Chapter 115: Eighth Rank

Seven men waited at the bottom of the pit, Bai Liwei calculating their tally.

“The convoy was almost entirely burned. Without ropes made of protective powder, the enemy soldiers couldn’t have survived—the Wicked Wraiths wouldn’t let such flesh go to waste. We’ve eliminated over two hundred. This is a major achievement.”

Yan Han also chuckled: “Thirty taels of gold, a hundred jin of blood rice.”

Hearing these numbers, everyone burst into laughter.

That was a substantial sum.

Especially Zhao Xiaohu—his eyes lit up at the mention of thirty taels of gold.

After a night’s rest, the group descended into the tunnel to verify their kills once more.

Based on the white bones left behind, they confirmed over two hundred had been devoured by the Wicked Wraiths, and more than thirty grain carts had been burned.

“Let’s head back!” Bai Zhiwei grinned.

Another grueling journey followed—after traversing the jungle-thick forest, they returned to Lianjiang Village.

Fan Shan invited them to rest inside the village, but Bai Zhiwei declined.

The group set up camp in the wild.

The next day, Fan Shan arrived with a woman and three children, finding Bai Zhiwei and the others.

“Take me back to Yulin County,” Fan Shan said. “I never want to set foot in this hellhole again.”

Naturally, they agreed.

Though bringing a civilian woman and three children under ten would slow them down, they had won—they could afford to move slower.

Fan Shan’s wife was an ordinary peasant woman, unremarkable in every way.

His eldest son, however, had bright, lively eyes—clearly gifted.

With Fan Shan’s family in tow, it took nearly eight days to reach Yulin County.

The moment they entered the city gates, Fan Shan burst into tears.

“Wuh wuh wuh… I’m finally back…”

The others patted his shoulder in comfort.

Bai Zhiwei asked: “Is your old home still standing? If you have nowhere to stay, I’ve got a standalone courtyard in Chengxi—you can stay there for now.”

Fan Shan wiped his tears and said: “Thank you, but I have a home here—my parents are alive and waiting for me.”

“You had parents all along?!” Zhao Xiaohu asked.

Ding Fengqiu immediately slapped the back of Xiaohu’s head: “Are you stupid? Everyone has parents.”

“That’s not what I meant…” Zhao Xiaohu rubbed his head.

Fan Shan smiled: “My parents have lived here all along. Thanks to the County Magistrate’s protection, that merchant didn’t dare touch my family.”

Only then did the others understand.

“Then go honor your parents,” Bai Zhiwei said, clapping Fan Shan’s shoulder before walking off.

He needed to report to the County Magistrate.

The rest dispersed, each returning to their own homes.

Li Lin returned to his new home… Hong Luan smiled through tears as she saw him.

She had been deeply worried, day after day.

After crying for a while, she suddenly said: “Husband, Master sent you a chest. I didn’t open it—I don’t know what’s inside. It’s in the bedroom.”

In this dynasty, a woman was not allowed to touch her husband’s belongings without permission.

Li Lin entered the bedroom and found a new chest inside.

Opening it, he saw many irregular, translucent pieces of ‘glass’.

Yin Qi Stones!

So many?

He remembered Ding Fengqiu saying he needed to buy Yin Qi Stones from him—this much could spare some to trade for the Twin Cultivation Art.

Su Huafang had also said that since Li Lin was close to the Tree Immortal Lady, he should try the Twin Cultivation Art.

In the Spirit Hunting profession, cultivating with a Female Wraith was not an unthinkable practice.

But this matter could wait.

His relationship with Ding Fengqiu was still distant; the Twin Cultivation Art was a family secret, not easily traded.

Besides… Li Lin felt his bond with the Tree Immortal Lady hovered just above ambiguity, yet fell short of true intimacy.

So no rush—wait a little longer.

As for the Yin Qi Stones, after absorbing two, he felt his Yin Qi surge dramatically.

It instantly pushed his Yin Qi realm from Ninth Rank straight to Eighth Rank.

These stones were formed from the Pure Yin Qi of a True Lord—absorbing them naturally increased Yin Qi.

With this entire chest… if he absorbed it all, he might push his strength to Sixth Rank.

The top spot in Jincheng would be within reach.

In other words, his debt to the Huang family grew deeper.

Realizing this, he stayed at his new home for two days, then bid Hong Luan farewell and returned to Shangtikou Village.

As he reached the village entrance, he saw a fleeting shadow of a serpent’s tail vanish.

He went to the altar and found the old tree now had a small, lush green canopy.

“Tree Immortal Lady… I’ve come to offer blood qi.”

The Tree Immortal Lady appeared, gazing coldly at Li Lin—as if displeased.

Had he not seen her serpent tail vanish at the village gate, he might have thought she truly disliked him.

But some things need no words—better left unspoken.

He extended his left hand: “Please.”

The Tree Immortal Lady lowered her head, cradling the man’s palm, her long serpent tongue licking his palm.

Slowly, white essence was drawn away.

Li Lin felt the Tree Immortal Lady had grown gentler—even her blood qi consumption was slower.

Previously, she finished in one incense stick; now it took three.

“Liu Zhe…”

The Tree Immortal Lady shot him a glare—as if angered by him calling her by name.

“Why has my blood qi turned white?”

Li Lin had asked this before; she’d only said it was good. But he wanted to know why.

The Tree Immortal Lady hesitated, then said: “Tastes better.”

Li Lin couldn’t help laughing.

Fine—if she didn’t want to explain, he wouldn’t press.

Returning to his small hut from the altar, Li Lin took out blood rice and boiled a large pot.

The Shengxi Pills were useful, but they increased higher-grade Yuan Qi; essence, however… needed refinement to become Yuan Qi. Though inferior, it was still indispensable to the human body.

Blood rice was the perfect source for generating essence.

After eating the entire pot, Li Lin felt much better and crafted three Soul-Guiding Paper Figures to gather herbs on the mountain.

With his Paper Crafting skill improved and his Yin Qi realm at Eighth Rank, he could now control three.

As for the small paper figures, their number had doubled.

Now, mischievous little paper figures were everywhere in the village.

His Paper Crafting proficiency rose steadily. Once the three Soul-Guiding Paper Figures returned with herbs, Li Lin began refining elixirs.

The Alchemy skill must keep pace.

To marry Huang Dama, the Huang family had said no bride price was needed—but Li Lin felt he should still offer one.

Otherwise, he’d seem heartless.

The Huang family was a great clan, lacking nothing—so the only thing Li Lin could truly offer was elixirs.

He planned to devote more time to Alchemy in the coming days, aiming to develop a new ‘elixir’ within ten days.

Diligence rewarded him—he finally refined the new elixir on the eighth day.

‘Poison-Resisting Elixir’!

An elixir granting immunity to most poisons for twelve hours.

(End of Chapter)