Chapter 42: Four Share the Loot

Because the Tree Immortal Lady had obscured his vision, Li Lin could not see what was happening outside; when his sight returned, the massive Four Marvels True Lord above the county had vanished.

At the same time, Li Lin knew that the “Hundred Faces True Lord” of Bóbái Town had also disappeared.

The Tree Immortal Lady floated beside him, utterly silent.

“If county-level True Lords are this strong, what about city-level ones?” Li Lin asked.

The Tree Immortal Lady thought for a moment, then said: “Stronger.”

Li Lin burst out laughing; the Tree Immortal Lady was truly humorous.

“Can you become as strong as they are?”

“Yes,” the Tree Immortal Lady nodded. “Time!”

So, given enough time, she could become just as powerful?

It seemed the growth ceiling of apparitions was remarkably high.

Yet one thing puzzled Li Lin: if these great apparitions were so powerful, capable of severing heads from dozens of kilometers away, why… did they willingly submit to human control?

That altar or temple was the object binding them.

Four days passed in a flash; Li Lin practiced his fist techniques at home as usual, and then… three unexpected yet expected guests arrived.

Su Huafang, Bai Liwei, Zhao Hao.

The three sat inside the house, while Xiao Hu bustled about, brewing tea to entertain them.

“This boy’s blood qi looks quite dense—did you discover him as a potential?” Su Huafang asked with a smile. “When will you register him?”

The entire Yulin County now had only eight Spirit Hunters left, desperately needing fresh blood.

Otherwise, many areas would be left unguarded.

“In another half-month,” Li Lin replied.

Zhao Xiaohu had barely entered the Spring Revival Nourishing Art; his rate of metabolizing blood rice had increased. In another half-month, he would be able to shield himself with yang energy—then he would go to the county office to register as a Spirit Hunter and receive state rations.

To the villagers, those who received state rations were all capable people.

Xiao Hu would soon be one of them.

As they spoke, Zhao Xiaohu finished brewing the tea and brought it over.

“Alright, Xiao Hu, go home first—I need to discuss matters with these seniors.”

“Yes.”

Zhao Xiaohu obediently left.

After confirming no one was outside, Li Lin closed the door and sat down. “You three came to retrieve the treasure from there, right?”

All three nodded.

“But it’s hard to take,” Li Lin smiled. “There’s too much, and we’re too few.”

The gold and silver ingots piled like a small mountain—he couldn’t imagine how the garrison troops had gathered so much.

It seemed the county treasury didn’t hold this much wealth.

“Ants moving soil,” Zhao Hao said.

Bai Liwei shook his head: “Impossible. A round trip takes at least four days. The county magistrate directly summoned troops from the border garrison to defend Bóbái Town—longest a month, shortest half a month… We can’t all vanish for too long, or someone will suspect something.”

Everyone agreed—it made sense.

“Then each of us takes some back first,” Zhao Hao grinned. “Leave the rest hidden here—we’ll come back later and retrieve another portion together.”

Su Huafang sighed. “That’s the only option.”

“When do we leave?”

“Now,” Li Lin stood up. “Quick in, quick out.”

Li Lin took his spear and mask, added some Life-Sustaining Pills, and set off with the three.

This time, Su Huafang had prepared thoroughly—he somehow acquired Spirit-Blocking Powder!

For two nights, they used it to create safe zones and took turns keeping watch; their rest quality remained good.

On the third morning, they arrived before the fortress.

From afar, half the fortress had collapsed.

Li Lin examined it—the collapsed section faced directly toward the county.

He couldn’t help but admire: “The Four Marvels True Lord’s technique is truly powerful—knocked down a wall from so far away. In battle, who could stop him?”

At this, the three beside him stared at him strangely.

“Don’t you know True Lords can’t strike freely? Each attack drains massive blood qi,” Bai Liwei asked in surprise.

Su Huafang chuckled bitterly: “My fault—I never explained this to Li Xunshou.”

It was understandable. Powerful Spirit Hunters were always busy, running from place to place, with little free time.

Everywhere needed them to hunt apparitions and exorcise evils.

Li Lin could afford to be so relaxed because he was still new and unknown.

In a few years, Li Lin would be just as busy.

“Go in now?” Zhao Hao asked with a smile.

“Not yet!” Li Lin pulled out his mask and put it on. “Let me first check for anything unusual!”

A cold sensation entered his eyes; he scanned the surroundings, then looked up at the wall, and nodded: “No anomalies detected for now.”

The other three exhaled in relief.

Bai Liwei said: “Li Xunshou, keep wearing the mask and watch our surroundings. We’ll handle the heavy lifting.”

“Alright.”

Li Lin understood the importance of a scout and didn’t refuse.

The four entered the fortress through the collapsed wall and saw scorch marks everywhere.

More white bones lay on the ground; from the tattered or charred clothing, they could identify the victims.

“Zhang Minsheng is here.”

Bai Liwei stood before a skeleton—the clothing matched what Zhang Minsheng had worn that night.

They searched the fortress further and soon found another shattered altar.

Two shattered altars side by side—this place, Bóbái Town, seemed to have some geomantic flaw.

Li Lin kept observing his surroundings.

After a while, Bai Liwei came over and asked: “Any issues?”

“No strange signs detected.”

“Then the three of us go down first. Li Xunshou, you keep watch above,” Su Huafang smiled. “We’ll bring up your share too.”

Li Lin nodded in agreement.

He stood at the entrance to the secret tunnel, alertly scanning the surroundings.

The area was quiet, occasionally broken by bird calls.

Soon, the three emerged from the tunnel, carrying four sacks.

“Each sack holds thirty gold ingots,” Bai Liwei sighed. “More would be too heavy to carry.”

Li Lin nodded. Everyone wanted to take more, but too much gold was too obvious—it would draw suspicion.

“Re-hide this place!”

The three immediately picked up the hoes and shovels nearby and buried the tunnel, then replanted green vegetables over it.

“Keep this to ourselves—don’t tell anyone,” Bai Liwei whispered. “Let’s make a gentleman’s pact: if we ever return to retrieve more gold, we must all come together. If one of us dies first, he must tell his direct descendants. What do you all think?”

The other three nodded gently.

Li Lin felt these three were trustworthy—after all, with so much gold beneath them, none had shown hostility or murderous intent, clearly honest men.

And the other three thought the same of him.

The four shouldered their sacks, ready to leave, when suddenly voices and the clinking of chains came from beyond the wall.

They exchanged glances and immediately hid behind nearby obstacles.

Li Lin quietly set down his sack and put his mask back on.

Soon, several swaying figures appeared at the collapsed wall.

Then six people slowly approached.

Through a narrow gap in the obstacle, Li Lin saw a young man walking ahead, followed by a woman bound in chains.

From their attire, they were all southern barbarian women.

The man looked around, then spoke to the women: “Alright, it’s safe here. I’ll unlock your shackles.”

(End of Chapter)