If Lin Yun hadn’t known the truth, he might have been deceived by Ji Bin again.
This man was too good at acting!
“Lin Yun, could there be a mistake? Ji Bin seems to genuinely care for Kexin,” Qin Shi stepped forward and said.
“Yes, Lin Yun, could you be mistaken? Ji Bin doesn’t seem like a bad person. Before you returned, we observed him, and he appeared refined and just,” other friends and family in the courtyard chimed in.
“I saw it with my own eyes, how could I be wrong!” Lin Yun’s gaze hardened.
He never imagined Ji Bin could act so convincingly, fooling even his own friends and family, making them question if Lin Yun had made a mistake.
“Lin Yun, perhaps we should investigate further? If you’re truly mistaken, it could deeply hurt Kexin’s heart,” Su Yan suggested.
“No need for further investigation!” Lin Yun rejected the idea outright.
Fuming with anger, Lin Yun had no desire to argue further.
Turning to Ji Bin, he roared, “Ji Bin, you’re quite the actor, but no matter how you pretend, it’s useless. I warned you to stay away from my daughter, or I’d kill you. Now, I’ll keep my promise!”
With that, Lin Yun drew his sword.
“Father, no!” a familiar voice cried out.
Lin Yun turned to see his daughter, Lin Kexin, running in from outside.
Having learned Ji Bin was captured, she had rushed back home.
“Kexin, you… you came back?” Lin Yun’s heart trembled, softening at the sight of her.
“Father, Young Master Ji Bin is innocent. If… if you don’t want me to love, take it out on me, not him!” Lin Kexin’s eyes reddened.
Seeing Kexin, Ji Bin felt a wave of relief and immediately began sobbing, “Senior Lin Yun, even if I die, I won’t leave Lin Kexin. If you must kill me, go ahead, but my feelings for her will never change!”
With that, Ji Bin closed his eyes, tilted his head back, exposing his neck, as if ready to die for Kexin.
“You think I wouldn’t dare!”
Lin Yun roared, thrusting his sword toward Ji Bin.
Kexin cried out, “Father, don’t! If you kill Ji Bin, I’ll die right here in front of you!”
Lin Yun’s sword stopped just short of Ji Bin’s head.
He slowly turned to Kexin, “Kexin, do you really not trust your father?”
“Father, are you… are you truly so heartless? The great image you held in my heart has completely crumbled…” Kexin’s voice shook, tears streaming down her face.
Her words cut Lin Yun like a knife, as if he aged and withered in an instant.
His daughter was one of the most important people in his life. Lin Yun would give anything to protect her, even his life, without hesitation!
Yet she chose to trust a man like Ji Bin over him, making Lin Yun feel worse than death itself!
*Clang.*
Lin Yun’s sword slipped from his hand, falling to the ground.
“Go, all of you, just go…”
Lin Yun waved weakly, picked up his sword, and turned to walk alone to his room.
“Big Brother, are we letting Ji Bin go?” Yang Wan asked.
“Let him go,” Lin Yun replied feebly.
“Yun Gege!”
“Lin Yun!”
Yunshang, the Palace Master, and others rushed after him, rarely seeing Lin Yun so defeated and pained.
Lin Yun, a man who faced deadly foes with unyielding defiance, now seemed utterly broken.
“Don’t follow me. I need some time alone,” Lin Yun said softly.
His friends and family stopped in their tracks.
Ji Bin, meanwhile, was secretly overjoyed, though his face still showed grief.
…
Back in his room, Lin Yun sat alone.
“Master, do you hate your daughter?” Little White’s voice sounded.
Lin Yun shook his head weakly, “Hate? She’s my daughter, how could I hate her? I only want to deal with that Ji Bin.”
Lin Yun’s hatred was for Ji Bin, who had deceived his daughter.
Hate Kexin? Lin Yun could never bring himself to.
Killing Ji Bin would be easy, but Lin Yun had to consider the consequences. What if his daughter followed through on her threat to die with him?
Lin Yun was stubborn, and Kexin had inherited some of that stubbornness. She might actually do it.
“Master, your daughter is deeply deceived by Ji Bin, firmly believing you’re mistaken. Even your friends were swayed by his sob story, thinking he’s genuine. Even Emperor Huoyun has a good impression of him,” the artifact spirit said.
It continued, “The only way is to expose Ji Bin’s true face to everyone. Only then will your daughter give up on him.”
Lin Yun gave a bitter smile, “After I caught Ji Bin’s true nature last time, he’ll be cautious now. Getting him to reveal himself again is incredibly difficult. Even if I used a divine attack to force the truth from him, he could claim I manipulated his words once he regained consciousness.”
Ji Bin was a skilled actor and debater. Without ironclad proof, it wouldn’t work.
“Master, you could visit the Heavenly God Palace and ask if they have a scene-retracing artifact. If they do, you might have a chance to reveal the truth,” the artifact spirit suggested.
“Scene-retracing?” Lin Yun paused.
He recalled seeing a holy artifact with similar functions on the Sacred Relics List, though its whereabouts were unknown.
The spirit’s words gave Lin Yun a direction to pursue.
“I’ll go to the Heavenly God Palace and ask,” Lin Yun decided, standing up to leave.
After leaving the Lin residence, Lin Yun exited the city, then activated his communication bracelet in the high skies outside.
The bracelet also served as a key to the Heavenly God Palace.
Once activated, a barrier gate appeared before him, and Lin Yun stepped through.
He arrived in Heavenly City.
From there, Lin Yun headed straight for the Heavenly God Palace.
In the palace’s great hall.
“Vice Palace Master Yao.”
Lin Yun bowed upon entering.
“Lin Yun, you messaged about an important matter. What is it?” Vice Palace Master Yao asked with a smile.
Lin Yun’s stellar performance during the entry trials had earned him Yao’s high regard. Though still in the Eternal Realm, Yao was certain Lin Yun would become a key figure in the palace in time.
“I’d like to ask Vice Palace Master Yao if the Heavenly God Palace has a scene-retracing artifact. I’d like to borrow it,” Lin Yun said directly.
“A scene-retracing artifact? How did you know our palace has something with that function?” Yao replied, visibly surprised.
