If Lianshan Xin remembered correctly, there had been rumors linking Kong Ningyuan and Zeng Ningbing.
Yet Kong Ningyuan had told him with his own mouth that his heart already belonged to someone else—only for his beloved to later be taken as a concubine by his own father.
That was a sorrowful tale of clan education.
As for the rumors involving Zeng Ningbing, Kong Ningyuan had never gone into detail.
Connecting this to Luo Panlan's words, Lianshan Xin couldn't help pondering it. "Is Madam Huang suggesting that 'Fairy Ningbing' might hold a grudge against me? I've never even met her. What enmity could there possibly be between us?"
Luo Panlan's tone turned somewhat peculiar. "Young Master Xin truly doesn't know?"
"Please speak plainly, Madam Huang."
"Elder Zeng had originally reached an agreement with the Kong clan to reserve the Kong clan's Bailudong Academy recommendation slot this year for Fairy Ningbing. But later, the sixth young master of the Kong clan went to the Deputy Mountain Master... to Thousand Faces, and swapped the recommendation slot to Young Master Xin."
Lianshan Xin: "..."
This was the first time he had ever heard of this.
"Brother Kong never mentioned this to me."
Luo Panlan looked at him with an increasingly strange expression. "The sixth young master of the Kong clan possesses a keen eye for talent. He recognized Young Master Xin's extraordinary potential early on, and in hindsight, it has become quite the charming tale. However, by acting in such a manner, the sixth young master caused relations between the Kong clan and the alliance to grow somewhat strained. And Fairy Ningbing believes that Young Master Xin stole her slot."
Lianshan Xin felt this was an unwarranted disaster dropped straight into his lap.
He had been kept in the dark the entire time.
Yet he certainly couldn't blame Kong Ningyuan.
On the contrary, this only proved that Kong Ningyuan was even more worthy of deep friendship.
As for the trouble Zeng Ningbing might bring...
Lianshan Xin gave a light chuckle. "In all of this, it seems I didn't do anything wrong from start to finish, did I?"
Luo Panlan nodded repeatedly. "Of course Young Master Xin did nothing wrong. It's just that Ningbing is still young and has been spoiled rotten within the alliance. She might be a bit unreasonable, so I ask that Young Master Xin show some magnanimity."
Lianshan Xin gave Luo Panlan a deep, meaningful look before speaking with great significance: "Rest assured. If 'Fairy Ningbing' truly comes looking for trouble with me, I will be sure to entertain her properly."
He had just been thinking that the daughter of a branch leader lacked sufficient weight, and now the daughter of an elder was already knocking at the door.
Luo Panlan clearly sensed that Lianshan Xin wasn't speaking with goodwill, so she reminded him once more, "Ningbing is already a martial artist in the middle stage of the Qi Condensation realm."
The implication was clear: *You are no match for her.*
Of course, not just any random person could see through Lianshan Xin's current cultivation realm.
Looking at it this way, his father's eyesight truly wasn't mere boasting; he was indeed worthy of being a divine doctor who treated the four examinations—observing, listening, inquiring, and palpating—as his signature expertise.
Lianshan Xin showed solemn respect. "The middle stage of the Qi Condensation realm at eighteen years old? She truly is a young prodigy."
Luo Panlan had no idea that the object of Lianshan Xin's solemn respect was Lianshan Jingcheng.
Nor did she realize that Lianshan Xin was secretly praising himself.
She simply felt a shared sense of pride. "Indeed, Ningbing truly lives up to the name of prodigy. Elder Zeng's expectation for Ningbing is to enter the Hidden Dragon Rankings before the age of twenty."
Huang Jingji sighed with emotion. "Which means Elder Zeng believes she has hopes of reaching the True Intent realm before twenty?"
"Naturally."
Lianshan Xin showed solemn respect once again. "The True Intent realm at twenty? How formidable."
Barring any accidents, he would reach the True Intent realm very soon himself.
"Geniuses always have poor tempers. Young Master Xin ought to be mentally prepared," Luo Panlan warned.
What could Lianshan Xin say?
He could only thank Luo Panlan once more for the warning: "The Golden Scale Alliance truly lives up to its reputation. Its foundation is profound, and prodigies emerge in droves. Although I have Nine Heavens backing me, I understand that Nine Heavens being strong and me being strong are two entirely different matters."
