I’ve learned my lesson.

Lin Xiao let out a rueful laugh, rose, and bowed respectfully to Zhao Yunzhong.

“I’ve learned my lesson.”

Whether the former ruler had truly died because he tried to absorb the Imperial Seal, as Zhao Yunzhong claimed, no longer mattered. What mattered was that Zhao Yunzhong had successfully told Lin Xiao everything he wanted him to know.

The situation had thus changed. Lin Xiao had originally known only a small part of the secrets surrounding the Zhao imperial family’s Imperial Seal, but now he had been forced to learn part of the secrets of every nation and its Imperial Seal.

The Lord of Zhao, meanwhile, had gone from having a private matter in another person’s hands to having leverage over Lin Xiao.

Of course, what he held over Lin Xiao involved the secrets of every nation. It could not possibly be used lightly in exchange for Lin Xiao alone.

In this matter, the two of them were now grasshoppers tied to the same rope.

Regardless of what kind of person Lin Xiao was, he could no longer easily reveal these secrets.

Zhao Yunzhong smiled and nodded.

“Fellow Daoist Lin is an upright and benevolent man. I felt an instant affinity with you. I hope we’ll have many more opportunities to interact in the future.”

Lin Xiao rose with a smile.

“Of course. I also feel that the Lord of Zhao and I are very much kindred spirits. I may have to trouble you often in the future, so I hope you won’t grow tired of me.”

A cooperative relationship in which both sides exchanged secrets and held leverage over one another was the most stable kind.

This could also be considered a suitable foundation for future diplomatic relations between the Lingxian Sect and the Huanyou Kingdom.

However, Lin Xiao did not take the opportunity to bring up the matter of establishing relations.

For one thing, after their earlier exchange, it was clear that he had been at a disadvantage. Once he fell behind, it would not be easy to catch up. This was not the right time for negotiations.

For another, Zhao Yunzhong was currently at his lowest point. Friendly cooperation should be discussed when both parties were in a respectable position. Bringing it up while the other party was down and he himself was sitting comfortably might seem like taking advantage of someone’s misfortune, which would not benefit the healthy development of their future cooperation.

Yet Lin Xiao did not take his leave.

Instead, he sat back down properly, his eyes gleaming with interest as he stared at Zhao Yunzhong.

“Then, Lord of Zhao, could you also tell me how the Zhao clan’s Imperial Seal was lost several centuries ago, and how the dynasty was overthrown?”

Seeing the eager look on his face as he waited for an answer, Zhao Yunzhong felt a pang of distress.

This Fellow Daoist Lin… How could he be so considerate one moment, and then…

In the end, unable to withstand Lin Xiao’s shameless persistence, Zhao Yunzhong still told him about the disgraceful incident that had befallen the Zhao imperial family of the Huanyou Kingdom all those years ago.

Lin Xiao recorded every word without omission. He even included the matters he had mentioned earlier—the Imperial Seal, the former ruler, the ancient precepts, and the bloodline.

When you already had plenty of lice, a few more bites hardly mattered. And when there were already so many secrets, hearing a few more made little difference.

Since he had already been given a lesson, Lin Xiao naturally intended to enrich his records and broaden his horizons as much as possible.

Much later, when Zhao Yunzhong saw that Lin Xiao still looked eager to learn and seemed ready to continue asking questions, he hurriedly covered his chest and began coughing.

“Ahem… Oh, dear… Oh, dear…”

He put on the appearance of someone suffering a relapse of his internal injuries.

Only then did Lin Xiao, still not quite satisfied, remove the soundproofing barrier and call in the disciples of the Qinglian Sect who had been waiting outside.

With the Qinglian Sect disciples attending to him, Zhao Yunzhong drank his medicine and called out to Lin Xiao, who was standing nearby.

“Um… Fellow Daoist Lin, you should be on your way.”

Lin Xiao: “…”

“All right, then I’ll be going. Take good care of yourself, Lord of Zhao. We’ll get together again when we have the chance.”

