Chapter 41

Lin Du obtained not only the list of the two hundred seventeen cultivators but also their individual characteristics, specialties, and techniques.

From the City Lord’s skeleton alone, it was clear that his cultivation was on par with those two hundred seventeen cultivators. This suggested that, perhaps at the beginning, these people truly intended to save the world.

But those who sought to save the world ultimately became those who would destroy it.

The lingering will was nearly exhausted after providing the list.

Lin Du pondered for a moment. “City Lord, your obsession was to save the world, but the people are already dead. I have a request. The one hundred ninety-seven individuals who went against the heavens are extraneous to our Dongming Realm. To obscure the heavenly secrets, it’s hard to say what they might do. As my influence is limited, I need stronger evidence.”

She took out a piece of Soul-Nourishing Tree from her storage ring. This item was precious and typically unused; if she weren’t an formation master, she wouldn’t have brought it.

“Would you be willing to help save the people of our Dongming Realm?”

“We practitioners of the Taoism understand life and death, seek the righteous path, punish evil and promote good, and benefit the common people. We should do our utmost.”

Lin Du respectfully performed a bow and invited the faint lingering will into the Soul-Nourishing Tree.

“Junior Martial Uncle?” Yuan Ye’s eyes flashed with thought. “What are you doing?”

“Evidence is necessary,” Lin Du pointed at herself. “Do you think a junior disciple’s words are very credible? Elder Ju Yuan would trust us, but with countless sects in the Zhong Zhou, would they believe us?”

Even if the demonic willow devours people, who can prove that all one hundred ninety-seven of them really escaped?

Who would spend time and effort verifying or pursuing those one hundred ninety-seven people, or even engaging in mutual suspicion?

Yuan Ye felt that Junior Martial Uncle seemed to be full of skepticism about the world.

She had used the reputation of the number one sect in the Zhong Zhou to gain the City Lord’s trust, but she didn’t seem to trust the Zhong Zhou’s top sect’s credibility and influence.

She thought ahead, sought truth later, and calculated step by step, as if she were trying to make the emperor believe in the treacherous uncles. But how old is Junior Martial Uncle this year?

Even among royalty, someone of this age wouldn’t likely be so suspicious of others.

Lin Du didn’t know what Yuan Ye was thinking, and even if she did, she would just smile it off.

The two of them walked side by side toward the City Lord’s inner vault.

“Junior Martial Uncle, what do you think about the City Lord’s claims? If they’re true, why didn’t they just kill him?”

“Because they didn’t want to waste.”

“What do you mean?”

Lin Du repeated, “They didn’t want to waste the power of a living high-level cultivator for the sacrifice.”

If the City Lord had died early, he would have been of no value.

Before the sacrifice, they wanted people to live well.

Lin Du broke the formation and then searched through the entire inner vault with Yuan Ye.

Materials and herbs were kept by Lin Du, magical treasures and spiritual instruments by Yuan Ye, and spirit crystals and gemstones were split evenly.

“Isn’t it a bit inappropriate to be collecting his things while we still have the City Lord’s lingering will?”

As they exited the City Lord’s residence, Yuan Ye suddenly felt a pang of conscience and asked quietly.

“It’s fine; I’ve packed it in another storage ring. He can’t see it,” Lin Du said, extending her hand with her index finger and thumb apart, showing two plain wide silver rings.

Yuan Ye felt a bit inferior; indeed, Junior Martial Uncle was impressive.

She had a bit of conscience, but not much.

The two separated again. When Lin Du entered a pharmacy, she found that someone was already inside. Just as she was about to leave, she heard a pleasantly surprised and gentle female voice, “Lin Du?”

Lin Du turned to see Du Shao in the disciple robes of the Ji Shi Sect, adorned with a crystal peony in her hair, and her face beaming with joy.

“I finally ran into you! I wanted to greet you earlier, but there were too many people then, and it wasn’t convenient.”

Lin Du nodded, standing in the doorway and glancing down the alley, “Sister Du Shao, how have you been recently?”

“All is well. Please come in; I haven’t finished searching this pharmacy yet.”

Lin Du nodded, “I’ll be right in. You go ahead and get your things.”

Du Shao resumed her search. After a while, Lin Du asked from the side, “Does this pharmacy’s inner vault have any restrictions? Have you broken them?”

