251: Chapter 252 The Unserious Old Man

The next scene left Lin Muyang somewhat speechless. He first saw Senior subtly cast his gaze towards Gu Shuanglin, who was slightly nervous, then his lips moved slightly without a sound. However, an extremely faint, specially-frequency mental fluctuation accurately transmitted towards Gu Shuanglin.

"Sound Transmission into Secrecy?" Lin Muyang's heart stirred. This was a relatively high-tier universal skill that could compress sound into mental fluctuations and transmit it directionally to a specific target, offering excellent concealment. It was often used for private communication or transmitting secrets. Given Senior's level of over a hundred and his impressive mental attributes, performing such a sound transmission skill would normally make it extremely difficult to intercept, unless one's mental attributes were far superior to his, or they possessed special counter-skills.

Perhaps, in Senior's view, though Lin Muyang's strength was astounding, he was still young and hadn't reached Level 100. No matter how strong his mental power was, there should be a limit; he shouldn't be able to intercept the private transmission of an old hand like him. How could he have known that Lin Muyang's current attributes, especially his mental attributes, had already reached an inconceivable level? Nation-Guarding Level Experts would probably be crushed by him several times over if they merely compared attributes! Senior's self-proclaimed concealed transmission was as clear as someone speaking at a normal volume right next to Lin Muyang's ear, thanks to his vast, star-like mental perception. He heard every word without missing a single one:

"Shuang girl," Senior's voice, carrying a hint of elder's teasing and concern, directly echoed in Gu Shuanglin's mind, "There are no outsiders here. Tell Grandpa the truth, do you... like this kid Lin Muyang? Don't be shy. If you like him, nod; if you don't, shake your head. Grandpa will understand."

Gu Shuanglin clearly hadn't expected Senior to ask this privately. Her delicate body visibly stiffened, and a charming blush instantly spread across her beautiful face, from her cheeks all the way to her earlobes. She first glanced at Lin Muyang in a panic, who pretended to be observing the room's furnishings, then quickly lowered her head, her hands unconsciously twisting together. After two or three seconds of silence, under Senior's encouraging gaze, she nodded almost imperceptibly, with an extremely small motion. The movement was so slight it was almost like an illusion, but the shyness and implicit agreement it contained were unmistakable.

"Heh, it's good that you like him!" Senior's transmission carried a hint of satisfied laughter and a touch of grand confidence, as if saying, "Leave it to me!" "Alright, today Grandpa will give you a hand and sound out this kid. If he's also interested, this matter might just work out! Your Grandpa here may not have many other skills, but I do have some discerning eyes when it comes to people and matchmaking!"

Upon hearing these words, Lin Muyang was left with nothing but speechlessness. This old man was truly warm-hearted. Although Gu Shuanglin was indeed exceptionally beautiful, had an outstanding temperament, a top-tier family background and talent, and a gentle and generous personality—making her a dream partner for countless people—Lin Muyang's previous feelings for her were more of an appreciation for a partner or a normal friend. He hadn't really thought about it in that way. After all, he was already surrounded by enough stunning young ladies, each with profound soul bonds to him.

What made Lin Muyang find it both amusing and a little helpless was that all this scheming was completely transparent to him. Gu Shuanglin's shy nod, Senior's self-proclaimed secret matchmaking plan, all fell into his eyes and ears. This feeling was like watching a skit where the participants thought they were being covert, but it was actually being livestreamed the whole time.

Just then, Senior concluded his private conversation with Gu Shuanglin, his face reverting to that serious yet "I'm doing this for your own good" smile. He waved at Lin Muyang and said in a "casual" tone, "Little friend Lin Muyang, come here for a moment. This old man has some small details about equipment modification that he'd like to discuss with you privately."

Lin Muyang chuckled inwardly, but his expression remained calm. Pretending to be unaware, he cooperatively walked over, sat in another chair next to Senior, and politely asked, "Senior, what's wrong? Are there any difficulties with the modification plan?"