And so, Lin Xiao was politely driven out by Zhao Yunzhong.

As luck would have it, the moment he stepped outside, someone was walking toward him.

The person wore a pale-purple dress, with tasselled jade pendants at the waist and a hairpin adorned with tiny bells and jade ornaments.

The figure had breathtaking features, yet a trace of melancholy lingered between those brows—a truly pitiful sight.

Who else could it be but Shen Yingzi?

Shen Yingzi happened to look up and saw Lin Xiao as well.

“Big Brother Lin!”

The moment he saw Lin Xiao, his eyes lit up, and he immediately ran over. His movements were lively and adorable, yet carried the unmistakable mannerisms of a young maiden.

“There were too many people earlier, and everything happened so quickly. I didn’t get the chance to thank you.” As he spoke, he gave Lin Xiao a small curtsy. “Thank you, Big Brother Lin, for stepping in at the crucial moment. Without you, my father would never have survived. I can never repay such kindness. Please accept this bow!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he bent deeply at the waist.

Lin Xiao hurriedly helped him up.

“Brother Shen, there’s no need for this. I only did what little I could. Please, get up.”

After helping Shen Yingzi to his feet, Lin Xiao asked, “How is your father doing?”

At the mention of this, the brightness in Shen Yingzi’s expression dimmed. He lowered his head and said sadly, “My father is doing all right physically, but his cultivation… Aunt Jiang says she can ensure that his Golden Core won’t shatter at most, but his cultivation and strength will be far inferior to those of an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.”

“And cultivating in the future will become even more difficult…”

As he spoke, his voice sank into a self-reproachful murmur.

“It’s all my fault… If it weren’t for me, my father wouldn’t have ended up like this…”

“Hey, Brother Shen, that’s going too far.” Lin Xiao slapped him on the shoulder.

Shen Yingzi looked up at him in confusion.

Lin Xiao sighed helplessly.

“If your father hadn’t bought you time, you and those girls would have long since become sacrifices for the State Preceptor’s formation. You’re alive and well now—that is the best thing your father purchased with his cultivation.”

“If you feel guilty and upset, then find a way to repay what your father sacrificed. Don’t waste your time indulging in these emotions, brooding alone, and blaming yourself.”

Shen Yingzi looked at Lin Xiao, his expression somewhat lost.

“But I don’t know how I can repay my father…”

“Then put some thought into it. Whatever you do, don’t waste your time wallowing in these feelings.”

Hearing this, Shen Yingzi seemed to fall into deep thought. He stared blankly at a certain point, his mind clearly occupied by something.

The two of them fell silent in the open space near the camp.

Lin Xiao waited for a while. When Shen Yingzi showed no reaction, he looked up at the sky. He was worried about the situation in Hu Yang Village—and about Tuantuan, who was there—so he could not help saying, “Well… why don’t you go back to your tent and think it over? I’ll…”

He had not yet finished saying “be on my way” when Shen Yingzi suddenly looked up at him. A glimmer of light shone in his eyes, and his voice carried a trace of hope.

“My father has never said it, but I can actually sense that he wants me to cultivate.”

“Big Brother Lin, what do you think? Should I try cultivating? I’ll work hard. My talent may not be very good, but my father always says that where there’s a will, there’s a way!”

“If I can successfully embark on the path of cultivation, then one day I’ll be able to search for a way to restore him! That way, my father won’t have to walk alone along this long, seemingly endless road. In the future… he’ll still have me…”

Lin Xiao looked at Shen Yingzi.

The sky was darkening, and within Shen Yingzi’s eyes he saw points of starlight.

“Brother Shen, our sect is still in need of a musician. You seem to have a real talent for music. If you’re willing, you can come to the Lingxian Sect in the Pusi Kingdom and give it a try. Perhaps it can offer you a different path.”

“Of course, if your father is willing, he can come as well.”