Wang Lin Appears!

After spending an hour copying the 『Dragon-Elephant Golden Body Art』, he tucked the copy away safely and slipped the original into his robe.

Afterward, he had lunch and escorted Shen Momo to her private school.

The little girl skipped ahead of him, a small cloth bag slung over her back. When they reached the courtyard of the school, her round face lit up with a bright smile, and she waved to Shen Xiuhan.

“Big Brother, I'm off to school!”

“Go on!”

Shen Xiuhan watched her run into the inner hall before turning around to head back toward the Mei Courtyard. He intended to ask Jiang Qinghong about the origins of those two bottles of medicinal pills.

However, he had only walked a few steps when he felt a sudden vibration against his chest.

His expression shifted slightly. Stepping into a quiet alleyway, he reached into his robe and pulled out an object.

The 『Four Seas Heart-Linking Disc』!

On this spiritual jade platter, several blue dots flickered faintly around the white dot representing his own position.

Shen Xiuhan understood immediately.

When they left the Wang family estate last time, Xiao Wu had mentioned that once he finished investigating the Bai family, he would use this device to contact everyone and gather for a discussion. It seemed today was the day!

Without hesitation, Shen Xiuhan followed the guidance and walked briskly toward his destination.

After crossing two streets, he stopped outside a restaurant.

Zuixian Restaurant!

Three gilded characters hung high above the entrance, written in a powerful, vigorous hand.

The restaurant was three stories tall, featuring upturned eaves and beautifully carved, painted pillars. It was a long-established, highly prestigious establishment in the Inner City.

Back when Shen Xiuhan was still in the outer courtyard of the Mei Family Martial Arts Hall, Luo Qiaoqian, a member of a branch of the Luo family, had invited him here for a small gathering in an attempt to recruit him.

He had declined back then.

He never expected that he would end up coming to this place after all.

He stepped over the threshold.

The inner hall was spacious and elegant, with landscape paintings and calligraphy scrolls hanging on the walls. In a corner, a large celadon vat held several swimming koi fish.

The waiter was quick-eyed. He immediately rushed over with a beaming smile. “Welcome, sir! What would you like to eat today?”

Shen Xiuhan waved his hand. He had already spotted an unfamiliar figure waving to him from the stairs.

“Brother Shen, over here.”

Shen Xiuhan walked over, quietly sizing up the other man.

The man wore martial robes and a face mask, making it hard to gauge his depth. However, his empty right eye socket lent him a somewhat fierce and menacing aura.

“I am Song Huatang...”

The man's voice was raspy, but his tone was quite warm. He cupped his hands and said:

“During the Martial Feast arena tournament, Brother Xiao Wu and I witnessed your swordsmanship firsthand. It was truly magnificent!”

Song Huatang...

The son of Song Hengjiang, the former master of the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall!

Realization dawned on Shen Xiuhan.

Back then, Han Li had personally gone to the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall and crippled Zhao Honggang specifically to rescue this man.

“So you are Brother Song. Forgive my lack of manners,” Shen Xiuhan replied, returning the gesture.

“Brother Shen, you are too polite.”

Song Huatang squeezed out a smile and stepped aside. “Please, go upstairs. Brother Xiao Wu is already waiting for you.”

Shen Xiuhan nodded and walked up the stairs.

Parting the bamboo curtain of the private room on the second floor, he saw walls lined with pale green silk, adorned with a painting of a boat floating in the misty rain. A window faced the street, offering a view of the bustling crowds below.

In the center of the room stood a round table set with several plates of fresh fruit, pastries, and two celadon wine flasks.

Four people were already seated inside.

Xiao Wen sat to the side, pouring tea and wine for everyone.

Ji Ning sat with his black sword hanging at his waist, his gaze fixed on the street scene outside the window.

Luo Tangyin sat to the right of Xiao Wu, wearing a pale purple dress with her hair swept up in a high bun, quietly eating a pastry.

“Brother Shen is here!”

Seeing Shen Xiuhan enter, Xiao Wu poured him a cup of wine and smiled.

“We are still waiting on two more. Please have a seat and wait a moment, Brother Shen.”

Shen Xiuhan had no objections. He found a seat in the corner, picked up his cup, and took a small sip.

