Chapter 53: Xu Lin’s Background

Xu Haobo flew instantly before Xu Ziyan. He grabbed Xu Ziyan and looked her over. His lips trembled as he said excitedly,

“Ziyan, you’re alright?”

“Sister Ziyan!” Xu Li and Xu Qingxue, along with the other new Outer Hall Disciples, instantly showed joyful expressions on their faces. They forgot the Clan Leader was still standing on the high platform and ran towards Xu Ziyan with open arms.

Xu Lin’s eyes also filled with joy. He rushed forward two steps but then stopped. When Xu Lin first saw Xu Ziyan, he felt a strong liking for her. Xu Ziyan’s beautiful face, her gentle yet resolute demeanor, and especially that final leap towards the Four-Armed Ape in Tongyou Valley, made his heart suddenly ache, a heart-wrenching pain.

He did not know if he felt this deep emotion because of the extreme danger, or if it was an extension of his feelings from their first meeting.

Xu Lin felt he had fallen in love with Ziyan. At that time, his heart held only the pain of losing her. But when he learned that Xu Ziyan was the daughter of Xu Haoguang, the younger brother of his father Xu Haoran who was on the high platform, he buried this love deep in his heart. Because Xu Ziyan was not some distant relative of a far-off Xu Clan manager, but his own close cousin by blood.

Now, seeing Xu Ziyan alive and standing before him again, Xu Lin’s feelings were complicated. He wanted to stand before her immediately, yet he was afraid to appear in front of her. For a moment, he felt lost and hesitant, standing there stiffly.

The Xu Clan disciples all over the Central Plaza, hearing the shouts from Xu Haobo, Xu Li, and the others, understood that the person before them was their idol. Instantly, most of the disciples rushed towards the still bewildered Xu Ziyan.

Xu Lin stood rigidly there, his gaze eager yet confused. People around him kept running, like a flowing river, while only Xu Lin stood still like a rock.

Xu Haoguang and Madam Xu also came down from the high platform and ran towards Xu Ziyan, tears continuously rolling down their faces. But they could not push through the crowd, so in the end, they happily stood outside, looking at Xu Ziyan amidst the throng.

Night.

Xu Ziyan accompanied her parents as they left the Clan Leader’s home and headed towards the courtyard that the clan had assigned to Xu Haoguang just two days ago. In Xu Haoran’s study, Xu Haoran and Xu Haobo sat facing each other.

“Elder Brother, I never thought Ziyan not only didn’t die but also had a strange encounter. She ate a Spirit Fruit that can boost one’s cultivation level. She said she is almost about to break through to the Second Layer of Qi Refining Stage. In just a few days, she raised her displayed cultivation level by one layer, reaching the Tenth Layer of Houtian! It seems Ziyan really wants to see the second floor of the Library Pavilion!” Xu Haobo’s face was full of emotion.

“Yes, I remember when she entered the Outer Hall, she only displayed the Sixth Level of Houtian!” Xu Haoran nodded with a smile.

“Yes, the clan has gained another genius!” Xu Haobo laughed heartily.

“And not just a genius. Don’t forget, Ziyan is also a Talisman Master!”

“True!”

“Hahaha…” The two laughed happily together.

After laughing for a while, Xu Haobo suddenly seemed to remember something and slightly frowned, his eyes looking thoughtful.

“What is it, Second Brother?” Xu Haoran asked with some surprise.

Xu Haobo looked up at Xu Haoran and asked softly, “Elder Brother, do you remember the day we found Xu Lin?”

“Of course I remember. What about Liner?” Xu Haoran asked.

Xu Haobo did not answer directly. Instead, he closed his eyes slightly, as if recalling something, and said quietly, “It was a snowy dusk! You weren’t the Clan Leader yet. We two went to the Cangmang Mountain Range to hunt Monster Beasts.”

“Yes!” Xu Haoran also leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes slightly, and spoke equally softly. “We were surrounded by a group of Monster Beasts. Just when our lives were in danger, a Qilin arrived and scared all the Monster Beasts away.”

“That Qilin held a baby in its mouth.” Xu Haobo opened his slightly closed eyes.

“It put the baby down and stared at us intently. Until we recovered from our shock and said we were willing to raise the child, then the Qilin vanished peacefully.” Xu Haoran also opened his slightly closed eyes.

“Elder Brother, you carried the baby back, treated him as your own son, and named him Xu Lin, also to remember that Qilin. That child still thinks you are his real father, doesn’t he?”

“Yes! What is it, Second Brother? Why are you bringing up Liner today?”

Xu Haobo sat up straight. A trace of astonishment crossed his eyes, and his voice became even quieter. “This time in Tongyou Valley, at the critical moment for Ziyan’s life, Xu Lin suddenly erupted with divine power. A phantom image of a Qilin actually appeared behind him!”

“What?” Xu Haoran abruptly sat straight up in his seat, staring in shock at his second brother.

“Elder Brother, what do you think Liner’s origins truly are?”

“How would I know! But ever since he returned from Tongyou Valley, the progress of his cultivation level suddenly started to speed up. Just yesterday, he actually broke through from the Second Layer of Qi Refining Stage to the Third Layer! And it hasn’t even been half a year since he broke through to the Second Layer.” Xu Haoran said thoughtfully.

“Could it be that the appearance of the Qilin phantom activated the bloodline within his body?”

“What kind of bloodline could Liner have?”

“With the power of our clan, I’m afraid it’s very difficult to find out Liner’s bloodline. Who knows if the great Sects could identify Liner’s bloodline?”

“There’s still a year and a half left. The summer after next is when the Huayang Sect and the Taixuan Sect hold their Opening the Mountain Gate to recruit disciples. If Liner wants to go, will you agree, Elder Brother?”

Xu Haoran hesitated for a moment, then said, “If Liner wants to go, let him. A good man aims for the four corners of the world. I already treat Liner as my own son. If Liner’s elders from his family blame us in the future, I will take responsibility.”

“What about Ziyan?”

“If she wants to go, I won’t stop her either. In the future, if they achieve something, it will also benefit our Xu Clan!”

The two looked at each other and fell silent for a while. After a long time, Xu Haobo said in a serious voice, “That’s a matter for the future. The issue at hand is dealing with the alliance of the City Lord’s Manor, the Xiao Family, and the Wu Family!”

“Hmph! A bunch of clowns, they actually dare to set their sights on our Xu Clan’s thousand-year heritage!” Xu Haoran’s face instantly turned cold as ice.

“But their strength should not be underestimated!” Xu Haobo said with some worry.

“Ah~~, it’s really a time of many troubles!” Xu Haoran sighed deeply. “This Beast Tide actually gave our Xu Clan a chance to catch our breath. Their losses from the three families are greater than ours. Even if the Family Patriarchs behind those three families join forces, they might not necessarily be able to defeat our Family Patriarch. So the struggle between us and them is actually a contest of overall strength from the Clan Leader, the Elders, the Inner Hall Disciples, and the Outer Hall Disciples. I think after the blow from this Beast Tide, they will slow down their actions.”

“Starting tomorrow, double the amount of Elixirs given to the disciples. Let them speed up their cultivation progress. I hope they can grow up quickly.”