That other senior Golden Sun Sect cultivator moved fast.

The next day, Lin Yijun received a message from his parents on his hexagonal token.

For the first time in his life, Lin Yijun declined the meeting. He was truly too busy to make the trip back to the Sect, and he did not need to be burdened with more Sect duties upon passing through its gates.

That evening, his parents flew to the stadium construction site. Lin Yijun noticed their auras when they were a few minutes away.

He wasn’t surprised. He told the construction team to take a break and went to intercept his parents.

The three of them landed a distance away from the stadium.

Lin Yijun lowered his head. “Mother, Father, I’m honoured to have you visit.”

Father Lin looked at the distant stadium, which was currently a complex and unclear framework. “So this is what you have been working on.”

Lin Yijun nodded. “Yes, Father. As this matter concerns both the righteous and demonic sects, I could not return to the Golden Sun Sect at your behest. This son has been unfilial.”

“Oh, then you know that you’ve been unfilial,” Father Lin focused his sharp gaze on Lin Yijun. He paused when Mother Lin gave him a look.

“Child, are you not going to offer us tea?” Mother Lin asked.

“Yes, Mother.”

Lin Yijun took out his portable house again. He invited his parents inside and served them tea in the hall.

Lin Yijun didn’t speak, letting the silence extend on.

Finally, Father Lin produced a pale blue jade vial from inside his sleeve. “Son, understand your father’s efforts in attaining this and drink it.”

Lin Yijun lowered his tea cup. “Father, my cultivation is currently very smooth. At this moment, disruption is not ideal and can negatively affect my performance in the upcoming tournament.”

“It is for your own good!” Father Lin scowled. “You have been seduced by that demonic cultivator. Drink this, and purge your body of his effects!”

Lin Yijun’s lowered eyes flashed. He no longer wanted to talk to his parents, but he knew how deeply in indebt he was to them. If it weren’t for them...he would have been struggling, like so many of the background-less cultivators who joined the sect.

“Father, he is my true and honest Dao Companion. Any potion to forcefully sever that connection will lead to irreparable damage to one’s cultivation. As your son, I am endlessly grateful for my parents’ favour and resources in my journey of cultivation. This...”

“If you understand that we developed your cultivation, then you would accept us crippling your cultivation. After all, it was granted by us,” Father Lin snorted.

“What are you saying?” Mother Lin hissed to Father Lin. “You are not crippling our son’s cultivation! What a waste that would be! Son, Junjun,” Mother Lin’s voice softened towards Lin Yijun. “Dao Companions are not permanent. Simply end it with this...civilian. Mother will find you a better man.”

Lin Yijun looked up. “Oh, have Mother and Father been affected by Peak Master Wang’s demotion? My companionship forms an alliance between the righteous and demonic cultivation worlds. I do not believe any other marriage will have the same impact.”

His parents’ auras briefly fluctuated.

Lin Yijun hid a sardonic smile. How messy Senior Wang’s faction must be at the moment. “I believe that this is a big problem. Neither Mother and Father nor this son have time to chat idly.”

“...You’re joining Elder Liu’s faction?” Mother Lin asked coldly.

“If the Sect Leader orders my separation, then I will either agree or leave the sect. Have you asked the Sect Leader?”

Father Lin’s hand curled into a fist, causing the jade vial to explode into pieces. The liquid inside dripped uselessly onto the floor.

They all knew that the Sect Leader would not order Lin Yijun to separate from Zhou Sheng. The Sect Leader’s demotion of surnamed Wang showed the winds of their current favour. And Lin Yijun’s insistence in staying here clearly signalled his disinterest in the Sect’s current power struggles.

“Mother, Father, please grant me permission to leave. Countless fellow cultivators are waiting for the tournament to begin as soon as possible.”

Father Lin rose first. “Then, for the greater cause of the entire cultivation world, we will not hinder you,” he sneered.

They passed a few more polite and barbed exchanges before Lin Yijun was finally able to usher his parents out. He made sure they left before returning to the stadium site.

