Ch550 – To Extort a Sum

　　Edited by Ea and Molly

　　Yan Tianhen didn’t even wait to think about it. He blurted out, “It’s just like Shen Qinghe’s thoughts about your eldest brother.”

　　Yan Chenxiao’s brain was blank at first. Then, with a buzzing sound, his whole face turned white.

　　At first, he nervously turned his head and quickly looked at Yan Huanyu, who was still helping Lin Xuanzhi find the item. Then he quickly glared at Yan Tianhen, as if he were pressing questions, and gritted his teeth.

　　“How do you know about my elder brother and Shen Qinghe? Damn, you didn’t plant spies beside me or my eldest brother, did you?”

　　This matter had clearly been strictly forbidden by Yan Huanyu to be mentioned again. Even Chu Ling, who had a good relationship with Yan Huanyu, didn’t know about it. How could Yan Tianhen know?

　　Yan Tianhen was also stunned. He didn’t expect that a casual guess would actually hit the mark. He was shocked in his heart at first, and then he decided to digest it slowly. So Shen Qinghe and Yan Huanyu have that kind of relationship? That’s very interesting.

　　But on the surface, Yan Tianhen didn’t show any signs. He said with a smile, “It turns out to be true. So that’s why your elder brother and Shen Qinghe are always in such a terrible situation. Unexpectedly, they are in a love debt.” He clicked his tongue.

　　Yan Chenxiao suddenly realized the purpose of Yan Tianhen’s words. He mercilessly glared at him. “Did you deliberately fish for information?“

　　Yan Tianhen nodded. “Yes, I’m fishing for information on purpose. Who made you so stupid? I couldn’t help deceiving you.”

　　Yan Chenxiao, “…”

　　Yan Tianhen patted Yan Chenxiao on the shoulder and said with deep meaning, “However, if you want me to keep it secret, I can keep it secret. Otherwise, I’ll tell your elder brother that you have told me about him and Shen Qinghe.”

　　Yan Chenxiao said angrily, “My elder brother won’t believe you for sowing discord.”

　　Yan Tianhen laughed. “I don’t know. It’s quite possible that you accidentally exposed it to me.”

　　After pondering for a moment, Yan Chenxiao bit his teeth and lowered his voice. “What conditions do you have, just say it.”

　　Yan Chenxiao was clever at last, not causing a ruckus and knowing that sometimes people should be flexible. Yan Tianhen thought about it and said, “Why don’t you beg me?”

　　Yan Chenxiao looked humiliated. “A scholar can be killed but not humiliated.”

　　Yan Tianhen said, “You’re too boring. So, you’d better give me money. Just give me half of the contribution points you have. Since you were so good today, I won’t ask for much.”

　　Yan Chenxiao, “…”

　　I have never seen such a shameless, brazen man.

　　Yan Tianhen checked the extra 3,000 contribution points on his leaf card while thinking that it was really good to have a big brother. He also thought about how there seemed to be some unspeakable history between Shen Qinghe and Yan Huanyu. His eyes smiled. “Don’t worry, I am the most loyal person. Since you are so obedient today, I will not screw you over.”

　　Yan Chenxiao’s dark face quickly glanced away from Yan Tianhen. Nothing good ever happened whenever he met this person.

　　Last time, his elder brother punished him by copying the rules and precepts, but he had not finished yet. If Yan Huanyu knew that he had been cheated out of a big secret by Yan Tianhen, he wouldn’t be able to live well in the following days.

　　After taking the demonic delight fruit, Lin Xuanzhi thanked Yan Huanyu, who took the initiative to climb on the high shelf to get things.

　　Yan Huanyu said that he was very happy to serve Huarong Sword Immortal. He also made an appointment for them to meet.

　　It must be said that Yan Huanyu especially admired Lin Xuanzhi’s swordsmanship. He and Lin Xuanzhi were in the same batch of disciples who entered the sect and were also sword cultivators. At first, he was not convinced of Lin Xuanzhi’s skill, and felt that this nobody whose reputation he had never heard of before had no right to have his own Penglai Island as soon as he arrived in the sect.

