Chapter 218: Paper Noble

Walking through the forest, Li Lin wiped the blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

He looked severely injured, but it was merely some internal damage; under the effect of spiritual power, he was already considered healed by now.

The effect of spiritual power was truly too strong; whether used for attack or healing, the results were first-rate.

If he still relied on Yin energy as a foundation, he could not have defeated those three Monks now, nor could he have escaped unscathed.

Thinking of this, Li Lin could not help but laugh.

In the future, I must cultivate more and practice dual cultivation more.

If I am well, they will be well too.

Li Lin walked through the pitch-black forest and soon found the paper figure of the Tree Immortal Lady.

She was guarding the entrance to a tree hollow.

Although she lacked protective barrier powder, the 'aura' on the Tree Immortal Lady's body still made the surrounding wild anomalies dare not approach.

Seeing Li Lin, her snake tail glided over, circled him to inspect, and only after confirming he was unharmed did she seem to sigh with relief.

Afterwards, she extended both hands and pulled at Li Lin's face, wearing an expression full of resentment.

"Alright, I know I was wrong; I shouldn't have made you lose face in front of so many people," Li Lin immediately apologized.

The Tree Immortal Lady paused for a moment, then pulled even harder.

She was not angry about that at all.

After pulling a couple of times, as if venting her anger, the Tree Immortal Lady's divine soul departed; the paper figure returned to a wooden, blank state, then coiled its tail to the side and silently guarded the place.

Li Lin poked his head into the tree hollow and found Zhou Qingqing still wrapped in the anomaly-concealing robe; she had truly listened to Li Lin's words completely, absolutely refusing to come out of it or lift the cover.

"Alright, you can come out now," Li Lin said with a smile.

Zhou Qingqing did not move, but judging by the slight trembling of the anomaly-concealing robe, she should be fine.

"I am Li Lin."

He said that again.

After a long silence, Zhou Qingqing's trembling voice finally came out: "I heard anomalies can mimic the voices of acquaintances to make people believe them, and then..."

Li Lin could not help but laugh and tore open the anomaly-concealing robe.

Zhou Qingqing let out a cry of surprise.

Li Lin stepped back two paces and said, "Come out."

While speaking, he dug a hole in the ground and used a fire starter to relight a fire.

The firelight illuminated the surroundings; seeing Li Lin, Zhou Qingqing finally sighed with relief and walked out from inside, holding her son.

At this time, many paper figures returned from outside; they were all maids and the cavalry paper figures who had not participated in the battle.

They once again surrounded and protected Li Lin and Zhou Qingqing.

At the same time, they carried the sedan chair in as well.

It was no small feat for them; in a place like the forest with so little space, the sedan chair could actually be carried in, and it seemed to have suffered little damage.

Li Lin walked nearby and sprinkled protective barrier powder again.

"You and the child rest first; this place is temporarily safe."

Hearing this, Zhou Qingqing sighed with relief, found a blanket, lay down on it holding the child, and fell asleep quickly.

Meanwhile, Li Lin used the paper carried by the maid paper figures to create new paper figures.

However, since the spare paper carried was not much, he only made thirty shield-and-sword soldiers and forty-seven paper archers.

He discovered that against those martial artists, the combination of shield-and-sword soldiers and archers was far superior to the combination of shield-and-sword soldiers and spear formations.

By the time he finished all this, dawn had broken.

Zhou Qingqing woke up, looked around, and then saw Li Lin stretching.

"Did the Master not sleep all night?"

"Mm, preparations always need to be made."

"The Master has worked hard; you rest for a while, and I will prepare breakfast."

With that, Zhou Qingqing went to the nearby paper cart, brought over dry rations and a small pot, set up a simple stand, placed the pot on it, scooped some water from a nearby mountain spring stream, put the dry rations inside to boil into a porridge, and added some cured meat.

Finally, she woke Li Lin.

After resting for half a double-hour, Li Lin felt much more energetic.

Although the porridge did not look great, it tasted quite good when eaten.

After finishing, Li Lin looked up; judging by the patches of light piercing through the gaps in the tree canopy, he knew it was already late in the day. He sat up and said, "Let's set off."

Xiao Hua licked the bowl clean and followed his mother very obediently.

The three of them sat back into the sedan chair.

Then, those small paper figures nearby ran back and attached themselves to other paper figures.

The paper figure 'procession' set off once again.

A team of nearly a hundred people appeared on the official road again.

Paper figures cannot move too fast; they can only advance at a speed slightly faster than an ordinary person.

Actually, if riding horses, the speed would be much faster.

But... whether it was Zhou Qingqing or the child Xiao Hua, neither could really withstand the jolting of a horse.

This is also why, when noble ladies travel, they generally use sedan chairs or carriages rather than riding horses; that is the reason.

Riding a horse for long-distance travel is actually a physical exertion.

Inside the sedan chair, Li Lin closed his eyes to rest his spirit.

Actually, with his strength, he could go several nights without sleep.

But the problem is that creating paper figures requires spiritual power, so he is very tired now.

He could only rest, while gripping the Southern Barbarian Divine Bone in his hand to restore his spiritual power.

The procession passed through without hindrance; along the way, they encountered many merchant caravans and travelers. The eerie art style of the paper men terrified these people, who all hid in the forests on both sides of the official road, daring not to emerge until the paper men had gone far away.

As evening approached, the procession was to pass through a county town.

Li Lin woke up, and at the same time, the spiritual power within his body had almost fully recovered.

"We will not stay in the county town tonight; the paper men's procession is too conspicuous, and I fear it will attract martial artists to ambush us within." Li Lin smiled and said, "You stay with the paper men in the nearby forest and do not wander about. I will go into the city to buy some spare paper."

When the paper men walk, they suffer wear and tear; now the spare paper has run out, so some must be prepared.

Zhou Qingqing nodded obediently.

Li Lin emerged from the forest, and then saw An Xin standing there on the official road.

Beside An Xin stood a young woman in tight-fitting clothes.

He saw Li Lin and smiled, clasping his hands in a bow.

Li Lin walked over and said, "You came here specifically to wait for me?"

"Yes." An Xin smiled and said, "I guessed you would likely camp here."

Li Lin nodded: "Thank you for what happened last night."

"I did not help you; what is there to thank me for?"

"You did not join them in surrounding and attacking me; that alone was helping me."

An Xin laughed heartily: "Our Tianyi Sect never does such things as taking advantage of someone in distress."

"So, when I am not in danger, you will come to trouble me?"

"When you are not in danger, I dare even less to trouble you." An Xin said, suppressing a laugh: "You are now famous throughout the martial world, Young Master of Purple Thunder, or the Paper Young Master!"

"My nickname?"

"Yes."

"It spread so quickly?"

"This is the martial world; it is normal for news to travel fast. However, between the two titles, one will eventually disappear, leaving only the one that best represents you." An Xin continued: "Also, I am very curious; the Jade Box of Lingshun should be in your hands now. What exactly is that thing used for?"

"It is indeed related to cultivation!" Li Lin thought for a moment and said, "Its true name is the Southern Barbarian Divine Bone!"

An Xin nodded lightly, then pointed to the young woman beside him: "This is my junior sister. She is the one who can match your Thunder Technique; she is now also learning the Art of Paper Crafting."

The young woman looked at Li Lin with an admiring gaze, clasped her fists, and said clearly, "This humble woman, Lu Ying, greets Senior Brother Li!"

(End of this chapter)