Luo Panlan's expression shifted slightly. "Young Master Xin, that wasn't my meaning."
"Whether it was or not, I understand clearly enough. Gang Leader Huang, let's go."
Lianshan Xin wasted no more breath on Luo Panlan.
Catching the underlying tone—people from Shandong were especially adept at that.
Luo Panlan's purpose just now hadn't been to give a warning; she had been flexing her muscles.
She was flexing her muscles at him, someone who had only just joined Nine Heavens.
Such an attitude stood in stark contrast to Huang Jingji's fawning sycophancy.
Lianshan Xin disliked this attitude.
Stepping through the main gates of the Thorn Gang, Lianshan Xin halted his steps.
"Gang Leader Huang, your wife... truly is fiercely loyal to the Golden Scale Alliance."
Huang Jingji had clearly noticed that Luo Panlan had been trying to dampen Lianshan Xin's spirit just now.
He smiled bitterly. "My wife is different from me. She grew up in the alliance from childhood, and her father is a branch leader, so her loyalty to the Golden Scale Alliance is naturally stronger than mine. But rest assured, Young Master Xin, she was at most showing off with her words. She would never dare offend you."
"She doesn't dare offend me, but does she dare offend you?" Lianshan Xin asked.
Huang Jingji puffed out his chest at once. "Young Master Xin, it's not Old Huang boasting, but I still hold authority at home, especially when it comes to the bedroom arts. I wouldn't say my wife obeys my every word, but she is often thoroughly subdued by me."
"Is that so?"
Lianshan Xin was exceedingly skeptical.
"Gang Leader Huang, you don't understand women. Many times, just to go along with a man, a woman will pretend to be thrilled. In truth, even her cries are faked."
Mainly, based on the secrets he had glimpsed, Luo Panlan hardly looked like a woman who had been thoroughly subdued by Huang Jingji.
Huang Jingji could tolerate other insults, but he could not bear Lianshan Xin questioning his virility. He quickly retorted, "Young Master Xin, you're still young and don't understand the wonders of the bedroom arts. In this life, Old Huang might be useless at martial arts, but my virility has always stood tall. Everyone who's experienced it sings my praises."
Pausing, Huang Jingji cleared his throat softly and added, "I also regularly take the pills your esteemed father invented. Every time after taking them, I, who was already mighty to begin with, become even mightier."
"Now that makes sense."
Lianshan Xin gave a slight nod.
Evidently, when it came to the bedroom arts, Huang Jingji was a classic case of an average man dripping with unwarranted confidence.
A woman cried out a couple of times, and he truly believed he was incredible.
Little did he know it was just the woman's acting that was incredible.
"Let's go."
"Young Master Xin, you're heading the wrong way."
"No, I'm not. We're going to my home to see my father."
"Why look for your esteemed father?" Huang Jingji was surprised.
"Do you know what my father is best at?"
Huang Jingji chuckled slyly. "Who doesn't know that? Doctor Lianshan is best at miraculous healing, restoring men's virility."
In truth, that wasn't what Lianshan Jingcheng was best at.
It was Lianshan Xin who had advised him that if he wanted the clinic's business to boom, he needed to make virility pills his specialty.
Lianshan Jingcheng had given it a try.
Business had immediately tripled.
From then on, what Lianshan Jingcheng was publicly renowned for became men's health.
"Good that you know. Let my father have a look at you."
"Young Master Xin, I have no problems in that area."
"What you say doesn't count. We'll listen to my father."
Lianshan Xin now placed great trust in Lianshan Jingcheng's medical skills.
Even if Lianshan Jingcheng couldn't detect Huang Jingji's issue, Xin could simply tell him in private.
Yet Lianshan Jingcheng did not disappoint Lianshan Xin.
A quarter of an hour later.
Lianshan Jingcheng lifted his hand from Huang Jingji's pulse and, with utter gravity, delivered an unbearable verdict: "Gang Leader Huang, you lost your fertility ten years ago. It appears to be linked to the cultivation technique you practice."
Huang Jingji's face turned deathly pale.
Lianshan Xin consoled him, "Old Huang, don't worry. Though you're infertile, the good news is that you're blessed with a houseful of children."
Chapter 44