Chapter 19: Hasty Assumptions, Yet They Hit the Mark

The pills he is currently crafting are “Shengxi Pills,” one of the most basic elixirs.

Their effect is to slightly increase the consumer’s yuan qi.

When speaking of yuan qi, one cannot avoid mentioning martial artists.

Martial artists strengthen their bodies by invigorating blood and qi, but the improvement in physical condition from enhanced blood and qi has its limits.

Beyond a certain point, blood and qi must be compressed and refined into the more potent “yuan qi” to advance further.

This is also the most important standard for distinguishing martial artist realms.

Only a martial artist who can condense yuan qi can be said to have entered the realm of the martial cultivator.

At this stage, martial artists gain some ability to counter the strange.

Yet in terms of specialization, they still fall short of Spirit Hunters.

Because yin energy is more potent… though it harms the user’s own body.

Without blood rice to sustain them, the vast majority of Spirit Hunters develop physical problems.

This is also why Li Lin is so pleased: with Shengxi Pills directly supplying this higher-grade energy, his need for blood rice will drop drastically—even vanish entirely.

This will save him considerable time, since refining blood rice is tedious and time-consuming.

The saved time can be directly devoted to cultivating the Nourishing Yin Heart Method.

After swallowing two more Shengxi Pills, Li Lin felt his dantian brimming with qi, so he sat cross-legged on the bed and began to cultivate.

The night passed in silence; when he heard the rooster crow, Li Lin opened his eyes.

He felt refreshed and invigorated—this night’s cultivation equaled three nights’ worth of his usual progress.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but smile.

For the next three days, he practiced spear techniques in the morning, fist forms in the afternoon, and swallowed two Shengxi Pills each night, cultivating the Nourishing Yin Heart Method in the most efficient way possible.

On the fourth day, he began moving furniture and clutter from his house to another vacant dwelling.

Then the entire village came to help.

With many hands, the troublesome move was completed in less than an hour.

Li Lin bowed to thank everyone; he had planned to host several banquets to treat the villagers, but Old Village Chief Zhang stopped him.

“Neighbors helping each other is only natural. If we throw banquets for every little thing, outsiders will laugh at Shangtikou Village for having no human warmth—just greedy, despicable people!”

So he gave up the idea.

Li Lin had to admit he liked this kind of village ethos.

The new house wasn’t better than the old one, but… it sat higher, and opening the window gave him a wider view.

By noon the next day, the Han family arrived.

Several carts carried fully loaded furniture and household items.

They drove into the village gate in grand style, even setting off firecrackers.

Villagers watched from a distance, coldly.

Only Old Village Chief Zhang stepped forward, blocking the road.

An old man jumped down from one of the carts: “Brother Zhang, it’s been four years—you’ve aged a lot.”

Old Village Chief Zhang looked at him with indifference: “Han Tie, none of us object to your family returning. But driving in with firecrackers going off—aren’t you trying to intimidate us?”

Old Man Han chuckled: “No such intention. Firecrackers are just for warding off evil.”

“Warding off evil? Not celebrating?”

“Definitely warding off evil,” Old Man Han laughed loudly.

“The Tree Immortal Lady is right behind you—and you still dare say ‘warding off evil’?”

Old Man Han paused, a flicker of wariness crossing his face. He shouted to those behind him: “No more firecrackers from now on.”

Old Village Chief Zhang’s expression remained calm, but his tone turned sharp: “Han Tie, I don’t care what your purpose is in returning—whether you can’t stay in Feirong County or have some hidden agenda… remember this: don’t provoke Li Xunshou. If you provoke him, you provoke the entire village.”

After speaking, Old Village Chief Zhang turned away and walked off slowly, leaning on his cane.

Old Man Han grunted in annoyance, dismissed it, and waved to the carts behind him.

Just moments ago, the Han family had wanted a grand entrance—now they were acting quietly.

The villagers dispersed with knowing glances.

Li Lin had noticed the Han family too, but he quickly returned to spear practice when Zhao Xiaohu ran up, drenched in sweat: “Brother Lin, the Han family elder wants to invite you over.”

“Invite me over?”

“Yeah, the messenger should be here soon.”

Sure enough, a young man appeared ahead—someone Li Lin had never seen before.

He carried himself arrogantly, chin raised high as he walked: “You’re Li Xunshou, right? My grandfather wants you to come—he has something to discuss with you.”

Li Lin smiled: “Does your grandfather hold an official post?”

“No, he doesn’t!”

“Does he have any scholarly merit?”

“No, he doesn’t.”

"Then why on earth do you think I should come?" Li Lin stared coldly at him: "I'm a Spirit Hunter. I'm not an official, but I'm still on the imperial payroll... He doesn't even bother to pay his respects, yet dares order me to come to him? Has he grown a new pair of dog's balls?"

The young man’s face darkened—he was frightened.

Still, he stuck his neck out: “My grandfather knows the County Magistrate of Feirong County. If he says one word—”

“The County Magistrate of Feirong County has no authority over Spirit Hunters in Yulin County,” Li Lin smiled. “I was going to ignore you, but your behavior offends me. You want me to come? Fine—I’m coming. But I’m coming to investigate your Han family for possible collusion with the strange.”

Zhao Xiaohu, standing nearby, chuckled happily.

The heavy accusation left the young man flustered—he turned and ran.

Li Lin returned inside, took up the White Jade Tablet, and gripped his red tassel spear.

He had merely suspected the family was suspicious—now he was certain.

They carried a faint aura of resentment, clearly having recently encountered a strange entity.

Ordinary people couldn’t sense it—could a Spirit Hunter not?

They immediately invoked the County Magistrate of Feirong County to intimidate him… and Xiu Niang died on the road precisely because she was returning to Feirong County—she was subjected to the “Wangliang Embryo Sealing Rite,” then devoured by a wild strange, leaving only white bones.

Then came the transformation into a strange, then the silver dangling hairpin.

The silver dangling hairpin is linked to the Jin City Silver Workshop.

Clearly, someone with official status is involved in this affair.

And Li Lin had accidentally been drawn into it.

Now they’ve made their move.

Li Lin must now break it.

He picked up the red tassel spear and told Zhao Xiaohu: “Tell every villager I suspect the Han family of colluding with the strange. If anything happens, stay indoors—or go to the altar and beg the Tree Immortal Lady for protection.”

Zhao Xiaohu nodded and ran off immediately.

Li Lin, spear in hand, arrived at the Han family gate. As he neared the fence, he instinctively looked down.

His waist-mounted White Jade Tablet was emitting a faint red glow—but it was daytime, so the glow was barely visible.

“So I actually guessed right by accident,” Li Lin sighed softly: “A strange that appears in broad daylight!”

(End of Chapter)