Chapter 32

Night fell, Xiao Li sat cross-legged on the bed in the Lin family's side room, cultivating in silence; without accumulating small streams, one cannot form rivers and seas, and his cultivation did not come from a sudden gust of wind.

"Knock knock."

Xiao Li opened his eyes, "Please come in."

The door opened, and the visitor turned out to be Lin Qi, the young patriarch of the Lin family.

Xiao Li felt slightly surprised, "Young Master Lin, what brings you here? If you came for tomorrow's match, you can rest assured—I will certainly not fail."

Lin Qi's face stiffened as he forced a smile, "Senior Brother Xiao, you misunderstood—I really came for tomorrow's match, but I hope you will lose the competition."

Lin Qi hesitated while saying this, head lowered, his embarrassment impossible to hide.

"Why is that?" Xiao Li exclaimed, though he gradually understood something—there must be some hidden motive.

After an internal struggle, for his future happiness, Lin Qi still spoke: "Actually, actually I and Xu Xinyue have long been privately engaged; it's just that Yue'er was a bit anxious this time and even came to propose—had the approach been proper, our Lin family would surely have agreed, but now things have turned out like this..."

Xiao Li realized, "So I've ruined their lovebirds' plans."

"But I promised your father; if I fail, I'll have trouble explaining."

Lin Qi wore a worried expression, "Senior Brother Xiao, please show mercy; with your strength, not to mention Yue'er, even the whole Heijiao Yu likely has no young talent surpassing you—how could Yue'er be your match?"

Having said that, Lin Qi gritted his teeth and took out a book, "This is our Lin family's secret technique; if you promise not to display it before the Lin family or leak it casually, you may take it."

Without looking at that technique, Xiao Li instead noticed the young man before him—about twenty years old, not lacking in talent, his cultivation reaching Dou Zhe Seven-star.

"You, do you really like Xu Xinyue that much?"

Lin Qi suddenly lifted his head, his face still retaining some embarrassment, yet he said firmly, "I really do like her; it's just that Yue'er was anxious this time, and both sets of parents care about face, so things ended up awkward."

Lin Qi's eyes showed greater helplessness, "If I didn't like her, how could I accept the act of marrying off a grown man?"

"Senior Brother Xiao, do you know what it feels like to like someone?"

Lin Qi's words suddenly made Xiao Li feel dazed, as if a month ago that afternoon, a girl had told him she would definitely go to Canaan Academy to find her.

"Eh, no, why am I thinking of the little Medicine Fairy? She's still so young… she'll grow up someday, ah ah ah, Xiao Li, you jerk!"

Xiao Li's heart was in turmoil; speaking of liking, he actually thought of the little Medicine Fairy.

Seeing Xiao Li still not taking the technique from his hand, Lin Qi gave a dejected salute and left the room.

Hearing the door close, Xiao Li snapped back to awareness—no, how did he leave? He hadn't even decided yet.

"Forget it, forget it—I'll go talk to the Lin patriarch."

Xiao Li pushed the door open; that brat Lin Qi had already vanished.

"Elder Qian, Elder Bai, what do you say I should do?"

In the spatial interlayer, Qian Elder's voice remained calm, "You've just realized it, haven't you? Follow your heart, do what you truly want; otherwise, what's the point of cultivation?"

"Junior understands."

With the elders' support, Xiao Li's heart grew a bit firmer, and he strode straight to Lin Yi's room.

Lin Yi likewise hadn't slept, sitting dazedly in the pavilion in the courtyard.

"Patriarch Lin, what refined taste—still admiring the moon in this pavilion at midnight."

Hearing the sound, Lin Yi jumped, then relaxed upon seeing it was Xiao Li.

"Xiao Li, come sit with me a while."

Lin Yi curled the corner of his mouth into a smile and greeted him.

Xiao Li did as told, and the two fell into silence for a moment.

Lin Yi suddenly sighed, "Xiao Li, don't compete tomorrow; we Lin family admit defeat, but we'll still give the reward."

