FI CH93: What’s Going On?

Lin Su narrowed his eyes slightly and cupped Xuenima’s face.

The brows were lowered, clearly adjusted.

If before it was almost a miniature version of himself with only a faint hint of He Zhenling, now, a single glance was enough to tell it was a combination of the two of them.

He turned his head and stared. “You…”

He Zhenling was very casual. “I was idle anyway.”

Lin Su said admiringly, “I’m out here building an empire, and you’re in here creating characters.”

“……”

“What’s on the phone?”

“Since I already created it, I might as well document it.”

Lin Su reached out and poked. “Let me see.” The phone was handed over, and he flipped through the newly taken photos inside. “…You’re not going to post this on your Moments, or change your profile picture, are you?”

A laugh came from in front of him. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

He Zhenling looked up and said seriously, “After all, there are more normal people in this world.”

Xuenima spoke in a small voice, “He means the three of us and the Yi family are not normal people.”

Lin Su was speechless.

He Zhenling turned his head to remind him, “I can hear you.”

Xuenima flinched in shock. [Hic!]

Lin Su patted it back to its original form with one hand and returned the phone to He Zhenling. A faint look of regret appeared in He Zhenling’s eyes as he put the phone away and returned to the main topic.

“What empire are you building out there?”

Lin Su sat down on the bay window, cuddling Xuenima. “I was talking to Old Yi about the four-family alliance and the tripartite council.”

He Zhenling’s eyebrows raised. “Tripartite council?”

Sunlight fell in from the side. Lin Su closed his eyes peacefully. “That’s right, a ‘civilian’ association independent of the two major associations. To cultivate more Tianshis who do specialized commissions, including the matter of ‘changing fate’… it doesn’t necessarily have to be accomplished through divine power.”

Xuenima looked up benevolently. [You didn’t find an heir for the Yi family, but you turned them into your successors.]

A hand expertly pinched its mouth shut.

It was quiet for a few seconds beside him, then a voice floated down softly, “That’s good.”

Lin Su opened his eyes and met He Zhenling’s downward gaze. His calm eyes held a strange softness, and the corners of his lips were slightly curved.

“I’ve always felt that you should cherish yourself more.”

A warmth spread through Lin Su’s chest, and he shyly lowered his eyes. “You suddenly…” He paused, then looked up again. “…What ‘always’? How long ago?”

He Zhenling smiled but said nothing, turning to leave.

Lin Su: ???

The door clicked shut.

He pondered on the bay window for two seconds, then lifted Xuenima. “Could he have really been secretly watching me while I was asleep? Ni Ma, do you have any clue?”

Xuenima was cold. [Don’t ask me. When you were asleep, I was asleep too.]

Lin Su sighed with regret. “Sigh…”

He sighed twice, then had a nagging feeling. “…Am I overlooking something?”

[If you overlooked it, it means it wasn’t important.]

“True.”

Lin Su perked up again and, holding Xuenima, said, “Right, let me tell you something important. In the week that you were gone, you have no idea what He Zhenling and I…”

A paw slapped over his mouth. [How many flaws?]

“Five, I guess.”

Xuenima closed its eyes in grief. [……Be gone.]

Two days later, Yi Daiming’s reply arrived.

As expected, the other party nodded in agreement.

Yi Daiming sighed several times over the phone. “There were dissenting voices in the clan, but I’ve suppressed them all. Brother Su, this matter must succeed.”

Lin Su said broadly, “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to the other three families. Once we set a time, we’ll have a meeting together.”

After hanging up, he sank into the sofa.

Xuenima was pleased. [Great, Old Yi has successfully fallen into your trap.]

“……” Lin Su patted it and shook his head. “Old Yi still dotes on Xiao Shui. Otherwise, no matter how much I tried to persuade him, I couldn’t have forced him.”

[True. =w=]

The next day, he went to school for class.

The news of Lin Su’s “Triple S” status had spread throughout the school. The students who came to listen to his lecture filled the classroom, leaving no empty seats.

After class, as he was wiping the blackboard, a familiar figure “plopped” out of the crowded students. Bai Jiang greeted him happily.

“Teacher’s class is as brilliant as ever, no wonder so many junior students are coming.” ^▽^

Lin Su was pleased. “Xiao Bai, you came to listen to my class again.”

“I had to find my dad for something today, so I came over to listen~”

Lin Su put down the blackboard eraser. “I happen to have something to discuss with you two as well. Let’s go together.”

Bai Jiang: 0▽0?

The two arrived at the principal’s office.

Bai Xinwen looked up and was surprised to see them enter together. “Brother Lin, did Xiao Jiang get you into trouble?”

“Nothing of the sort.” Lin Su gestured. “Let’s sit and talk.”

The father and son sat down obediently.

Lin Su sat properly on the sofa, poured himself a cup of tea first, and then slowly began to speak. “I hope to establish a supreme covenant among the four families, as well as a tripartite council.”

The two in front of him were stunned. Bai Xinwen asked, “What covenant?”

Lin Su roughly repeated the vision he had previously explained to Yi Daiming.

After he spoke, the reception area fell silent.

Lin Su continued, “The chaos 17 years ago was due to a lack of constraints. There are many ‘unorthodox’ practitioners out there, and there are still many corners of the world that we don’t pay attention to.”

He sighed. “If one day I exhaust my power again and fall into a Su…” (slumber)

The two opposite him jolted in unison. “No!”

Bai Xinwen paused, then said slowly, “This proposal is beneficial to our four families, not harmful. It’s just that it would be too difficult to implement…”

Lin Su sipped his tea calmly. “That’s why I plan for the four families to have a meeting together to discuss it in detail.”

Bai Xinwen pondered for a long moment, then slapped his thigh. “Alright then.”

