Chapter 200: A Modest Assistance

For five days, Li Lin had been crouching in the small grove outside the Tree Immortal Lady Temple, watching the familiarity slowly increase.

Under these circumstances, the Tree Immortal Lady seemed unable to discover him.

Of course, whether she deliberately chose not to discover him... only the Tree Immortal Lady knew.

At the moment of success, Li Lin intuitively understood that the Stealth Technique had received a comprehensive, slight enhancement.

It sounded as though there was no qualitative change, but Li Lin understood that this was actually a great enhancement.

Comprehensive, balanced.

For any ability, the higher one reaches, the harder it is to ascend further.

And balance is precisely the method that yields the greatest improvement.

Harder to be discovered, faster movement speed under the Stealth Technique, and so on.

This was a disguised way of raising the ability's 'perceptibility', making it more comfortable to use.

He tried it out; now, under the Stealth Technique, he could use the Lightness Art, and as long as his movement speed wasn't excessive, he would not 'reveal his form'.

Thus, he felt even more confident.

Holding the small bundle, Huang Qing and Hong Luan both watched with concern as he left the house.

Li Lin first arrived at the county government office.

Jiang Jili saw him and tossed over a document.

"Read it yourself."

After Li Lin read it, he smiled and said, "Not bad, now we have a reason."

"Remember you owe me a favor," Jiang Jili said with a smile.

Li Lin nodded: "Noted."

Afterwards, Li Lin went to the Military Office, explained some official matters to Xiao Chunzhu, and then went to collect a fine steed.

Yulin County was still some distance from Yue Commandery; even on horseback, it would take four or five days.

After mounting the fine steed, Xiao Chunzhu said beside him: "County Commandant, perhaps I should go with you after all."

"No need; do your own duties."

Having said that, Li Lin left the county government office.

There were reasons for not letting Xiao Chunzhu follow.

First, Qin Donglai was a man of the Qin Wang's army; for Li Lin to go find his concubine would carry a certain suspicion of unclear motives.

Secondly... the Southern Barbarian Divine Bone sounded quite important, and he did not want more people to know about it.

Then, along the way, Li Lin did not suffer much hardship; he had a map and would try to find a village or town to rest in before nightfall.

After all, with a mount, the travel speed was relatively fast, and the schedule was quite flexible.

Five days later, he arrived at Yuecheng.

Although Qin Wang had already rebelled, the military towns along the way did not restrict the flow of common people and supplies.

Rebellion did not mean all communication with the outside world was completely cut off.

It only meant that before entering, one needed to have carried supplies and the number of people in the caravan checked.

Of course, household registration would also be checked.

Before coming out, Li Lin used a false identity: a scholar surnamed Li from Gui Commandery.

He himself was the County Commandant, and Jiang Jili was the County Assistant; both were personnel 'within the system', so forging a household registration document that looked very real was too simple.

Moreover, Li Lin, at a glance, looked graceful and elegant, very much like a scholar.

The guards of Yuecheng held the household registration document, scrutinizing Li Lin up and down, while beside them, several other guards had checked his luggage three or four times, looking very serious.

At the same time, the soldier repeatedly asked: "You truly are not a spy?"

When the soldier asked for the third time, Li Lin finally 'understood'.

He suddenly realized and quietly slipped a fragment of silver into the soldier's hand: "Soldier, I am truly a scholar here to join Qin Wang."

The soldier quickly pocketed the silver fragment and smiled: "One look and you look like a scholar; go in."

With these words, the several soldiers checking the luggage on the horseback nearby also stepped aside.

"Thank you, soldier," Li Lin said with a smile, then led the fine steed into the city.

Actually, these soldiers were already very restrained; they had at least not confiscated Li Lin's fine steed.

Li Lin led the fine steed into the city.

Yuecheng was large, with a population similar to Jincheng; the population scale and customs of the three southern commanderies did not differ much.

The streets were bustling with pedestrians, fully displaying prosperity.

It could be seen that Qin Wang was not that kind of cruel rebel.

Li Lin found a nearby inn to stay at.

The fine steed was led by the waiter to the horse stable in the backyard to be fed.

He then asked the waiter to bring warm water; after taking a bath, he went to the inn's main hall, found a seat, and prepared to eat.

