"Zixin, hush!"
There, Lin Yike finally spoke. She had realized that Luli had no feelings for Lin Zixin.
Marriage, originally dictated by parental wishes and matchmakers, was non-existent in Luli's world. Lin Yike understood this well.
The influence of the Lu family on Luli was negligible, and his mother, even more so, gave Luli complete freedom. Lin Yike didn't want to be here today; it was her niece who insisted on dragging her along, forcing her to mediate in this matrimonial affair.
Lin Yike was already annoyed, reluctantly bringing Lin Zixin along. She didn't have high hopes, knowing that bringing Lin Zixin here was likely just to make her give up on this matter.
"Aunt, I didn't say anything wrong!"
"Come back with me! Stop embarrassing yourself!"
Lin Yike, pulling Lin Zixin along, was already leaving with some visible irritation, though most of it was probably an act.
Lin Zixin, a stubborn girl who wouldn't give up until she hit a wall, had been spoiled by her brother. She dared to do anything, and only a brother like Lin Yike would entertain the idea of finding her a suitable match.
Luli's rejection in front of her wasn't surprising to Lin Yike. Her apparent anger was mostly for Lin Zixin's benefit, a show to make her understand that this pursuit was futile.
As they left the courtyard, Lin Zixin stomped her foot angrily, glaring at the gate of Luli's residence.
"Aunt, are we just going to leave like this? That arrogant Luli dared to reject me! No, I have to go back; I need to know who he likes!"
"Stop, do you want to embarrass yourself further? I think your brother has spoiled you too much!"
"But I like Luli; I've never liked any other man in my life! Aunt, I don't care!"
Lin Yike, watching her niece, wished she could slap some sense into her, though she refrained; after all, Lin Zixin wasn't her daughter.
"Luli has already rejected you. Don't cause more trouble, not just for yourself, but for the Lin family. I find it embarrassing, and you should too. Go back to where you belong!"
"But Aunt..."
"Enough, no more words on this. And don't bring up marriage again. Also, as Luli said, focus on martial arts. The major sects will be here in a few days, and your cousin will be returning home!"
"Ah, Aunt, you said Cousin is coming back!"
"Yes, her return represents her sect. It's an opportunity; you should cherish it!"
"Zixin understands!"
Hearing that her cousin was coming back, Lin Zixin's attention shifted immediately. From childhood, Lin Xue had been her role model.
Lin Xue wasn't just a role model for Lin Zixin; she was admired by most young people in Donglin City. Beautiful and talented, Lin Xue excelled in martial arts. At fifteen, she was unmatched among the younger generation in Donglin City, and at eighteen, she defeated all the young talents in the entire Yunzhou with a single sword.
However, Lin Xue had declined invitations from the major sects in West Qin. A few years ago, she was taken away by a mysterious figure passing through Donglin City, entering an extraordinary sect.
As Lin Xue's cousin, Lin Zixin knew about the formidable sect she joined—one of the strongest in West Qin. West Qin was the western part of the Snow Moon Continent, a vast region where even the West Qin Empire was just a tiny speck.
Lin Xue was returning to Donglin City, and she would be selecting disciples for her sect. Lin Zixin was excited at the prospect of entering such a prestigious sect.
After Lin Er and Lin Zixin left, Luli opened a scroll left behind by Lin Er.
After reading it, he understood that Lin Zixin was here because she insisted, and also, the major sects in West Qin were recruiting disciples in Yunzhou, so Luli needed to prepare.
The scroll emphasized Lin Xue's return to Donglin City. However, it didn't provide many details.
In West Qin, there were three major sects—Wangbei Sect and Lihuo Sect, both two-star sects, and Tianhai Sect, the only three-star sect in West Qin. Besides these, West Qin had over a dozen one-star sects and some star-level forces.
For example, the Dragon Clan, where Luli knew Long Xingyun, was a two-star force. West Qin Empire itself was a quasi-four-star force, a three-and-a-half-star force.
In the last Donglin Grand Competition, Crazy Xu had represented Wangbei Sect, inviting Luli, who declined. Long Xingyun also invited Luli on behalf of the Dragon Clan, but Luli refused.
Luli wasn't too interested in the ongoing recruitment by the major sects in Yunzhou. It wasn't his priority. If the young martial artists in Yunzhou found out, they would be eager to join these sects. Yet, here Luli was, uninterested.
However, Lin Xue's return surprised Luli. She hadn't been back to the Lu family for five years, and during that time, there were few updates about her. Even Luli only knew that she was taken away by a powerful sect representative passing through Donglin City five years ago, and since then, no further information had reached the Lu family.
Yet now, Lin Xue was returning to the Lu family. Luli wondered about her intentions.
Luli didn't dwell on it too much. Currently, his priority was how to maximize Xiaoxing's loyalty so that he could improve her aptitude. As for the rest, he decided to go with the flow.
"Let's try my ultimate move. I don't believe I can't win over a little girl!"
Setting aside other matters, Luli began preparations and approached Xiaoxing's room. He knocked on the door.
"Young Master! I just fell asleep, and you woke me up!"
Xiaoxing, still drowsy, though martial artists could recover energy through cultivation, she had only recently become a martial artist at the Qi Channeling realm and still needed sleep.
With half-closed eyes and a pout, she looked displeased. Luli pinched her cheek, making her fully awake. Seeing Luli, she still wore a slightly unhappy expression.
Luli, noticing her lazy appearance, applied a bit more force when pinching her cheek.
"See what this is!"
"What is it, Young Master?"
Luli took out several porcelain bottles and waved them in front of Xiaoxing, who immediately perked up. Blinking her eyes, she looked at the bottles.
"Weren't you asking for pills for Ashu?"
"Ah, Young Master, these are!"
Luli nodded.
"Congratulations, Host. Xiaoxing's loyalty is full, and loyalty is now solidified!"
"Haha, I told you, this little girl Xiaoxing has the best potential for increasing loyalty."
Hearing the system prompt, Luli thought to himself.
His ultimate move was to give Xiaoxing the pills meant for Ashu. After all, these pills were what Xiaoxing desired the most, and they could significantly
increase her loyalty.