Chapter 23: Another Qi Practitioner

The next afternoon.

Liu Bang hurriedly pushed open the wooden gate, sweat still beading on his forehead from his rush.

He had finished dealing with the conscription headache with Fan Kuai and company that morning, not even stopping for a drink before rushing back—cultivation is important!

Just that afternoon of cultivation yesterday made him feel relaxed all over, as if he'd grown ten years younger.

If it weren't for Liu Ying waking from a nightmare and crying out, Lv Zhi would probably have been tossed by him until dawn.

Thinking of this, Liu Bang gave a hehe laugh, rubbing his hands as he walked into the courtyard.

Just stepping into the courtyard, he saw Yu Lin sitting on the stone bench, pinching several crystal-clear candies in his hand, making Liu Ying and Liu Zhu giggle.

Liu Zhu was extremely good-looking; even at her young age, one could see she was a beauty in the making.

She inherited Lv Zhi's oval face, and also had Liu Bang's lively eyes; her skin was as fair and tender as a freshly peeled water chestnut.

At that moment she was on tiptoe reaching for the candy in Yu Lin's hand, and as she moved, a section of her snow-white neck was revealed.

She truly lived up to the graceful beauty recorded in the histories.

Seeing Liu Bang arrive,

"All right, you two go play over there." Yu Lin handed the last candy to Liu Zhu.

The little girl took it and sweetly said, "Thank you, sir!"

She didn't eat it herself, but stuffed it into her brother's mouth, pulling his hand as she stepped aside.

"Master!" Liu Bang rushed forward in two-three steps, first bowing and greeting, then he said:

"What are we learning today?"

Yu Lin rose and slowly said:

"Just studying cultivation isn't enough; we also need to learn some martial techniques."

"Today I'll teach you some basics."

"Come here."

He naturally wanted to teach some martial arts.

Since he himself hadn't learned much—after all, he'd only cultivated for eight days at the Civil Affairs Bureau—he could teach only what he knew.

Liu Bang didn't know this, so he was eager and enthusiastic.

He thought Yu Lin would teach him something like spewing fire directly, able to strike down birds in the sky with a raised hand—a martial technique!

But instead,

Yu Lin merely had him settle into a horse stance, set his posture, and just stand there.

After standing for nearly half an hour, sweat pouring down his forehead, he finally couldn't help but speak:

"Master, what are we learning?"

"Basic training." Yu Lin said, hands behind his back, adopting the air of an expert.

"Without accumulating small steps, one cannot reach a thousand miles; without accumulating small streams, one cannot form rivers and seas."

"If the foundation isn't solid, how can one learn those profound arts?"

"You want to master those profound arts in a day—I wouldn't mind either."

"Just practice with peace of mind!"

Hearing him say that, Liu Bang also felt it made sense, so he nodded:

"Yes."

Yu Lin came to the chair, sat down, and was just thinking about going back tonight to fetch some cultivation elixirs for Liu Bang to use.

Suddenly, a person walked in from outside and bowed directly to him:

"Mr. Yu, the county office has sent someone claiming to be a Qi practitioner."

"Sir Xiao and the County Magistrate ask you to come over for a visit to discern truth from falsehood."

"Oh?" Yu Lin raised an eyebrow, curious:

"Whether he's a Qi practitioner or not, just have him demonstrate his technique—if he can't, he's fake; if he can, he's genuine."

"Why do I need to go then?"

The little clerk immediately replied:

"That person did indeed perform a fire‑spitting technique from his mouth...... To be frank, I tell you, judging him as fake is really just because he wants to compete with you, sir......"

"The two officials couldn't refuse, so they could only ask you to come over."

"Like that." Yu Lin felt a bit of interest.

He actually did want to see what other Qi practitioners were like, so he got up and said:

"Let's go."

Seeing that he was willing to go, the little clerk immediately rejoiced:

"Yes, please follow me."

They walked to the gate.

Yu Lin suddenly turned his head, causing Liu Bang, who had been about to relax, to straighten his back again:

"Liu Ji, don't be lazy."

"If you don't study, plenty of others want to."

Hearing this, Liu Bang immediately replied:

"Received! I will absolutely not be lazy! Please rest assured, Master!"

