Elder Shi was sitting on the second floor of the inn, and happened to witness the entire fight between Liu Jinyuan and the Moon Worshippers.
Elder Shi felt that Liu Jinyuan's swordsmanship was extremely exquisite. Putting aside his cultivation level, from the perspective of swordsmanship techniques, it was almost the only swordsmanship Elder Shi had ever seen.
This Central Plains is truly a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers are everywhere.
"Isn't that Miss Lin? Hehehe, has the Lin family got a new son-in-law? This new son-in-law looks like a gentleman, and he's very skilled in martial arts..."
Also on the second floor, a waiter looked at Liu Jinyuan and Lin Yueru below, his face full of gossip, and whispered.
"Oh? Is that woman famous here?" Hearing the waiter's words, Elder Shi's heart moved slightly and he asked.
"Of course, not to mention in our Suzhou city, even in the whole martial arts world, the reputation of Lin Family Fort is at its peak, and Lin Tiannan is the leader of the Southern Martial Arts World."
Seeing that Elder Shi and the others were dressed like Miao people and didn't know anything about the Central Plains martial arts world, the waiter nodded and told them about the status of Lin Family Fort in the entire martial arts world.
"I see, if we can get the help of Lin Family Fort, it will be much easier to find the whereabouts of the princess..."
Hearing about the power of Lin Family Fort, Elder Shi's eyes lit up slightly, and then he looked at Lin Yueru and Liu Jinyuan below, with a thoughtful look on his brows, and murmured in a low voice.
"Godfather, if we want their help, just ask directly. I think that young man seems easy to talk to," said Tang Yu next to him, who was very direct in character.
"How is that possible? We're not even related, so they can't possibly help us. Tang Yu, you need more experience in the martial arts world. If a stranger came asking for your help, would you easily lend a hand?" Elder Shi shook his head upon hearing his adopted son's words.
Tang Yu's martial arts experience was still a bit limited; bringing him along this time had proven to be the right decision.
"Of course, godfather, didn't you say we should support the weak and fight the strong, and help those in need? If someone truly needs help, I'll certainly do my best to the best of my ability," Tang Yu replied matter-of-factly.
"..." Tang Yu's words made Elder Shi pause, as if he was speechless.
After a long pause, he shook his head helplessly and said, "Tang Yu, remember, it's not just us who are willing to help; it's everyone in the world who is. You..."
Elder Shi wanted to lecture Tang Yu on his thoughts, but mid-sentence, his thoughts shifted.
Some truths can't be understood simply by words; they're only truly understood through personal experience. Why not take this opportunity to let him experience it for himself?With this thought, Elder Shi paused, then changed the subject, saying, "If that's the case, then go and give it a try."
"Huh?" Tang Yu was about to accept his adoptive father's instruction when he heard his father agree. He was startled, feeling that his adoptive father seemed a little strange.
However, after thinking about it, he realized his adoptive father wouldn't harm him, so he nodded and said, "Foster father, if that's the case, then I'll go."
"Yes, go ahead," Elder Shi said, nodding and waving his hand. By then, the battle below had concluded. The Moon Worshipers, injured by Liu Jinyuan's hands, had fled in panic, much to Lin Yueru's relief.
Naturally, Lin Yueru couldn't help but inquire about when Liu Jinyuan had learned his martial arts.
"My martial arts were taught by my master. I've been learning for seven days..." Liu Jinyuan answered Lin Yueru's question frankly.
"Seven days!? Just seven days can make you so powerful? I've been practicing martial arts since I was a child, and I can't even match you in seven days? Who is your master? Did you encounter a god?" Lin Yueru asked in surprise, her eyes widening.
If she hadn't known for a long time that her cousin didn't know martial arts, she would never have believed he could achieve such proficiency in just seven days.
"You recognize my master, Master Alex..." Liu Jinyuan said in response to Lin Yueru's astonishment.
Meanwhile, Alex, who was standing nearby, naturally came out.
"Is it him?"
Lin Yueru's expression was grim and complicated as she watched Alex emerge. She had mixed feelings about Alex. She felt humiliated by his rejection of her marriage proposal, and she felt angry at him.
Meanwhile, having calmed down these days, Lin Yueru realized she couldn't blame him for what happened that day. Yet, she had slapped him in anger, and now she felt a pang of guilt.
Liu Jinyuan, standing nearby, glanced at Alex, then at his cousin Yueru, but didn't seem inclined to interrupt.
Neither Alex nor Lin Yueru spoke, and the atmosphere grew awkward for a moment.
Fortunately, the awkwardness didn't last long.
A young man dressed in Miao clothing approached Alex and the others. With a smile on his face, he bowed and said, "Hello everyone, my name is Tang Yu, and I'm from Nanzhao."
"Tang Yu?" Alex knew Tang Yu from Nanzhao, but his sudden appearance and proactive approach surprised him slightly.
"Hello, Young Master Tang. I'm Liu Jinyuan. How can I help you?" Liu Jinyuan was a little surprised by the stranger's approach, but he wore a warm smile, returned the greeting, and asked.
"The truth is, my adoptive father and I, following the orders of our Emperor, have come to the Central Plains to search for our princess. However, we're short on manpower and have heard of the Lin Family Fort's illustrious reputation in the martial arts world, so we'd like to seek help. Could you lend a hand?" Without further ado, Tang Yu went straight to the point and stated his request.
"I see."
Upon hearing this, Liu Jinyuan suddenly understood and immediately replied, "Jinyuan can't make the final decision regarding the Lin Family Fort, but since Young Master Tang has something to ask, I'm willing to help you convince my uncle to help you find the princess."
"Thank you, Young Master Liu..." Tang Yu said with gratitude upon hearing Liu Jinyuan's willingness to help, then trotted off to inform his adoptive father.
Looking at Tang Yu running back, Elder Shi guessed without even asking that he must have refused, so he spoke to comfort his somewhat innocent and kind-hearted adopted son: "Tang Yu, they..."
"Adoptive father, Young Master Liu has agreed to help us!"
Tang Yu's words left Elder Shi completely stunned, his expression caught somewhere between disbelief and awe.
"Agreed?" he muttered under his breath, almost doubting his own ears. "Did I hear that right? Just like that?"
For years, he had believed the people of the Central Plains to be reserved and difficult to persuade. Yet here, Tang Yu had spoken only a few sentences, and the other party had agreed so readily.
"Could it be… the rumors are true? That the Central Plains is truly the land of propriety?" Elder Shi frowned, still unable to fully digest it. "I thought those were just flowery words… but this—this feels almost too exaggerated."
Still, disbelief aside, a promise was a promise. And whether it was naïveté or sincerity, the fact remained: someone from the Central Plains had agreed to aid their mission. That alone was worth cherishing.
Exhaling slowly, Elder Shi composed himself. His weathered face regained its calm dignity, and he gave Tang Yu a measured nod. "Very well. Since things have come to this, let us not waste time."
With that, Elder Shi gathered his composure and led Tang Yu, along with the rest of their party, toward Alex and the others