C51 Both Master Li and Li Were Shocked!

"No, no!" Zhao Shude was taken aback by Su Yuqing's intense reaction. He hurriedly intervened, explaining, "It's not the person you're thinking of; it's someone else."

"Hmm? What's going on?" Li He detected something odd in the situation. "Are you saying that another person has come to sell the same Heavy Equipment Inscription Pattern?"

Su Yuqing halted, her expression turning grave.

"Not exactly," Zhao Shude clarified hastily. "A member of the Lin family brought this Heavy Equipment Inscription Pattern, asking me to authenticate it. I noticed the inscription was identical to the one the young man brought in, so I immediately brought it here for Master Li He and Miss Su to examine."

"I see," Su Yuqing said, her spirits lifting slightly.

She and Li He had initially thought another person was selling the inscription pattern, which would have suggested that the young man was merely seeking fame under false pretenses.

Realizing this, Su Yuqing felt a pang of pain in her heart, and her mood had sunk. But now, understanding that it wasn't as she had feared, her mood brightened considerably.

"So, it's the Lin family, Lin Xiao, Lin Chongtian's clan, right?" Li He took the inscription pattern from Zhao Shude, gave it a quick look, nodded, and handed it to Su Yuqing. He then turned to Zhao Shude and inquired, "Did the Lin family member mention where this inscription pattern came from?"

"I... I haven't had the chance to ask yet," Zhao Shude admitted, his cheeks flushing.

At that moment, Su Yuqing examined the inscription pattern in her hand. With her keen eye and expertise, she could immediately tell that it was crafted by the same person who had sold the earlier patterns. This realization made her grip the pattern a bit tighter.

Li He, noticing Su Yuqing's reaction, instructed Zhao Shude, "Bring the Lin family member to the back hall; I have some questions for him."

"You want to meet with a member of the Lin family?" Zhao Shude was surprised.

He was well aware that in Evergreen Town, even though Li He had no familial backing and wasn't part of the government or royalty, his status as a Pulse Condensation Period Cultivator and Inscription Master elevated him above many of the town's family patriarchs.

Clan leaders would often beg for a meeting with him to no avail, yet Li He was now proactively seeking an audience with a mere member of the Lin Clan.

"Get moving," Li He implored, unable to contain his impatience as he watched Zhao Shude hesitate.

With a jolt, Zhao Shude hurried back, his mind racing with thoughts of the Lin family's good fortune in securing an audience with the esteemed Master Li He. He wondered if the Lin family's ancestral grave was emitting auspicious smoke today.

Once Zhao Shude had departed, Li He turned to Su Yuqing and said, "Miss, since it's inconvenient for you to meet with outsiders, you can listen from behind the screen while I question the Lin Clan member. Should you have any queries, I can ask on your behalf."

"Thank you, Uncle Li," Su Yuqing responded with a nod.

The clan member dispatched by Lin Chongtian this time was Lin Hong, a respected elder within the Lin Family, nearing forty and wielding considerable influence.

Accustomed to working alongside Patriarch Lin Chongtian and meeting numerous influential figures, Lin Hong was nonetheless visibly shaken in Li He's presence, his face pale and legs quivering so much that he dared not sit while speaking.

Before his arrival, Lin Chongtian had repeatedly instructed him to keep the origin of the inscription pattern, crafted by Chu Yan, confidential from the appraiser.

Unexpectedly, Chu Yan's inscription pattern would bring forth the revered Li He. Faced with Li He's probing, Lin Hong felt compelled to disclose every detail of the day's discussions in the Lin Family's council hall.

Throughout the conversation, Li He's gaze darted about, several times he seemed on the verge of interrupting, particularly when he learned that Chu Yan's Heavy Equipment Inscription Pattern could be applied to a triplex. Li He nearly spoke out, but, seeing no signal from Su Yuqing, he restrained himself.

After Lin Hong finished recounting the events, he realized he was soaked through, as if he had just been pulled from the water.

"I understand. Please give me a moment; I'll assess it in the inner hall and get back to you with a definitive answer," Li He said, eager to speak with Su Yuqing. He asked Lin Hong to wait.

"Master Li He is going to appraise it himself? Oh my god!" Lin Hong's vision blurred, and he felt faint, forgetting even to reply to Li He.

Upon entering the inner hall and seeing Su Yuqing, Li He blurted out, "Miss, did you already know that this inscription pattern could work on lesser weapons? How is that possible?"

Su Yuqing's face was a mix of emotions. After a brief pause, she replied, "Uncle Li, I understand your point. Conventional wisdom dictates that at least mid-tier weapons are needed for inscriptions. However, certain unique techniques can indeed apply inscriptions to lower-tier weapons, as my teacher has verified."

"What! Are you referring to Master Qin—?" Li He began, his face draining of color. Realizing he should not mention that esteemed individual, he abruptly stopped, then carefully resumed, "But Miss, that's... it's unheard of in my experience..."

"I'd only heard my teacher mention it once before, which is why the Heavy Equipment Inscription Pattern seemed familiar," Su Yuqing explained. "Based on the Lin family's account, the young man named Chu Yan must have succeeded. If you have doubts, Uncle Li, we could simply test it. I'm quite eager to witness it myself."

Previously, Zhao Shude had purchased three Heavy Equipment Inscription Patterns from Chu Yan, all of which were now with Su Yuqing. She procured a triplex longsword and, with her own hands, began the process. To their astonishment, the Heavy Equipment Inscription Pattern was successfully etched onto the blade. Upon testing, the inscriptions were not only effective but also more potent when inscribed by Chu Yan compared to those by the revered inscription master Li He.

Li He was left speechless.

A complex look flickered in Su Yuqing's eyes.

After a considerable pause, Li He let out a deep sigh. "I never imagined the world actually harbored such a prodigy. It seems I was truly mistaken before. Now, I find myself eager to meet this talent."

Su Yuqing nodded. "Indeed, possessing such a gift for Inscription at a young age is remarkable. If our teacher were aware, he'd likely take him on as a pupil right away, devoting himself to his instruction. But... why would someone so gifted end up as a mere son-in-law?"

At that moment, Li He's brow furrowed.

In any country, a son-in-law held the least status, almost synonymous with ineptitude and dependency.

Many sons-in-law in families were only marginally above servants, some not even on par with the favored ones.

Only those lacking self-esteem and capability would resign themselves to the role of a superfluous son-in-law.