Early morning found Lin Rui at Lin Yueyao''s courtyard, following Lin Tiande''s instructions. This private cultivation space had an elegant arrangement that emanated a distinctly calm atmosphere. A crystal-clear pond occupied the center, its gentle ripples revealing several lively spiritual fish darting beneath the surface. Water Spirit Grass and various water-attribute spirit herbs surrounded the pond. The air held a faint moisture, and the spiritual energy here felt more concentrated than elsewhere—refined and crisp to the senses.


    Lin Yueyao practiced a water-attribute cultivation technique, and every element of the courtyard complemented this—water spiritual energy saturated the space, nurturing the plants and spiritual creatures year-round. As Lin Rui walked through, he felt the surrounding energy clash with his own. The water-system spiritual energy, though gentle, carried an underlying chill that made him slightly furrow his brow.


    "Lin Rui, you''re here?" A cold voice suddenly broke the silence.


    Looking up, Lin Rui saw Lin Yueyao standing in the corner of the courtyard, the eaves casting shadows that outlined her slender figure. Her clothing caught the eye—a robe of white and water-blue, its hem flowing like waves as though she were one with water itself. The white garment perfectly matched her water-attribute cultivation style—cold and striking as ice, with a sharp, piercing presence. She stood motionless, mysterious, cold, and forbidding, like a phantom in water.


    Her face had the apparent beauty of ice and snow but with a coldness that kept others at a distance. Deep and penetrating, her eyes seemed to conceal turbulent depths with a hint of challenge. She didn''t welcome Lin Rui''s arrival and made no effort to hide her subtle disdain.


    Lin Rui smiled slightly as he approached. "Good morning, Cousin. Uncle sent me to find you."


    Lin Yueyao gave Lin Rui a cold look. Her gaze was clear and chilly as water, yet not without a hint of challenge. "What do you want with me? Handle your own business and leave me out of it." Her voice carried an unmistakable arrogance and coldness. You''re just an outsider without any cultivation ability. What can you do? Do you think you can handle clan matters?"


    Lin Rui felt a slight twinge inside, knowing her opinion of him was far from friendly, especially regarding the broken engagement from the past. Facing her provocation, he showed no displeasure, maintaining his gentle smile. "Uncle gave me a task, Cousin. You can''t ignore a clan order. Besides, the mission requires your help. If you assist, you''ll do your part for the family."


    Lin Yueyao''s eyes remained unwavering, her tone still sharp. "I don''t care about your words. If it weren''t for my father asking me to help, I wouldn''t even be standing here." She smirked contemptuously, her gaze turning with obvious disgust. "But this task of yours isn''t so simple. I''m curious to see if a useless person like you can handle it."


    Lin Rui found her words almost amusing and remained unmoved by her rhetoric. He understood that Lin Yueyao''s arrogance and coldness had reason—after all, as the clan''s prodigy, her cultivation far surpassed his own. He nodded slightly, still maintaining his gentle demeanor. "Thank you for your help, Cousin. Since Uncle has instructed us, I can''t refuse. Let''s complete this task together—it will honor the family and allow you to prove your abilities."


    Lin Yueyao pursed her lips, clearly not wanting to waste time. "I don''t need to prove anything—you''re the one who needs to prove yourself." She laughed coldly, her tone merciless. "But let me be clear: if you fail, don''t blame me for not making things easier for you."


    Lin Rui silently noted her attitude. Though somewhat dissatisfied, he understood Lin Yueyao''s coldness was merely an expression of her confidence and sense of superiority. Her gaze had yet to fall on him, clearly believing he wasn''t worthy of her respect. Given that, he wouldn''t rush to respond but instead use his actions to break through her prejudice.


    He nodded with a smile. "In that case, let''s begin. Cousin, have you any clues or thoughts about this theft case?"


    Lin Yueyao cast him a contemptuous glance and snorted. "Clues? Do I look like someone with nothing better to do than hand you information? However, since you''re investigating, check the Spirit Tea Garden." Her tone carried impatience. "The rest is none of your concern."


    Lin Rui nodded, and though somewhat displeased, he maintained his composure.


    As he prepared to leave, Lin Rui suddenly stopped and turned to Lin Yueyao, his tone calm yet with a hint of challenge: "Cousin, then let''s go investigate the Spiritual Cloud Tea Garden." His tone wasn''t urgent, but his eyes revealed an underlying determination.


    Lin Yueyao rolled her eyes, clearly disliking this sudden proposal. She gave a light snort, then turned toward the house. Her maids quickly followed. One maid softly said, "Young Mistress, the sun is too harsh; you should cover yourself." She handed over an exquisitely decorated parasol with a light blue silk canopy embroidered with delicate water patterns, seeming to ripple with the slightest breeze.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Lin Yueyao took the parasol and opened it gracefully. Another maid approached with a jade powder puff, lightly dabbing her cheeks. This puff was no ordinary item but crafted from spiritual ore, embedded with fine spiritual energy that could instantly balance skin tone and even infuse the skin with a hint of nourishing spiritual power, making her complexion appear as smooth as jade.


    Next, a more refined maid held up a small silver mirror with frames inlaid with several faintly glowing spirit stones capable of reflecting the most precise light. Lin Yueyao looked at herself in the mirror, gently adjusting a few strands of hair and slightly raising the corners of her mouth, seemingly satisfied with her appearance. She adjusted her jade hairpin slightly, refined her bun, and then applied a drop of extremely rare spirit fragrance behind her ears. The scent was as subtle as water, emanating waves of calming essence.


