Chapter 199: Intending to Enter Yue Commandery to Obtain the Immortal Artifact

Generally, noble-born women who have received sufficient 'upbringing' do not speak recklessly.

Just like Huang Qi; even though she and Li Lin are already husband and wife, and they do not know how many times they have cultivated together, she still blushes slightly whenever she says the word 'dual cultivation' in daily life.

But Fang Yongwei said it quite naturally.

Therefore, Li Lin found it rather strange.

An Xin smiled at this moment and said, "Senior Sister Fang has been in our Tianyi Sect for nearly ten years; rather than calling her a noble-born woman, it would be more accurate to say she is already a person of the Jianghu."

Li Lin finally understood.

"Dual cultivation does indeed exist, but there are other reasons as well," Li Lin smiled and said, "However, I think it is more likely that you, Lady Fang, underestimated the enemy. I know Hong Luan's strength very well; she is just a bit stronger in physical power."

Fang Yongwei looked confused; she felt it was clearly not like that, yet she could not find a suitable reason to refute Li Lin.

At this moment, Li Lin clasped his fists and said, "Brother An, I must return to Yulin County first. Next time you have free time and come to Jincheng, we shall drink heartily again."

"Very well." An Xin clasped his fists and smiled.

An Xin subsequently escorted Li Lin out of the gate. Just as he was about to return, he saw that Fang Yongwei was still following nearby, staring continuously at Li Lin's departing back.

"Stop looking; the man is already married, unless your Fang family is willing to marry you off to another family as a concubine."

Fang Yongwei rolled her eyes at An Xin in displeasure: "Eldest Senior Brother, do not speak nonsense... I, your junior sister, am merely curious. On what basis did he manage to teach an ordinary woman to reach a strength comparable to mine in just over half a year? You should have noticed it too; he is lying."

An Xin sighed lightly: "Junior Sister, is it possible that you are simply too weak?"

"Absolutely impossible."

Fang Yongwei snorted and walked away unhappily.

An Xin stood in place, looking at Li Lin's departing back with an inscrutable expression, before finally shaking his head and smiling lightly: "So what if it is true... my Tianyi Sect does not need to use such methods."

Then, with a cheerful expression, he walked back inside.

Li Lin arrived before the Huang residence; at this time, the carriage was already prepared. Huang Qi and Hong Luan were waiting at the gate, while Huang Yan and the Lady Huang stood to the side.

This was the time previously agreed upon by the couple.

Li Lin walked forward, clasped his fists, and greeted them: "Father-in-law Taishan, Lady!"

"Why have you, my worthy son-in-law, not stayed here these past few days?" Huang Yan asked curiously.

Li Lin said, "I went to the Tianyi Sect to investigate some intelligence."

"Is it related to cultivation?"

Li Lin nodded lightly.

Thus, Huang Yan asked no further questions.

The Li family of Jin Commandery... this family that was active sixty years ago was originally famous throughout the world because of this matter.

Huang Qi, with red-rimmed eyes, bid farewell to Huang Yan and the Lady, then she looked inside the gate again. Seeing that her younger sister Huang Ling had not come out, she felt somewhat disappointed.

Nevertheless, she took Hong Luan and boarded the carriage. Li Lin took them to the city outskirts, where they met with the Rural Army and several Spirit Hunters, preparing to set off back to Yulin County.

Only after the carriage had gone some distance did Huang Ling walk out from behind the door.

The Lady Huang looked at her and said, "Why did you not come out to bid farewell to your eldest sister?"

"I do not wish to see my brother-in-law."

Huang Yan frowned as he looked at her: "Why?"

"I feel his lustful heart is too heavy."

"Hmm?" Huang Yan did not understand; the son-in-law had not even come to stay at the house, nor had he seen his youngest daughter.

Huang Ling spoke softly: "The way between men and women takes reproduction as its foundation, and solemnity is paramount. Yet he treats it with frivolous play, which both violates the teachings of the sages and stains the purity and wisdom of my elder sister; it is truly detestable."

She was referring to the frequent dual cultivation between Li Lin, Huang Qi, and Hong Luan.

Huang Yan was stunned; then his expression could no longer be held back. He wanted to laugh yet also felt a bit of anger. Finally, feeling he was not the right person to lecture on this matter, he flicked his sleeve and said, "Have you studied so hard that you have become foolish? Lady, you bear responsibility for this; teach her properly!"

Having said this, he entered the house.

The Lady Huang also wore an expression of helplessness; finally, she could only sigh: "Sigh... what does a little girl like you understand? Come, follow Mother back to the room; I will teach you well about matters of this nature."

Huang Ling was stunned; in fact, she was only a little over fifteen years old, and regarding such matters, she understood them only partially.

On Li Lin's side, it took four days to return to Yulin County.

The carriage directly took Huang Qi and Hong Luan home, while Li Lin went to the county government office to hand over the documents.

Then he saw the County Assistant Jiang Jili looking at him with an expression of 'resentment'.

