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

The person who sent the team-up message was a burly man who looked like a small mountain. He had a thick beard, was shirtless, and had scars of all sizes all over his body. He exuded a bloody aura and looked like a ruthless person.

Lin Chong approached the burly man, who appeared somewhat short. He looked at the man and said, "I heard you're setting off for Nanshan Pass and need to recruit a guard. Isn't the road to Nanshan Pass relatively safe?"

"Ok?"

The burly man couldn't help but look at the young man who had spoken to him. He scrutinized the somewhat immature-looking young man and said, "Because recently, many demonic beasts have frequently appeared on the road leading to Nanshan Pass, and sometimes even some Dao Yuan Realm or even Hua Ling Realm demonic beasts have appeared, we are recruiting people here just to be on the safe side."

"Young man, how's your strength? We need more Daoist Realm Level Two cultivators, the more the better, the stronger the better!"

The burly man didn't underestimate Lin Chong because of his youth. A young hero, don't be fooled by his age. He may look like a greenhorn who hasn't even grown his hair yet, but his strength might be stronger than his own. That's possible. When you're out and about, it's always better to make more friends than to make more enemies.

"My strength is at the third level of the Daoist Realm. Do I need to prove it?" Lin Chong said with a smile.

However, some people scoffed at Lin Chong's strength. Before the burly man could speak, a mercenary who was also recruiting people looked at Lin Chong and said sarcastically, "A mere teenager dares to call himself a three-star Daoist? Go home and drink your mother's milk, hahaha!"

The mercenary, who looked like a monkey, started laughing loudly with his companion beside him. Lin Ran watched this scene from afar, remaining quite calm. There were plenty of sarcastic people, but there was no need to take it too seriously. He wondered if the guy had a wife and if he was going to drink with her in the middle of the night... or rather, he wanted to see how Lin Chong would handle this kind of mockery.

Just as the burly man was about to speak up for the young man, Lin Chong took out an ordinary steel sword. The burly man didn't even see how Lin Chong drew his sword. He only saw that the pants of the two laughing mercenaries were cut into pieces, revealing their bare "little worms".

Lin Chong glanced at the two men and sneered sarcastically, "They really haven't even grown their feathers yet, they're still like little insects. Go home and suckle your mother, grow up properly before you come out and talk!"

The two mercenaries felt a chill down below. Looking down, they saw that their pants had been torn to shreds. They quickly covered themselves, and, ignoring the curious stares of those around them, slunk away with their buttocks tucked between their legs.

"Haha, kid, you're pretty good. Looks like you're a swordsman!" The burly man patted Lin Ran on the shoulder and said loudly, "My name is Hong Sen. Just call me Brother Hong. If you go to Nanshan Pass, you'll be well rewarded for joining our guard team."

"Thank you, Brother Hong, I really am going to Nanshan Pass!" Lin Chong smiled. He could tell that this burly man named Hong Sen was a straightforward person, and he had just intended to stand up and teach those two guys a lesson.

“You did a good job teaching those two a lesson. Those two have been badmouthing us, saying that going to Nanshan Pass recently is suicidal, and they've discouraged a lot of people.” Hun Sen had clearly been annoyed with those two for a long time.

"If you don't know why there are so many monsters on that road, why don't you stay here for a while before going back?" Lin Chong asked, somewhat puzzled.

Hearing Lin Chong's words, Hong Sen shook his head helplessly and said, "No, since you want to join our guard team, then I'll tell you why."

Next, Hun Sen led Lin Chong towards their encampment, talking as they walked. Lin Ran followed at a distance. With his influence, and the fact that the two men didn't try to keep their voices down, he could hear them quite clearly.

After listening for a while, Lin Ran understood the ins and outs. It turned out that this Hong Sen was the captain of the guards of the Ye family, one of the major families in Nanshan Pass.

This trip was to accompany two young ladies from the family to Linshan City. In addition to purchasing various supplies at the Jinling Merchant Guild there, they also wanted to visit the Lin family and ask them for a favor.

The specific task was quite cliché: to get the Lin family's help in resolving the Ye family's current crisis.

Although the Ye family is a large family in Nanshan Pass, their martial prowess is indeed lower than that of the other families. However, the Ye family has the advantage of producing a lot of alchemists. Although their level is not very high, they have achieved some success in Nanshan Pass. Many people come to them seeking alchemy, and they have accumulated a good reputation and network of contacts.

Unfortunately, the Ye family had two beautiful daughters. The elder sister had outstanding talent in alchemy, while the younger sister had outstanding talent in martial arts. Both of them had just come of age this year and were about to participate in the academy selection competition to be held next year to enter the academy for further studies.

But here's the problem: at Nanshan Pass, someone coveted these two young ladies, one of whom was the Li family, which even had some connection with the royal family.

