Chapter 275: Can't Keep It Safe

At that moment, the Great Witch finally spoke, replying thoughtfully: "The Shamaness who makes the Huo Mother Elixir is in the temple; at that time Lin Ling secretly presented the Huo Mother Elixir, and I also sent people to investigate. The result was that after they took the Huo Mother Elixir, every female became pregnant and gave birth successfully."

"Coincidentally, in our Wushen Temple there is a Beastfolk who, after giving birth, immediately took the Huo Mother Elixir and became pregnant with a female offspring," the Great Witch said with an unreadable expression. "Because it's so unusual, I had Lin Ling bring her into the Wushen Temple to be properly cared for."

"Is that so?" Lin Manzhi was not very convinced at this moment.

"If you think the Huo Mother Elixir is problematic, why not have me send someone to bring that pregnant female over?" the Great Witch said, turning and waving a hand for the attendant Shamaness nearby to arrange it.

Lin Ling saw Diao Yi's appearance and was profoundly shaken.

No, Diao Yi must not betray me!

She immediately showed Diao Yi a sad and helpless expression on her face.

As Diao Yi entered the hall and saw Lin Ling standing there alone and pitifully, a protective urge rose in his mind, causing him even to overlook the Lord Cangqiong seated high above.

His hands and feet were bound by iron chains, and he was being pressed by Hua Zheng to walk through the hall; fortunately his mouth was not sealed, so Diao Yi hurriedly said, "It has nothing to do with Lin Ling the Shamaness! I did all of this!"

Hearing this, Cangqiong, who had been seated above without speaking, swept his sharp eyes downwards.

In his golden eyes, like a burning fire, anger rose fiercely, and in a cold voice he said, "Diao Yi, you betray me, slaughtering my subjects in my domain?"

The questioning voice from above made Diao Yi feel as if all his feathers were exploding.

Lord… Lord…

Diao Yi barely had the courage to look at Lord Cangqiong; just from Cangqiong's tone, one could see he was extremely angry.

He could clearly imagine how horribly he would die, with no chance of survival, so he slammed his knees and knelt in the hall, his upper body crawling on the ground.

Aaaah—

In a silent inner scream, Diao Yi mustered courage; before dying, he also wanted to take these sins for Lin Ling, and he rasped:

"Lord… it was I who wanted an offspring, it was I who threatened Lin Ling the Shamaness, using the Wushen Temple's name, to have you find more people to test the elixir…"

"I acted out of my own selfishness, on my own initiative; I offer my life to you, Lord, please do not harm the innocent Lin Ling the Shamaness."

Diao Yi's confession turned everyone's gaze toward Lin Ling.

Lin Manzhi said nothing; she sat leaning against Mo Lie, her jet‑black eyes wandering between Lin Ling and Diao Yi.

So you're saying that on the road, when Diao Yi wanted to kill them, it was also ordered by Lin Ling?

Hearing the unwavering resolve of his powerful War General, Cangqiong felt a cold indifference, looked at the pitiful, weak‑looking Lin Ling, considered her relationship with Lin Manzhi, and, with some patience, asked, "Lin Ling the Shamaness, my subordinate is willing to die for you; what do you think?"

Lin Ling's mind whirled with countless twists, from fear to anxiety, then a sigh of relief when someone took the blame.

Someone already confessed; why ask me again?

She glanced toward Diao Yi, saw the dozen or so females beside him, and suddenly froze for a moment.

Lin Ling, for reasons unknown, harbored a special hatred toward Lin Manzhi, clung to her, dragged her into the matter, and suddenly raised her voice:

"Lin Manzhi, why are you framing me?"

Lin Manzhi's hand rested on Mo Lie's hand at her waist, and she asked curiously, "Why do you ask that?"

Lin Ling, looking like a pitiable victim of framing, said, "You say they are all females who have just given birth after taking the Huo Mother Elixir…"

As she spoke, she pointed toward the dozen females, "But look at each of them—flushed and full of vigor; how do they look like the weakness after giving birth?"

Indeed, that's simply impossible.

