Lin Chen's analysis

Lin Chen shook his head helplessly and followed him into Mo Yuan's room.

The guest room was the same size and layout as Zhu Zhuqing's, clean and elegant, secluded and quiet.

Once Lin Chen sat down, Mo Yuan lifted the light tea from the table and took a sip. His gaze settled calmly on Lin Chen as he cut straight to the point, his tone serious:

"There's no one else here now. Be honest: why were you so determined to save that girl, and why did you take the initiative to recruit her into the academy? Was it merely because you valued her talent?"

Meticulous and experienced, Mo Yuan had already seen that Lin Chen's actions today were neither a passing whim nor a boy's simple infatuation. There had to be deeper considerations behind them.

What appeared to be a casual intervention surely concealed a long-term plan of Lin Chen's own.

Faced with his teacher's question, Lin Chen hid nothing. He dropped all traces of playfulness, his expression turning solemn and earnest as he slowly revealed his deeper plans:

"Teacher, this girl is no ordinary girl. She's Zhu Zhuqing, the Second Miss of the Zhu Family, one of the Star Luo Empire's foremost clans."

"You've studied the continent's political landscape for years, so you should know how the Star Luo Empire operates."

"In every generation, the princes of the imperial Dai Family enter a brutal struggle for the throne. Brothers turn against brothers in a fight to the death, and only the last survivor can inherit the empire."

"The women of the Zhu Family bound to them join the struggle alongside their respective princes. They share in every triumph and every ruin."

"If a prince loses, the corresponding Zhu Family woman is, at best, imprisoned and stripped of her cultivation. At worst, she dies outright. She has no right to choose."

"Zhu Zhuqing is strong-willed and exceptionally gifted, yet her family's fate has swept her along since childhood, reducing her to a sacrifice in the struggle for imperial power."

"Dai Mubai, the man she was bound to, fled on his own. That prompted her to flee as well, seeking to escape their control."

Lin Chen spoke steadily and clearly, laying out the Star Luo Empire's cruel system and Zhu Zhuqing's circumstances in full before turning to the heart of his plan:

"Right now, Spirit Hall intends to steadily expand its influence and deepen its foothold across the continent. If we want to establish ourselves throughout the continent and shake the dominance of the two great empires, the Star Luo Empire is a crucial barrier we cannot avoid."

"If we can win Zhu Zhuqing over early, once she grows stronger, we can use her status as a direct descendant of the Zhu Family to quietly infiltrate the Star Luo Empire's innermost circles."

"She would become a crucial hidden piece in Spirit Hall's future plans, allowing us to take root silently in the Star Luo Empire and spare ourselves countless obstacles later."

His words were clear and coherent, his vision far-reaching and his scope immense. This hardly seemed like a strategy a teenage boy could devise; every sentence struck precisely at the heart of Spirit Hall's development.

Mo Yuan's pupils contracted slightly. Astonishment flooded his face as he set down his teacup and looked intently at Lin Chen, disbelief coloring his voice:

"At your age, you can actually see through Spirit Hall's expansion plans, and you even understand the deeper power structure of the Star Luo Empire? These are secrets that sects and academies rarely touch upon. How did you learn all this?"

Faced with his teacher's astonished questioning, Lin Chen remained composed and answered without haste:

"Teacher, you should spend more time reading the historical texts too."

"The academy's Library Tower contains a complete history of Spirit Hall's development, along with ancient texts analyzing the continent's power structure. I often read and study them in my spare time. Gradually, I came to understand how it all connects."

The answer was watertight, perfectly concealing his identity as someone who had been reborn. By attributing it all to extensive reading, he gave a reasonable explanation for his knowledge ahead of its time.

Mo Yuan froze at his words, a jumble of emotions stirring in his heart. He raised a hand and gently patted Lin Chen's forehead, his voice filled with admiration and a sense of his own inadequacy:

"I truly don't know how I'm supposed to be your teacher anymore. I've lived for decades, reached the rank of Soul Saint, and studied the political landscape for years, yet I've never considered things with such foresight and precision. You're so young, but your vision and perspective already far surpass mine."

He was utterly shaken. This disciple of his possessed not only heaven-defying cultivation talent and an astonishing speed of advancement.

