Chapter 337

343. Chapter 343: Seeking Guidance

"The layman Lin laughed."

True Person Jingxu was not flustered, calmly said, "I am just an ordinary person; how could I know Daoist arts?"

"I am merely curious, with no other intention; I hope you will forgive me, True Person."

Lin Ke smiled, smoothing over his words.

"No problem."

While saying this, True Person Jingxu picked up the teapot and poured tea for Lin Ke, saying, "Please, layman Lin, have some tea."

Lin Ke glanced at the filled teacup, understood True Person Jingxu's intention, lifted the cup and drank it all in one gulp, like an ox chewing peonies.

"Thank you for your hospitality, True Person; I hope you will forgive the disturbance."

Setting down the teacup, Lin Ke bowed his head to True Person Jingxu and took his leave.

True Person Jingxu closed his eyes, sat quietly on the low mat for a long while, only after confirming that Lin Ke had truly left this time did he reopen his eyes.

Looking at the two teacups on the tea table—one empty, the other seven-tenths full—True Person Jingxu let out a faint sigh.

The teacup is like a person.

One is destined to have no connection with this world; the other is destined to achieve only seven-tenths fulfillment in this life, never complete joy.

After sighing, True Person Jingxu left the meditation room and came to a very secluded small courtyard behind the side hall of the Daoist temple.

In the courtyard stood a ginkgo tree that had been there for several hundred years.

Under the tree were a stone table and stone stools.

An old Daoist with white hair and beard yet a youthful face was sitting on a stone stool, playing a game of chess against himself.

The black and white pieces were like several dragons, locked in fierce battle.

True Person Jingxu stood to the side, silently waiting for the game to end in a draw.

"What business do you have with me?"

The old Daoist slowly put away the pieces while asking.

"Master, the source of the news about Death Person Valley has been investigated; it is the work of Hu Songqi of the provincial city's 'Shamanic Allure' organization after he resigned as the Shamanic Chief."

True Person Jingxu performed a respectful bow and salute, then said, "Furthermore, the person suspected to have undergone a tribulation, Lin Ke, the young hero of the Eight Extremes Martial Hall, had previously visited my temple, displaying an extremely special technique. It was neither like Fang arts nor related to ancient Wu arts or evil Wu arts. Before he left, he seemed to have sensed something and deliberately asked me, 'Is the method of interpreting omens a Daoist art?'"

The old Daoist listened patiently to True Person Jingxu's explanation, pondered for a moment, and after putting away the pieces, he did a finger calculation.

It would have been better not to calculate.

The more he calculated, the more alarmed he became.

His brows, which had not furrowed in decades, involuntarily tightened.

"Master, is there some mishap?"

Seeing this, True Person Jingxu hurriedly spoke up, fearing that some kind of backlash or unspeakable misfortune might occur.

The old Daoist shook his head and sighed inexplicably: "Young people these days have no respect for their elders at all."

After sighing, the old Daoist resumed his solitary chess game, and in a completely indifferent tone he ordered: "As for the Death Person Valley matter, there's no need to worry—someone will take care of it. As for the young hero Lin Ke, even less need to worry. From today on, keep the mountain gate closed and contemplate the Yellow Court in silence."

"Yes, Master."

True Person Jingxu fully understood the old Daoist's way of doing things.

In the mortal world, calamities and disputes arise repeatedly.

Those who transcend the world need not concern themselves with these; they simply withdraw and cultivate.

Outside the Pure Cloud Temple.

Lin Ke, who still chose to take a carriage back to the hotel, exchanged a glance with the old Daoist from afar, causing the other party to suffer a hidden loss, and shook his head and smiled.

Daoist arts are Daoist arts; whether spoken of jokingly or not makes no difference.

This world is truly becoming more and more interesting.

Human immortal martial arts, mechanical martial arts, Fang arts, ancient Wu arts, evil Wu arts, and… the even more orthodox Daoist arts of the Mystic Gate.

With an inexplicable sense of anticipation, Lin Ke returned to the hotel.

Earlier, Lin Ke told Jiang Demiao that this place was not merely perfunctory.

He truly intended to stay here for a few more days, to see how the Jiang and Zhong families would react to his appearance.

This was the plan set from the beginning; even after clarifying the karmic bonds and shackles entwining his body, it had never been changed.

"That's all I can do for you."

On the level of karmic threads, Lin Ke severed his connection with the single mother.

However, on the material level, because of Lin Ke's appearance, the single mother might encounter some trouble.

Before leaving the prefectural city to investigate Death Person Valley, Lin Ke was willing to clear away all these troubles for the single mother.

If the Jiang and Zhong families, and even the so-called Lin Nantian, are blind…

The Jiang family residence.

The first thing the sister and brother did upon returning home was to seek out their elder brother Jiang Dehao, who now headed the household.

The parents of the three siblings were actually quite healthy, but had retired to the sidelines, handing over the vast Jiang family to Jiang Dehao to manage.

Thus, the three siblings, whether within the Jiang family or among other forces and ordinary folk in Tianshui Prefecture, remained the young lord and lady.

"Huh?"

