After returning from Drunken Immortal tavern, Lin Rui and Lin Yuntian sat together at the wooden table in their courtyard. A gentle breeze stirred the bamboo leaves, their soft rustling accompanying the heavy silence between them. The joyful laughter and lively atmosphere from the pavilion now seemed distant, replaced by the weight of unresolved matters. Despite the delicious food and wine, both father and son knew that they could not delay the investigation any longer—uncovering the identity of the one who had poisoned Lin Rui was imperative.

Lin Yuntian gazed at his son, his eyes reflecting a complex mix of emotions. Although their family's status within the clan was low, he had never given up on Lin Rui's future. Throughout the years, he had silently supported his son while carefully avoiding the family's internal power struggles, trying to provide him with a peaceful life. Yet now, reality had thrust new burdens upon him. The fact that Lin Rui had nearly lost his life filled Lin Yuntian with a profound sense of helplessness.

"We need to investigate separately," Lin Yuntian said, breaking the silence. His tone carried a trace of heaviness. "I'll look into the family's marriage alliance records to see if there's anything useful. Meanwhile, I want you to seek out your Sixth Uncle and ask him to keep an eye on Lin Yueyao and Wang Ruohan. See if he can find anything suspicious."

Lin Rui raised a brow in surprise. "Sixth Uncle? According to my memories, we're not exactly close with him. Why would you send me to ask for his help?"

Lin Yuntian chuckled, a knowing smile spreading across his face. "Your Sixth Uncle, Lin Yunlong, and I only appear to be on bad terms—it's all for show, to prevent the other brothers from suspecting us. I looked after him a lot when he was younger. Though we argue on the surface, he's always been grateful to me, and we secretly support each other when needed."

Lin Rui nodded slowly, some doubt easing, but some hesitation remained. "But Sixth Uncle is a clever and reserved man, with cultivation at the ninth level. He avoids getting involved in family disputes and seems reluctant to meddle. Do you think he'd be willing to help?"

Lin Yuntian's voice became firm. "We can trust him precisely because he has no ambition for power. Even though your Sixth Uncle stays out of the family's political struggles, he won't stand by if we're being bullied. Go find him—he will help you."

Lin Rui felt a spark of hope at those words. He recalled his Sixth Uncle's behavior within the clan—while Lin Yunlong kept to himself, he wasn't unkind. Lin Rui's confidence grew when his father revealed their genuine relationship. "Alright, I'll go seek his help."

Lin Yuntian nodded approvingly and added, "Remember, we must proceed cautiously. Don't alert anyone prematurely. Investigate quietly, and only take action once you've gathered enough evidence. I'll head to the clan's archives to investigate the marriage agreement. The records there should contain details about your engagement, and we might find some valuable clues."

"Alright," Lin Rui responded cautiously, taking his father's advice.

The following day, Lin Yuntian headed to the Lin family's Archive Pavilion to investigate Lin Rui's engagement records. He needed to uncover why the Wang family was so insistent on this marriage and, more importantly, why they had chosen Lin Rui—a so-called "waste" with five spiritual roots—as the match. All significant family alliances and agreements were meticulously documented on the second floor of the Archive Pavilion, and he hoped to find some clues there.

Meanwhile, Lin Rui didn't waste any time. Following his father's suggestion, he made his way to the southern courtyard to seek the assistance of his Sixth Uncle, Lin Yunlong.

The bamboo grove surrounding Lin Yunlong's residence was lush and serene, and the shadows of the swaying bamboo added to the tranquil atmosphere. As Lin Rui entered the courtyard, a sense of unease settled in his heart. He rarely interacted with his Sixth Uncle, and most of what he knew about him came from family gossip: Lin Yunlong was a low-profile cultivator who avoided family politics and ambition. But today, Lin Rui had no choice but to break their silence.

As he approached the courtyard, Lin Yunlong sat at a stone table, sipping tea. Upon noticing Lin Rui, a flicker of surprise crossed Lin Yunlong's face, but it quickly faded into a calm expression.

"Rui'er? What brings you to visit your Sixth Uncle today?"