Xuenima shook its head. [You’ve even resorted to the beauty trap.]

“…It’s the self-injury ploy.” After correcting it, Lin Su put his teacup down. “Next time you say that in front of He Zhenling, I’ll get to eat another good fruit.”

[……Shh. That’s enough.]

…

The meeting time was quickly set.

The location was the rooftop conference room of the Supervision Association, with one side of windows overlooking the city and a large round table in the middle.

Since it was a private meeting convened by Lin Su, not many people were invited.

One from each of the four great families: Bai Jiang, Yi Daiming, Lu Yanzhou, and Qi Wang.

Including him and He Zhenling, there were six in total.

The six of them sat at one end of the round table.

Lin Su and He Zhenling sat at the head. He crossed one leg, the hem of his long robe falling by his foot.

“Everyone knows the theme of today’s meeting. Old Bai and Old Yi have already nodded. Family Head Lu and Da… Xiao Qi, do you have any opinions?”

Lu Yanzhou had long held the real power in the Lu family. Hearing this, he shook his head. “No objection.”

Qi Wang replied, “The covenant is also beneficial to the Qi family. I will report back to the family head when I return, there shouldn’t be a problem. If the clan really disagrees…” He smiled ethereally. “Then I’ll have no choice but to break away on my own and support Mr. Lin.”

“……” said the others at the table.

Xuenima: [That’s a threat, isn’t it?]

Lin Su: …Mhm.

The Qi family was already in decline among the four great families. Without Qi Wang, and having left the four-family alliance, they would probably be replaced by another family soon.

Bai Jiang clapped his hands happily. “Then there are no problems.”

With the four families in agreement, it was time to discuss some practical issues.

Lin Su sat in the center. “The tripartite council under the alliance, I hope, can cultivate more Tianshis and achieve a balance between ‘prominent families’ and ‘non-prominent families.’ Including between the two major associations—”

His clear eyes looked at He Zhenling and Bai Jiang. “It can also serve as a balancing scale.”

He Zhenling met his gaze.

Lin Su’s shoulders and back were straight, like a scale that would never tilt.

He nodded, and Bai Jiang also responded, “Yes, Teacher.”

Yi Daiming said, “Your original intention is for the public good, which will inevitably infringe upon the private interests of some prominent families. Public opinion will be a difficult hurdle.”

Lin Su’s expression was relaxed. “It’s fine. I’ve always dominated in the court of public opinion.”

The people in front of him: ……?

Lu Yanzhou, having witnessed a few battles, directly moved the topic along. “Then what remains is the capital for construction: including the venue for the association building, the initial personnel, the construction of the management system, and the funds for establishing the association—”

Lin Su recalled, “I still have some belongings on me…”

The subtle wording made He Zhenling’s heart skip a beat!

He quickly cut him off. “I’ll handle the funds. I have more money here than I can use anyway.”

At his words, all eyes at the table turned to him!

—with a faint hint of animosity.

He Zhenling spoke impartially, “It’s from confiscated assets. Ill-gotten gains should be used for meaningful things.”

The gazes around the table softened a little. Lin Su said with pleasure, “Then you do it.”

With the funds settled, what remained were the students and manpower.

Establishing a new Tianshi alliance required manpower from all walks of life, not just connections within the Feng Shui world.

And since the tripartite council was independent of the prominent families, it was also impossible to rely heavily on the disciples of prominent families.

Bai Jiang was worried. “Teacher, should I go find…”

“No need, Xiao Bai.” Lin Su said slowly, “I happen to have some stray wing… favors I’m owed.” He met He Zhenling’s gaze and paused.

He Zhenling smiled very lightly.

The others at the table: Hmm?

Lin Su took out his phone, opened his past commission orders, and scrolled through the names: Pei Jin, Fang Shuyu, Sheng Lingyu, Yan Guanyue, Zhou Li…

He stood up, light reflecting in his eyes, and smiled.

“It’s time to issue the ‘assembly order.’”

The meeting ended, and they dispersed successfully.

He Zhenling went to call his subordinates to clean up the conference room. Yi Daiming was chatting with the two juniors, Qi Wang and Lu Yanzhou, about something.

Lin Su was about to go find He Zhenling when he was called out to, “Teacher.”

He turned around in the corridor.

Bai Jiang stood before him, silent for a few seconds, then said softly, “Teacher, if an alliance like this is established, with more juniors to share the burden of missions, will Teacher not overuse his power and become exhausted… and disappear again, like last time?”

Bai Jiang’s clear pupils were like they had been washed with water as he looked over, a faint shadow of his childhood self emerging.

Lin Su curved his lips and touched his earlobe. “I won’t disappear again.”

The eyes, in which a glimmer of light had been wavering, instantly brightened.

“Okay~ ^▽^”

With that, Bai Jiang floated away, surrounded by a blooming field of sunshine.

Lin Su retracted his gaze and sighed with his hands in his sleeves. “Sigh, it seems my slumber back then left the child with too much of a…”

He took two steps, then suddenly paused.

“…Ni Ma, where did I wake up?”

Xuenima turned its head. […In bed?]

“My psychic power was exhausted then. Where was I when I fell asleep?”

[In front of the dragon vein at Mount Qi?]

Lin Su lifted it and stared. “You said last time that when I was asleep, you were asleep too… so it wasn’t you who moved me back, right?”

Xuenima: […Ang-da.]

The corridor light shone down, and the corridor fell into a heavy silence.

Big eyes stared at small eyes for a moment. Lin Su said slowly, “Then… who moved us back?”

[……]

Xuenima: 0o0

Author’s note:

Su: Didn’t Nima carry me back in its mouth?!

Nima: I was Su-d (asleep) too!

……

Big Bird He: Heh.

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