At this time, Jiang Jili's dark circles under his eyes were quite obvious.

"How is the relocation of the people from Beiliu County progressing?"

Jiang Jili said weakly, "About half of it."

"How could you be so busy?"

"Why is it so laborious?" Jiang Jili sighed helplessly. "According to my family's wishes, I should have been living here easily for three or four years; after gaining a record of local governance, I could have returned to Jingcheng! But now it has turned into... such bitterness!"

Li Lin smiled and said, "Where there is loss, there must be gain. At least, you will have experience in handling similar events in the future."

"Are there going to be such events again? I will not do it; people will die." Jiang Jili looked utterly hopeless.

Li Lin chuckled lightly.

At this moment, Jiang Jili suddenly said, "Judging by your appearance, it seems you have something you wish to tell me."

"Yes." Li Lin nodded: "I plan to go to Yue Commandery."

After a brief silence, Jiang Jili suddenly sat up straight, stared fixedly at Li Lin, and asked, "What do you intend to do? According to the laws and regulations, as a County Commandant, you are not allowed to leave this commandery."

Li Lin said, "I wish to go to Yue Commandery to investigate some information."

"Without the approval of your superior, you cannot go out. If you are discovered, your official position will be hard to keep."

"Therefore, I need you to think of a reason to submit to the Prefect."

Jiang Jili looked confused: "He is your father-in-law; would it not be better for you to ask him directly?"

"This matter needs to be reported to the Secretariat-Chancellery for filing," Li Lin continued. "It is actually difficult for Father-in-law Taishan to speak up, since he holds a high rank and great power; any move he makes is easily investigated."

"So... officials like us, eighth-rank, ninth-rank, local petty officials, don't have this worry, right?"

Li Lin smiled and said, "Indeed so."

"I can help you, but what do I get?"

"A favor."

Jiang Jili thought for a while, then said, "The conditions are indeed good. Let me think about how to make this matter completely airtight; I will reply to you in two or three days."

"Fine, thank you."

Jiang Jili waved his hand.

Li Lin handed Qin Donglai's documents to Jiang Jili, then went home.

In the backyard of the house, Hong Luan was excitedly telling Li Yanjing about how she defeated a female knight-errant.

Li Lin entered, and Li Yanjing came over, her body pressing against Li Lin's arm: "Head of the family, I miss you so much."

"You miss my blood qi, don't you?"

Li Yanjing half-covered her face with her water sleeve, her eyebrows curved as she smiled: "It's all the same, it's all the same."

"It is not time yet."

"I know, Lady Tree Immortal drinks the blood qi first," Li Yanjing said coquettishly.

Then a snake tail appeared in the air and directly flung Li Yanjing away.

Fortunately, she was a ghost and could pass through walls; otherwise, she would surely have smashed through the backyard wall.

Only the snake tail appeared in the air; Lady Tree Immortal herself did not appear.

Li Yanjing flew back from outside, muttering, "The Lady is getting shy now; actually, we are an old couple... ah..."

Li Yanjing was flung away again.

Li Lin sat in the main hall, watching Li Yanjing and Lady Tree Immortal play-fighting in the void, and a sense of tranquility arose in his heart.

Not long after, Hong Luan came and said, "Master, warm water has been prepared."

Li Lin looked at Huang Qi, then took Hong Luan's hand: "The three of us will bathe together."

The two women blushed but did not refuse.

In a very large, specially made ceramic tub, steam rose curling upward.

Li Lin held a woman in each arm and slowly said, "In a few days, I will go to Yue Commandery."

Huang Qi was instantly frightened: "Master, why go to such a dangerous place?"

"There is something very important that needs to be retrieved."

The 'Southern Barbarian Divine Bone' that Qin Donglai spoke of is related to Immortals; he is determined to obtain it.

But Qin Donglai also said that his concubine is promiscuous and spends money recklessly; she will leave within at most three months, and by then it will be difficult to find her again.

It has already been one month since Qin Donglai was arrested.

Huang Qi was silent for a while, then said, "A woman should not meddle in a man's affairs, but I worry about your safety, Master, so take Yan Jing with you; she will surely be able to help you."

"No need. Taking her would make me worry about your safety instead," Li Lin sighed and said, "Lady Tree Immortal spends most of her time refining incense and cannot pay much attention to you. With Yan Jing guarding the house, I can rest easy."

"But..."

Li Lin smiled and said, "Rest assured, I have a very powerful supernatural art that can guarantee my own safety."

Stealth Technique... Li Lin had always placed it at the top of the martial arts he learned.

He always set aside some time every day to practice, never interrupting.

As time passed, Li Lin had a feeling that his Stealth Technique was about to undergo a qualitative transformation again.

It should be within these few days, so he planned to squeeze in more time each day for extra practice.

After the Stealth Technique 'levels up', going to Yue Commandery will have a few more guarantees of safety.

At the same time, he was very curious what new derived abilities the 'leveled-up' Stealth Technique would have.

(End of this chapter)