My father is the main character, but the female leads want to kill me.

"What is Gu Qiumeng's identity?" Li Yuhan added, "Her name sounds like she's a woman!"

"The strongest and actual controller of the Primordial Holy Land, with strength at the Undying Realm, though the exact extent is unknown. He is elusive, seemingly always on the move, experiencing life and training."

"Don't look at me like that. I don't know her, so I just made one up. Anyway, they won't dare to verify it. Even if they come to my door, they'll only be looking for Jiang Ran, not me, Lin Ran," Lin Ran said calmly.

Having a fake identity makes it much more satisfying to get things done, show off, and slap someone in the face.

"You seem carefree, but I'm in a lot of trouble." Li Yuhan sighed and said with a wry smile, "Hua Feng has probably gone back to get reinforcements. If he really does, how am I supposed to deal with it?"

Lin Ran shrugged and said innocently, "Pretend to be confused, what else can I do? This has nothing to do with you, it's just Hua Feng being unreasonable. You don't know my identity, you only know that I came here to talk business, that's enough. Besides, Hua Feng might not even be able to bring back reinforcements."

"What about my engagement? You promised to help me. If you just walk away like this, I'll... I'll..." Li Yuhan thought of reasons to threaten Lin Ran into helping, but none of them seemed to work on Lin Ran.

Lin Ran glanced at Li Yuhan's ample bosom and nodded with a smile: "You have big breasts, is your brain all in there?"

"You called me all boobs and no brains!" Li Yuhan pointed angrily at Lin Ran. She found that she was always being taken advantage of by this guy.

"Why are you so angry? I have a business deal to discuss with you!"

"Serious or indecent?"

"Seriously, I need you to help me find the items on this list. I'm going to hold a clan competition soon to select some talented people." Lin Ran took out a list and handed it to Li Yuhan.

Li Yuhan glanced at them casually; they weren't some rare treasures. She then agreed: "I can help you find these things and give you the best price. In return, you have to keep your promise to me. Do you understand the importance of integrity?"

"Ms. Li, I'm really looking forward to our collaboration!"

Lin Ran extended her hand, and Li Yuhan glanced at it before extending her own hand gracefully, saying through gritted teeth, "If I could, I really wouldn't want to cooperate with you; I'm always the one who suffers."

"Miss Li, suffering a loss is a blessing!" Lin Ran smiled, gently squeezed Li Yuhan's small hand, and slipped away under Li Yuhan's murderous glare.

After Lin Ran left, Li Yuhan sat back down in her seat. She pondered what Lin Ran had said about the Primordial Holy Land. How could a clan leader from a small place, even if he was at the Spirit Core Realm, know so much about these things?

This reminded her of the reports she received when she investigated Lin Ran, which contained almost no useful information.

"It seems this guy had a lot of opportunities while he was out there, but why did he come back to take care of his son? And his daughter seems to have appeared out of nowhere. This guy has quite a few secrets!" Li Yuhan murmured to herself, becoming increasingly curious about Lin Ran's past.

……

Chapter Eighteen: Conversation on the Back Hill

In Linshan City, at the Lin family's residence, on a secluded cliff edge in the back mountains, a young girl dressed in a light blue dress stood gracefully, her black hair dancing in the mountain breeze.

The girl gazed at the sunset on the horizon. The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky red, a color as brilliant as roses, yet it also evoked a sense of loneliness. Such a beautiful sunset only appeared for a short time.

She watched quietly for a long time, until the black night sky hung on the horizon, before the girl slowly spoke, her ethereal and melodious voice echoing in the deserted mountains.

"Just tell me if you have anything to say!"

As soon as the girl finished speaking, it was as if a golden pen had casually drawn a door of light in the space behind her, and a figure walked out from it. He looked like an old man with white hair and beard, wearing an elegant white robe. What was most eye-catching was the strange pattern on the old man's face, which also emitted a golden light.

As the old man emerged from the portal, the wrinkles on his face disappeared again. He knelt respectfully on one knee, looked at the girl whose back was to him, and said in a respectful voice, "Good evening, Miss!"

