[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-dark-and-dawn-light-years":3,"chapter-dark-and-dawn-light-years-dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-102":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Dark and Dawn Light-Years",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2264702,4420,"Chapter 102","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-102",102,"\u003Cp>In the main hall, Zhao Hao sipped tea, his face worn with exhaustion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you supposed to have gone with Ding Xun and the others to seek immortal fortune? Why didn’t you go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know about that?” Zhao Hao asked curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao sighed helplessly. “I intended to go, but something urgent came up—I had to withdraw.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Family matters. Not something I can discuss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin sipped his tea. “I spoke out of turn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t say that,” Zhao Hao waved his hand. “I came here to ask for your help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I need a few more Yuanqi Pills.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin paused. “Those pills are hard to come by.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know,” Zhao Hao gave a bitter smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he’d heard that major sects had similar elixirs, they never sold them—and only core disciples could use them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao continued: “So I brought something to trade with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A secret manual was placed on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin did not take it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s really hard,” Li Lin said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao clenched his lips, tucked away the manual, and sighed. “Then I won’t trouble you further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching him leave, Li Lin also let out a quiet sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t want to expose too much about Shengxi Pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Absolutely no one must be able to ask and immediately get them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Zhao Hao left, Li Lin turned to studying “Array Techniques.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He fetched three stones, carved the three characters “Gou Lou Fu” on each, and stuck them onto his home’s “Yun Bi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the screen right by the door, visible at a glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then infused yin energy into the three characters—but the screen remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just because you can use a 3x3 grid to unlock a phone’s screen saver doesn’t mean you can build the phone itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Li Lin’s situation now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had learned the basic usage of array techniques, but not the core methods of crafting them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder immortal arts were so difficult—they were simply not ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This only strengthened his resolve to build a solid foundation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He practiced the Yang Yin Heart Method and ate blood rice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, he’d stack up his base attributes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several days passed, then Su Huafang knocked on Li Lin’s door: “Young Master Zhao had an incident in Jincheng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A pigeon letter was sent to the County Magistrate requesting leave—brief, unclear details—but it’s certain he was beaten.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin nodded. “Let’s go see him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, and Inspector Bai Liwei is going too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the entire Yulin County, only these four had the closest ties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Huafang had also bought a good supply of Yu Jie Powder from Ding Yingqiu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon the three mounted their horses and set off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Yu Jie Powder, they feared no wilderness spirits at night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this method was expensive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One bottle cost roughly a hundred silver taels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why such a potent tool against spirits had never spread—it was simply too costly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After four days of urgent travel, the three arrived again in Jincheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They quickly reached Zhao Hao’s home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao’s residence was a medium-sized three-courtyard house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were few servants inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After sitting in the main hall awhile, they saw Zhao Hao emerge wearing a white night robe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He visibly brightened upon seeing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You three came? Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We heard you were injured—how could we not come?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the steward entered from outside. “Young Master, Miss An has arrived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao’s face lit up. “Quickly, show her in!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, a young girl in purple riding attire entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiao Yan, why are you here today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can’t I come? Didn’t you promise me some elixir to speed up cultivation? I haven’t seen a single one yet!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao smiled bitterly. “Xiao Yan, those elixirs aren’t easy to get.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t care. Give me three more days. If you still can’t get them, I’ll never speak to you again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, the girl left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin and the others stared at Zhao Hao with strange expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao sighed. “Don’t look at me like that—every family has its own troubles.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>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.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao immediately put on a reluctant expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Liwei chuckled. “You don’t have to tell us—we can find out by asking around.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao sighed and recounted what happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few days ago, the girl named “Xiao Yan” suddenly demanded something to accelerate cultivation—something to speed up qi accumulation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such items did exist in the martial world, produced by certain sects, but they remained extremely rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao admitted he couldn’t obtain any.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao Yan refused to accept it, nearly throwing herself on the floor and throwing a tantrum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Helpless, Zhao Hao sought a solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He approached Li Lin first, failed, then went to Tianyi Gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianyi Gate did have them—but with a rule: you had to defeat one of their true disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Win, and you get the elixir. Lose, and you leave behind a secret manual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Zhao Hao challenged them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nearly died, and his family’s “Fist Art” was taken from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianyi Gate… Hearing that name, Li Lin recalled the “Senior Brother”—clearly no ordinary figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had Zhao Hao been defeated by that Senior Brother?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Liwei laughed. \"You challenged the Tianyi Gate to a duel? You've got guts. The Tianyi Gate is known for its many experts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao grimaced. “I had no other choice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just ignore that girl.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao flatly refused. “Impossible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Liwei stood. “Since it’s not a vendetta, we won’t stay longer. See you in Yulin County.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Liwei was somewhat angry—he felt Zhao Hao was too weak before a woman, a disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Huafang patted Bai Liwei’s shoulder, calmed him, then turned to Zhao Hao. “Rest well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he pulled Bai Liwei away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin glanced at Zhao Hao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao waved him off. “Don’t feel guilty—it’s my own fault.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin turned and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three had no intention of returning to Yulin County immediately, so they found an inn to stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su and Bai shared a room to save money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin took a private room—he wasn’t going to skimp; quiet and comfort mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At noon the next day, the two woke Li Lin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We found out why Zhao Hao tolerates that girl so utterly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin yawned. “Go on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as Su Huafang was about to speak, they heard a knock at the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he opened the door, he found a young man with a sword hanging at his waist standing outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man bowed and said, “Three Spirit Hunters from Yulin County, the Tianyi Gate extends its greetings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, the rivals have come to our door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1174,"2026-06-19T19:39:18.782Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","75cee80b5253301b127d46cd5e06d467abddca9fae98bdcab0908a41e4e3c0f3","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-103","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-101",221,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdark-and-dawn-light-years-cover.jpg"]