Chapter 7: Lin Ping's Little Movement

  Ling Jing smiled but didn't answer. After having dinner with Yue Ling Shan, the sky had gradually darkened. He was worried that Yue Ling Shan would encounter some danger on her way down the mountain because of its narrowness and steepness, so he urged her to head down early.

  Yue Lingshan reluctantly went down the mountain with a face full of unwillingness, under Ling Jing's constant urging.

  Ling Jing stood on the precipice and saw her off for a while before turning around and walking into the cave.

  Every day after that, Yue Lingshan would go up the mountain on time to deliver food to the two of them, but she never mentioned the misunderstanding from over a year ago.

  Ling Jing knew that she was not yet mentally prepared, and just put the matter in her heart without mentioning it. She just wanted to give herself a little more time, hoping that she could finally give herself a reasonable explanation.

  More than a month had passed, and Linghu Cong seemed to have also walked out of the shadow of being punished by his master, gradually becoming more cheerful. Sometimes the three of them would eat together, but most of the time, Ling Jing would still run off with Yue Lingshan to dine alone outside.

  That day, after dinner, Ling Jing suddenly asked Yue Lingshan: "Sister, how has Lin Pingzhi been behaving recently in the mountain?"

  Since Lin Ping entered Huashan Sect, he had always felt somewhat uneasy in his heart. Before going up the mountain, he had also secretly observed this little guy several times.

  In the original story, Lin Pingzhi was indeed a useless person. His martial arts talent was extremely mediocre and he didn't have any clever ideas. He was always being manipulated by Yue Buqun. During his time at Mount Hua, although he managed to find the family heirloom "Bixi Sword Spectrum" through Linghu Chong's clues after exhausting all his efforts, it fell into Yue Buqun's hands in the blink of an eye. Later, he almost got killed by Yue Buqun to silence him.

  If it weren't for the blessing of heaven and a stroke of good fortune, he would have picked up the sword manual that Yue Buqun had memorized and discarded in front of his window. Otherwise, he might have spent this lifetime in obscurity, never able to avenge his parents.

  But in this world, Lin Ping seemed to have become somewhat complicated. He had repeatedly noticed that the young man was secretly staring at him and Yue Lingxuan with a cold gaze. If he said that there was no evil intention in his heart, he would not believe it at all.

  But what's strange is that, logically speaking, I only met Lin Ping in Hengshan City for the first time, and afterwards we didn't even exchange a few words, so what about me is worth his remembrance?

  At this moment, he looked at the elegant and refined Yue Lingxuan in front of him, and his eyes flashed with a thought: "Could it be because of my senior sister?" The original story didn't reveal how Lin Pingzhi had won over Yue Lingxuan's affection with his eloquent words, but now, if Lin Pingzhi still wanted to capture Yue Lingxuan's attention, he would have to ask the sword in his hand first whether it agreed or not.

  Yue Lingshan's face flashed a hint of puzzlement when Ling Jing mentioned the new Lin Shidi, thinking to herself, after Lin Shidi joined, Ling Jing was already punished on the cliff, could it be that he still had some connection with Ling Jing.

  But now he puckered up his small mouth and said, "This kid is useless, having practiced the introductory sword technique for almost two months, still not a bit impressive, yet stubbornly diligent, practicing day and night, making people angry just by looking at him."

  Ling Jing smiled slightly, thinking to himself that Lin Ping's talent in martial arts was indeed mediocre. The Huashan school's introductory swordsmanship was only a lower-level martial art, and when he was still young, he had mastered this set of sword techniques in just over 20 days. In comparison, Lin Ping's martial arts qualifications were truly average.

  Then he smiled and said, "Lin Shidi must have practiced the family's '72 Evil-Slaying Sword Techniques' too well, and for a while, it's hard to adapt to our Huashan School's swordsmanship."

  Yue Lingshan pouted and said, "With his family's traditional swordsmanship being so clumsy, he can't even beat Lu Hou'er. But Father still insists that this style of swordplay is complex and changeable, and wants us to practice with him more."

  Ling Jing sneered inwardly, thinking that this Yue Buqun was indeed still treacherous and had probably secretly studied Lin Pingzhi's swordsmanship countless times. However, the "Devil-Expelling Sword Technique" that Lin Pingzhi learned was just a superficial framework; without obtaining the true sword manual, this technique could only be considered inferior.

  He was disdainful in his heart, but smiled and said: "Since Lin's great-grandfather could make a name for himself with the 'Devil-Slaying Sword Technique', he must have had some extraordinary abilities. Sister, you can't underestimate him."

