Chapter 131: Spirit-Rearing Art Minor Mastery

Li Lin turned around: “Of course you can haggle—but you need the right attitude to do it.”

“The Assistant County Magistrate really does act with brute force,” Yan Jing said softly.

Li Lin said: “Speak up—what do you want?”

“The Spirit-Rearing Art is a deeply insulting technique to us.”

Li Lin frowned: “Deeply insulting?”

He’d even hoped to use this technique to forge a connection with the Tree Immortal Lady.

After all, it’s “rearing” a spirit—not “controlling” one.

“I want a yin-energy stone.”

Li Lin raised an eyebrow: “You’ve got quite the appetite.”

“But I guarantee I’ll obey you completely—on every order, in every action, I won’t resist.”

Li Lin thought for a moment, then said: “Fine.”

“Then when…?” Yan Jing beamed.

Spirit Hunters prize yin-energy stones; spirits naturally crave them too.

“I’ll come back to you in a few days.”

“I’ll be waiting for you, my lord,” Yan Jing smiled seductively.

Li Lin returned home and, during dinner, said: “Qing, Hongluan, in a few days I must go to Guicheng.”

Both set down their bowls instinctively.

Huang Qing asked: “Are you going alone?”

Li Lin nodded, then shook his head: “I’ll be alone—but I’ll be bringing a spirit along.”

“Will it be dangerous?”

“Probably not?” Li Lin replied with a smile.

Huang Qing asked: “Is it truly necessary to go?”

Li Lin nodded.

He had decided to cultivate the Dao—so seeking immortal fortune was essential.

Huang Qing said: “Rest assured, I’ll manage the household. Come back soon.”

“Alright.”

Li Lin agreed.

Several days passed, and Li Lin requested half a month’s leave from Huang Yan.

“You’re going to Guicheng?” Huang Yan frowned. “Why?”

“Personal matters.”

Huang Yan nodded thoughtfully.

Then he gave his approval.

That night, Li Lin arrived at Hongxiuzhao. Yan Jing was yawning—but when she saw Li Lin, she instantly perked up.

Li Lin glanced around: “You seem idle—don’t you take clients?”

“Ordinary men bore me—their blood qi is too weak,” Yan Jing pressed her right hand against Li Lin’s chest and smiled seductively. “But for a man like Assistant County Magistrate Li, I’d give you my full skill.”

“No need,” Li Lin waved his hand. “I’m about to use the Spirit-Rearing Art—prepare yourself.”

“Are we leaving tomorrow?”

“Yes!”

Yan Jing stepped before Li Lin and said: “Please, my lord, be gentle.”

Li Lin pulled a talisman from his robes, infused it with yin energy until it turned red, then slapped it onto Yan Jing’s forehead.

Instantly, Yan Jing was sucked into the talisman.

Then a long string of [Spirit-Rearing Art +1] flashed across his vision.

Finally, the last character appeared: [Spirit-Rearing Art Minor Mastery].

Hmph—subduing one spirit had already brought him to Minor Mastery.

Clearly, Yan Jing was a powerful spirit.

Li Lin tucked the talisman into his robes, and when he returned home, he tied it with a thin cord beneath the main hall’s central beam.

At night, when the moon rose, its light fell upon the red talisman.

Moonlight merged with the red glow, then slowly flowed into the talisman.

This was what Minor Mastery of the Spirit-Rearing Art allowed.

Spirit-Rearing.

The book “The Daoist’s Detailed Notes” contained no such details—these abilities came naturally to Li Lin after achieving Minor Mastery.

The next day, Li Lin packed his bag and re-tucked the red talisman into his chest.

“My lord, travel safely,” Huang Qing whispered.

Hongluan bumped her head against Li Lin’s chest—she said nothing, yet said everything.

Both watched him depart.

After a long while, Huang Qing said: “Hongluan, let’s take some lacquerware to visit Father and Lady Da.”

Hongluan nodded gently.

This was the post-full-moon return to the natal home.

“Return to the natal home” meant a bride visiting her parents after marriage to report how well she was treated, so they might rest easy.

After two sticks of incense, Huang Qing and Hongluan appeared in the back courtyard.

Once, Hongluan had no right to sit—but now, as Li Lin’s concubine, she was no longer Huang family’s servant, and could sit freely.

Huang Yan sat in the main seat, beside him sat Lady Da.

Lady Da studied Huang Qing and Hongluan’s complexions, then smiled: “You both glow with vitality—better than any Youth-Preserving Elixir. Could my son-in-law have some hidden talent he hasn’t revealed?”

At this, Huang Qing and Hongluan both blushed.

They remembered the past dozen days—Li Lin had made them perform deeply shameful movements.

Bound by the principle that the husband is the wife’s master, they obeyed, however embarrassed.

Embarrassed as they were, the benefits were clear: since beginning those strange bonding motions, they felt a warm “flow” emanating from their husband, coursing through their entire bodies.

Now their bodies felt increasingly comfortable, their skin improved, and their spirits grew brighter.

They no longer resisted the Dual-Cultivation Art—they now looked forward to it.

Seeing their shyness, Lady Da laughed: “It seems your married life is going very well indeed.”

Huang Qing, forcing herself to speak past her blush, said: “My lord has an excellent character. We’ve lived together a month, and I’ve never seen him angry. He leaves all household finances and servants to me and Hongluan—never interferes, trusts us completely.”

Huang Yan nodded in satisfaction.

Lady Da asked: “Has your husband mentioned when you’ll have children?”

“He says let fate decide.”

“Letting fate decide is fine,” Lady Da smiled. “Children are heaven’s gift—you cannot force them.”

At that moment, Huang Ling walked over and said: “Sister, seeing you happy makes me happy too.”

Huang Qing looked at her curiously: “Didn’t you dislike my lord?”

“I only didn’t want you to marry him,” Huang Ling said seriously. “But now that you have, what can I say? All I can do now is hope you live well—we’re sisters, after all.”

“Thank you, little sister.”

Huang Qing hugged Huang Ling, beaming.

“By the way, Ling’er, it’s time you started thinking about your own future.”

Huang Ling looked at Lady Da and sighed: “Mother, we’ve just married off my sister—now you’re rushing to marry me off too. What will others think? That our family’s daughters are so hard to wed?”

“That’s not how it is,” Lady Da said sternly. “Your sister was too picky—that’s why she waited until nineteen to marry. Luckily, your husband liked her type; otherwise, I feared she’d never find a good match. You’re even more proud and picky than your sister—in my eyes, you’re the real problem.”

“Not true,” Huang Ling said. “The man I marry will be better than him—better in looks, character, and talent.”

At that moment, Huang Ying asked suddenly: “Father, what’s my brother-in-law going to Guishan for?”

Huang Yan smiled: “Now that he’s married, could he be returning to inform his elders?”

Huang Ying thought for a moment: “That’s possible.”

Huang Yan gently fanned himself and smiled: “Your brother-in-law isn’t ordinary. His bearing, his ability—only a noble house could produce such a man. Ling’er, your sister truly has discerning eyes. Compared to her, you fall short—you don’t even know how to choose a husband.”

In truth, Huang Yan had hoped Li Lin would marry his younger daughter.

But since Li Lin chose the elder, he accepted it naturally.

“Not true,” Huang Ling huffed. “The man I marry will be better than him—in every way. Li… my sister’s husband—he’s just average.”

Hongluan bit her lip, deeply unhappy.

Huang Qing said firmly: “Little sister, in my eyes, no one is better than my lord—no one!”

(End of Chapter)