Chapter 499

Comprehensive search: xuanhuan fantasy

The Water Mirror Peak reappeared above Earth.

"So annoying… exhausted me…"

After enduring mental torment and dragging his weary body, Su Lin finally returned to his own world without stopping at the Ye Zhetian Corporation transit station in the Divine City.

Thank heaven and earth—he escaped before that crazy woman got home.

After drinking tea, baked cookies were served; during this time, the other pair of parents chatted with Su Lin about mundane matters, awkwardly and uncomfortably, leaving him restless.

Recalling the earlier experience, Su Lin would rather fight a battle against the Fallen Mother Goddess—even though the grass atop her grave was already three inches high.

Terrible—Yi Leina's father looked at him with sorrow and helplessness, occasionally uttering words Su Lin neither understood nor wished to understand.

"Brother, are you awake?"

He shook his head, shaking off the absurd experience from his mind.

I told you earlier—if I'd known your parents were home, I'd have left right after delivering the items.

I'm truly worn out by her—what's the point of using a tactic that kills eight hundred of your own while defeating a thousand enemies?

It served no purpose other than imprisoning me, Su, within the shell of "social expectations," forcing me to behave politely.

"Don't come again."

"What do you mean, again?"

"Having dinner with her parents."

"You met the parents already?"

Su Lin turned his head and locked eyes with a gray-haired girl who had just stepped out from behind him; he blinked.

"What are you doing here?" Su Lin asked, expressionless. The Simmons mattress he'd just manifested hadn't even been sat on yet, and here she came.

Star: "I don't play Star: Skyfall Iron Road."

"I don't play anymore," Su Lin said.

Star: "I play."

"Oh." Su Lin pulled a key from his clothing and handed it to Star. "Miss Kelaien's rental apartment. You can eat or drink anything inside."

Star nodded, took the key, and slipped it into her pocket.

"How's it going?" she asked curiously.

Su Lin smiled and pointed toward the front door.

"Oh." Star nodded, walking in the direction Su Lin indicated; just before she reached for the handle, she turned back and said: "You two—"

Swish—!

"Do you believe in light?"

A brilliant, flawless sun grew brighter in Su Lin's hand.

"Amen." Star made the sign of the cross over her chest and stepped through the door.

Su Lin gently tossed it—the radiant sun, radiating Bai Guang, exploded into dazzling fireworks in the sky above the Water Mirror Peak.

"Better to go home."

No matter how exquisite the delicacies outside may be, they can never fully replace the taste in memory.

Especially after eating a meal at someone else's home that carried such a familial flavor.

Honestly, that guy's cooking was better than I imagined.

Su Lin squinted, pulled out his phone, opened his album, and smiled faintly: "I got some interesting photos."

In the photo, a gray-haired girl, about three or four years old, had grass stuck to her head, snot running from her nose, tears clinging to her eyelashes—she'd clearly fallen and gotten up again, her expression stubborn and defiant.

"If only we could send emoji packs in the group chat…"

A children's bicycle stood parked in the hallway—probably a neighbor's.

Su Lin marveled at how fast time flew; before he knew it, the neighbor aunt had grandchildren. Back when he was in high school, his own father had worried about arranging a date for him, even asking Su's mother if she could help make introductions.

His own mother was a warmhearted woman—though a commoner, she knew plenty of regular customers and friends, and over time, she never missed learning which of their daughters were still single.

"Time, time—same soup, different herbs."

Recalling his final day before rebirth—still single at thirty, pressured to marry—Su Lin felt history repeating itself in a cruel loop.

"Hey, lucky I became a cultivator."

He unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Su Lin summoned objects from thin air, placing a crate of spirit fruits he'd picked from the Water Mirror Peak before returning onto the living room floor.

This move startled Su's father, who was sipping goji berry tea from an old cadre's ceramic cup.

"Why are you back again?" Su's father said, tone tinged with annoyance. "Who ever cultivates by running home every few days?"

Su Lin slipped on slippers and replied indifferently: "The sect is on break. The Su Zongzhu is on annual leave."

"What about the other teachers?" Su's father asked.

"Probably sacrificed," Su Lin said offhandedly. "Where's Mom?"

Su's father's mind went blank, as if struck—he instinctively pointed to the kitchen: "Cooking."

"You came back for dinner without calling ahead!" Su's mother complained from the kitchen. "Didn't steam your rice. Eat more vegetables."

"Fine," Su Lin didn't care—he was just there to taste.

Back in his room, he scheduled a game session with his childhood friends Fei Wei and Liu Dajun for the afternoon, planning to dominate them with cultivator-level tactics.

