Chapter 79: The Taoist Opens His Eyes

Li Lin watched as the Taoist and the woman separated; after pondering for a moment, he decided to resolve the woman's problem first.

After all, he had already seen the Taoist's face and had a way to locate him.

But once that woman used the fetal skin, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Following the woman for a short distance, Li Lin called out to her: "Lady ahead, please stop."

The woman turned around, somewhat puzzled whether she was the one being called; upon seeing Li Lin, she instinctively felt her face flush and her heart race.

"This young master... what business do you have calling me!"

Li Lin first held up his white jade token, then said: "I am a Spirit Hunter. Did you encounter a Taoist?"

The woman nodded gently.

Li Lin continued: "The county government office has already posted notices that recently thieves have been disguising themselves as Taoists, distributing evil objects everywhere... like the one in your hand."

The woman's face instantly turned pale: "I... I, your humble servant, am unaware of this matter."

"Hand it over to me." Li Lin extended his hand: "Then forget this matter."

The woman looked at the brown skin in her hand: "But that person said..."

"Did he say soaking it in water to drink would make one as beautiful as a fairy?"

The woman nodded repeatedly: "How does the young master know!"

"Because you are not the first woman to fall victim." Li Lin smiled: "You can think about it; if it were truly such a good thing, why would it not be offered to high officials and nobles, but given to you!"

The woman said with some difficulty: "Perhaps I truly have... a karmic connection with the Dao?"

"Haha." Li Lin let out a cold laugh; he had expected the other party to react this way: "It's fine, you can keep it, but I am about to go to the county government office to report to the Prefect that you are colluding with thieves, holding an evil object with the intent to harm others, and I will have you thrown into prison."

The woman was terrified, threw the fetal skin to the ground, turned around, and ran away.

In these times, ordinary people were still very afraid of the government, and even more afraid of being arrested and imprisoned.

Li Lin picked up the fetal skin and went to the county government office.

Coincidentally, Huang Yan was handling affairs in the courtroom.

Upon seeing Li Lin enter, he asked gently: "Li Xunshou, what brings you time to come to the county government office?"

Generally, Spirit Hunters do not need to serve at the county government office; most of the time they guard their own 'territory', occasionally going out to take on some 'odd jobs'.

Regarding Spirit Hunters taking outside commissions to earn money, the government holds a neutral stance, neither supporting nor opposing it.

After all, if Spirit Hunters were not allowed to earn money, the government would have to cover the expenses in this area.

That is certainly not a small sum.

"I saw that Taoist." Li Lin showed Huang Yan the fetal skin: "He gave this thing to a woman, and I intercepted it."

"Where is the Taoist?" Huang Yan's expression became serious.

Li Lin shook his head and said: "I felt preserving that woman's life was more important, so I prioritized handling the fetal skin. However, I have a way to find him."

"You did very well." Huang Yan smiled and nodded: "Next, does this official need to send someone to secretly protect that woman?"

"I don't think so; that Taoist probably doesn't know that woman either. What he is tracking should be the 'evil qi' of this fetal skin."

Huang Yan nodded: "Very well, handling the matter is left to you Spirit Hunters. If you need support from the village militia, just tell this official."

"Thank you, Prefect."

Huang Yan stroked his beard and smiled, saying: "Come to my home more often to sit and chat. Also... if time permits, send over a few more bottles of Body-Strengthening Pills."

"Good!" Li Lin clasped his fists.

Afterwards, Li Lin went to the 'Military Office' of the county government office.

Shi Ditou was on duty there; upon seeing Li Lin, he clasped his fists and asked: "Li Xunshou, a rare guest. Is there any official business requiring my help?"

"I wish to request that you dispatch several government office Runners to notify Su Huafang, Bai Liwei, and Zhao Hao, the other three Xunshous."

"This matter is simple." Shi Ditou agreed with a smile.

He did not want, nor dared, to make things difficult for Li Lin.

Not to mention the other party's status as a Xunshou, the fact that the Prefect 'values' Li Lin is already common knowledge throughout the county government office.

There are even rumors that the Prefect's eldest daughter seemed to walk out of Li Xunshou's new home one morning.

Tsk tsk, if this rumor were true, the meaning would be completely different.

Who doesn't know that in another two or three years, the Prefect is going to be promoted to Jincheng to serve as a Prefect?

Li Lin waited in the Military Office for more than an hour, then Su Huafang, Zhao Hao, and Bai Liwei arrived one after another.

Once everyone was assembled, Li Lin led the three men out of the Military Office to the rear courtyard of the county government office.

"What has happened that requires us three to be summoned?" Zhao Hao asked curiously.

Su Huafang and Bai Liwei also looked at Li Lin curiously.

Li Lin said: "I saw that Taoist."

The expressions of the three men all froze for a moment.

They naturally knew what kind of person the 'Taoist' Li Lin was referring to.

"Do you know where he is staying?" Su Huafang asked.

"No, but I saw his face."

Li Lin took out a stack of paper men from his robes and scattered them onto the ground.

These paper men hopped and jumped, or left the rear courtyard in strange and bizarre ways.

Zhao Hao couldn't help but laugh: "Li Xunshou truly has not lost his childlike innocence."

The other two were also holding back their laughter.

Li Lin was quite helpless; he considered himself steady in temperament and calm in the face of trouble, so why were the paper men he created so strange.

This must be a problem with the technique; it has nothing to do with him.

The three chatted for a while, about the time it takes to burn two sticks of incense; afterwards, Li Lin's expression became solemn, and he stood up: "Found it."

The four set off simultaneously, rushing in one direction.

After an hour, they tracked down the vicinity of a small grove; this was already on the outskirts of the county town.

Yet it still lay within the patrol range of Taowu Zhenjun.

Li Lin glanced at the sky; it was already evening.

He stepped forward a few paces and heard an angry voice coming from the trees: "Ah, so annoying, why are there so many?"

The four exchanged glances and scattered.

Then they saw a Daoist 'chasing' those little paper men.

These little paper men were very clever, always maintaining a sufficient distance from the Daoist; as soon as the other approached, they immediately raised both hands and fled backwards.

Meanwhile, the other paper men hid behind trees or behind bushes, then poking out a pair of watery 'big eyes' to stare at the Daoist.

The four continued to approach; at that moment, the Daoist suddenly became alert, his gaze turning over: "Who dares to spy on this Daoist?"

Since they were discovered, Su Huafang, Bai Liwei, and Zhao Hao stepped forward.

Li Lin, however, went into stealth.

Only, the stealth technique that had worked flawlessly in the past no longer had any effect.

That Daoist suddenly looked toward his position: "There is still someone hiding... Invisibility Technique? A secret art of the Daoist sect; do you think I cannot sense it? Showing off before an expert, how laughable!"

The Daoist's face showed a look of mockery as his hands quickly formed seals.

'Great Bear Reverses to Cook Human Nature, Netherworld Lends Me to Gaze at Heaven's Scab, Open!'

After the Daoist chanted the spell, he wiped his left hand across his forehead; that spot immediately split open, growing a vertical eye.

This eye had pupils of deep red, carrying a peculiar evil nature, and stared continuously in Li Lin's direction.

Being stared at by this thing, Li Lin felt uncomfortable all over.

"So it's a pretty boy!" The Daoist sneered: "Those paper men nearby are your handiwork, right?"

(End of this chapter)