In these few days, Li Tan must remove the toxins from his body and gain enough strength to defeat the mysterious person who, in his past life, bound him and left him to die in the Domain of Fallen Immortals.
Time passed, and it was now noon, the peak of summer heat. After a brief rest, Li Tan had little desire to cultivate. He left his residence and idly wandered about, somewhat bored, before deciding to return to his family’s estate.
First, he wanted to see his father, and second, he hoped to uncover what schemes the Great Elder might be plotting.
As soon as he made up his mind, he set off. Unexpectedly, halfway out of the Lin estate, he met Lin Cui.
Lin Cui’s expression looked a bit strange—part anger, part confusion, and part wariness.
“Where are you going?” she asked, blocking his path.
“Back home,” Li Tan replied honestly, stopping in his tracks without changing his attitude toward her because of previous incidents.
Compared to the matters ahead, those past events were trivial.
“Then let me go with you!” Lin Cui hesitated for quite a while before her gaze suddenly became determined.
Li Tan was surprised and found it troublesome, showing some reluctance.
“What do you want to follow for?”
A blush rose on Lin Cui’s clean, jade-like face, and her eyes shifted evasively.
“You’re very important to my family. What if something happens if you go alone?”
Basking in the sunlight, Li Tan’s expression was hard to decipher, but clearly, he wasn’t convinced by such a flimsy excuse.
“Thanks, but if there’s going to be trouble, it won’t be me in danger.”
Thinking of her defeated brother Lin Yuan, Lin Cui realized this excuse wouldn’t hold up. She gritted her teeth and decided to go all out.
“I’m your wife. What’s wrong with me accompanying you back home?”
Li Tan was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected Lin Cui to say such a thing. In fact, he had nearly forgotten their marital relationship.
But this excuse was logical and hard to refute.
“Fine, whatever.”
Li Tan easily guessed that Lin Cui wanted to investigate his background during the visit to his family to resolve her recent doubts. However, he didn’t mind. After all, there was nothing in the Li family, and the secrets were known only to him.
With these words, Li Tan resumed his steps forward.
“Wait for me!” Lin Cui called out and quickly followed.
Her face was flushed pink, and she slightly lowered her head, seemingly lost in thought.
After what had happened in the past two days, she, a heaven-bestowed prodigy, felt a bit unsure how to face Li Tan, who seemed utterly talentless.
In the awkward atmosphere, Lin Cui fidgeted with her skirt and feigned indifference as she casually asked:
“How did you meet Mingde?”
As she spoke, both Li Tan and she stepped out of the main gate. The guards on both sides showed surprise and bowed respectfully.
“By chance,” Li Tan replied casually, though it was indeed the truth. Mingde’s appearance had truly been unexpected.
“Then how did you get the chance to save his life? What about the guards from the City Lord’s mansion?”
“I told you it was an accident. As for his family’s guards, how would I know? Besides, you’re asking too many questions.”
Li Tan said rather bluntly, causing Lin Cui to become slightly unhappy.
“I only asked two. How is that too many?”
“If there are two, there will be three. Let me guess—you also want to know how I saved Mingde and how I defeated Lin Yuan and Lin Jingwu, right?”
Caught in her thoughts, Lin Cui turned her head away, somewhat guiltily.
“You shouldn’t jump to conclusions.”
Li Tan gave her a sidelong glance.
“Do you even understand what ‘jumping to conclusions’ means? Fine, just assume I’m afraid of you. If you want to know something, just ask directly. Don’t keep annoying me.”
This made Lin Cui, already feeling guilty, even more so. Then, as often happens when things go too far, she became embarrassed and glared at Li Tan angrily.
“Hmph, who cares to know? I won’t ask, then.”
Li Tan said helplessly, “Stubborn about appearances. Fine, just don’t bother me.”
Saying this, Li Tan quickened his pace. Lin Cui followed closely behind, neither too far nor too close. After a short while, they arrived at a bustling market. Li Tan stopped at a street filled with various goods and bent down to look at the items the vendors were selling.
Lin Cui blinked her big eyes, looking around curiously.
“The heaven-bestowed prodigy famous in Linjiang—has never been to a market?” Li Tan teased. Lin Cui, however, didn’t feel embarrassed and explained:
“When I was very young, I started cultivating with my father. Most of my time has been devoted to it. Unlike certain people, I never had time to wander around.”
Li Tan half-jokingly continued, “Cultivation and shopping don’t really relate. Don’t make excuses. Just admit you’re ignorant.”
“Ignorant? Then are you the well-read one?”
“Exactly. You guessed right.”
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