Chapter 600: Securing the Two Cauldrons

「The matter is over, then I............. 」

Yu Lin was about to return to the dormitory to lie down, Su Qu followed beside him, took out his phone, flipped through it, then suddenly looked up and said:

「Don't rush back yet, I haven't thanked you yet, let me treat you to a meal? I know a newly opened private restaurant, the boss is a cultivator, the ingredients are all grown in a spiritual field, the taste is not bad. 」

「It's not impossible, then we........ 」 Yu Lin was about to agree when a voice suddenly sounded in his ear.

「Master, we have found Yanzhou and Liangzhou. 」

Jin Wu's voice.

Yu Lin's steps paused, he raised his eyebrows. 「Two places? 」

「One place. 」

「More precisely, they are in a cave abode; probably someone found them earlier, realized they couldn't use them, and had no choice but to bury them again. 」

Yu Lin stood at the roadside, silent, waiting for it to continue.

「There is a plaque above the cave abode, 」

「Inscribed with the four characters 'Heavenly Stalwart Blessed Land', inside there is a set of cultivation method called the Heavenly Stalwart One Hundred and Eight Pacifying Method; we didn't touch it, waiting for you, Master, to come. 」

「............. 」 Yu Lin remained silent for a moment, then let out a light laugh.

「Alright, I understand. 」

Su Qu was lowering his head, scrolling through the restaurant list on his phone, not noticing Yu Lin's earlier pause.

「This place is really good, their signature dish is——」 He raised his head, saw Yu Lin's expression, and his words trailed off.

「What's wrong? 」

「I'm going to collect two cauldrons, are you coming? 」

「Cauldron? Nine Tripod Cauldrons? 」

Yu Lin nodded.

Su Qu's eyes lit up instantly.

「Go! Of course we're going! 」

He paused, then took out his phone from his pocket, opened the camera, and switched to video mode.

「I need to record it, keep a souvenir. 」

Yu Lin glanced at him, said nothing, turned and headed north.

He stopped at the foot of a mountain range.

The mountains here are not high, nor are they low; they are wrapped in a thin layer of mist.

At the base of the mountain lies a mixed woodland; it is very quiet, not even a birdcall can be heard.

Su Qu looked up.

「Is this the place? 」

「Yes. 」 Yu Lin stepped forward.

Su Qu hurriedly followed, holding his phone steady, aiming the lens ahead.

The woods weren't deep; after walking about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the view suddenly opened up.

A huge stone stood in the center of the clearing, its surface carved with two large characters, the strokes strong and powerful, penetrating three-tenths into the stone.

Su Qu narrowed his eyes to discern, and recognized the four characters "Heavenly Stalwart Blessed Land."

Beside the stone, two people were crouching.

Both wore modern clothing, looking like hikers who had come to climb the mountain.

Jin Wu, Xuanwu.

「Master. 」 Jin Wu stood up: 「This is the place; the cave abode is behind the stone, we haven't entered, waiting for you. 」

「Right! 」 Xuanwu also stood up, nodding at Yu Lin.

「Fine, then you guys keep playing. 」

Yu Lin went around the huge stone, and indeed there was an entrance behind it.

Not big, about the height of a person; the entrance was overgrown with vines and moss, hard to notice unless you looked closely.

He bent over and walked in; Su Qu followed behind, the phone's light illuminating the cave walls.

The cave wasn't deep; after a dozen steps they reached the end.

It was a natural stone chamber, about the size of two rooms, with several cracks in the ceiling letting in faint light.

In the center of the stone chamber stood two cauldrons.

Su Qu held his breath.

Entirely dark blue-black, simple and unadorned, looking no different from the bronze vessels in a museum.

But Su Qu knew it wasn't.

That feeling of heaviness and solemnity, as if it bore the fortune of the whole world, could not be imitated by any object!

Yu Lin walked up to the two cauldrons, stopped, extended his hand, and lightly placed it on the left cauldron.

The cauldron's body trembled slightly.

That tremor was slight, like a person waking from sleep, slowly, slowly opening their eyes.

The dark blue-black surface of the cauldron began to gleam, like a mineral vein buried deep in the earth for millions of years finally seeing the light of day.

The light grew brighter, spreading from the cauldron's body to its legs, then from the legs to the floor.

The entire stone chamber was illuminated; the rough cave walls became transparent in the light, faintly revealing the outside mountains and distant rivers.

Then, a beast walked out of the light.

Su Qu instinctively stepped back.

It was a beast with a sheep's body and a human face, entirely dark black, eyes like torches, with a straight horn on its forehead.

Its steps were steady, each step treading in light, as if stepping on water, sending out ripples one after another.

Xiezhi.

Its gaze fell on Yu Lin, staring at him for a long time.

Those eyes were bright, as if they could see through all falsehood and discern right from wrong.

Yu Lin also looked at it, without speaking or moving.

Xiezhi examined him for a long time, finally lowered its head and softly called: "Are you the new master?"

"Yes, what are your hobbies?"

"Huh? You don't need my help?"

"Not needed now; just play. Out there are also Jin Wu and Xuanwu—come, tell me your hobbies."

"This...... I like watching judgments, distinguishing right from wrong......"

"Yo, you like being a lawyer? Sure."

"Su Ge, how about you get it a lawyer's license?"

Yu Lin turned his head to look at Su Qu.

Su Qu immediately patted his chest: "Sure, leave it to me."

Xiezhi looked at Su Qu, not understanding what they meant by lawyer, guessing and guessing, thought it might be the person currently responsible for judging cases.

Then.

Yu Lin withdrew his hand and turned toward another cauldron.

His finger had just touched the cauldron's body when light flared up—faster and brighter than before, as if this cauldron had been waiting for this moment far too long.

Its body was pure white, with two horns on its head, mane like clouds, hooves treading golden light, walking out of the cauldron.

Its eyes looked left and right, finally settling on Yu Lin.

"Are you the new master? Finally here!" Baize spoke, voice clear and tinged with excitement: "I've waited for you so long, so long!"

"What do you need me......"

"What are your hobbies?"

"Huh?"

"It's just what you like?"

I ah? I like......................