[{"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-32":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},2264632,4420,"Chapter 32","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-32",32,"\u003Cp>Li Lin’s tea water, how to put it… was just drinkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After taking a sip, Bai Liwei said calmly, “Li Xunshou, next time I’ll have Bu Fan bring you some roasted tea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin smiled. “Apologies—my home only has tea of this quality; it’s not out of disrespect to my honored guest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can see that.” Bai Liwei glanced around, then added, “But hardship forges talent. You, Li Xunshou, are far stronger than we were at your age.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Too kind, too kind.” Li Lin waved his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Liwei took another sip of tea. “I’ve come here today mainly to thank you for saving our lives a few days ago. If you hadn’t turned back, both my nephew and I would’ve died there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was only saving myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Regardless, you saved us—that’s the truth. Drink!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin returned the gesture; after both drank a cup, Bai Liwei said, “I heard you’re acquainted with Wang Tianyou, the young master of the Wang family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not really—just did a few favors for him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Liwei chuckled. “Then you’d best avoid the county town for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Qin family actually came knocking?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Liwei nodded. “Yes. They even clashed with County Magistrate Huang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s audacious indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re still a once-great clan, full of pride!” Bai Liwei sneered. “But now they’re in trouble—Wang, Ding, and Huang families are all opposing them. They’ve got a hard road ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking of the Qin family, Bai Liwei’s tongue was loosed—he rambled on about the Qin family of Yuecheng, his anger palpable; clearly, he now despised them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was natural—just a few nights ago, the Qin family had driven them to the brink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, Bai Liwei continued hurling crude insults at the Qin family until dusk approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My apologies, Li Xunshou.” Bai Liwei downed a large bowl of tea—he was thirsty after speaking so long. “Let me add one more thing: for the next few days, avoid the county town entirely. Wait until the Demon-Slaying Office arrives.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry—I’ll stay in the village and train.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Liwei laughed, then rose to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they stepped outside, they saw Bai Bu Fan and Zhao Xiaohu chatting merrily in the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his uncle emerge, Bai Bu Fan asked, “Are you leaving?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Bu Fan turned to Zhao Xiaohu. “Brother, we’ve taken to each other at first sight—you’re my elder brother now, and I’ll be your younger brother. May I ask your surname, Elder Brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Xiaohu looked exactly like a grown man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m Zhao Xiaohu. Thirteen years old!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Bu Fan froze. Li Lin could almost hear his soul cracking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with a blank stare, he followed his uncle, leading the donkey home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the guests left, Zhao Xiaohu carried their gifts inside, then began washing rice and cooking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin was counting the gifts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Bai family’s offerings were indeed generous: ten silver ingots, totaling a hundred taels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plus jade ornaments, rare medicinal herbs—wild ginseng, polygonum, and the like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And a few translucent mushrooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The total value was substantial—clearly, the lives of Bai Liwei and his nephew were worth a lot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin felt such people, who treasured their own lives, were worth cultivating ties with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He arranged the gifts neatly, and by then, Zhao Xiaohu had cooked the meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing a large bowl of red rice, Zhao Xiaohu, drenched in sweat, hurried home before the moon rose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sated and rested, Li Lin practiced the Reviving Spring Art for a while, then prepared to bathe and sleep—when he saw a green snake tail slip through the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scales on the tail reflected the moonlight, gleaming clean and beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any ordinary person seeing this would’ve been terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin merely stepped out calmly and saw the Tree Immortal Lady hovering in the courtyard, her back to him, her long tail extending through the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady, you sought me?” Li Lin asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tree Immortal Lady turned her head and pointed toward the mountainside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin had an excellent sense of direction—he immediately recognized the spot: Xiuniang’s grave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone’s up there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tree Immortal Lady nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aren't they afraid of the wild gui?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, she glided away, her tail swaying slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin returned inside, retrieved his red tassel spear, and went to the trail leading up the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the village lay the domain of the gui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the altar and the Tree Immortal Lady present, the wild gui could not enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin donned his Concealing-Gui robe, crouched, and activated the Stealth Technique, moving slowly uphill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Stealth Technique was wondrous—it silenced his footsteps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moonlight was unnervingly bright. After more than half an hour, Li Lin reached the mountainside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiuniang’s grave lay ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He crept forward crouched, and indeed heard the sound of shoveling earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He circled around to the back of a large tree, peered out, and saw two figures clad entirely in black, digging fiercely at the grave mound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They cursed as they dug.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We dug this open the day before yesterday and placed the placenta inside—why’s it been filled back in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No doubt the villagers did it. After we finish here, I’m going down to slaughter a few—unless I kill some, I won’t feel better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a Spirit Hunter guarding the village.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard he’s a greenhorn—two cuts and he’s dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if he doesn’t die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he doesn’t die, I’ll treat you to Hongxiuzhao—let a courtesan play the qin for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You promise?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, they fell silent and dug harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin waited a while, but they said nothing more—he felt disappointed. He’d hoped they’d talk longer, maybe reveal something important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he crept closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a feeling these two weren’t “sharp”—he could easily sneak up on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did just that, gliding silently from their blind side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After digging a while longer, one suddenly said, “Wait—I can’t sense any evil energy. The placenta isn’t down there anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who else would dare touch that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could it be the village’s Spirit Hunter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. Only Spirit Hunters and martial cultivators would dare touch such cursed things.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s go down and kill that Spirit Hunter—take back the item.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This village worships the True Lord!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The True Lord doesn’t care about living humans; they only block gui—lazy creatures.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s go… ah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scream pierced the silent hills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One black-clad man was pierced through the heart by a spear and collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other turned and ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a trace of fight in him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin paused, pulled the spear from the corpse, and hurled it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-clad man heard the whistling behind him, dodged—barely—and slowed for an instant. Li Lin lunged forward, seized his head with both hands, and slammed him to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin gave him no chance to react—he twisted with all his strength, rotating the man’s head three hundred and sixty degrees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-clad man twitched a few times, then lay still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So weak!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far weaker than Xu Saifeng—probably just minor thugs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, Li Lin would’ve kept one alive for interrogation—but it was night, out in the wilderness, and too much noise might attract wild gui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing them outright was simpler than questioning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, how did these two manage to chat at night without alerting the wild gui?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He crouched in Stealth mode and examined the corpses—then was stunned to find their black robes were \"Concealing-Gui robes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other’s too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His own Concealing-Gui robe was a tiny scrap, barely enough for a blanket, thin as a cicada’s wing—these two’s robes were thick, dense, and sewn into full garments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder—they could move freely at night without being detected by the wild gui.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortune! These were valuable items.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin immediately stripped both men of their robes and searched them, finding several banknotes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he slipped to one side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the two corpses, they were discovered by the invisible huang gui, their flesh and blood vanishing, leaving only white bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin, holding the two shu gui garments, crouched and slowly \"walked\" down the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon returning to the village, he saw the Tree Immortal Lady waiting at the village entrance below the mountain; seeing Li Lin return safely, she slowly drifted away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin immediately rose and chased after her, asking, “Lady, thank you for the warning. In half a month it will be the Qixi Festival—I’ve recently earned some silver. Is there anything you’d like as a gift? I can buy it for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tree Immortal Lady stopped and suddenly turned around, her silver dangling hairpin swaying, reflecting brilliant light under the moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Red flower forehead decoration!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1431,"2026-06-19T19:39:18.782Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8a7d357c931249cc03ff6e4f7750fb6d6b136283e1a92899fb7356bbc9790f07","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-33","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-31",221,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdark-and-dawn-light-years-cover.jpg"]