Chapter 342: line with translation of chapter title

348. Chapter 348 Secret

Li Shuwén gave a very valuable suggestion.

Whether in optimizing and enhancing immediate combat power in the 'Configuration' aspect, or in designing Configurations to assist martial artists' cultivation, many of his words were like sweet dew dripping onto the crown, enlightening Lin Ke.

It must be said that Li Shuwén has cultivated to the peak of the Human Immortal Martial Dao Cavity Void Realm, and can assume the alias 'Shouzheng Shanren' to become a banner of the radical faction of Mechanical Martial Dao; it is certainly not an empty reputation.

Many ideas surged wildly in Lin Ke's mind.

If it weren't for the matter of entering the valley, Lin Ke would have hated to not immediately dive into the laboratory to perfect those ideas.

"Not urgent, not urgent."

Li Shuwén saw Lin Ke's state and gave a hehe laugh.

To be honest, he also wanted to see the complete 'Configuration' system as soon as possible, to see how much change it could bring to Human Immortal Martial Dao.

Originally, he thought implanting a 'Configuration' could only enhance immediate combat power, so deep down Li Shuwén still had some worries.

Now that he knows Lin Ke is focusing on developing Configurations that can assist martial artists' cultivation, he has put his mind at ease.

Enhancing immediate combat power is the trivial; assisting cultivation is the fundamental.

When the root is solid, the branches flourish even more!

"Go back, Master. Otherwise, if the court notices Master's disappearance, they might do something foolish."

Lin Ke spoke up, proposing to take the three qualified products back into custody.

To say the court isn't monitoring the group from the Eight Extremes Martial Hall—no one would believe it.

Not to mention the destructive power of the Cavity Void Realm peak martial artist Li Shuwén; just among the Eight Extremes Martial Hall, the dozen or so One Unity Realm martial artists gathered now, if they cause a disturbance in the city, unless a large army is mobilized to suppress them, there is no other way to deal with them.

The group from the Bright Heart Sword Sect may be socially anxious, but the One Unity Realm and above martial artists with astonishing destructive power also reside in the Eight Extremes Martial Hall.

If it weren't for the Cavity Void Realm martial artists not being in a hurry to enter the valley, they would not have come down from the mountain.

The fighting strength gathered in this small provincial branch of the Eight Extremes Martial Hall would be extremely shocking.

"Hmm."

? c〇

Li Shuwén nodded.

The two, one after another, teleported away.

This time, Lin Ke attempted to adjust his movements when entering and exiting the 'lake surface' according to Li Shuwén's pointers, reducing or even eliminating water droplets from his body falling into the lake surface, thereby lessening the ripples produced when re-entering the 'lake'.

A true transmission in a single sentence; a false transmission fills ten thousand volumes.

In fact, Lin Ke, who was continually exploring the method of teleportation, soon manifested the distinction and progress.

The person's whereabouts became even more soundless and traceless, even more elusive and unpredictable, harder to detect and harder to track.

Moreover, Lin Ke also understood his previous omissions and mistakes.

There exists a great difference between spatial teleportation and shape-shifting.

Simply understood, shape-shifting is a straight-line, ultra-fast movement between two points in three-dimensional space.

Essentially, it is still about continually increasing 'speed', and the ultimate realm attainable is near-light speed.

Spatial teleportation is similar to a starship's warp travel: entering a warp bubble from one point and exiting it upon reaching the next point.

Li Shuwén's pointers—entering the warp bubble, moving faster than light within it, and exiting the warp bubble at three key points—gave Lin Ke very important hints.

This is the meaning of the master's existence.

A teacher transmits the Dao, imparts lessons, and resolves doubts.

"Thank you, Master."

Returning to the Eight Extremes Martial Hall, Lin Ke steadied his footing and immediately expressed sincere gratitude.

Although I don't know why he is so obsessed with teleportation, his own abilities have improved, which is definitely worth celebrating.

