Chapter 141: Barrier Powder Formula

Ding Yingqiu carefully read every word in the little booklet.

She savored each line.

Li Lin sat beside her, sipping tea, waiting patiently.

After more than an hour, Ding Yingqiu finally finished reading.

She took a deep breath and said, “So that’s how it is—our meridians can be manipulated this way. Compared to the methods in this book, our cultivation techniques are all inferior.”

Li Lin shook his head and said, “Actually… the Revival and Nourishment Technique isn’t bad. Though its energy pathways are crude, its underlying principles align with this cultivation method.”

It’s just a pity the founder of the Revival and Nourishment Technique was ambitious but lacking in knowledge—he grasped a certain truth, but his understanding was narrow, not nearly as profound as that of the author of the Foundation Establishment Method, so the technique he designed has a low ceiling.

“Indeed, there are connections.”

Ding Yingqiu had read the Revival and Nourishment Technique before—it’s a common technique.

She closed the book, then pulled out another sheet of paper and said, “This is the formula for the Barrier Powder.”

Li Lin took it, glanced at it twice, then asked, “I’d like to ask—around Yulin County, besides the Goukong Cave in Beiliu County, are there any other caves?”

He suspected… his slow absorption of spiritual energy might be because the nearby spiritual energy was nearly depleted.

Or perhaps these places simply had little spiritual energy to begin with.

Immortals seeking cultivation must find places rich in spiritual energy—such places are called ‘caves.’

“I’ll need to ask my family to confirm.”

“Alright,” Li Lin stood up and said, “Same as always—if there are any, I’m willing to exchange information.”

“No problem.”

She saw Li Lin out the door, then immediately turned to her steward and said, “I’m going to cultivate. No one is to disturb me. If visitors come, tell them to return another day. Understood?”

The steward bowed deeply with clasped fists.

Ding Yingqiu immediately returned to her room, reread the booklet, then sat cross-legged to cultivate.

Li Lin returned home and began studying the formula.

Soon, a row of [Alchemical Skill +1] proficiency appeared.

Then came a new prompt.

[Alchemical Skill: Minor Mastery]

Instantly, new alchemical formulas filled his mind.

Spirit Stone Elixir!

He also understood how to make Barrier Powder.

And its true purpose.

It has no direct connection to cultivation, but an indirect one.

Barrier Powder is used to block ‘impure energies.’

Its real use is to be made into bricks and built into a small house!

All impure energies are kept outside; inside, only pure spiritual energy remains.

Additionally, Barrier Powder slowly converts impurities into spiritual energy.

As for its ability to repel wilderness horrors—the reason is simple: Barrier Powder blocks resentment energy, which is why wilderness horrors avoid crossing it.

A house built of Barrier Powder is effectively a spiritual energy spring.

But he calculated—the cost to build a ten-square-meter Barrier Powder house was an absurdly large sum.

So on this trip to Bobai Military Garrison, he must bring back much more silver.

At night, Li Lin continued dual cultivation—now the qi he passed through Huang Qing and Hong Luan had become spiritual energy.

Thus, in just over ten days, their physical condition improved noticeably.

Li Lin thought for a moment and said, “Starting tomorrow, you two will train with me.”

“Why?”

“Not training would be a waste of your excellent physiques.”

Huang Qing smiled. “I’ll follow my husband’s lead.”

The next day, Li Lin taught them the White Tiger Flip Posture.

Though their physiques were strong, lacking sufficient ‘ferocity,’ their tiger punches turned into meow-meow punches.

They looked oddly cute.

Li Lin didn’t rush them—he let them practice slowly, understand gradually.

Meow-meow punches were fine—they still served to strengthen the body.

After breakfast, Li Lin went to the county office and saw Jiang Jili approaching, his expression wary yet angry.

But he controlled his emotions well: “County Lieutenant Li, do you have time at noon?”

“Are you inviting me for wine?” Li Lin asked with a smile.

“Yes!” Jiang Jili clasped his fists. “At noon, at Fugui Wine House—I hope you’ll grace us with your presence.”

Li Lin thought for a moment. “Alright. I’ll come to you at noon.”

Jiang Jili exhaled in relief and turned to leave.

Li Lin entered the military office and saw all the government office runners present, plus a dark-skinned boy.

Li Lin walked over and asked, “You’re here… what’s your name? I forgot to ask yesterday.”

“Su Bei!”

“Do you have a courtesy name?”

The boy shook his head.

Li Lin beckoned to him. “Follow me.”

Su Bei walked obediently behind him.

They arrived at the household office—Jiang Jili was absent, but Huang Ying was there.

“Brother-in-law, what do you need?” Huang Ying asked.

“There should still be vacancies in the township militia, right?”

“Yes.”

“This man is Su Bei. Register him as a township militia soldier.”

“Done!” Huang Ying wouldn’t object to this.

A single militia slot—County Lieutenant Li had both the authority and right to place someone, as long as it wasn’t excessive.

