Chapter 129: Hold

Huang Ying stepped out of the brothel and immediately squatted by the roadside to vomit.

His face was ashen, as if his spirit had suffered a great shock.

“What is this?” Huang Ying glanced at the book in his hand, then quickly looked away: “Why did I only look for a moment and feel like vomiting?”

“Immortality… isn’t easy to cultivate.” Li Lin smiled.

Huang Ying thought for a moment, then threw the book away.

Li Lin glanced at it, picked it up, and said: “Don’t just toss it around—what if a child finds it?”

Huang Ying shook his head: “This isn’t meant for humans. The idea of cultivating immortality must be nonsense.”

Yet despite his words, a look of disappointment still lingered on Huang Ying’s face.

This already proved he had no talent for cultivation.

Li Lin’s expression remained calm, but inside, his heart churned like a storm.

Cultivation… he, Li Lin, wanted it too.

Very much.

In fact, he had already taken a crucial step in the Hui Character Secret.

At least he could now enter the illusion within the Hui Character Secret.

Did this mean he was someone who could cultivate immortality?

From the painting in Goukong Cave, Li Lin knew he had stepped into a “scheme”—whether good or bad, he could not tell.

When Li Lin returned home, Zhang Afu told him another family’s female relatives had come to visit the Hou courtyard.

Li Lin was just about to head to the study when he suddenly heard sobbing from the back courtyard.

He thought something had happened and hurried over—only to find a woman holding a bronze mirror, weeping uncontrollably.

Huang Qing stood beside her, offering comfort.

Seeing nothing serious, Li Lin returned to the study.

That night, the three of them—husband, wife, and concubine—shared one large bed.

On his left was Hu Ji, on his right a Han woman—he was immensely happy.

Yet for some reason, Huang Qing’s mood that night was low.

Li Lin touched her forehead and asked: “Qing’er, what’s wrong? You seem unhappy.”

“Today in the back courtyard… Mrs. Zeng consumed our family’s Youth-Preserving Elixir.”

“And then?” Li Lin replied instinctively.

“She didn’t return to her youthful appearance,” Huang Qing’s eyes filled with fear: “Then she cried for a long, long time—her eyes nearly went blind.”

The use of the Youth-Preserving Elixir has limits.

After age fifty, it becomes ineffective.

Huang Qing whispered: “Mother is already forty-seven. In three years, she won’t be able to take it anymore. I’m afraid… after three years, she won’t be able to bear such a blow. Mother loves beauty so much.”

Hong Luan pursed her lips beside her.

Saying this, Huang Qing buried her head in Li Lin’s arms, her body trembling.

“And… I just thought—if one day I can’t use the Youth-Preserving Elixir anymore, and you grow ever stronger while I grow old and faded, then you’ll no longer find me desirable.”

“Never,” Li Lin said. “Didn’t I say we’d grow old together, the three of us?”

“But I don’t want to see you grow old either,” Huang Qing caressed Li Lin’s face: “I want you to stay forever young!”

“No one can stay forever…”

Here, Li Lin suddenly froze.

There truly was someone who could stay forever young.

Immortals!

Li Lin imagined himself with white hair, wrinkled skin, hunched back, and blind eyes—and for some reason, a faint fear stirred in his heart.

He instinctively hugged Huang Qing and Hong Luan tighter.

“Then let’s find a way to never grow old.”

Huang Qing wiped away her tears and smiled: “Husband, you’re such a charmer.”

She thought Li Lin was merely comforting her.

But Li Lin did not think so.

He believed he truly might achieve eternal youth.

He would cultivate immortality!

This thought became unbearably strong.

Soon, the two women fell asleep.

But Li Lin lay awake, thinking—many things, scattered and chaotic.

He didn’t sleep until the late hours.

Then he dreamed—he grew old, lost all his teeth, and was bullied by children at the village entrance.

He woke up in terror.

He slapped his face, shook off his dread, and washed up under Hong Luan’s care.

Today was a day off—no work.

He drank a bowl of Hong Luan’s millet porridge, then wrote something in the study, bound it into a thin book.

On the cover, he wrote: “Annotated Edition of the Yangxing Scripture.”

Then he slipped the book into his robes and went to find Ding Yingqiu.

The gatekeeper at the Ding household recognized Li Lin and immediately reported his arrival; soon, Li Lin met Ding Yingqiu.

At that moment, Ding Yingqiu glared at Li Lin with unmistakable resentment.

“Ding Patrol Commander, you look furious—have I offended you?”

Ding Yingqiu gritted her teeth: “Zhao Xiaohu has been pestering me lately—is this your doing?”

“He really came?”

“It really is you!” Ding Yingqiu’s face twisted with anger.

Li Lin smiled: “Ding Patrol Commander, you’re at an age to marry. Xiaohu isn’t bad.”

“He’s only thirteen!”

“He doesn’t say anything—who would know?”

Ding Yingqiu rolled her eyes in exasperation: “Fine, talking to you is pointless—you and he are in cahoots.”

“He’s my brother—I naturally support him.”

Ding Yingqiu waved her hand: “Forget it. Why am I wasting time on this? What do you want from me?”

“I want to know how much you know about… cultivation.”

Ding Yingqiu looked at Li Lin in surprise: “You’ve changed your mind? Didn’t you used to care nothing for this?”

Li Lin sighed: “Suddenly, life feels short, youth fleeting.”

“That’s the right thinking,” Ding Yingqiu said approvingly: “If you don’t seize the opportunity when young, when you’re old, it may be too late. For example, cultivating immortal arts requires at least forty years—if you start at forty, it’s already too late.”

Li Lin understood her meaning: “Then let’s cooperate.”

“How?”

“I’ll share what I know. If you have any leads on cultivation methods, share them with me. We exchange.”

Previously, Li Lin dared not trade with noble families—he was alone, they were many.

But now things were different: he was County Commandant, and backed by the Huang family.

Huang Yan was right: walking alone in the world, it’s better to lean on a great tree.

Ding Yingqiu nodded: “Sounds fair—but what can you offer now? Don’t talk about martial techniques—they have nothing to do with cultivation.”

Li Lin knew she’d say that. He asked: “Have you heard of the Yangxing Scripture?”

“Of course!” Ding Yingqiu nodded: “It came from the palace, like the Hui Character Secret—just looking at it gives you a headache. Probably an immortal scripture.”

“I’ve gained some insight into the Yangxing Scripture!”

Ding Yingqiu shot to her feet, disbelief on her face: “Impossible.”

“The Yangxing Scripture… seems about cultivating nature, but first it cultivates life, first it strengthens the body. Only with a strong body can one cultivate nature.”

“Continue!” Ding Yingqiu said sternly.

“What follows is the trade,” Li Lin pulled the written book from his robes: “Though only a few pages, I believe this is a valuable secret manual.”

Ding Yingqiu studied the characters, her nose twitching: “You just wrote this?”

“Yes.”

Ding Yingqiu closed her eyes, thought for a moment: “I know of another cave where an immortal may have once stayed—I can tell you its location.”

“Deal!”

Li Lin pushed the book across the table.

(End of Chapter)