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

Fu Yuemei nodded. She was so attracted by these things that were full of lines and mystery that she couldn't tear herself away.

"I'm not good enough to explain this, let your sister Mu explain it to you!"

Lin Ran stood up and walked over, pulling Mu Shishuang, who was standing silently in the driver's seat, over and sitting her down in the driver's seat. He met Mu Shishuang's questioning eyes and slowly said, "This is also doing something meaningful... I know you will be a good teacher!"

After saying that, Lin Ran patted Mu Shishuang on the shoulder and teased his apprentice, "I'm leaving this place to you guys. I'm going to check on those guys and remind them to use this time to cultivate. Don't just focus on the board; pay attention to what's ahead!"

After discussing safety, Lin Ran left the driver's seat. Mu Shishuang watched Lin Ran leave before turning her gaze away. She recalled Lin Ran's words and felt a strange sense of satisfaction, as if years of emptiness had been filled.

"Yuemei, before we talk about this board, let me tell you something else first..."

Mu Shishuang quickly fulfilled her duty as a junior teacher and began explaining the knowledge points to Fu Yuemei. Little did she know that there was a small crack in the driver's side door behind them. The dark figure outside watched for a while before quietly closing the door without disturbing the teacher and student.

……

This space tunnel journey was surprisingly long; even for Lin Ran, it was the first time in her life that she had ever been in a space tunnel for such a long time.

Traveling through a space tunnel, looking at the boundless darkness, if you weren't with a large group of people, this silent loneliness, like interstellar travel, could really drive you crazy.

The spaceship provided by Canglong Academy is good, but the space isn't very spacious. If we were to take out the Liusu Palace, we might be able to let these children compete inside and see if they can improve their skills.

However, there's no need for that anymore. It's a good opportunity to let them relax during this tedious journey. Apart from their regular daily training time, Lin Ran always asks everyone to get together, chat, and cook some delicious food.

The atmosphere among everyone is noticeably more harmonious now. The stronger the team cohesion, the greater the chance of surviving together in the secret realm.

Since Mu Shishuang revealed her true feelings that day, Lin Ran clearly felt that Mu Shishuang was living more freely, as if she had seen through everything.

Although she remained aloof and quiet, and sometimes even argued with Lin Ran, she seemed like a different person when she became Yue Mei and the others' little teacher. She became more talkative, and a faint smile would sometimes appear on her face. Everything was developing in a positive direction.

The space journey, which lasted for more than a month, came to an end with the dazzling white light that appeared when the spaceship burst out of the tunnel. What followed was the ancient land full of wildness and wilderness - Qianzhou!

"Is this the former state? It's even more different than I imagined!"

Standing in front of the space tunnel, Lin Ran let out a heartfelt sigh.

At this moment, they were in Qinglong City, the most prosperous city in Qianzhou and one of the few cities in Qianzhou with a space tunnel!

The force to which Azure Dragon City belongs is the most powerful united force in the former state, called the War Alliance.

It sounds like it has something to do with the Temple of War, but in fact the two have absolutely no connection whatsoever.

The origins of the War Alliance are very ancient. Back then, the former state was practically covered by battlefields, and several major forces in the former state united to form the War Alliance to fight against external enemies. In the end, when the Void Evil Clan came, they turned to deal with the Void Evil Clan.

The original War Alliance was a renowned power even on the entire Kyushu Continent. However, after the battle with the Void Evil Clan, the War Alliance was barely surviving. The War Alliance that has survived to this day has been broken up several times, resulting in the weak War Alliance we see today.

In the entire former state, only the War Alliance possesses an Undying Realm expert, which is the War Alliance's greatest source of confidence.

As a united force, the War Alliance is divided into four parts, which can also be called the four major families of the War Alliance: the Qin family, the Ouyang family, the Hao family, and the Yang family.

This also corresponds to the four main cities of the War Alliance: Azure Dragon City, White Tiger City, Black Tortoise City, and Phoenix City.