Giving birth causes severe damage to a female's body, leaving her weak for at least several months.

Hearing Lin Ling's words, everyone paused, feeling that she might actually be making sense.

But then everyone heard Lin Manzhi formally answer for Lin Ling: "Of course it's because they ate the Cuan Qiong herb I cultivated."

This sentence caused a hush among the Shamanesses in the great hall, who found it somewhat fantastical.

Lin Ling found it even more laughable, her expression unconsciously showing mockery.

It's simply impossible.

If such a miraculous herb useful to females existed, why didn't Lin Manzhi bring it out earlier? This is a herb beneficial to female bodies.

Amid Lin Ling's and the Shamanesses' doubts, Lin Manzhi lowered her head, took a piece of Cuan Qiong from her waist pouch, and handed it to the attendant Shamaness beside her for the Great Witch to examine.

The Great Witch reached out, took it, and hurriedly used Pheromone to detect the strongly scented tablet.

Soon, her aged hands trembled with excitement, "This—this tablet actually has a tremendous therapeutic effect on the female's gestation cavity!"

As soon as she said that, the Shamanesses gasped collectively, and the elder saints immediately gathered before the dozen females, using their own Pheromone to probe their bodies, then unable to contain their remarks, they spoke:

"Wow! Her body is extremely perfect! It's an ideal form for nurturing offspring."

"What! The gestation cavity is for carrying offspring, and this herb called Cuan Qiong can actually treat the gestation cavity in a female's body!!"

"Heavens, many females previously had poorly developed gestation cavities; if they took Cuan Qiong, wouldn't it increase the chance of pregnancy!!"

"Indeed, when I examined that female who took the Huo Mother Elixir before, her gestation cavity was also this perfect…"

At that moment, the Shamaness elder saints' gazes toward Lin Manzhi changed, no longer questioning but slightly respectful, simply because she produced an herb effective for female gestation!

After all, those Shamaness elder saints had originally recognized them because Lin Ling had presented a potion that made females pregnant.

At that moment, the attendant Shamaness who obeyed the Great Witch's order returned, bringing the one who had taken the Huo Mother Elixir and was pregnant with a female offspring.

"Eh!"

Lin Manzhi, surprised to see the newcomer, noticed the skinny figure entering with head down, trembling with fear, and she stood up, raising her voice: "Xi Tao? Why are you here."

Xi Tao shivered upon hearing Lin Manzhi's voice, abruptly lifted her head, and stared at the figure descending the upper staircase.

It's really Lin Manzhi!

She seemed to have found her mainstay, and could no longer think of anything else; she hurriedly ran toward Lin Manzhi, sobbing, "Lin Manzhi, please save me!"

While Lin Ling did not cast a warning glance, the wretched female carrying an offspring sprinted toward Lin Manzhi's side.

Damn it.

How does she know Lin Manzhi!

Lin Ling's heart panicked again, her legs went weak, and she almost collapsed to the ground.

"I was kidnapped; I never used the Huo Mother Elixir. Someone held my two Beast Husbands and two offspring hostage to threaten me. If I hadn't said this, our whole family would have lost our lives!" Xi Tao rushed, saying to Lin Manzhi.

She, behind Lin Manzhi, saw their Ansen City lord Mo Lie, and at that moment her heart became unusually calm, and without hesitation she told the factual truth.

Xi Tao cried, "Manzhi, please save us, I… I want to go home."

Lin Manzhi reached out and steadied the stumbling Xi Tao, gently soothing, "It's okay, it's okay, don't be afraid, I will take you back."

Lin Manzhi supported Xi Tao.

She was seething with anger in her heart over what Lin Ling had done.

She looked at Great Witch, frowned, and said, "Great Witch, you should now have a judgment on the truth; the Huo Mother Elixir matter can be investigated slowly, but please first release Xi Tao's four family members."

Mo Lie stood at Lin Manzhi's side, lowered his eyes, and in a cold voice continued, "Otherwise we can conduct the rescue ourselves; Xi Tao and the others are Beastfolk of the Ansen domain."