He also had a steadiness of character and a far-reaching vision well beyond his peers. He planned every move before acting, and each step concealed a deeper purpose. No ordinary youth could compare.

Teacher and disciple talked quietly in the room, carefully working through their next moves as time slipped by unnoticed.

After an unknown stretch of time, a soft knock suddenly broke the room's stillness.

"Knock, knock, knock."

The knocking was soft and restrained, carrying a hint of caution. Lin Chen immediately stood, walked over, and opened the door.

The moment the door swung open, a cool, exquisitely beautiful figure came into view.

Zhu Zhuqing stood outside, having finished washing completely. She had cleaned away the dust and sweat, removed her torn, filthy black bodysuit, and changed into a clean, understated white dress.

The dress was simple and tasteful, its soft fabric fitting her figure and perfectly outlining her slender curves. Neither showy nor ostentatious, it nevertheless lent her an air of cool, unearthly grace.

Her damp black hair fell loosely over her shoulders, smooth and lustrous. A faint trace of moisture lingered around her, washing away the exhaustion and dust of her days on the road.

Her delicate, cool-featured face was fair and clear, her eyes long and deep beneath her brows. Her gaze was clean and lucid, its earlier wariness and weariness giving way to a touch of warmth and gentleness.

The plain white dress made her figure look elegant and her bearing otherworldly. Like a cool, secluded orchid beneath the moon, untouched by worldly dust, she displayed her distinctive beauty of aloof pride to its fullest.

After washing, resting, and regulating her soul power, she had recovered most of her vitality. No longer weak and drained as before, she stood straight and poised, her breathing steady and gentle. Only a faint trace of fatigue remained deep in her eyes.

As Lin Chen looked at the transformed girl before him, a gleam flashed through his eyes. He then turned toward Mo Yuan inside the room and said softly:

"Teacher, Zhu Zhuqing's ready. Let's go downstairs to eat."

Mo Yuan nodded slightly, rose, and straightened his clothes. The three turned together and walked slowly toward the dining room downstairs.

The inn's dining room was moderately busy, with an elegant atmosphere and clean, orderly tables and chairs. The faint aroma of food drifted through the air.

The three found a quiet booth by the window and sat down. It offered an open view and excellent privacy.

After they were seated, Mo Yuan pushed the menu into the middle of the table and spoke in a warm, easygoing tone:

"Order whatever you like. It's my treat today, so don't hold back."

Lin Chen did not hurry to order. Instead, he intended to use the spare moment to properly introduce all three of them, clarifying their identities and relationships so Zhu Zhuqing could feel completely at ease in joining them.

He turned toward Zhu Zhuqing, who sat quietly beside him, and began the formal introductions in a calm, earnest tone:

"Zhu Zhuqing, let me make a proper introduction."

"This is Teacher Mo Yuan, a full-time instructor at the Intermediate Spirit Master Academy in Suotuo City. He's a genuine level-seventy Soul Saint, with profound strength and broad insight. The chance to study under him is an opportunity countless soul master students dream of."

"My name is Lin Chen. I'm a level-thirty-three Soul Elder, and my martial soul is White Fox."

As his words fell, he lightly waved his hand. His soul power stirred, and a radiant streak of light instantly leaped from his body.

~Yip, yip, yip~

Lively, soft little yips rang out as Liuli's pure-white body landed steadily beside Lin Chen. Liuli's fluffy tricolored tail swayed gently, and those eyes were bright and limpid.

At that moment, however, Liuli looked thoroughly aggrieved, that little head drooping slightly while soft yips kept coming toward Lin Chen.

The soft cries were full of reproach, plainly accusing Lin Chen of keeping Liuli put away for so long and refusing to allow any time outside.

Seeing Liuli's aggrieved, pleading manner, Lin Chen's heart softened. He raised his hand and gently stroked the fluffy, soft silver-white fur, soothing Liuli tenderly:

"All right, all right, it was my fault. I'll try to let you out more often from now on instead of keeping you put away all the time. Don't be angry anymore."

Reassured, Liuli's mood instantly improved. Liuli rubbed against Lin Chen's palm and nestled obediently beside him, lively and endearing.