Chapter 4: The Secret Art of the Virgin

Although it was only noon, the killing intent in the room was so intense it made one’s hairs stand on end.

Li Lin looked at the face across from him, cold as ice, and said, “Brother Wang, I’m mediocre at best—I don’t even know how to punch. How can I help you?”

“You don’t need to fight. Just follow us during the operation.”

Li Lin didn’t believe it—how could simply tagging along help someone kill a wraith?

Seeing Li Lin stay silent, Wang Tianyou’s stern expression cracked. He sighed helplessly: “That wraith… carries extreme yin energy.”

Mm-hmm!

Li Lin nodded, listening closely.

“She was born in a yin year, yin month, yin day. After death, she became a wraith. Her power isn’t strong, but her yin energy is suffocating—most spells and techniques are useless against her. She’s especially troublesome.”

“Isn’t it normal for a wraith to carry heavy yin energy?”

“No, no, no, Brother Li, you’re mistaken,” Wang Tianyou explained. “Most wraiths are fueled by grievance. Heavy yin energy… is rare.”

“My apologies—I truly didn’t know,” Li Lin bowed, but felt no shame.

Not knowing is not knowing—there’s no need to hide it.

After all, he’d only become a Spirit Hunter less than half a year ago.

But what does heavy yin energy have to do with me? Do I crush specters with my blood qi?

His blood qi was indeed stronger than a normal Spirit Hunter’s, but only slightly.

As if sensing Li Lin’s confusion, Wang Tianyou smiled and explained: “I asked fellow hunters in the county—they said, among all of them, you, Brother Li, have the strongest yang energy!”

Li Lin instinctively leaned back: “Yang energy?”

Not blood qi?

Wang Tianyou looked at Li Lin with an odd expression: “Generally, those who retain their virginity have stronger yang energy. Since you’re both a virgin and a Spirit Hunter, your yang energy is exceptionally potent. Merely being near a wraith with heavy yin energy suppresses it severely.”

Li Lin blinked. “So none of the dozen or so hunters in the county have strong yang energy?”

Wang Tianyou cleared his throat lightly: “All of us in the county… are married.”

Li Lin fell silent.

Because among the dozen or so hunters in Yulin County, he alone was still a virgin.

No wonder Wang Tianyou had come to him—a half-baked hunter.

Speaking of virginity… he hadn’t been one before, but now he was.

Seeing Li Lin’s embarrassment, Wang Tianyou wanted to laugh but held it back: “Brother Li, don’t worry. If you agree to come with us, whether we succeed or not, there’ll be generous reward afterward.”

“How generous?” Li Lin asked without hesitation.

Wang Tianyou regarded him with appreciation and replied without pause: “If you agree, I’ll give you three gold ingots upfront. After the matter is settled, I’ll give you a secret technique—choose one: sword, spear, fist, or Spirit Control scripture.”

Hearing this, Li Lin was deeply tempted. After thinking it over, he asked: “What about my safety?”

“Don’t worry. Your yang energy is so strong, the wraith will fear you—it won’t even think of harming you,” Wang Tianyou said, seeing Li Lin’s interest. “The real danger lies with us.”

Li Lin thought for a moment. “Fine. I’ll do it. When do we leave?”

Just show up—no fighting needed. What a perfect job!

“At noon, three days from now, gather at the county government office.”

Wang Tianyou stood, waved his hand, and three gold ingots appeared on the table.

“Too kind,” Li Lin said cheerfully, pocketing the three ingots.

“I’ll go prepare then,” Wang Tianyou said, rising.

Li Lin saw him out of the village. After walking a while, Wang Tianyou spotted the altar in the village center and walked over, bowing to the dead tree: “Tree Immortal Lady, long time no see. May I have a moment of your time?”

The altar remained still.

Wang Tianyou’s expression turned disappointed.

Li Lin asked beside him: “You know the Tree Immortal Lady too?”

“I’ve seen her in the county before.”

Li Lin was surprised: “Can she leave this altar?”

“Of course—if she wishes.”

Wang Tianyou waited a moment longer, then, receiving no reply, walked toward the village exit.

After seeing him off, Li Lin turned to head home—only to see the Gowned Apparition floating above the altar.

He walked over and said: “He wanted to see you, you didn’t come out. Now he’s gone, you appear. What’s the meaning of this?”

The Gowned Apparition said nothing. She glanced at Li Lin, then vanished.

Presumably, she’d returned to the dead tree.

Li Lin got no answer. He shrugged helplessly and went home to cook.

He ate another large pot of blood rice.

Then sat cross-legged on the bed to refine it.

The cultivation method he practiced now was ordinary: “Rejuvenating Nourishment Art”—any clinic could sell it for one silver tael.

Though it granted Li Lin no special abilities, it worked well for refining blood rice.

[Blood Qi +1]

[Blood Qi +1]

[Blood Qi +1]

Cultivation was joyful, especially when feedback was visible—it made one even more addicted.

Just as he was nearly finished refining the blood rice in his dantian, he seemed to hear shouting outside.

Li Lin opened his eyes, senses returning, and heard Zhao Xiaohu’s urgent voice: “Brother Lin! Brother Lin! Are you home? Something huge has happened in the village!”

Li Lin leapt from the bed, threw open the door, and asked: “What happened?”

Zhao Xiaohu’s face lit up when he saw him, then twisted into panic: “Xiuniang is gone!”

Li Lin wasn’t alarmed. “Maybe she went to wash clothes by the river!”

Villages like this were built beside rivers—women washing clothes there was common.

Zhao Xiaohu’s already large eyes widened further in panic: “No! Uncle Wu said Xiuniang was unwell and didn’t leave the house all day. But now she’s not inside, and we’ve looked everywhere!”

How could this be!

Li Lin shut the door. “Let’s go see.”

The village was small. Li Lin and Xiaohu reached Uncle Wu’s house quickly.

A dozen villagers had gathered. Aunt Wu sat on the ground weeping. Uncle Wu crouched by the door, face filled with despair.

Someone spotted Li Lin and called out: “Spirit Hunter Li is here! Let him check if a wraith took Xiuniang!”

Uncle Wu and Aunt Wu stood up.

They stared at Li Lin, hopeful but too afraid to speak.

Fundamentally… Li Lin, as a Spirit Hunter, was a kind of “official.”

Common folk feared officials—it was instinct.

“Make way! Don’t block the door. Let Young Master Li enter and inspect.”

Zhao himself was there. His voice boomed like a tiger’s roar.

Li Lin nodded to Zhao, then stepped inside.

Zhao Xiaohu tried to follow, but his father yanked him aside and scolded: “What are you rushing in for? Don’t get in Young Master Li’s way!”

Zhao Xiaohu scratched his head sheepishly.

Li Lin walked through the house, then came out and told Uncle Wu: “No wraith energy. Xiuniang must have wandered off on her own.”

(End of Chapter)