"Hmm."

Yu Lin turned his head back and continued walking toward the office with the clerk.

Until they arrived at the office.

Just entered.

He saw a group of officials already seated inside, chatting merrily with a middle‑aged man whose attire made him look like a master.

Seeing Yu Lin arrive.

The conversation paused, then Xiao He hurried to his feet and walked toward him:

"Mr Yu, you have arrived."

"Lord Xiao, you are too courteous." Yu Lin gave him a slight smile, then met the middle‑aged man's gaze.

Just at that glance.

He then confirmed that the middle‑aged man indeed knows the Lian Qi Method.

Because he exuded the aura of Qi.

But it wasn't very dense; he seemed to be at the Qi‑Invoking Realm, likely having cultivated only a short time.

Or perhaps his talent is poor.

Nevertheless, his status as a Lian Qi practitioner could not be changed.

When the middle‑aged man saw Yu Lin, the smile on his face froze for a moment, then turned into delight.

He stood, came before Yu Lin, and bowed with clasped hands:

"Zhang Qing, honored to meet you, Daoist friend!"

Yu Lin returned the greeting: "Yu Lin, honored to meet Daoist friend Zhang."

Seeing the two of them like this.

Inside, Xiao He and the others instantly understood.

The Lian Qi practitioners who had not been seen in the secret passage for decades, now appear as two today?

Is it a blessing or a disaster?

No one knows, but at this moment their appearances seem benevolent rather than evil.

Just befriend them.

Zhang Qing turned his head and addressed the Pei County Magistrate:

"Magistrate Du, could you arrange a secluded spot so the two of us may chat for a while?"

Magistrate Du immediately nodded, "There is no objection."

"Both of you, follow me."

A moment later.

Inside the room.

Yu Lin and Zhang Qing sat opposite each other.

"Daoist friend Zhang, what do you wish to ask me?"

"Naturally I have an urgent matter; Daoist friend Yu, are you aware of the Nine Tripod Cauldrons forged by King Yu in ancient times?"

"Oh? Could it be that Daoist friend Zhang knows the whereabouts of the Nine Tripod Cauldrons?"

Zhang Qing shook his head, then nodded, and spoke softly:

"I do not know the location of all Nine Tripod Cauldrons, but I do know where one of them lies."

"However, with my abilities I still cannot obtain it, so… Daoist friend Yu, would you be willing to retrieve it together with me?"

Yu Lin heard this, and a piece of knowledge suddenly sprang to mind.

"Could that Cauldron be in Si River?"

At those words,

Zhang Qing was instantly startled: "Daoist friend Yu, you already know?"

In fact,

Yu Lin did not actually know; he had only read this doubtful historical rumor.

It was that Qin Shi Huang, during his eastern tour, when passing Peng City, saw a Cauldron rise in the Si River.

He was overjoyed and tried to haul the Cauldron up.

Just as he was about to retrieve it, a dragon head emerged from within the Cauldron, snapped the rope binding it, and the Cauldron sank back into the water, never to be found again.

Whether it was true or false no longer mattered.

At least now Yu Lin intends to see with his own eyes whether the Cauldron is indeed in the Si River!

He nodded at Zhang Qing, smiling slightly: "Of course I know."

"And I have long planned it."

"Daoist friend Zhang, just watch."

He lifted the water bowl on the table and splashed it onto himself.

The clear water burst out, but the moment it touched Yu Lin's robe, it slipped away as if meeting an invisible barrier.

Water Droplets traced sparkling arcs in the air, clack‑clack hitting the ground, yet not a single one dampened his robe.

The more astonishing part was yet to come.

Yu Lin's right hand made a vague grasp; the scattered Water Droplets seemed drawn by an unseen force, flowing upward, merging in the air into a thin stream, which he sucked entirely into his sleeve.

Finally, with a flick of his wrist, the clear water in the bowl returned to its original state, the surface ripples identical to before.

"Excellent!" Zhang Qing slammed the table, his beard trembling with excitement: "Daoist friend Yu, your Water‑Controlling Technique is truly remarkable! To retrieve the Cauldron from Si River, I cannot succeed without your aid!"

Yu Lin smiled without replying.

Feel the impact of modern technology fused with mysticism!