Lin Rui greeted him respectfully, then sat down across the table. After a moment's hesitation, he decided to speak openly.

"Sixth Uncle, I need your help investigating something. I've encountered some trouble recently and have doubts I can't shake, so I asked if you could help me find any leads.

Lin Yunlong set his teacup down, a faint glimmer of curiosity flashing in his eyes.

"Oh? Do tell. What kind of trouble could be serious enough for you to come here, of all places?" His tone was light, yet a calm wisdom hinted at a deep understanding of the world.

Carefully choosing his words, Lin Rui avoided directly mentioning the poisoning. Instead, he spoke in more indirect terms.

"Lately, I've noticed that Lin Yueyao and Wang Ruohan have been unusually close. Their relationship makes me uneasy. As you know, my engagement to Wang Ruohan was arranged by the family, but he's never shown any real affection toward me. I suspect he and Lin Yueyao may share an unaware connection." Lin Rui paused briefly, gathering his thoughts. "I'm not sure if I'm overthinking things, but I can't shake the feeling that something's off."

Lin Yunlong's playful smile slowly faded, his expression turning serious. His gaze became thoughtful, clearly contemplating Lin Rui's words. After a moment, he spoke slowly.

"Your suspicions are valid. It's strange for Wang Ruohan to be spending so much time with Lin Yueyao, especially with your engagement on the horizon. If they're meeting frequently, it's worth investigating."

Lin Rui was taken aback by his uncle's straightforward response. It seemed that Lin Yunlong wasn't as indifferent to family matters as he appeared to be on the surface.

Stolen novel; please report.

"Sixth Uncle, could you help me look into their relationship? I don't know what secrets they might be hiding, but I can't shake this uneasy feeling," Lin Rui asked softly, a trace of plea in his tone.

Lin Yunlong gave a nod. "I'll handle this. Don't worry; I have a few ways to figure things out." With that, he stood up, already formulating a plan.

After a moment of contemplation, Lin Yunlong sought the help of Old Han, the family's correspondence handler. As a long-time servant, Old Han was responsible for receiving, sending, and organizing letters for the Lin family. Having a good relationship with Lin Yunlong from past dealings, Old Han was more than willing to do him a favor. Lin Yunlong decided that starting with the letters might reveal clues about Lin Yueyao's communications with the outside world.

A few days later, Old Han came through. He retrieved a letter Lin Yueyao wrote from the family's mailroom. One of Lin Yueyao's servants delivered the letter earlier that morning, but it had yet to be sent out. Ensuring no one noticed, Old Han handed the letter to Lin Yunlong. After receiving it, Lin Yunlong instructed one of the household servants to deliver it to Lin Rui.

When Lin Rui took the letter, a knot tightened in his chest, after the servant had left, he immediately returned to his room and opened the envelope.

"Ruohan,

I miss you terribly and find it hard to describe my feelings. Each time I see you, I am reminded of how you struggle under the burden of that worthless engagement, which pains me deeply. Our future... must it really be blocked by this marriage?

Our time together at Drunken Immortal Tower was too brief, and even now, I can't get it out of my mind. But what troubles me the most… why is he still alive and well? The 'weak constitution' and 'gradual deterioration' you told me about haven't happened. Could it be… you lied to me?

All I want is a straight answer, Ruohan. Do you truly intend to end the engagement, or are you just stalling for time?

Always by your side,

Yueyao"

As Lin Rui finished reading, a storm of emotions surged through his heart. While the letter didn't explicitly mention his name, the references to "the engagement" and "weak constitution, gradual deterioration" made his heart sink. It was evident that Lin Yueyao and Wang Ruohan were involved in some plot, possibly one that even endangered his life. But why would they target him? Was it truly because of the marriage?

Lin Rui folded the letter, his mind churning with conflicting thoughts. Although the letter provided some clues, it wasn't enough to prove their guilt. He knew he needed more evidence, straightforward proof regarding the poisoning attempt.

"This letter alone won't be enough," Lin Rui murmured. He decided to wait until his father returned so they could discuss their next steps thoroughly.