The Li family, in alliance with other families, used economic means to sanction the Ye family. They would frequently send people to beat up members of the Ye family, forcing the Ye family to cower within their own compound and afraid to come out. Furthermore, many of their businesses outside the family were forcibly divided up, all in an attempt to force the Ye family to sign a marriage contract with the Li family, marrying both of their daughters to the Li family's纨绔公子爷 (a spoiled young master), thus making the Ye family a vassal of the Li family.

The Ye family, relying on the connections they had built up through alchemists, couldn't outmaneuver the Li family. None of them dared to help. The Ye family was now essentially crippled, bleeding and waiting to die. Just then, they heard that the Lin family patriarch of Linshan City was not only at the Spirit Pill Realm but had also forcefully suppressed another Spirit Pill Realm cultivator, as if a god had descended to earth.

So the Ye family patriarch secretly sent his two daughters with the guards to Linshan City to ask for reinforcements, but too many people came to visit the Lin family and were politely refused. They were sent away without even seeing them.

At this moment, the two young ladies were also extremely anxious, fearing that the Li family would discover their absence and take drastic measures against the Ye family. They were also blocked on their way by some inexplicable monster on the road to Nanshan Pass.

They could only settle down in this small town in the southern wilderness, hoping that Hun Sen could recruit more mercenaries to safely cross this road and return to Nanshan Pass. They had even made up their minds to simply marry into the Li family to protect the entire Ye family.

After listening to Hong Sen's story, Lin Chong realized even more clearly the importance of strength. It was truly a fortunate thing for the Lin family to have his father. His father's ruthlessness and strength at the Spirit Pill Realm helped the Lin family become a major family in Linshan City, while the other families were suppressed to the point that they could never raise their heads again.

Instead of going to the extreme of selling their daughters to save the Ye family, they did not.

Lin Chong didn't say that he was a member of the Lin family. Instead, he used an alias. He often heard his father mention the name Song Jiang, so he simply took the character "Jiang" and called himself Lin Jiang.

When Hun Sen heard Lin Chong say his name was Lin Jiang, he couldn't help but joke, "You wouldn't happen to be a member of the Lin family from Linshan City, would you?"

"Brother Hong is too kind. I wish I were a member of the Lin family in Linshan City!" Lin Chong replied with a smile.

The two chatted for a while, and then Hong Sen led Lin Chong into a relatively upscale hotel in the small town of Nanhuang. He led Lin Chong upstairs to a closed door, knocked gently, and said in a low voice, "Miss, it's me, Hong Sen!"

The door opened quickly, and a maid peeked out. Seeing Hong Sen and a rather handsome young man, she asked in surprise, "Brother Hong, why did you bring someone with you?"

Hun Sen patted Lin Chong on the shoulder and said, "This is the lad we recruited today, named Lin Jiang. He's quite capable. Bring him over so the young ladies can see him!"

"Oh, you actually managed to recruit them? Come in!" The maid opened the door and let Hong Sen and Lin Chong in.

Lin Chong stood in the living room, looking around the room. It was much better than his small cubicle; it was clean, comfortable, and tidy, and there were other rooms as well, but the price must be exorbitant.

The maid went to inform the two young ladies, and soon the two Ye sisters came out of the room. Their appearances were so striking that Lin Chong couldn't help but take a second look.

Both women had willow-leaf eyebrows, snow-white skin, and tall, slender figures. They had long, flowing black hair. One wore a light blue dress, while the other wore a silver dress. Underneath their dresses, their curvaceous figures appeared exceptionally voluptuous.

However, both women were indeed stunningly beautiful. One had an aloof demeanor, with a hint of coldness in her eyes, while the other had a gentle and graceful temperament, with beautiful eyes like a pool of spring water, though there was a hint of sorrow lingering between her brows.

Lin Chong glanced at them a few times before looking away. The woman in the light blue dress quickened her pace and came up to the two of them, smiling as she asked Hong Sen, "Brother Hong, who is this young master...?"

Hun Sen then shared some information about Lin Chong. The woman in the light blue dress looked at Lin Chong, extended her hand, and said with a smile, "Young Master Lin Jiang, welcome to our guard team. I am Ye Wanxi from the Ye family. Welcome to our team."

……

Chapter 53 The Ye Family Sisters

"Greetings, Miss Ye!" Lin Chong extended his hand and shook it lightly, then got straight to the point without lingering, saying, "I wonder when Miss Ye plans to depart, and how much reward you will receive upon reaching Nanshan Pass."

Ye Wanxi was a little surprised. Usually, some men would want to hold her hand and chat all day, especially young gentlemen. The man in front of her looked to be about the same age as her, but his manners were unexpectedly polite and proper.

