65: Chapter 70

Yin Xingyue nodded. "Hmm... if my eyes aren't deceiving me, this is a stone guardian."

"Correct, it is indeed a stone guardian, but not just any common item; it's a magical artifact."

"It can gather spiritual energy and stabilize the family's fortune."

At this, Huo Xianer glanced at Lin Bufan.

Her expression darkened, and her tone grew heavier. "These were all brought back by my husband; they are considered the foundation of our Lin Family."

"Aside from us, Sister Xingyue, please don't let this leak out."

Upon hearing this, Yin Xingyue quickly nodded and replied, "Husband, both sisters, rest assured, I won't let a single word of this slip out."

Yin Xingyue stared at the three items, her heart churning.

She truly hadn't expected that these three unassuming objects could harbor such immense power.

Having grown up in the Xinyue Hotel, she had seen many strange things and knew a thing or two about matters that ordinary people couldn't even fathom.

"By the way, there is something I'm quite curious about."

Huo Qingxian suddenly spoke up, looking straight at Yin Xingyue. "Sister Xingyue, you've stayed at the Xinyue Hotel for so long. With your family's connections, you must know things that we ordinary people can't inquire about, right?"

"Have you ever seen those legendary cultivators?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Huo Xianer and Huo Qingxian both pricked up their ears to listen.

Even Lin Bufan revealed a hint of interest on his face.

He had previously seen goods sold by the Xinyue Hotel at auctions, where many damaged magical artifacts had circulated.

Given the Xinyue Hotel's heritage, they must be very clear about matters in the cultivation world.

Seeing everyone staring at her, Yin Xingyue didn't hold back and said directly, "The Xinyue Hotel does indeed know some things about cultivators."

"Our clan still preserves the legacy of cultivators."

The Yin Family actually hid a cultivator's legacy and even had a real cultivator overseeing things.

Hearing this, Lin Bufan and Huo Qingxian were both stunned, their faces filled with shock.

The waters of the Xinyue Hotel were indeed very deep.

No wonder it had managed to stand for hundreds of years and reached its current position.

If there wasn't a cultivator supporting it from behind the scenes, who would believe it?

When it came to the matter of the Yin Family having a cultivator's legacy, Yin Xingyue's expression became somewhat troubled.

She opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Lin Bufan preempted her. "If you can't talk about it, don't force yourself."

"However, there is one thing I am quite curious about."

Upon hearing this, Yin Xingyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief and immediately replied, "Husband, feel free to ask. I will not hide anything I can talk about."

Lin Bufan didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "When we returned to Changsha this time, my father-in-law seemed particularly anxious."

"I asked him, but he wouldn't say, only telling me to ask you later."

Yin Xingyue sighed and began to explain the matter from the beginning.

After listening to her explanation, Lin Bufan finally understood.

Why his father-in-law had been so anxious at the Xinyue Hotel and insisted that he take Yin Xingyue away.

This matter had to start from the Xinyue Hotel.

Don't let the fact that Yin Xingyue held the title of the eldest miss of the Xinyue Hotel fool you; within the Yin Family, she was just an ordinary clan member.

Her father was the same; on the surface, he was infinitely glorious, managing the entire Xinyue Hotel.

But in the eyes of the Yin Family, the Xinyue Hotel was just a lousy department for disposing of trash and exchanging resources.

Her father might look powerful, but in the Yin Family, he was actually nothing and could be replaced at any time.

Even worse, the women of the various branches of the Yin Family had only one fate once they grew up—marriage alliances.

If Lin Bufan hadn't intervened, Yin Xingyue would not have been able to escape the fate of being sent away for a marriage alliance.

Hearing this, Huo Qingxian frowned. "If that's the case, since husband has married Sister Xingyue, the Yin Family will sooner or later come looking for us."

"I..."

Yin Xingyue opened her mouth, but the words stuck in her throat, and she didn't know what to say.

Lin Bufan snorted coldly. "With me, Lin Bufan, overseeing the Lin Family, it's not the turn of outsiders to bully us."

"Since Xingyue has married into my Lin Family, I will naturally ensure her safety."

"Whoever dares to touch my, Lin Bufan's, woman—if one comes, I'll kill one; if two come, I'll kill both!"

As his voice fell, an aura of a Great Grandmaster erupted from his body, shaking the entire room.

That extremely powerful surge of vitality was like a fierce tiger roaring with its head held high, and like a white crane spreading its wings and crying out, surging back and forth.

Immediately afterward, a bone-chilling killing intent also permeated from Lin Bufan.

The air within dozens of meters around them felt as if it had suddenly frozen, becoming so stagnant that it made people unable to breathe.

But it only took a few breaths; seeing the changes in the expressions on Huo Qingxian and the others' faces, Lin Bufan immediately retracted this aura.

Once the aura dissipated, the three women finally recovered.

Huo Qingxian and Huo Xianer spoke almost simultaneously. "Husband is right. We are all one family now, and if there are difficulties, we should carry them together."

"I agree with husband's plan."

Looking at the determined expressions of Lin Bufan, Huo Qingxian, and the others, Yin Xingyue couldn't help but have tears well up in her eyes.

After a long while, she steadied her emotions and said with great gratitude, "Thank you, Husband. Thank you, both sisters."

"We are family; there's no need to be so formal."

Lin Bufan smiled. With a thought, he waved his hand and took out the protective jade talismans he had just acquired from his Storage Ring.

"Here, these are protective jade talismans I obtained a few days ago. One for each of you; in a critical moment, they can block a fatal blow."

