"Father, Mother, I'm back."
Looking at the low, dilapidated gate and wall before him, Lin Sheng knocked on the door.
Soon the courtyard gate opened, revealing a lean, sturdy face with a smile.
Seeing this person, Lin Sheng was startled at first, but soon a smile also appeared on his face.
"Brother, you're back."
The person before him was his Brother, Lin Miao.
"Yes, I'm back. A Sheng has gotten much stronger."
Lin Miao stepped forward and gave him a strong hug. Feeling the contours of the strong muscles in his embrace, he said with a smile.
"Yes, since joining the Hunting Beast Hall, the food has improved a lot."
Lin Sheng said with a smile.
"Come in quickly, don't stand outside. A Sheng, you've returned at just the right time. Our family is reunited today."
Just then, Lin Hong's voice came from inside the room. Xie Guilan also walked out, her wrinkled face full of smiles.
Lin Sheng and Lin Miao then moved all the things from the carriage outside inside.
"A Sheng, why did you bring so many things back? These things must have cost a lot of money."
Seeing Lin Sheng's numerous bags and parcels, Xie Guilan couldn't help but start nagging again.
"How will you manage a household like this in the future? It seems I need to find you a wife, and A Miao too... You're both so old, your childhood friends' grandchildren are already..."
Listening to Xie Guilan's incessant nagging, the two brothers exchanged glances and saw helplessness on each other's faces.
Just like that, amidst the nagging of their elders, the family sat down at the dinner table and began to eat a rare reunion meal.
"A Sheng, what kind of meat is this you brought back? It tastes much better than that wild boar meat."
At the dinner table, everyone praised the dried meat Lin Sheng had brought back.
"This is Pine Deer meat from Yangping Mountain. It's considered a specialty of the town."
Lin Sheng explained with a smile.
"And these furs I brought back, they'll be very good for keeping warm when winter comes."
Looking at these things, Xie Guilan grumbled with her mouth, but her eyes were full of smiles.
After eating and drinking their fill, Xie Guilan insisted that Lin Hong go out with her to buy some bedding.
The house was left to Lin Sheng and Lin Miao to tidy up.
"I didn't expect A Sheng to join Zhenshan Tower and work in the Hunting Beast Hall. Have you already started cultivating the Martial Path now?"
Lin Miao asked Lin Sheng while tidying up the dishes.
"Yes, I've become a true Martial Artist now. The treatment in the Hunter's Hall is quite good, Brother. You don't need to go help out at the Sun Family's place anymore."
Lin Sheng replied while dealing with the leftovers, his gaze occasionally falling on his seemingly ordinary Brother.
He wondered if it was just a feeling, or if his perspective had changed since he started cultivating the Martial Path, but in his eyes, his previously ordinary Brother seemed different from what he remembered.
However, he couldn't quite figure out exactly where the difference lay.
His entire demeanor exuded an indescribable calmness. No, that wasn't right, calmness wasn't quite accurate. Perhaps confidence would be a more suitable word to describe it.
"So you've become a Body Tempering Martial Artist? Not bad, our Lin Family has produced a Martial Artist."
Lin Miao's face showed no surprise at Lin Sheng's words.
He placed the dishes in the basin, added clear water, and slowly rubbed them while continuing to speak.
"I heard that the Hunting Beast Hall is the most dangerous hall in Zhenshan Tower. You always have to deal with those fierce beasts from Yangping Mountain on a daily basis. This kind of life is too dangerous."
At this point, Lin Miao's tone suddenly became more serious.
"A Sheng, I'm going to be away for a while starting tomorrow."
"Hmm, where are you going, and for how long?"
Lin Sheng's movements paused. He was already certain that Lin Miao seemed to have something to tell him upon his return this time.
"The place I'm going is very far away, and I might not be back for a short time. I'll leave the family in your care."
Lin Miao said calmly.
"Also, if you feel the work at the Hunting Beast Hall is dangerous, just quit. I've buried some money under the north corner of the courtyard. It should be enough for the family's expenses."
Hearing this, Lin Sheng fell silent for a moment, but after a while, he still replied.
Since the other party said so, it was clear that he had already made up his mind.
"Okay."
"Very good. Everything will be fine when I return."
A smile appeared on Lin Miao's face as he put the dishes back in place and patted Lin Sheng's shoulder.
Just like Lin Sheng's feeling, when he saw Lin Sheng again, he also felt that his younger brother seemed much more mature than before. The shy, quiet, and somewhat timid younger brother from his memories seemed a bit blurry.
When did this start? Perhaps it was after he joined Zhenshan Tower.
Not long after, Xie Guilan and Lin Hong returned, and the family chatted idly again.
As night fell, Lin Miao also told the two of them about his upcoming long trip. Only after promising to bring back a daughter-in-law upon his return did Xie Guilan agree to let him go.
The next day, as dawn broke, Lin Miao was packing his luggage.
It wasn't much luggage, mostly just some food and clothes that Xie Guilan had prepared beforehand.
"Are you leaving so early?"
Lin Sheng was practicing punches in the courtyard and asked when he saw Lin Miao come out.
"Yes, the matter is urgent, I can't delay any longer."
He nodded slightly and patted Lin Sheng's shoulder.
"Remember what I told you."
"Okay."
Lin Miao didn't say anything more, but paused again just as he was leaving the courtyard gate.
"Also, if you encounter any trouble that you can't solve, you can go to the Misty Rain Tower in Fu City and find a person named Qi Ning. Just mention my name."
With that, Lin Miao pushed the door open and left.
"Fu City, Qi Ning..."
Lin Sheng slowly chewed on the name. By now, he was certain that his brother was definitely not ordinary.
As for what he was going to do, since the other party didn't say, he clearly had his own considerations.
Thinking this, he picked up a shovel from the courtyard and walked towards the north corner.
Walking out of the narrow alley, Lin Miao's gaze fell on the steamed bun shop across the long street.
There, a middle-aged man with a sallow complexion was looking over with a half-smile.
He paused his steps slightly and walked over, sitting down beside the middle-aged man without preamble.
"I thought you'd delay a bit longer."
The sallow-faced man asked with a smile.
"They've been waiting long enough over there. It's time to set off."
Lin Miao shook his head slightly.
"Yes, time is indeed a bit tight, but it's okay. Are you sure you're not bringing your family?"
The sallow-faced man nodded slightly, then suddenly spoke again.
"I see your younger brother has already started cultivating the Martial Path. He doesn't seem to be an ordinary Body Tempering Martial Artist."
Hearing this, Lin Miao's expression didn't change. He picked up a steamed bun from the table, took a bite, his gaze fixed on the small alley, and said slowly.
"He should have just entered the Early Stage of Forging Tendons not long ago. The Qi and blood in his body are a bit stronger than others."
"Oh? He's already entered the Early Stage of Forging Tendons? It seems your brother's talent isn't as ordinary as you said before."
"He is indeed much stronger than I imagined, but unfortunately, it doesn't mean much. He doesn't have a hidden Bloodline, so his future path will be difficult."
"No hidden Bloodline? That is truly a pity."
A look of regret also appeared on the sallow-faced man's face.
"There's nothing to pity. When my Bloodline reaches full potential, he will inherit my blood seed."
"Oh!?"
Hearing this, a look of extreme surprise appeared on the sallow-faced man's face.
"Although you have exceptional talent and a hidden Bloodline has manifested, the other seeds in the organization are no worse than you. When your Bloodline reaches full potential, stripping away a portion of your blood seed will definitely cause severe injury..."
However, halfway through, the sallow-faced man stopped speaking. He knew the other party's temperament well; once he made a decision, he would not change it.