Moreover, looking at the young man in front of her, she felt a sense of familiarity, as if she had seen him somewhere before.

"We're not ready to depart yet; it might take a few more days. We'll prepay some money to Young Master Lin. He can stay at this inn or spend money in this small town in the Southern Wilderness." Ye Wanxi had the maid take a money pouch, which she then handed to Lin Chong.

Lin Chong was somewhat surprised by the woman's actions and couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid I'll just take the money and run away?"

Ye Wanxi covered her mouth and smiled, saying, "I believe that Young Master Lin is not that kind of person. Hong Sen, please give this Young Master Lin a proper welcome."

"Yes, miss!"

Hong Sen responded loudly, put his arm around Lin Chong's shoulder, and pulled him outside, laughing, "Brother Lin Jiang, I'll take you to get something to eat, to treat yourself. I've heard the roast chicken in this Southern Wilderness town is amazing, let's try it..."

Ye Wanxi watched with a smile as Hong Sen and Lin Chong left the room. The door slammed shut, and the woman in the silver dress walked up to Ye Wanxi. Her voice, unlike her cold expression, was soft and sweet. She looked at Ye Wanxi and said, "Sister, why did you give him money? And you even prepaid him. You gave him quite a lot of gold coins just now."

Ye Wanxi smiled and glanced at her younger sister, then turned to the maid beside her and said, "Xiao Qi, please help me get those books I bought in Linshan City!"

Although she has a spatial ring, Ye Wanxi has been staying in her room reading lately, and all the books are kept in her room.

Ye Wanxi walked to the table by the window and sat down, pouring herself a cup of tea. The woman in the silver dress, seeing Ye Wanxi acting as a riddle solver, couldn't help but tug at Ye Wanxi's arm and plead, "Sister, tell me quickly!"

"Qingyi, you've ruined my tea!" Ye Wanxi rolled her eyes at her silly younger sister and casually took out a handkerchief to wipe the tea that had just spilled on her clothes.

Ye Qingyi puffed out her cheeks and sat down opposite her sister, resting her chin on her hands and looking at her sister with a resentful gaze.

The maid named Xiao Qi quickly carried a thick stack of books from the bedroom and placed them on the table in front of Ye Wanxi, saying, "Sister Wanxi, all the books you bought in Linshan City are here."

"Okay, thank you, Xiao Qi!" Ye Wanxi said, and then started looking through the books. Ye Qingyi, on the other hand, was bored and kept looking at the books. Her eyelids were drooping and she was almost falling asleep. She didn't like reading; she would get sleepy as soon as she saw words.

After searching for a while, Ye Wanxi smiled and patted her sleepy younger sister, saying, "Wake up, little girl, does this portrait look familiar?"

Ye Qingyi rubbed her eyes, looked at the lifelike portrait in the book, frowned, and couldn't figure out what her sister meant by showing her this stranger's portrait.

However, Xiao Qi, the maid standing to the side, glanced at the portrait and said in surprise, "Hey, Sister Wanqing, doesn't this look a bit like that young master named Lin Jiang that Brother Hong just brought?"

"Hmm, Xiaoqi, take a closer look!" Ye Wanxi picked up the booklet and handed it to Xiaoqi. After studying it carefully, Xiaoqi said with great certainty, "He looks so much like that young master. Maybe it's that young master Lin Jiang. Sister Wanxi, who is he? How do you have his portrait?"

Ye Qingyi looked at her older sister with a puzzled expression. Her brain wasn't as sharp as her sister's, and she was already a bit overheated, like her CPU was overloaded. She couldn't understand what the connection was.

Ye Wanxi had thoroughly investigated the Lin family beforehand and knew quite a bit about them, especially the patriarch Lin Ran and his son Lin Chong. She explained to the two of them, "This young master is a big celebrity in Linshan City. He is Lin Chong, the son of Lin Ran, the patriarch of the Lin family."

He was once a good-for-nothing who fell from the Daoist Realm all the way down to the third level of the Body Refinement Realm. Now, he has created the feat of directly rushing from the third level of the Body Refinement Realm to the first star of the Daoist Realm in just over a year.

This young master Lin Chong's talent for cultivation is terrifying. It was just mentioned that he has the strength of a three-star Daoist, and this was achieved in only a little over a year. If young master Lin Chong hadn't wasted those previous three years, his strength would probably be even greater now!

As she spoke, Ye Wanxi felt a pang of regret. When she was looking at Lin Chong's information, she had paid special attention to his experiences.

If it were her, she probably would have been devastated by such a blow, but Lin Chong not only stood up, but also achieved even more remarkable results, which she greatly admired. If she were as capable as Lin Chong, the Ye family wouldn't be in so much trouble.

