Chapter 102

In the main hall, Zhao Hao sipped tea, his face worn with exhaustion.

“Aren’t you supposed to have gone with Ding Xun and the others to seek immortal fortune? Why didn’t you go?”

“You know about that?” Zhao Hao asked curiously.

Li Lin nodded.

Zhao Hao sighed helplessly. “I intended to go, but something urgent came up—I had to withdraw.”

“What happened?”

“Family matters. Not something I can discuss.”

Li Lin sipped his tea. “I spoke out of turn.”

“Don’t say that,” Zhao Hao waved his hand. “I came here to ask for your help.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I need a few more Yuanqi Pills.”

Li Lin paused. “Those pills are hard to come by.”

“I know,” Zhao Hao gave a bitter smile.

Though he’d heard that major sects had similar elixirs, they never sold them—and only core disciples could use them.

Zhao Hao continued: “So I brought something to trade with you.”

A secret manual was placed on the table.

Li Lin did not take it.

“It’s really hard,” Li Lin said.

Zhao Hao clenched his lips, tucked away the manual, and sighed. “Then I won’t trouble you further.”

Watching him leave, Li Lin also let out a quiet sigh.

He didn’t want to expose too much about Shengxi Pills.

Absolutely no one must be able to ask and immediately get them.

After Zhao Hao left, Li Lin turned to studying “Array Techniques.”

He fetched three stones, carved the three characters “Gou Lou Fu” on each, and stuck them onto his home’s “Yun Bi.”

That was the screen right by the door, visible at a glance.

He then infused yin energy into the three characters—but the screen remained unchanged.

He sighed helplessly.

Just because you can use a 3x3 grid to unlock a phone’s screen saver doesn’t mean you can build the phone itself.

That was Li Lin’s situation now.

He had learned the basic usage of array techniques, but not the core methods of crafting them.

No wonder immortal arts were so difficult—they were simply not ordinary.

This only strengthened his resolve to build a solid foundation.

He practiced the Yang Yin Heart Method and ate blood rice.

First, he’d stack up his base attributes.

Several days passed, then Su Huafang knocked on Li Lin’s door: “Young Master Zhao had an incident in Jincheng.”

“What happened?”

“A pigeon letter was sent to the County Magistrate requesting leave—brief, unclear details—but it’s certain he was beaten.”

Li Lin nodded. “Let’s go see him.”

“Yes, and Inspector Bai Liwei is going too.”

Among the entire Yulin County, only these four had the closest ties.

Su Huafang had also bought a good supply of Yu Jie Powder from Ding Yingqiu.

Soon the three mounted their horses and set off.

With Yu Jie Powder, they feared no wilderness spirits at night.

But this method was expensive.

One bottle cost roughly a hundred silver taels.

That’s why such a potent tool against spirits had never spread—it was simply too costly.

After four days of urgent travel, the three arrived again in Jincheng.

They quickly reached Zhao Hao’s home.

Zhao Hao’s residence was a medium-sized three-courtyard house.

There were few servants inside.

After sitting in the main hall awhile, they saw Zhao Hao emerge wearing a white night robe.

He visibly brightened upon seeing them.

“You three came? Why?”

“We heard you were injured—how could we not come?”

Zhao Hao laughed.

At that moment, the steward entered from outside. “Young Master, Miss An has arrived.”

Zhao Hao’s face lit up. “Quickly, show her in!”

Soon, a young girl in purple riding attire entered.

“Xiao Yan, why are you here today?”

The girl was passably pretty. She glanced coldly at Su Huafang and Bai Liwei, then fixed her gaze on Li Lin’s face for three breaths before looking away.

“Can’t I come? Didn’t you promise me some elixir to speed up cultivation? I haven’t seen a single one yet!”

Zhao Hao smiled bitterly. “Xiao Yan, those elixirs aren’t easy to get.”

“I don’t care. Give me three more days. If you still can’t get them, I’ll never speak to you again.”

With that, the girl left.

Li Lin and the others stared at Zhao Hao with strange expressions.

Zhao Hao sighed. “Don’t look at me like that—every family has its own troubles.”

Su Huafang had already taken Zhao Hao’s pulse. He waved his hand. “I’m not interested in your family drama. I only want to know: how did you get this injury? Your meridians nearly shattered.”

Zhao Hao immediately put on a reluctant expression.

Bai Liwei chuckled. “You don’t have to tell us—we can find out by asking around.”

Zhao Hao sighed and recounted what happened.

A few days ago, the girl named “Xiao Yan” suddenly demanded something to accelerate cultivation—something to speed up qi accumulation.

Such items did exist in the martial world, produced by certain sects, but they remained extremely rare.

Zhao Hao admitted he couldn’t obtain any.

Xiao Yan refused to accept it, nearly throwing herself on the floor and throwing a tantrum.

Helpless, Zhao Hao sought a solution.

He approached Li Lin first, failed, then went to Tianyi Gate.

Tianyi Gate did have them—but with a rule: you had to defeat one of their true disciples.

Win, and you get the elixir. Lose, and you leave behind a secret manual.

So Zhao Hao challenged them.

He nearly died, and his family’s “Fist Art” was taken from him.

Tianyi Gate… Hearing that name, Li Lin recalled the “Senior Brother”—clearly no ordinary figure.

Had Zhao Hao been defeated by that Senior Brother?

Bai Liwei laughed. "You challenged the Tianyi Gate to a duel? You've got guts. The Tianyi Gate is known for its many experts."

Zhao Hao grimaced. “I had no other choice.”

“Just ignore that girl.”

Zhao Hao flatly refused. “Impossible.”

Bai Liwei stood. “Since it’s not a vendetta, we won’t stay longer. See you in Yulin County.”

Bai Liwei was somewhat angry—he felt Zhao Hao was too weak before a woman, a disappointment.

Su Huafang patted Bai Liwei’s shoulder, calmed him, then turned to Zhao Hao. “Rest well.”

With that, he pulled Bai Liwei away.

Li Lin glanced at Zhao Hao.

Zhao Hao waved him off. “Don’t feel guilty—it’s my own fault.”

Li Lin turned and left.

The three had no intention of returning to Yulin County immediately, so they found an inn to stay.

Su and Bai shared a room to save money.

Li Lin took a private room—he wasn’t going to skimp; quiet and comfort mattered.

At noon the next day, the two woke Li Lin.

“We found out why Zhao Hao tolerates that girl so utterly.”

Li Lin yawned. “Go on.”

But just as Su Huafang was about to speak, they heard a knock at the door.

When he opened the door, he found a young man with a sword hanging at his waist standing outside.

The man bowed and said, “Three Spirit Hunters from Yulin County, the Tianyi Gate extends its greetings.”

Well, the rivals have come to our door.

(End of Chapter)