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

"You little rascal!" Lin Ran tapped Lin Hongjia's cheek, and seeing the latter covering his head and looking at him pitifully, he couldn't help but laugh and said, "Tell me, what do you want? I'll give you whatever I can."

Lin Hongjia smiled, took another sip of fruit wine, and chuckled dreamily, "I'll owe you for now, we'll talk about it next time!"

Lin Chong, standing to the side, said somewhat embarrassedly, "Father, can I ask for a cultivation technique reward in advance? I want to continue cultivating!"

Lin Chong had been at the first level of the Daoist realm for some time, but he didn't have any cultivation techniques and couldn't continue cultivating, so he had no choice but to shamelessly ask his father for some.

"Cough cough..."

Lin Ran was drinking when she choked and coughed for a while before realizing she had overlooked the problem.

Lin Chong's cultivation is too fast. He was supposed to break through to the Daoist realm after his coming-of-age ceremony, but he broke through more than a year ahead of schedule. However, the Sword Saint's ruins have not yet been officially excavated.

The first cultivation method one chooses in their life largely determines their future path and achievements, so it cannot be taken lightly.

Lin Ran wanted to pass on the legacy of the Sword Saint's ruins to Lin Chong, just like in the original story. Now that it's not open, could he sneak in and take it out beforehand? That doesn't seem impossible, but he's not really sure where it is!

Seeing Lin Ran's troubled expression, Lin Chong, though somewhat disappointed, still understandingly said to his father, "Father, if you can't produce it right away, I can stop cultivating for a while..."

"Xiao Chong, that's not what I meant. I was just thinking about what kind of martial arts technique would be more suitable for you. You should practice martial arts for now, and I'll go look for it!" Lin Ran patted Lin Chong's shoulder with great satisfaction. He was very happy that his son was so considerate, but he didn't want to delay his son's future.

Lin Ran decided that in a few days, she would go directly into the mountains to find the ancient ruins and dig out the cultivation technique for Lin Chong to practice.

But then Lin Ran thought of his mysterious wife and couldn't help but look at Lin Chong curiously and ask, "Little Chong, didn't your mother leave you any cultivation techniques?"

Lin Hongjia's little ears twitched involuntarily. She had just been thinking of secretly giving the cultivation manual to Lin Ran so that Lin Ran could then pass it on to Lin Chong.

But Lin Ran's words made her give up on this idea. That's right, Lin Chong's mother is a holy maiden of the Spirit Clan. She must have left behind a better and more suitable cultivation method!

When Lin Ran asked him this, Lin Chong scratched his head awkwardly and said embarrassedly, "My mother didn't leave behind any martial arts techniques. She said I wasn't suitable to practice her techniques, and she also said..."

Lin Ran guessed, "You don't mean you're suggesting we ask your bastard father to figure it out, do you?"

"Uh..." Lin Chong didn't dare to continue. After all, if he were to repeat his mother's exact words, wouldn't that be insulting his own father? That would be too filial of him.

"Never mind, I know your mother too well. She probably scolded me quite a bit." Lin Ran patted Lin Chong's head with a smile and said softly, "You can continue your cultivation in a few days. Your father needs to find a suitable cultivation method for you."

"Thank you, Father!" Lin Chong looked at his father gratefully, his eyes glistening with tears. Over the years, his father had always encouraged and supported him, believing that he could return to his peak. His performance in those years had been far from satisfactory.

"There's nothing to thank me for. Your hard work in cultivation is the greatest gratitude you can give me. Father is counting on you to become a great emperor in the future!" Lin Ran said with a smile.

"I definitely will!" Lin Chong answered firmly.

Standing to the side, Lin Hongjia watched the father and son quietly with a smile on her face. She couldn't help but feel that she and Lin Ran were now a couple, and their son was Lin Chong, a picture of the three of them as a family.

Her face flushed, and she quickly lowered her head, sipping her fruit wine while inwardly cursing herself: "Lin Hongjia, Lin Hongjia, you are so shameless!"

