143: Lin Qingxue's family

"Liu Dehua?"

Lin Qingxue silently repeated the name in her mind, but she still had no impression of it.

However, the other party's words were sincere, and he was a fellow Disciple, so her vigilance lessened slightly.

She was more concerned about another matter.

"So it is Junior Brother Liu."

Lin Qingxue nodded slightly, then couldn't help but ask:

"Since you are newly promoted from the Sect, I wonder… do you know how my Senior Brother Yao Delong fared in this Inner Sect assessment? What was his ranking?"

Her tone seemed calm, but the flash of concern and worry deep in her eyes did not escape Yao Delong's gaze.

Yao Delong felt a slight warmth in his heart and was just about to continue making up a lie like "Senior Brother Yao Delong performed excellently."

"Pfft—!"

A crisp, melodious, yet deeply teasing laugh suddenly rang out from behind Yao Delong.

The black-clad woman, who had been standing quietly behind Yao Delong like a shadow while wearing a mysterious fox demon mask, was now covering her lips with her delicate hand, her shoulders trembling slightly; she was clearly laughing heartily.

"Hahaha…"

Xin Yuelan laughed so hard she swayed, her autumn-water eyes visible beneath the mask curving into crescents.

She pointed at Yao Delong, her voice filled with undisguised mockery:

"Yao Delong, oh Yao Delong, you are truly interesting! Traveling thousands of miles in such a rush, isn't it just because you were worried about your precious Junior Sister? Now that you've finally met, you're still putting on an act and teasing her? 'Liu Dehua'? How could you even come up with that! Hahaha…"

Xin Yuelan's laughter was like silver bells, exceptionally clear in the silent courtyard, and it struck Lin Qingxue's mind like a bolt of lightning!

"Stop teasing your Junior Sister"?

"Yao Delong"?

"Traveling thousands of miles in a rush"?

Lin Qingxue's delicate body trembled violently!

She widened her beautiful eyes in disbelief, staring fixedly at the handsome, peerless youth before her who called himself "Liu Dehua."

That familiar pure Yang Qi… that feeling he occasionally revealed that made her feel inexplicably at peace… and the name the woman called out… It was him! It was really him! Her Senior Brother, Yao Delong!

But… this appearance… this look that was at least twenty years younger… this massive pure Yang Qi that made her heart palpitate…

"Senior… Senior Brother?"

Lin Qingxue's voice carried a trace of imperceptible trembling, and her cold, clear eyes instantly welled up with immense surprise, disbelief, and a hint of… grievance? Her eyes even reddened slightly.

Yao Delong was exposed on the spot by Xin Yuelan, and the stiff expression of a "newly promoted Disciple" on his face instantly collapsed, replaced by a touch of embarrassment and helplessness.

He raised his hand to scratch the back of his head, revealing an incomparably familiar smile filled with doting and apology to Lin Qingxue, and his voice returned to the gentle, mellow tone in Lin Qingxue's memory:

"Ahem… Junior Sister, it's me. Long time no see."

"Senior Brother!"

Confirming that the handsome, peerless youth with the massive Qi before her was indeed her missed Senior Brother, Yao Delong, Lin Qingxue could no longer suppress the excitement and that inexplicable sense of grievance in her heart.

She stepped forward quickly, disregarding the many gazes around them, grabbed Yao Delong's arm, and asked eagerly:

"Senior Brother, you… did you miss me? Also, did you have a Breakthrough to the Golden Core? Why… why have you changed so much!"

She looked Yao Delong up and down, her eyes filled with surprise and curiosity.

Feeling the warmth from his arm and his Junior Sister's undisguised closeness, Yao Delong felt even warmer in his heart. He smiled slightly, letting her hold him, and explained:

"Yes, after the Inner Sect assessment, I was lucky enough to obtain a quota to enter the 'Immortal Mausoleum.' I obtained some Opportunity inside, which allowed me to luckily have a Breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm. As for the change in appearance… it can be considered a 'side effect' of the Breakthrough."

Hearing this, Lin Qingxue's eyes shone with brilliance, and she felt genuinely happy for her Senior Brother's achievement.