Bang bang!

Su's mother tapped lightly on the door—then pushed it open without waiting for a reply.

"Good timing—you're back just as the Jixia Academy opens in September. The authorities have already delivered your admission notice."

"Oh, just leave it there."

Su Lin had considered whether to go onto campus and experience some youthful life, but the thought of possibly being taken advantage of by Tuoni made him abandon the idea.

"Is It a Mistake That I, as God, Cultivate at Jixia Academy?", "Praise the Light and Chant Amitabha During the Apocalypse", "Reincarnation as the Supreme Immortal King", "The Heavenly Emperor on Campus"

All dismissed as abandoned drafts.

"There's another thing I want to discuss with you," Su's mother suddenly sat down beside him, her voice softening slightly: "Stop fiddling with your phone."

"What? My sect doesn't take connections, I have no influence there, and my cultivation is terrible," Su Lin thought she wanted him to help someone.

"Not that," Su's mother immediately corrected him. "Other matters—anyway, you have nothing else to do during this break."

Su Lin knew that tone too well.

She only used that tone when she wanted him to do something he might not want to do; if he refused after she spoke, it would end either with her being upset for two days or Su Lin giving in.

"I have an old classmate who worked with your father for over ten years—he even came to our home before. Do you remember Uncle Liu?" Su's mother asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I remember," Su Lin nodded, puzzled. "On the third day of Spring Festival in 2017, he sent me a 600-yuan red envelope, and you took it away."

"I was holding it for you!" Su's mother protested. "Do you think I didn't give red envelopes to other kids? Isn't it the same as me giving it to you?"

Su Lin's eyes went slightly blank. He'd expected another round of tedious chatter, but his mother swiftly ended the topic.

"Let me tell you something serious," Su's mother said. "Uncle Liu has a daughter, one year younger than you, also gifted—she got accepted into Jixia Academy."

Ding!

Su Lin glanced at the message on his phone. "Oh, congratulations. Are you inviting them to dinner, or are they inviting you?"

The county circle isn't large; good news spreads fast, and banquets are inevitable in such cases.

"Your brain should be sharper after cultivating," Su's mother patted Su Lin's head, messing up his hair. "It's dinner—but just our two families, no one else."

Su Lin looked up at his mother, confused. "Why? I have social anxiety. Can't I skip it?"

"You must go!" Su's mother revealed her firm stance on this matter.

This decisiveness gave Su Lin a bad feeling.

"I'll tell you—Uncle Liu's daughter just graduated. I've seen her photo—she's gorgeous, and she's a current student at a prestigious university. If Jixia Academy hadn't recruited her—"

"New notice from the sect: the Su Zongzhu ended his vacation early and ordered everyone back in two days," Su Lin said seriously.

"Fine," Su's mother glanced at his phone. "Tomorrow afternoon, you two have dinner together."

Su Lin nearly crushed his phone, forcing a smile. "Mom, I'm only in my early twenties and a cultivator—do cultivators really have arranged dates?"

Why is this happening even earlier than before my reincarnation!?

Why are you so obsessed with making your son go on a date!?

"Wealth, companionship, method, and land—all essential," said Su Xiangrong, leaning against the doorway, adjusting his high-prescription glasses. "That's how novels write it."

"No," Su Lin shook his head and stood up. "The sect told me to return today to transfer my personal file to Jixia Academy."

"I already told Uncle Liu! The girl's willing too!" Su's mother blocked the door. "Don't think I didn't see you going to the internet cafe with Fei Wei and Liu Dajun!"

Can't I go back to the sect after gaming?

"I think your mom's overstepping—this should be your own decision," Su Xiangrong sighed.

"But Uncle Liu's been coming by every day these past two days."

"Just go to dinner. If you like her, see where it goes; if not, forget it. If you really don't want to go, I'll explain to Uncle Liu—you don't have to worry."

Su Xiangrong looked like he understood his son, while Su's mother pleaded earnestly beside him.

Things like mutual support, just a simple dinner, she might not even like you anyway, it won't take long, and Uncle Liu always gives you red envelopes every Spring Festival—

All that sort of thing.

If Su Lin had to describe his feeling right now, it could only be three words: "People are numb."

Su Lin remembered something and immediately looked at the three-petal mark on the back of his right hand, resembling a "Command Seal."

One, two—only two petals left. Is this bad luck too!?

Su Lin slumped. "When? I'm really busy lately—another company's just been transferred into my name."

