The gift-givers have all left.
The courtyard is filled with presents, and Senior Sister Xi is excitedly organizing them, occasionally exclaiming in wonder.
"Wow, Junior Brother, this person is so generous! They actually gifted a set of lower-grade treasures, and it’s even a Sword Array. Calculating its value, it could rival upper-grade treasures."
"Soone even sent a whole bottle of Third Grade Elixirs. They really spared no expense to curry favor with you."
Lin Fan remained calm, sipping his chicken soup. The taste was truly delightful, incredibly fresh and savory. The Five-colored Heavenly Chicken from Zhen Tian Peak was indeed extraordinary. It seed he would need to visit Zhen Tian Peak more often when he had the chance.
Nan Gongjin said, "Brother Lin, be cautious at tomorrow night’s banquet."
"Why?" Lin Fan asked. The more he observed, the more he felt that Nan Gongjin might actually be quite sharp—not the naive fool he had initially imagined. He seed clever and had the courage to seize opportunities, sothing not everyone could do.
Nan Gongjin was forrly a disciple of Zhen Tian Peak. His cultivation wasn’t weak, and he had broader knowledge than most, aware of secrets Lin Fan didn’t yet know.
"Ye Donglai has a far deeper scheming nature than Ye Zhen Tian. He has planted his pawns across the peaks, clearly aware of the conflict between you and Ye Zhen Tian. He’s likely trying to win you over through tomorrow’s banquet, so you must be careful not to be deceived by his outward deanor."
"Moreover, many of the other Peak Masters have suffered losses at Ye Donglai’s hands to varying degrees."
Having chosen to follow Lin Fan, Nan Gongjin naturally didn’t want Brother Lin to be caught in traps. Otherwise, they’d inevitably share the misfortune.
"Alright, don’t worry, I’m fully aware," Lin Fan responded.
Since he already knew Ye Donglai was no simple man, he certainly had to prepare to deal with him properly.
"Senior Sister, Senior Brother, feel free to take whatever you like," he offered.
Lin Fan wasn’t interested in the gifts. With a mother who was this wealthy, he had no need for them. Even the outfit he was wearing now was already extravagantly dominant.
Dominant enough to traverse the world unchallenged.
"Junior Brother, in that case, Senior Sister won’t hold back!" Xi Xi exclaid joyfully, almost jumping in delight, diving directly into the pile of gifts to seek out what she desired.
Other than when Senior Sister gave her nice things, she rarely received much elsewhere.
Yang Gang and Chen Zhiyu were also thrilled. While Junior Brother might not value these gifts, to them, they were imnsely precious.
Lin Fan continued sipping chicken soup, but his thoughts wandered to ng Qingyao, the eldest senior sister of Xuanjian Peak. Why hadn’t she made an appearance?
Hmm, could it be she felt a bit awkward?
Perhaps that was the explanation.
Lin Fan didn’t intend to et ng Qingyao for now. Too busy. After recognizing family ties, he found himself handling one issue after another in rapid succession. Where was the ti to chat idly with ng Qingyao?
The next day!
A ray of morning sunshine stread in.
Lin Fan slowly opened his eyes, only to find he wasn’t in his own room but rather in a strange place.
Startled for a mont.
But he quickly cald down. He was in the Taiwu Immortal Sect; nothing could possibly go wrong.
Cre-eak!
The door was pushed open.
"Fan Er, now that you’re awake, co with quickly. I’ve prepared sothing for you," Wei You said, her gaze full of endless maternal affection.
"Yes, Mother," Lin Fan replied, the words rolling off his tongue naturally, feeling completely at ease.
Anything wrong with that?
Nope.
He couldn’t help but wonder. Was his mother planning to gift him so valuable treasures?
The more he thought about it, the more excited he beca.
Good stuff.
Finally, the ti had co.
Not long after.
When he stepped into another room, sothing felt off. The scent of books greeted his nostrils, and through the window on one side of the room was an elegant courtyard with mountains, water, and a pavilion.
"Mother, what are we here for?" Lin Fan asked, his heart trembling slightly, a faint sense of unease creeping in as though sothing significant was about to happen.
Wei You replied, "Fan Er, I’ve prepared to teach you reading and writing to cultivate a scholarly temperant in the future."
"Huh?" Lin Fan’s mouth hung open, his eyes wide in disbelief, as though his ears weren’t functioning properly and he had misheard her. "Mother, what did you say? Reading? At my age? What’s there to read anymore?"
"Mother, I want to cultivate. Please let cultivate," he pleaded.
His initial plan was straightforward—cause mischief, fight foes, and strive to elevate his mana. Now, suddenly forcing him to read and write was way too cruel.
"Cultivation isn’t urgent. You should start with reading and writing," Wei You said firmly. She understood her junior brother’s argunt well: if Lin Fan didn’t learn to calm his mind, she feared similar problems might arise again in the future.
If Wen Er were still alive, she would have disciplined him strictly, ensuring he didn’t turn out this way—reckless and unbridled.
Lin Fan’s arrival gave her a renewed sense of purpose.
"Fan Er, don’t think reading and writing is a waste of ti. It will actually be very beneficial for your future cultivation. Trust your mother; I’d never harm you," Wei You said.
Lin Fan blinked, staring at the stack of brand-new books on the table.
For a mont, he didn’t know what to say.
Out of nowhere.
He rembered the Sect Leader’s words from yesterday—a suggestion had been made.
Could this be the suggestion?
"Fan Er, Mother doesn’t have much else to do now, so I’ll accompany you in reading and writing. Work hard. If you slack off, don’t expect any rcy from ," Wei You said, pointing at a ruler placed not far away.
It was as though the ruler implied: slack off in reading and writing, and you’ll get punished.
Lin Fan swallowed hard, cursing the Sect Leader to the ends of the earth.
Was this even a human thing to do?
"Mother, rest assured. Since you wish for to read and write, I will certainly put in the effort," Lin Fan said, swallowing his tears. He had made his choice; even if it ant suffering, he’d have to stick it out.
That damn Sect Leader! Truly impressive, managing to manipulate my mother like this.
At this mont.
Lin Fan caught sight of a distant figure standing outside. Upon closer inspection, it was the Sect Leader. His face bore a faint smile, radiating a sense of satisfaction. That smile seed to say, "Kid, you’ve got this coming. Go against , and I’ll make your life hell."
Sitting at the desk, Lin Fan looked down at the book before him, titled *Thousand Dao Writings*.
It was an ordinary, uninteresting, and dull book—one explaining a thousand principles.
If only they’d given a copy of *One Thousand and One Nights*. At least its stories would have a little entertainnt value.
Sothing to pass the ti.
Now, his mother was his strongest supporter. If he upset her, it would bring nothing but trouble. There was even the chance she could confine him.
Obediently, he settled into the chair and began reading. Even if he couldn’t absorb a single word, he had to pretend.
Wei You was pleased to see Fan Er calm and focused on reading. She wouldn’t allow the past tragedy to repeat itself—never again.
Lin Fan held the book in hand, lazily rocking his head, reciting to himself.
"One tis one equals one."
"One tis two equals two."
"One tis three equals three."
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