"Admit defeat?" Xiao Li startled, "Why?"

Lin Qi gave a bitter smile, "A father knows his son best; I know my son—he must be with that Xinyue girl."

Gazing at Lin Yi's troubled profile, Xiao Li stared blankly, as if seeing his own father Xiao Zhan, choosing his son over family honor.

"Patriarch Lin, rest assured—I'll handle this tomorrow; I will certainly make Xu Xinyue marry into your Lin family." Xiao Li said softly, his voice confident.

Lin Yi looked at Xiao Li in surprise, his lips moving for a while before finally uttering two words.

"Thank you……"

"……"

After bidding farewell to Lin Yi, Xiao Li returned to his room; halfway there, Qian Elder suddenly popped out of the spatial interlayer, "Hehe, come on, let me show you something fun."

Having said that, Qian Elder grabbed Xiao Li and ran toward a corner of the Lin family estate.

This is a courtyard of the Lin family, with several big trees planted; it looks rather desolate, likely an unused courtyard of the Lin family.

Qian Elder brought Xiao Li to lie on the courtyard wall, continually raising his eyebrows, tilting his head, signaling Xiao Li to look inside.

Following Qian Elder's hint, Xiao Li looked and saw a man and a woman embracing.

"The Lin family sure has talent—still sneaking around in the dead of night."

"Hiss—no, that's not Lin Qi?" Xiao Li widened his eyes.

"Could there be a twist? Lin Qi is cheating with other women, yet still hoping to latch onto the wealthy Xu Xinyue?"

Qian Elder's forehead furrowed into a 'well' shape as he tapped Xiao Li on the head, saying, "You little rascal, that woman is clearly Xu Xinyue—she has no good intentions."

Bai Elder appeared on Xiao Li's other side; the three lay on the wall together, "Exactly, exactly—what a beautiful love, you've made this little brat Lin Qi into a shameless scoundrel."

Xiao Li smiled embarrassedly, "Hehe, I just haven't seen what Xu Xinyue looks like."

"Shh—don't make noise, let this old man hear what they're saying." Qian Elder tilted his ear toward Lin Qi's side.

Suddenly Qian Elder's face changed, "Oh no, they're planning to elope—quick, stop them!"

Xiao Li's mouth twitched, "These youngsters nowadays are really something."

No time to hesitate—today Xiao Li can only play the role of a meddling good Samaritan.

Xiao Li pushed off with both hands, his figure leaping up and landing before Lin Qi and Xu Xinyue.

"Halt!"

The atmosphere startled Lin Qi, who was just about to kiss, making his lower body go limp, "Who!"

Seeing Xiao Li drop in front of him, Lin Qi was about to scold, but recalling the other's Great Fighter strength, he barely restrained himself.

"So it's Brother Xiao, staying up late, what are you doing here?"

Lin Qi's attitude was a bit off, or rather, being interrupted while someone is working is not a good attitude.

Xiao Li was startled; the two embraced and gazed sweetly at each other, their eyes almost stretching into threads—this scene didn't really look like an elopement.

……

Bai Lao twisted over to Qian Lao's side and said, "Earlier, that kid didn't say eloping, right?"

Qian Lao chuckled, "No, earlier he said Yue Er."

"No, it's Yue Er~~~"

"Hehehehe."

"Hehehehe."

Qian Lao and Bai Lao exchanged a smile, letting out schadenfreude laughter.

In the courtyard, Xu Xingyue shyly slipped out of Lin Qi's arms and asked, "Is this the Brother Xiao you mentioned?"

Lin Qi gave a stiff nod.

Seeing the situation was off, Xiao Li hurriedly got to the point, "Your father has approved you two, I'm here…"

After some explanation, Xiao Li finally saw Lin Qi's murderous gaze turn into gratitude.

"All right, all right," Xiao Li exhaled, then suddenly seemed to recall something, his gaze shifting to the courtyard wall where two dark silhouettes flickered in and out.

"Damn old thing!!!"

(End of chapter)