Chapter 241. A spar.

“Is it the Qin Family?”

“It has to be,” Lin Xuan replied, picking up his teacup. “Unless there’s another family that could profit from the conflict between the Qin Family and my Lin Family, I can’t think of anyone else who would have a reason to interfere.”

Mu Qingya silently sipped her tea, her expression growing thoughtful. After a brief pause, she placed her cup on the table and looked at him.

“Young Patriarch, do you know why the Qin Family has never openly moved against the Lin Family?”

Lin Xuan looked at her and shook his head.

“It’s because Qin Yuxi stopped them,” Mu Qingya explained. “She agreed to obey her family in exchange for them leaving your Lin Family alone. So, you ought to be thankful to her.”

Be thankful?

Lin Xuan nearly scoffed at those words, but he managed to keep his expression unchanged.

Based on the information he had gathered, the Qin Family’s hostility toward the Lin Family had never truly begun because of Qin Yuxi’s relationship with the original Lin Xuan.

Their real target had always been the Myth-grade artifact known as the Asteroid Stone.

More importantly, it was the source of power for his system.

The Qin Family had attacked the Lin Family because they wanted that artifact, and the original Lin Xuan’s relationship with Qin Yuxi had merely complicated matters.

If anything, Qin Yuxi herself might have been nothing more than another pawn in their plans.

After all, when the original Lin Xuan had desperately needed someone to stand beside him, she had happened to appear at precisely the right moment. It was certainly possible that their feelings for each other had been genuine, but the timing still left room for suspicion.

However, Mu Qingya’s words weren’t entirely without merit.

The system had previously confirmed that the Qin Family had refrained from directly attacking the Lin Family. Now, the Empress herself was telling him that Qin Yuxi had played a part in preventing such a confrontation.

Perhaps there really was some truth to her explanation.

But that didn’t mean the Qin Family had abandoned its ambitions.

If they wanted the Asteroid Stone, they could simply change their methods and pursue their objective more quietly. That would also explain why Qin Yuxi had been allowed to return now, presenting herself as a loving mother eager to reunite with her daughter.

Lin Xuan didn’t have enough evidence to accuse her of anything, but he couldn’t dismiss the possibility either.

His suspicions had only deepened after witnessing Lin Zhaoyue’s reaction to her mother. Zhaoyue was a regressor who had experienced a future he knew nothing about, and the resentment she held toward Qin Yuxi was far too extreme for someone whom she knew was her mother.

For now, he would have to remain cautious.

Hmm, I’m starting to miss that Myth grade pill refining talent.

The thought surfaced so abruptly that Lin Xuan nearly sighed aloud.

“Patriarch Lin? Are you listening?”

Mu Qingya’s voice brought him back to the present.

“Ah, yes, Your Majesty. I’m listening.”

Mu Qingya stared at him with slight displeasure, seemingly unconvinced by his answer. However, her expression soon relaxed as another thought crossed her mind.

Well, at least he’s calling me Your Majesty instead of Senior Sister.

The very idea of Lin Xuan addressing her as Senior Sister made her feel uncomfortable. After all, she already had a daughter around his age. Being treated like his senior sister would make their relationship sound rather strange.

“Ahem!” She cleared her throat and straightened her back. “Since we both studied under Nanny Liu, I’ll do you a great favor. I’ll have the empire notify the royal family and arrange for assistance in containing the mist.”

As she spoke, Mu Qingya raised her chin slightly, looking rather proud of her generosity.

Lin Xuan immediately rose and bowed respectfully.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. If you ever need my help with something within my abilities, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll do my best to come running whenever you need me.”

“Oh?” Mu Qingya’s eyes brightened at his offer. “Since you put it that way, there actually is something I’d like your help with.”

Lin Xuan’s smile stiffened slightly.

He had only been offering a polite promise, yet the Empress seemed to have been waiting for precisely those words.

Before he could inquire further, Mu Qingya rose from her seat with a satisfied smile.

“Come with me. I’ll show you.”

The training grounds were relatively quiet when Lin Xuan arrived with Mu Qingya.

A spacious arena occupied the center, surrounded by sturdy stone platforms designed to withstand the force of cultivators’ attacks.

Lin Xuan looked at the empty arena before turning toward the Empress, who stood beside him with an unusually excited expression.

“Is this really what you wanted?” he asked, his brows drawing together slightly.

“Yes!” Mu Qingya answered enthusiastically, her eyes practically shining with anticipation. “I mean, the only reason I even came to this backwater kingdom was to spar with the man recognized by the Whale People!”

She clenched her fists, looking as though she could barely contain her excitement.

Lin Xuan stared at Mu Qingya before shaking his head and abandoning any attempt to understand her thoughts.

Let’s just hope I don’t embarrass myself too badly.

The moment that thought crossed his mind, both figures moved.

BOOM!

A tremendous shockwave erupted as their fists collided, sending waves of spiritual qi surging across the training grounds. The surrounding air trembled, and the stone tiles beneath their feet cracked under the force of their exchange.

Mu Qingya’s eyes widened slightly as she felt the strength behind Lin Xuan’s punch.

“Oh, heavens! Your body is as hard as iron!” she exclaimed, withdrawing her fist while examining him with renewed interest.

Lin Xuan nodded calmly. “Thank you. I’ve been practicing body refinement lately.”

“Ah, that explains it!” Mu Qingya’s expression brightened with understanding. “No wonder you’re so weak. You’ve only recently started refining your body, haven’t you?”

Lin Xuan’s expression stiffened.

Weak? Wasn’t that meant to be a compliment?

Before he could even process the insult, Mu Qingya had already made her next move.

She stepped forward, her palm shooting toward his chest with frightening speed.

Lin Xuan immediately raised his spear to intercept her attack, but instead of clashing head-on, she twisted her wrist and caught the shaft with one hand.

Before he could adjust his grip, Mu Qingya pulled the spear toward herself, using its momentum to drag Lin Xuan off balance.

She stepped into his reach and struck his chest with her free palm, sending him flying backward while keeping a firm hold on his weapon.

Lin Xuan twisted his body in midair and landed several steps away, his boots scraping against the stone tiles.

Mu Qingya held his spear in one hand and examined it with mild disappointment.

“Well, this is turning out to be rather disappointing,” she remarked, shaking her head. “I expected more from the man who impressed the Whale People.”

Lin Xuan merely smiled.

He had expected the Empress to be powerful, but her movements were far more refined than he had anticipated.

Her control over timing and momentum was exceptional, and she had used his own weapon against him without wasting the slightest movement.

Still, he had no intention of letting her dismiss him so easily.

The next instant, his figure vanished.

Mu Qingya’s pupils contracted as a blur crossed the distance between them.

Lin Xuan had activated his Cloud Chasing Movement Technique, pushing his speed to the limit as he closed the gap in a single breath.

But instead of summoning another weapon, he aligned his entire body like a spear.

His shoulders tightened, his waist turned, and his spiritual qi surged through his limbs in a focused line.

Every movement converged toward a single point as he drove himself forward, transforming his own body into a piercing attack.

Mu Qingya’s expression changed.

She hadn’t anticipated that he would turn his own body into a weapon and attack so decisively at close range.

By the time she recognized his intention, Lin Xuan was already upon her.

She hurriedly raised her free hand to defend herself.

BOOM!

Their attacks collided, and a violent burst of spiritual qi swept across the arena. Mu Qingya slid backward several steps, her robes fluttering wildly in the turbulent air.

After regaining her balance and straightening her robes, she looked at Lin Xuan with excitement gleaming in her eyes.

“Now that’s more like it!”