The girl slowly turned around, revealing her stunningly beautiful face; it was none other than Lin Hongjia from the Lin family.

Lin Hongjia looked at the old man, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes, and said coldly, "What's going on in the clan now? Don't mention anything that's calling me back; it's annoying to hear."

Old man: "..."

What can he possibly say then?

"Miss, whether you like it or not, I still have to say this."

The old man said earnestly, "There are already many voices of dissatisfaction within the clan. They think that you have not only wasted time and resources, but you have also failed to obtain the secrets of the Lin family. Some people have even demanded that you return immediately, but the clan leader has stopped them."

"Miss, why don't you choose to go back? There are better cultivation grounds and better resources within the clan. With your talent and abilities, you could easily shut those people up."

"I'm happier here. Anyway, I'll definitely go back before my coming-of-age ceremony, so I don't need to worry about it!" Lin Hongjia said casually. Seeing a light leaf drifting down, he reached out and caught it, playing with it casually, sometimes rolling it, sometimes twisting it, using his fighting spirit to suspend the leaf in mid-air.

"By the way, I asked you to investigate Lin Ran... Lin Ran's uncle's wife, have you found anything?" Lin Hongjia asked the old man, her eyebrows furrowed.

“There are some, but because it’s been so long, they’re difficult to investigate. However…” The old man was about to say something when Lin Hongjia interrupted him, “Get to the point!”

"Based on the information you provided, Miss, we have narrowed down our search and uncovered some secrets. Decades ago, a relic appeared in the Eastern Region, which was confirmed to be the legacy left by the ancient powerhouse, the Azure Emperor. That event caused a sensation throughout the entire Nine Provinces Continent, with all forces mobilizing their forces. However, the final result was that everyone suffered heavy losses, and no one obtained the Azure Emperor's legacy," the old man said respectfully.

"What does this have to do with what I'm investigating?" Lin Hongjia frowned slightly and couldn't help but ask.

"There was a person who was suspected of obtaining the inheritance of the Azure Emperor, but disappeared after being seriously injured. That person was the former Holy Maiden of the Spirit Clan. Even the people of the Spirit Clan were looking for her, but they searched the entire Eastern Region and still couldn't find the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Clan. This angered the Spirit Clan at the time, and they made a fuss for a long time, but then they stopped looking for her."

"If we're talking about a force similar to ours that disappeared decades ago, the only one is the former Holy Maiden of the Spirit Clan. However, back then, the former Holy Maiden of the Spirit Clan was at the peak of the Undying Realm, only one step away from the Saint Realm. There was a gap between her and Clan Chief Lin Ran's status, so I'm wondering if Miss has chosen the wrong target." The old man said respectfully.

Actually, the old man's words were rather tactful. The difference was far more than just a little; it was enormous. One was the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Clan, a top prodigy on the continent at the time, while the other was the head of a small family in a remote city of a small dynasty in the Eastern Region. If they hadn't had some connection with them, they probably wouldn't have known about the Lin family.

How could these two people be husband and wife? If the Spirit Clan knew, they would probably accuse them of slander.

"What's the name of that former Holy Maiden of the Spirit Clan?" Lin Hongjia suddenly asked softly.

"Her name is Mu Qiqin. I heard she's the sister of the current Spirit Clan Chief, but there's no further information. The Spirit Clan has completely blocked this information." The old man answered truthfully, but the answer had already shocked Lin Hongjia so much that his mind seemed to be buzzing.

Lin Hongjia couldn't help but recall what she had heard in the woods: Mu Qiqin's identity was very mysterious, so mysterious that even Lin Ran herself didn't know. At that time, Lin Hongjia was filled with curiosity. She wanted to know who she was, and actually wanted to know what Lin Ran's ex-wife was like.

Even though the other person had gone offline, Lin Hongjia's curiosity still drove him to find out more.

But to her utter disbelief, it turned out to be the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Clan. Yet the facts were undeniable: the timeline matched, the name matched, and the level of mystery and power matched. How could it not be her?

