Tianfeng Valley, outer forest.
Morning light pierced through the mist, shining on the overgrown forest clearing. Luo Jiayin paced back and forth, her plain white dress hem soaked by morning dew yet she remained oblivious, her beautiful eyes frequently gazing into the distance, filled with undisguised worry.
"Sister Jiayin, you've already turned three hundred circles." Lin Ying sat on a green stone, hugging a half-eaten spirit fruit and mumbling unclearly, "Brother is so powerful, he'll definitely be fine."
"What do you know." Luo Jiayin shot her a glare, "That's the Xuanjian Sect's main altar, guarded by Void Refinement stage experts. No matter how strong he is, he's alone. What if..."
Before she finished speaking, she suddenly paused.
A heaven-shaking dragon roar came from the distant sky, as blood-colored dawn light broke through the clouds.
"It's Xuesha!" Lin Ying cheered and jumped up, "Brother is back!"
The massive dragon figure approached from afar. Lin Che stood atop the dragon's head, his black clothes fluttering. Though his face showed some exhaustion, his eyes remained as sharp as blades. He leaped down, and Xuesha obediently shrank its body, coiling around his shoulder.
"Brother!" Lin Ying was the first to pounce over, her small hands patting him randomly, "Are you injured? Are any arms or legs missing?"
"Silly girl." Lin Che smiled and rubbed her head, "Your brother is perfectly fine."
Luo Jiayin stood in place without moving, only biting her red lips, her eyes slightly red. She looked Lin Che up and down, and only after confirming he was truly unharmed did she coldly snort, "Your life is quite tough."
[System: Detecting target speaking contrary to heart, actual worry index 99%, recommend host immediately provide comfort.]
Lin Che walked before her and, ignoring the onlookers, pulled her into his embrace, "Made you worry."
"Wh-who worried about you!" Luo Jiayin struggled to push him away, but he held her even tighter, "You lecher, let me go!"
"Won't let go." Lin Che whispered in her ear, "Never letting go in this lifetime."
Shi Jin led a group of brothers over. Seeing Lin Che truly safe and sound, they all breathed sighs of relief, "Brother Lin, you're finally back! If you had returned any later, little sister-in-law would have led people to attack the Xuanjian Sect."
"What nonsense are you spouting!" Luo Jiayin's pretty face instantly flushed red, "Who is his little sister-in-law!"
"Exactly, exactly!" Lin Ying chimed in from the side, "Sister Jiayin was calling brother's name in her dreams last night."
[System: Detecting target shame-anger value +100, recommend host prepare for being pinched.]
As expected, a sharp pain came from the soft flesh of Lin Che's waist. He sucked in a cold breath and quickly changed the subject, "Alright, alright, let's talk business."
Only then did he take out the Death Substitution Talisman from his storage bag, along with the spoils of war plundered from the Xuanjian Sect elites. Over a hundred storage bags piled on the ground, with spirit stones, magic treasures, and pills forming a small mountain, dazzling everyone's eyes.
"This is... the Death Substitution Talisman?!" Shi Jin was knowledgeable and recognized the dim talisman at a glance, "The legendary treasure that can block one death tribulation?"
"Indeed." Lin Che nodded, "Zuo Lengchan relied on this to survive until the end under the Punishment Heavenly Tribulation. But now, it's ours."
He detailed the entire story of the arranged battle. When he spoke of the Heavenly Tribulation descending and the Xuanjian Sect people running around like headless flies, the brothers roared with laughter.
"Pavilion Master's move is truly brilliant!"
"Using Heavenly Tribulation to trap and kill enemies, only the Pavilion Master could think of that!"
"Those dog bastards usually throw their weight around, they deserved to die!"
Luo Jiayin, however, felt her heart race hearing this and couldn't help but pinch Lin Che again, "Couldn't you have used a safer method? What if the Heavenly Tribulation had struck you to death?"
[System: Detecting target concern value +50, violence tendency +30.]
"Am I not fine?" Lin Che held her mischievous small hand and said seriously, "And this battle's gains far exceeded expectations."
He paused and announced loudly, "My cultivation has broken through to late Void Piercing stage."
The entire scene fell silent instantly.
The brothers exchanged glances, then erupted in earth-shaking cheers, "Pavilion Master is mighty!"
"Late Void Piercing stage! In just a few days?"
"Our future is boundless following the Pavilion Master!"
Luo Jiayin's beautiful eyes flickered with splendid light, but soon dimmed again, "You're advancing by leaps and bounds, but I..."
She currently only had early Nascent Soul cultivation, not even having recovered to Golden Core. The gap between her and Lin Che grew wider and wider, inevitably making her feel dejected.
[System: Detecting target inferiority complex, recommend host use couple dual cultivation skill to comfort.]
"Silly." Lin Che pinched her palm and transmitted his voice, "Wait until we return to the Slaughter God Pavilion, I'll use my thunder-source Nascent Soul to help you. At most three months, and you'll return to Void Piercing. And..."
He drew even closer, his voice lower, "The "Nine Heavens Dual Cultivation Technique" isn't just for healing injuries. With my thunder-source power's assistance, you might even break through to Void Refinement in one go."
Luo Jiayin's heart warmed, her eyes turning red again, "Who wants to dual cultivate with you..."
"Wasn't last night quite good?" Lin Che teased.
"Scram!" Her pretty face burned, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
[System: Detecting target speaking contrary to heart, recommend host continue teasing.]
"Alright, enough messing around." Lin Che released her and turned to everyone, "Brothers, pack up, we're returning to Slaughter God Pavilion!"
"Yes!"
---
Emei Palace, rear mountain restricted area.
Guo Xiang was in closed-door cultivation when she suddenly sensed something and slowly opened her eyes.
"Palace Master, Lin Che and Jiayin request an audience." The maid's voice came from outside the door.
"Oh?" A trace of surprise flashed in Guo Xiang's eyes, "They returned so quickly? Let them in."
A moment later, Lin Che walked into the quiet room holding Luo Jiayin's hand.
"Greetings, Palace Master." Lin Che bowed in salute.
Guo Xiang's gaze swept across the two and instantly saw through everything. She looked at her granddaughter with a teasing smile, "Jiayin, your cultivation... seems to have improved a bit?"
Luo Jiayin lowered her head, her voice like a mosquito's hum, "Grandmother... I..."
"Palace Master sees clearly." Lin Che took over, "This junior used my thunder-source Nascent Soul to treat Jiayin's injuries and incidentally helped her sort out her meridians. Now Jiayin's foundation is stable, and returning to Void Piercing is just a matter of time."
Shock rose in Guo Xiang's heart, but she revealed nothing on the surface. She sized up Lin Che, growing more alarmed the more she looked—only a few days had passed, yet this young man's aura had become even more unfathomable?
"You... broke through again?" she asked probingly.
"Thanks to the Palace Master." Lin Che replied modestly, "Fortunately advanced to late Void Piercing stage."
Clatter——
The teacup in Guo Xiang's hand fell to the ground and shattered to pieces.
She suddenly stood up, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief, "Late Void Piercing stage?! Weren't you at Golden Core Peak a few days ago? Advancing an entire major realm in just a few days!"
[System: Detecting target shock value 9999, recommend host act modestly to avoid crushing prospective mother-in-law's confidence.]