"Shushan swordsman? No wonder..." Lin Tiannan looked at Alex in surprise upon hearing Elder Shi's words, and then a look of sudden realization crossed his face.
Rumor had it that the Shushan swordsmen were trained to be utterly focused and detached, pursuing mastery of the blade above all else—a path often described as living through the sword.
Compared to the rest of the martial world, the Shushan lineage stood apart, almost untouchable.
Contemplating Alex's identity, Lin Tiannan began to think Elder Shi's words might actually be true.
Perhaps only someone from that legendary order could reach such extraordinary skill at such a young age.
Perhaps only the methods of a Shushan swordsman could enable Liu Jinyuan to achieve near-mastery of the sword in just seven days.
It suddenly made sense to Lin Tiannan why Alex had firmly rejected his and Yueru's marriage proposal. The cultivation of a Shushan swordsman was said to forbid personal attachments.
Thinking of Alex's possible identity as a Shushan swordsman, many pieces began to fall into place in Lin Tiannan's mind.
But then he froze. "Wait… Jinyuan has now accepted Alex as his master..."
At first, Lin Tiannan hadn't thought much about Liu Jinyuan becoming Alex's disciple. But now, realizing what that training path might demand—renouncing worldly desires—he suddenly felt uneasy.
After all, regardless of whether Jinyuan and Yueru would marry in the future, the two families were already bound as relatives, and Jinyuan was the only heir of his household.
"So you truly are a swordsman of Shushan. Forgive my ignorance. Young Master Alex, do you know the princess's whereabouts? Please, tell me!" Elder Shi asked, his tone now filled with respect and confidence.
"Uh… how much credit is he giving me?" Alex muttered under his breath, the corner of his mouth twitching. His confidence rose as he realized the situation.
Well, even if this was a misunderstanding, it was a useful one. At least now he didn't need to put any effort into winning their trust.
As the saying goes, sometimes deception is crude, but letting others connect the dots themselves is far more effective than telling a blatant lie.
Although Elder Shi had misunderstood, it was a mutually beneficial misunderstanding, so Alex naturally didn't bother to explain. He immediately began to recount Zhao Linger's story.
While Alex hadn't personally witnessed the events between Zhao Linger and Li Xiaoyao, he knew enough about them—and since he hadn't interfered, things had unfolded much as he had expected.
"What? So the Moon Worship cultists have already discovered the princess's birthplace? No wonder Anu warned that she was in danger!" Tang Yu's face turned pale upon hearing that the cult had attacked the island.
"The princess actually married some wanderer named Li Xiaoyao? And she might even be pregnant?" Elder Shi muttered with a heavy expression.
"So she's already on her way back home? Then we must find her quickly, otherwise the cult will reach her first."
Hearing that Li Xiaoyao was already traveling with Zhao Linger, Elder Shi's worry only deepened.
"Since Young Master Alex knows so much about the princess, do you know where she is now?" Elder Shi asked anxiously. The most urgent thing was to locate her before their enemies did.
"Yes, Young Master Alex, do you know the whereabouts of the princess?" Lin Tiannan also pressed.
Now that they had some leads, the Lin Family Fort could finally lend its strength.
"Senior Lin, you've actually seen Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Linger before. Do you remember the young man who fought me during the martial arts competition that day?" Alex fixed his gaze on Lin Tiannan as he asked.
"So it's that boy!" Lin Tiannan and Lin Yueru immediately recalled Li Xiaoyao. Though he had lost to Alex, his swordplay had been sharp—remarkably strong for someone of his generation.
"Wait… if that boy is Li Xiaoyao, then the girl with lightning magic beside him that day—could she have been the princess herself?" Lin Tiannan thought back to Zhao Linger, whose beauty and aura had left a lasting impression.
He nodded inwardly at the realization. He had seen her with his own eyes. And since they had only been in Suzhou City at that time, she couldn't have gone far. Finding her now might actually be possible.
"But wait—Li Xiaoyao doesn't strike me as reliable. With your princess following him, Elder Shi, you should be cautious."
Just as the group was preparing to send people in search of Li Xiaoyao, Lin Tiannan suddenly voiced his concern.
"Why do you say that, Master Lin?" Elder Shi and Tang Yu were both startled by his words.
They were already uneasy about the princess marrying a man of such humble background. Hearing Lin Tiannan suggest his character was poor only made them more suspicious.
"Character?" Liu Jinyuan echoed thoughtfully, as if beginning to understand.
Lin Yueru, standing nearby, nodded as well—though part of it was her own grudge against Li Xiaoyao. Still, she wondered how her father could judge someone he'd only met once.
"According to Young Master Alex, Li Xiaoyao is already married to your princess, which means he has a family. Yet just a few days ago, my daughter hosted a competition in Suzhou City to choose a husband, and he entered. Although he lost in the end, doesn't that show he's fickle? Elder Shi, you should be careful with him." Lin Tiannan explained.
"Well, if that's the case, Master Lin makes a fair point."
Elder Shi's face darkened. A princess of royal blood, bound to such a man—it felt like watching a priceless jewel fall into the mud.
Alex: "…"
Looking at their expressions, Alex could only sigh inwardly for Li Xiaoyao.
They hadn't even met him yet, but the girl's family already thought the worst of him. The poor guy was doomed to suffer in the future.
In their minds, Li Xiaoyao's image was already set as nothing more than a scoundrel.