First Birthday Banquet, Divine Peak Bridge

Crown Prince Restaurant was one of the most famous local restaurant chains in Dragon River City, and it was also a place locals would consider first when hosting all kinds of banquets.

At this moment, the welcome sign at the entrance to Facing the Sun Hall at Crown Prince Restaurant displayed an adorable photo of a baby wearing a beige bear hat.

Written on either side of the photo were: "Baby Xuanxuan Is One Year Old!" and "Lin Xuan's First Birthday Banquet."

Lin Hai stood at the entrance to Facing the Sun Hall, beaming with pride. Lin Xuan was in his arms, as though he were showing off to everyone that this was his son.

Ye Hongyu was already inside, greeting the arriving guests.

The siblings Lin Wu and Lin Long had been assigned to the side, responsible for tasks such as registering the guests.

However, given the way the two got along, they naturally ended up bickering again.

Seizing a break, Lin Hai carried Lin Xuan over to them and said, "I don't care how you two usually fool around, but today is an important day for your little brother. If you mess it up, don't blame me for tattling to your eldest sister afterward."

Lin Long protested, "He's obviously the one provoking me! It's bad enough that you won't take my side, Dad—you're even using Sis to threaten me. You're way too biased!"

As soon as Lin Long finished speaking, Lin Wu suddenly said from behind her, "Sis, when did you get back?"

"Lin Wu, do you take me for an idio—"

Lin Long turned around, intending to throw out a few sarcastic remarks, but her words abruptly died in her throat. Stunned, she said, "Sis, you're back?!"

Lin Rou, the eldest sister of the Lin Family, had just arrived, travel-worn and dusty, with mud and ash still on her face and clothes.

Beside her stood a short middle-aged man who looked several years older than Lin Hai. Like Lin Rou, he was covered in mottled mud and ash.

"Xiao Rou? Why are you back?!" Lin Hai looked at his eldest daughter in delighted surprise.

"It's my little brother's First Birthday Banquet. As his eldest sister, there's no way I could miss it." Lin Rou looked at Lin Xuan in Lin Hai's arms and smiled. "Did you miss your sister?"

"Big Sis, hug!"

Lin Xuan was also a little surprised to see Lin Rou and immediately reached out to her.

"Your sister will hold you once we get home. Don't let me get you covered in dust too." Lin Rou smiled and shook her head.

"To make it back in time, this girl didn't sleep a wink for three days and two nights. In the end, we came back directly through Divine Peak Bridge," the short middle-aged man beside Lin Rou said to Lin Hai with a smile.

"Thank you for your hard work, Brother Ren."

Naturally, Lin Hai knew the man. This short middle-aged man was Ren Yan, Lin Rou's teacher.

But he quickly realized something and asked nervously, "Divine Peak Bridge... you went to Old Soil?"

"We only took a look around the inner region." The short middle-aged Ren Yan nodded. "Don't underestimate your daughter, Brother Lin."

"But she's only..."

"Today is an important day for my little brother. Can we talk about my matters later, Dad?" Lin Rou interrupted Lin Hai before he could continue.

"Right, right, right. I was being muddleheaded." Lin Hai also realized that this was not the time to discuss it. He said to Ren Yan, "Brother Ren, please come inside."

"No rush. Since I'm here, I ought to offer something."

Ren Yan began rummaging through the backpack on his back.

"Brother Ren, you're being far too formal. You're Xiao Rou's teacher; your coming is already the greatest gesture." Lin Hai hurriedly said.

"Etiquette must not be neglected."

Ren Yan shook his head. Soon, he found a fiery red fruit the size of a ping-pong ball in his backpack and handed it to Lin Xuan.

"Little fellow, take it."

Lin Xuan accepted it and stared curiously at the fruit in his hand.

When Lin Rou saw the fruit, her expression changed slightly. "Teacher, this is too valuable. I'm afraid it isn't appropriate."

Lin Hai did not recognize the fruit Ren Yan had brought out, but seeing Lin Rou's reaction, he immediately guessed something and echoed her words.

"Brother Ren, there's really no need for this."

"Anything I give away has never been taken back. If you don't want it, just throw it away," Ren Yan said flatly.

Lin Hai did not know how to respond and could only look toward Lin Rou.

Seeing this, Lin Rou could only tell Lin Hai, "Then let Little Brother eat it later... This Crimson Blood Fruit is a ranked spirit fruit that replenishes vitality. Little Brother was born constitutionally weak, so it should help him greatly."

"A ranked spirit fruit?" Lin Hai was instantly shocked upon hearing that.

He truly did not recognize the fruit, nor did he know what a Crimson Blood Fruit was, but he understood the concept of ranked spirit fruits.

Treasures like these started at hundreds of thousands on the market, and some could even sell for one or two million!

Back when he was an inspector, his total monthly salary had only been around fifteen thousand. Even after being transferred to Crimson Flame, where his income had risen sharply, he still would have found it difficult to make up his mind to buy a single fruit this expensive.

Had he known it was so valuable, Lin Hai would definitely have stopped Lin Xuan from accepting it in the first place.

But judging from Ren Yan's manner now, refusing any further would only leave the man displeased, so he could only say, "I'll thank you on Xuanxuan's behalf, Brother Ren. Our Lin Family will surely remember this kindness."

"Alright, alright, it's no big deal. Let's go in first." Ren Yan waved a hand dismissively, then looked at Lin Rou.

"I'll take Teacher inside first, then." Lin Rou said to Lin Hai.

"Alright, alright. You go ahead. Your mother is inside."

Lin Hai nodded repeatedly.

"Divine Peak Bridge, Old Soil, the inner region... and ranked spirit fruits?"

Lin Xuan once again put his knack for noticing key elements to work, quickly extracting the crucial information from their earlier conversation.

He had actually been curious before about what his eldest sister Lin Rou's so-called training truly involved.

In every respect, Dragon River City looked no different from any ordinary large city in his previous life. Everyone worked nine to five.

Fighting and brawling were against the law, and serious crimes were punishable by execution.

Even if Lin Rou was a Martial Artist capable of pinning down and pummeling Lin Hai, who had once been an inspector in the Public Security Bureau, she clearly was not strong enough to defy the law through violence.

Under such circumstances, where could she possibly train?

It was only after hearing their conversation just now that he realized Lin Rou's so-called training had actually taken her to Old Soil, a place he had always been intensely curious about!

Ever since he came to this world, he had often heard about things related to Old Soil.

Whether it was the criminals who carried out the attack that accidentally caused his mother Ye Hongyu to give birth prematurely, or the little golden snake raised by the demon queen Lin Long... all of them were connected to Old Soil by countless invisible threads.

Even the ranked spirit fruit in his hand, called the Crimson Blood Fruit, might have come from Old Soil.

From what his eldest sister Lin Rou had said, eating the Crimson Blood Fruit should make up for the innate deficiencies caused by his premature birth.

In other words, it could strengthen his body.

My body definitely has nothing to do with congenital weakness anymore, but it looks like the Premature Infant title is still quite useful, Lin Xuan thought.