    Every detail was flawless, and it was as if her appearance had become the standard model in the cultivation world. After completing her look, Lin Yueyao smiled lightly, her eyes full of confidence and elegance. She held up her parasol and followed slowly behind Lin Rui.


    Watching this sequence of actions, Lin Rui couldn''t help but inwardly sigh: "She does take her appearance seriously."


    Though he didn''t mainly focus on such superficial matters now, he had to admire Lin Yueyao''s strict standards for her image. This attention to detail and pursuit of perfection reflected the confidence and pride typical of a cultivator.


    The two stepped out of the courtyard together, Lin Yueyao''s parasol gently raised, moving as lightly as a water spirit. Lin Rui followed her, silently planning his next moves: The Spiritual Cloud Tea Garden—where they would start.


    # Chapter 10: Cold Reception and First Lesson (continued)


    Walking behind Lin Yueyao, Lin Rui noticed that all eyes along the way seemed drawn to her. Whether disciples engaged in cultivation or merchants busy in the market, almost everyone couldn''t help stealing glances. Vendors on both sides of the street whispered: "Look at that Lin Yueyao; she''s becoming more beautiful every day." Another replied: "I heard she''s already at level three cultivation—truly a genius."


    Lin Rui tilted his head slightly, catching more gossip about Lin Yueyao: "You don''t know? That girl, Yueyao, isn''t just beautiful with high cultivation; the family adores her completely. I heard the story between her and Wang Ruohan is quite something. Though he rejected the marriage recently, she''s still the most favored one."


    "Favored?" another person muttered. "Don''t forget, Lin Yueyao is the most outstanding genius in the Lin family. Her marrying Wang Ruohan would have been a match of equals—the Wang family is the one who lost out. Wang Ruohan must have very high standards to dare look down on her!"


    Hearing these words, Lin Rui was surprised: "What? Wang Ruohan rejected Lin Yueyao? Damn, these gossips spread like wildfire."


    He couldn''t help but think: "No wonder Lin Yueyao is so proud, almost overly confident—everyone talks about her this way." However, he knew these comments weren''t entirely true; at least some were fabricated based on Lin Yueyao''s appearance and family status.


    Lin Yueyao hadn''t noticed these discussions. Her pace remained elegant and unhurried as she occasionally glanced back at Lin Rui, her eyes showing evident pride and a hint of impatience. Her gaze swept over the surrounding crowd, seemingly indifferent to their whispers. Instead, she slightly raised the corners of her mouth, enjoying the attention.


    She suddenly said softly: "These common folk—they almost make me laugh." Her tone conveyed a hint of contempt, suggesting she didn''t take such rumors seriously.


    Lin Rui felt helpless but responded with a smile: "There seem to be many stories about you, Cousin. However, I''d like to hear your thoughts on some matters." He couldn''t help but feel curious about her confidence as he spoke.


    Lin Yueyao smiled faintly, her lips slightly pursed: "I couldn''t care less about rumors. You know what? I''m just waiting for them to say something worthwhile." Looking at the Spiritual Cloud Tea Garden ahead, her eyes flashed disdainfully. "That matter with Wang Ruohan—forget it, not worth mentioning. You know he isn''t worthy of me. But you—watch yourself. Don''t get any ideas about him."


    Lin Rui couldn''t help but smile inwardly: "Her arrogant attitude hasn''t changed at all. It''s as if the whole world should revolve around her."


    The two finally arrived at the gates of the Spiritual Cloud Tea Garden. A faint tea fragrance permeated the air, and lush trees grew all around. The atmosphere seemed infused with spiritual energy. Cultivators inside the garden respectfully bowed upon seeing Lin Yueyao, demonstrating her high reputation in this area. Lin Yueyao nodded lightly in response—polite—but her eyes still carried a hint of coldness, as if nothing in this world besides herself was worth a second glance.


    Standing nearby, Lin Rui gazed at the peaceful tea garden, planning how to begin his investigation. Lin Yueyao, meanwhile, clearly had little interest in their surroundings. Her arrogant gaze swept the area as if every leaf in the garden was subject to her scrutiny.


    "Let''s go." Lin Yueyao suddenly turned to Lin Rui, her tone indifferent. "Don''t waste time. While these people aren''t paying attention, find something useful." With that, she began walking deeper into the tea garden as if the entire place were her domain.


    As she walked, she gazed at the mist-shrouded tea trees and slowly began explaining: "This Spiritual Cloud Tea Garden is the foundation of our Lin family. The ''Cloud Mist Spirit Buds'' grown here are top-grade mortal-rank spirit tea, highly beneficial for cultivators in the ''Meridian Awakening'' stage. They help clear the meridians and enhance cultivation. Their value is so high that I needn''t say more—you should understand."


    Lin Yueyao''s tone shifted as she fixed Lin Rui with a penetrating gaze, seemingly waiting for his decision: "You can start by questioning Manager Lin Fu. After all, he knows the most about this tea garden. Also, my father has already informed everyone in the garden that you''ll investigate the theft, so they''ll all cooperate with you."


    Her tone conveyed a hint of challenge yet revealed subtle expectations regarding Lin Rui''s abilities. After all, as a member of the Lin family, if Lin Rui could achieve something in this theft case, he would certainly gain more family support and prestige.


    Lin Rui said softly: "In that case, I''ll start with Lin Fu."