"Will you take me back with you then?" Qin Cong seized the opportunity to ask.
"What for?" Lin Yan retorted.
"Isn't the ugly son-in-law supposed to meet the father-in-law!" Qin Cong pressed on shamelessly.
His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he looked at Lin Yan, making it hard to refuse any of his requests.
"I don't think bringing you back is a good idea. You'll scare my parents," Lin Yan said indifferently, turning her head away.
"So, you don't object to me being called an ugly son-in-law?" Qin Cong beamed with joy.
He understood that Lin Yan was not someone who could overlook loopholes in her words. Her silence proved she acknowledged their relationship.
"Are you ugly?" Lin Yan asked with a smile.
"Compared to exquisite beauty, my face is indeed rather plain."
"Flirtatious!" Lin Yan chided him softly, but a smile played on her lips.
An unverified rumor began to circulate quietly within the martial arts world: the tomb of Meng Zhang, known as the "Earthly Immortal," had been discovered.
It was said that the treasure map belonging to the tomb-guarding clan was stolen. However, due to a dispute among the thieves over the spoils, the map was damaged and split into five pieces, now scattered.
The reason this news spread was that the tomb-guarding clan emerged to search for the thieves. However, having been reclusive for so long, they were too naive and were easily deceived.
Not only was all their money swindled away, but they also divulged crucial information. This led to the knowledge of the map to Meng Zhang's tomb.
Those who received this information, realizing their own martial prowess was insufficient to claim such a prize, sold the news to Ting Feng Lou.
Ting Feng Lou was Qin Cong's intelligence organization. Although it had not been established for long, in recent years, due to its generous rewards and comprehensive intelligence, it had rapidly become the largest intelligence network in the jianghu.
Upon receiving this news, Ting Feng Lou dispatched people to investigate its veracity. It was precisely due to Ting Feng Lou's actions that the martial arts world caught wind of the story. Subsequently, the news could no longer be contained.
After the leak, Ting Feng Lou no longer concealed its interest and began offering high prices for the map and detailed information about the group of thieves.
For a time, everyone abandoned their interest in the rankings of jianghu tabloids and focused on the news of the map. After all, it was the tomb of the Earthly Immortal Meng Zhang!
It was rumored that the Earthly Immortal was on the verge of achieving "shattering the void," and he hailed from a prominent aristocratic family, possessing profound knowledge of medicine. One could only imagine the treasures within that tomb!
After a year's absence, Lin Yan once again set foot on the land of Lishan Town. In over a year, Lishan Town had changed even more dramatically.
It could no longer be called a town; Lishan Town's scale had grown to that of a small city.
People bustled to and fro, their spirits high and their demeanor optimistic. Whether walking or riding, everyone wore a smile.
The number of shops in the town had increased, new streets had been laid, and houses had been renovated thanks to the new brick kilns.
This was where Lin Yan's endeavors had begun, and she was gratified by the town's transformation, anticipating its further betterment.
Upon arriving at the Lishan Sword Sect, her father once again greeted her at the entrance. This reminded Lin Yan of her first return to the Lishan Sword Sect when she first arrived in this world.
Her father waited for her at the entrance, and her mother would prepare everything she needed. In the blink of an eye, she had been in this world for three years.
During these three years, she had found her direction for self-improvement and her lover.
Yes, she had recognized Qin Cong as Liang Minghao, though for some reason, his name this time did not contain characters with the same pronunciation as "hao." Yet, she had recognized him instantly, just as he would love her again even without his memories.
Lin Yan immediately stepped forward and linked her arm with her father's. "Daddy, Yan'er missed you so much!"
"You say you missed me, but you've been gone for over a year and haven't thought of home at all. You've truly become wild!" Father Lin tapped Lin Yan's head with his finger.
"Not at all! I had important matters to attend to!" Lin Yan said playfully.
Actually, she should have brought Qin Cong back with her. That way, he could have absorbed all her parents' "fiery" attention, and they wouldn't have had time to fuss over her.
However, she had crucial business this time. After all, the day the Lishan Sword Sect was annihilated in the original story was fast approaching, and she had to return to personally witness that this catastrophe had truly passed.
"What important matters do you have! Little Six and the others reported back that your affairs there were long concluded, yet you were nowhere to be seen!"
Father Lin was somewhat displeased. His daughter was already of marriageable age. She had little time left to spend with him, and now she had been gone for over a year. He was experiencing the pain of a daughter marrying far away, prematurely.
"I'll tell you tonight, Father. Regardless, these are important matters. Where is Mother? How has she been recently? Is she still taking the tonic?"
Lin Yan changed the subject. She could only discuss her actions with her father. After all, the Lishan Sword Sect was a martial arts sect, and they were all people of the martial world. If they knew what she had done, it would undoubtedly affect her relationships with her fellow disciples.
Mentioning Mother Lin, Father Lin's expression became somewhat subtle, but he did not conceal it from Lin Yan.
"Your mother is resting in her room!"
"Mother is resting? What's wrong? Why is she still resting at this hour?" Lin Yan asked worriedly.
Usually, at this time, her mother would be reviewing accounts or drinking tea in the courtyard. Why would she still be resting, especially since she had informed them in advance of her return today?
"Junior Sister, Madam is pregnant and has been quite sleepy, which is why she's still resting," a female disciple standing nearby explained, seeing Father Lin's hesitation. Her tone was filled with joy.
Lin Yan looked at her father in surprise. He nodded sheepishly.
Lin Yan was already considered an older daughter. Furthermore, her mother had a difficult childbirth when she was born, so her health had not been good since then, and she had not become pregnant again.
But now, her mother, who was approaching her late fifties, was pregnant again. This...
She thought this might be her own doing. After all, her tonic pills were too effective, dispelling all lingering ailments from her parents, thus leading to this younger sibling who would be nearly seventeen or eighteen years younger than her.
"Is Mother's health alright?" Being pregnant at such an advanced age, even with the tonic pills and her continuous martial arts training, would place a great burden on her body.
"Your mother is fine, just very sleepy. She sometimes falls asleep even while eating. Aren't you studying medicine? Take her pulse later and see if there are any issues," Father Lin reassured Lin Yan, fearing she might worry.
"Then I'll go see Mother now!"
Lin Yan immediately released her father's arm and used her Qinggong to head directly towards her parents' courtyard.