[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-dark-and-dawn-light-years":3,"chapter-dark-and-dawn-light-years-dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-153":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Dark and Dawn Light-Years",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2264753,4420,"Chapter 153: A Family Should Help Each Other","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-153",153,"\u003Cp>In the magistrate’s backyard, Zhang Guangqi and Li Lin sat facing each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between them was a blue stone table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guangqi smiled: “This Yulin County is unbearably hot—even mid-October and it’s still like the height of summer. In the north, and even many places in the Central Plains, frost has already begun to form.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The south is indeed hot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a Hunting Spiritman, practicing a yin-based cultivation method; his body naturally leaned cold, so he wasn’t afraid of heat, but feared cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he had switched to Foundation Establishment cultivation, his spiritual energy grew steadily, making him even less bothered by heat or cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he was merely more resistant to heat and cold than an ordinary person—not immune to fire or water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, lately his intake of spiritual energy had slowed dramatically, far slower than at the beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guangqi looked at Li Lin’s clear, sweat-free skin, unlike his own slick with sweat, and said enviously: “It’s truly good that Hunting Spiritmen aren’t bothered by the heat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin disliked roundabout talk; he asked: “Magistrate, why did you summon me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, you’re so direct.” Zhang Guangqi chuckled. “Actually, I just wanted to discuss something with you—we’re family, after all. We should help each other, don’t you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s true,” Li Lin said quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The fact is, my household also venerates a True Lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin regarded him silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But my family has few descendants, and now he’s grown weak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin nodded: “That’s normal. Shall I ask a few Hunting Spiritmen to offer their blood qi for him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He himself could no longer supply it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the Tree Immortal Lady required regular blood qi from him, and since she took residence in the True Lord Temple, her appetite had grown larger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could barely keep up now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was only thanks to the physical enhancement from spiritual energy—otherwise he couldn’t have held out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard the Tree Immortal Lady’s temple venerates your family’s True Lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin now understood the man’s intent; he said: “Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guangqi took a deep breath: “I wonder if my True Lord could receive a few days of incense offerings in the temple, until his spiritual form stabilizes, then we could return the Tree Immortal Lady.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin’s smile vanished; his gaze turned cool, fixed on the man’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he asked: “Magistrate, do you think this is possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re family…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impossible,” Li Lin shook his head. “That place is now the Tree Immortal Lady’s temple—I have no authority over it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guangqi sighed: “I know this puts you in a difficult position, but for the sake of…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you know it’s difficult, then don’t say more, Magistrate,” Li Lin said calmly. “If your True Lord is weak, I can ask acquaintances among the Hunting Spiritmen to help—but don’t mention incense offerings again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh—we’re both sons-in-law of the Huang family. Why can’t we stand together?” Zhang Guangqi looked at Li Lin. “Is there truly no room for negotiation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“None,” Li Lin stood up. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Li Lin left the backyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Guangqi remained seated, expression blank and calm, as if nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin returned home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Qing noticed his furrowed brow and asked what was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin recounted the entire matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhang Guangqi,” Huang Qing thought for a moment. “He’s my third uncle’s son-in-law—my seventh sister’s husband.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s his character like?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not sure,” Huang Qing said. “Father came to Yulin County over ten years ago and served as magistrate for over a decade, rarely returning to Jingcheng. I know little about affairs at the Huang ancestral home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin nodded, understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Qing snorted: “But for him to say such a thing, he’s greedy. He claims ‘just a few days’ of incense—what if his True Lord refuses to leave? Where would the Tree Immortal Lady go then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, Huang Qing had fully identified herself as part of Li’s household, acting from the perspective of Lady Li.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin sat down: “I’ve refused. Let’s set this aside for now. Have you gathered all the materials I need?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All prepared,” Huang Qing smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin went to the eastern annex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been converted into an alchemy chamber; only Li Lin, Huang Qing, and Hong Luan were allowed inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large bronze alchemy furnace stood in the center, surrounded by piles of materials in the corners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minerals, herbs, and more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin opened the furnace mouth and placed the materials inside one by one, then piled firewood beneath it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the furnace glowed red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light blue smoke drifted slowly from the furnace’s top.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin controlled the heat while sniffing the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a small alchemy technique: judging the elixir’s condition by the scent released during refining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus allowing better heat control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a special ability he gained after mastering alchemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alchemy took a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This batch was refined from afternoon until midnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, it was done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Alchemy +1]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Alchemy +1]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The proficiency prompts flashed repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin waited until the furnace cooled enough, then opened it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside lay half a furnace of blue powder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took it out, studied it, pinched some between his fingers, and smiled: “Success.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, he needed to shape the powder into brick form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Qing entered. She asked: “Husband, did you succeed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Qing smiled: “Then let’s eat first—you’ve been fasting half the day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin left the alchemy chamber and went to the main hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The meal remained untouched on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Generally, servants didn’t eat until the master had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Luan dozed off, but at the sound of footsteps, she opened her eyes, saw Li Lin, and rose to smile: “I’ll reheat the food.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need,” Li Lin smiled. “It’s cool enough now—cold food is fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But it’s bad for your health…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Qing sat down: “Hong Luan, just do as your husband says.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Luan poured Li Lin a bowl of white porridge and asked: “Husband, what did you refine this time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yu Jie Powder,” Li Lin drank the porridge, swallowed, then said: “Tomorrow I’ll mix it with water, form it into bricks—I call them Spirit Gathering Stones.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bricks?” Hong Luan blinked. “What are they for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin said: “If my guess is right, when stacked, these Spirit Gathering Stones will form a small spiritual chamber.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Luan’s eyes shimmered with admiration: “For cultivation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also for dual cultivation,” Li Lin smiled. “Once made, I want to try dual cultivating inside—see if the effect improves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both women blushed but said nothing in protest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, when Li Lin went to work, he met Magistrate Zhang Guangqi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Zhang still nodded to him, a clear distance now existed between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin paid it no mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He entered the Criminal Office and saw Jiang Jili waiting at the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Lin, Jiang Jili stepped forward and whispered: “I used my family’s resources and uncovered something interesting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you remember the magistrate of Beiliu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin nodded—he remembered the Beiliu magistrate well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Beiliu County’s internal power struggle, he used Li Lin to eliminate all the Hunting Spiritmen there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He died a few days ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does that have to do with us?” Li Lin didn’t want to get involved in such court corruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The warrior you killed that day was the magistrate’s personal vassal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin was startled: “If the magistrate is dead, why did that warrior come after us? And why try to drive a wedge between us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could he have been taken over by someone else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin nodded: “That’s plausible. If we find out who took control of the magistrate’s men, we’ll find who’s secretly trying to harm us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin thought a moment: “You came to me—you need my help. Say it: how?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lend me some personnel. Not many—twenty government office runners will suffice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1325,"2026-06-19T19:39:18.782Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","52c40a17cf1c0707056413e2a67ea676c63a6cb35deb4bb8df5f4ae8c9824c09","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-154","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-152",221,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdark-and-dawn-light-years-cover.jpg"]