Xiaoke acknowledged the middle-aged man but she didn’t deny his observation.
The middle-aged man smiled. “Is it because of this young man? You don’t need to deny it. In my view, even without the young man, I knew it would happen soon or later given your temperament.”
Lin Xun was completely stunned. He finally understood the term ‘demonic wisdom.’ From just one glance, the middle-aged man had remarkably guessed what had happened.
However, Xiaoke changed the topic. “Spirit Vulture, this is Lin Xun, one of the students who successfully graduated from Blood Kill Camp the year before.”
Spirit Vulture!
The middle-aged man is actually the owner of Spirit Vulture Residence!
Lin Xun stepped forward and bowed. “Elder, I pay my respects to you.”
Spirit Vulture smiled slightly. “You don’t need to be so polite. Since you came here, I believe Xu Sanqi advised you to do so. If that’s the case, you’re not an outsider.”
Lin Xun marveled, “Elder, you have amazing insight. You see through everything like a bright torch. I’m impressed!”
Spirit Vulture smiled. “Give me the hairpin.”Lin Xun was puzzled at first, but he soon took out the silver hairpin that Xu Sanqi had given him and handed it over.
Spirit Vulture rubbed the hairpin between his fingers and a gentleness emerged within his eyes. He said after a while, “Since you brought the hairpin here, you must have a favor to ask. Tell me, what do you want me to help you with.”
Before Lin Xun answered him, Xiaoke stepped forward and informed Spirit Vulture of Lin Xun’s situation in a whisper.
Spirit Vulture assumed a solemn look and said, “I didn’t expect you to be a direct descendant of Duke Daochen. Forgive my disrespect.”
Duke Daochen! Lin Xun’s great-grandfather was Lin Daochen!
Lin Xun had never thought that Spirit Vulture would respect his great-grandfather so much that he spoke to him, a junior, so politely.
“Elder, to be honest, I only realized my background yesterday, so I don’t know much about my great-grandfather. Please don’t laugh,” Lin Xun said in shame.
“Okay, let's stop the small talk and get straight to the point. I have learned about your background, but I still don’t know whether I can help you.”
Spirit Vulture’s eyes were incredibly calm and seemed to contain a power able to penetrate a person’s heart. “After all, whoever helps you will face earthshaking dangers. I need you to prove that you can take on such a responsibility.”
“How would I prove that?” asked Lin Xun.
“You are only at the Earth Dipper Stage so if I test your strength, it will be a little unfair. How about this, tell me what you would do if you were in control of Mind Cleansing Peak?”
Spirit Vulture spoke calmly but his gaze felt inexplicably oppressive.
Xiaoke didn’t say anything and just stared at Lin Xun with her clear eyes.
She could tell that it was a test for him. If Lin Xun could pass the test, Spirit Vulture would help him.
But if he failed…
He had to leave with his tail between his legs!
“First deal with the internal problems,” Lin Xun answered unwaveringly.
He had been pondering the same question the entire night.
“How would you resolve the internal problems?” Spirit Vulture continued to ask, his eyes extremely calm but there was a hint of majesty that oppressed a person’s mind.
“Stabilize first, then accumulate strength, and then attack.”
Spirit Vulture shook his head in dissatisfaction. “That’s too general. It seems you don’t have a specific plan.”
Lin Xun explained, “In my view, the current situation doesn’t call for a specific plan yet.”
Spirit Vulture nodded and his interest seemed to be piqued. “Continue.”
Lin Xun quickly said, “The only advantage I have at the moment is that I am a direct successor of the Lin Family, so I can justifiably take over Mind Cleansing Peak. The other members of the Lin Family have already lost to me in that respect.”
Spirit Vulture nodded. “That is true and a key point.”
Lin Xun smiled slightly and continued, “But my situation isn’t too optimistic. I have no money, I have no people, I am alone, I don’t have a reputation, and I am not strong enough. No one would have any confidence in me or respect me.”
Spirit Vulture’s eyes lit up with admiration. Lin Xun’s words convinced him that he wasn’t all talk.
It was easy to understand the enemy, but it was often difficult for one to know oneself. The most difficult thing for a cultivator to understand was themselves.
It was very rare for someone at Lin Xun’s age to be able to assess himself and make a calm and accurate judgment.
“So I plan to change myself before solving the internal problems. When I have the ability, I will make a clear and specific plan of how to advance from there.”
Lin Xun inhaled deeply. He had expressed his true thoughts.
Xiaoke seemed to be persuaded by Lin Xun. She could tell that he had his own ideas and plan and didn’t just come to ask for help out of fear!
“I haven’t seen him for around two years but he has changed so much. Chief Xu would be very pleased to know about this,” Xiaoke said ruminatively. She knew very well that although Xu Sanqi didn’t do much to take care of Lin Xun in Blood Kill Camp, he was still no doubt the student whom he admired the most.
Otherwise, Xu Sanqi wouldn’t have given Lin Xun the silver hairpin.
Xiaoke was only surprised to see that Spirit Vulture seemed unconvinced as he continued to question Lin Xun. “That’s not a bad plan, but I’m curious how you would change yourself? It’s not something that can be changed overnight.”