  Yue Lingshan stuck out her tongue and said casually, "Got it."

  With a faint smile, she knew that her master sister still looked down on Lin Pingzhi, but thinking of the gloomy gaze Lin Pingzhi had given them when they were in the mountain, she felt a little uneasy and furrowed her brow to ask: "Master sister, has Lin recently had any contact with you?"

  Yue Lingxuan tilted her small head, thinking for a moment before saying: "Lin Pingzhi is usually diligent in his practice, but he's always so focused on it that even when brothers and sisters ask him questions, he just gives a perfunctory answer. It makes everyone not like him very much. However, he often comes to me to ask about sword techniques, but the problem is that he's really clumsy at practicing, which always makes me feel impatient." As she spoke, she wrinkled her nose, seemingly recalling Lin Pingzhi's foolishness during practice and feeling annoyed in her heart.

  Ling Jing heard this, and for a moment, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He thought to himself, "This Lin Ping is indeed harboring ulterior motives towards Yue Lingxuan. On Mount Hua, Yue Lingxuan's martial arts skills are only mediocre, yet among the many senior brothers and sisters whose skills surpass hers, he doesn't seek them out, but instead singles out Yue Lingxuan to ask for guidance on her martial skills. Truly, his intentions are as transparent as Sima Zhao's."

  At this time, he thought of the thing between Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan more than a year ago. Suddenly, another wave of anger rose in his heart. At that time, he had not yet crossed into this body, no matter whether it was a misunderstanding or being truly betrayed, he was powerless to do anything. But now that he is already in control of this body, if there are still people who want to harm those around him, then don't blame him for being ruthless and merciless.

  Thinking of this, his face gradually darkened, and he said to Yue Lingshan: "Sister, that little Lin boy, you'd better not bother with him again in the future."

  Yue Lingshan looked at Ling Jing in front of her, whose face was slightly cold, and blinked her eyes. Her face was full of puzzlement, but then she seemed to understand something and suddenly covered her mouth and laughed: "Ling Jing, where did you think of going? Lin Shidi just came to ask me for advice on martial arts, don't overthink it."

  Ling Jing shook his head and said, "You don't understand, but you have to listen to me on this matter."

  The thoughts of this world's Lin Ping are somewhat gloomy, and with Yue Lingxuan's naive and lively personality, it is almost impossible to see through his intentions. Even if he wanted to explain, Yue Lingxuan probably wouldn't believe him, so in the end, he didn't even bother to speak up.

  Yue Lingshan hummed softly and said, "Little spiteful ghost."

  Ling Jing gazed at her with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, then suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms. Yue Lingxuan's pretty face turned bright red as she looked away in embarrassment, hastily placing her hand on his chest and saying timidly: "Y-you're being naughty again."

  Ling Jing wrapped one arm around her slender waist, and with the other hand, he gently pinched her cheek. Then, he leaned his face in close, his nose almost touching Yue Lingxuan's face, and whispered, "You have to listen to me on this matter, got it?"

  Yue Lingxuan let out a muffled hum from her nose, and her body gradually softened. Ling Jing's scorching hot breath seemed to ignite her pretty face, which was covered in a dense red cloud, looking embarrassed and unable to bear it. Her heart was racing wildly, and she could only nod and say: "I... I'll listen to you, okay."

  Ling Jing pinched his jade-like nose and smiled: "Hmph, this is more like it."

  Yue Lingshan gently patted his hand away and scolded: "Don't ever pinch my nose again."

  Ling Jing shrugged indifferently and joked a few more times before sending Yue Lingxuan down the mountain just before nightfall.

  He watched Ling Shan's figure disappear from view on the mountain, and only then did he suddenly sneer, thinking to himself: "Lin Pingzhi, you useless thing, better behave yourself at the foot of the mountain, or else don't blame me for being ruthless."

  For two months, he had almost nothing to gain on this cliff, and his mood was already bad. He had carefully explored many places in the cave, but still had no discoveries, and his heart was getting anxious. Fortunately, the system hadn't released any mainline tasks recently, so he dared to continue wasting time on this mountain.

  However, Lin Pingzhi is now attracting Yue Lingxuan's attention at the foot of the mountain. He was naturally very uncomfortable in his heart. If it weren't for Yue Buqun's strict order not to go down the mountain privately, he would have rushed down the mountain and taught that little boy a lesson.

  P.S: Actually I really want to write Linglong quickly, but the original plot is basically like this, and it's not very smooth to write...