Later that evening, Lin Yuntian rushed back to the courtyard from the Archive Pavilion, his expression heavy with concern. Over the past few days, he had been poring over the archives and finally uncovered the engagement's true purpose. His face was clouded with seriousness as he called out when he saw Lin Rui.

"Rui'er, get inside quickly. We need to talk about something important," he said urgently.

Lin Rui swiftly hid the letter and gestured for his father to enter the room. The two sat down, ready to compare notes and discuss their findings.

Inside the room, Lin Rui asked cautiously, "Father, what did you find in the Archive Pavilion?"

Lin Yuntian didn't answer right away. Instead, he let out a deep sigh, his expression carrying a mix of helplessness and weight. He placed an old, yellowing family document on the table and tapped it lightly with his fingers as if organizing his thoughts.

"Rui'er, I found something regarding your engagement," he said slowly, his voice filled with restrained pain. "The dealings behind this marriage are far more complicated than we imagined."

Lin Rui furrowed his brows, sensing something ominous was hidden in his father's words. "Father, what exactly did you discover?"

With another sigh, Lin Yuntian's eyes reflected sorrow and regret. But he knew there was no point in hiding the truth any longer.

"The engagement between our family and the Wang family was never truly about you—it was all for the benefit of the Lin clan," he began, his tone heavy with frustration. "The records in the Archive Pavilion reveal that the Wang family insisted on the marriage because they were after a rare alchemical formula belonging to our family."

"An alchemical formula?" Lin Rui's heart sank as a mix of emotions within him. The situation was becoming more intricate than he had anticipated.

"Yes," Lin Yuntian continued, his gaze serious. "This formula is one of the Lin family's most treasured secrets. It allows the refinement of an incredibly rare elixir that greatly aids a cultivator's progress. The Wang family has coveted it for years. To secure an alliance and solidify our family's position, the Lin clan agreed to bind both families' interests closely through this marriage. As part of the agreement, the groom had to be a prominent member of the Wang family, and they would also assist us by completing a certain number of tasks for the Lin family each year."

"And I was chosen as the sacrifice to preserve these interests," Lin Rui muttered, anger swelling in his chest.

Lin Yuntian nodded grimly. "Yes. The alchemical formula was offered as a part of the dowry. To avoid jeopardizing the futures of the more talented disciples, the family decided to use you as the bargaining chip. The Wang family had no objections because all they cared about was obtaining the formula."

Lin Rui's heart sank further, his fists clenching unconsciously. "So the Lin family used me as a sacrifice?"

Lin Yuntian looked at his son, his eyes filled with guilt and sorrow. "Rui'er, I know this is unfair to you. But this was the family's decision... it was out of my control. Your other uncles, especially your grandfather Lin Tianhua, were determined to prioritize the family's interests. Even though it pained me, I didn't have the power to change any of it."

Lin Rui fell silent, his mind swirling with rage and frustration. He had always believed that while the family arranged the marriage, it might still be tied to consideration for his future. But now, it was painfully clear—this engagement was merely a transaction, a way for the Lin family to safeguard its interests.

What stung the most was the realization that he was nothing more than a "tool" in this deal rather than someone genuinely valued as a family member.

Lin Yuntian's eyes showed a trace of pain. "Rui'er, I know this is unfair to you… but we are weak within the family, and most of the time, we don't have many choices. The family made this decision, and although I wanted to oppose it, my voice carried no weight."

Lin Rui's gaze was firm. "I understand, Father. Since the engagement with the Wang family revolves around that alchemical formula, there must be other schemes at play. Perhaps… the relationship between Wang Ruohan and Lin Yueyao is somehow connected to this marriage."

Not wanting to worry his father further, Lin Rui did not mention the part of the letter about his supposed "frail constitution and gradual decline."

Lin Yuntian nodded as well. "I suspect the same. You must remain vigilant, especially toward Wang Ruohan and Lin Yueyao. Never let your guard down. If you discover anything, tell me immediately."

Lin Rui nodded firmly. "I will, Father. We'll get to the bottom of this, no matter what schemes lie behind it."