Since Lin Ran and the others came to Qinglong City through the space tunnel, it means that the Qin family is the most powerful in the War Alliance.

Just as Lin Ran and the other academy members emerged from the space tunnel, the entire plaza was forcibly cleared away by guards wielding weapons, leaving a large empty area. Suddenly, a group of people rose into the air from the ancient city buildings in the distance and headed towards this location.

Yue Lei, who was standing next to Lin Ran, noticed that Lin Ran was looking in that direction and whispered a reminder: "The people coming from over there are from the Qin family of the War Alliance. Their ancestor is an old monster who has been in the Undying Realm for many years. The War Alliance is also involved in the search of the Qianlong Mountain Secret Realm this time. Be careful on their territory!"

"Thank you for reminding me, Brother Xie Yue!"

After Lin Ran clasped her hands in thanks, she wondered to herself, "The Qin family of the War Alliance? I wonder if they were mentioned in the original story?"

As the group of figures in the sky gradually approached and landed in the square, Lin Ran finally saw the true colors of the Qin family members.

The members of the Qin family all had solemn expressions and were dressed in black outfits. The few walking at the front were probably the core members of the Qin family, and the one who gave the most imposing feeling was probably the middle-aged man at the head of the group.

The middle-aged man walked with a powerful stride, wearing a black robe embroidered with golden dragons. His robust body made the loose robe look like a tight-fitting outfit. He had thick eyebrows and big eyes, especially his eyes, which had a restrained and subtle glint.

Just from the first glance, Lin Ran knew that this person was probably not the Undying Realm expert from the Qin family, but he wouldn't be too bad either. He should be at the Dragon Transformation Realm level, a core figure in the Qin family. The way he walked was powerful and imposing, and his aura of authority was even more like that of an emperor than the previous emperor of the Li Dynasty.

The middle-aged man walked up to the crowd, clasped his hands in greeting, and focused his gaze on the three Dragon Transformation Realm experts, Canglong, Shengqiong, and Tianli. He said in a deep voice, "Welcome to our Azure Dragon City from the Five Great Academies. I am Qin Tianying, the head of the Qin family. I have come here to invite you all to a gathering at our Qin residence!"

The people most familiar with the Qin family head here are the leaders of the Canglong and Shengqiong academies. Lin Yi and Jin Qiusheng went up and exchanged a few pleasantries with Qin Tianying before asking for the opinions of the other three academies.

After glancing at Wen Ling's expression, Lin Ran nodded. With his Nirvana Realm strength, what objection could he possibly have?

Sometimes, Lin Ran felt utterly powerless because of her Nirvana Realm strength, but she couldn't find an opportunity to break through to the Dragon Transformation Realm, and she didn't want to hastily advance to the Dragon Transformation Realm by consuming pills. It was truly a headache.

Immediately following them, a large group of people from the five major academies arrived at the Qin family's residence.

To be honest, when Lin Ran arrived at the Qin family's mansion, she felt that calling it a mansion was a bit too modest; it should be called Qin Family Square, as it was astonishingly large.

The Qin family invited Lin Ran and the others, but the main purpose was actually to invite the three deans at the Dragon Transformation Realm. Lin Ran and Yue Lei were just incidental. The two of them became brothers in misfortune. As two Nirvana Realm cultivators, they were inferior to others and endured it like sitting on pins and needles. They didn't expect that there would be such a difference in their accommodations.

Lin Ran discovered that the courtyard her people were assigned to was truly dilapidated, enough to force her to write an "Ode to a Humble Abode" on the spot to feign elegance.

Lin Ran originally thought that he was the only one like this, but to her surprise, when she went to Yue Lei's place, she saw that he was the same. With someone by her side, Lin Ran felt much better. After taking a look at Wen Ling's place, she found that the courtyard he was assigned was not only exquisite, but also had much more spiritual energy.