Why didn't the Spirit Clan search for them later? What else could they possibly not search for? They probably already went back. Why didn't they hear from them? It must be because they broke a bunch of clan rules and were punished. Family scandals shouldn't be aired in public.

The Spirit Clan is similar to the Celestial Clan in that they do not allow intermarriage with other races. Basically, anyone who violates this rule will be subject to the most severe punishment. Moreover, Mu Qiqin's offense was far more serious than usual.

Unaware that the young woman before him was already having a mental battle because of his words, the old man dutifully asked, "Miss, shall we continue the investigation?"

Lin Hongjia came back to his senses, calmed his inner turmoil, and said calmly, "No need, let's leave it at that. Tell my father that my thoughts are still the same as before. I will definitely go back before the coming-of-age ceremony, no matter how much they urge me."

"Miss, I have a rather offensive question to ask. Of course, if you don't want to answer, you don't have to!" The old man looked at Lin Hongjia's expression and if he felt something was amiss, he wouldn't continue asking.

"Go ahead and say it, but of course, I reserve the right to pursue you!" Lin Hongjia playfully flicked the leaf in his hand at the old man.

The old man: "..." He suddenly didn't feel like talking anymore.

"Ahem..." The old man coughed a few times on purpose to ease the awkwardness before looking at Lin Hongjia and asked very seriously, "Miss, I've noticed that you and Young Master Lin Chong have been quite close lately. The two of you often practice together and go shopping together. You even teach Young Master Lin Chong how to cultivate. I must say something disrespectful, Miss, do you like Young Master Lin Chong?"

After speaking, the old man carefully observed Lin Hongjia's complexion. Her delicate face gradually flushed slightly. Suddenly, she turned to face the cliff and said, trying to appear calm, "Nonsense. Don't talk about such things anymore. Also, stop spying on me. I'm very safe in the Lin family. I don't need too much protection. Understand?"

"Yes!"

The old man believed he could see through Lin Hongjia's young girl's thoughts, so he respectfully nodded in agreement. As for the young lady, they were basically left to her own devices, as required by the clan leader, with the clan leader only visiting regularly to check on her and provide her with the necessary resources.

The people protecting the young lady have all been removed at her request. However, there have been more and more discordant voices within the clan recently. The old man who was originally in charge of the liaison has also become the young lady's bodyguard. He has been protecting the young lady or doing things according to her orders recently, which is why he said what he just said.

"Jia'er, your father is calling you back for dinner!"

Lin Chong's loud voice could be faintly heard from the foot of the mountain. Lin Hongjia quickly waved his hand and reminded him, "You should go back now. Stop spying on me. Every time you spy on me, I feel like I have no privacy at all."

“Miss, I’m just worried about you. After all, you’re still young, and young people are always impulsive. I’m afraid you might do something irreparable. If it really comes to that, I’ll be a sinner to the clan!” The old man sighed deeply.

He hoped that Miss would heed his words. If she acted impulsively in her youth and did something rash, he would surely become a sinner who would take the blame for everything. Miss was far too important to their entire Celestial Clan.

If something really goes wrong, it will cause a huge uproar.

Lin Hongjia understood the old man's words, her face flushed red, and she said with great shame and indignation, "What nonsense are you thinking? Go back now!"

"Yes!"

The old man responded, and a golden door reappeared, surging with intense spatial power. After the old man stepped inside, the golden door disappeared.

After confirming that the old man had really left, Lin Hongjia breathed a sigh of relief. She had never expected that the old man would think that she and Brother Lin Chong were deeply in love.

how can that be!

The reason she's been spending so much time with Lin Chong lately is because there's this guy who's always elusive, taking her out for morning exercises and then disappearing without a trace. Plus, there's this annoying old guy keeping an eye on her, so she can't even stick close to him.

She was bored, and Lin Chong asked her to spar with him to practice her fighting skills, so she's been spending a lot of time with him lately. She never expected to be misunderstood.

But it seems that this misunderstanding is actually a good thing for her. If it were known that she liked Lin Ran, there would definitely be more trouble, and Lin Ran might be held accountable and implicated. But if the object is Lin Chong, it would be different. Which is more outrageous and unacceptable, an old cow eating young grass or young people admiring each other? It is undoubtedly the former.

