Chapter Ninety-One: In This Life, Having Me Is Enough

The night was always so long. Beside a pile of campfire, Jiang Lin sat quietly. On one side of him was his senior sister, and on the other, two female cultivators from the Dragon Gate Sect. Between Jiang Lin and the female cultivators sat Qin Xiao.

“Brother Qin, why don’t you sit over there?”

“Yes, Brother Qin, we need to discuss scholarly matters with the gentleman.”

The two female disciples tugged insistently at Qin Xiao’s sleeve, eager for him to move aside. Why should a man sit next to the gentleman, especially when he wasn’t practicing the ‘Purple Qi Rising from the East’? Truth be told, Qin Xiao also wanted to get up, but he simply didn’t dare.

Earlier, Lin Qingwan had sent a message directly to Qin Xiao’s mind, instructing him to sit between the gentleman and the two junior sisters, to avoid disturbing the gentleman. Who would dare disobey the senior sister? What if she decided to make things difficult for him in the future?

Moreover, the more his junior sisters begged him to move, the less Qin Xiao wanted to do so! On the road earlier, they called him ‘Brother’ so sweetly, but at the sight of a handsome scholar, they immediately shoved him aside! Why? Hmph! Jiang Lin was right, women are like pickled chicken feet—spicy, fickle, and hard to grasp!

But...

Qin Xiao glanced at Senior Sister Lin. He felt her attitude toward this man was somehow different. Her gaze was gentle, as it was when she looked at Jiang Lin; her tone carried a hint of restraint, even a touch of nervousness, as if afraid her voice might not sound pleasant.

Could it be that Senior Sister is also a fan of chicken feet? She used to like Jiang Lin, and now, in the blink of an eye, she fancies this scholar? No, impossible—she’s not that kind of person. Though, this scholar is perhaps even more handsome than Jiang Lin. Not entirely impossible...

“Oh my! Jiang Lin, you’re really out of luck...” Qin Xiao resolved that if he ever met Jiang Lin again, he would treat him to green tea under the lush spring trees.

Lin Qingwan had no idea of Qin Xiao’s thoughts. Instead, she grew increasingly convinced that this scholar resembled Jiang Lin, yet in certain details, he was not quite the same.

For instance, when she handed him something from the side, Jiang Lin would usually take it with his left hand, whereas this man used both hands. Or when she bent over to pick something up, purposely letting her guard down—Jiang Lin’s gaze would always linger at her neckline, but this scholar’s eyes remained fixed on the fire. (Of course, even if he looked, he would see nothing; she had already cast spells at her collar, so apart from Little Lin, no man could take advantage of her!)

Another example: she deliberately mentioned, “I’ve had some stomach pain lately.” If it were Little Lin, he would say, “Take care, drink more hot water.” But this scholar rattled off an entire prescription.

Even so, Lin Qingwan’s doubt toward this scholar only deepened.

Meanwhile, Jiang Lin was pondering how to infiltrate the Dragon Gate Sect’s team as a mortal. He had already sealed his spiritual apertures; if he claimed to be a cultivator, the senior sister, already suspicious, would surely become more doubtful.

Most importantly, he had stepped into the View-Sea Realm. After the Cave-Dwelling stage, a sword cultivator’s spiritual power and sword qi gradually merge—each thread of spiritual energy becomes a strand of sword qi, even sword intent. His ‘First Snow Sword Qi’ could not be hidden.

Thus, Jiang Lin could only blend in as an ordinary scholar. He had already found his opening: he would use his handsome face to join them, following the two junior sisters as a traveling student. These two junior sisters were obviously new to the Dragon Gate Sect, which explained their cheerful attitude toward missions—it felt more like an outing. If he played the role of the charming scholar, they would surely plead with the senior sister on his behalf.

Ordinary male disciples who pestered the senior sister ended up meeting her sword, but female disciples were different. The senior sister treated them like younger sisters, soft-hearted and attentive.

“Little Lin.”

As the group sat around the fire, Jiang Lin lost in thought, Lin Qingwan suddenly turned to him and called his name.

Jiang Lin parted his lips, about to respond with a soft “Hmm?” But the husky lying nearby must have been dreaming—it suddenly bit his hand, swallowing the word before it left his lips.

“What did Senior Sister just say?”

Jiang Lin turned his head with a smile, prying the husky’s jaws from his hand.

[Good heavens! That was close!]

A cold sweat broke out on Jiang Lin’s brow. If the husky hadn’t bitten him, he would have exposed himself. Where had Senior Sister learned such tricks? Too cunning. Could it be the sect had gained some exceptionally shrewd junior sisters?

Without me, the Dragon Gate Sect’s atmosphere deteriorates so easily!

Lin Qingwan shook her head at Jiang Lin’s innocent, handsome smile. “It’s nothing... You just resemble one of my junior brothers.”

“Pfft...”

As Lin Qingwan spoke, Jiang Lin—who had just uncapped his water flask—sprayed water everywhere.

“Are you all right, sir...?”

“Cough, cough... I’m fine, truly.” Jiang Lin wiped his mouth. “I just choked, forgive me.”

“Your junior brother resembles me?”

Jiang Lin had not seen his current face, so he genuinely did not know his appearance. But that couldn’t be—his face was supposed to be ‘outlandishly handsome,’ while he himself was ‘unparalleled in beauty.’

“There’s a hint of similarity in the brows.”

Lin Qingwan poked at the firewood, her expression tinged with disappointment.

“Did your junior brother upset you?”

Lin Qingwan shook her head.

“Not at all. My junior brother is lively and mischievous. Though he’s rather unreliable, he’s gentle. His ideas are wild and strange. At first, I feared I couldn’t keep up with him, but he always took time to explain things to me. Even when I didn’t understand, he’d simply smile at me.

But...”

“But?”

“But my junior brother was forcibly defiled by a fox-woman’s dirty tricks. This trip to Eastern Forest City is partly to solve its mysteries, and partly to bring my junior brother back to the sect. For the rest of his life, I will protect him.”

“???”

Listening to Lin Qingwan, Jiang Lin felt three bewildered question marks pop up in his mind.

[Dirty tricks?]

[Defiled?]

What on earth? He was still a child—how could he be defiled? He only sold his talents, never his body...

Wait, could it be that the Ancestor believed his sore waist that night was due to some unspeakable act? But hadn’t he explained that he just hit the table?

“Forgive me, sir. I was deliberately testing you just now. Please don’t take offense.”

“It’s nothing...” Jiang Lin forced a smile. “But... Miss, if your junior brother doesn’t wish to return to the sect, what will you do?”

Lin Qingwan frowned. “Then he must have been bewitched by the fox-woman. If there’s no other way, I’ll break Little Lin’s legs and bring him back.”

“...”

Lin Qingwan rose, gazing up at the dilapidated ceiling, as if recalling the face of the one in her heart. After a long moment, she smiled sweetly.

“Little Lin, having me in this life is enough for you.” (Her heart’s voice)