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

He always felt that Lin Hongjia exuded a very special charm when she was serious, just like now, persistently demanding an answer, like a plum blossom blooming proudly in the wind and snow, with a unique beauty.

After a long silence, Lin Ran sighed softly and said helplessly, "If we were to be together, we would face many obstacles: your family's, societal norms, the gap between us, our past relationship, and even Xiao Chong's. What if my missing wife comes back one day? These are all obstacles. Have you thought about them?"

"I've thought about it!" Lin Hongjia nodded, saying firmly, "But I will use my strength to shut those people up, just like the story you once told. I will also come to marry you riding on a colorful cloud!"

What's with this domineering CEO vibe?

Lin Ran pushed aside the jumbled thoughts in her mind and continued, "If I were to have affairs outside, would you stop liking me?"

"Hmm?" Lin Hongjia's eyes suddenly sharpened, staring intently at Lin Ran with a hint of murderous intent. After a long while, he said, "No, but I must be the eldest. You can only bring her back with my permission!"

Lin Ran:......

He was so tired. He was powerless to resist. He had completely lost to Lin Hongjia. She was too wild. She was already thinking about becoming the empress. How far ahead was she thinking? Would she even be thinking about what the children would be called in the future?

Seeing Lin Ran's expression, Lin Hongjia's smile grew even brighter. She patted Lin Ran's head, her beautiful eyes narrowing into crescent shapes, and said softly, "Since you're not saying anything, I'll take that as a yes to being with me. Don't worry, what we're in now is what you call... right, a secret relationship!"

"Once I become powerful enough, and you work hard alongside me, I'll officially announce our relationship, okay?"

Lin Ran:......

Not so good. I want the world to end, is that okay?

……

Chapter 41: I've Been Harmed a Great Distress (Please Read On)

This time, Lin Ran felt that he had lost completely, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he had been deceived by the veil. But he could only accept it. He had been defeated by such a little witch, so he could only go crazy with her for once!

Back in the inheritance space, the last words of the Azure Spirit Sword Saint made him realize that he couldn't stay cooped up in Linshan City any longer.

Whether it's for Jia'er, to find his long-lost wife, or Meng Qing of the Central Region, he must seek opportunities to become stronger. Only in this way can he truly be worthy of them.

To be a lecherous man and live like an emperor, you need to have the ability!

He never expected that after so many years in this world, the female lead would become his secret girlfriend. It's really surreal, but it's a fantasy world, so it's still somewhat explainable.

This girl will return before her coming-of-age ceremony, and the Celestial Clan's coming-of-age ceremony is not far away, probably more than half a year away.

He would spend the rest of his time with the girl, as long as she was happy. From now on, they would be in a "heaven and earth romance," since the Celestial Clan's main base seemed to be in the sky, and that place was extremely difficult to reach. This was why very few people in the world knew about the Celestial Clan.

In that sense, Lin Hongjia is actually a fairy descended from heaven. If Lin Hongjia's father hadn't sent her here back then, they might not have had the chance to meet the fairy.

If Lin Hongjia's father knew that his beautiful, fresh cabbage had been eaten by his old ox, he could build a cenotaph and think about what kind of awesome epitaph to write so that future generations would admire him.

Perhaps because he had been missing for six months, this girl was clinging to him very much. Even when he was working in his study, she would come over, saying she wanted to read. As she read, she would cling to him like a koala, wanting him to tell her a story.

When we got back at night, we would cook together in the kitchen. But sometimes her little hands were dirty; she was a complete female hooligan. She always liked to pinch his arm, and then, when she got bolder, she would rub his chest. Sometimes she would even spank his butt.

He couldn't take it anymore and wanted to fight back, but the girl seemed to have timed it perfectly. Just as he was about to make his move, Lin Chong appeared. He couldn't possibly fight back in front of his son!

He could only glare at the little vixen with a fierce look. The girl let out a devilish laugh like a goose, and made faces at Lin Chong when he wasn't looking, looking very smug and victorious.

Since agreeing to this secret relationship, Jia'er's bright smile has never faded. Sometimes she would just laugh to herself, asking all sorts of strange questions. She would often stick to him, drag him shopping, and share little stories with him, just like a girl in the throes of new love.

If he hadn't reminded her to tone it down and not let anyone notice, this girl might have been even wilder.

Lin Ran himself didn't really know if this decision was right. Although there was no blood relation, he had taken care of Lin Hongjia since he was four or five years old. Lin Hongjia's liking for him was indeed a surprise to him and made him very conflicted.

She explained the reasons and the various difficulties they faced after getting together, yet she still confessed her feelings without hesitation. How could he not respond to such courage and persistence?

Ever since we talked to Lin Chong last time, he's been practicing like crazy, completely absorbed in the sword techniques in the sword manual, unable to extricate himself.

Lin Ran would sometimes give Lin Chong some pointers. After all, he was considered half a disciple of the Sword Saint, so it was alright for him to teach Lin Chong, who was still in the early stages. He also hoped that Lin Chong could grow up as soon as possible.

