After a few days of retreat, Mu Lin emerged from seclusion. The women who had heard the news rushed back home. They were eager to find out exactly what Mu Lin had been doing during his retreat. Although the two elderly stewards had explained the purpose of such retreats, the women, unfamiliar with the cultivation techniques of the Huaxia tradition, remained filled with curiosity.
When they saw Mu Lin, Klyre was the first to notice that he had become even more composed than before. If previously he had been like a rushing river, full of youthful vigor, now his aura was like that of a vast lake—calm, dignified, and serene. His age and experience could no longer be discerned from his expression. Radiating a strong masculine energy, he barely allowed Klyre to suppress her urge to throw herself into his arms and surrender to his embrace. Especially striking was his gaze—clear and pure like a spring of water, so transparent that one felt they could see straight into his soul, unintentionally lowering any defenses one might have had around him.
Meizi, as usual, ran straight into Mu Lin’s arms without hesitation, unbothered by her increasing age. The other women who had practiced dual cultivation with Mu Lin looked on with envy.
Mu Lin waited until Meizi had her moment of affectionate playfulness, then calmed her down before pulling out necklaces he had crafted for them during his retreat. Klyre, Meifang, and Meizi unconditionally loved whatever Mu Lin gave them, especially jade items that suited their tastes. Naturally, they were delighted and eagerly allowed Mu Lin to put the necklaces on them.
Fanny and the others, being Westerners, preferred treasures in line with Western aesthetics. The jade pendants Mu Lin had made didn’t quite match their tastes. Without the silver chains he had added, they might have outright refused them.
Seeing their hesitation, Mu Lin spoke in his usual calm tone, “What? Don’t like them? Think carefully! If you don’t want them this time, I won’t give you anything like this again!” In Mu Lin’s mind, everything followed its own laws and had its own trajectory. Nature favored survival of the fittest; if Fanny and the others refused, it meant they were not suited for cultivation and would remain in the mundane world.
Hearing Mu Lin’s calm words, the group’s most clever member, Kelly, reacted first. As she quietly gathered her energy, she felt a strong pull from the pendant, an irresistible urge to possess it. Almost snatching it from Mu Lin’s hand, she quickly put it on.
Seeing Kelly’s actions, Fanny and Silvia exchanged confused glances. “Kelly, are you crazy? This thing is so ugly! It’s not even as nice as the necklace Daniel bought us last time!” they asked.
Mu Lin stopped Kelly from responding and prepared to put away the remaining four necklaces.
At this moment, Klyre stepped forward and took the necklaces from Mu Lin’s hands. After seeing Kelly’s reaction and recalling Mu Lin’s words, she instinctively felt these necklaces must have immense benefits for them, so she moved forward to take them.
“Mu Lin, why not just tell them clearly? After all, we are all family now!” Klyre’s tone was somewhat firm.
Normally, Mu Lin insisted on using Chinese for conversations at home. Since Fanny and the others had only recently started learning Chinese, their comprehension was still somewhat limited, which was why Klyre spoke this way.
“Hehe,” Mu Lin, facing Klyre—who was older than him and the most devoted, gentle woman in his life—was momentarily at a loss for words and could only laugh awkwardly.
“Alright, girls! When have you ever seen Mu Lin so seriously make necklaces for you? This must be something very important!”
“That’s right! Just now when I gathered my energy, I felt a strong pull from it, like I had to have it to feel at peace. Mu Lin just wouldn’t let me tell you earlier! Why don’t you try it yourselves?” Seeing Klyre’s actions, Kelly finally dared to speak.
The girls quickly gathered their energy to test it and indeed felt the same pull as Kelly. Bess, in a playful tone, said, “Mu Lin Gege is so mean! You had such a good thing and didn’t want to give it to us!”
The others nodded in agreement.
“Alright! I just want to make one thing clear. Today, if it wasn’t for Klyre pleading for you, I wouldn’t have given these necklaces to you at all!” Mu Lin said seriously.
“I also want to point out one more thing. Your awareness of your surroundings is too slow. To put it plainly, compared to ordinary people, the gap between you and them is now like heaven and earth. These necklaces contain powerful energy that can greatly assist your cultivation. I hope you wear them at all times—remember, at all times!” Mu Lin emphasized again.
Looking at Klyre, Mu Lin continued, “I suppose you all already know the reason behind the incident in New York recently. During these days of retreat, I carefully considered the entire matter. It was the clinic that attracted the greed of the underworld, which led to this joint robbery by the criminal gangs. But at the same time, the clinic also helped us. If my medical skills weren’t something the upper class elites desperately needed, we would have suffered unimaginable losses. Don’t you agree?”
Mu Lin sought their opinions. Seeing everyone nod in agreement, he continued, “I think that relying solely on the elites’ need for the clinic can only protect us temporarily. If modern science and technology make a major breakthrough, medical treatment will inevitably advance significantly. Once their medical technology can cure the elites’ illnesses faster and better than our clinic, that will be the day our clinic shuts down—and many people will want revenge against us!”
Mu Lin paused for a moment, giving the women time to reflect. For a moment, everyone wore a thoughtful expression.
Mu Lin continued, “Relying on others’ favor for safety is the most unreliable kind of safety. The strict rules I’ve set for the clinic have already offended many powerful figures. Right now, they still need the clinic to maintain their health, so they dare not act despite their anger.
Moreover, this incident has also angered many elites who are close to the Japanese. Although they are currently at a disadvantage, have you considered the deep hatred they harbor toward us? Also, the elites who suffered collateral damage from the gang attacks still have their own power bases and chances to rise again.
Once the clinic’s support disappears, you can imagine the consequences we’ll face! That’s why I need Klyre to re-enter the world and help us all!”
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