Jiang Dehao rarely took a break, and was leisurely playing the zither in the pavilion for his own enjoyment.

Upon seeing the sister and brother hurrying over, especially the third brother Jiang Demiao with his very poor complexion, Jiang Dehao was suddenly startled.

In Tianshui Prefecture, there are not many possibilities that could cause the three young lords of the Jiang family to appear in such a state.

Each of those possibilities is not a good thing.

"Big brother..."

Jiang De Miao shouted, about to continue speaking.

"Please sit for a moment."

Jiang De Hao immediately raised his right palm, cutting off Jiang De Miao's words, then turned to look at his younger sister Jiang Yu Er, "Yu Er, you speak."

Jiang Yu Er slowly sat opposite Jiang De Hao and calmly said, "Lin Ke has come to see me, and his strength is extremely great; he could kill the third brother in an instant. The method he used is not mortal martial arts, similar to folk arts but different, and its details cannot be discerned."

Jiang De Hao didn't care whether Jiang Yu Er couldn't see it or saw it but didn't want to speak; he wasn't concerned about these details.

His only concern was whether Lin Ke, whom they brothers had abandoned years ago, had come this time seeking revenge.

Seeing his elder brother's probing gaze, Jiang Yu Er shook her head: "Lin Ke has no intention of taking revenge on you two ruthless uncles, nor on the Jiang clan's plans."

Jiang De Hao didn't care about Jiang Yu Er's reproach.

Turning his head to look at the much calmer third brother, Jiang De Hao asked, "What do you plan to do?"

"I'll follow the eldest brother's lead."

Although Jiang De Miao had a thousand things on his mind, at this moment he could only say one thing.

Since childhood, as the younger brother, Jiang De Miao has always obeyed the eldest brother, never defying him.

Especially after their father, under pressure from the clan elders, forcibly handed over the clan leadership to the eldest brother ahead of schedule.

As the legitimate heir of the clan who also possessed inheritance rights to the Jiang clan, Jiang De Miao never had any disagreement with his elder brother Jiang De Hao, either in public or in private.

At most, when in a bad mood, he would secretly complain to the eldest brother a sentence or two.

"Then let's do nothing and just let this matter pass as it is."

Jiang De Hao made a decision in an instant.

In Jiang De Hao's view, this matter is nothing but a bad debt.

Even if Lin Ke were to openly retaliate against the Jiang clan with great fanfare, he would still have justification.

Now that Lin Ke has the ability yet remains restrained, it is already a situation pleasing to all.

The Jiang clan has no need to provoke Lin Ke, nor the Divine Spear Li Shuwen behind him.

As for the Zhong clan and Lin Nan Tian, let them go to hell! The Zhong clan manor.

After the person in charge heard that Lin Ke had appeared in his true form at the Four Tong Inn in the county seat,

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He specifically ordered, strictly forbidding any Zhong clan member from taking any action against Lin Ke.

The rumor circulating that the Jiang clan was willing to ally with the Zhong clan to capture Lin Ke and force Lin Nan Tian into the Death Person Valley is pure nonsense!

Which great clan possessing a long inheritance of mortal martial arts would dare provoke the Death Person Valley?

Not to mention that exploring the Death Person Valley would cause one to die a horrible death.

Even if one managed to come out alive, regardless of any gain, they would face the extermination of the entire jianghu, and even the imperial court.

Others may not know, but surely these great clans with inheritances are not unaware?

"Whoever wants to seek death, I don't care!"

"Whoever dares to act in the name of the Zhong clan, I will kill them first!"

Not long after, those two sentences of the Zhong clan chief reached Lin Ke's ears.

"Huh..."

In response, Lin Ke's reaction was only a sneer.

Lin Nan Tian, who lived in seclusion not far from the county seat of Tianshui Prefecture, had his own information channels and knew of Lin Ke's appearance and vaguely sensed his intention.

In the end, Lin Nan Tian's response was to have someone send a broken mirror and a water basin with a few water stains.

"Hahaha!"

Lin Ke's reaction was three cold laughs.

Each of them had an irritable disposition.

No wonder the grudges between the Jiang clan, Zhong clan, and Lin Nan Tian over Jiang Yu Er's out-of-wedlock child have lasted nearly twenty years without being settled.

Petty schemers don't know how to waste time.

Thus, the morning after visiting the Qingyun Temple...

Lin Ke left the Four Tong Inn and departed from the county seat of Tianshui Prefecture.

On the city gate tower, Jiang Yu Er, who had been informed in advance, stood on a high place and gazed at the passenger ship on which Lin Ke boarded to return to the provincial capital.

Her complexion was no longer as pale as it had been for over a decade, and her demeanor had changed considerably.

She remained gentle and still appeared somewhat frail.

But in her phoenix eyes, a hint of sharpness had appeared.

The female sword immortal who once shook Tianshui Prefecture has shaken off her lingering illness; her cultivation has not only recovered but has advanced further.

She has even gotten a step ahead of her rival Lin Nan Tian, touching the threshold of the Void Aperture realm.

This is precisely Lin Ke's method.

Last night, he silently entered the Jiang clan manor and found the bedroom of the unmarried mother.