Li Lin was about to leave and take Su Bei to the militia camp when Huang Ying called out to him.

“Brother-in-law, I want to ask—where’s Li Yanjing? The madam of Hongxiuzhao said she vanished after you visited her.”

Few knew Li Yanjing had become a True Lord in Li Lin’s household.

Even Huang Yan didn’t know—he still thought Li Lin’s ‘spirit’ was brought from home.

Generally speaking, transforming a great spirit into a True Lord is a very complicated process.

“She went straight.”

Ah!

Li Lin smiled and walked away.

Huang Ying was baffled.

A spirit… went straight?

He hadn’t even laid a hand on her yet.

Who could be so cruel—hiding away the courtesan queen? So inhumane.

Then Li Lin took Su Bei to the township militia camp.

It was also called the Garrison Camp—these township soldiers, besides training, also engaged in some farming and land reclamation.

The several company commanders of the militia camp, seeing Su Bei was brought by Li Lin himself, immediately showed great enthusiasm.

This eased Su Bei’s nerves.

He’d worried he’d be bullied as a newcomer.

Two days remained before departure for Bobai Military Garrison.

Li Lin took the group to the outskirts to the Lingti True Lord Temple.

Lingti True Lord had a dog’s head and a human body—his dog head resembled a slender hound, with a long, pointed snout.

But his body was human, powerfully built.

“You smell good,” Lingti True Lord said, his dog mouth dripping saliva.

Li Lin pretended not to hear and said, “Lingti True Lord, would you be willing to serve as guardian of a village?”

Lingti True Lord nodded vigorously. “Of course I would.”

“Then I’ll take you to Shitikou Village first—is that acceptable?”

“Perfect,” Lingti said gratefully. “I’ve had enough of this miserable place.”

Lingti True Lord was the weakest great spirit in Yulin County—simply because he lived on the outskirts, where human and blood qi were scarce.

Over time, his power declined.

Li Lin waved his hand, and over a dozen farmers entered, tying the entire altar with thick ropes, then pulling simultaneously in eight different directions—the heavy altar was thus hoisted up.

Eight strong farmers dragged the altar outward, carefully placing it onto a pre-prepared wooden cart.

Three large horses pulled the cart.

The cart moved slowly, taking an hour to reach Shitikou Village.

Before the altar even entered the village, Old Village Chief Zhang came over.

“Greetings, Li County Wei .”

The old village chief bowed respectfully.

He was an elder; once he had felt he could treat Li Lin as an equal, but now Li Lin was an County Wei , a true official—speaking as before would no longer be appropriate.

“Old village chief, no need for formalities. What is it?”

The old village chief bent his back and asked softly: “Are you taking away Lady Tree Immortal and replacing her with another True Lord?”

“Yes.”

Old Village Chief Zhang asked with concern: “What is the temperament of the new True Lord?”

“Fine.”

“Can’t we just not replace her?” the old village chief said cautiously. “Lady Tree Immortal has been here for decades. Though she rarely interferes in our affairs, she has never harmed us. I’ve heard some True Lords enjoy eating people.”

“That’s rumor,” Li Lin explained. “True Lords exist to protect their domain—they don’t eat people.”

“Good, good.”

While they spoke, the farmers had already unloaded the altar from the cart.

They moved it into the village.

Old Village Chief Zhang left.

At that moment, a dark shadow flew backward out of the village.

It crashed into the stream at the village entrance.

The shadow quickly straightened up again—Li Lin recognized it: wasn’t this True Lord Ling Ti?

Then he saw Lady Tree Immortal, floating through the air, slowly “gliding” toward them.

Her long serpent tail swayed in the air, strikingly elegant.

At least, Li Lin thought it was strikingly elegant.

“What happened?” Li Lin asked.

Lady Tree Immortal did not answer.

True Lord Ling Ti, clutching his face, cursed: “Liu Zhe, don’t push too far. I only asked to share a bit of your man’s vital essence—you refuse? We’ve known each other for decades—won’t you even grant me this small favor?”

“Do you wish to die?” Lady Tree Immortal asked coldly.

True Lord Ling Ti instantly fell silent, daring not to anger her.

He felt a pang of surprise: “How did your power grow so fast?”

Lady Tree Immortal ignored him and turned toward the center of the village.

Li Lin hurried after her and asked with a smile: “You beat him up just for this?”

Lady Tree Immortal said nothing, her face still cold.

When they reached the village center, they saw the farmers waiting.

Seeing Li Lin, they asked: “County Wei , have you spoken with the True Lord? May we move the altar now?”

Lady Tree Immortal looked at Li Lin, her eyes seeming puzzled.

“Do you remember I told you to come live in the county seat with us?” Li Lin smiled. “Now is the time.”

“Good,” Lady Tree Immortal’s voice softened.

She waved her hand, and the blooming peach tree beside her turned into a streak of light and flowed into the altar.

Oh… so that’s how she got the name Lady Tree Immortal.

Though she appears as a serpent maiden, her true form is actually a tree?

(End of Chapter)