Du Shao shook her head, “This pharmacy seems to be the best in the city. Even the medicine is stored in cold jade boxes; the medicinal properties are intact. Do you need any specific medicine? I can get it for you.”

Lin Du smiled but didn’t accept her offer. She stepped through the middle door, “I’ll give it a try.”

She tested the restriction, then punched the most vulnerable part of the space. The restriction dissipated, and she opened the door calmly.

“Let’s go in.”

Du Shao stared at the doorframe broken by a single punch, “Your hand?”

“It’s just spiritual power; it’s fine,” Lin Du had already begun to skillfully search for items.

Du Shao was skeptical and went closer to examine. The right hand had little to show, with only slight redness at the joints, a rare bit of color on her otherwise pale complexion.

“I see your color isn’t good. It might be an issue with your heart veins. Be careful with your use of spiritual power; don’t overdo it.”

Medical texts are intricate, and after five years, she had only learned the basics. Du Shao wanted to help Lin Du but could only offer a few words of advice.

Lin Du responded with a smile, and as they were about to leave, they suddenly heard a laughing voice.

Before Du Shao could react, Lin Du raised her hand to stop her.

Without waiting for her to speak, a cold stream of spiritual power entered her throat, like a snowflake falling on a tongue in winter. It soon dissipated, but the cold taste of the snow remained, and her vocal cords were rendered silent.

Lin Du had read many books on miscellaneous topics and knew that this spell was non-lethal. It could be forcibly countered with spiritual power, and she explained via telepathy, “Wait a moment. I’ll solved it soon.”

Du Shao looked helplessly at the youth, realizing that the boy who was once half a head shorter than her had grown to her height in just a year.

What had this child been eating in the sect? He was growing too quickly.

But soon, Du Shao’s expression grew serious.

The male voice outside seemed to belong to her fiancé, Li Dong.

The sect Li Dong belonged to had only two spots, so she wasn’t surprised to see a male and female pair.

However, their conversation made Du Shao’s eyes widen in shock, making her forget to think about why Lin Du was hiding her in the pharmacy’s inner vault instead of going out to meet Li Dong.

“How are you? Still feeling cold even after taking the pills?” The woman’s voice was concerned.

“A bit still, but it’s fine. I’m a man, I can handle it.” The man replied nonchalantly. “But Lin Du is really troublesome. You should report to the sect master. It can’t be that just because she’s a disciple of the Supreme Sect, she can bully us small sects!”

Ni Si sneered, “Indeed, Lin Du is detestable. She extorted money and left us to freeze under that demonic willow tree without helping us. Luckily, we escaped smoothly. When we return, I will definitely have my father seek justice for us.”

“Ugh, I don’t know why, but I still feel cold. Ni Si, aren’t you cold?”

“I don’t mind, but if you’re cold, why don’t you go ask your sister in the Ji Shi Sect for some pills later? Didn’t you say she promised to exchange a Foundation Establishment Pill for you after this trial?”

“What you said earlier, about proposing to my father once we return from the secret realm, does that still stand?”

In small sects, there are no alchemists, and pills are always in short supply. A Foundation Establishment Pill is extremely expensive and has a chance of failure. Only Ni Si, as the daughter of the sect master, could afford it.

Li Dong hesitated for a moment. He was certain Du Shao would give it to him, but last time when he hinted at it, Du Shao didn’t catch on that he was asking for it.

Du Shao was already at the peak of the Phoenix Initial Realm and was about to establish her foundation.

“I’ll ask her for it when I see her later. Ni Si, once I successfully establish my foundation, I’ll immediately ask the sect master for your hand in marriage. I’m just worried that I don’t have enough resources and might fail…”

Li Dong lowered his voice, speaking sincerely, “Believe me, I really like you. But proposing marriage, I can only do that with confidence after successfully establishing my foundation, right?”

Ni Si softened her tone, “My father only cares about whether I like you, not your cultivation level. But you’re right; I’ll ask my father to give you more resources to help you establish your foundation successfully.”

As the two continued talking, there was a sudden thud from inside.

“Who’s there?” Li Dong frowned and gripped his spirit sword. “Eavesdropping on others? That’s quite unethical.”

“Unethical?” A familiar, casual voice came from inside, and the hem of a green robe swayed by the door.

“Freind Li, two-timing is what’s truly unethical, don’t you think?”

Lin Du walked out alone from inside, a smile of amusement on her face.