After another cup of immortal wine, Lin Jin mumbled to himself loudly, “Xuan Yue Zhenren has it tough. There’s so much to do in the sect. If only someone would help her out.”
Xuan Hang was caught off guard by Lin Jin’s statement.
“I do help out with a lot of stuff in the sect,” he replied.
Lin Jin smiled. “Both men and women need a confidant. What is a confidant, you might ask? Well, it’s someone who knows her well. Xuan Hang, you’ve been with Xuan Yue Zhenren for thousands of years, so you should know her needs, right? What she’s most concerned about, what troubles her. Even if you do help her, you have to help her out in the right places.”
Sometimes, people just needed a tiny reminder to enlighten them.
Sure enough, Xuan Hang was enlightened. He recalled what he had done thus far. It was indeed as Lin Jin had said. Although he did help out Xuan Yue Zhenren, he didn’t help out in areas that mattered.
Upon finding the right path, his mood turned jovial.
Lin Jin could tell Xuan Hang was a novice when it came to relationships. Lin Jin was also a novice himself, but Xuan Hang was so undeveloped that it made Lin Jin a pro.
Guiding a newbie this untrained was very easy.
As Xuan Hang treated Lin Jin as a friend, he revealed his concerns readily. Thankfully, Lin Jin was as prepared to guide him further.
After giving it some thought, Lin Jin asked, “Brother Xuan Hang, let me ask you, in the past, have you ever revealed your feelings toward Xuan Yue Zhenren? Indirect ones count too.”
Xuan Hang thought about Lin Jin’s question long and hard. He even used some sort of immortal spell to search through his memory.
A myriad of bright colors appeared above his head.
After the longest time, Xuan Hang shook his head and said, “No!”
What a hopeless romantic!
Lin Jin gasped. People like Xuan Hang who kept their feelings to themselves for such a long time were few and far between.
For a moment there, Xuan Hang’s image in Lin Jin’s mind seemed more stalwart. Although Xuan Hang had become more feminine in appearance due to the Storm Beast Cave’s influence, he was still a clueless man on the inside.
This comforted Lin Jin most.
Hence, he offered another plan. “You can try creating more chances to be with Xuan Yue Zhenren. Remember, you two must be alone. Of course, you have to care more about her, so she’ll know your intentions.”
Despite being several thousand years old, Xuan Hang was like a plain canvas when it came to romance; he knew far less than Lin Jin did in this aspect. Like an earnest student, Xuan Hang kept nodding at Lin Jin’s words, thinking how much they made sense.
Next, Lin Jin pointed out the details that Xuan Hang should take note of while their drinking session resumed. Even Xuan Hang had gotten tipsy, much less Lin Jin who was a mere mortal.
Slightly muddle-headed, Lin Jin slung his arm around Xuan Hang’s shoulders while whispering seduction techniques into his ear. Some of the things he said were just pure nonsense but Xuan Hang seemed to indulge in his teachings. At present, they looked just like middle-aged men sitting at a roadside stall after work, eating while talking about man stuff.
They laughed and drank toasts.
After a while, Lin Jin realized that the Visitation Hall had been activated for quite some time now. On any other day, Lin Jin would have exited the hall at this hour.
“Brother Xuan Hang, I have some business to take care of. Let’s end our drinking here today,” said Lin Jin. Xuan Hang nodded and replied, “Brother Lin, I heard you’re leaving tomorrow?”
Today was when they finally started addressing each other as brothers.
Lin Jin nodded.
Xuan Hang looked reluctant but said, “That’s alright. You’re like a master to Piao Yun, so you’re one of us. You can come back whenever you like, and if I have the chance, I’d like to visit the mainlands as well.”
“It’s a promise then.” Lin Jin got up and saluted Xuan Hang. His immortal counterpart returned a salute.
After descending the cloud mountain, Lin Jin returned to his quarters and entered his room to open the Visitation Hall’s door. After putting on Curator’s mask, he entered the hall.
“Sorry, I’m late!” announced Curator, whose body reeked of alcohol. However, upon stepping into the hall, he noticed something off.
The visitors were waiting here anxiously and the atmosphere was solemn. They hurried forward the moment Curator appeared.
“Curator! Something happened!”
Lin Jin was surprised. Still, he was able to maintain his composure.
He scanned the surroundings and frowned.
Ye Yuzhou wasn’t here.
The rest of the visitors looked grim. Lin Jin could tell they were worried-sick, and He Qing was weeping.
Soon, he learned what had transpired.
In short, something happened at Jade Dragon Kingdom.
A premium country from Grassy Continent, called the Tianzhu Kingdom, had joined forces with three other intermediate countries to wage war against Jade Dragon Kingdom. This was two days ago. Still, everything happened so quickly and their forces were so powerful that Jade Dragon Kingdom was forced to retreat.
As Maple City was situated nearest to Grassy Continent, it was the first to experience the heat of war.
Since Ye Yuzhou, the nation’s guardian was stationed in Maple City, he was obligated to fight for his country. That explained his absence today, and it proved how dire the situation was back at home. After all, Ye Yuzhou was not the type of person to ignore the Visitation Hall.
As princess of the nation, He Qing was mostly aware of the current sitaution. According to her, half of Jade Dragon Kingdom’s territory had been conquered by the enemy in just two days.
The areas captured included Maple City.
Upon hearing this, Lin Jin’s facial expression turned ominous.
Maple City was captured?
What about Ye Yuzhou?
And the Beast Appraisal Association? His students, Shang’er, Little Five, and White Ape, what about them?
Lin Jin was sure Shang’er and the others would never allow Maple City be invaded that easily. Still, there was no denying that Maple City had been captured by the enemy.
They were so powerful that even Shang’er and White Ape couldn’t defeat them together.
Did a premium country possess such power?
Lin Jin contemplated in silence before turning to Feng Ziqian.
“And Heavenly Spiral just watched it happen?”
Curator was interrogating the prince.
Everyone knew that Curator’s disciple was Lin Jin, who was a citizen of Jade Dragon Kingdom. Now that Grassy Continent’s premium country, Tianzhu Kingdom, was invading Jade Dragon Kingdom alongside three other premium countries, how could United Continent’s strongest premium country, Heavenly Spiral Kingdom, watch in silence?
Feng Ziqian was frightened by Curator’s sudden question.
He explained at once, “Curator, please don’t get angry. Heavenly Spiral has taken immediate action against the coalition of nations. However, as the enemy launched a surprise attack, we could not react in time. What’s more, Tianzhu Kingdom has caught all of us by surprise this time. No one expected them to field two hundred Rank 5 beasts on the battlefield. Heavenly Spiral has dispatched our first wave of reinforcements but they’re currently blocked outside Jade Dragon Kingdom.”