After a series of efforts, which nearly exhausted the true essence cultivated from mortal martial arts and consumed much mental energy, he only then, using a newly comprehended secret technique, cured the unmarried mother's long-standing ailment.

On the passenger ship.

Lin Ke, his expression weary, leaned by the window, silently watching the reversed river scenery; his body and mind were exhausted, yet he felt utterly at ease inside and out.

Indeed, merely severing the karma threads does not fully resolve karma.

Only after receiving the responses from the Jiang clan, Zhong clan, and Lin Nan Tian, and making up for the debt owed to the unmarried mother, did Lin Ke finally repay the debt of gratitude for being born into this world.

This discovery gave rise to many associations in Lin Ke's mind.

For example, does the Mysterious System Saint Nostradamus, who is skilled in prophecy, also comprehend the "karma" law of the universe where the wizard world resides?

For example, his repeatedly revised guess about the criteria for judging the completion of this trial.

Various thoughts surged up one after another, and finally Lin Ke suppressed them all.

He yawned, Lin Ke left the window, lay down on the bed, and fell into a deep sleep.

Four days later.

The passenger ship sailing against the current arrived at the dock.

Among the passengers disembarking, however, Lin Ke's figure was nowhere to be seen.

Lin Ke had already, after restoring his full strength a day earlier, disembarked midway.

He did not rush to conduct the experiment of implanting a Construct into Human Immortal Martial Way practitioners, nor did he rush to explore the increasingly lively Valley of the Dead.

Instead, he avoided all eyes and quietly returned to Fuli County.

"Master, Madam, I'm back."

Eight Extremes Martial Hall, in the main hall.

Lin Ke sent a mental transmission, asking Li Shuwen to dismiss the other secret-disciples, then revealed his presence.

"You finally aren't hiding anything anymore?"

Li Shuwen, who had reached the peak of the Cavity Void Realm in Human Immortal Martial Way and was trying to find a way to break through to the legendary fifth realm, "Seeing God," looked at his eighth disciple and joked with a smile.

"I never thought of hiding it from Master and Madam."

What could Lin Ke say? He could only answer like this.

Madam said nothing, sitting there with a frosty face, occasionally glaring at Li Shuwen.

The incident where daughter Li Sisi took the blame for her father left Madam feeling very displeased.

She also blamed the fact that, in Fuli County, no one wanted to move, and her husband who should have gone to vent his anger for their daughter.

Could she not know that Old Eight Lin Ke had already reached the provincial capital, was beginning an investigation, and had already obtained results?

"She just wanted to vent her anger herself!"

Lin Ke noticed the awkwardness between Master and Madam, pretended not to notice, and began talking on his own about fang techniques, ancient witchcraft, evil witchcraft, and Daoist arts.

After finishing, Lin Ke said, 'Master, Madam, I don't want to deceive you, so I cannot explain the source of the secret arts I know, but please rest assured, I will not do anything harmful to the Eight Extremes Martial Hall, this big family.'

"I'm very reassured."

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Li Shuwen glanced at his still-angry wife and said, 'I just don't know if Madam is reassured or not.'

"Ke'er is more reassuring than you!"

"Haha..."

"The student surpasses the teacher—how wonderful!"

After the interlude, Li Shuwen solemnly warned, 'You're interested in fang techniques, ancient witchcraft, evil witchcraft, and Daoist arts—that's fine. But there's one condition: don't practice them. From ancient times to now, why has only Human Immortal Martial Way been passed down? I hope you can grasp the deeper meaning.'

"Because it's harmless."

Lin Ke immediately gave his answer.

In a lateral comparison of fang techniques, ancient witchcraft, evil witchcraft, and Human Immortal Martial Way, Lin Ke had long discovered that only Human Immortal Martial Way follows the balanced path of essence, energy, and spirit.

As for the Daoist arts of this world, though not well understood, from the fact that they are based on fang techniques and have been sealed away by the Daoist sect themselves, one can infer they are certainly biased and fraught with serious problems.

"Hmm, it's good that you have this understanding."

Li Shuwen nodded, very satisfied with Lin Ke's answer.

"Ke'er, you must absolutely not go to the Valley of the Dead—you simply cannot go there!"

The matter of the Valley of the Dead has caused a great uproar, spreading throughout the southern and northern martial world.

It is said that the imperial court also intends to organize a batch of elite troops to enter it.

The emperor is already over fifty, toiling day and night, his body has long been declining, and he urgently needs nourishment.

"In the short term, I will not go."

Lin Ke truthfully stated his plan, then changed the topic, expounding on the concept of the Construct system that combines the totem idea with Human Immortal Martial Way, as well as his own idea of implanting a Construct into Human Immortal Martial Way practitioners.

"Master, what do you think of this?"

When three walk together, there is always something I can learn.

Lin Ke wanted to, by implanting a Construct into Human Immortal Martial Way practitioners of this world, perfect his own path, and of course needed to seek opinions.

As for understanding Human Immortal Martial Way, who could compare to Li Shuwen, who already stands at the peak of the Cavity Void Realm?

Make rational use of all resources!