The Xu Family
Xu Junwen stood on the balcony of the villa, eyes narrowed, a cigar clamped between his lips. Smoke curled around him as he seemed lost in thought.
Beside him, Xu Xiaoyu stood respectfully, waiting for her father's orders. To him, Xu Junwen's authority was absolute.
"Xiaoyu, Lin Xiuran's birthday is coming up, right?"
Xu Xiaoyu was slightly taken aback. A sudden sense of danger rose in her chest, but she still replied in a low voice: "Yes, Father. It's the same day as mine."
Junwen felt a twinge of concern. After all, his birthday was on the same day as Lin Xiuran's. Normally, he would have handled the arrangements, yet now he was suddenly bringing up Lin Xiuran's birthday.
Something wasn't right. After all, the family had never once celebrated Lin Xiuran's birthday; the only reason he remembered it was that it coincided with his own.
Xu Junwen took a deep drag of his cigar and exhaled heavily. Calmly, he said: "On his birthday, you'll find a way to invite him to the countryside estate. Tell him it's to relax and celebrate—emphasize that the environment there is pleasant."
"Father!" Xu Xiaoyu's eyes widened, his face showing anxiety. He was flustered but didn't know what to say.
Xu Xiaoyu was still too young; his thoughts were hard to hide. A seasoned political veteran like Xu Junwen could easily see through his son's mind.
"Xiaoyu, haven't I taught you? Always stay calm."
Xu Junwen's stern words brought Xu Xiaoyu back to reason, suppressing the chaotic thoughts in his mind. He said softly: "Yes, Father."
Seeing this, Xu Junwen nodded and lightly patted his son's shoulder. "You don't need to worry. You are my biological son, the future heir of the Xu Family. There's no need to fear outsiders."
These words carried enormous weight for Xu Xiaoyu. He was momentarily stunned, unable to process them.
Then came overwhelming joy. Xu Junwen's words not only confirmed his future as heir, but also indirectly told him that Lin Xiuran was not of Xu family blood.
Though he had always suspected, Junwen had never confirmed it, and the clan elders had protected Lin Xiuran a few times, putting pressure on Xu Xiaoyu.
Now, with Junwen's confirmation, it was like a shot of adrenaline. His anxious heart finally settled.
Suppressing his excitement, Xu Xiaoyu carefully asked, "Then what about Lin Xiuran…"
Xu Junwen's eyes narrowed. Coldly, he said: "It's time to make him apologize."
"Yes, Father. I'll arrange it immediately." Xu Xiaoyu instantly understood and left quickly, light steps betraying his joy—this was undeniably great news for him.
After Xu Xiaoyu left, Xu Junwen no longer hid his overwhelming emotions. He crushed his cigar on the balcony and stared into the distance.
"It's time to repay debts. The debts your mother left behind, you will settle them."
After returning from East Sea Spirit Pagoda, Lin Xiuran moved into the student dormitory and resumed classes.
However, in the first few days of the new semester, he was unlike his usual energetic self. His eyes were vacant, and he spent several classes in a daze.
Because of this, Ye Yingluo, the class advisor, had spoken to him multiple times.
It wasn't for any other reason—it was because of the Spirit Pagoda experience. This time, it had left him bewildered. Not only did he fail to condense his second spirit ring, but his first spirit ring had also mysteriously disappeared.
In the soul master world, this was shocking. Absorbing a spirit soul without successfully forming a spirit ring—and losing the first ring in the process—was unheard of.
Yet it wasn't a complete failure. Lin Xiuran could feel his power had increased; both his soul power and mental power had improved.
However, the loss of these two spirit rings meant losing two soul skills. If unresolved, he might be unable to form spirit rings in the future, a fatal problem for a soul master.
This troubled Lin Xiuran, which explained his odd behavior over the past few days.
The only consolation was that cultivating soul power was still possible—at least that part wasn't blocked.
Lin Xiuran had no solution. Even after several days of study and research, he had no clue.
At the end of class, he intended to seek advice from Ye Yingluo, as he couldn't resolve the issue himself.
But before he could, he saw a familiar figure near the classroom.
"Clan Elder, you've come!"
Not far away stood a hunched old man, leaning on a simple wooden cane, dressed in plain cloth. His hair was gray, but his face was kind.
When Lin Xiuran approached, the elder examined him carefully, then stroked his beard and smiled. "I heard you're living in the dorms, so I came to check on you."
Lin Xiuran nodded, eyes tinged with bitterness. The clan elder had aged significantly; every meeting showed a decline in his condition.
This elder had always been the most favorable toward Lin Xiuran in the Xu family, in fact the one who truly wielded power. Yet now he had mostly retired due to old age, rarely appearing—perhaps once or twice a year.
Without exaggeration, Lin Xiuran owed his current wellbeing in the Xu family to this elder. The elder's interventions had allowed him to live comfortably.
Hence, Lin Xiuran respected him deeply, and seeing his body deteriorate caused genuine worry in his heart.
The elder spoke with Lin Xiuran briefly about family matters, mostly giving advice on daily life and cultivation.
Lin Xiuran could have told the elder about his spirit rings, but he didn't want to cause him concern.
After a while, it was clear the elder's energy was declining. Lin Xiuran, sensitive to spiritual energy, naturally sensed the change.
It made him uneasy. The elder's vitality was so low; his physical condition was indeed very poor.
The elder seemed aware of his state. Just as Lin Xiuran didn't want him to worry, the elder didn't want Lin Xiuran to worry either.
The elder smiled. "Enough. I need to go back for afternoon tea. This time, I'll give you a gift."
Lin Xiuran instinctively wanted to refuse, but the elder didn't give him a chance. He quickly placed it in Lin Xiuran's hand, then slowly walked away with his cane.
"Clan Elder, please walk carefully," Lin Xiuran called, still not opening the gift, concerned for the elder's safety.
The old man walked steadily, not looking back, casually waving one hand behind him.
(End of Chapter)