After two months of cultivation and breaking through to the 3-Star Dou Zong realm, Xiao Lin naturally left the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. Along with his breakthrough came that familiar, gnawing mental fatigue. He had no cure for this "overclocking" side effect other than stepping outside for some fresh air and letting his mind reset.
"Sigh, having to rest for a whole day... what a hassle," Xiao Lin grumbled as he returned to his quarters.
Still, compared to the explosive gains, this minor drawback was a small price to pay. It helped that Xiao Lin was a cultivation fanatic; a normal person might have truly gone insane from that persistent mental grinding. Even the Guardian Elders, Qian and Bai, would take long breaks between sessions. Xiao Lin was the only one who would rest for exactly one day and then dive right back into the fire.
The title of "Cultivation Madman" truly fit him. Back in the Xiao Clan, his hobby was cultivation, and his work was... also cultivation. Now, he had simply upgraded his environment.
One day later, just as Xiao Lin had fully recovered and was stepping out of his pavilion to head back to the tower, he found his path blocked. The "wall" in his way was none other than Great Elder Su Qian.
"Great Elder? You're here early. Is something the matter?" Xiao Lin asked, surprised.
As a special-status Elder, Xiao Lin didn't have a specific department to manage. He was essentially a "consultant" with the highest salary in the Academy. In modern terms, he was getting paid a fortune to do zero administrative work—the dream of every 996 office worker.
However, it seemed Su Qian felt Xiao Lin's life was becoming a bit too comfortable. Knowing Xiao Lin was a hermit-cultivator, Su Qian had come at the crack of dawn. If he had waited until noon, Xiao Lin would already be at the bottom of the tower, and Su Qian wasn't about to drag a Dou Zong out of deep meditation.
"Ahem, Elder Lin... are you busy with anything recently?" Su Qian asked, sounding uncharacteristically bashful. He even shifted his gaze away, unable to look Xiao Lin in the eye.
Xiao Lin was confused by the old man's strange behavior, but since Su Qian was the one who had secured all his perks, he felt a genuine sense of gratitude toward him.
"In terms of tasks, I'm quite free. Thanks to your arrangements, Great Elder," Xiao Lin said sincerely.
He would regret those words in approximately three seconds.
"That's wonderful!" Su Qian's eyes lit up. "I've been swamped with some matters lately and can't pull myself away. I was wondering if you could do me a... small favor?"
To emphasize how "small" it was, Su Qian pinched his thumb and index finger together, leaving a tiny gap.
In his long years on the Dou Qi Continent, Xiao Lin had forgotten a classic meme from his previous life: the "Finger-tip Universe." Because he trusted the old man, he didn't see the massive pit opening up beneath his feet.
"Of course. I am an Elder of this Academy. If there's something that needs my hand, I am duty-bound! Speak freely, Great Elder!" Xiao Lin declared heroically.
Xiao Lin "being scammed" countdown: 3... 2... 1...
"Excellent! Elder Lin, you truly are a rolepin for the other Elders. Not only do you work hard, but you're even willing to spend time babysitting! I'm truly moved!" Su Qian beamed with a look of "profound gratitude."
Xiao Lin's heroic smile froze. It didn't just fade; it turned into a statue of pure horror.
"W-wait... Great Elder... what did you just say?" Xiao Lin stammered. "Help you... babysit?"
Xiao Lin was stunned. He had imagined ten thousand favors—investigating the Blood Sect, hunting magical beasts, even fighting a Dou Zun—but babysitting?
Only someone who has raised a child knows the true meaning of exhaustion. Because his wife had passed away early, Xiao Lin had raised Xiao Zhan single-handedly. Even though Xiao Zhan was a sensible kid, raising him until age six had drained more of Xiao Lin's energy than any secret technique.
He had handled the diapers, the feedings, and the sleepless nights. He knew that while some kids are sensible, others—especially once they hit that "exploring" age—are like hyperactive monkeys that you simply cannot control.