A tall, familiar figure waited for him with his arms crossed.

Lin Yijun’s chest eased as he increased his pace. “Zhou Sheng.”

Zhou Sheng’s eyes swept over Lin Yijun. “So, we’re still Dao Companions.”

Lin Yijun’s lips twitched. “Do you have such little faith in me?”

Zhou Sheng put on a thoughtful look. “Well, now that you’ve asked me—Come here.”

Lin Yijun walked over to him and readily rested his hands on Zhou Sheng’s hips.

Zhou Sheng smiled warmly. “Close your eyes and open your mouth.”

Lin Yijun’s brief thought of is this a reward? was quickly replaced with suspicion, but it was too late: Zhou Sheng had stuffed a piece of stinky fermented fish into his mouth.

Lin Yijun: QAQ!

Zhou Sheng burst out into a laugh so hard that he had to hug Lin Yijun in order to stay upright.

...Although the hug was nice, it didn’t make up for the fish taste in Lin Yijun’s mouth!!!

 

---

 

Work continued on the tournament preparations.

With Lin Yijun’s and Zhou Sheng’s stern attitudes, no one made any more comments about their relationship to their face. As for what was spoken about them in private, they couldn’t care less: their own private times were much more important.

The cultivators working on the construction of the stadium worked as fast as they could while maintaining structural integrity: the faster they completed the stadium, the faster they could fight each other. They showed the previously doubtful Lin Yijun that they were more than on track to an earlier completion.

And so, the representatives set the tournament to begin only two weeks after the initial battlegrounds confrontation.

The cultivation world became abuzz with activity!

 

---

 

Wen Zhihao proverbially scratched his head at his pile of spiritual stones. With so much money, what more could he spend it on?

He had bought a stack of talisman-making materials, and small swords and new clothes for the children. Since Sun Fuyu had signed up for the tournament, Wen Zhihao had bought multiple potions and advanced talismans and random magical treasures for Sun Fuyu.

Yet he made no dent in his pile at all. The pile grew bigger every day as more and more cultivators wanted to buy calming stones to improve their state of mind for the upcoming tournament.

He wanted to throw the money at Sword Crafter Lin Jixuan to get her to upgrade Sun Fuyu’s sword again. Unfortunately though, dozens of sword cultivators flocked around Lin Jixuan’s workshop. How could Wen Zhihao, a weak talisman cultivator, get through?

Spending money was such a burden!

A few days before the tournament was to start, the children were restless at bedtime.

“Uncle, Uncle!” Ruan Lanxi tugged at Wen Zhihao’s robes. “Can we see Little Uncle battling? Please? Please please please?”

“It’s not just for one day,” Wen Zhihao said, brows pinching together. “Traveling back and forth every day…”

“I can sleep there! I’m not scared!” Ruan Lanxi insisted.

A lightbulb went on over Wen Zhihao’s head. He picked Ruan Lanxi up and twirled her around. “Xixi is so smart! Uncle can buy a magical tent, and we can all go watch and support Little Uncle Fuyu!”

“Is Grandma coming too?” Xiao Bai asked quietly.

Wen Zhihao easily picked Xiao Bai up with his other arm. “Everyone can come! But, that means you must all work hard at school and diligently do your homework. And you will have to work hard to catch up on missed classes…”

“Okay!” Ruan Lanxi said immediately. Her eyes were already shiny with visions of sword battles.

Wen Zhihao put the children down again and ushered them to climb into bed. “Little Uncle will be extra invigorated with your cheering.”

“I’ll cheer very loudly!” Ruan Lanxi promised.

“We can make banners with Sun Fuyu’s name,” Wen Zhihao mused.

“Okay!” Ruan Lanxi agreed.

Wen Zhihao grinned. “Now close your eyes, okay?”

“Okay!”

Wen Zhihao’s eyes grew soft. Not only could they enjoy this trip together as a family group, but Wen Zhihao could also spend more of that ridiculous pile of spiritual stones!

 

 

---

Every day, I tell myself to produce a buffer for Salted Fish. Every day, I fail...