This blatant discrimination made Lin Ran realize once again the truth of being looked down upon for being weak.

Wen Ling, knowing what Lin Ran and Yue Lei had done, was also quite indignant. He snorted coldly and said, "Is this how the Qin family treats its guests? I'll go and talk to the Qin family on your behalf!"

Lin Ran was quite moved by what he saw, but he dared not let Wen Ling go over. He already owed Dean Wen Ling a lot of invitations, so he could not continue like this.

Lin Ran cupped her hands in thanks and said, "Dean Wenling, thank you for your kindness. A mountain is not famous for its height, but for the immortals who dwell there. Water is not sacred for its depth, but for the dragons that inhabit it. This humble abode is fragrant only with my virtue. I'll only be staying for a while anyway, so there's no need to go to such trouble!"

Upon hearing Lin Ran's words, Wen Ling's eyes flashed with surprise. He patted Lin Ran on the shoulder and exclaimed, "I didn't expect Brother Lin Ran to be so insightful compared to me. If you need anything, just come to me. Anyway, Canglong Academy has already seen through us. Let them see how we're in cahoots!"

"Thank you, Dean Xie Wenling!"

Lin Ran smiled and returned to the "humble abode". He saw that the initial excitement of his children had been worn down by the humble abode. He couldn't help but use the "Ode to a Humble Abode" to encourage them.

Sure enough, upon hearing those noble words, the children perked up and became more energetic. They found a simple room, cleaned it up, and then went inside to cultivate with spirit stones in their hands. They were determined to teach those who looked down on them a lesson.

After seeing that the group of children had all been sent away, Lin Ran sat on the moss-covered steps in front of his gate, looked at the desolate and bare trees in the yard, and sighed softly.

"Those words you said were just to fool them, right? Just like how you fooled my sister back then. Where can anyone be so noble?" Mu Shishuang said, standing next to Lin Ran.

"What do you mean by 'deceitful'? There really are such saints in the world!" Lin Ran said indignantly.

He simply hadn't yet met such a sage, but the realm of such a sage was something everyone should strive for throughout their lives…

……

118. Head to Qianlongshan

They spent the next few days at the Qin family's place until the Qin family sent someone to inform them to go to the front gate to take a carriage to Qianlong Mountain.

Upon learning the news, Lin Ran went to the front gate of the Qin family's residence together with the people from Songling Academy.

Although Lin Ran had expected this, she didn't expect the Qin family to actually give them some dilapidated carriages. The horses were thin, with rough fur, and looked very old. She didn't know if they could even pull the carriages.

The place they live in is like this, and the means of transportation they are given are also like this. It seems that the Qin family has made a deal with "certain people" to target their Linghua Academy. As for who those "certain people" are, who else could Lin Ran have offended on this trip?

Songling Academy is probably an incidental case. Targeting Linghua Academy alone would be too obvious. With Songling Academy as an example, it becomes a case of the two academies being weak and neglected, and the conflict is then transferred to the Qin family. But what can they say to the Qin family?

The Qin family, with its Undying Realm experts, certainly had reason to look down on others. After all, their entire War Alliance had several Dragon Transformation Realm experts, while they had far more.

"Lin Ran, what's happening now..."

Yue Lei looked at the carriages and spoke with a grim expression.

The other three academies seemed to have left along with the Qin family long ago. They probably only found out about their departure last, and all they got were some dilapidated carriages without even a guide. This was outrageous.

Lin Ran shook her head helplessly and said, "Let's go. Let's go to the market in Qinglong City and buy a few better carriages, and then hire someone who knows Qianlong Mountain!"

"Sigh, that's all we can do!"

Yue Lei sighed. Who told them to be looked down upon because of their low strength?

Fortunately, the Qin family didn't go so far as to ban them from buying carriages at the market. Lin Ran was able to buy enough carriages for his academy, and he even hired a female mercenary who knew the road to Qianlong Mountain.

