Chapter 51: Scheming (Part 2)

  Transtor: Krukist

  Hearing Shuitian’s words, Han Ya blinked, her instinct to refuse bubbling up. But after a moment’s thought, she nodded.

  Regret nibbled at her—she should’ve whisked Lin Liraight back. Skipping this detht’ve dodged the mess. Yet, she couldn’t deny the trip’s worth. How else would she have caught Lin Yu’s wild streak?

  Lin Lihough naive, wasn’t dim. She gaped, stunned by Lin Yu’s brash words—so uhe humble brother she knew. Whispering, “Brother’s… so cool,” she marveled. His bold taunts, delivered with unshakable poise, lit stars in her eyes.

  Han Ya agreed, “For teiques, I’ll spend a week finding the best basies for Lin Yu—maybe even teach him a matg Human-Grade skill ter.”

  Teiques and arts split into Heaveh, and Human tiers, each with High, Middle, and Low ranks. Even the weakest Human-Grade, Low-Tier skills suited te Sed-Grade cultivators—raeiques draioo much otherwise.

  Shuitian bowed slightly. Though outranking Han Ya, her aid earned his gratitude. “Lin Yu’s roped me into his scheme, but I’m willing. Thanks, Han Ya—I owe you one.”

  Her eyes gleamed. “Seems Puye wants my all. Your favor’s worth more thahousand gold.”

  He smiled. “If I hold the Dining Pavilion, the Academy bees *my* Academy. One favor’s nothing.”

  Lin Yu’s chest thumped. Shuitian’s strength eluded him, but his clout alone pegged that favor far above Han Ya’s “ten thousand.” He’d aimed for resourow he bowed, voice grave. “Thank you, Shuitian, for your heart.”

  Shuitian waved it off. “I dragged you into this mess. Get strong, and you’ll respect me ter. This is mostly for me anyway.”

  Han Ya slid over, sitting beside them. “Since Puye’s got a pn, I won’t dawdle.”

  Her gaze fixed on Lin Yu. “We brought you to grasp the Dining Pavilion’s deal, but clearly the Houses—and others—’t wait. Skip it this month. Stay here tonight—tomorrow, I’ll send someone for you.” She g Shuitian. “I’m a Mystic Martialist—no clue on Body Fer training. I’ll pick the best from my crew to teach you teiques and bat.”

  Shuitian nodded. Han Ya’s ties limited her overt help, but her itment to Lin Yu’s skills eased his mind. “Perfect.”

  “You’ve got seven days,” he told Lin Yu. “The st twenty-three, I’ll set up other training. You dug this hole—three months shrunk to one.”

  Lin Yu grinned, unbothered. “Three months drags—I seize the day! If I had real fidence, I’d crush He Wu in seven.”

  *No fidence? Just a month?* Shuitian’s tongue clicked, stumped on sizing up this kid. Turning to Lin Ling’er, he smiled. “Han Ya, she’s Lin Yu’s sister. Mihis month—she’s your prep for the future too.”

  Han Ya frowned, waving him off. “ Puye, butt out! Ling’er’s my only disciple—I’d treat her top-notch regardless.”

  Lin Yu caught Shuitian poking Han Ya’s soft spot. g, he beamed, “With a pn, I’m set!”

  A mere title stint, as Shuitian first pitched, would’ve left him edgy—blind to the undercurrents, a pawhey broke. Now, with He Wu barging in, Lin Yu could ter loud and clear. Sure, he’d draw heat, but it untahe web.

  He Wu’s bold challe Shuitian’s doorstep wasn’t just the Houses’ py—Lin Yu saw deeper. Shuitian wasn’t the Academy’s shteous pilr. Dissent brewed, and logic poio one of the other two Puye, covert or overt, g with him.

  Lost in thought, Lin Yu stood, annoyed. “Almost fot—I promised Southwestern Marquis I’d cook for Miss Nan! Five hundred Spirit Stones a meal! Now I’m here…”

  Shuitian, mid-plotting Lin Yu’s training, nearly yanked his beard off. *Now he’s fretting over five hundred Spirit Stones? Vice Head of the Dining Pavilion—a First-Grade Spirit Chef—and that’s your rate?*

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