The wine was top-grade Lihua Bai. It was smooth on the palate and left a sweet, mellow aftertaste.

After waiting for about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, footsteps finally echoed from the stairwell.

Han Li arrived first.

Still dressed in his usual green robes, he cupped his hands to everyone, found an empty seat, and sat down without saying a word.

Not long after, another towering figure lifted the curtain and entered the room.

When Shen Xiuhan saw this person, his eyes flickered slightly.

It was actually his senior brother!

Wang Lin!

He had just been wondering earlier when Wang Lin would show himself so he could hand over the 『Dragon-Elephant Golden Body Art』...

To think they would meet right here!

At the same time, what puzzled him even more was that Wang Lin actually knew Xiao Wu.

Moreover, since Xiao Wu had invited him, it meant Wang Lin also possessed a 『Four Seas Heart-Linking Disc』. This indicated that their relationship was far from ordinary!

Dressed in black, Wang Lin had a cold face and a sharp, capable bearing. He exuded a battle-hardened, murderous aura that felt completely out of place in the relaxed atmosphere of the private room.

Upon entering, he habitually swept his gaze over everyone in the room.

But when his eyes fell on Shen Xiuhan, his brow twitched, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Shen Xiuhan calmly gave him a slight nod in greeting.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Xiao Wu, Wang Lin walked over and sat down beside Shen Xiuhan, whispering:

“I didn't expect you to know Brother Xiao Wu, Junior Brother.”

“A stroke of luck and happenstance, that's all,” Shen Xiuhan smiled.

Without beating around the bush, he got straight to the point.

“Senior Brother... did you and Senior Sister return to Changyun County this time to pursue someone?”

“Hmm?”

Wang Lin's expression changed instantly. His eyes narrowed as he locked his gaze onto Shen Xiuhan.

“Who... told you about this?”

“No one told me...”

Shen Xiuhan shook his head with a smile, set down his wine cup, and said softly:

“It's just that yesterday, I happened to kill a short-sighted thief. I found a cultivation manual on him, and at the end of it, there were the personal insights of a very prominent figure. Connecting that with how mysteriously you and Senior Sister have been acting since your return, I simply made a bold guess...”

“...”

Wang Lin was momentarily speechless.

He paused for a moment, scanning Shen Xiuhan's face up and down.

Shen Xiuhan's expression was perfectly calm, his eyes as still as water. There wasn't a single trace of jesting in his demeanor.

Wang Lin took a deep breath, his heart beginning to thud in his chest. He lowered his voice:

“Junior Brother Shen... this is no joking matter...”

Shen Xiuhan smiled faintly. Without another word, he reached into his robe, pulled out the manual, and slid it gently across the table to Wang Lin.

『Dragon-Elephant Golden Body Art』!

Staring at those five words, Wang Lin's eyes trembled. He instinctively reached out to flip open the pages. When he saw the signature at the very end, his breathing suddenly grew heavy.

“This... This is...”

Wang Lin's voice went dry. He snapped his head up, staring intently at Shen Xiuhan, his eyes filled with sheer disbelief.

“Tian Ping'an... was killed by you?!”

Shen Xiuhan merely smiled, taking a sip from his wine cup without confirming or denying.

Wang Lin exhaled deeply and leaned back in his chair, his gaze incredibly complex as he stared at his young junior brother.

Frankly, he was not unfamiliar with Shen Xiuhan.

He had sensed his blood qi in a mere sixteen days and was accepted into the inner courtyard by their master. He had also heard that the boy was skilled at preparing fish dishes, making him highly favored by Mei Shuangfeng.

At the martial arts hall gathering that day, he could tell their master intended to pave the way for this kid. As his senior brother, it was only natural for him to look out for him within his abilities.

Unfortunately, the boy had no interest in joining the military, choosing instead to forge a path in the martial sects. That meant he had nothing to do with Wang Lin.

Later, he heard that this junior brother had shone brilliantly at the Martial Feast, taking a spot in the top three and being hailed alongside other geniuses as one of the Six Prodigies of Changyun...

Wang Lin had merely laughed it off upon hearing the news, not taking it to heart.

Why?

Because he, too, had started in a martial arts hall.