Chapter 139: The Lady Hides Her Depths

In the deep stillness of night, such sounds were unmistakable.

Soon, Huang Qing and Hong Luan arrived.

At first, they thought Li Lin and Li Yanjing were misbehaving in the main hall—it was improper, and they were about to urge the two into a room to speak privately.

But they saw Li Lin seated on a chair, while Li Yanjing was curled up on the ground.

“What’s wrong with Lady Zhenjun?” Huang Qing asked.

Hong Luan looked equally curious.

Li Lin shrugged helplessly: “I just let her absorb some of my blood qi, and now she’s like this.”

As they spoke, Li Yanjing on the ground finally sat up, gasping heavily, her expression one of lingering desire.

“Master, give me more of your blood qi in the future—I’ll do anything you ask.” Her face flushed red, her expression excited.

“Is my blood qi some kind of poison now?”

“Not poison. Medicine.”

Li Yanjing reached out her hand to Huang Qing: “Sister, look—aren’t my hands warmer now?”

Huang Qing still felt cold… she was just an ordinary person, not adept at sensing such subtle changes.

Li Yanjing reluctantly withdrew her hand: “Master’s blood qi is unlike any other—it’s even more miraculous than last time. I now have a thread of yang energy within me. Do you understand what this means for a ghost?”

“What does it mean?” Hong Luan asked curiously.

“If a ghost’s body achieves yin-yang balance, it’s no longer a ghost—it becomes a ‘spirit’!”

Li Lin pressed: “Does that mean if I provide enough blood offerings, you’ll become a spirit someday?”

“That’s correct,” Li Yanjing said, “but I don’t advise you to do so now…”

“Why not?”

“Though powerful, your blood qi still isn’t pure enough,” Li Yanjing continued. “Your current cultivation level helps me, but infusing enough yang energy into my body will take a long time. If I consume it frequently, it will slow your progress. Wait until you’re stronger—then you can help me. There’s no rush.”

Li Lin was surprised. Li Yanjing was considering his well-being, not greedily demanding his blood. Clearly, her nature was still kind.

Huang Qing glanced at the sky and said: “Enough chatting. Master, let’s return and rest.”

Li Lin nodded.

Li Yanjing stood in the hall, watching the three leave.

Her eyes glowed with excitement—being the Li family’s household ghost was truly wonderful.

After years of misfortune, her suffering had finally turned to fortune; the future shone bright.

A spirit.

The next day, Li Lin woke, ate breakfast, and went on his routine patrol.

Jiang Jili now dared not appear before Li Lin; whenever they met, Jiang Jili would avoid him, covering his sleeve and hurrying away.

By noon, Li Lin didn’t return home—he borrowed a fine steed from the barracks and rode to Shangtikou Village.

At the village entrance, the slowly fading tail of a snake was still visible.

Li Lin smiled as he approached the altar; the peach tree beside it was lush and blooming.

Its blossoms were beautiful.

Li Lin called out: “Liu Zhe, I’ve come to offer blood qi.”

The Tree Immortal Lady appeared, gazing at Li Lin as coldly as ever.

Li Lin extended his palm; the Tree Immortal Lady leaned down.

Suddenly, Li Lin clapped his hands together.

The Tree Immortal Lady lifted her head, surprised.

“I’ve recently cultivated a new technique—my blood qi has changed. Absorb slowly. If it becomes too much, stop, rest, then continue later.”

The Tree Immortal Lady blinked, then nodded gently.

Li Lin opened his palm again.

The Tree Immortal Lady’s serpent tongue extended, lightly “tickling” his palm.

She drew away a drop of pale purple blood qi and swallowed it.

Then the Tree Immortal Lady frowned: “Spirit energy!”

“You know about it?”

The Tree Immortal Lady nodded: “Enough.”

She leaned down again, licking his palm slowly, sip by sip.

As each drop of blood qi was taken, that familiar sense of bliss returned.

After Li Lin hissed a few times, the Tree Immortal Lady had taken the agreed amount.

Then she floated in the air briefly before vanishing.

Li Lin found it unbelievable.

Li Yanjing was also a great ghost—when she drank his blood qi, she took only a little, yet acted so dramatically, so alluring.

But now the Tree Immortal Lady had consumed far more—and showed no ill effects.

She was clearly far stronger than Li Yanjing.

Li Lin rested at home for a while, ate some blood rice, then returned to the county.

His purpose in coming to Shangtikou Village had been solely to see the Tree Immortal Lady.

He had just returned to the government office and returned the steed when Jiang Jili’s servant approached him.

“County Lieutenant Li, my master requests your presence.”

Li Lin’s relationship with Ding Yingqiu was decent; he went at once.

Half a stick of incense later.

Ding Yingqiu sat in the main hall’s seat and said: “Our Ding family has word that Jiang family has sent two sixth-rank martial experts from Jingcheng—they’ll arrive soon. Be careful.”

“You’re a noble family of Guicheng—how do you know what’s happening in Jingcheng?”

“A clever rabbit has three burrows.”

“Thank you.”

Ding Yingqiu continued: “Also, my father says you’ve obtained the Immortal Artifact—have you discovered anything?”