Lin Xun suddenly smiled. A rare, superior expression spread across his sharp and handsome features as he explained calmly, “It may be difficult for others to change, but I am different. If I set my mind on it, I guarantee I can make everyone in the Forbidden City know my name within one month.”
Xiaoke’s eyes narrowed, and a strange glint flashed across them. It’s very rare to see Lin Xun speak so confidently. A person like him wouldn’t rashly say such resolute and complacent words.
It seems like he has a lot of trump cards still to show!
At the same time, Spirit Vulture also smiled and clapped his hands in admiration. “I am now certain that it’s not a bad thing to help you.”
Lin Xun quivered with excitement. “Does that mean you agree to help me, Elder?”
Xiaoke said irritably, “Anyone who has a whit of sense would know! Kid, you’re so intelligent, so why are you acting so dimwitted now?”
Lin Xun was speechless.
Of course, he knew, but he was so excited that he couldn’t digest the joy and excitement.
He originally planned to ask Xiaoke for help, but who would have thought that he somehow also got the help of Spirit Vulture!
How would Lin Xun not be overjoyed?
Spirit Vulture looked sickly and didn’t look imposing, but he couldn’t be an ordinary person given that he was a friend of Xu Sanqi and was highly respected by Xiaoke.
If I have their help, it will undoubtedly increase my prospect of taking charge of Mind Cleansing Peak!
“Now, let me formally introduce myself. My code name is Spirit Vulture. Like Xu Sanqi, I am a former student of Blood Kill Camp.”
Spirit Vulture looked solemn as he said, “I originally had the cultivation base of the upper Heaven Ascension Stage, but I was afflicted with an illness after a disaster and I am now no different from a common cripple.”
Crippling illness!
What sort of illness could turn a Heaven Ascension cultivator into a crippled person?
Lin Xun trembled inwardly. He was about to ask further when Spirit Vulture waved his hand. “Don’t ask anymore. I can only tell you that I can’t help you with anything on the battlefield. The only thing I can do is perhaps assess the situation and formulate plans. In short, leave all the trivial things to me.”
Lin Xun stared at him blankly, but Xiaoke shot a glare at him. “Spirit Vulture is a master tactician. Even Chief Xu will have to bow his head to him and humbly ask him for advice. Even the principal of Qinglu Academy had personally invited him to take up a position in the academy but he refused. Kid, you’re really stupid to be still standing there blankly.”
Lin Xun smacked his lips and hurriedly bowed to express his gratitude. He was overjoyed to learn that Spirit Vulture was so extraordinary. Even Instructor Xu Sanqi had to ask him for advice and even the Principal of Qinglu Academy personally invited him to teach in the academy…
He’s so badass!
Without further delay, Lin Xun brought Xiaoke and Spirit Vulture back to Mind Cleansing Peak on a carriage.
On the way, through small talk, Lin Xun learned that Xiaoke chose to stay in the Forbidden City entirely because she wanted to take care of Spirit Vulture.
According to Xiaoke, Spirit Vulture had saved her life.
However, when Lin Xun asked about Spirit Vulture’s illness, Xiaoke avoided the question and only told him that he would understand if there was an opportunity in the future.
This made Lin Xun conclude that Spirit Vulture’s illness was either extremely difficult to treat or he might be terminally ill. Otherwise, given his ability, he would have healed already.
After returning to Mind Cleansing Peak, Lin Xun instructed Lin Zhong to arrange a residence for Xiaoke and Spirit Vulture. He also informed him that Xiaoke and Spirit Vulture were the people he trusted the most apart from him and asked him to not treat them with disrespect.
Lin Xun was most surprised when Spirit Vulture’s eyes widened when he saw Lin Zhong and the older man asked, “Dare I ask whether you achieved third place in the national exam sixty years ago and were known as the White Casanova Shen Jinglun?”
Lin Zhong’s body went stiff and his expression dramatically changed. Only after a while did he shake his head and deny it, “Shen Jinglun is dead and now only an old servant of the Lin Family remains in the world.”
Spirit Vulture narrowed his eyes and didn’t ask further.
However, his words set off a wave of emotions in Lin Xun’s heart. It never crossed his mind that the ordinary-looking, hunched old man had another identity.
White Casanova Shen Jinglun!
How would an ordinary person have such a beautiful title?
Lin Xun decided to find out more when he got the chance.
After arranging their residence, Lin Xun invited Xiaoke and Spirit Vulture into his study and they began to formulate a plan.
Spirit Vulture directly told Lin Xun to take charge of everything, and he was only responsible for the miscellaneous tasks. He would only propose relevant plans and wouldn’t criticize or pick faults at Lin Xun’s decisions.
Xiaoke also bluntly stated that she was only responsible for taking orders and urged Lin Xun to tell her to handle something if there was anything.
Lin Xun was a little taken aback by their attitude. But then he realized that it wasn’t that they didn’t want to help him. They only wanted to remind him that he was the owner of Mind Cleansing Peak and he controlled everything.
If Lin Xun wanted to become the true successor of the Lin Family, he had to have the ability to make his own decisions and couldn’t rely on other people!
Otherwise, he would be the same as a puppet
From that moment on, Lin Xun fully realized that his identity had completely changed.