Bai Ruo saw that Lin Yan seemed a bit lost in thought. Not knowing what was on his mind, she smiled and said, "Young Master Lin, the banquet has yet to begin. If you don’t mind, shall I show you around the gardens?"
"I am at your disposal," Lin Yan nodded.
Bai Ruo turned to lead the way. Her dress swayed gently with her steps, her waist swaying gracefully—a display of natural charm.
The Bai Family’s garden was quite large. After passing a spirit screen, they walked down a small bluestone path flanked by swaying green bamboo. Passing through a moon gate, a pool of jade-green water came into view.
The garden scenery was beautiful, and with Bai Ruo’s soft, gentle voice narrating beside him, Lin Yan began to relax.
When they arrived before a lakeside pavilion, Bai Ruo suddenly asked, "I hear you are twenty this year, Young Master Lin?"
"I’ll be twenty-one after the New Year."
Lin Yan didn’t know what this Miss Bai’s intentions were in asking his age, but he didn’t hide it. It was nothing to be ashamed of, so there was no need for secrecy.
"What do you mean by that, Miss Bai?"
This time, instead of answering, Lin Yan fixed his gaze on Bai Ruo.
Under Lin Yan’s gaze, Bai Ruo showed not a hint of panic. "If Young Master Lin has such an ambition, our Bai Family is willing to lend you a hand."
"Your Bai Family wants to sponsor me?"
Lin Yan was reminded of that sister-in-law from the Lin Mansion, who had also approached him of her own accord.
"Not sponsor."
Bai Ruo shook her head slightly, her beautiful eyes blinking. "It’s a loan."
’A loan?’
Seeing the doubt in Lin Yan’s eyes, Bai Ruo gave a captivating smile. "To break through to the True Gang Realm within eight years, you’ll need to advance one Transformation every two years. The Lin Clan gives its Blood Exchange Realm members like you three Bodhi Pills a month, but a mere three pills is nowhere near enough. My Bai Family, however, can lend you Contribution Points. You can pay them back after you break through to the True Gang Force. Of course... we won’t charge any interest."
Hearing Bai Ruo’s words, Lin Yan laughed as well.
’They call it a loan, but it’s really just sponsorship.’
’Using the word "loan" just creates a stronger tie.’
"Please forgive my phrasing, Young Master Lin. The amount of Contribution Points my Bai Family can acquire each year is limited, and many of our own disciples are also waiting to exchange them for resources from the Lin Family. That is why we can only temporarily lend them to you."
"You’re too kind, Miss Bai. I am already immensely grateful that your esteemed family is willing to lend me Contribution Points."
Lin Yan knew that subordinate families like the Bai Family could also obtain Contribution Points from the Lin Family.
The difference was that the rate at which these subordinate families acquired Contribution Points was much lower than for the main clan members. For example, if a Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing clan member from the main family received one hundred Contribution Points for the same merchant escort mission, a Fourth-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist from a subordinate family would only get half that.
However, the advantage for subordinate families like the Bai Family was their sheer numbers. They could arrange for many clan members to take on missions for Contribution Points, pool them together, and cultivate the promising disciples within the family.
As for the clan members who completed these missions, they would turn their Contribution Points over to the family in exchange for silver taels, which they could then use to buy the Martial Arts Resources they needed.
Martial Arts Resources for realms below Blood Exchange could all be purchased on the open market with money; the only difference would be in quality.
Lin Yan didn’t ask what would happen if he failed to break through to the True Gang Realm and couldn’t repay the debt.
’Judging by Miss Bai’s posture, if I can’t pay the debt... my ’little brother’ is going to have to suffer for it.’
The two entered the pavilion, where a tea set was already laid out. Bai Ruo personally poured the tea, its fragrant steam curling into the air.
Lin Yan accepted the tea, pondered for a moment, and said, "Miss Bai, there is a matter I would like to ask the Bai Family for help with."
Bai Ruo lifted her gaze. "Please speak, Young Master Lin."
"I’d like the Bai Family to help me find someone."
"Find someone?"
"My uncle, Lin Yan. Seven years ago, he was conscripted for corvée labor and sent from Deng State to Qing State. He’s been missing ever since, his whereabouts unknown."
From the start, Lin Yan had decided to be truthful about asking the Bai Family to find his uncle. As for the Bai Family wondering why his uncle would be subjected to corvée labor, or them sending people to Deng State to investigate his background, he wasn’t concerned.
His identity as a member of a branch of the Lin Family was genuine.
Hearing Lin Yan’s story about his uncle disappearing during corvée labor, Bai Ruo was indeed filled with doubt. She lifted her teacup and took a light sip, hiding the astonishment on her face.
Although Deng State was some distance from Qing State, both were part of Shandong Dao. Corvée labor was something that only happened to the common folk; Martial Artist Clans were exempt.
If Lin Yan’s own uncle had been subjected to corvée labor, it meant Lin Yan’s family circumstances were poor.
It wasn’t unheard of for a branch of the Lin Family to fall into decline, but if his branch had fallen to the level of commoners, how did Lin Yan manage to reach the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing by the age of twenty?
’Unless... Lin Yan’s talent for Martial Arts is terrifyingly strong?’
Bai Ruo grew excited by her own discovery. Her delicate body trembled, and beneath her skirt, she couldn’t stop her fair legs from twisting together. If her judgment was correct, Lin Yan’s talent was far more astonishing than what he currently revealed.
’The family’s heavy bet on Lin Yan is absolutely worth it.’
"Young Master Lin..."
Just as she began to speak, Bai Ruo realized her voice was a little hoarse—her mouth had gone dry from the excitement. She quickly took another sip of tea to moisten her throat before saying solemnly, "Rest assured, Young Master Lin. Our Bai Family will do everything in our power to help you find your uncle."
’A corvée case from seven years ago won’t be easy to track.’
’But if he came from Deng State, there should be some clues. And with the Bai Family’s network, the investigation should still be quite easy.’
"Then I must thank you, Miss Bai."
That night, in the Bai Family’s main hall, the servants retreated after lighting the lamps, leaving only the Bai Family Patriarch, Bai Ruo, and her three older brothers.

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