Senior cleared his throat, leaned slightly forward, and lowered his voice, speaking in the frank, experienced tone of an elder: "Lin Muyang, let's not beat around the bush. I've lived for so long, and I have a pretty good eye for people and things. This Jialiya girl by your side is naturally a peerless beauty with a unique temperament; one can tell she's no ordinary woman. However..."

He changed the subject, his gaze casually sweeping towards Gu Shuanglin, who was not far away. She was even more nervous due to their "private conversation," her cheeks flushed, and her head lowered as she pretended to examine the pattern on her teacup. He continued, "You've known our Shuang girl for some time now. This girl, she has looks, she has family background, her talent is top-notch among the younger generation, and her personality is beyond reproach—gentle, sensible, and understanding of the bigger picture. Most importantly, she's from the same hometown as you, both from Xia Country, so you know each other well. She's more reliable than those from outside, don't you think?"

He paused, observing Lin Muyang's expression, then got straight to the point, directly "suggesting": "How about... what do you think of this? Anyway, you have a big place over there, and many people, it's lively. How about letting Shuang girl go with you and stay at your place for a while? Get to know each other better. Young people, after all, the more they interact, the more feelings will naturally develop. If you're willing to take care of her, I, this old man, will guarantee to use all twelve parts of my skill when modifying your equipment in the future, absolutely no holding back! How about it?"

Lin Muyang: "..." This old man, for the happiness of his junior, was truly blunt. However, the concern in his eyes didn't seem feigned; it was more out of affection for Gu Shuanglin and a desire to keep good things within their circle.

Lin Muyang helplessly rubbed his forehead and glanced at Gu Shuanglin. At this moment, Miss Gu, though her head was lowered, her crimson earlobes and slightly trembling eyelashes had already betrayed her extreme nervousness and anticipation. He could even hear her heart beating noticeably faster due to anxiety, thumping like a startled fawn. In this state, why even ask if she was willing? The answer was already written on her face.

"Go with me to Eternal Garden in Zhongnan City?" Lin Muyang pondered for a moment, his tone calm, revealing neither joy nor anger. "I don't mind; it's just one more person, one more pair of chopsticks. Eternal Garden has many guest rooms, and the environment is quite good. However, this matter ultimately depends on Miss Gu's own wishes. If she wants to relax or wants to change her environment for cultivation, I welcome it. As for anything else..."

He paused, looked at Senior, then glanced at Gu Shuanglin, who was so nervous she almost fainted, and finally said, "Senior, rest assured, as long as she is with me, I will naturally not treat her unfairly. Safety and cultivation resources will not be lacking. As for other things, let nature take its course."

Lin Muyang's words were watertight; he neither explicitly refused nor directly agreed to anything. He only promised basic safety and treatment, temporarily limiting the definition of their relationship to that of friends, leaving the future to time and their interactions.

However, these words, heard by Senior and Gu Shuanglin, were already quite positive signals! At the very least, Lin Muyang was not averse to Gu Shuanglin and even expressed welcome! For Gu Shuanglin, this was already a long-desired opportunity!

"Good! Good! Letting nature take its course is good! Young people, after all, should spend more time together!" Senior chuckled, patting Lin Muyang's shoulder forcefully, wearing a satisfied expression that implied "this matter is mostly settled." He believed that with his Shuang girl's looks and character, as long as they had the chance to spend day and night together, winning over this kid Lin Muyang would only be a matter of time, right?

Just then, a clear yet somewhat urgent voice cut in, breaking the delicate atmosphere.

"Eh?? Sis, you're going to Zhongnan City? To Big Brother Lin Muyang's place?" Gu Xiaoyu, who had been eavesdropping, could no longer hold back. She suddenly jumped up from the sofa, her round eyes filled with surprise and eagerness. She looked at her sister, who was too shy to speak, then at the calm-faced Lin Muyang. Her eyes darted around, and she immediately went over, hooked onto Lin Muyang's free arm, and looked up at his cute and delicate small face, her voice filled with coquetry and anticipation, looking at Lin Muyang expectantly: "Big Brother Lin Muyang~ You won't refuse, right? Take me with you too! I want to go too! I promise not to cause trouble, I'll be very well-behaved! Wherever Sis goes, I go!"

???

