Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 94 - 93 Lin Family Part 1

Chapter 94: Chapter 93 Lin Family Part 1

Song Yuan Country border, Yue Fu City.

Outside the city, a bamboo forest stretched for over a dozen miles, verdantly green and known to the locals as the Jade Bamboo Sea.

Amid the bamboo sea stood a white manor, its buildings and houses arrayed in a mountainous formation, surrounded by high walls for protection.

On the small bamboo sea path that connected the manor to the outside world.

Farmers picking mushrooms and hunting, as well as the manor’s ox carts for purchasing supplies, bustled back and forth. Among the flow of people and carts, a plain white horse-drawn carriage slowly made its way towards the manor, the curtain lifted to reveal the face of a young man inside.

"Lin Xin, is this the manor your family has recently moved to? It seems you’ve chosen a rather nice spot," said the man in yellow, eyeing the white manor ahead casually.

Seated opposite him in the carriage were a man and a woman. The man had a calm demeanor and exuded a gentle, scholarly air, it was Lin Xin. The woman looked out through the carriage curtains with curiosity.

"I’ve only heard from the servants at home. They said our household moved away from Red Pine City, and I’ve not returned to this manor either," Lin Xin said with a slight shake of his head and a smile.

"That explains it," the man in yellow turned back around, "Many parts of the manor haven’t been completely refurbished yet, and a lot of the facilities are new."

As the carriage drew nearer to the manor, servants at the entrance directed the ox carts unloading vegetables and meat. Spotting the carriage, those with keen eyes quickly discerned its quality. A man, who seemed to be the steward, approached and inquired with the coachman.

The coachman was an Outer Sect expert from the sect, robust and powerful, one of the individuals sent to assist with establishing order during the construction phase. After a proper notification, and once he heard that people from the Red Pine Sword Sect were arriving, the servant was startled and quickly dashed into the manor.

Lin Xin and the man in yellow, Xiao Lingling, sat in the carriage, idly discussing the appearance of the bamboo forest along the road, waiting for the manor’s response.

It wasn’t long before they saw the manor’s grand doors swing open, and a procession of people came out to greet them.

Leading the way was none other than Lin Xin’s father, Lin Zhiwen, followed by Lin Zhiwu, Lin Hao, and even Lu Yun and Lu Yu were present.

Upon sight, Lin Xin also noticed the mischievous and adorable Lin Xinyuan among them, along with a large group of family youngsters whom he could not recognize by name. After a year apart, everyone’s attire and demeanor had changed markedly, each now seemingly possessing a hint of nobility.

Lin Zhiwen dressed in a golden robe with silver patterns, looking as though he was adorned with heaps of gold and silver. Lin Zhiwu, on the other hand, had grown a denser beard and had shed his government officer attire for the outfit of a martial artist from Jianghu.

Additionally, there were a few others present, including a Taoist priest, a monk, and an old man leading a little granddaughter. All three boasted bright, piercing eyes, moving with solid stability, exuding a subtly fierce aura.

As for the other female family members, they need not be mentioned, as a bevy of young and beautiful girls greeted them with a mixture of shyness, boldness, and secret joy across their varied expressions.

Seeing this, Lin Xin quickly got off the carriage, accompanied by Xiao Lingling and the man in yellow, headed towards Lin Zhiwen.

"Xin’er, you’ve finally returned," Lin Zhiwen approached with a beaming face, grabbing Lin Xin’s arms in laughter. "And who are these two?"

Lin Xin introduced the man in yellow and Xiao Lingling one by one, simply referring to them as his fellow sect sister and brother.

"Come on, come on, after a long journey you must be tired. Let’s go back and rest properly. I’ve had someone prepare hot water, tea, and fruits for you. Have something to eat and take a hot bath first," Lin Zhiwen said, pulling Lin Xin toward the manor.

Surrounded by the crowd, Lin Xin and his companions entered the manor gates, with Lin Zhiwen briefing them on the past year’s events along the way.

It turned out that since Lin Xin left Red Pine City, the Lin Family increasingly felt it had become a place that gathered trouble, so they decisively moved out. Thanks to the connection with Lin Xin, as disciples of the Red Pine Sword Sect, the Plum Blossom Sect easily allowed it.

