Chapter 11: He Possesses Noble Bearing

Chunju Pavilion.

Inside the side room.

Although the table was laden with fine dishes and fine wine, no one had any appetite to eat.

Wang Tianyou’s face remained dark, and Su Huafang sighed from time to time.

After a long while, one of the men accompanying Wang Tianyou, a stern-faced middle-aged man, said: “Young master, don’t blame yourself too much—this matter has little to do with you.”

The atmosphere had been tolerable just moments ago, but then a servant came to report that the clay statue in the Tudimiao had vanished, and a skeleton lay there—Wang Tianyou knew his most important mission had failed.

“The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!” Wang Tianyou muttered.

Su Huafang said nothing, and Li Lin said even less.

Then Wang Tianyou said: “Brother Li, of sword, spear, fist, and the Spirit-Control Heart Method—which two do you choose?”

“Two?” Li Lin was puzzled: “Isn’t it only one?”

“I said double compensation.”

“Then the Spear Manual and the Spirit-Control Heart Method—would that be acceptable?”

“No problem!” Wang Tianyou drank a sip of wine, then stood and said: “I’ll return to Dian City first—I must apologize to the Ding family. As for the promised items, I’ll send someone to deliver them in a few days.”

With that, Wang Tianyou and his retinue departed first.

Su Huafang exhaled in relief, wiping sweat from his forehead.

Li Lin asked: “Were you nervous, Elder Su?”

“Indeed, a little,” Su Huafang said after drinking wine. “Your strength is still weak—you wouldn’t feel it… but each of the men beside Young Master Wang could dispatch me in three strikes.”

Li Lin knew those men were strong, but not this strong: “But they aren’t Spirit Hunters, are they?”

“They are true martial masters!”

Spirit Hunters slay ghosts; martial masters kill men.

Each has their role.

But once one reaches a certain level, Spirit Hunters grow stronger.

“Tell me about these things,” Li Lin poured Su Huafang another cup of wine. “So I won’t unknowingly offend someone later.”

“Then let me tell you about the powerful families of Jincheng.”

The two chatted and drank as they sat.

The feast had already been paid for—why not eat it?

They didn’t leave the pavilion until noon.

Before leaving, Li Lin asked Su Huafang for the address of Zhan Shijun’s home, then went there.

A common single-room courtyard, with a low wall—through it, an old woman sat embroidering, and beside her, a young boy played in the dirt.

“Is this… Zhan Shijun’s… Brother Zhan’s home?”

The old woman rose and bowed slightly: “Yes, Young Master, what is your purpose?”

“These are the silver I owe Brother Zhan. Please take them.”

Li Lin handed over two silver notes—forty taels total, ten more than agreed.

Red rice should have been sent, but… ordinary people gain no benefit from red rice—it harms them.

Silver is more practical.

“My son never told me anyone owed him silver,” the old woman’s expression turned anxious. “Why didn’t you give it to him directly…?”

She seemed to guess something.

She stood motionless, refusing to take it—as if accepting it would bring some great disaster.

Li Lin placed the silver notes on the low wall and turned to leave.

The old woman stared at the silver notes on the wall, then at Li Lin’s retreating back—she swayed, nearly falling.

Then came muffled sobs.

Li Lin walked faster.

He wandered the marketplace, bought essentials like salt and oil, and was about to return to the village when a young scholar approached.

“Brother Kunge, we meet again,” Huang Qi bowed with a smile.

“Brother Zijing,” Li Lin returned the bow.

“Have you considered what I mentioned the other day?”

Li Lin looked at him curiously: “Brother Zijing, I have some questions—may I ask for your insight?”

“Go ahead.”

“I’ve been a Spirit Hunter for barely half a year, and I’m the weakest in our county. Why are you so determined to recruit me? Aren’t others better?”

Huang Qi snapped open his fan, exuding scholarly elegance: “No Spirit Hunter is truly weak—even if weak now, they can one day stand alone. But that’s not why I favor you. It’s because I see in you the same noble bearing as that exalted person.”

“Me? Noble?” Li Lin laughed. “I’m greedy and lustful—I don’t deserve the word ‘noble.’”

Huang Qi smiled slyly: “Brother Kunge, you underestimate yourself.”

“I’ll leave it at that—I must return to the village,” Li Lin bowed. “If I don’t hurry, night will fall.”

“Yes, Brother Kunge, watch your step,” Huang Qi returned the bow. “If you decide, come find me anytime.”

Li Lin returned to the village before dusk.

Most villagers had already closed their doors and rested—the village was silent.

Li Lin instinctively checked on the Tree Immortal Lady at the altar—she seemed to be resting, not appearing.

He returned home, closed the door, and cooked.

After eating a full pot of red rice, he finally felt his body recover.

Last night’s close encounter with the female ghost, though he wasn’t wounded, had drained much of his blood and vital energy from the lingering malice and yin energy.

He didn’t rush to absorb the blood rice. Instead, he opened the cloth sack and took out the books and elixirs inside.

They had been taken from the black-clad man.

The book was thin, with a blue cover, bearing the title: The Secret Ritual of the Wraith Embryo!

In large characters.

Li Lin’s expression turned grim. He instinctively glanced around, then shut the door and windows.

Only then did he return to the table and open the book.

After more than half an hour, he finished reading it.

【Wraith Embryo Secret +1】

【Wraith Embryo Secret +1】

“What a vile technique!”

Li Lin sighed, placed the book on the candle flame, dropped it aside, and watched it burn to ash before exhaling in relief.

His gaze turned to the two small bottles—no labels, and when shaken, they made a sound, suggesting they contained something.

Logically, they should hold pills—but who could guarantee they weren’t poison? So he dared not sniff or taste them.

“Store them for now. In a few days, buy a few chickens to test the contents,” Li Lin placed the two porcelain bottles inside the wardrobe.

If they’re not poison, take them to a doctor in the county to identify their purpose.

After finishing this, he fetched two buckets of well water from the courtyard, washed his body, changed into clean clothes, and was about to blow out the lamp and rest—when he heard a woman’s weeping outside.

“Xiaohu, Zhao Xiaohu, where are you?”

“Come out—Xiuniang waits to reunite with you.”

Each cry was filled with bitter resentment.

Li Lin’s face grew cold. He pushed open the window and looked down—there, wandering outside the village, was the familiar white-clad woman, and beside her, another female figure.

It was unmistakably Xiuniang.

He stared at the two female ghosts outside, then shut the window and sat cross-legged on the bed.

【Blood and Vital Energy +1】

【Blood and Vital Energy +1】

At dawn the next day, Li Lin went straight to Uncle Zhao’s house and knocked.

Hua Shen opened the door, her face filled with terror—but when she saw Li Lin, relief flickered: “Little Brother Li, we were just coming to find you—Xiaohu is acting strangely. You must save him!”

(End of Chapter)