Qing Lin, Give Your Young Master a Surprise

The two who had come together were Lu Chen, the son of Lu Yuan's paternal uncle and his older cousin,

and Lu Qingqing, a member of a collateral branch of the Lu family and a younger cousin more than five generations removed from Lu Yuan.

Lu Qingqing had delicate features, and when she saw Lu Yuan, she lowered her eyes.

"Well, Brother Yuan." Lu Chen strode over, his face wearing a look of false concern. "I heard Miss Mo Shuang'er just came to break off your engagement?"

"I went to the family's Technique Repository today to pick out a cultivation technique. I hurried back as fast as I could, but I still missed the fun-ah, no, I mean, I wasn't able to put in a fair word for you. What a shame."

"Don't be too upset. There are plenty of good women under heaven. There's no need to insist on hanging yourself from one tree."

Lu Chen's words sounded comforting, but between the lines, he was gloating over Lu Yuan's misfortune.

Lu Yuan couldn't be bothered with him. His gaze passed over the pair and settled on the back street, as though everything that had just happened were thin air.

Lu Qingqing stood half a step behind Lu Chen. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she held back.

At that, Lu Chen's smile froze on his face, and his expression darkened.

What he hated most was the way Lu Yuan acted as though no one else existed.

Ever since they were children, no matter how hard he had fought, those old fellows in the family had eyes only for the genius Lu Yuan.

His father had always been overshadowed by Lu Tong Xuan, who had even snatched away the position of family head that should have been his to inherit.

The gap between him and Lu Yuan was even greater. There had been no possibility of catching up.

Fortunately, Lu Yuan had been crippled.

Not only that, but now his engagement had been broken off, and his demotion was imminent.

Lu Chen felt he could finally hold his head high.

Yet now, his punch had landed on cotton.

"Brother Yuan." Lu Chen suddenly narrowed his eyes and slipped an arm around Lu Qingqing's waist. A playful smile appeared on his lips. "Your woman, your position as young family head, everything you once had will belong to me."

"Do you really not care at all?"

A trace of unease appeared on Lu Qingqing's face. She instinctively wanted to struggle, but in the end, she forcibly held herself back and merely lowered her head further.

Lu Yuan: "..."

He had once had so many fangirls in the Lu family that he had even attracted the rotten peach blossom Mo Shuang'er.

Did Lu Chen think he could provoke him by choosing one of the prettier ones to be his girlfriend?

Lu Yuan scoffed, his tone playful. "If you want to steal my woman, you should kneel before Mo Shuang'er and beg her to take you as her bed warmer-if she can take a fancy to you, that is. Ha."

Those words instantly turned Lu Chen's face ashen.

How desperate would he have to be to go out of his way to curry favor with that fat woman Mo Shuang'er?

Then again, after discovering that Lu Yuan's talent was no good, Mo Shuang'er had chosen to break off the engagement rather than pick another man from the Lu family. That was a silent mockery in itself.

"Lu Yuan!" Lu Chen's molars ground together as he clenched his fists.

Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes and immediately headed for the back street.

Talking big was fine, but not if it got him beaten up.

"Young master, get in the carriage."

As Lu Yuan stepped over the teahouse threshold, an aged voice rang out.

Uncle Zhang had brought the carriage to a steady stop at the entrance. His cloudy eyes turned toward Lu Chen, giving him a casual glance.

Although the presence of a Nine-Star Dou Shi had not been released, Lu Chen still felt an invisible pressure. His body stiffened in place, and he said no more.

"Cousin, pay more visits to the Mo residence when you have the time. Put in a good effort."

"Who knows? You might really be able to marry into the Mo family."

With that, he took two steps, swung himself onto the carriage, lifted the curtain, and sat inside.

"Uncle Zhang, let's go."

Uncle Zhang picked up the whip and snapped it sharply.

The carriage immediately raced off down the street.

Lu Chen stood there for a long time, his expression so dark it could drip water.

Lu Qingqing glanced sideways at him and said lightly, "Brother Chen, Lu Yuan won't be living in the same world as you anymore. Why bother..."

"Shut up!" Lu Chen bellowed. He stared after the departing carriage, venom surging in his eyes. "An old fossil and a cripple dare challenge me? Just you wait."

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan lifted the curtain and glanced outside. "Uncle Zhang, take me to the private courtyard my mother left me in the south of the city."

Uncle Zhang's expression remained unchanged. Without asking any questions, he flicked the reins and guided the carriage onto another street. "Yes, young master."

Half a quarter of an hour later, deep in an alley in the south of the city.

There was a small courtyard here, neat and tidy inside and out.

An enormous tree of unknown kind towered over the courtyard, casting a patch of shade.

When Lu Yuan pushed open the gate, he saw a young girl sitting beneath the tree, cultivating with great concentration. She wore an elegant light-green outfit and had a petite figure with striking curves and a cute, delicate, oval face, like a beautiful porcelain doll.

The girl was about twelve or thirteen. She seemed to hear the sound at the gate; her long eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her jade-green eyes.

"Young master!"

Upon seeing Lu Yuan's face clearly, the girl broke into a smile.

She sprang to her feet and darted toward Lu Yuan like a flower butterfly, stopping when she was three steps away.

"Qing Lin, have you eaten lunch?" Lu Yuan stepped forward and reached out to stroke the girl's head.

The girl was Qing Lin, a descendant of the Snake-People Tribe and the human race, who possessed the special talent of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils.

After becoming a cripple, Lu Yuan had worked out the timing and asked Lu Tong Xuan to send someone to Stone Desert City to buy her from the Desert Iron Mercenary Group and bring her to the Lu residence.

To prevent Mo Shuang'er from finding out and harming her in secret, Lu Yuan had secretly settled Qing Lin in this small courtyard. Every few days, he would come and stay for a while to develop their relationship.

Even now, Qing Lin was still easily embarrassed and disliked contact with people.

But in front of Lu Yuan, she showed the youthful liveliness and ease a girl her age should have.

She was also the real trump card he held at present.

Unfortunately, she had yet to grow into her powers.

"Hm!?"

This time, when Lu Yuan touched Qing Lin, he felt as though the back of his head had been struck a heavy blow, nearly knocking him unconscious.

But the next moment, he felt his consciousness grow clearer, and he deliberately sank into the depths of his soul.

An ancient-looking book was giving off a dazzling light.

Four characters were written on its cover: "Fortune Catalog."

[Fortune Catalog: records all those who possess great fortune]

[Method of recording: contact (accumulated over time; depth of contact can affect the time required)]

[The degree to which a person of fortune is acquired is divided into elementary, intermediate, advanced, supreme, and complete.]

[Upon reaching the corresponding degree, copying or plundering can be activated]

After this information appeared, the Fortune Catalog opened on its own.

It then stopped on a page bearing a lifelike image of Qing Lin.

[Qing Lin]

[Heavenly Snake Great Emperor Bloodline (atavism); Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils (unawakened)]

[Activate elementary replication or plundering?]

Lu Yuan: !!!

I actually have a cheat!?

Sixteen years! Do you know how I've spent these sixteen years?

Starting today, on this Dou Qi Continent, I don't eat beef.

Others might have to rely on luck to light up the catalog, but I'm different.

I know exactly who in this world has great fortune.

Even on the Tian Xuan Continent, in the Great Thousand World, and even in the Tian Yuan World.

I know them all!