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

The smile on Senior's face froze instantly, and he looked at the suddenly appearing Gu Xiaoyu in a daze. He had originally only wanted to create an opportunity for Gu Shuanglin, so why had this little one joined in too? And so proactively at that? Was this kid Lin Muyang's charm really that great? From the looks of it, both of these sisters wanted to run off with him!

Recalling his own glory days and then looking at the sisters before him—who possessed excellent looks, family backgrounds, and talent—being so proactive and even competing over a young man, Senior couldn't help but feel deeply moved. He patted Lin Muyang on the shoulder and let out a long sigh. "Lin Muyang, oh Lin Muyang, incredible, truly incredible! You, kid, are even more popular than this old man was back in the day! Truly, the waves of the Yangtze River behind push those in front; the old waves die on the beach! Back then, this old man was at least a famous handsome man in Tianhai City, and countless young ladies from noble families..."

"Grandpa, stop bragging!" Zhuge Yuer, who had been quietly making tea nearby but was actually listening intently, finally couldn't help but let out a giggle, crisply interrupting her grandfather's reminiscing of the glorious past. "Grandma told me before that when you were chasing her back then, you were so clumsy and made quite a few fools of yourself! 'Handsome man' indeed~"

"Cough, cough, cough!" Having his shortcomings exposed to his face by his own granddaughter, Senior's old face turned red, and he suddenly began to cough violently in embarrassment. The sentiment and boasting from a moment ago vanished instantly as he shot a fierce glare at the snickering Zhuge Yuer. "What does a child like you know! That was... that was called being pure-hearted! A true revelation of feelings! Your grandmother was just shy and too embarrassed to say she liked me!"

This bit of banter lightened the originally somewhat subtle and awkward atmosphere considerably. Gu Shuanglin couldn't help but purse her lips and smile, the blush on her face fading slightly. Gu Xiaoyu stuck out her tongue, still clinging to Lin Muyang's arm without letting go, her big eyes blinking as she waited for Lin Muyang's answer.

Lin Muyang found the interaction of this family of characters quite amusing. He didn't have any objection to Gu Xiaoyu joining. This girl had a lively and cute personality without any hidden motives; there was no harm in bringing her along. The Eternal Garden was so large that having two more people stay there was absolutely no problem.

"Alright, alright, you young people should handle your own affairs," Senior waved his hand, deciding not to meddle further in these complicated relationships between men and women, and brought the topic back to business. "Shuang girl, Yu girl, go if you want to. Since young friend Lin Muyang has no objections, this old man won't stop you. But once you're there, you must know the rules and not cause trouble for Lin Muyang, understood?"

"We know, Grandpa!" the sisters said in unison, happy smiles appearing on both their faces. Gu Shuanglin's was a mix of shyness and sweetness, while Gu Xiaoyu's was pure excitement and anticipation.

"As for my side," Senior looked at Lin Muyang, his expression becoming serious and professional again, "the matter of equipment modification cannot be delayed. How about this: first give me one legendary-grade piece of Mage-type equipment, then one legendary-grade piece of Summoner-type equipment. It's best if their attributes and special effects are somewhat representative. I'll try modifying both first to see which type of equipment, after being converted by my techniques, has a higher compatibility and better effect bonus with the Necromancer's class characteristics and energy circuits. This requires actual testing; theoretical deduction alone isn't enough."

"No problem." Lin Muyang nodded, and with a thought, he took out two pieces of equipment emitting different attribute fluctuations from his storage ring. One was a staff radiating an icy blue chill, and the other was a ring engraved with complex summoning runes. The attributes of these two pieces of equipment were decent, but for him and the young ladies currently, they could no longer keep up with their needs, making them perfect for testing.

Seeing Lin Muyang casually take out two high-quality legendary-grade items and seemingly not care at all about the potential loss, admiration flashed in Senior's eyes once more. This kid was not only powerful but also terrifyingly wealthy. But this was even better; the higher the grade of the materials, the more passion he felt for the modification.

"This is just the first batch of equipment for testing," Lin Muyang said as he handed the two items to Senior, adding, "Once Jialiya's level rises above level 100 and her attributes stabilize, she will definitely need a new set of top-tier equipment that is completely tailored to her. At that time, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you again, Senior."