This female mercenary, probably in her early thirties, had a delicate face with terrifying scars, giving her an aura of both angel and devil.

Lin Ran spontaneously started a mercenary guild in Qinglong City. He had just posted a mission there when the female mercenary accepted it the next second.

Lin Ran was indeed somewhat surprised when they first met, but after exchanging a few words, she realized that this female mercenary was a seasoned veteran. However, her sharp tongue made Lin Ran feel a little ashamed.

In order to catch up with the progress of other academies as soon as possible, Lin Ran asked the female mercenary to buy and collect the supplies needed for the journey, and then took a car and left Qinglong City, heading south.

Unlike the vast Gobi Desert of Gyeongju, the jungle miasma of Jeonju is a major feature of Jeonju. In this vast and endless tropical jungle and the occasional white fog, you never know when danger will emerge from it.

Lin Ran and the others drove their carriage at a relatively fast speed along the muddy road cleared by countless pioneers.

"Mulan, if you hadn't reminded me, I probably would have bought the wrong warhorse!" Lin Ran said with a smile to the female mercenary sitting next to her.

Mulan has short, neat black hair, wheat-colored skin, and wears a set of leather armor that only protects her vital parts. Her flat stomach and strong, powerful legs are on full display.

It's a pity that her delicate face was covered with ugly, centipede-like scars that crawled diagonally from the upper right corner of her face across the other side, making it a creepy sight.

Mulan turned her head and glanced at Lin Ran, lashing her whip hard across the warhorse as she said bluntly, "These warhorses are like beauties from different places, each with its own charm. Our horses from the Southern Region's former state don't have any other advantages, but their only advantage is their endurance. They make traversing these mountain roads a breeze!"

Lin Ran was very glad he hadn't drunk any water, otherwise he would definitely have choked. He reminded Mulan, "There are still some students in my carriage, so you should bring less meat!"

"Hey, what's the big deal!"

Mulan said dismissively, "They'll have to go through this sooner or later. Then they'll know what it means to enjoy it!"

The next moment, Mulan suddenly shouted into the carriage: "Little girls, remember to find someone like your teacher. He's pleasing to the eye, strong and healthy. You'll have plenty of fun in the future!"

These words made everyone in the carriage blush. Even Xiao Qian, who was usually quite wild, lowered her head and dared not speak. She usually only talked, but she was no match for this kind of "old pervert" who had reached the highest level.

The only one who remained calm in the carriage was Mu Shishuang. She crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and dozed off, occasionally waking up to look outside.

As for those dirty jokes, she could remain unfazed even after Lin Ran saw her naked, so what did a few dirty jokes matter? It was just that the way this woman looked at Lin Ran was a bit off, and not very likable.

According to Mulan, Qianlong Mountain is very far from Qinglong City, and it would take at least a month to get there. This surprised Lin Ran, who couldn't help but ask, "A month is too long, isn't it?"

"Brother Lin, a month isn't a long time, it might even take more than a month!" Mulan said.

"More than a month?"

"Yes, a month is still quite fast. There are a few difficult places on the way to Qianlong Mountain, so we may have to detour to other places!" Mulan explained.

She even took out a map and explained the places to Lin Ran. Knowing that Lin Ran and the others were not familiar with Qianzhou, she also told Lin Ran some local legends and stories, which was very helpful to everyone.

That evening, after finding an open space and parking the carriage, Mulan immediately led Fu Yuemei and the others to spread medicinal powder around the area. She also taught them the effects of the powder, the dosage, and where to sprinkle it for the best results.

Although Mulan is a bit fiery, she also has a delicate and gentle side. These small shining points are what made people begin to accept and like Mulan.

Lin Ran knew that Mu Shishuang had set up a tent. When she saw the tent, which wasn't too crooked, Lin Ran teased, "Your tent-setting skills are pretty good for your first time!"

Mu Shishuang glanced at Lin Ran and said quietly:

"Tear it down!"

"what?"