After all, teleportation is extremely useful whether for rushing on the road, pursuing and killing, or fleeing.

"Hmm."

Li Shuwén once again graciously accepted the salute, then brought Lin Ke to pay respects to his wife.

Soon, the news that Eighth Junior Brother Lin Ke had returned spread throughout the branch of the Eight Extremes Martial Hall.

The eldest senior brother, second senior sister, third senior brother and others all rushed over to meet.

"Junior Brother sees far ahead, a pity the court does not observe martial virtue."

As soon as they met, Senior Brother Shi's one sentence made everyone burst into laughter.

How could the court observe martial virtue?

It has always been about dignity and power.

After the laughter, everyone began discussing the matter of the Dead Person's Valley.

As the first batch selected to enter the valley, Senior Brother Shi and Lin Ke themselves didn't think there was anything.

But the master's wife, second senior sister, and fourth senior sister appeared extremely worried, filled with anxiety.

As the conversation went on, it instead became everyone comforting the master, second senior sister, and fourth senior sister.

After finishing the chat, the disciples bade farewell to master and mistress, leaving this small courtyard.

Under Senior Brother Shi's recommendation, Lin Ke met with the two Bright Heart Sword Sect One Unity Realm martial artists who were also among the first batch selected to enter the valley.

The Bright Heart Sword Sect, due to some historical reasons, has many more female disciples.

These two are no exception.

One older, one younger.

The older one looks about thirty, but is actually over forty.

Merely because his mind is peaceful, his life simple, he is uncontentious with the world, leading a tranquil existence, thus appearing young.

The younger one is truly just over twenty, a martial arts prodigy.

Unfortunately, his personality has a flaw; he doesn't like to talk, and he kept his head down and stayed out of it the whole time.

Hmm……

The melon that Shi Shixiong specially prepared for her came from the Western Regions, a rarity even among the Clear Heart Sword Sect.

After bidding farewell to the two outstanding disciples of the Clear Heart Sword Sect, Lin Ke let Shi Shixiong go attend to his own affairs and returned to the bedroom where he had previously lived.

Although no one had lived there for a month, the room was clean and tidy, obviously regularly maintained.

At this time the sky was already approaching evening, with the sun setting in the west.

After a while, it would be the time convenient for covert action.

Lin Ke still had doubts about some matters and needed to find an answer.

Li Shuwen had little contact with the court and often stayed apart from the martial world, so it was normal for him to be poorly informed.

The Clear Heart Sword Sect is a reclusive sect; inside, most are socially anxious people who avoid interaction, and even if they have connections, they won't actively seek information.

Thus Lin Ke could only go himself, to secretly investigate Hu Suqi's villa at night.

Hu Suqi is an expert in ancient witchcraft, the founder of the Witch Charm Organization, and its first Witch Master.

But where did her ancient witchcraft come from?

Lin Ke had long suspected that someone stood behind Hu Suqi.

After all, the Grand Yong Dynasty has two capitals and twenty-nine provinces; this province is merely one of them, and it lies in the southern borderlands.

If it weren't remote enough, why would Li Shuwen choose to hide out in Fuli County?

It's just that there is a Dead Person Valley, which produced a Commander Hu, who single-handedly raised this province's status and appeal.

Even Lin Ke suspected that someone stood behind Hu Songqi as well.

Otherwise, how could one explain the source of her evil witchcraft and her confidence in replacing Hu Suqi as the second Witch Master of the Witch Charm Organization?

Commander Hu entered the capital to report on his duties, expressed his resolve to the Kang Qian Emperor, and left Hu Suqi and Hu Songqi to venture into the Dead Person Valley to demonstrate his stance.

For the sake of appearances, the court could certainly no longer imprison the Hu sisters.

Times change.

Therefore, Lin Ke guessed that Hu Suqi was most likely back at the villa.

Lin Ke could tell this from Shi Shixiong's physical and mental condition.

