C7 The Harmony of the Family Needs Details

To Lee Yu's surprise, the elder didn't elaborate further. Instead, he inquired whether Lee Yu would be interested in settling down here.

Lee Yu readily agreed, realizing he wouldn't need the plan he had prepared. He wasn't too disappointed, though; he knew that one lie would necessitate many more to sustain it.

The pair exchanged a few more words about the local environment and lifestyle—conversations that meandered but were engaged in earnest by the elder, with Lee Yu happily following along.

What struck Lee Yu most was the subtext he discerned in the elder's casual banter. It seemed that the old man was less interested in small talk and more in providing a broad overview of the place.

It was clear that the elder didn't care about Lee Yu's origins.

The elder's enthusiasm grew, and with a wave of his hand, he dismissed the armored men, who promptly dispersed.

Now alone in the spacious living room, only Lee Yu and the elder remained. The elder brought out two wooden stools and gestured for Lee Yu to take a seat.

Lee Yu breathed a sigh of relief; being encircled by onlookers, especially those who could easily overpower him, was unnerving.

"Young man, when do you plan to journey to the Great Imperial Capital for your cultivation?" the elder asked, settling into his chair.

"The Great Imperial Capital?" Lee Yu echoed, a hint of surprise in his voice. The name sounded like it belonged to the capital of a kingdom.

Ding! Check-in location updated: Otherworld, Great Imperial Capital.

The system's electronic voice echoed in his mind, but Lee Yu maintained his composure, continuing to listen to the elder.

"Yes, the Great Imperial Capital," the elder confirmed, his cloudy eyes fixed on Lee Yu. "I am prepared to offer the best resources our village has, in the hope that you will take one of our villagers with you."

Lee Yu remained silent, contemplating.

All the elder's preamble had been leading to this request—this was his true intention.

The elder knew Lee Yu wasn't a local, yet he seemed confident that Lee Yu would head to the Great Imperial Capital for cultivation. And interestingly, during the test, it appeared that the only time a level wasn't mentioned was when reporting his bloodline.

But what did all of this signify?

Lee Yu's brow furrowed. With such scant information, trying to make sense of it all felt like a blind man trying to describe an elephant.

"It's alright if you're not ready to commit. The village is still willing to offer you some supplies," the elder said, fixing his gaze on Lee Yu. He didn't add anything further, but his intense stare seemed to demand an immediate response.

"I'll agree to take a villager with me, but it won't be right away," Lee Yu said, conveying the system's translation.

With the system's assistance, the most prudent course of action was obviously to gather some essentials before departing. What he couldn't figure out was the criteria for the mission updates.

A smile spread across the elder's face. "No worries. You can leave at your convenience."

Lee Yu was on the right track. The Thunder Bloodline was key. His own bloodline might have been rated five stars by the system, but in the context of the Otherworld, it could be exceptionally rare.

That explained why the elder seemed indifferent to his identity. To him, the bloodline was all that mattered.

With this realization, Lee Yu stopped dwelling on the matter and confidently made his request: "I need a private residence and a competent teacher. I'm looking to thoroughly learn the written language."

The private residence would make it easier to travel between the two worlds.

The request for a teacher was Lee Yu's subtle way of aiming to learn the world's spoken language, as relying on the system for translations was becoming impractical.

After all, one can't teach language without involving pronunciation.

"Absolutely no problem!" the elder exclaimed, interpreting Lee Yu's request as a sign of honest communication.

Only then did Lee Yu truly relax. He had been ready to bolt back to the real world if the elder had refused, prioritizing his own safety above all else.

His request had been transparent: he was no longer from this place. If the elder had turned hostile, capturing and torturing him, it would have been a disaster.

"Shall I arrange your accommodations now?" the elder asked, still smiling.

"Yes, please."

As Lee Yu and the armored guard departed, the elder watched them go. Following their exit, a middle-aged man and woman emerged from the shadows where they had been concealed, ready to intervene had Lee Yu posed any threat to the elder.

"Elder Mu, he's not from around here..." The middle-aged man furrowed his brow, his gaze fixed on Lee Yu's retreating figure.

"Of course he isn't. Our village kids aren't exactly known for their soft, delicate skin," the old man chuckled heartily, clearly delighted. "But whether he's from our village isn't the point. When was the last time the Thunder Bloodline emerged in the kingdom?"

"What if he does something dangerous?" the woman asked tentatively. "If it comes to an investigation, our village..."

"The Thunder Bloodline trumps all else! With the kingdom's might, would they bother over one young man?" Elder Mu declared. "Mu Yinhua, you'll accompany him to the Great Imperial Capital. As for me, I'm old and in need of rest."

"Ah?" Mu Yinhua exclaimed in surprise.

...

Lee Yu was oblivious to the conversation behind him, but it didn't stop him from pondering.

"The elder seems certain I'll head to the Great Imperial Capital, which suggests it holds great significance for me. That must be related to the Thunder Bloodline."

"Back in the real world, it felt like the Thunder Bloodline went dormant after I acquired it, clearly lacking some method of activation." Lee Yu flopped onto the wooden bed and burrowed into the covers with a spin. "The elder on the platform had the power to connect with my Thunder Bloodline, so there must be a way to harness that same power in the Great Imperial Capital. I need to go there. Plus, the new check-in location has been updated there."

"Let's do this!"

With his mind made up, Lee Yu instantly returned to the real world.

The world governed by law was far safer.

After a good night's rest, Lee Yu stretched lazily and squinted at the high-hanging sun.

"The early bird catches the worm... or in this case, the noonday sun."

After freshening up, Lee Yu stepped out for a bit. He didn't have much on his agenda; his main goal was to dispose of the breakfast he'd skipped that morning, to avoid leaving evidence of his neglect at home.

"It's rare to find a guy who's so meticulous about the details!"

When Huang Xiu returned from class, she caught sight of the empty breakfast dishes on the table and a pleased smile graced her features.

Lee Yu, who had been covertly watching, let out a sigh of relief: Just as he suspected, nothing was discovered!

After enjoying a peaceful lunch together,

"System, check in," Lee Yu said, deftly washing dishes while multitasking.

Ding! Check-in successful. You've earned five points of elementary level proficiency.

"More proficiency points?" Lee Yu clicked his tongue in surprise, but it was a timely gain; he had just the place to apply these new skills.

The proficiency would also play a crucial role in the execution of his upcoming plan.