……

A few days later, Lin Ran put on the mask she had used before, explained the family affairs, and then transformed into a streak of light and rushed into the continuous mountains surrounding Linshan City.

The continuous mountain range near Linshan City is also known as the Southern Wilderness Mountain Range.

The territory occupied by the Li Dynasty was very large, blocking the urban area centered on Linshan City and Anling, the capital of the Li Dynasty, which was also the reason why Linshan City was relatively backward.

It is currently late autumn, and in the Southern Wilderness Mountains, the autumn wind is fierce. Walking in the mountains, withered leaves are blown to the ground, and everywhere is a desolate scene of late autumn.

The roars of magical beasts could be heard from time to time in the mountain stream. It is said that there are Nirvana Realm level demonic beasts living deep in this southern wilderness mountain range, and there are also many demonic beasts of considerable level in the outer areas.

So when a large group of people went into the mountains to search for the ancient ruins, they suffered heavy casualties. If it weren't for the fact that quite a few people had actually seen the ancient ruins, they probably would have rushed to the entrance of the Jinling Chamber of Commerce to curse people.

As for why they only used insults, after all, the Jinling Chamber of Commerce is still very powerful, and they can only vent their anger by insulting people.

Lin Ran ventured into the mountains. He didn't search the outer perimeter, but went straight into the mountains to search. If he remembered correctly, the ancient ruins were eventually discovered in a mountain ravine deep in the Southern Wilderness Mountains.

This is not easy to find!

……

P.S.: Since I started getting featured today, I'll be updating more frequently. This is a 4-word chapter. I originally wanted to post it separately, but after thinking about it, I decided to post it all at once. Posting it separately would be a bit naughty, hahaha.

Finally, thank you for your monthly tickets and tips. I hope you will continue to read and bookmark this page. Thank you! (#^.^#)

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Mysterious Woman in White

The Southern Wilderness Mountains were even more eerie at night. Tonight, without the moonlight, the mountains were pitch black. The occasional cool winds and the howls of monsters carried by the wind made it even more unbearable to stay in the mountains.

People cherish their lives, and staying in such a dangerous mountain range makes it even easier to lose one's life. There are probably very few survivors in the Southern Wilderness Mountains.

But behind the withered vines on a cliff face, there was a small cave where Lin Ran was lighting a campfire and drinking some wine. He planned to continue searching for the ancient ruins in the deep mountains and forests later that night.

Although the Southern Wilderness Mountains are dangerous, it doesn't mean that someone at the Spirit Core Realm will be in danger here. As long as he doesn't encounter Nirvana Realm monsters, he can still roam freely.

After searching all morning without finding any place that seemed to be a relic, Lin Ran could only hope that the relic would reveal some traces of itself that night.

Just as Lin Ran was about to extinguish the campfire and continue searching for ancient ruins, the entire cave suddenly shook violently, and a deafening explosion came from outside. Lin Ran seemed to hear the roar of monkeys.

"Holy crap, what the hell is this?!" Lin Ran's figure transformed into a streak of light, rushing out of the cave and arriving in mid-air in the blink of an eye. He couldn't help but look towards the place where the sound came from.

A huge red ape, as big as a small mountain, was pounding its chest and stomping its feet, roaring wildly, uprooting a nearby tree, and chasing after a white figure that was leaping through the forest not far ahead.

"Red Demon Giant Ape, the strength of the Spirit Core Realm, who in their right mind would provoke such a powerful demon beast that it fought for so long!" Lin Ran knew a little about demon beasts. He had encountered this Red Demon Giant Ape earlier today and even took a short rest near its territory, but he didn't expect someone to anger it.

"Let's see what kind of person this little genius is!" Lin Ran became curious and soared higher into the sky, hanging far behind the man and the monkey, watching the spectacle.

The Crimson Giant Ape seemed to be annoyed by the agile little ants, and let out a long roar. The large tree it had pulled out transformed into a javelin, carrying terrifying power, and flew towards the white figure.