To Xiao Lin, babysitting sounded more painful than cultivating in the tower for eighty-one days straight. He would rather go find a Dou Zun and have a life-or-death brawl than look after a rowdy toddler.
Xiao Lin desperately wanted to ask: Great Elder, can I take back everything I just said?
"That's right! I have a granddaughter. She's... well, she should be around eight or nine years old this year. I've been too busy lately, and she's a bit... special, so I really don't have the time to look after her. I can only entrust her to you, Elder Lin."
As if anticipating Xiao Lin's retreat, Great Elder Su Qian spoke rapidly, cutting off any words of protest before they could leave Xiao Lin's mouth.
However, the sheer strangeness in Su Qian's phrasing didn't escape Xiao Lin this time. Who describes their own granddaughter's age as "should be around eight or nine"? And what on earth did "a bit special" mean?
Furthermore, if it was just a matter of watching an eight-year-old girl, Jia Nan Academy had thousands of people. Why did the Great Elder insist on handing her specifically to a Dou Zong? Was the Academy out of nannies? A man of Su Qian's status could hire a small army of caretakers.
If Xiao Lin didn't realize by now that this "granddaughter" was a massive headache, he might as well find a block of tofu and ram his head into it.
Silence fell. If Xiao Lin wasn't so concerned with his reputation as a man of his word, he would have slammed the door and demanded some "alone time." But having already given his promise, he could only use silence to express his internal rebellion.
I was too naive! Xiao Lin thought, staring gloomily at Su Qian until the old man awkwardly looked away.
Su Qian knew that a trick like this only worked once per person. He had sought out Xiao Lin because every other Elder capable of handling the girl had already been "scammed" and refused to do it again. He was out of options!
He had told the truth: she was special, and ordinary people simply couldn't handle her. But for a Dou Zong like Xiao Lin, watching over her should be child's play.
"Ahem, Elder Lin, don't look at me like that. My granddaughter is very cute! I'm sure once you see her 'liveliness,' you'll grow fond of her," Su Qian said with a straight face.
Xiao Lin rolled his eyes. Eight or nine years old + "lively"? In his previous life, that was the exact description of kids who tore roofs apart and stole bird eggs. It was the universal code for a "Brat from Hell." Xiao Lin felt a wave of dizziness, but as a 3-Star Dou Zong, fainting now would be far too fake.
"...Great Elder, is there any room for negotiation?" Xiao Lin tried one last time.
Su Qian didn't answer with words; he simply gave Xiao Lin a look that clearly said: No chance.
"Fine," Xiao Lin sighed, surrendering to his fate. "Bring her over. I'll put my cultivation in the tower on hold for a while. Just tell me... how long do I have to keep her?"
If it was just a few weeks, he could endure. If it was years, he might actually go mad.
"Ah, about that... actually, as long as you help her break through one minor realm, that's all I ask. No other requirements. She's lively, but she does cultivate on her own, so you don't need to worry too much."
Su Qian's words were a trap within a trap. By making the "release condition" a breakthrough, he ensured Xiao Lin couldn't just ignore her. He would have to actively put in effort to get his freedom back.
Xiao Lin glared at Su Qian, but the Great Elder didn't mind. If he could offload the girl, Xiao Lin could glare at him for a century for all he cared.
"Elder Lin, you truly are a good man!" Su Qian added, dealing a final psychological blow by handing out a "Good Person Card."
Is being an honest person a crime now? Xiao Lin grumbled internally. He just wanted to get this over with. He figured an eight-year-old would be at the "Dou Zhi Qi" (Dou Disciple) stage. With the Academy's resources, the tower, and his Gathering Qi Arrays, helping a child gain one rank shouldn't take more than a few months.
However, Xiao Lin was about to discover just how wrong he was.
"So, Great Elder," Xiao Lin said, wanting to start the "sentence" as soon as possible. "When are you bringing her over?"