Lu Zu once said:

A beauty of sixteen or seventeen has skin like curdled milk, with a sword at her waist she cuts down foolish men; in plain sight no heads fall, but secretly she withers the lord's marrow.

Hu Suqi truly is a beauty; although not in her mid-teens, she is even more dangerous than a girl of that age, worthy of being called as fierce as a wolf and a tiger.

In Lin Ke's view, Shi Shixiong is probably no match for Hu Suqi.

If he does not know restraint, he will likely be cut down beneath her skirt.

Lost in thought, he arrived at the villa; this time Lin Ke did not rashly burst into Hu Suqi's boudoir.

Their statuses were different now.

Dumplings, sister-in-law jokes and such ethical memes are not to be made light of.

He pressed the doorbell, and Lin Ke waited quietly.

Moments later, with a creak, the gate slid open to both sides.

Lin Ke stepped inside, passed the gravel-paved walkway, and went straight into the hall on the first floor of the villa.

Hu Suqi was already waiting in formal attire.

"I have seen Miss Hu; I came uninvited and rashly disturbed you—please forgive me."

Lin Ke greeted her according to propriety.

"How come you still treat me as an outsider?"

Hu Suqi gave Lin Ke an annoyed glance and said, "Wasn't it you who urged your senior brother to come confess to me? Now you won't own up to it?"

"I have seen my sister-in-law."

Lin Ke immediately changed his form of address.

"Now that's proper."

Hu Suqi snorted, rose, and personally poured tea for Lin Ke.

She had deliberately left her tea cup empty, just waiting for that form of address.

Although Hu Er Xiaojie has a bad reputation, she is truly not a fickle person.

On the contrary, Hu Er Xiaojie is deeply conservative by nature.

Had the circumstances not changed, she would have planned to formally marry Shi Shixiong and move into a new residence together.

This villa is where she once practiced ancient witchcraft, which is not conducive to pregnancy and childbirth.

"Thank you, sister-in-law."

Lin Ke lifted the tea cup and took a small sip.

Whether tea is poured or not is an attitude.

Whether one drinks or not is also an attitude.

After exchanging attitudes, they moved on to the main topic.

Lin Ke spoke first, asking, "May I ask, sister-in-law, do you know why the court is so urgent this time? Is it really because the Kang Qian Emperor's health is poor?"

This question actually asks why the court is so eager to intervene, forcing martial artists to risk their lives to explore the Dead Person Valley.

Under such high pressure, even if the court's deterrent power is strong, it will eventually breed trouble.

One must know that among martial artists there are many rebellious sorts; after seeing many deaths, realizing they cannot escape, they think, 'Since death is inevitable either way, we might as well rebel.'

By then, if a strongman emerges or those with ulterior motives appear early, the whole realm of Grand Yong could easily be reduced to ruins.

Even dragging the imperial family down from the Golden Throne would not be impossible.

Hu Suqi stared at Lin Ke steadily; seeing his calm expression, she realized he was deliberately not setting up soundproofing measures, intentionally letting the people monitoring her separate villa hear.

Her eyes rolled, and Hu Suqi bluntly said to Lin Ke: "Because Emperor Kang Qian is dying. An emperor, the most ruthless person in the world. He's about to die, and now a divine object that can prolong life, even extend lifespan by several hundred years, has appeared—how could we not seize it? As for the Great Yong realm, if we cannot obtain the longevity peach, after his death, let the floods rage. If we eat the longevity peach, we will have plenty of time to rebuild the old rivers and mountains."

"Is that really all?"

Lin Ke, however, did not quite believe this explanation.

Upon hearing this, Hu Suqi fell silent for a long time.

The world cannot be separated from the two words yin and yang.

For the vast majority of things, the reasons also have both an open and a hidden aspect.

What she just said is precisely the open explanation that the court deliberately released.

As for the true reason hidden behind it, it is too shocking; once it spreads, it will surely throw the world into chaos.

