The banquet lasted well into the night, with Lin Shanhe, Zhang Zhen, Lin Zhan’s two maternal uncles, and Jin Jiao, along with the dragon, being the last ones to stop drinking.
The women, led by Lin Zhan’s maternal grandmother Liu Ruolan, had retired early to the rooms with the little one to discuss matters of women. Naturally, the elders spoke most about Lin Zhan and Zhang Lingxiu.
“Rongrong, I think we should have the children get engaged when Zhan’er turns sixteen. Then, after another two years, we can have the wedding. That way, the old lady can hold her great-grandchild sooner.”
“That would be wonderful. After all, our Rongrong is three years older than Zhan’er. If she doesn’t marry soon, she’ll be an old maid,” An Rongrong joked about her own daughter, as the engagement between Lin Zhan and Zhang Lingxiu was practically a done deal given the families’ close relationship. Moreover, the two children had grown up together and were childhood sweethearts with deep affection for each other.
“What are you saying, sister-in-law? A woman three years older brings a bag of gold. And look at the men in the Lin family, which one of them doesn’t cause worry? Which mother isn’t afraid of something happening to her son? But Zhan’er will have to go to the battlefield in the future. With Lingxiu by his side, she can keep an eye on him,” Ouyang Xinlan said with a sigh, feeling uneasy about her son’s future on the battlefield.
“Don’t worry too much, sister. This is the sorrow of our era, and also our destiny. Who asked our husbands and sons to be such upright heroes?” An Rongrong said, trying to comfort her. After all, she and Zhang Zhen had two sons and one daughter, and Zhang Zhen was often away fighting on the Myriad Races battlefield with his two sons.
“Among our three families, Zhan’er is the only underage male who can stay by our side. My old man is always away with his two sons and three grandsons, gone for years at a time. But this is what we should do. If even they, as lords, retreat, who will protect the human race?” Liu Ruolan’s words were also filled with a hint of complaint towards Ouyang Chengshan, as the old lady rarely had a chance to see her grandson.
Then, the old lady looked at Zhang Lingxiu and teased, “So, we must hurry and have Zhan’er and Lingxiu get married! Then I’ll have my great-grandchild, and I won’t think about these ungrateful people anymore.”
“Grandma, if Brother and Sister Lingxiu have children, then Ya’er will be an aunt! At that time, if anyone bullies my nephew, Ya’er will beat him to death!” The little one’s fierce tone made everyone laugh heartily, and also made Zhang Lingxiu blush crimson, too shy to lift her head.
The child’s words couldn’t help but make everyone laugh, and inadvertently dispersed some of the somber atmosphere.
Although the three families were not far apart, ever since Lin Shanhe was injured, they had moved out of the Lin family manor. With Ouyang Chengshan and Zhang Zhen constantly stationed on the Myriad Races battlefield, the women of the families hadn't had such a good time chatting and catching up for many years.
Looking at the heroes on the wine table, Lin Shanhe and Zhang Zhen were sometimes crying, sometimes laughing, one moment missing their fathers, the next their masters. As for Lin Zhan’s two maternal uncles, the two Ouyang brothers, they were already slouched over, babbling incoherently.
“Come on, Jin Jiao, don’t think you’re so big. Big brother isn’t afraid of you. It’s just drinking one jar after another, who’s afraid of whom?”
Ouyang Chengshan looked at his two sons who had been knocked out and angrily said, “These useless things, they’re nothing like their father. They can’t even handle this little bit of horse urine and they’re already like this.” After scolding his sons, Ouyang Chengshan staggered towards the guest room.
Jin Jiao held a wine jar and said, “Look at these cowards trying to drink with me. Have you two brothers bothered to ask who dares to draw their sabers and stand tall, like General Jin?!”
After speaking, he drank the wine in his cup and said to Linglong, “Wife, let’s go back. Only that old man Zhang Zhenhai is left guarding the forbidden area. I’m not at ease.” Su Dan Novel Network
“Zhan’er, take care of them. Your Aunt Linglong and I will be leaving. If we stay too long, I’m afraid there might be changes in the forbidden area.” With that, he carried Linglong on his back and flew into the sky.
Lin Zhan vaguely heard Jin Jiao say, “These few fools are still trying to drink with me? The talent of the dragon race is to control wind and rain, to swallow rivers. My stomach can hold an entire river.”
Lin Shanhe’s recovery had lifted a great stone from everyone’s hearts. These were all heroes who had stood tall and fought on countless battlefields. The years of pent-up pain were now vented through a drunken spree.
Lin Zhan silently picked up a pot of wine and drank from it: “Wine awakens the soul of the homeland, chasing the traveler’s thoughts, every night unless dreams can keep people asleep. Don’t lean alone on the tall moonlit tower, wine enters the sorrowful gut, turning into tears of longing.”
“Alas, in the end, it’s still this young master who has to bear it all. Indeed, ‘Holding the sun and moon, plucking stars from the sky, there is no one like me in this world.’ Geniuses are always lonely.”
He turned and looked at the drunken elders: Well, they are all strong individuals who suppress one side of the human race. They shouldn’t need anyone to look after them, right?
Saying that, Lin Zhan also stood up unsteadily and went to find a room to sleep.
The next day, the sun was high in the sky when Lin Zhan groggily got out of bed.
“You’re up,” Zhang Lingxiu said as she entered the room with a cup of water. “Have some water. You’re so young, and you’re already learning to drink like them. What were you thinking?”
“Hehe, I was just happy. Ever since I was sensible, I haven’t dared to slack off. I know my Lin family has declined, and there are many people who hold grudges against us. If it weren’t for my maternal grandfather and Uncle Zhen, our family might have been wiped out.
My Lin family fought on the battlefield for the human race for two generations, one dead and one crippled, only to end up like this. Back then, I thought if my grandfather were still alive, those politicians would have actively sought out connections to treat my father.”
After drinking the water, Lin Zhan lay back on the bed. “Sister Lingxiu, do you know? I was really scared back then, afraid that I wouldn’t be able to awaken my bloodline, afraid that my talent would be mediocre. If that were the case, even if we got married, I would only live an ordinary life, and I wouldn’t even be worthy of you.”
Zhang Lingxiu sat on the edge of the bed, placed Lin Zhan’s head on her lap, and gently comforted her future young husband. “It’s okay now. Everything is in the past. Even if what you thought were true, I would stay with you for a lifetime. If I can advance to the Lord realm, and you are the husband of a Lord, who would dare to bully you? Hehe.” Zhang Lingxiu couldn’t help but tease Lin Zhan.
“Yes, when I successfully awakened my bloodline, my father told me that Emperor Xin, the Human King, was actually an ancestor of our Lin family, and my grandfather was not a Lord-level expert but a quasi-king. I was so surprised, and I finally breathed a sigh of relief. I also knew that no matter what happened, as long as our ancestor was still around, our family would be fine.”
“Yes, I didn’t expect the Lin family’s hidden strength to be so powerful. Your grandfather actually had two brothers at the Lord level, and the Human King ancestor has been watching over your family. Add to that Grandpa Ouyang, my father, Uncle Jin Jiao, and Uncle Lin who has now advanced, it’s unimaginable. Half of the human race’s high-level officials are actually on my side.”
What Zhang Lingxiu didn’t know was that the human race’s hidden strength was even more formidable. After all, in China alone, how many great figures had emerged over five thousand years of history? With spiritual energy still present on Earth back then, it wouldn’t be impossible for these human powerhouses to live for several thousand years through certain means.