Chapter 129: Holding

As soon as Huang Ying stepped out of the brothel, he squatted by the roadside and began vomiting.

His face was iron-green, as if his spirit had suffered a great shock.

"What is this?" Huang Ying glanced at the book in his hand, then immediately averted his gaze: "Why do I feel like vomiting after just looking at it for a while?"

"Immortality... is not cultivated so easily," Li Lin smiled.

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

Li Lin glanced at it, picked up the book, and said, "Don't throw it around; if a young child picks it up, it won't be good."

Huang Ying shook his head: "This thing isn't for humans to read; the idea of cultivating immortality must be a false rumor."

Despite his words, a look of disappointment still lingered on Huang Ying's face.

This already proved that he lacked the aptitude for cultivating immortality.

Li Lin's expression was normal, but inside his heart, waves were surging violently.

Cultivating immortality... he, Li Lin, wanted it too.

Very much.

In fact, on the Dark Character Technique, he had already taken a very important step.

At the very least, he could enter the illusion within the Dark Character Technique.

Did this mean he was someone capable of cultivating immortality!

From that painting in the Gou Lou Fu, Li Lin knew he had already stepped into a 'trap'; he did not know whether it was good or bad.

When Li Lin returned home, Zhang Afu told him that another family's female relatives had visited the rear courtyard again.

Li Lin was about to go to the study to stay, but unexpectedly heard loud weeping coming from the rear courtyard.

Thinking something had happened, he hurried to the rear courtyard and found a woman holding a bronze mirror, weeping aloud.

And Huang Qi was comforting her on the side.

Seeing that nothing serious had occurred, Li Lin returned to the study.

That night, husband, wife, and concubine slept together under one large quilt.

With Hu Ji on his left and a Han woman on his right, Li Lin did not know how happy he was.

But for some reason, Huang Qi's mood was not high tonight.

Li Lin stroked her forehead and asked, "Qing'er, what's wrong? You seem rather unhappy."

"Today in the rear courtyard... the Zeng family consumed our family's Youth-Preserving Pill."

"And then?" Li Lin replied instinctively.

"She failed to return to her youthful appearance," Huang Qi said, fear in her eyes: "Then she cried for a very long time, until her eyes were almost blinded by tears."

The use of the Youth-Preserving Pill also had restrictions.

After the age of fifty, the Youth-Preserving Pill is ineffective.

Huang Qi spoke softly: "Mother is already forty-seven; in three more years, she will no longer be able to consume the Youth-Preserving Pill. I am afraid that in three years, Mother will not be able to bear such a blow. After all, Mother loves beauty so much."

Hong Luan pouted on the side.

At this point, Huang Qi buried her head in Li Lin's embrace, and her body trembled.

"And... just now I also thought, what if one day I can no longer use the Youth-Preserving Pill? As my husband becomes more and more powerful, I grow old and faded; by then, I will no longer catch your eye."

"That won't happen," Li Lin said: "Didn't I say it? The three of us will grow old together."

"But I also don't want to see my husband grow old," Huang Qi stroked Li Lin's face: "I wish for you to remain eternally youthful!"

"Who can remain eternally y..."

At this point, Li Lin suddenly froze.

There truly are people who can remain eternally youthful.

Immortals!

Li Lin imagined himself with white hair, a wrinkled face, a hunched back, and blind eyes; for some reason, a tiny thread of fear arose in his heart.

He instinctively hugged Huang Qi and Hong Luan tighter.

"Then let us find a way to never grow old."

Huang Qi stopped crying and smiled: "My lord truly knows how to coax people."

She thought Li Lin was just teasing her to make her happy.

But Li Lin did not think so.

He felt he truly might be able to achieve eternal youth.

He must cultivate immortality!

This thought became incredibly strong.

Soon, the two women fell asleep.

But Li Lin lay with his eyes open, thinking about things, many and mixed.

He did not fall asleep until the middle of the night.

Then he had a dream, dreaming that he had grown old, his teeth had all fallen out, and he was bullied by several children at the village entrance.

Then he was frightened awake.

Patting his face, he rallied his spirit and washed under Hong Luan's service.

Today is a day off; no need to go to work.

He drank a bowl of millet porridge cooked by Hong Luan, then wrote some things in the study, bound them, and turned them into a thin book.

And on the cover, he wrote "Annotated Edition of the Cultivation of Nature Sutra".

Then he put the book inside his clothes and went to find Ding Yingqiu.

The gatekeeper of Ding Fu already knew Li Lin, immediately went to report, and soon after, Li Lin met Ding Yingqiu.

At this moment, Ding Yingqiu looked at Li Lin with an indignant gaze.

"Ding Xunshou, with that fierce demeanor, did I offend you?"

Ding Yingqiu gritted her teeth and said, "That fellow Zhao Xiaohu has been coming to harass me lately; is this your doing?"

"He really came?"

"It really is you!" Ding Yingqiu was so angry her face seemed about to crumple.

Li Lin smiled and said, "Ding Xunshou has also reached the age for marriage; Zhao Xiaohu isn't bad either."

"He is only thirteen!"

"If he doesn't say it, who would know."

Ding Yingqiu helplessly rolled her eyes: "Fine, talking about this with you is a waste of breath; you and he are on the same side."

"He is my younger brother; naturally, I must help him."

Ding Yingqiu waved her hand: "Forget it, I won't argue this with you. Why did you come to find me?"

"I want to know how much Ding Xunshou knows about... the immortal art."

Ding Yingqiu looked at Li Lin with some surprise: "You've changed your nature; weren't you previously not very interested in this matter?"

Li Lin sighed: "Suddenly I feel life is bitter and short, and youth passes easily."

"This thought is correct," Ding Yingqiu said very satisfied: "If you don't seize the time when young, waiting until old age to seek immortal opportunities, there may be no chance left. For example, to cultivate an immortal art, at least forty years are needed; if you wait until forty to start cultivating, it may be too late."

Li Lin understood the other's meaning: "So, let us cooperate."

"How shall we cooperate?"

"I will hand over what I know to you; if you have clues regarding methods of immortal cultivation, you may tell me as well; we will exchange."

Previously, Li Lin dared not trade with the great families because he was only one person, while they were a group.

But now it was different; he was the County Commandant, and he had the Huang family backing him.

Huang Yan was right; entering the world alone, one should lean on a great tree for shade.

Ding Yingqiu nodded and said, "It sounds very fair, but what can you produce now! Don't speak of martial techniques and the like; those have no relation to immortal cultivation."

Li Lin knew the other would say this; he asked, "Have you heard of the Nourishing Nature Sutra?"

"Naturally!" Ding Yingqiu nodded: "It was also transmitted from the palace; like the Obscure Character Art, just looking at it gives one a headache; it is estimated to be an supreme art of immortal cultivation as well."

"As for the Nourishing Nature Sutra, I have gained some understanding!"

Ding Yingqiu suddenly stood up, her face filled with incredulity: "Impossible."

"The Nourishing Nature Sutra... appears to nourish nature, but actually it first nourishes life, first refines the body. Only with a strong body can nature be nourished."

"Continue!" Ding Yingqiu said solemnly.

"What follows is the content of the transaction." Li Lin took out the written book from his bosom: "Although it is only a few short pages, I believe this is a very valuable secret manual."

Ding Yingqiu looked at the characters on it for a while, her nose twitched, and she said, "Did you just write this?"

"Yes."

Ding Yingqiu closed her eyes and pondered for a while: "I know another cave dwelling that possibly was visited by an immortal; I can tell you the location."

"Deal!"

Li Lin pushed the book on the table over.

(End of this chapter)