However, as soon as Li Lin sat down, he felt himself being 'watched'.

He turned his head, following his intuition, and discovered a young woman in green light armor staring at him.

Seeing Li Lin look over, she immediately withdrew her gaze, a subtle red rising on her ears.

Then Li Lin paid it no mind; this kind of situation, he actually encountered almost every day.

Ordering a plate of mutton and a pot of yellow wine, Li Lin ate slowly.

After eating for a while, he saw several more people enter from outside, all dressed as martial artists.

At this moment, Li Lin's gaze swept across the entire main hall, discovering that almost everyone inside was a martial artist.

Why were so many people of the Wu Lin coming to Yuecheng?

Li Lin was somewhat puzzled.

So he called the waiter over, gave him two copper coins, and asked, "Why are so many great heroes coming to Yuecheng?"

The waiter pocketed the copper coins, smiled, and said, "Qin Wang issued a call for talents. Could it be that you, honored guest, are not here for this reason?"

"I haven't heard of this. I came to find a relative."

"Judging by your appearance, you must be a man of learning. You could try your luck at Qin Wang's mansion."

Li Lin clasped his fist in salute: "Thank you for the explanation."

"Honored guest, you are too polite."

The waiter left, and Li Lin ate a few more mouthfuls of wine and food before going out for a walk.

Just as he stood up, someone nearby suddenly shouted, "That scholar... come here!"

Li Lin turned his head and saw a man in black close-fitting clothes looking at him, seemingly with ill intent.

"I'm talking to you, come here." The man pointed at Li Lin.

At his table sat several other burly men in close-fitting clothes, all wearing swords; their clothing styles were identical, clearly indicating they were fellow disciples from the same sect.

Li Lin was about to reply when the young woman in green close-fitting clothes beside him slammed the table and tried to stand, but before she was half up, the middle-aged man beside her grabbed her and forcibly pushed her back down into her chair.

"Don't meddle!" the middle-aged man said in a cold tone.

The young woman pressed her lips together, her face full of grievance; she glanced at Li Lin, then lowered her head, looking very distressed.

The man in black close-fitting clothes looked at the table of the young woman in green, chuckled, then clasped his fist and said, "Thank you, brother, for giving me face. If we meet again in the Jianghu, I will also give you face."

Having said that, he looked at Li Lin again: "I'm talking to you, boy, come here."

Li Lin went over as instructed and asked with a smile, "Is there something you need?"

"Yes!" The man in black close-fitting clothes had an ordinary appearance, or rather, could be said to be somewhat ugly, after all, a pair of triangular eyes is quite unpleasant to look at: "Are you here alone from somewhere else?"

"Yes."

"Oh, then I'm short of silver to spend." The man in black close-fitting clothes looked pleased and smiled: "I see you eat well and dress quite nicely, so you must be a wealthy person. Could you spare a little?"

"Sure," Li Lin laughed heartily: "But I have a question myself. Which sect or school do you belong to?"

The man in black close-fitting clothes's expression darkened: "What do you mean?"

"If you're not from a major sect, borrowing silver from me will bring you bad luck."

As Li Lin spoke, his right hand gripped a corner of the table, applied slight force, and with a 'Tiger Claw' motion, snapped off that thick square corner.

Instantly, everyone in the hall fell silent, watching this scene quietly.

The man in black close-fitting clothes looked at the broken edge of the table corner for a moment, stood up, clasped his fist, and said, "Young hero, I was blind and failed to recognize Taishan. Please forgive me."

Li Lin ignored the man and left the inn.

He didn't have time to get entangled in the grudges and emotions of Jianghu people; he needed to quickly find Qin Donglai's concubine, obtain the Southern Barbarian Divine Bone, and return immediately.

As a high-ranking Eighth-Rank official, the Horse Inspector, he and these Jianghu people essentially belonged to two different worlds.

After he left, the man in black close-fitting clothes broke out in cold sweat on his forehead.

The middle-aged man said to the young woman in green: "Did you see? The Jianghu is treacherous; no one can be underestimated."

The young woman in green didn't know if she had taken it to heart; she simply kept staring in the direction Li Lin had departed, unable to tear her eyes away for a long time.

(End of this chapter)