The Decaying World-Chapter 54 - 49: Perilous Situation (Part 1)

With the increase in his Body Technique’s speed, Lin Hui now went home to rest almost every day.

After all, the trip back from the Qingfeng Sword Sect only took half an hour, and it also served as practice for his Body Technique.

After finishing his sword practice, evening began to fall.

He quickly returned to the outskirts of Xinyu Town just as he always did. As he reached his front door, he found the courtyard gate wide open. The inside was completely empty, save for a few burly men who seemed to have just finished moving everything. They were sitting on the ground, wiping sweat from their brows with towels.

Seeing him arrive, the men quickly stood up and bowed.

"Ah, Young Master Hui, you’re back! The Master and Madam have already gone to the new house. This courtyard and house have been sold. They told us to show you the way there."

one of the men, a bald man, said with a beaming smile.

’We’re moving again?’ Lin Hui was stunned. ’Didn’t we just move here? Has it even been two years?’

’Looks like Dad has really struck it rich.’

"Take me there, if you would." His mind was racing, but his expression remained calm.

"Right away! My name is Lei Song, I’m the crew leader the Master just hired. Young Master Hui, if you need anything in the future, just give the word. Odd jobs, repairs, running errands—we can do it all!" the bald man said with an eager, fawning smile.

"Alright. Lead the way for now." Lin Hui nodded.

He took one last look at the courtyard he had lived in for such a short time, an inexplicable feeling of reluctance in his heart.

Glancing up at the sky, he saw there was still about an hour until dark. He finally turned and followed the bald Lei Song, walking quickly away from the courtyard.

He didn’t have anything to pack. Ninety percent of his belongings were in his private courtyard at the Sword Sect. This place was really just a spare home he occasionally returned to. His parents had probably already moved his things.

Lei Song and two other men quickly locked the gate, then led Lin Hui toward the center of town.

Before long, they passed through the suburbs and arrived in front of a large, white-walled compound at least five times bigger than their previous home.

This could no longer be called a courtyard; it should be called a mansion.

Lin Hui stood before the main entrance, looking up at the three-meter-high vermilion doors. A black plaque with red characters hung above them, bearing the two large words "Lin Mansion."

’Dad has really, truly hit the jackpot...’ He felt he might have severely underestimated the speed of his father’s success...

"Young Master Hui, please, come in this way." Lei Song led the way through a small side gate, beckoning to him.

Lin Hui followed him inside. The interior revealed a massive, square courtyard more than twice the size of the Lin Family’s Zong Family estate. It was exquisitely detailed with rockeries, pavilions, small bridges, and flowing water. In some corners, leftover construction materials were still piled up against the walls.

A dozen or so workers bustled about, carrying furniture into the rooms.

His father was directing them with his hands behind his back. When he saw Lin Hui enter, a smile immediately bloomed on his face, a smile tinged with unconcealable pride.

Walking over, Lin Shunhe clapped his son on the shoulder.

"Not bad. You’ve gotten taller and sturdier!"

"Dad, you struck it rich again?" Lin Hui surveyed the entire estate. From his vantage point, he could see past the eaves to a continuous stretch of wooden buildings that seemed to have no end. One of the buildings at the front was a full three stories tall, with what looked to be at least thirty rooms at a glance.

Even he couldn’t help but be shocked as he made a quick mental calculation of the mansion’s price.

"What do you mean, ’again’? Your father has never been short on money." Lin Shunhe raised an eyebrow. He waved for Lei Song and his men to get back to work.

"Actually, I just happened to find a new channel and made a huge profit. You know how it is with the black mist... it’s both a danger and a business opportunity. Plus, with my killer instincts, I snagged a massive deal. Not only did I make money, but I also established a new connection, hehe..." At this, Lin Shunhe couldn’t contain his smugness, his smile so wide it threatened to carve new crow’s feet into his face.

"I won’t ask about the specifics of the deal, but you have to be careful." Lin Hui frowned.

"Don’t worry, when have I ever been careless? Do you even need to tell me that? Oh, right." Lin Shunhe paused as if remembering something. "The Steel Fist brothers I just hired invited their master over this morning. I’ve successfully hired him to be our family’s resident Martial Artist. The contract is already signed, and he’ll be moving in after a while, so be polite. This master goes by the nickname Hundred-Step Divine Fist. He’s seventy-six this year, his Hard Skills are incredibly strong, and he’s an Inner Strength master who also came from Xingdiao."

"..." Lin Hui was speechless. He hadn’t even reached the Inner Power Realm himself, yet his father had already gone and hired an Inner Power Realm Martial Artist...

’Is this for real!?’

He had been feeling quite proud of himself for hunting materials worth hundreds of thousands a day, even thinking about moving the whole family into the Inner City. But now...

"Seventy-six... He’s even older than my master. Is he still capable?" He voiced his doubt softly.

"That just shows what you don’t know. When I met him, I thought this Hundred-Step Divine Fist was only forty. He looks incredibly young for his age," Lin Shunhe said with an impressed sigh.

"Fine... I get it." Lin Hui sighed.

"When you have free time, don’t just focus on your Swordsmanship. You need to spend some time with me, learning the business channels and connections. I’m getting too busy to handle it all, and you’re our only son... As for experts, you can hire any you want with enough money. Your Swordsmanship is good enough for staying fit..." his dad started nagging again.

Ever since his business had taken off, his attitude toward the Qingfeng Sword had done a complete 180.

"Alright, I know. Let’s not talk about this. Where’s Mom?" Lin Hui started walking toward the main hall’s entrance.

"She went to rest. She’s been busy all day, from morning till just now. Arranging objects, managing things, cleaning up, inspections... you have to watch over everything. Otherwise, it’s easy to get ripped off, tricked, or even have things stolen," Lin Shunhe replied.