Perhaps the figure didn't expect the red demon giant ape to be so clever. It happened to leap into the air at the exact moment, making it completely unable to dodge the attack, and almost collided directly with the tree.

"Oh!"

With a loud bang, the white figure transformed into a cannonball, crashing through many tree trunks in its path. After leaving a long mud trail, it barely came to a stop on the edge of the cliff.

Tiny pebbles rolled down the cliff. In the moonless Southern Wilderness Mountains, looking down the cliff was like looking into an endless abyss, like a giant maw that seemed about to swallow you whole if you looked too long.

Lin Ran, in the sky, looked at the precarious figure and stared in astonishment. She murmured, "I didn't expect it to be a woman. Tsk tsk, she has a good figure, but how come her strength is only at the Spirit Transformation Realm? With such strength, staying deep in the Southern Wilderness Mountains at night, isn't she just courting death?"

Lin Ran had no intention of going down to rescue her; he was thinking about whether he could make some money off her. The woman in white was in danger, but he could become the one to take advantage of her. Once the woman was gone, wouldn't the spatial ring and other things she had on her be his?

The woman in white, standing shakily on the cliff edge, got up from the ground and looked at the giant red ape charging towards her. All the trees that blocked her way were smashed to pieces by its powerful body. Its eyes, which gleamed with a scarlet light in the darkness, were staring intently at her, sending chills down her spine.

The woman in white formed a strange hand seal, and a pale blue light surged beneath her feet, transforming into a blue lotus. Her aura also rose steadily, even breaking through the shackles of the Spirit Transformation Realm and reaching the Spirit Core Realm, before finally stopping at the second level of the Spirit Core Realm.

"What kind of heaven-defying secret technique is this? It can even enhance strength across realms?" Lin Ran was astonished when he sensed the woman's genuine strength at the second level of the Spirit Core Realm.

Such a secret technique that can leapfrog a major realm to enhance one's strength is, if not nonexistent, certainly extremely rare. The fact that the woman in front of them is using such a secret technique proves that her identity is not simple. Such a treasure is a top-secret item even in major powers.

"Even if we use secret techniques, we might not be able to defeat the Crimson Demon Giant Ape!" Lin Ran recalled the Crimson Demon Giant Ape's most distinctive beastly talent: the more blood it loses, the stronger it becomes. And this beast is at the Spirit Core Realm; anyone without the Nirvana Realm really can't touch it.

After the woman in white enhanced her strength using a secret technique, she took out a long, slender sword with a light blue body and exquisite patterns. Its double blades were sharp, as if it could cut through gold and jade.

As spiritual energy was channeled into the longsword, it emitted a buzzing sound.

The woman in white casually flicked her sword, unleashing a cyan sword aura that raged around her, leaving deep furrows. She even charged towards the Crimson Demon Giant Ape, her nimble figure transforming into afterimages. Using a hit-and-run tactic, each time she drew her sword, several cyan sword energies would strike the Crimson Demon Giant Ape.

The cyan sword energy, carrying a sharp force that seemed to tear through space, left bloodstains of varying depths on the Crimson Demon Giant Ape. However, such an attack only drove the Crimson Demon Giant Ape even more berserk.

"Roar!"

A murderous roar echoed through the mountains. The Crimson Demon Giant Ape glowed with a scarlet light. Its terrifying fighting instincts seized the white-clad woman who was just about to move. Its enormous fist arrived in front of her in an instant with astonishing speed.

Seeing the fist suddenly enlarge in her pupils, the woman in white reacted quickly, immediately conjuring up layers of cyan barriers.

Faced with absolute power, the cyan barrier was torn apart instantly like paper, and the woman in white was once again sent flying like a kite with a broken string.

Lin Ran, watching from the sky, couldn't help but shake her head. If her younger sister were to be beaten a few more times in this manner, she would perish here in a tragic way.

"They shouldn't have fought!" Lin Ran exclaimed.

At this point, the situation was basically one-sided. Even with the use of secret techniques, the gap between the white-clad woman and the red demon giant ape was simply too great, and she was basically being chased around.