"Tomorrow! I'll call Uncle Liu right now," Su's mother smiled.

She happily ran out, contrasting with Su Lin's helpless expression.

People say returning home is for joy.

Why does my return home bring so much trouble?

"Why doesn't going to Yi Leina count?"

Su Lin couldn't understand it—with this mark, he feared even his lottery draws would go wrong.

He knew his mother's nature; he'd been used to it before reincarnation, and it was just a dinner, a formality—better to absorb one bad luck.

Consider it the sacrificial blade before the draw.

"Uncle Liu says it's fine," Su's mother waved her phone. "We just don't know if we can book a table at that French restaurant."

"When did we get a French restaurant around here?" Su Lin asked.

"Just recently—it's exactly the kind of place young people like," Su's mother picked up her phone to dial. Before leaving the doorway of Su Lin's room, she said:

"By the way, remember her name—Uncle Liu's daughter is Liu Ruyan."

"Hello?"

"Rules are made to be broken!"

"Nothing," Xing yawned, grabbing a bag of chips from beside her. "No money for a new car, no insurance, don't even give me access to online loans."

"French restaurant...?" Xing looked up, frozen.

"Wait!" Xing frantically exited her game and pulled a crumpled, wrinkled piece of paper from her pocket. "That-that—um!"

She cleared her throat and spoke in a cool yet melodious voice: "Chateau Joel Robuchon, Joel Robuchon at your service. How may I assist you?"

"How many?"

Above a gray-white mist, beneath the dome, within a grand and mysterious hall surrounded by swirling fog.

A long bronze table, with ten high-backed chairs on each side; several figures appeared upon the ancient, weathered stone chairs, all staring sharply at the man across from them, his head blurred and his form indistinct.

"The time has come; great matters are within reach." His voice was low but not heavy, as if speaking of something utterly ordinary.

Meng Qi raised his hand and said: "Mr. Fool, are you really going to do this? He might kill you."

"Heh." Kleen, controlling the puppet "World," said: "If I don't do this, he'll kill me anyway."

Xiao Yan: ""

Is this guy just giving up completely?

Indeed, Su Lin has repeatedly suggested silencing Mr. Fool forever.

"Moreover, I am not the mastermind behind this." Kleen's fingers tapped lightly. "Mr. Lu."

"My good brother Su has said: all my actions are aimed at securing my good brother's lifelong happiness!" Lu Mingfei slammed his fist on the bronze table, stood up, and declared:

"You, you, and all of you—do you really think you can escape?! When he arranged that family banquet for me, he was nothing but an ordinary Golden Core Stage God of Light!"

"Look at poor Mr. Fool—Gelmán Sparrow's blind date at the Serenzo Restaurant has already spread throughout the Tarot Society."

"Old Zhou, I'll ask you—did you finally choose Miss Justice or Miss Sharon?"

Laughter and murmurs rose clearly from below.

Kleen maintained a solemn expression, his face utterly devoid of emotional fluctuation:

"That year's Tokyo Love Story? Lu Mingfei attended a banquet at a Michelin restaurant—it was a hellish scene. When I arrived, he was sitting on his chair, sobbing uncontrollably."

"I believe Su Lin's contribution to establishing this soap opera's dominance is indispensable."

"Now, the chance to help him enjoy the protagonist's treatment is right before us—I must consider whether this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

Above the mist, crimson stars flickered beautifully, while inside the ancient giant hall, silence descended.

"Are you really going to do it?" Weigong Shilang raised his hand shakily: "He's our side's God."

"Then you only need to put your heart into preparing the food." Kleen gently pressed his right hand downward and smiled: "Mr. Weigong, God deserves a beautiful evening forever etched in the heart, doesn't He?"

Weigong Shilang stared blankly for a moment, then slowly nodded.

The arrow is on the string—it must be released.

"Then, I entrust this mission to you."

Kleen met the gazes around him, then suddenly turned his head toward a figure within the mist:

"Though I'm also curious—what exactly happened to him in your world earlier?"

Yi Leina lowered her hand from her face, her lips twitching twice: "Why must I be dragged into this?"

"Want to refuse?" Kleen's lips curled slightly at both corners, revealing a standard professional smile: "The reward is generous—paid collectively by all of us."

A wisp of mist dispersed, revealing several grimoires, sealed artifacts, precious spell components, spirit stones, divine sources, and other hard currency.

After a long silence, as if enduring fierce internal struggle and negotiation, Yi Leina gritted her teeth and said:

"More money."

Yes, this chapter. The author has labored through countless hardships to craft it meticulously. Just collecting.