"Also, you enjoy practicing your skills and Body Tempering. I heard from the Steel Fist guys that Body Tempering can be accelerated with certain nourishing medicines. I wonder if that would be useful for you?"

"It is, but I don’t need it anymore." Lin Hui nodded.

"Is that so?" Lin Shunhe pondered for a moment. "What about those that increase stamina and strengthen one’s vitality?"

"Increase stamina?" Lin Hui was taken aback. Those kinds of medicinal herbs were practically hard currency—incredibly rare. Any that were effective for someone of his level were snatched up the moment they appeared on the market.

"What’s the age?" he asked in a low voice. If he could really get his hands on some, the boost in stamina could significantly reduce his Blood Seal’s evolution time.

"The formula is based on herbs that are mostly over ten years old. I managed to acquire a recipe for Full Essence Powder. One dose costs forty thousand. Try it first, and if it works, you can continue using it long-term," Lin Shunhe replied gravely.

"Dad, you’re amazing!" This time, Lin Hui was genuinely shocked. He had asked his master, Mingde, about this before and knew that these types of herbs were almost completely monopolized by the Inner City’s Three Sects and Six Gangs. The Outer City only had immature herbs to use in formulas, and their effects were basically useless.

But now his dad actually had a way to get them...

"Of course! How else could I be your father?" Lin Shunhe laughed, stroking the freshly trimmed goatee on his chin with a triumphant look in his eyes.

The two of them entered the main hall. The wall directly ahead was still bare, with no calligraphy or paintings yet hung. On either side were two small doors leading to the central courtyard.

"Go left here, and after you enter, turn left again. That’s your bedroom, a training ground, a small parlor for reading, resting, and receiving guests. There’s also a loft you can arrange as you like, for storage or other purposes," his dad explained. "Through the door on the right are two buildings. They are the quarters for the Martial Artist, the Nursing Home, and the hired servants. You can get familiar with it all later."

"Does our family really need a place this big?" Lin Hui was speechless.

"We need it. Why wouldn’t we?" his dad chuckled, not elaborating further.

"Wait a minute... Dad, you haven’t gotten carried away, have you?" Lin Hui narrowed his eyes, sensing something was off.

"Sigh, you figured it out... But you would have found out sooner or later anyway. Your mother has already agreed." Lin Shunhe stopped walking, his expression a mixture of complexity and tenderness.

"Who is it?" Lin Hui asked in a low voice.

"Some time ago, on a business trip, I ran into some trouble and was unexpectedly saved. She was the one who saved me. She’s a generous person from an extraordinary background, but she just happens to like me... I couldn’t resist at the time, and then she got pregnant..." Dad had a helpless look on his face.

"..." Lin Hui understood instantly.

No wonder his dad had suddenly become so successful. He’d thought that even with the ideas he provided, the pace of development was just too fast. He never expected...

Now, the truth was finally out.

"Then what about my mom?" he asked quickly.

"Things will stay the same, of course. Your mother will be the primary wife, and the other is willing to be the secondary. Their status will be equal," his dad said seriously.

"Dad, you really are..." Lin Hui didn’t know what to say.

Although it was perfectly normal in this world for a capable man to have multiple partners, it felt strange when it happened in his own family.

"Sigh... She and her two children will be moving in as well. They’re around your age. When you meet them, be polite," Lin Shunhe sighed.

"I’ll try. It depends on their attitude," Lin Hui said, at a loss for words.

His dad patted him on the shoulder and said no more.

After showing his son around the entire mansion, the family of three had dinner in a 200-square-meter dining hall in the central courtyard.

Because of the mist, all the courtyards and halls were connected by fully enclosed corridors with windows.

It was the same here.

A steady stream of new dishes was brought from the kitchen. For just the three of them, fifteen different dishes were served...

This level of luxury far surpassed anything they had before.

But even with the abundance of dishes, many of which were complicated to prepare, Lin Hui still felt the atmosphere during the meal was awkward.

His mother, Yao Shan, however, acted just as she always had, seemingly holding no resentment toward the incoming second wife.

Not only that, she even comforted Lin Hui, telling him that the second wife, a woman named Liu Shenglan, was gentle, generous, and extremely well-mannered. Her two children were also well-read and polite. Plus, since the children were born in the Inner City, they would rarely come to stay, so he didn’t have to worry about the awkwardness of living together long-term. She told Lin Hui to relax.

The mention of them living long-term in the Inner City only made Lin Hui more worried.

’The difference in their backgrounds is too great. If they don’t get along, my own mother might end up having to treat her like royalty.’

But his mother had already accepted it. He had nothing more to say and could only accept it himself.

After the meal, servants came forward to clear the table, and Lin Hui went to rest in his new room for the first time.

After washing up, he lay on his bed and gazed at the hazy moonlight outside. The light cast a jumble of strange, flickering shadows on the window.

It was the night’s mist, distorting the surroundings again.

The Jade Talisman hanging by the window swayed gently, releasing a layer of power imperceptible to Lin Hui, which kept the mist at bay.

’This might be for the best. At least Dad might have a few more kids now, so I won’t be the only one they worry about all day.’

Lin Hui knew exactly what his parents were thinking these days.

Compared to his peers, he was already considered accomplished. He couldn’t compare to a Summoner, but he was in the top tier of those below them.

To the neighbors, he was the "kid from the other family"—the perfect child. He never had to worry about food or drink and could even support his family, but practicing martial arts was, in the end, far too dangerous.

Whenever you had to get personally involved in a fight, accidents were bound to happen.

When faced with danger, wasn’t it better to just spend money and hire someone to handle it? Why, when there was a safer way, did he have to personally step up and fight?

If he continued training, continued to move in the circles of martial artists, there would be many times when he would have no choice but to fight.