　　That was an Immortal Island where a spiritual vein was located, so it was full of spiritual energy. It was the place of heaven and earth’s creation and it hadn’t been opened to anyone for many years, let alone someone monopolizing this spiritual island.

　　However, after Yan Huanyu took the initiative to challenge Lin Xuanzhi and was knocked down by him in three moves, Yan Huanyu was somewhat convinced. At first, he was full of doubts. He always felt that Lin Xuanzhi had some luck in winning against him.

　　Lin Xuanzhi looked at him and asked faintly, “Are you satisfied?”

　　Yan Huanyu said, “No.”

　　So Lin Xuanzhi continued to accept Yan Huanyu’s challenge.

　　After another three moves, Yan Huanyu was defeated like a mountain collapsing, nearly falling on the ground.

　　He was forced to support his body and stared at Lin Xuanzhi, who was unhurried and spotless.”I do not accept this.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi’s answer was very simple. If you refuse to accept it, I will continue to fight.

　　After Yan Huanyu’s third crushing defeat, Yan Huanyu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and softly laughed. He was a little proud and somewhat drunk.

　　“I, Yan Huanyu, have never admired anyone all my life, but today, I’m convinced by your skills.”

　　Huarong Sword Immortal became famous after one battle.

　　Since then, Lin Xuanzhi had been in charge of Penglai Island, and no one had ever challenged him again. The reputation of Huarong Sword Immortal became more and more popular, first in Myriad Dao Academy, and then it extended to the Nine Lands.

　　Yan Huanyu handed the things to Lin Xuanzhi and seemingly asked casually, “Huarong Sword Immortal and Cousin Tianhen seem to have a good relationship?” He remembered that Lin Xuanzhi also appeared on the assessment field when Yan Tianhen was competing in the alchemy examination.

　　Although it didn’t seem to be deliberate, Yan Huanyu didn’t believe that there were so many coincidences in the world. Just as he was defeated by Lin Xuanzhi three times and then voluntarily admitted defeat, Yan Huanyu had his own judgment principles.

　　Lin Xuanzhi did not deny it. “There were some interactions in the early years. I regard him as my biological younger brother, so it is natural to take better care of him.”

　　Yan Huanyu was stunned. He thought that once he went back, he would send someone to investigate the relationship between Huarong Sword Immortal and Yan Tianhen. “I didn’t hear Sword Immortal mention it.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi said, “It’s just as well to know now. I live overseas all year round, and most of the sect’s affairs are ignored. You are Ah Hen’s blood relative and are older than him. If anything happens to him, I’ll still need to rely on King Zhang’s son to take care of him.”

　　Yan Huanyu nodded, saying, “He is my brother. Naturally, I want to take care of him.”

　　Originally, Yan Huanyu was very proper in dealing with people, and his cultivation was also excellent. He would not haggle over every ounce and seem petty, so Lin Xuanzhi freely entrusted him.

　　Naturally, he agreed.

　　It was probably hard to say whether he would really take care of Yan Tianhen in the future, but on the surface, at least he could get by. However, even if Huarong Sword Immortal didn’t take the initiative to mention it, Yan Huanyu would have also “taken care of” Yan Tianhen.

　　Lin Xuanzhi took the demonic delight fruit and was about to leave. He asked Yan Tianhen, “The spiritual field is still desolate. Do you want to take a look with me now? Or do you have time to come back another day?”

　　Yan Tianhen immediately said, “I have time now.”

　　At the same time, he added in his heart, As long as you invite me, I will be free at any time, even if I have to squeeze out time.

　　Lin Xuanzhi smiled, and then left with Yan Tianhen.

　　Along the way, they met a lot of people. While saluting Lin Xuanzhi, the disciples looked at Yan Tianhen, who was only half a step away, with uncertain eyes.

　　They knew of Yan Tianhen’s identity, so they couldn’t help but think about something. For example:

　　“Is Huarong Sword Immortal being threatened by Prince Ye?”

　　“Did Prince Ye give Huarong Sword Immortal some benefit?”

