That couldn't be real! Having been trapped there for ages, Lin Xiao couldn't have made it!
While Wu Gui was questioning the possibility of Lin Xiao's survival, Lin Xiao broke the ice"Brother Wu, we've been missing each other for a while! I've been thinking a lot about you lately!"
"Jeez! Walking dead!"Wu Gui freaked out, almost swooning with fright. He was too stressed to take Lin's greetings.
Wu flopped down, kneeling and kowtowing nonstop. He begged for Lin's mercy, cap in hands, "Brother Lin, Granddad Lin, please spare me! I didn't push you down!"
Lin fell in a daze for a minute, not knowing what to do. Hardly had he figured out what to say, Li Taixuan came back to himself and approached him in ecstasy. After looking him over from head to toe, Li took his arm and hastened to ask, "Lin Xiao, you okay?"
"Suzerain, thanks for asking. I'm good. I just popped down there and went for a stroll." Lin Xiao could tell that Li was ready to rescue him based on Li's agitation. He imagined Li being plagued by his days of absence, which aroused a sense of gratitude and remorse in him.
"How could it be possible you're in decent condition?! You've regressed in terms of your martial environment! Lin Xiao, follow the priest to the Danling Clan, I assure you will have better prospects there." Being beaten to it by Li Taixuan, Shan Chengfeng could wait no more. He rushed to grasp Lin's other arm.
Lin had long recognized Shan's identity--the guy who he bumped into at the Elixir Furnace Hall, but he couldn't for the life of him expect Shan was desperately keen on him. In fact, Lin barely had any idea about Shan's background or what the Danling Clan was like.
Realizing that the junior martial brother was relatively green without sufficient knowledge about the other clans, Li hurried to brief him.
"Lin Xiao, the Danling Clan, specializing in alchemy, was ranked as one of the top five clans in Chijing Prefecture. It's in name and in fact a prestigious clan. And this is the great senior of the Danling Clan, the Esteemed Priest Shan."
"Esteemed Priest, nice to meet you." Lin Xiao extended a cordial greeting.
"Nice to meet you, too!" Shan responded hastily with a satisfied smile. The more he looked at Lin, the more pleasant Lin appeared. He went on persuading Lin systematically, "Lin Xiao, I might not be competent in other spheres, but when it came to alchemy, you know I hardly have an equal in the whole prefecture. Given you are wonderfully talented in this field, boasting sublime fire-control mudra techniques, you'll sit on the helm of the junior generation if you return to the Danling Clan with me!"
Although Lin had long seen it coming, Li Taixuan still got astonished on hearing Shan saying it himself. It was note-worthy that Lin's physical advantages and acute perception were hard to come by, compounded with his innate talent in alchemy and Shan's promise of the throne, all of which were way too inconceivable!
As everyone knew, the Danling Clan was a simon-pure great clan, boasting numerous talents. One could imagine the amount of importance Shan attached to Lin by granting him the power of governance.
Presently the unusual scene of Lin Xiao coming out popped up in Li, which was just like that of the youthful Dizun, though Li had never seen it in person. Such great-master-to-be could by no means be snatched up by other clans!
Li had made up his mind. He decided to keep Lin Xiao here bu fair means or foul come what might, even if Lin Xiao gave his permission or Shan Chengfeng got offended.
Compared to Li's ambivalent mindset, Shan appeared at ease, beaming with a bright smile.
Shan had been waiting for Lin's permission. He had firm faith in his own status and competence. After all, there was no comparison between the Danling Clan and the Taixuan Clan, a mere third-rater.
What was more important, even a fool wouldn't turn away such a favorable offer, not to mention Lin Xiao, an unraveled elite who had so marvelous a command of the fire-control mudra.
As a matter of fact, just like what Shan had in mind, Lin made his decision forthwith.