"Haha, that's easy to say!" Senior took the equipment, feeling the pure energy contained within, and a look of excitement belonging to a top-tier craftsman facing a challenge appeared on his face. "As long as you treat these two girls of our family well and keep them happy, this old man's skills will be dedicated to serving you and those around you from now on! I guarantee I'll make the most suitable and powerful equipment for you all!"

These words were half-joking and half-serious, but they also stated a clear position—as long as Lin Muyang was good to the Gu sisters, Senior would be Lin Muyang's most solid logistical and technical support.

At this moment, Gu Shuanglin and Gu Xiaoyu's cheeks burned again because of Senior's blunt words. They glanced at each other, seeing shyness, joy, and a hint of longing for the future in each other's eyes. They had long been full of admiration and affection for Lin Muyang. If Lin Muyang were to take the initiative, they would have no reason to refuse. It was just that they were thin-skinned and felt their relationship with Lin Muyang hadn't reached that stage yet, so they never dared to show it. They hadn't expected Senior to poke through the paper window by accident this time, and Lin Muyang didn't seem to object? This was simply an opportunity falling from the sky!

"Sister Shuang, Sister Yu, Brother Lin Muyang, and Sister Jialiya, please sit for a while and have some tea." The young girl Zhuge Yuer spoke up obediently, breaking the slightly subtle atmosphere again. Following her grandfather's instructions, she took out the family's prized top-tier spiritual tea, Wuyin Xianhao—which was said to have a very low annual yield and was unavailable on the market—and skillfully began to warm the pot, rinse the leaves, and brew. Immediately, a clear and refreshing tea fragrance that seemed to cleanse the soul wafted out, lifting everyone's spirits.

Lin Muyang followed the suggestion and sat down on a comfortable rosewood sofa with Jialiya. Gu Shuanglin and Gu Xiaoyu also sat down next to him, though they remained somewhat stiff. To ease the atmosphere, Lin Muyang took the initiative to find a topic, chatting with Gu Shuanglin about the recent trends in the global Class Transferee market, especially regarding secret realm scrolls.

"Indeed, since the news of what happened with you in Bear Country spread, global markets have been hit hard," Gu Shuanglin said, composing herself to talk business. Her tone became serious and professional. "The most obvious is the high-level secret realm scroll market. Now almost everyone knows that you have a huge demand for high-level, high-difficulty secret realm scrolls. Therefore, the prices of epic-grade and legendary-grade secret realm scrolls circulating on the market have generally risen by 30% to 50%, and the prices of some scrolls with rare attributes or special outputs have even more than doubled."

She paused and continued, "More importantly, many large factions, conglomerates, and even some national-level organizations have begun to consciously hoard and monopolize the high-level secret realm scrolls they can access. Their goal is clear: to use them as a strategic resource and a stepping stone, preparing to personally gift them to you at the right time to get closer to you and exchange them for friendship or certain promises. High-level secret realm scrolls have now become a top-tier social currency and investment product."

Lin Muyang nodded slowly as he listened, his slender fingers gently stroking the warm rim of his teacup. This situation was entirely within his expectations. When a person's strength and influence reach a point where they can sway the global landscape, the market laws and circulation methods of any resources they need will change because of them. This had nothing to do with personal will; it was a necessary effect brought about purely by power.

"As expected," Lin Muyang said calmly. "Men die for wealth, and birds die for food. Driven by interest, this has never changed since ancient times."

However, he also knew in his heart that the success rate of these attempts to build relationships would probably not be very high. The 'Oracle' organization he secretly controlled had, after this period of development, built up quite a considerable intelligence network and resource collection capability, and had been continuously collecting various secret realm scrolls and rare resources for him. Moreover, with the shrewdness of the Oracle members, someone had probably already guessed that the mysterious and powerful person behind the organization was very likely the Lin Muyang who had been so prominent lately. After all, looking at the entire world, who else could consume massive amounts of high-level secret realm scrolls so efficiently and frequently, and provide such jaw-droppingly generous contribution point rewards?