　　”Didn’t Huarong Sword Immortal already leave the secular world behind? How could he be so close to the second successor of the secular dynasty? Isn’t he worried about what others will say about him?”

　　Others doubted Lin Xuanzhi’s intentions.

　　People in seclusion would subconsciously avoid having too much involvement with the powerful people in the secular dynasty. This was true of the six Sword Saints in Sword God Hall, because once they were contaminated with worldly matters, the mind of Dao would easily become unstable, and their karmic cause and effect would inevitably increase.

　　It was easy to enter the secular world, but it was hard to leave it, so today’s top swordsmen were all clean and free from worldly karma.

　　Esteemed Yao Guang’s acceptance of Yan Huanyu as a disciple had already caused a great stir in the whole of Myriad Dao Academy. However, on the day when Esteemed Yao Guang formally accepted him as a disciple, he said in front of the divine pedestals of all the previous generation’s Sword Gods in Myriad Dao Academy, “Today, I accept Yan Huanyu as a disciple and I should do my best to teach him so that he may become a Sword Saint or even a Sword God one day, but this relationship between master and disciple only exists during Yan Huanyu’s study in Myriad Dao Academy. Once Yan Huanyu leaves the sect, the relationship between master and disciple will naturally disappear. From then on, our karma will be severed, and the gratitude and resentment will be cleared.”

　　Yan Huanyu was indeed a rare talent in sword cultivation. He deserved to be accepted by Esteemed Yao Guang. But what could Yan Tianhen do?

　　His identity was particularly awkward and sensitive, and Lin Xuanzhi’s status was especially detached and outstanding in the hearts of Myriad Dao Academy’s disciples.

　　He was the purest land in the eyes of many disciples, someone who could not be profaned, defiled, or coveted.

　　Within half a day, the news that Yan Tianhen forced Lin Xuanzhi to go to Penglai Island with him spread throughout the whole Myriad Dao Academy.

　　The teachers could not express their opinions casually, so they were still in the observation stage. However, disciples were fond of talking, bashing, and sighing. They always felt that Yan Tianhen had done something terrible.

　　However, as far as the parties being talked about were concerned, the mood here was calm and the world was stable.

　　Penglai Island was not an overseas immortal mountain in the truest sense, but an independent affiliated island of Myriad Dao Academy. Because an important position of spiritual vein in the ocean was buried under Penglai Island, it had been shrouded in immortal fog for many years with vigorous spiritual Qi. Hence it was named Little Penglai.

　　Penglai Island was not big. There were mountains all over the island and a valley plain in the middle, which had houses, fruit trees, and vast areas of grass fields without any spiritual plants. If you wanted to get to the island, you had to take a boat or fly with a sword. But there were arrays all over Penglai Island, so you couldn’t easily get through.

　　Lin Xuanzhi said to Yan Tianhen while on his sword, “I’ll take you through this empty road. If you want to come next time, you can break through the array and come to the island.”

　　Yan Tianhen’s heart stirred. He firmly remembered the decoding methods of these arrays and said, “Thank you, Huarong Gege.”

　　Before long, they landed in Penglai Island.

　　Yan Tianhen wanted to have a panoramic view of all the beautiful sceneries here and preserve them in his mind. This was the place where Lin Xuanzhi lived. Here were all the traces of his life.

　　Lin Xuanzhi said, “Most of the time, I am in secluded cultivation in the mountains. This house is still left by the former owner of Penglai island. I’ve already cleaned it. You can come here in the future. If you are tired, you can rest in this house.”

　　The house looked ordinary with white walls and grey tiles, but it could keep out the wind and rain. Yan Tianhen naturally nodded.

　　Lin Xuanzhi brought Yan Tianhen to the spiritual herb field behind the house.

　　“Such a large area of spiritual herb field?” Yan Tianhen’s eyes lit up when he saw it.

　　At least as large as 100 mu, this field was not completely abandoned. One third of the fields had been planted with spiritual plants. The spiritual plants ranged from the lower level ones to herbs that took ten years to mature, which could basically meet the basic needs of most alchemists.

　　Of course, the number of spiritual plants above mid-grade was small, and there were not enough varieties, but it was already jaw-dropping.