In a picturesque courtyard of Canaan Academy's outer courtyard, a pampered young lady was leisurely watering a lavender flower. Her every move was elegant and captivating, but unfortunately, no one could pluck this flower. From her childhood, someone had already planted an indelible mark in her heart.
"Miss, Ling Ying requests an audience!"
Outside the courtyard, a figure clad entirely in black suddenly appeared, kneeling on one knee.
"Elder Ling, you are too kind. It is thanks to your protection since childhood that Xun'er was able to have a peaceful childhood. There is no need for such formalities between us. Please rise, Elder Ling!"
"Thank you, Miss!"
Ling Ying quickly rose, offering a slight fist salute. Although Miss Xun'er was approachable, this old man dared not be presumptuous. Otherwise, if the young prodigies of the clan found out, his old bones wouldn't be able to withstand the torment.
"Elder Ling, has your return brought news of Brother Xiao Yan?"
At this point, the pampered young lady inside the gate lost her appetite for watering the lavender, eager to know her brother's recent situation.
"Reporting to Miss, Young Master Xiao Yan is a soul being, a Medicine Venerable, and an alchemist who has absorbed a different kind of fire."
After a short while, Ling Ying finally finished recounting Xiao Yan's recent situation, then lowered her head to await her young mistress's next question.
"Brother Xiao Yan has already reached the Five-Star Great Dou Master level? He must have undergone many trials! I never imagined that the mysterious person who has always been by Brother Xiao Yan's side is actually the long-lost number one alchemist on the continent—Senior Medicine Venerable Yao Chen!"
The beautiful young woman's brows relaxed slightly. "With the Medicine Venerable's help, Brother Xiao Yan will surely grow smoothly. At that time, even the elders of the clan will have nothing to say."
It has to be said that the young lady of the ancient clan, who has always been raised freely in the Xiao family, ultimately underestimated the decay and stubbornness of the ancient imperial clan. Of course, all of this will only be truly known when she returns to the clan, and what she and her Brother Xiao Yan will have to go through is far from as easy as she imagined.
"With only half a year left until the three-year agreement, why has Elder Ling returned at this time? Shouldn't Brother Xiao Yan need Elder Ling's protection more now?"
The cool voice didn't reproach her, because she knew this old man who had protected her since childhood wasn't unwise.
"Reporting to Miss, the matter is this: Senior Yao Chen entrusted me to request Elder Lin Feng of the academy to protect Young Master Xiao Yan during the three-year agreement period, and to bring along Queen Medusa, who is already at the Dou Zong level."
"Elder Lin Feng?"
The beautiful woman in the room murmured softly. Since arriving at Canaan Academy, she had learned of Lin Feng's great reputation there. Moreover, his talent was in no way inferior to that of the imperial clan's prodigies.
Of course, this was only in the early stages of cultivation. It was only after reaching the Dou Zong or even Dou Zun level that the imperial clan inheritors truly began to exert their power. Under certain imperial clan-specific inheritances, they could grow rapidly, even faster than in the early stages of cultivation.
"Perhaps it's time to make contact with Elder Lin Feng. With such talent, becoming Brother Xiao Yan's subordinate could offer him some benefits."
To outsiders, his talent is unparalleled, a talent rarely seen in the Northwest Continent for hundreds of years. Yet, in the eyes of this young lady of an ancient imperial clan, he's merely fit to be her lover's subordinate. If outsiders knew this, they would surely gasp in astonishment at his terrifying abilities.
"In that case, Elder Ling, let's go find Vice Dean Hu Qian now!"
Thinking of her brother's master, who was already in a deep sleep and without anyone to protect him, and who was only at the Great Dou Shi realm, and the possibility of an evil Dou Ling appearing, the beautiful figure could no longer contain herself and pushed open the courtyard gate.
"Miss Xun'er, Lord Ling Ying, although you are distinguished guests from a great clan, since Miss Xun'er has become a student of the academy, she should abide by the academy's rules,"
a vigorous elderly man said in a somewhat serious tone in the vice-dean's administrative building in the outer courtyard of Canaan Academy. If Lin Feng were here, he would have noticed that this Vice-Dean Hu Qian had already advanced to the Dou Zong realm.
As for why he still had a full head of white hair, it was because there were inevitably some spies from the Black Corner Region within the academy, and he wanted to prevent the secret of his breakthrough to the Dou Zong realm from being revealed. This old rascal, Lin Feng knew from the first time he met him that he was no decent person, even trying to get his granddaughter to seduce Lin Feng.
At this moment, Vice Dean Hu Qian's Dou Zong aura slightly leaked out, causing Ling Ying's expression to change. He quickly shielded his young lady behind him.
"Elder Ling, there's no need for this. I believe the Vice Dean won't harm me. Please step back!"
"Indeed, Lord Ling Ying, there's no need to panic. Miss Xun'er is now a member of the academy. As the Vice Dean, I would never harm her."
"Vice Dean, I'm seeking Elder Lin Feng's help with an important matter, and it concerns his alchemy skills. I presume you know my clan and that I possess the necessary abilities."
"This..." Hearing this, Hu Qian hesitated slightly. Under normal circumstances, he would never allow someone from the outer academy to enter the inner academy, especially not a Dou Huang who wasn't affiliated with the academy. However, this matter concerned Elder Lin Feng's alchemy skills, and he couldn't help but hesitate. Elder Lin Feng had been a tremendous help to the academy.
If his stubbornness caused Elder Lin Feng to miss a great opportunity, he couldn't forgive himself.
"Very well, I can agree to let Miss Xun'er and Lord Ling Ying go to the inner courtyard. However, you must be within my sight, otherwise, I will not be lenient."
"Thank you, Vice Dean!"
In the mountains outside the inner courtyard of Canaan Academy, in an unnamed valley, a massive waterfall weighing tens of thousands of pounds flowed continuously, roaring loudly at its bottom.
Within this valley, a beautiful woman in red stood admiring the scenery. It was none other than the famous Medusa Queen, now Lin Feng's wife, Cai Lin.
After nearly a year of secluded cultivation, taking advantage of her recent evolution and the powerful bloodline of the Seven-Colored Devouring Python, she had made a small step forward in her Dou Qi cultivation, reaching the six-star Dou Zong realm.
With the powerful physique of the Seven-Colored Devouring Python, Cai Lin could now be considered a top expert below Dou Zun. At this moment, Cai Lin looked at the waterfall that would never appear in the Tagor Desert, muttering to herself.
"Lin Feng, Zi Yan, I have emerged from seclusion. Xian'er's aura is still steadily rising; she won't be out of seclusion anytime soon. When will you return?"
As if hearing the longing of her beloved, in a space countless miles beneath the great waterfall, a purple-gold cocoon of light trembled slightly, and then cracks appeared on its surface. The young man within the cocoon also slightly opened his eyes.
"Cai Lin."
(End of Chapter)