Thus, the Lin Family smoothly relocated to a manor within the Red Pine Sword Sect’s jurisdiction on the Song State border, settling in Yue Fu City.

They purchased this abandoned manor within the suburban bamboo forest, which Lin Zhiwen then had renovated inside and out, allowing over a hundred members of the Lin Family to move in. And so it remained until now.

That day, after Lin Xin and the others had freshened up and rested for a while, in the evening, Lin Zhiwen hosted a banquet in honor of the man in yellow and Xiao Lingling.

To anyone observant, it was clear that Xiao Lingling and Lin Xin shared a certain rapport.

As dusk fell, red lanterns representing celebration were hung all over the manor. The steward had arranged for many children to dress in red clothes with red bows and hold lanterns, greeting everyone cheerfully with various well-wishes and congratulations.

Lin Xin and the three guests sat with Lin Zhiwen in the hall, with Lin Zhiwen and Lin Xin seated at the place of honor and their guests, the man in yellow and Xiao Lingling, on the right side followed by Lin Zhiwu and the three monks, Taoists, and the old men.

The atmosphere was spirited as everyone discussed the various changes and events of the past year.

"Let me make some introductions," Lin Zhiwen said as he noticed the conversation shift to the events of the year and the mood growing more cheerful, gesturing towards the three monks, Taoists, and the old man.

"These three are old experts from Jianghu, whom we have invited to stay in our manor. Xin’er, let me introduce you," Lin Zhiwen said with a smile.

Lin Xin bowed to the three, who quickly returned the gesture.

"The first one is Taoist Lu Suo from Red Wind Mountain. His Midday Swordsmanship is renowned in Jianghu for its precision. Xin’er, you should find time to exchange some views with him."

The Taoist stood and gave Lin Xin a courteous bow. This Lu Suo appeared lean and solemn, seemingly not very sociable, with a cold demeanor.

"I have met Young Master Lin. How could my humble sword skills compare with the experts of the Red Pine Sword Sect?"

"The Taoist is too modest. I have only been a disciple for a year and haven’t mastered the profoundness of the sect’s swordsmanship; there are many inadequacies. There will be plenty of opportunities to seek guidance from the Taoist in the future," Lin Xin said politely.

Lu Suo sat down, his expression somewhat stiff and constrained.

"The second one," Lin Zhiwen pointed to the monk, "Is Sanyuan Zen Master, who roams the four corners of the world. I personally invited him to our manor after a chance encounter. His Penetrating Gold Finger Strength and Horizontal Kung Fu are amongst the top in Jianghu. Even ordinary internal martial artists are no match for him."

The monk with a kind and amiable expression of white eyebrows and beard, stood up and greeted Lin Xin.

"Zen Master, you are too kind," Lin Xin replied with a smile.

"The third gentleman is Mr. Gongsun Li, known for his ’Green Hand Resuscitation.’ The venerable gentleman can, with his miraculous acupuncture, pinpoint and manipulate meridians to immobilize or injure a person, as well as to heal!" Lin Zhiwen seemed to hold this gentleman in the highest regard.

Lin Xin focused his gaze on the last elder, who had grizzled hair and stood up with a somewhat ingratiating smile.

"Young Master Lin is too polite. As a high disciple of the Immortal Sect, I’ve long heard of your renown," the old man said.

"You flatter me, sir," Lin Xin replied with a smile, still seated. Given his status as an innate expert of the Pine Sword Sect, he was destined to preside over a region; naturally, he wouldn’t show excessive courtesy for just a few external experts. Observance of proper ritual was enough.

"These three gentlemen made substantial contributions during the Lin Family’s relocation. We encountered bandits and mountain thieves on the road, and it was only with their substantial aid that we avoided dire consequences," Lin Zhiwu interposed.

"What about my Uncle Bo Yunzi? Surely the Red Pine Sect wouldn’t have stood by idly?" Lin Xin asked curiously.

"Taoist Bo Yunzi... He disappeared half a year ago. He left a letter saying he had gone wandering and it is unknown where he went," Lin Zhiwen said with a wry smile.

"Ah..." Upon hearing this, Lin Xin understood; Bo Yunzi was probably unable to stay put and had gone gallivanting elsewhere.

