Chapter 1997: Chapter 1994: The Domineering Li Subai!
Until the distant figure of Lin Bai disappeared on the sea, only then did Lan Yuxin withdraw her gaze, her figure flickering and vanishing into the South Sea Archipelago.
When Lan Yuxin appeared again, she was already beside a lake.
This place is also an island, and there is a huge lake on the island.
On the edge of the lake, a middle-aged man sat cross-legged, as if eternally immovable.
"Father, I’m back."
Lan Yuxin landed on the lakeside and called out softly.
The middle-aged man had a slight smile on his face, his gaze directed toward the place where Lin Bai and Lan Yuxin had previously conversed, as well as the direction in which Lin Bai had departed: "Lin Bai is truly an interesting person, isn’t he?"
Lan Yuxin smiled slightly, without answering.
Just a while ago, when Lin Bai arrived at the South Sea Archipelago, Lan Yuxin had been conversing with Lan Ling above this lake.
However, as soon as Lan Ling sensed Lin Bai’s arrival at the South Sea Archipelago, she immediately asked Lan Yuxin to find Lin Bai, which led to the scene just now.
When Lin Bai found Lan Feng and stated his purpose, it just so happened that Lan Yuxin walked past them.
In truth, none of this was accidental.
Lan Yuxin said, "He indeed very much wants to see you, he went so far as to publicly claim to be your... child of an old friend!"
Lan Ling took a deep breath and said, "Of course he wants to see me. Xun Zhizang and Su Yanhua, those two old fools, told him that if he wants to know everything, he must come to the East Continent Academy to find me."
"He emerged from the Territory of All Nations, went to the Xuantian Domain, earned the qualification for the Master Apprenticeship Examination, and was chased by strong ones along the way, but he never gave up, adventuring all the way to Zhexian City!"
"At Nine Heavens Primordial Ancestor Mountain, he even defeated numerous heroes, and at Flying Dragon Twelve Islands, he faced your obstacles, but he still insists on joining the Southern Yard."
"He struggled to reach the Southern Yard, finally getting closer to me, naturally he wants to see me and ask what exactly happened back then!"
Lan Ling spoke calmly.
He understood Lin Bai’s intent, and he also understood Lin Bai’s determination.
Lan Yuxin asked, "Father, then why don’t you see him?"
Lan Ling chuckled lightly, "Now is not the time yet."
"Now is neither the time to see him nor the time to tell him all the truths!"
Lan Yuxin frowned and asked, "Then when will it be the time!"
Lan Ling chuckled lightly, "Yuxin, if I were to call Lin Bai over immediately, and told him the truth about back then, including the whereabouts of his parents, and the enemies and dangers that his parents and he are going to face."
"Do you think he can handle it with his cultivation at the Yangshen Realm?"
"He might be utterly overwhelmed!"
Lan Ling spoke calmly.
Lan Yuxin spoke calmly, "Indeed, even with father’s strength, you can only bide your time on the East Continent, while Lin Bai lacks this strength and lacks this wisdom."
"Probably telling him now would indeed be counterproductive."
Lan Yuxin nodded slightly.
Lan Ling laughed, "So, the edge of a Treasure Sword comes from sharpening, the fragrance of a plum blossom comes from the bitter cold!"
"The less I see him now, the more driven he will be to see me!"
"All these trials are for him, hoping that Elder Brother Lin Duo’s son can withstand these trials!"
"This is not only to hone his wisdom but also to hone his Daoist Heart!"
"As long as his Daoist Heart, his resolve, is sufficiently strong, when the time comes to tell him everything, he will be more resolved, only then does Elder Brother Lin Duo stand a chance of being saved!"
"If I were to tell him the truth now, he’d be directly crushed!"
Lan Ling shook his head and said.
Lan Yuxin calmly said, "Earlier I told him that only when he becomes the first at East Continent Academy will you see him!"
"Ah!" Lan Ling exclaimed in surprise upon hearing Lan Yuxin’s words!
Lan Yuxin awkwardly smiled.
Lan Ling said in shock, "He took it seriously?"
Lan Yuxin shyly and awkwardly said, "Didn’t you say earlier to find any means necessary to stop him, I thought over and over, this was the best way!"
"Have him become the first at East Continent Academy, then he should be able to see you!"
Lan Ling sighed helplessly, "Being the first at East Continent Academy is no easy feat, even Elder Brother Lin Duo couldn’t achieve that in the past!"
"Yuxin, you!"
Lan Ling shook his head, repeatedly chuckling bitterly.
Lan Yuxin smiled awkwardly.
Lan Ling pondered for a long time and said, "Oh well, let’s consider this a test for him. If he truly manages to accomplish what even Elder Brother Lin Duo couldn’t back then, then he will be able to carry this banner!"
Lan Yuxin smiled, "Yes, yes, that’s what I think too."
Lan Ling glared at Lan Yuxin and said, "For all these years I haven’t been by your side, you seem to have grown accustomed to recklessness, speaking of making Lin Bai become the first at East Continent Academy!"
"Do you realize that if he truly takes this to heart, how much suffering and danger he will encounter along the way!"
"Don’t forget, you and he are bound by an arranged marriage!"
"He is destined to be your husband sooner or later!"
Lan Ling said with a light chuckle.
Upon hearing this, Lan Yuxin turned crimson with embarrassment.
Lan Yuxin said, "Father, didn’t Uncle Su Yanhua’s daughter say she is his fiancée?"
Lan Ling shook his head and chuckled bitterly, "This matter, speaking of it is quite convoluted and strange..., it all begins with Lin Bai’s mother Li Subai..."
"Speaking of this matter, hahaha, it’s really amusing."
Lan Ling laughed heartily and said.
Lan Yuxin curiously asked, "Father, tell me about it."
Lan Ling laughed, "Lin Bai’s mother, Li Subai, she was an extraordinary woman, very domineering. After she married Elder Brother Lin Duo, she soon found herself pregnant!"
"So one day, she came to find a few of us, and with her dominant personality, she forced us to establish a marriage contract..."
"If the child she bore was a girl, she would become our blood sisters like Elder Brother Lin Duo and us."
"If the child she bore was a boy, a marriage contract would be established with our female descendants..."
"That’s how it is."
Lan Ling spread his hands, saying helplessly.
Lan Yuxin looked at Lan Ling in shock and said, "Father, you just sold me off like that?"
Lan Ling stared wide-eyed at Lan Yuxin, equally exclaiming, "Yuxin, you have no idea how domineering Li Subai was back then. Her sword hovered at my throat, threatening to chop if I didn’t sign the marriage contract!"
Lan Yuxin looked at Lan Ling innocently.
Lan Ling then laughed, "Originally it was just us having fun after Li Subai got pregnant, not taking it seriously."
"But later on, with so many things happening..."
"Kunxu was destroyed, Li Subai was captured, Elder Brother Lin Duo went into hiding to protect Lin Bai... Our brothers, died, injured, hidden... never seeing daylight!"
"And this marriage contract, we took it seriously!"
Lan Ling spoke calmly.
"Yuxin, I hope you remember, this is our Lan Clan’s debt to Lin Bai and Elder Brother Lin Duo."
Lan Ling earnestly told Lan Yuxin.
Lan Yuxin gently nodded and said, "I know, father once said, without Uncle Lin Duo, there wouldn’t be the Lan Clan today!"
Lan Ling smiled, "It’s good you understand."