“So you’re saying… the Patriarch wants me to return?”
Lin Wuming glanced at the Lin family envoy, his tone flat and emotionless.
“That’s right. The Patriarch and the Elders are all waiting for your return…”
“And what if I say no?”
Lin Wuming let out a light chuckle.
Honestly, if not for what had happened the night before, he might’ve actually considered it when the family came calling.
But after the Lin family had sent an assassin after him?
Why should he go back?
To walk straight into their trap?
He wasn’t stupid.
Of course, he wasn’t going to agree.
“Young Master, are you sure?”
The man didn’t seem surprised at all by Lin Wuming’s refusal.
He simply smiled and said…
“Now that you’ve stepped onto the path of cultivation, surely you understand how important resources are?”
“You mean… if I go back, you’ll give me spirit stones?”
Lin Wuming shrugged.
Even if that were true, there was no way he’d be naive enough to fall for it.
Survival always came first.
Besides, would they really give him spirit stones?
He didn’t believe it for a second.
“The family wouldn’t treat you poorly. More importantly…” the envoy continued, “Young Master, surely you haven’t forgotten what day it is two days from now?”
Lin Wuming frowned slightly—then it hit him.
“You mean… the Family Tournament?”
“The Family Tournament is a tradition of Luoshui City. All participants come from the Four Great Families. The top contenders receive rewards from both the families and the City Lord himself. These rewards are far more generous than anything from the Wan Yin Conference. Don’t you want to try for such a chance?”
“No interest.”
Lin Wuming scoffed.
Everything the man said was true.
The Family Tournament did offer lavish rewards—so much so that even just placing in the top three was better than winning the Wan Yin Conference.
But no matter how great the reward, you had to be alive to receive it.
Ever since last night, Lin Wuming had been pondering one thing: Why did the Lin family want him dead?
He had no enmity with them and was technically one of their own.
Now that he’d become a gifted cultivator, it should’ve been in the family’s interest to support him—so why would they send someone to kill him?
After thinking it through, there seemed to be only one possible explanation:
It probably had to do with his fiancée…
Her status was likely far more distinguished than he had initially thought.
And now, with the Lin family specifically coming to find him, that theory was further confirmed.
The logic behind it wasn’t hard to deduce.
They were probably trying to lure him back—so they could get rid of him without drawing suspicion.
Did they really think he was so clueless?
Or maybe they didn’t even know their assassin had already been exposed?
At the moment, it seemed they were too afraid of Miss Liu’s background to act openly.
More likely, the trap had been moved into the Family Tournament itself.
Still… why should he walk into it for the sake of a few spirit stones?
Even if the tournament winner earned fifteen mid-grade spirit stones, it wasn’t worth the risk.
He could always earn money later, but his life?
That he only had one of.
But just as Lin Wuming was firm in his rejection, and the middle-aged envoy began to look troubled, unsure how to complete the Grand Elder’s assignment…
[System prompt: The Family Tournament is a lead for the task “Resolve Family Affairs.” Please choose carefully.]
Lin Wuming’s expression froze.
“A task lead? So if I don’t participate, I can’t complete the mission?” he asked mentally.
[Correct. If this task isn’t completed, future tasks cannot be unlocked.]
“Tch.”
Lin Wuming clicked his tongue.
This system was getting more and more annoying.
And to think he once thought it was a unique and clever cheat!
This mission alone wasn’t that big of a deal—but being locked out of future missions?
That was a serious problem.
Right now, he had just begun his cultivation journey.
He lacked almost everything.
The system was his only shortcut—his only real advantage over the so-called sect-born geniuses.
No transmigrator in their right mind would discard their golden finger.
But still… should he go?
Lin Wuming frowned deeply, lost in thought.
To be fair, if the Lin family couldn’t openly act against him, then setting a trap within the Family Tournament might not be that effective either.
He knew the strength of those so-called “geniuses” from the other families.
Last night’s assassin had been at the Core Formation Realm, and Lin Wuming had still managed to deal with him.
Those tournament participants were probably just a notch stronger—or even weaker.
They weren’t necessarily a threat.
But that logic assumed the Lin family played fair.
If they truly wanted him dead, they might do something underhanded…
“I don’t plan on competing… unless, of course, I win the tournament and the family gives me a special reward.”
The middle-aged man had been fretting over how to fulfill the Grand Elder’s orders—how to trick Lin Wuming into coming back.
But hearing this, he secretly grinned.
‘So this brat’s just greedy after all…’
“If Young Master performs well in the tournament, the family certainly won’t treat you unfairly,” he replied quickly.
“Good. Then it’s settled. But I have one more condition…”
“Please, go ahead.”
“I want to return to the family tomorrow.”
“No problem!”
The envoy agreed instantly.
He had expected something difficult.
But this?
It fit the Grand Elder’s plan perfectly—using tomorrow’s merchant caravan as a cover to secretly bring him back.
‘This kid’s really jumping into his own grave…’
“Then that’s all. It’s getting late, I’ll go rest now.”
“Please do, Young Master. Rest well and prepare to dominate the Family Tournament. The Patriarch and Elders will surely reward you handsomely!”
“Mm.”
Lin Wuming nodded, putting on an excited face as if he were barely containing his joy, and quickly walked out of the room.
The middle-aged man watched him leave, a hint of disdain in his eyes.
‘Just a lucky fledgling. If we really wanted him dead, it’d be too easy…’
He had no idea—Lin Wuming was smiling too, but for a very different reason.
He didn’t return to his room.
Instead, he went straight to a medicine shop.
He didn’t have much money left, but buying some affordable herbs was still well within reach.
‘Lin family… looks like your plan might fall apart after all…’
Lin Wuming had full confidence he could counter their schemes.
But he also knew better than to rely solely on confidence.
He needed insurance.
He knew exactly where the Lin family’s plan was weakest.
He also knew that if he misstepped—if he fell for their tricks, or if they grew desperate and resorted to something extreme—there was only one person who could save him.
And unfortunately… he might need to trouble her once again.