This child seems to have truly attained enlightenment; he only has the word "cultivation" in his eyes. He only truly relaxes during mealtimes, spending the rest of his time studying diligently.

When meditation gets tiring, switch to sword practice. When both get tiring, read books to keep yourself busy and lay the foundation for the trials after your coming-of-age ceremony.

While Lin Ran was dating this persistent and adorable woman, she was also making plans for the future.

Because he planned to secretly follow Lin Chong to gain experience, not only to protect Lin Chong, but also to help his son seize opportunities while he himself only needs a little something.

After all, in the original story, Lin Chong fought wherever he went and had many opportunities along the way. He certainly wouldn't snatch the meat from his son, but drinking some soup would be a good thing.

Lin Ran actually knew something about the five great academies his son wanted to attend. After all, he had once thought about going there himself, but later chose to travel the continent because staying in the academy was too boring.

He didn't expect Lin Chong to deviate from the original story and instead decide to go to the Five Great Academies. Anyway, the plot had already gone so far as to go off track, so he didn't care.

In terms of early development, the five academies were actually quite good. For example, when the Sword Saint senior said that his skills in using spiritual power were not good in the inheritance space, the five academies had specialized research on these skills and knowledge. If you could learn even a fraction of their profound knowledge, you would benefit greatly.

The selection competition for the five major academies is held annually in the second half of the year in Anryong, the capital of the Li Dynasty, and is organized by people from the five major academies.

The five great academies still admit a lot of people every year in the Li Dynasty. For example, Lin Xi, the granddaughter of their clan's great elder, is from Linghua Academy, which is ranked last among the five great academies.

This academy only accepts girls; otherwise, given Lin Xi's ordinary strength and talent, she wouldn't have been able to get in.

Because Linghua Academy is a girls' academy, it is difficult to recruit girls who are both of the right age and talented. As a result, its overall strength is naturally at the bottom among the five major academies. Compared with other academies, there are relatively few truly outstanding girls among the many girls it recruits each year.

The other four academies, from lowest to highest level, are Songling Academy, Tianli Academy, Shengqiong Academy, and Canglong Academy.

These five academies recruit students from all over the mainland every year, and the number of students admitted varies from region to region and from academy to academy.

It's somewhat like the college entrance exams of the past, where some universities recruit more students from certain regions and fewer from others. But in the Li Dynasty, the top two universities, Canglong Academy and Shengqiong Academy, recruit very few students, perhaps only a few spots.

After all, they are the top two academies among the five major academies. The other three academies are far behind these two, and their foundation and student quality are not as high.

Lin Ran didn't know whether his son's current strength was enough to get into a good academy in the selection competition. He himself hadn't participated in that academy selection competition back then, so he didn't know much about it.

He thought of Meng Qing, that woman. That guy was very knowledgeable and should know a lot about these five academies and their respective strengths and weaknesses.

I wonder if they've returned to Xinzhou yet...

……

Night fell on a high mountain in the Central Region of Xinzhou. It was late autumn, and the withered yellow leaves had turned the entire mountain forest red. At the top of the mountain, there was a mansion. Before the mountain path leading to the mansion, there was a blue stone with the words "Qingjing Peak" engraved on it.

Judging from the brushstrokes, these characters seem to have been written by a woman, exuding a sense of elegance and fluidity.

Behind the mansion was a cliff, and on the edge of that cliff stood a woman dressed in plain white. The woman stood on the edge of the cliff, fearless of the precipitous cliff, standing there straight and quietly gazing into the distance.

The raging mountain winds whipped her dress and her flowing black hair. When one's gaze fell upon the woman's elegant and exquisite face, it was believed that anyone would be taken aback. People often use the phrase "as beautiful as a fairy" to describe a woman's beauty, but no one knows exactly how beautiful a fairy is. However, upon seeing this young woman, perhaps the answer would become clear.

Such a fairy, standing on the edge of the cliff, with the bright moonlight gently shining down, seemed to be shrouded in a layer of light smoke and mist, both real and illusory, as if she were not a person of this world.

After a long while, a voice broke the atmosphere of the painting.

"Mengqing, why didn't you tell me you were coming back!"

The woman in white, addressed as Meng Qing, turned around and saw a beautiful woman in a blue dress who appeared to be around thirty years old standing behind her. She quickly bowed and said respectfully, "Master, when I returned to the sect, you were still in seclusion and had not been able to pay my respects to you in time. I know I was wrong!"

The beautiful woman in green frowned slightly, carefully examining her disciple who had returned from her training trip. After a while, she asked in a cold voice, "What did you gain from this training trip?"

"This disciple has gained a lot from this training and has broken through to the Spirit Core Realm!" Meng Qing responded softly.

The beautiful woman in green gave Meng Qing a deep look, took a few steps forward, took Meng Qing's left hand, rolled up the sleeve to reveal her fair, jade-like skin, and on the arm was a small blue lotus pattern.

Upon seeing the blue lotus, the beautiful woman in green spoke softer than before, though her face remained as cold as ice as she said, "I've seen you gazing out from this cliff, looking like a waiting-for-husband stone."