But this happiness was quickly diluted by another matter.

Her gaze, like an ice pick, instantly nailed onto the black-clad woman behind Yao Delong who was wearing a fox demon mask and exuding a mysterious, somewhat lazy and teasing aura.

An indescribable sense of sourness welled up in her heart. Who was this woman? Why was she traveling with Senior Brother? It seemed… they were quite familiar with each other?

There was clearly no fluctuation of spiritual power on her, like a Mortal, yet her overall bearing and her calm demeanor even when facing a Golden Core Cultivator were definitely not ordinary!

"Senior Brother!"

Lin Qingxue's voice unconsciously carried a hint of coldness and inquiry, her gaze locked tightly on Xin Yuelan, "Who is she!?"

Yao Delong sensed the change in his Junior Sister's tone and understood in his heart.

He looked around; Lin Chengzong's family, the servants, and the messy courtyard… there were too many people here, and it was really not the place to explain Xin Yuelan's identity.

He turned slightly, leaned close to Lin Qingxue's ear, lowered his voice, and said with a soothing tone:

"Junior Sister, this is a long story and involves a lot. Let's… talk about it tonight, shall we?"

The warm breath brushed against her earlobe, carrying the familiar feeling unique to her Senior Brother, and Lin Qingxue's cheeks instantly flushed with a rosy glow.

She subconsciously shrank her neck slightly, and that sense of jealousy and coldness was mostly washed away by this sudden intimacy.

Only shyness and a trace of anticipation remained, and she gave a soft "Mn."

"Hey, hey, hey! Is there any justice left!"

Xin Yuelan cried out exaggeratedly, hands on her hips, rolling her eyes beneath the mask, "I just finished eating at the restaurant, and it hasn't even digested yet, and you two are here flaunting your affection without caring about anyone else? Are you trying to stuff me to death? Yao Delong, there should be a limit to your public displays of affection!"

Her blunt teasing instantly made Lin Qingxue's face even redder, and Yao Delong also helplessly glared at her.

Lin Chengzong watched from the side, his eyes lighting up! His talent for Cultivation was poor, but he was skilled at reading the room.

The youth before him was not only unfathomably powerful and a Core Disciple of the Yin Yang Sect, but also had such a close relationship with his promising daughter! This was simply a godsend lifeline!

As long as he could climb up this relationship, what Marquis of Zhenbei's Estate, what six thousand Spirit Stones, none of it would be a problem!

He immediately put on an extremely flattering smile, puffed out his belly, stepped forward, and greeted enthusiastically:

"Oh my! Worthy Nephew! So you are the worthy nephew Yao that Clear Snow often mentions! It is truly better to see once than to hear a hundred times; you are indeed a dragon among men, so heroic and spirited! Come in, come in! How can I let such a distinguished guest stand outside and talk? Please come in! Please come in!"

While speaking, he was about to grab Yao Delong's arm, his posture extremely low.

Watching her father's sycophantic and snobbish face, Lin Qingxue felt a wave of annoyance, but because her Senior Brother was present, she couldn't lash out.

She took a deep breath, suppressed her emotions, and began to introduce them to Yao Delong, her voice cold and distant:

"Senior Brother, this," she pointed to Lin Chengzong, her tone flat and waveless, "is my father, Lin Chengzong."

"This," she pointed to Xia Ling, "is my mother, Xia Ling."

"The one in her arms," her gaze swept over Lin Minghao, who was still sobbing and lacked any masculine spirit, and Lin Qingxue looked slightly helpless, "is my younger brother, Lin Minghao."

"As for that one," she finally looked at Lin Qingyao, who was standing to the side with a shifting expression, her eyes lingering on Yao Delong. Her tone grew even colder, "that is my younger sister, Lin Qingyao, a Disciple of the Moyang Sect."

Seeing Yao Delong's gaze sweep over, Lin Qingyao immediately straightened her back, tried hard to squeeze out the most pure and sweet smile, and even deliberately flicked her twin tails, which she had specially dyed granny gray, and said coquettishly: "Hello, Senior Brother Yao~" her voice sickeningly sweet.