Chapter 64

The group brought the tiger demon back to the village. Yan Qing and Mo Lin were puzzled about why their Junior Master was denying that she had set up the formation herself. Along the way, they kept glancing at the young man casually playing with a folding fan and smiling gently.

The fan, which looked like it would be freezing to touch, took on a strange, dark iron color against the snow, giving the impression of a heavy and lethal weapon rather than a mere folding fan.

They had previously seen Lin Du unfold the fan, which shimmered with a dazzling light and was covered in imagery of ice and snow. They hadn’t expected that it would look so ominous when closed.

Lin Du continued to twirl the fan, the short iron piece spinning in the air and the fan landing steadily in her open palm.

Although she appeared nonchalant, her mind was already analyzing all the details.

It was true that the tiger demon had eaten the ox, but it wasn’t necessarily the tiger demon that had eaten the human. The cub was too small, with limited hunting skills, and the blood and flesh found at the scene were splattered.

It seemed like… someone had deliberately crushed the remains to create this false trail.

The deception was too crude—was it because they underestimated the intelligence of the disciples of the Supreme Sect?

“Daoist Shao, was the injured sect member also harmed by a beast?” Lin Du suddenly asked.

Shao Fei was startled and looked at the young man in the blue robe surrounded by everyone. “Yes.”

Lin Du pointed with the fan handle to her chin. “Then let Tian Wu take a look at that Daoist.”

Before Shao Fei could respond, Lin Du continued, “There’s no need to refuse. In our Supreme Sect’s territory, even if an ant’s leg is broken, we must fix it before we leave. Don’t you agree, Junior Nephew?”

She tilted her head and smiled at Mo Lin.

Mo Lin, who had been contemplating the nature of the folding fan, straightened up instantly. “What Junior Master said is right!”

Shao Fei sneered, “That’s great, but my sect member is shy and has a peculiar temperament. She’s not too comfortable with injuries and might be reluctant to see a healer…”

“Don’t worry. If needed, we can knock her out first and then treat her,” Lin Du said with a hint of mischief. “Health comes first; we must handle urgent matters with flexibility.”

Shao Fei: ? What do you mean by handling urgent matters with flexibility? Even the Ancestor wouldn’t define it this way.

She forced a smile and said, “Daoist Lin truly has a sense of humor.”

Lin Du’s lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile as she met Mo Lin and Yuan Ye’s gazes. “I never joke.”

“That’s right. Our Junior Master never jokes,” Yuan Ye added. “Our sect values practical results.”

After all, if she said she would crush a skull, she would.

Shao Fei was left speechless.

Do all the disciples of the Supreme Sect have some kind of issue?

Ni Jinxuan was in the village chief’s living room. Her sweet and approachable nature made her easily blend in with the villagers. When she saw someone lift the door curtain, she immediately stood up, smiling warmly. “Junior Master, you’re here?”

Yuan Ye held the curtain up, waiting for Junior Master to enter first.

As Lin Du approached, the chill on her body grew heavier with each step. Upon seeing the somewhat cheerful faces inside, the killing intent that had been restrained during the journey eased slightly. She used her spiritual energy to dispel the ice from her body before stepping inside.

“How is that mother doing?”

Ni Jinxuan replied, “Second Senior Sister gave her a calming tea.”

“Have you asked her anything?” Lin Du nodded to the village chief’s family and took out a small pouch from her waist, giving a handful of orange candies to the child leaning against Jinxuan.

“Junior Master asked me to ask, so naturally, I’ve asked,” Ni Jinxuan started to report but was stopped by a gesture from Lin Du.

Shao Fei spoke gently, “It might be a bit unkind to make that mother recall the events right after they happened. Isn’t that just adding more pain to her heart? It would be better to let her rest first.”

The village chief was about to say that it was an unavoidable situation when the clearly authoritative Junior Master spoke. “You’re right.”

“Daoist Shao, I can’t discern your cultivation level. May I ask what it is? The tiger demon fled when it saw you, so you must be very skilled, right?”

Xia Tianwu had just emerged from the inner room and spoke softly, “She has already fallen asleep after drinking the calming tea. She should be more stable when she wakes up. I’ll leave some more medicine; please ask Aunt Li to take care of her.”

Mo Lin took the medicine bowl from her. “Did you personally prepare this medicine, Junior Sister?”

Is it reliable?

