Chapter 106: No Mercy

Li Lin looked helplessly at him; when someone no longer wishes to live, no amount of persuasion will help.

"Forget it, I won't try to persuade you anymore," Li Lin sighed. "The fact that yin energy shortens lifespan—someone must have deliberately concealed and covered it up."

Su Huafang nodded. “Exactly. So generally speaking… Spirit Hunters have no access to medical knowledge; clinics and such places have been quietly instructed not to sell medical texts to Spirit Hunters.”

Li Lin remembered how, the first time he went to a clinic to buy medical texts, they had refused to sell them to him.

So that’s how it was.

It seems the imperial court truly fears… that the number of Spirit Hunters will keep dwindling.

After all, those who can become Spirit Hunters usually have no trouble learning martial arts to become martial cultivators.

Yet the vast majority of martial cultivators never become Spirit Hunters.

Seeing Li Lin lost in thought, Su Huafang smiled and asked, “Now that you know this, do you regret it?”

Li Lin shook his head. “If I hadn’t become a Spirit Hunter, I’d probably be dead already.”

Su Huafang exhaled in relief and couldn’t help asking, “Who told you about my depleted vital energy?”

“An Xin of Tianyi Sect.”

Su Huafang pondered. “Could he have done this on purpose… to keep you from becoming a Spirit Hunter?”

Li Lin countered, “What benefit would that give him?”

“Maybe I’m just being paranoid,” Su Huafang chuckled.

Since persuasion was useless, Li Lin prepared to return to his room and rest.

But at that moment, Su Huafang said, “Since you’re in Jincheng, why not pay a visit to Young Master Wang?”

Li Lin asked, “Will you, Sir Su, come along?”

“No need. High walls and grand courtyards aren’t suited for ordinary folk like us.”

“Who among Spirit Hunters is ordinary…?”

“To them, we’re ordinary—but you, Sir Li, are different.”

Li Lin himself disliked trouble; the etiquette of this era was overly cumbersome and exhausting.

But remembering how Young Master Wang had always looked out for him, he decided to go pay a visit.

Of course, a visit required a gift. He thought for a moment, bought herbs from the apothecary, borrowed the inn’s stove, and refined a batch of Strength Pills.

The herbal aroma filled the entire inn; due to poor alchemical conditions, the failure rate was nearly thirty percent.

But Li Lin didn’t care—he bottled up several vials.

He left a few vials for Su Huafang and Bai Liwei, kept two as gifts, and went to visit Wang Tianyou.

The plaque above the Wang family mansion didn’t read “Wang Mansion,” but simply “Wang Clan”—likely to avoid offending imperial taboos.

He approached and knocked. The gatekeeper asked his purpose; upon hearing he wished to visit Wang Tianyou, the man’s expression turned peculiar.

But he still said, “Wait a moment—I’ll inform Third Young Master.”

Soon after, Wang Tianyou walked out, his face bright with pleasure.

“A distinguished guest arrives—my humble abode is honored! Please, come in!”

Li Lin presented the small gift box.

“You’re too kind,” Wang Tianyou refused to take it.

Li Lin whispered, “It’s for strengthening yang—family secret recipe!”

He no longer bothered explaining the pill’s other effects; if those two words were there, it was guaranteed to be valuable.

Wang Tianyou’s eyebrows lifted, and he immediately slipped the small box into his sleeve.

You give him money or treasures—he may not care.

But you give him this? Whether or not it carries hidden risks, he’ll take it.

“Thank you, thank you! Oh, you came by, and you brought such a fine gift!”

As they laughed, someone beside them suddenly asked, “What fine gift? Is there a share for me?”

They turned to see a man in scholarly robes, standing three zhang away, gently fanning himself with a smile on his face.

He looked more mature than Wang Tianyou, and their features were strikingly similar.

Seeing him, Wang Tianyou’s expression turned cold. “I’m speaking with a friend—what’s it to you?”

“Third brother, that’s not how it works,” the man chuckled. “Guests are guests. As the eldest son, isn’t it my duty to entertain them?”

Wang Tianyou frowned.

The man turned to Li Lin. “Sir, may I ask your name? Since you’ve come to the Wang household, why not share a cup of hot tea with me?”

Li Lin smiled slightly, then looked at Wang Tianyou. “Seeing you in good health is enough. I have urgent business—farewell.”

Wang Tianyou laughed. “Ha! Take your time. When I’m free, we’ll drink together.”

Li Lin bowed and left, never glancing again at the so-called eldest son.

He was Wang Tianyou’s friend—not the eldest son’s.

And this man, in front of Wang Tianyou, tried to win him over—implicitly putting him on the fire. What did he take him for? A fickle, treacherous man?

Watching Li Lin depart, the eldest son’s face darkened.

Wang Tianyou chuckled. “Don’t assume everyone is as smooth and fickle as you, my dear elder brother.”

Hmph!

The eldest son swept his sleeve and walked away.

Back at the inn, Bai Liwei had returned. The three conferred and decided there was nothing left to do here—they might as well head home.

So the three spent another four days traveling back to Yulin County.

At the city gate, they parted ways: Su Huafang went to report to County Magistrate Huang about Zhao Hao.

Li Lin returned to his “new home.”

Upon entering, he noticed more people inside.

Hong Luan rushed out to greet him. “This four-courtyard house is too large—some areas are hard to clean. I bought some obedient, capable servants. When the Young Lady arrives, there’ll be more hands to serve.”

This was no problem.

That night, after they made love, Li Lin placed a gold ornament gift box into Hong Luan’s hands. “Give this to Big Sister tomorrow.”

“What is it?” Hong Luan didn’t open it.

“A dangle hairpin. The design is quite new.”

Hong Luan sighed with envy. “The Young Lady will look stunning wearing it—she’s beautiful after all.”

“You’ll have one too,” Li Lin caressed her cheek. “But not yet—it wouldn’t be safe. If anyone found out, your position in the Huang household would become difficult. When you come with Big Sister as my wife, I’ll prepare one for you too.”

Hong Luan nodded eagerly.

She didn’t truly care about the gold ornament; she knew she couldn’t possess such things yet. But the fact that Li Lin thought of this made her deeply happy.

This man understood tenderness.

Then her gaze caught a small wooden box beside it—similar in appearance, likely from the same batch. Curious, she asked, “What’s in the box over there?”

“Also a gold ornament,” Li Lin smiled. “For the Tree Immortal Lady.”

She immediately stopped looking.

For the Young Lady, she dared to hope a little.

But for a gift meant for the True Lord? She dared not even touch it.

They chatted a while longer, then Hong Luan fell asleep.

Li Lin took out the “Wordless Heavenly Book” and began studying it.

He’d studied the Nourishing Nature Scripture long enough to see traces of “proficiency”—perhaps this would yield something too.

But sadly, after flipping through the Wordless Heavenly Book for over an hour, he found no insight at all.

He set it aside and lay down to rest.

The next morning, after breakfast, as Li Lin prepared to practice spear techniques, Bai Yunfei arrived.

“Sir Li, Bai has come to disturb you—please forgive the intrusion.”

Li Lin smiled. “No need for apologies. You’ve come to spar with me?”

“No,” Bai Yunfei shook his head. “I’d like to ask—do you know the eunuch Qi from the Four Marvels True Lord Temple?”

Li Lin shook his head. “I’ve met him two or three times. We’ve barely exchanged words.”

Bai Yunfei pondered. “Then… do you think he might be a traitor?”

“Huh? What traitor?”

“From Yuecheng!”

Li Lin’s expression turned grave. “Have you informed the County Magistrate?”

(End of Chapter)