Chapter 548: Take You Out to Play

At the dining table.

Yu Lin sat to one side, watching Li Er opposite him, head down, dealing with the fish head.

That little mud monkey has already washed, changed into clean clothes, his hair still wet and sticking to his forehead.

He held the crispy-roasted fish head with both hands, gnawing at it with great focus, oil smeared around his mouth.

Li Shi sat beside Li Er, head lowered, carefully picking out fish bones.

She picked out the good fish meat, placing one piece in Li Er's bowl and another in Yu Lin's bowl.

Her movements were practiced and natural, as if she had done it countless times over the past six years.

Yu Lin looked at the tender fish slice in his bowl, then glanced at Li Shi's lowered side profile, and suddenly spoke:

"Li Er."

Li Er lifted his head, still holding half a fish head bone in his mouth, and responded indistinctly:

"What?"

Yu Lin looked at him and said slowly:

"Yao Xian is coming back tomorrow; do you want to go out and play with him for a few days this time?"

Li Er froze for a moment.

Then he spat out the fish head bone in his mouth, and his eyes lit up instantly.

"Yes yes yes!" He nodded repeatedly, forgot about the fish, lay on the table, eyes sparkling as he stared at Yu Lin, "Where are we going to play?!"

This kid, indeed very lively and active.

Yu Lin, however, did not answer him right away. He just cracked a smile, revealing a meaningful smile.

"You want to, right?"

Li Er nodded, looking at him pleadingly.

"Then you have to make a deal with me."

Li Er scratched his head, somewhat puzzled: "What deal?"

Yu Lin pointed at himself.

"If you call me father, I'll let him take you out to play."

The words fell.

Li Er's brows furrowed.

He tilted his head to look at Yu Lin, then turned to look at Li Shi sitting nearby, a complex expression flitting across his small face.

In that expression there was hesitation, struggle, and a hint of—indescribable resistance.

After a while, he spoke:

"This..."

He paused, as if weighing his words, then looked seriously at Yu Lin and said:

"Yu Lin, if you like my mother, just tell her directly; no need to beat around the bush."

Pfft—

Yu Lin almost couldn't hold back.

Li Shi beside him instantly flushed red, raised her hand to cover Li Er's mouth, and said angrily:

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Li Er struggled with muffled sounds, but his eyes still sparkled as he looked at Yu Lin, full of the mischievous thought "Was I right or not?"

Yu Lin shook his head helplessly.

"I just want to be your foster father." He said, his tone half-laughing, half-exasperated:

"Am I not good to you?"

Li Er blinked.

"Just tell me whether you agree or not." Yu Lin looked at him.

Li Er fell silent.

He lowered his head, the struggle on his face deepening.

To be honest, he wanted to call out directly.

Yu Lin has been good to him.

From childhood, Yu Lin occasionally took him out to play and would bring him some tasty treats.

Calling him foster father wouldn't be a big deal.

But deep down, a voice kept saying—

"No."

"If I call him, I'll regret it."

It seemed like two little people were whispering in his ears.

One little person shouted: "Call! Call! Call and you'll get to go out and play! Besides, you won't lose any meat!"

The other little person shook his head seriously: "Don't call, don't call! If you call, you'll definitely regret it! Believe me!"

Li Er bit his lip, torn for a while.

Finally, he gritted his teeth, lifted his head, and shook his head at Yu Lin.

"Never mind, never mind." He said, with a hint of reluctance but still insisting, "I'm still young; I should stay in the village for now and go out when I'm older."

Yu Lin looked at him, a flash of understanding crossing his eyes.

Indeed, it wasn't that simple.

He nodded, not pressing further.

"Like that." He said, then shifted tone, "If I don't let you call, you can still follow Yao Xian out."

Are you going?

Go!

Li Er nodded almost instantly, without a hint of hesitation, so quickly it seemed he feared Yu Lin might change his mind.

Of course I'm going!

Yu Lin shook his head and laughed.

Now that you've agreed, it's quick, but having you call me father is really hard.

He stood up.

Alright, rest well these few days.

I'm full, you all eat slowly.

He turned and walked toward the door.

Behind him, Li Shi watched his back, neither speaking to detain him nor offering any comment.

She simply sat there silently, her gaze falling on the chopsticks in her hand.

She had seen Yao Xian's strength before.

And Li Er...

She lifted her head and glanced at the child who was burying his head in eating fish, as if nothing had just happened.

Based on the omen at his birth, probably no one in the world could harm him.

Going out to see the world isn't bad either.

She withdrew her gaze, then picked up a vegetable with her chopsticks and put it into Li Er's bowl.

Eat more, you're at the age to grow...

The next day.

Familiar bird calls came from outside the village, accompanied by a howling gust that startled the village's chickens and ducks into frantic flight, while the dogs retreated to their dens, not daring to make a sound.

The villagers of Qu Ren Li had long grown accustomed to it; they merely glanced up at the huge flying bird in the sky, then lowered their heads and went on with their chores.

The giant bird landed at the village entrance.

Yao Xian leapt from the bird's back, raised his hand and patted the giant bird's neck, signaling it to wait there.

He glanced down at his attire, then adjusted the jade ornament hanging at his waist, took a deep breath, and strode into the village.

Over these years, he has become a regular here.

Or rather, he has become the 'Yu Lin spokesperson' in everyone's eyes.

Originally, Yu Lin had him go to the rulers of various countries to deliver messages, and he did as instructed.

Later, Yu Lin told him to stay here, and he complied.

Afterward, Yu Lin indeed passed him a set of methods.

That method...

Whenever Yao Xian thinks of it, he can't help but sigh with emotion.

It's not some earth-shattering divine ability, just a set of casting mnemonics.

But that mnemonic allows fast casting, great power, low consumption; compared to what he learned before, it's worlds apart.

For example, before he would perform a technique, needing to chant a long incantation, coordinate movements, expending most of his energy, yet the power could only destroy a single mu of land.

Now he performs the same technique, needing only to recite a few lines of the mnemonic, make a simple motion, expending a trifle of energy, yet the power can directly collapse a hill!

This is a dimensional strike.

Li Da Zhu Fei.

Perfect numerical charm!

Relying on this method, over these years his status among the shamans has risen dramatically, faintly already becoming the leader.

Those once lofty grand shamans now, upon seeing him, all politely salute and greet him.

But precisely because of this, he can feel all the more deeply——

Yu Lin's unfathomable depth.

The stronger he becomes, the more he can sense the boundlessness of that figure.

Each time he stands before Yu Lin, he feels a strange sensation: like an ant on the seashore, looking up sees only endless water, nothing else.

He walked to the front of the two wooden houses and stopped.

Yu Lin sat on the chair before the door, not knowing what he held in his hand, his gaze falling on the distant fields, as if viewing scenery, yet as if seeing nothing.

Yao Xian took a deep breath, stepped forward a few paces, and bowed.

Greetings, sir.