However, because of the use of the secret technique, the woman in white will definitely fall into a weakened state afterward. With this ebb and flow, the woman in white will basically die.

The chase lasted a long time. The woman in white suffered many injuries while fleeing in haste. In particular, when the effects of the secret technique were about to wear off, the aura on the woman in white rapidly weakened, and she kept falling from the second level of the Spirit Core Realm back to her original level.

"Oh!"

When the woman in white was losing her momentum, she was hit head-on by a punch from the giant red ape. She slammed into the mountain wall, leaving a large dent in her back. Cracks, like a spider web, spread from her back and extended to half of the mountain wall.

She coughed up a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground, her breath weak, like a candle flame in the wind, as if it would be extinguished at any moment.

Just as Lin Ran was about to go down to collect the vegetables, the woman in white suddenly took out a scroll, her whole body enveloped in silver light, and disappeared from the spot.

"Sigh, she actually has a space scroll. Why didn't she use it sooner?" Lin Ran felt a bit regretful. This woman in white was definitely not simple. She even had a space scroll, a life-saving treasure. It was a pity. If he could have received the vegetables, he could have become quite wealthy.

Lin Ran glanced at the Crimson Demon Giant Ape, which was going berserk because its target had disappeared, and felt a little strange. She thought to herself, "Why is this Crimson Demon Giant Ape chasing after that woman so relentlessly? Could it have stolen something? Otherwise, it wouldn't be chasing her so desperately and causing such a commotion."

Lin Ran shook his head, not continuing to think about it, but instead continued with his goal, searching along the mountain stream for traces of the ancient ruins. As for the woman, it was impossible for him to just happen to pick her up.

……

Lin Ran hovered in mid-air above the mountain stream, looking at the scene before her with a complex expression.

A woman in white was hanging from a branch protruding from the cliff. Her eyes were closed, her face was pale, and her breath was weak. Her clothes were tattered, covered with mud and hideous wounds.

To Lin Ran's surprise, he initially thought the woman would be stunningly beautiful, but her appearance paled in comparison to her near-perfect figure.

However, this woman gave off the impression of a fairy who had fallen from heaven to earth, and her elegant and refined temperament added a lot to her charm.

To be honest, if he hadn't saved this woman, it probably wouldn't have been long before the bloodstains on her body would have attracted the monsters living on the cliffs, and if they had been targeted, she would have been dead.

"Hey, I'll take pity on you and save you today!"

Lin Ran pondered for a moment, then emitted a suction force from his palm, pulling the woman into his arms. The soft, warm fragrance of her body aroused Lin Ran, but he restrained himself and led the woman in white toward a cave he had just discovered nearby.

Upon entering the cave, Lin Ran gently placed the woman on the ground, took out soft bedding, found a flat surface to lay it on, and then transferred the woman onto it. After that, she took defensive measures at the cave entrance and placed glowing stones inside the cave to provide illumination, instantly making the entire cave bright.

Lin Ran scrutinized the woman in front of her, reached out and grasped her wrist, carefully examining her body. The more she examined, the worse she felt.

However, when Lin Ran's golden spiritual power touched the other woman's cyan spiritual power, Lin Ran was surprised to find that the woman's spiritual power actually moved closer to his spiritual power and merged with his spiritual power directly.

It's like a young couple deeply in love who haven't seen each other for a long time. As soon as they meet, they stick together and don't want to be apart.

This situation was somewhat beyond Lin Ran's experience. It seemed that this would only happen if the two people cultivated the same techniques from the same source.

Now is not the time to study these things, because if we don't save this woman soon, she'll probably die.

Lin Ran was naturally unwilling to spend his own spiritual medicine, so he directly took the white-clothed woman's spatial ring off her right hand and forcibly broke the soul imprint seal on it.

Lin Ran found many medicinal herbs in the ring, and took out those that would be helpful to the woman. Soon, more than a dozen white jade bottles appeared beside her, each with a corresponding name and label, indicating that the woman usually organized these medicinal herbs.