Lin Hongjia couldn't help but look up at the night sky. The stars were already hanging on the dark curtain, and after a moment, they smiled gently.

"No matter what, only by constantly becoming stronger can you truly be with him. Hongjia, you have to keep going. Happiness is something you have to fight for yourself!"

……

P.S.: I'm not feeling well today, and that drilling machine was frantically drilling into the floor in front of my house early this morning, continuing until five or six in the evening. What a dedicated civil engineer!

This book has finally been signed, and there will be recommendations in a few days. I'm thinking about whether I should update more then. I'll do my best and keep updating!

(Thanks for your donations and monthly tickets! Thanks! (ω))

Chapter Nineteen: The Hua Family's Response (Please add to your favorites)

The capital of the Joseon Dynasty was called Anryong.

Built in the mountains where the spiritual energy of the Li Dynasty was most abundant, the Li Dynasty's palace is located in the very center where the spiritual energy is most abundant. The huge and luxurious palace even has a special formation that constantly gathers the spiritual energy of heaven and earth around it.

The three great families of the capital are the Hua family, the Zhan family, and the Mo family.

It is located on the outskirts of the palace. Centered around the palace, the area surrounding the palace is the most prosperous area of ​​the Li Dynasty. In addition to the three major families, the headquarters of Jinling Chamber of Commerce is also located here.

On the wide, clean marble street, several horse-drawn carriages galloped by and stopped in front of a large, unassuming mansion. If you looked up at the plaque above the mansion, you could see the two powerful characters "Hua Family".

The man who stepped down from the most luxurious carriage was Hua Feng, the son of the Hua family patriarch.

As soon as Hua Feng got out of the car, he rushed into the Hua family home and easily found his way to his father's courtyard. As soon as he entered, he let out a howling scream, tears streaming down his face, crying out, "Father, you must do justice for me!"

Hua Xiong, who was having tea with his father in the courtyard, heard the mournful roar and his hand trembled involuntarily, spilling the expensive tea on the ground. Hua Xiong slammed his hand on the table, stood up abruptly, and glared angrily at his son, who was acting like he was attending a funeral as soon as he returned: "You brat, you come back and start crying and wailing. I almost cried you out!"

"Hello, Father! Hello, Grandpa!"

When Hua Feng saw that his father and grandfather were there, he immediately stood up straight, and his mournful expression turned into a grin.

"Xiao Feng, weren't you supposed to be trying to win over that small Spirit Core Realm cultivator in Linshan City? Why are you back? Did the attempt fail, or was the price too high?" The speaker was an elderly man sitting in a chair, sipping tea. He had a ruddy complexion, white hair and beard, and a rather robust build. He was Hua Yunlong, the Great Elder of the Hua family, the father of Hua Xiong, the head of the Hua family, Hua Feng's grandfather, and a Nirvana Realm expert in the Hua family.

"Um... Grandpa, I haven't visited that clan chief yet!" Hua Feng scratched his head, looking embarrassed.

"You brat, you didn't even pay your respects, what are you doing back here!" Hua Xiong made a move to hit him, but Hua Feng quickly shrank to Hua Yunlong's side and hurriedly said, "I was bullied as soon as I arrived in Linshan City. I saw some pretty boy touching my wife and beating up all my men."

"Oh? Is that so? Xiaofeng, come sit down and tell Grandpa about it properly!" A glint flashed in Hua Yunlong's eyes as he patted the stone chair next to him.

After Hua Feng sat down, he launched into a long, embellished tale of all the grievances he had suffered. When he got to the Primordial Holy Land, Hua Feng arrogantly exclaimed, "Grandpa, that pretty boy even made up stories about coming from some Primordial Holy Land, and that his master is named Gu Qiumeng! He's so arrogant! Who would believe such nonsense? Grandpa, you have to help me teach him a lesson! He touched my wife, hit me, and..."

"Wait!" Hua Yunlong quickly interrupted Hua Feng, looking at him very seriously and asking in a very serious voice, "Where did he say he came from?"