Lin Xiao Tian moved through the trees, simultaneously circulating the Shen Nong Heart Method to rapidly heal his wounds.
The forest abounded with useful herbs, and as Lin Xiao Tian moved, he found many that could conceal his presence, perfect for dealing with the military dogs.
Soon, Lin Xiao Tian could no longer hear the dogs, but the crisis had not passed.
Along the way, Lin Xiao Tian encountered a small team, and they actually discovered him.
Lin Xiao Tian escaped narrowly, but sustained some considerable injuries.
Yet, strangely, as far as Lin Xiao Tian could tell, they shouldn't have found him. He had concealed himself very well, and when he was discovered, he had been in their blind spot.
With this lesson learned, Lin Xiao Tian became much more cautious. His current plan was to stall for time, confident that when the Lin family realized he was missing, they would come looking for him.
He just didn't know how long he could hold out.
Lin Xiao Tian felt a sense of uncertainty.
At that moment, he was within the encirclement of at least four or five teams. They were searching meticulously and not operating independently.
If this continued, he would be found within half an hour.
Lin Xiao Tian pondered.
As he frowned in worry, he suddenly overheard a conversation from one of the teams.
"In this sweltering heat, using a thermal imager to find someone is truly a tough job."
The speaker was a person holding a strange instrument. If he was right, that device was a thermal imager.
A thermal imager could capture the temperature of its surroundings. Even if they couldn't see Lin Xiao Tian, as long as the image displayed on the instrument showed a temperature inconsistent with the surrounding environment, they could pinpoint his location.
"Stop complaining. This mission is crucial. If we fail, none of us will survive," the nearby team member responded indifferently.
Lin Xiao Tian heard their conversation clearly.
Lin Xiao Tian had seen thermal imagers, a piece of high technology, in movies. He hadn't expected to experience it firsthand, though the experience was far from pleasant.
However, now that he understood their methods, Lin Xiao Tian had a countermeasure.
Since they were using temperature to find him, he could use temperature to prevent them from finding him.
Lin Xiao Tian adjusted his body's aura, and the next moment, he blended completely with his surroundings.
A team walked below, searching everywhere for Lin Xiao Tian, but to no avail. Lin Xiao Tian was directly above them.
About an hour later, Lin Xiao Tian heard a helicopter passing overhead.
The search teams on the ground withdrew. Lin Xiao Tian guessed they might be from the Lin family.
But Lin Xiao Tian didn't move rashly. He continued to wait until a familiar figure appeared before him.
The old lady had come in person!
Seeing the worried look in the old lady's eyes, Lin Xiao Tian felt a surge of warmth. The old lady had taken a great risk coming here at her age, yet she had still come to find him.
Lin Xiao Tian sensed his surroundings, confirmed the absence of the enemies he had seen earlier, and then emerged from the forest.
As Lin Xiao Tian appeared, a group of armed bodyguards called out to him. The old lady reacted first, running directly to Lin Xiao Tian.
"Are you alright?"
The old lady carefully scanned Lin Xiao Tian, afraid of seeing any injuries. When she saw the blood-stained fabric on his clothes, her hands began to tremble.
"Haha, it's nothing. Just a few superficial wounds," Lin Xiao Tian chuckled.
The old lady shot him a glare. "Then isn't the blood on it yours?"
"That part is mine," Lin Xiao Tian admitted, scratching his head.
"So you are injured!" the old lady declared, then shouted to those behind her, "Doctor! Quickly, come and see!"
Lin Xiao Tian wanted to say he was the doctor, but the old lady had clearly forgotten.
Under the protection of the Lin family's retinue, Lin Xiao Tian returned smoothly.
Initially, Lin Xiao Tian was not supposed to return to the Lin family, but after everything that had happened, the old lady couldn't bear to leave him outside.
As they parted ways, the old lady severely reprimanded Lin Xiao and the heads of the branch families, even threatening to remove them from their positions as family heads.
However, when she said this, she looked at Lin Xiao Tian intentionally.
Lin Xiao Tian knew the old lady was waiting for him to intervene, and he understood what she wanted him to do.
"Grandma, it's not their fault. I never expected Liang Xu to betray me."
"Such a serious matter, and you think I will forgive them? What about the Lin family's rules?"
"Grandma, I'm fine, aren't I? Let's let it go this time. The family heads reacted quickly enough," Lin Xiao Tian said with a slight smile.
The old lady sighed, then turned to glare at Lin Xiao and the others. "This will not happen again."
The family heads, as if granted a reprieve, expressed their gratitude profusely to Lin Xiao Tian and the old lady.
The old lady said nothing further and led Lin Xiao Tian to the car.
In the car, the old lady was very pleased with Lin Xiao Tian's performance.
She had looked at Lin Xiao Tian earlier precisely because she wanted him to plead for mercy. This way, the branch family heads would owe Lin Xiao Tian a favor, and they would be more loyal to him if he were to control the family in the future.
Of course, the old lady was not joking when she spoke of removing the family heads; she had the power to do so.
"For the next few days, you will stay in Jiang City. We'll deal with the matter of the assassins after this round of family activities is concluded," the old lady sighed.
She was now very worried about Lin Xiao Tian's safety, but the identity verification this time was also very important, and Lin Xiao Tian had to pass this hurdle.
Lin Xiao Tian nodded. It had been an accident this time; he truly hadn't anticipated Liang Xu's betrayal.
"Have you found the mastermind?" the old lady asked Lin Xiao Tian calmly.
Lin Xiao Tian nodded.
"Don't touch him yet. Wait until these few days are over," the old lady continued.
Upon returning to the Lin family, Lin Xiao Tian took a few pills and then began to cultivate.
Qin Yu Xiang was diligently practicing. Lin Xiao Tian's attempts at intimacy were gently but firmly refused.
Seeing Qin Yu Xiang so focused, Lin Xiao Tian felt happy. At least she now had something she enjoyed doing.
The next few days passed without any further incidents.
What is real cannot be faked, and what is fake cannot endure.
Lin Xiao Tian being a member of the Lin family was a fact. No matter how it was tested, the result would be the same.
As a legitimate descendant, Lin Xiao Tian received the confirmation of the Lin family's branch families. The next day, the old lady announced Lin Xiao Tian's status as the family heir.
After the announcement ceremony, Lin Xiao Tian prepared to return to his room and encountered Lin Li Wen on the way.
Lin Li Wen looked troubled, and upon seeing Lin Xiao Tian, she seemed to hesitate to speak.
"What's wrong?" Lin Xiao Tian asked.
Seeing Lin Li Wen still reluctant to speak, Lin Xiao Tian softened his tone. "We are family now. You can tell me anything, anytime."
Seeing this, Lin Li Wen finally spoke. "Xiao Tian, Wen Hua is missing. I told my mother to look for him, and it's been several days with no news. I think Mother has been too busy with your matters lately to pay much attention. Can you help me?"
Lin Li Wen said this while rubbing her belly.
Seeing Lin Li Wen's demeanor, Lin Xiao Tian sighed.
"Alright! I'll help you find him!"
"Really? Thank you so much."
"What thanks are needed? We are family."
"Mm!" Lin Li Wen beamed a bright smile.
Lin Xiao Tian turned to leave, a look of helplessness on his face.
What should he do next?