Lineage. Otherwise, they wouldn't have entrusted us with killing this boy."

Ouyang Nianci nodded.

"I want to win this boy over as much as possible. First, I genuinely have a favorable impression of him. Second, I'm afraid that if he realizes we can't guarantee his safety, he'll point in random directions and ruin things instead."

The man was about to speak again when Nianci's voice came from ahead:

"Does he look like a fool to you? He saw through our intentions long ago. Although I don't understand why he's so confident after coming here, he must have some hidden trump card we don't know about."

The man fell silent. Thinking back over the journey, the boy truly was not stupid. If they forced him, he would probably point in random directions.

"Miss, we'll all listen to you."

Nianci nodded. "Let's hurry. We don't want that boy to notice anything else."

As the two quickened their pace to catch up with those ahead, inside the stone cavern a hundred or two hundred meters from the mine entrance, Ouyang Zhentian suddenly slammed his palm onto the table and shot to his feet.

His gaze blazed like a torch. Like a hero marching to his death, he stared fixedly at Master Huang, who sat across from him.

"Master Huang, I'm telling you this because no one outside knows. My Martial Dao cultivation is declining."