C52 The Master's Friend!

"There might be some hardship involved," Li He mused after a moment of thought.

He could see that Su Yuqing held a certain admiration for the young man named Chu Yan, so he took the opportunity to speak well of him.

"Indeed," Su Yuqing nodded. "That must be the case. Otherwise, I can't fathom why a sixteen-year-old prodigy, who has reached the fourth level of the True Martial Realm and is an apprentice in inscription, would marry into a family as a son-in-law. But now that he's taken on that role, it complicates matters for me to intervene."

Li He grasped Su Yuqing's hesitation at once.

Su Yuqing's admiration for Chu Yan was genuine, but her involvement would signify more than personal interest; it could draw unwanted attention to the influential figure behind her.

And should that influential figure become linked to a mere son-in-law, it could spell not honor for Chu Yan, but a potentially fatal disaster.

"It's understandable that the young miss has reservations. Besides, Chu Yan's accomplishments in inscriptions, particularly his ability to etch them onto lower-grade weapons, likely indicate he's under the tutelage of a master," Li He remarked.

Su Yuqing nodded in agreement.

Talent in inscriptions was one thing, but even the most gifted needed a master's guidance. The skill to engrave inscriptions on superior weapons was unheard of to Li He, and beyond his own capabilities, leading them to surmise that Chu Yan must have an inscription master guiding him—a master of no small repute, certainly ranking above Li He.

"Given Chu Yan has such a mentor, it would be imprudent for us to approach him hastily. We risk a misunderstanding with his master, which could only worsen the situation," Li He pondered, then proposed, "How about this—if the young miss consents, I'll extend a helping hand to Chu Yan this time, as a favor. That way, should you wish to meet with him later, he's unlikely to decline."

"Mm, according to the Lin family, Chu Yan is indeed facing some difficulties. Uncle Li's intervention would be most welcome," Su Yuqing agreed. "I'll be in Evergreen Town for a while longer, until the Profound Moon Sect concludes its disciple selection. After that, I'll return home. In the meantime, I do hope to meet with Chu Yan if the opportunity arises. His insights into inscriptions could prove beneficial to me."

After Su Yuqing gave her nod of approval, Li He dutifully penned a letter according to her wishes. He handed it to Lin Hong, instructing him to take it along with the Heavy Equipment Inscription Pattern that had been sent for appraisal back to the clan.

Li He had remained tight-lipped about whether there was an issue with the inscription pattern, leaving Lin Hong to hurry back, his mind swirling with unanswered questions.

When he arrived at the Lin Clan, night had fallen, but the Meeting Room was aglow with candlelight, as bright as if it were daytime.

Upon Lin Hong's return, all eyes immediately fixed on him, a mix of hope, anxiety, expectation, and confusion evident in their gazes.

"How did it go?!" Lin Chongzhi was the first to rush up and inquire.

The time he had just endured was agonizing, filled with restless anxiety. Seeing Lin Hong's dazed expression, Lin Chongzhi jumped to the conclusion that the Wan Hai Chamber of Commerce had given a negative appraisal, and he couldn't wait to get the "good" news from Lin Hong himself.

Still reeling from the events, Lin Hong seemed not to hear Lin Chongzhi, and approached Lin Chongtian in a daze.

Noticing Lin Hong's off demeanor, Lin Chongtian exchanged a glance with Chu Yan before asking with a frown, "What's the verdict?"

Lin Hong shook his head with a wry smile and presented the letter, saying, "Please, Clan Leader, make your judgment."

"Ha! I knew it! I just knew it!" Lin Chongzhi burst out, his face flushed with excitement as he turned to Chu Yan, his words laced with vindication, "Chu Yan! Your lies have been laid bare at last! What do you have to say for yourself now? Hmph! You may fool us, but not the Wan Hai Chamber of Commerce's most knowledgeable shopkeeper about inscriptions! You won't wriggle out of this one! Hahahaha! Look who's speechless now!"

As Lin Chongzhi's triumphant shouts filled the room, the Lin family members' eyes turned to Chu Yan, now tinged with suspicion. The hope they had harbored was slowly being eroded by doubt.

"Cat got your tongue? Lost for words? Petrified, are you? I'd love to see you talk your way out of this one!" Lin Chongzhi stood with his arms akimbo, pointing at Chu Yan, his head practically radiating a halo of righteousness.

"Idiot," Chu Yan sneered, dismissing the situation with a mere two words.

"What did you just say?" Lin Chongzhi's face contorted with incredulity as he vigorously cleaned out his ears, fixing Chu Yan with a piercing stare.

Chu Yan couldn't be bothered to return the look. He turned to Lin Chongtian with a respectful gesture and said, "Uncle, why not simply look at the letter to discern the truth?"

Chu Yan's composed demeanor prompted a slight nod from Lin Chongtian. With the Lin family members watching intently, he unfolded the letter.

Lin Chongzhi couldn't resist; he dashed over to peer at the contents.

The other elders, constrained by their dignity, remained seated, though they craned their necks for a glimpse.

"The work you've inscribed is excellent," the letter read, the eight characters neatly penned.

Then, the signature caught everyone's eye: Li He.

In that instant, Lin Chongtian's breath caught in his throat.

Lin Chongzhi's complexion cycled through a spectrum of colors—red to white, white to green, green back to red. His rapidly shifting hues were so dramatic, one might feel compelled to applaud.

The Lin family elders were equally dumbstruck, frozen as if turned to stone.

Li He!

This was a treasure from Master Li He himself!

What's more, Master Li He had not only vindicated Chu Yan but also referred to him affectionately as 'Little Friend.'

Lin Chongtian, the Lin family patriarch, had met Li He just once and wouldn't dare claim such familiarity.

Yet here was Li He, calling Chu Yan a friend, his tone suggesting a friendship that transcended age.

Lin Chongtian had believed today's events were already beyond astonishing.

But who could have predicted this evening's dramatic turn?

His chest rose and fell with the tumult of his emotions—nervousness, elation, confusion, dread, excitement, and anxiety all converging in a single, overwhelming wave.

He wasn't alone; the other elders were caught in the same tide of feeling.

As the patriarch and the others remained silent, the rest of the Lin family members, too anxious to speak, waited with bated breath, as if a cat had got their tongues.

Even the usually self-assured Chu Yan couldn't help but furrow his brow. "Could there be some unforeseen event that's not in my favor? But it doesn't seem likely."

"Patriarch, it appears there's something else inside the letter," Lin Hong interjected at that moment.

Lin Chongtian inhaled deeply, steadying his emotions before focusing his gaze.

The next moment, he was overwhelmed with such happiness that he nearly passed out.