Xia Tianwu used her spiritual sense to transmit, “I’m not so careless as to ruin a simple soup.”

“But last time you made a burnt cake for Junior Master,” Mo Lin responded.

“That time I was trying to use my special fire; this time it’s normal fire!”

Shao Fei’s gaze shifted between the two young men. The cold, aloof woman in white clothing had a fabric of excellent quality, embroidered with intricate dark patterns, with red plum blossoms at the collar and cuffs adding a touch of pride and cold elegance. Her normally stern face showed a subtle shift in emotion as she looked at Mo Lin, and an unspoken feeling stirred between them.

She couldn’t help but speak up to divert everyone’s attention.

“I’m not like you all. My lineage is severed, but by chance, I inherited a curse in southern Yunnan, which allows me to practice with this curse. However, I don’t have a specific realm.”

“But I believe this is an opportunity given to me by the heavens, and I will definitely work hard to cultivate and repay Daoist Mo Lin’s life-saving grace.”

“No need, I didn’t save you,” Mo Lin said, sensing something. “I truly didn’t save you.”

Beautiful people by the roadside shouldn’t be casually saved; who knows how the gratitude might turn out. Junior Master said, great kindness leads to great revenge.

[Host, aren’t you asking knowingly? Didn’t I give you the script?]

“What asking knowingly? I’m just humbly seeking knowledge.”

[? Did you use the wrong term?]

“That’s not it,” Lin Du said, holding the fan handle, unconsciously tapping her chin with the fan tip. She glanced at Xia Tianwu, who was indeed slightly frowning.

“So, you’re a Gu Master,” Xia Tianwu’s eyelashes fluttered as she looked at Mo Lin.

Mo Lin innocently scratched his head. “We in the Supreme Sect really don’t have that, so we’re not familiar with it.”

Gu Masters are considered an obscure practice, not even a true Taoist Sect. There are only legends about them, and this practice is passed down through generations without detailed records.

“Among the three thousand six hundred Taoist schools, even in the obscure paths, there are those who achieve Dao. As long as the heart is righteous and there is a foundation, if heaven calls you to succeed, you will definitely succeed,” Lin Du said, smiling as she stood behind Ni Jinxuan.

Ni Jinxuan felt that Junior Master emphasized “righteous heart” heavily.

“Junior Master is right,” Ni Jinxuan said, looking at Shao Fei. “Daoist, will you sit?”

“Not in a hurry. Tian Wu, come with me to visit the Taoist Freinds from the Feixing Sect. It’s said they were injured by a beast and are staying here. Out of righteousness, we should also provide treatment. Otherwise, with the snow blocking the mountain, what if they don’t get timely care?”

Lin Du said, placing her hand on Ni Jinxuan’s shoulder.

Ni Jinxuan understood and used her spiritual sense to communicate with Lin Du, “The village chief said these two people came here to stay last night. Later, a cow was eaten at night. Daoist Shao said the beast seemed to have a high cultivation level and that she couldn’t handle it alone. The village chief said this area is under the protection of the Supreme Sect. If something happens again, they will notify the Supreme Sect, so she shouldn’t feel burdened.”

“But Daoist Shao thought it was better to call for help early. The beast’s footprints were large, indicating a high cultivation level. Eating one cow might not be enough, and if it turned its attention to humans after tasting blood, it would be problematic. The village chief agreed and notified our sect. Before we arrived, everyone was staying indoors, afraid to come out. Suddenly, they heard a shout, and Daoist Shao said to go out and take a look.”

“The rest is similar to what the village chief said. Daoist Shao drove away the beast, but was a bit late. The child was already eaten. The man of this family died in the autumn while risking going into the mountains for winter supplies. Without a man to hunt, the widow and orphan faced a harsh winter. The mother went out to get some eggs for the child.”

After listening, Lin Du suddenly understood why the family hadn’t posted a protective talisman.

The Supreme Sect distributes talismans around October each year based on Dingjui City. The child was still young, and the mother couldn’t leave easily. They were an ordinary family, relying on self-sufficiency, and didn’t have the means to travel the more than twenty miles to the city.

October was around the time the man had died.

The mother probably didn’t have time or didn’t think of this matter.

Misfortune always strikes the most unfortunate people.

She tightened her grip on the fan handle slightly. The sins committed by people cannot be forgiven.

This matter wasn’t over.