"These three have now joined the Lin Family estate," Lin Zhiwen said with a smile. "Xin, you should seek close ties with them in the future."

Lin Xin responded with a slight smile.

"Of course. Thank you three for drawing your swords to help," he said.

The three of them demurred that they dared not accept thanks.

Lin Xin then glanced at Lu Yun and others who were sitting at the doorway. Without guessing, he knew that Lin Zhiwen had taken them along when he left.

Lu Yun and Lu Yu were both dressed much more normally. Lu Yun had gotten even bigger, much stronger, and Lu Yu appeared like a naive big sister; their mother, Zhao Yu Niang, was currently leaning on Lu Yu, talking about something.

Actually, Zhao Yu Niang was Lin Xin’s foster mother, not his birth mother, so she couldn’t claim a seat in the front.

The rules and proprieties here were quite strict, and disorder could not be allowed; otherwise, in such a large Lin Family with hundreds of people, lack of discipline would lead to chaos.

Lin Zhiwu also began to introduce the current state of the Lin Family.

After their arrival, the Lin Family used their wealth to purchase this vast bamboo forest and, coincidentally, discovered a fairly rich copper mine. They decided to focus on this as their main business and gradually built their foundation.

Lin Xin didn’t need to think hard to understand how the mine came into their possession; without the support of a Sect’s external division, it would have been impossible for the Lin Family to keep it even if they had discovered it. It was clear that it must be a gesture of goodwill from the surrounding forces.

"Now, the Lin Family disciples are cultivating basic martial arts under the guidance of Grandmaster Lu and the Zen Master, with Mr. Gongsun Li’s medical skills supplementing. All eligible family disciples have a foundation in martial arts. With you, Xin, as a bulwark in the Sect and the family disciples thriving, the future is looking very prosperous!" Lin Zhiwen exclaimed, his spirit lifted but quickly dampened.

"What a pity, your second, third, and fourth uncles all declined to move with the family."

"That’s understandable," Lin Xin said, knowing well that his siblings could stand on their own and naturally wouldn’t want to relocate with the family and give up their years of individual effort.

Chatting and laughing, the group sat down for a feast, enjoying the meal and conversation. After filling themselves, Lin Xin stood up proactively and approached Xiao Lingling.

"Aside from arrangements from my Sect, I’ve come back for another reason, which is to officially get engaged to my junior sister, Xiao Lingling."

Xiao Lingling lowered her head, her face and neck flushing red, too timid to speak.

The man in yellow chuckled and took a gentle sip of wine. The rest immediately offered their enthusiastic congratulations, creating a bubbling din of voices.

Only Lin Xinyuan, sitting at another banquet table, almost let her chopsticks tremble from her grip as she managed a forced smile to conceal her dismay from others around her.

"Xin, this is your decision to make. Your mother and I will support you in whatever you do!" Lin Zhiwen said, standing with solemnity.

"Thank you, father," Lin Xin nodded earnestly.

Lin Zhiwen had already noticed the intimate gestures between Lin Xin and Xiao Lingling. Considering that Xiao Lingling was also an internal expert, with the appearance and demeanor of a lady of high breeding, and possessing both beauty and grace, what more could he ask for?

Thus, the engagement was settled.

To formalize the engagement, they needed to notify the relatives from the Xiao family at the Prince of Yu’s residence. Sending someone to the Prince’s estate via the official and safe route would be considerably slow, requiring at least two months for a round trip.

This period was a perfect time for Lin Xin to oversee preparations in the family estate.

**********************

In the half month that followed, city lords, wealthy merchants, and great landlords from the neighboring regions paid visits one after another.

As territory of the Song State and the domain of the Four Sects, Lin Xin’s reputation as an internal expert and a disciple of the Immortal Sect returning home to get engaged spread widely, prompting local powers big and small to send congratulatory gifts.

The Lin Family estate collected tens of thousands of taels of silver in congratulatory gifts alone.

Lin Xin only selectively accepted gifts from a few powerful factions, returning the rest.

The main forces from which he accepted the gifts were the city lord of the neighboring city, the largest merchant force in the area, and the leading iron foundry nearby.

These were the strongest entities. Lin Xin personally received the city lord and other important visitors, while he dismissed the rest, only sending messages in reply. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to qidian.com to cast your recommended votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)