Chapter Twenty-Nine: Darling, You're Being Watched

The atmosphere in the room turned somewhat strange. Su Xingyue and Su Mei exchanged a glance, their eyes falling simultaneously on Su Xingyu’s flushed face. Standing to the side, Lin Fan felt a twinge of guilt, but he knew he had to act as if nothing had happened.

Noticing the gaze of her mother and sister, Su Xingyu felt a flicker of embarrassment. She quickly changed the subject, breaking the awkward silence. "Mother, is there an urgent matter that required you to summon us so quickly?"

Su Mei sighed slightly, her gaze shifting to Lin Fan. She did not avoid his presence as she spoke, her voice carrying a cold edge as her willow-leaf eyebrows lifted slightly. "The Liu family launched a surprise attack on our black iron mine yesterday."

Lin Fan did not know much about the Su family's situation, having only overheard a remark from Su Xingyue in the family treasury about the Su family being targeted by the Liu family and losing several assets.

"The Su family holds many assets in the Linjiang region, the most important of which is this black iron mine. While it may not be a rich vein, the black iron it produces is an essential material for refining magical artifacts. Most of the Su family’s financial resources come from this mine," Su Xingyue explained to Lin Fan.

The importance of the black iron mine to the Su family was self-evident. It was their economic lifeline and the source of cultivation resources for the family’s younger generation. Losing it meant the Su family faced a massive crisis.

"Mother, Sister, what should we do now?" Su Xingyu asked nervously.

"In the past, dealing with the Liu family would have been taxing, but Mother has now reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and we have my husband here. The Liu family only has their patriarch at the early Foundation Establishment stage," Su Xingyue said, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. "My sister and I have also seen our cultivation improve significantly recently. The Liu family is no longer a match for us. We will not only reclaim the black iron mine but also take back everything they have stolen from us!"

Lin Fan had originally planned to stay with the Su family for a few days to extract some benefits before flying the coop. Though the mother and her two daughters seemed to trust him implicitly, he felt it best to remain cautious. Putting on a show of loyalty, he said, "Since the family is in trouble, as a son-in-law of the Su family, I naturally cannot stand by idly!"

"I am very gratified that you have such intentions, my husband. However, dealing with the Liu family will primarily depend on Mother. You only need to display your cultivation from the sidelines to bolster our momentum and avoid any unnecessary danger," Su Xingyue said with a smile, clearly pleased by his commitment.

"Xingyue is right. While our son-in-law is strong, he lacks combat experience. It will suffice for him to provide support for me!" Su Mei added. "And there is no time to lose; we must act as soon as possible!"

After a moment of contemplation, Su Xingyue said, "Tomorrow I will summon the disciples of the clan, and we shall set out in the evening to launch a surprise raid on the Liu family!"

The atmosphere in the room grew tense. Su Mei and Su Xingyu both nodded, clearly agreeing with the plan. Lin Fan maintained his calm demeanor, though internally he was calculating how to emerge from this turmoil unscathed.

***

Lin Fan had no desire to get involved; he intended to leave the Su family as soon as he had scavenged enough benefits.

"The Liu family has encroached upon many of our businesses during this time. Even if we cannot annihilate them this time, we will make them cough up double what they have swallowed!" Su Xingyue added.

Lin Fan’s eyes lit up. The Liu family surely possessed valuable assets. If the Su family won, he would certainly get his share of the spoils. Besides, he was only there to provide backup; if things turned sour, he could simply slip away.

"Furthermore, I am only a hair's breadth away from the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. If Ji Qingwan, that Core Formation expert, practices diligently over the next two days and feeds more cultivation back to me, I might just break through before we face the Liu family," Lin Fan thought. "With mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation, I should have no problem ensuring my own survival!"

With a plan in mind, the four of them discussed the details, deciding to strike the Liu family the following day to reclaim what belonged to the Su family.

As dusk fell, Lin Fan left Su Mei’s cultivation quarters alone. The three women had said they had personal matters to discuss, so he saw no reason to linger. Despite regaining his freedom, he did not wander around, heading straight back to his own courtyard. It was unusually quiet; Su Yun, Su Fei, and the others had clearly been cooped up for over three months and were likely out blowing off steam, unlikely to return for a day or two.

"Young Master, you’ve returned," a figure stepped out from a side room and bowed slightly. Lin Fan looked closely and realized it was Su Qian.

"The others have all gone out. Why didn't you go?" Lin Fan asked curiously.

Su Qian smiled. "I knew they had left, and there would be no one to attend to you, so I returned early."

Lin Fan nodded, touched by the young girl’s thoughtfulness. Having spent over three months with these maids, he had developed a certain degree of affection for them.

"I see your cultivation is almost at the peak of the fifth level of Qi Condensation. Practice hard over these next two days; once you break through, come find me," he said. Since he planned to leave soon and she was so attentive, he felt no need to be stingy.

"Thank you, Young Master," Su Qian said, bowing her head as a flicker of joy crossed her eyes.

Lin Fan smiled and casually gave her a pat on her shapely backside. "I don't need you to attend to me for now. I'll call you if I need anything."

Su Qian’s body stiffened for a split second, but her face remained composed, displaying a faint, unreadable smile. Lin Fan looked at his own hand, muttering to himself, "The texture... it seems different from before."

Back in his room, Lin Fan sat cross-legged, refining the meager cultivation he had received today. "The feedback today was so little; it seems Ji Qingwan hasn't been practicing." He opened his eyes after a while and scratched his head in frustration. As a Core Formation cultivator, the energy Ji Qingwan usually fed him was immense. He had hoped to break through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage quickly to ensure his safety against the Liu family.

Resigned, he got off the bed. With only him and Su Qian left in the courtyard, he called out, "Little Qian, come play a game of chess with me!"

A moment later, Su Qian walked in with graceful, rhythmic steps. She efficiently set up the board and sat opposite him. Lin Fan rolled up his sleeves and held out a clenched fist. "Come on!"

Su Qian blinked, looking bewildered.

"Gomoku. Rock-paper-scissors! Whoever wins moves first," Lin Fan prompted.

Su Qian blinked again. "Young Master... I..."

Lin Fan paused, slightly stunned. After three months of his "training," Gomoku was a basic game that everyone in the courtyard knew how to play. People in the world of cultivation had incredibly powerful memories; Su Qian’s reaction clearly told him that she did not know the game.

Lin Fan’s heart skipped a beat. He was certain the person in front of him was not Su Qian. Furthermore, he could not discern her cultivation level or how she was masking it. This meant the person before him possessed strength far exceeding his own.

"Good grief, could she be a Core Formation expert?" Lin Fan thought, a wave of shock washing over him.