"What does this have to do with us? And isn't his name Lin Jiang?" Ye Qingyi, probably still a little dazed from the morning, asked two incredibly stupid questions.

However, the maid Xiao Qi, who was standing nearby, was very quick-witted and immediately reminded Ye Qingyi, "Sister Qingyi, he may have just used an alias to be cautious. His real name is actually Lin Chong."

If we can get in touch with the Lin family, maybe we can save the Ye family. Then you, Qingyi, and I won't have to marry that damned bastard from the Li family.

Upon hearing Xiao Qi's words, Ye Qingyi slammed her hand on the table, her voice rising several decibels, and looked at her older sister Ye Wanqing, shouting, "Sister, is this true?"

Ye Wanxi slapped her forehead, feeling somewhat helpless towards her silly younger sister, and said, "Things aren't that simple. If we want others to help us, we have to show the corresponding sincerity."

Moreover, we must make a good impression on them; otherwise, they won't be willing to help the Ye family. Right now, they see the Ye family as a jinx; whoever gets involved with us will be in big trouble.

"However, you should ignore these things and not expose that young master's identity, as that would make him think we have ulterior motives. Make good use of this time to leave a good impression on that young master!" Ye Wanxi said with a smile. In fact, she already had a plan in mind, but she didn't need to tell her silly sister and Xiao Qi about these things, as it would only cause them more trouble.

Ye Qingyi nodded blankly, knowing she would do whatever her sister said. Xiao Qi, on the other hand, seemed to have thought of something and was about to speak when Ye Wanxi glared at her calmly, so she lowered her head and dared not say anything more.

Lin Ran, who was on the roof, could see and hear everything that was happening in the room. Although such behavior was somewhat perverted, Lin Ran learned a lot about it.

"It seems this girl named Ye Wanxi is using herself as a bargaining chip, probably wanting to marry Xiao Chong in exchange for the Lin family's help!" Lin Ran thought to herself.

This girl is probably around the same age as Xiao Chong. At such a young age, her demeanor, her vision and knowledge, and even her determination to use herself as a bargaining chip to protect the Ye family, all demonstrate that this girl has the bearing of a great person.

Although she is still a bit green now, she will definitely grow up to be even more beautiful and charming in the future. She would be a good choice as Xiao Chong's wife!

Moreover, she is an alchemist. It's just unknown how talented she is in alchemy. If she is exceptionally gifted, she will be a great help to Xiao Chong in the future.

The more Lin Ran looked at her, the more she felt that this future daughter-in-law was very suitable for Lin Chong, and she found her very pleasing to the eye.

"Xiao Chong, although I feel a little sorry for you, having snatched your future leading lady away, this one isn't bad either. Although she's not a character in the story, she's an alchemist. With proper training, her future achievements will definitely be remarkable." Lin Ran suddenly felt a little regretful. He had turned down all the visitors because he found it troublesome, but he never expected that there was such an extraordinary woman among them. If they had met earlier and made an engagement, Xiao Chong would have had his future wife.

But it's okay, things are fine now. The two of them can still develop their relationship through future experiences. It's better to be together without getting engaged and through free love.

Lin Chong was unaware that his father was already planning to bring him and Ye Wanxi together. At that moment, he was enjoying a delicious meal with Hong Sen at a supposedly famous roast chicken restaurant, while asking Hong Sen for more detailed information about the Ye family.

Lin Chong was also thinking about it. If he rushed back to ask his father for help, his father would definitely agree to help the Ye family. But what he could get from the Ye family was what Lin Chong was thinking about.

According to Hun Sen, the Ye family has lost its former prestige as a powerful alchemist family. Now, the Ye family is like a stray dog, and it doesn't know when it will be beaten to death in the street. The only thing they can really use as bargaining chips is actually those two sisters.

I've heard that the older sister has an outstanding talent for alchemy and the younger sister has an outstanding talent for martial arts. I wonder if that's true. If they really are, it would be nice to have Father take them in as maids for the Lin family, or as young concubines for him. Both sisters are young and beautiful. I just don't know if Father would like that kind of thing. He probably would, right?

Lin Chong didn't think about finding a woman for himself. Although the two sisters were indeed beautiful, he believed that cultivation was the most important thing. Women would only hinder his cultivation speed. He would find a woman after he became an emperor and revitalized the Lin family.

It has to be said that Lin Ran and Lin Chong are indeed father and son. Lin Ran is thinking of finding a wife for Lin Chong, while Lin Chong is thinking of finding a concubine for his father to alleviate his father's loneliness over the years. Their ideas are so absurd that they seem refreshing, or perhaps they can only be described as abstract.

……

Chapter Fifty-Four: Departure for Nanshan Pass