However, Lin Ke is full of mysteries; even if I don't say it, he can find it out.

Moreover, there is also Hu Songqi.

Hu Suqi had long known that Lin Ke had disciplined Hu Songqi, forcing her to resign from the position of Witch Master.

She also roughly guessed that Hu Songqi's recent capture and plundering of martial artists was done for Lin Ke.

With Hu Songqi, this troublemaker, around, it won't be too easy for Lin Ke to discover the hidden true reason.

Thinking this through, Hu Suqi stopped concealing it, waved her hand to set up a soundproofing spell, and said in a low voice: "Because the Director of the Imperial Observatory, observing the night sky, learned of a catastrophe capable of overturning Great Yong that will erupt in eight years. The only way to avoid this disaster is hidden in the Valley of the Dead."

Pausing, Hu Suqi explained: "The Director of the Imperial Observatory is the foremost leader of the Daoist sect, highly versed in divinatory arts, ancient witchcraft, Daoist techniques, and even evil witchcraft. The prophecies made from his celestial observations never fail."

"Valley of the Dead? In eight years?"

Lin Ke murmured to himself, as if deep in thought.

This place, this time, it's hard not to make Lin Ke think more.

"How high is the Director's cultivation level?"

Soon, Lin Ke suppressed his thoughts and spoke up to ask an extremely important matter.

Hu Suqi replied solemnly: "The person most likely to ascend in the present age; in terms of combat prowess, your master is far inferior."

"Whoa!"

Lin Ke couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.

After his memory had largely returned, he made a comparison; Li Shuwen's combat prowess, placed among the fourth-level sages he had seen, was not lacking.

It was only that his versatility and creativity were somewhat inferior.

However, this is a limitation brought by his profession, not a subjective shortcoming.

The Director of the Imperial Observatory is the most likely to ascend, with combat prowess far surpassing Li Shuwen; could he not possibly be a sixth-level sage?

Such a speculation arose in Lin Ke's mind.

"Hiss!"

Lin Ke once again sucked in a breath of cold air.

If this speculation turns out to be true, it would be no small matter.

It seems the Valley of the Dead must be visited, and upon entering, one must exercise utmost caution.

Even if he is not a sixth-level sage, there is a great chance that the Director of the Imperial Observatory, at the level of a fifth-level sage, is also eyeing the Valley of the Dead; we must be careful and vigilant.

Hu Songqi's momentary frustration stirred up a mess, which only grew bigger.

Truly, one does not know how it will end.

"Nice work you've done!"

Lotus Heart Pavilion, Hu Songqi's private chambers.

Hu Songqi knelt on the ground, listening to a person completely shrouded in black shadow scold her.

"I taught you evil witchcraft, had you devise a way to obtain the Supreme Secret Canon from the Valley of the Dead, and this is how you handle it?"

The black shadow kicked Hu Songqi to the ground, stepped on her face and ground it hard a few times, angrily shouting: "Where is your brain? Do you act without thinking? You dare to spread the news about the Valley of the Dead? Hmph?"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became; the black shadow lunged with a kick, fiercely throwing Hu Songqi out.

"Bang!"

Hu Songqi smashed the sturdy bed to pieces, spurting a large mouthful of fresh blood.

"Remember this: I can grant you evil witchcraft, and I can take it back! Once you enter the valley, if you cannot find the Supreme Secret Canon, just die in there. Don't make me act personally."

The black shadow flung down a threatening harsh remark and vanished instantly.

Hu Songqi lay amidst the broken sturdy bed, continuously vomiting up the clotted blood she had not yet expelled.

After a long while, she finally vomited up all the clotted blood from her damaged organs, yet Hu Songqi, disregarding that it would aggravate her injury, burst into loud laughter.

"Good... good... good General Hu! Good father!"

As she laughed, large tears rolled down Hu Songqi's eyes.

Yet her eyes held unrestrained joy!