"Master, please don't joke with your disciple. Your disciple will always keep your teachings in mind!" Meng Qing said calmly, bowing her head slightly.

The beautiful woman in green remembered that Mengqing always wore a jade bracelet on her left wrist, so she asked, "Where is your jade bracelet?"

"I almost lost my life at the ancient ruins, and the jade bracelet was destroyed there too!" Meng Qing said.

The beautiful woman in green robes looked at Meng Qing's face for a long while before saying, "Strive to cultivate diligently, remember the teachings, the Pure and Tranquil Scripture, and never lose your tranquility!"

"Your disciple will remember your teachings, Master!" Mengqing bowed and expressed her gratitude.

The beautiful woman in green flicked her sleeves and vanished in the blink of an eye, turning into a wisp of green smoke.

Once again, only Meng Qing remained standing on the edge of the cliff. She stood there for a long time, and when she felt it was about time, she returned to the mansion and to her secluded chamber where she could cultivate alone. The chamber was not large, and in the middle was a stone bed made of extreme ice spirit jade. Cold mist, like fine white snowflakes, swirled around the chamber.

Mengqing gently stroked the stone bed with her delicate hands, and the scene from that time resurfaced in her mind. Her pretty face couldn't help but blush. When she realized that her mind was becoming unstable again, Mengqing quickly sat on the stone bed and meditated. She recited the calming mantra dozens of times before she was able to stabilize her mind.

She took out a rather simple, low-grade spatial ring from her female spatial ring, stared at it quietly for a long time, and then let out a plaintive sigh…

"You've really done me a disservice..."

……

Chapter 42 Before Departure (Please continue reading)

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. No matter what, Lin Hongjia had to accept the clan's requirements and return to the Celestial Clan before his coming-of-age ceremony.

Just yesterday, Lin Hongjia, who was still immersed in the joy of being in love, received a message from her clan that they would send someone to pick her up in a week.

This news undoubtedly shattered Lin Hongjia's good mood. He was rather gloomy all day, and the smile that had been on his face was somewhat dimmed than before.

Lin Ran naturally noticed Lin Hongjia's unusual behavior, and she could easily guess that the only thing that could make this girl so dejected was the matter of returning to her clan.

In the afternoon, Lin Ran was working at her desk in the study, while Lin Hongjia was sitting in the recliner by the window, staring blankly at the bamboo forest outside.

Lin Ran closed the notebook in her hand, stood up and came behind Lin Hongjia, ruffled the latter's hair, feeling the smooth black hair, and said with a smile: "Cheer up, it's just Hui people, your gloomy appearance makes me unhappy too!"

"You knew?" Lin Hongjia looked at Lin Ran with some surprise. She hadn't even said anything yet, how did she know?

"Look at your sour face..." Lin Ran pinched Lin Hongjia's cheek and teased, "For the past six months, you've been like a cheerful person every day. But today you suddenly look like this. I can tell what could make you so unhappy."

Lin Hongjia, with a bitter face, suddenly opened her arms and hugged Lin Ran, burying her face in Lin Ran's waist, explaining in a low voice, "The clan sent a message saying that they will come to pick me up in a week, and even if I don't want to, they will force me to go back!"

"So this day has come!" Lin Ran patted Lin Hongjia's little head and said with emotion, "This day has finally arrived. I remember Jia'er, you came to the Lin family when you were a little over four years old, right?"

"Ok!"

Hearing Lin Ran's words, Lin Hongjia replied, "A little over four years old, about twelve or thirteen years ago!"

A hint of nostalgia flashed in Lin Ran's eyes as images of the past surfaced in her mind. She slowly said, "I still remember the day your father brought you here. You were wearing an ordinary little dress, and you were cold and didn't like to talk."

When your father said he was entrusting your care to us, you held his hand tightly without saying a word, but it was clear you didn't want to be alone in this unfamiliar place.

Your father left you here anyway. He gave me some instructions and then left in a hurry. I was staring at you, and you didn't cry or make a fuss. You just stood there, stubbornly looking at me. If I grabbed your hand, you would hit me.

If I remember correctly, she finally went to eat something delicious with me when her stomach started growling. What a little glutton!

"How annoying! Bringing up old stories!" Lin Hongjia's face was flushed, and he angrily punched Lin Ran, but this did not interrupt Lin Ran's recollection. He continued, "You've always been different from other children. You're very smart. Whether it's your talent for cultivation or anything else I teach you, you learn it all in no time, and you can even apply what you've learned to other situations."

However, because she was very pretty as a child, she was bullied by other girls in the clan. Instead of complaining to me, she secretly trained to become stronger and then beat them up. After that, she had no friends left in the clan.

"Hmph, we're better off without this kind of friend. He's so young and he's always talking about bastards. I'm being lenient by beating him up. And what about you... never mind, I won't say anymore..." Lin Hongjia snorted, clearly still having a vivid memory of what happened back then.

"And what else is being said about me?" Lin Ran was surprised to find that there were people talking about him, and she suddenly became curious.