“The Immortal Artifact is ruined,” Li Lin said. “The black and white energies are gone—it’s now just an ordinary glass object.”

Ding Yingqiu laughed: “You really know how to ruin things. It sat in our Ding family for over a hundred years without issue, and in your hands, less than a month, it’s broken.”

“But there’s good news—I’ve cracked some of its secrets.”

Ding Yingqiu’s eyes lit up: “Really?”

“Really.”

“Can I know them?”

“Bring something in exchange.”

Ding Yingqiu immediately smiled: “Fine. Whatever you want—our Ding family has it, it’s yours.”

“The formula for Boundary Powder.”

Li Lin suspected this substance was connected to Immortals.

He needed to study it.

“Alright, no problem—but I must see the secret first,” Ding Yingqiu smiled. “Boundary Powder is too important.”

“Fine. I’ll write it for you when I return.”

“Good. Hurry,” Ding Yingqiu said, full of excitement.

Li Lin left the Ding residence.

He had no intention of giving the complete Foundation Establishment method—the Boundary Powder wasn’t worth it.

But writing half of it was fine.

It would still astonish the Ding family.

That way, he could conceal his own cultivation.

After returning home, Li Lin went to work as usual, practiced dual-cultivation, then trained the Foundation Establishment method.

But he found that after entering Qi Refining, his progress was extremely slow.

Much slower than when he first began.

It was as if the surrounding spiritual energy was nearly impossible to absorb.

He was puzzled—he followed the Foundation Establishment method exactly. Why had his progress plummeted?

If not for the 【Cultivation +1】 prompt, he’d have thought he’d gone wrong.

The next day, he went to work troubled, then encountered Jiang Jili.

This time, Jiang Jili didn’t flee—he stared at Li Lin with a strange expression.

Li Lin didn’t understand, but he ignored him and led his men out on patrol.

Jiang Jili sat in the main seat of the Household Office, displeased, speaking to Asheng and Qiang: “Strange—the two experts from our family were supposed to have arrived already. Why haven’t they shown? Send another pigeon to find out.”

The two men left to obey.

After Li Lin finished patrol, Huang Ying stopped him: “Brother-in-law, Father… the County Magistrate asks you to come to the back courtyard.”

Li Lin went to the back courtyard and saw Huang Yan seated in the pavilion.

Li Lin walked over, bowed with clasped fists: “Father-in-law.”

Huang Yan nodded, gestured to the opposite seat: “Sit.”

Li Lin sat as instructed.

Huang Yan said, “A few days ago, the Jiang family sent two experts out from Jingcheng.”

Li Lin already knew about this—he had heard it from Ding Yingqiu.

“Those two experts are dead.”

Li Lin paused, then, seeing the subtle expression on Huang Yan’s face, understood everything.

“Thank you, Father-in-Law, for your help.”

“I know nothing. You don’t need to thank me.”

Though he spoke those words, Huang Yan’s face was full of smiles.

“Also, next month I’m going to take up my post in Jincheng.”

Li Lin exclaimed, “So soon?”

“It’s not soon—if I don’t go now, that Assistant Prefect will become the real Prefect and replace me.”

Li Lin laughed. “I doubt it. The Prefect of Jincheng—aside from Father-in-Law, the imperial court has no other candidate.”

Huang Yan burst into laughter, stroking his beard. “Once I take up my post in Jincheng, a new County Magistrate will arrive. I know who it is—you can rest easy. He’s a friend of our Huang family.”

Li Lin nodded.

“And one more thing!” Huang Yan looked at Li Lin. “You must begin preparing now for the altar’s relocation. After I take the Four Marvels True Lord away, a new True Lord must be installed immediately—either your newly recruited ghost, or the Tree Immortal Lady!”

Li Lin said without hesitation, “The Tree Immortal Lady.”

“Then prepare quickly,” Huang Yan said. “The Spirit Silk True Lord outside the city is the backup. If you move the Tree Immortal Lady back to the county seat, send the Spirit Silk True Lord ahead to Shangtikou Village.”

“Will the Spirit Silk True Lord agree?”

Huang Yan smiled. “He’ll agree without question. Outside the city, he can’t absorb much blood qi. In the village, both human presence and blood qi are far more abundant. Only a fool would refuse.”

Li Lin nodded.

“Also, prepare more Strong-Body Pills for me.”

Li Lin exclaimed, “Father-in-Law, you’ve already used them all up?”

He’d sent dozens of bottles when he married—only three months later, they’re all gone?

How frequent could that be?

Huang Yan coughed twice, emphasizing, “Most of them were given away. Given away.”

“Oh, I see,” Li Lin said, unwilling to expose his father-in-law and letting him save face. “I’ll send another crate in a couple days!”

“Good, good. Once I’m in Jincheng, I won’t see you or Qing often. Better to have plenty on hand.”

Li Lin rose, clasped his fists, and said, “Then I’ll return to make preparations. Alchemy takes time.”

“Alright,” Huang Yan also stood. “There’s one more thing you must pay attention to.”

“Father-in-Law, please speak.”

“There seem to be problems at Bobai Military Garrison. As County Commandant, you must go investigate. Take sufficient township troops with you.”

(End of Chapter)