He didn't waste any words and directly handed the three jade talismans to Huo Xianer and the others.

With these items on them, even if some accident really happened, they could save their lives in a crisis.

Not long after Lin Bufan had finished comforting Huo Qingxian and the others, a maid in the residence ran over in a hurry, heading straight for where they were.

Upon reaching them, the maid immediately bowed and saluted. "Greetings, Master. Greetings, the three Mistresses."

Lin Bufan looked at her and asked directly, "What happened?"

"Reporting to Master, Uncle Xiang just sent word that it seems there is some situation at the residence of the Second Master of the Nine Gates."

"Several heads of the Nine Gates are currently rushing to the Second Master's place."

Just as the maid finished speaking, and before Lin Bufan and the others could reply, another burst of footsteps was heard.

The figure of Feng Yuxiu followed closely and appeared in their line of sight.

"Feng Yuxiu is here too?"

Seeing Feng Yuxiu rushing over behind them, the gazes of Lin Bufan and the others all fell upon him.

Before Feng Yuxiu could speak, Lin Bufan asked first, "Are you also here because of the Second Master's matter?"

Feng Yuxiu was stunned, realizing in his heart that someone had delivered the news before him.

"Master, three Mistresses, it seems you already know..."

Lin Bufan didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "What exactly is going on? Explain clearly."

"I just received news that an accident happened to the Second Master's wife."

"Now the Hong Residence is in chaos, and people from all sides are rushing to the Second Master's residence."

Feng Yuxiu spilled everything he knew, detail by detail.

After hearing him out, Lin Bufan didn't rush to make a decision.

He turned his gaze to Huo Qingxian and the others.

"Who among you will accompany me to the Hong Residence?"

The three women, Huo Xianer and the others, looked at each other.

Finally, Huo Xianer spoke first. "How about Sister Qingxian, you accompany Husband to go and take a look?"

"Alright, then I will go to the Hong Residence with Husband to see what exactly happened."

Huo Qingxian didn't say much and nodded in agreement.

"Alright, Qingxian, go and prepare."

After giving this instruction, Lin Bufan's gaze turned back to Feng Yuxiu.

When he left Changsha for the capital, Feng Yuxiu was still at the peak of the Master level.

Looking at him now, Feng Yuxiu's cultivation level was still stuck at that position.

Feng Yuxiu also noticed that Lin Bufan was looking at him.

In that instant, he seemed to understand the meaning behind this gaze.

"I am eighty percent sure I can break through."

"Three months. I guarantee that within three months, I will be able to step into the Great Grandmaster level."

Hearing Feng Yuxiu say this, Lin Bufan didn't say anything more, just nodded at him.

"If you encounter any questions in your cultivation, come find me at any time."

As soon as he finished speaking, Huo Qingxian was also ready and reappeared before him.

"We'll be back soon."

Lin Bufan called out, and without further delay, he turned and took Huo Qingxian straight to the Hong Residence.

Not long after, they arrived at the entrance of the Hong Residence.

They saw that the various heads of the Nine Gates had all received the news and were arriving one after another.

A mocking curl appeared on the corner of Lin Bufan's mouth, his voice low but filled with coldness. "It's just some small matter at the Second Master's home, yet all the people of the Nine Gates have come running."

Huo Qingxian stood by his side and took up the conversation. "In all of Changsha, who doesn't know that the Second Master dotes on that wife of his? With such a good opportunity, who wouldn't want to get on the good side of the Hong Family?"

The Hong Family had been rooted in Changsha for over a hundred years; even if the Second Master had long since washed his hands of the business, their foundation remained very solid.

Now that his wife had met with an accident, it was the perfect time to win over the Hong Family. Not to mention the Nine Gates, even Cox Hendry had come.

Lin Bufan's gaze swept across the crowd, and he spotted that conspicuous foreigner at a glance.

Huo Qingxian explained in a low voice, "During the time you were away from Changsha, Husband, Cox Hendry wasn't idle. While you were in the capital, he started a chamber of commerce in the city."

Back then, Cox Hendry had used Lin Bufan's hand to climb up the big tree that was the Huo Family.

Since then, this old fox's appetite had grown larger and larger; relying on smuggling, he had made quite a bit of money and had directly established a chamber of commerce.

Huo Qingxian had checked his background; this old thing had even established connections with the Japanese behind the scenes.

"Mr. Lin—"

Cox Hendry also saw Lin Bufan and immediately brought the two people beside him to hurry over to greet him.

"Mr. Lin, long time no see."

Lin Bufan scanned him, then his gaze fell on the man and woman beside him. "Mr. Cox Hendry, I heard that you've opened a chamber of commerce now; you're certainly doing quite well for yourself."

He changed the subject, his eyes landing on the faces of the two. "And who are these two?"

Cox Hendry was just about to introduce them. "This is Ryoko Tanaka, and this is..."

Before he could finish, Lin Bufan's expression had already darkened.

His voice turned cold. "Sorry, I have no interest in the Japanese devils."

Having said that, he didn't give Cox Hendry a chance to respond, gave a wink to Huo Qingxian, and turned to step into the Hong Residence's gate.

Once inside the courtyard, he whispered to Huo Qingxian, "This Cox Hendry is becoming increasingly bold."

Before Huo Qingxian could react, Lin Bufan's expression changed.

"Go and notify the Huo Family; all cooperation with Cox Hendry's side is to be stopped immediately."

His tone was as cold as icicles, and then he added: