Chapter 35: My Dear Son-in-Law, Thank You

Finally, after finishing the bandaging, Lin Fan let out a long sigh of relief.

He looked up at Su Mei, only to find her gazing at him with a strange expression—a look tinged with a hint of confusion and a flicker of longing.

"Cough, cough... son-in-law, thank you," Su Mei said weakly, her eyes filled with gratitude.

"We are family. There is no need for such thanks," Lin Fan replied with a smile, unsure why she was looking at him that way. "I am going to check on Xingyu now."

Su Xingyu’s injuries were far more severe than Su Mei’s, and she had already fallen into a coma. It was likely that both had suffered the same attack, but Su Xingyu’s cultivation was not as profound as her mother’s, and her defensive capabilities were naturally much weaker. However, her breathing remained steady, so she should be in no immediate danger.

Lin Fan leaned over and scooped her up into his arms in a bridal carry. Su Xingyu was dressed in black tight-fitting attire that accentuated her fiery curves perfectly. As Lin Fan walked, he could feel the subtle shift of her figure.

"These twins, tsk, tsk..."

"It is a pity, but the waters of the Su family run too deep. If I stay here, I might fall into their traps at any moment. Besides, I have already caught the eye of that Golden Core stage expert, Ji Qingwan. No matter how I look at it, leaving the Su family is the safest bet. I have no desire to be imprisoned again!"

Thinking this, Lin Fan placed Su Xingyu on the bed beside Su Mei. He leaned down toward her, his gaze falling upon her exquisite, flawless face.

"Xingyu’s injuries are much worse than yours," Lin Fan said, gently pinching her chin to part her lips slightly. He picked up a healing pill and carefully inserted it into her mouth.

The pill got stuck in her throat and did not slide down. It seemed Su Xingyu was too severely injured and had lost the ability to swallow. Lin Fan frowned and cast a look of help toward Su Mei, only to find that she had closed her eyes as if resting, clearly trying to avoid any unnecessary awkwardness.

"What should I do?" Lin Fan felt a surge of anxiety. "I am saving a life, that’s all! And... it’s not like this is the first time!"

He constantly reinforced his resolve in his own mind.

He took a deep breath, leaned down, and brought his face close to Su Xingyu’s. With a gentle puff, a soft breath of air guided the pill deep into her oral cavity. The medicine slid down her esophagus, and she swallowed it.

Afterward, Lin Fan tore open the tattered black clothing covering her wounds and proceeded to bandage them with clear, professional focus.

Once everything was done, Lin Fan said to the eyes-closed Su Mei, "There shouldn't be any more danger here. I’m going to check on Xingyue; her cultivation is lower, so I hope nothing untoward has happened to her!" His tone was filled with genuine concern.

"Go then," Su Mei replied softly.

Lin Fan closed the door, gripped his Ning Shuang Sword, and walked over to Liu Yansong. He scanned his body, and eventually, his eyes locked onto the storage pouch at his waist. A satisfied smile played on his lips. He reached out and unfastened it. It felt heavy in his hand—clearly, it was full of treasures. He weighed it, his smile widening.

He carefully tucked the pouch into his robes, then repeated the process with the Liu family’s Great Elder. With that done, he clapped his hands and stood up. He turned his gaze toward the direction of the Su estate, a flicker of determination in his eyes.

"Xingyue, wait for me!"

Lin Fan shouted, his figure blurring as he dashed toward the depths of the Su estate.

...

About an hour later, the sounds of killing within the Liu residence gradually subsided, leaving only the lingering echoes of clashing steel in the air. The Su family had won a total victory.

Su Xingyue led a group of excited Su family disciples out from the depths of the Liu estate, every face glowing with the joy of triumph. However, when her gaze swept past the entrance, she saw only Liu Mei and Su Xingyu, who had just awakened and looked on in a daze.

Her heart sank. "Mother, where is Lin Fan?"

Su Xingyue hurried over to Su Mei and asked urgently, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart. Su Mei’s previously relaxed expression froze, and her brows knitted together. She scanned the crowd, trying to find that familiar figure.

"Didn't he go to assist you?"

Su Xingyue shook her head, her eyes filled with anxiety. "No, I haven't seen him at all."

"Has anyone seen the son-in-law?" Su Xingyue turned to the crowd of disciples and shouted, her voice sharp with tension.

The disciples looked at one another and shook their heads. "No, Clan Head. I’ve been guarding the perimeter of the Liu estate to prevent them from escaping, and I never saw him come out!"

Su Xingyue’s heart plummeted. The three women exchanged glances; they all realized that Lin Fan had likely fled.

Su Qian—or rather, Ji Qingwan, who was currently disguised as her—frowned deeply. Her divine sense surged out like a tide, instantly covering the entire city of Linjiang. Though the city was vast, every detail appeared clearly under her powerful perception. Yet, a moment later, a look of confusion appeared on her face. Lin Fan was nowhere within her range of detection.

Suddenly, she seemed to realize something and murmured, "It must have been an Earth-Escaping Talisman... This little fellow is truly cunning!"

"But running away won't be that easy!"

With that thought, Ji Qingwan moved her lips slightly and transmitted a message to Su Xingyue: "My dear disciple, what exactly is the secret behind this Lin Fan?"

Su Xingyue shuddered, her beautiful eyes turning toward Su Qian. After a moment, she regained her composure and replied, "Master?"

"It is I. I’ve discovered that Lin Fan seems capable of helping others break through their bottlenecks. It has nothing to do with the ancestral pills you mentioned, which is why I remained in the Su family," Ji Qingwan explained briefly.

Knowing she could no longer hide the truth, Su Xingyue struggled for a moment before revealing everything she knew.

"A special physique? Pure Yang energy? So that’s it!" Ji Qingwan felt a surge of joy. "Do not feel wronged. Lin Fan has likely already fled the city. With the strength of your Su family alone, finding him would be as difficult as reaching the heavens."

"I will leave everything to you, Master!" Su Xingyue said quickly.

"Good! Come with me to hunt him down!"

At that very moment, Lin Fan was traveling rapidly underground, protected by the Earth-Escaping Talisman. He was heading south, the talisman emitting a faint, earthy-yellow glow that enveloped him. The soil flew backward around him like a yellow river. He controlled his speed, trying to avoid causing too much of a disturbance.

He continued to speed through the deep earth, the sound of whistling wind and the rustle of friction against the soil filling his ears. About half an hour later, sensing the spiritual energy of the talisman was nearing exhaustion, he controlled it to slowly ascend, finally coming to a stop beneath the foundation of a ruined temple.