Chapter 81: Entering the Illusion Again

The red pill was very strange. Even Su Huafang could not tell what it was.

After taking a couple of looks, however, Li Lin said, “A Thousand-Person Smile. A pill refined from human flesh and the menstrual blood of women born in yin years and yin months. Eating it increases blood vitality.”

Su Huafang and Bai Liwei looked at Li Lin in surprise.

Zhao Hao, on the other hand, wore an expression that said it was only to be expected.

Li Lin flipped through the secret manual that had no cover.

【Nether Womb Profound Treasury +1】

It was the Secret Rite of Wraith Womb Gestation again.

This cultivation method was not considered a good thing in the eyes of Spirit Hunters.

So Su Huafang did not hesitate and immediately burned the manual.

The banknotes were divided equally among the four of them, but Su Huafang hesitated somewhat over the remaining Thousand-Person Smile.

Li Lin stood up and waved his hand. “This thing is a bit too stimulating for me.”

Zhao Hao also stood up and waved his hand in the same way.

Su Huafang and Bai Liwei exchanged a glance, then smiled. “Then we’ll split it equally.”

“Fine.”

The two middle-aged men had seen much in life and had become rather broad-minded about such things.

The four returned to the county yamen. Huang Yan had not left yet and was still seated in the main hall, apparently waiting for them.

When he saw the four return, his stern expression eased considerably.

“How did it go?”

Su Huafang stepped forward and recounted everything that had happened.

After listening, Huang Yan nodded lightly. “You’ve all worked hard. Your rewards will be distributed in a few days.”

The four cupped their hands and thanked the County Magistrate.

Satisfied, Huang Yan stroked his beard and continued, “Also, the grand performance concerning Taowu True Lord is about to begin. Patrol Hunter Su, Patrol Hunter Bai, Patrol Hunter Zhao, you may go take a look. The same rule applies. If anything happens, report my name. If someone still refuses to give you face after hearing my name, come back and find me.”

The three of them immediately cupped their hands in acknowledgment.

Then Huang Yan turned to Li Lin and said, “Remember, stay in the village and don’t join the excitement.”

Li Lin nodded.

He knew Huang Yan meant well.

Since it was already late, he returned to his new home to rest.

After eating and drinking his fill, Li Lin got into bed. However, instead of sleeping, he took out the handwritten copy of the Obscure Character Formula from beside the bed and began reading it again.

He read it over and over.

After reading it more than ten times, he once again entered the same illusion from before.

It was still that white ocean, and the silver moon in the sky was still enormous and perfectly round.

A transparent icy road descended from the sky and entered Li Lin’s body.

At first it felt quite comfortable, but then it became colder and colder, increasingly cold.

Eventually he could no longer endure it. He forcibly opened his eyes and struggled free from the illusion.

This time, it was much, much colder than before.

The breath he exhaled was white.

A faint layer of frost even seemed to have formed over the surface of the entire bedroom.

Shivering, Li Lin fumbled several Shengxi Pills from his bundle and stuffed them into his mouth. Feeling that it was not enough, he poured all the remaining Shengxi Pills into his mouth as well.

Only then did he feel somewhat better.

He then sat cross-legged and began cultivating the Spring Renewal Health Preservation cultivation method.

He did not dare cultivate the Yin Nourishing Art. He was already cold enough. His yang energy was already insufficient. If he cultivated the Yin Nourishing Art as well, would that not make him even colder?

The chill within his body gradually dissipated, and Li Lin let out a gentle breath.

He stood up and found that his body felt the same as before.

At the same time, a question arose in his mind. What exactly was the use of this Obscure Character Formula?

Did it merely freeze him once?

After entering the illusion twice and emerging from it, he had not felt any particular changes in his body.

Could it be that his cultivation was still insufficient?

Carrying this question, Li Lin returned to Shangtikou Village.

He arrived at the altar, and the Tree Immortal Lady immediately appeared.

Holding Li Lin’s arm, she extended her snake tongue and gently licked out a cluster of white essence qi.

Then both of them froze.

In the past, Li Lin’s essence qi had always been red and thorn-like in shape.

But now, his essence qi had become white and taken on the shape of a droplet.

“What’s going on?” Li Lin asked in confusion.

The Tree Immortal Lady extended her pink snake tongue again and lightly licked the essence qi floating in midair.

A delighted expression immediately appeared on her face, and then she swallowed the essence qi in one gulp.

Afterward, she grabbed Li Lin’s hand again and began licking his palm.

She licked faster than before and seemed much happier as well.

After quite some time, the Tree Immortal Lady had absorbed enough essence qi. Floating in the air, she looked at Li Lin with satisfaction.

“Your Ladyship, why has my essence qi become like this?”

“A good thing.”

After saying those words, the Tree Immortal Lady withdrew back into the altar.

Li Lin let out a sigh of relief and returned home, where he cooked some blood rice to eat.

Then he began practicing talisman arts.

He continued researching techniques for integrating the Falling Lightning Incantation into talisman arts.

Several days passed quickly, and then an outsider arrived in the village.

He was a martial artist with a saber hanging at his waist.

Standing outside Li Lin’s courtyard, he called out, “By my young master’s order, I have brought martial techniques.”

Li Lin went out to greet him and invited him inside for tea before leaving. After hesitating briefly, the martial artist entered Li Lin’s house.

“Patrol Hunter Li, I have heard your name mentioned many times by my young master,” the martial artist said while holding a teacup. “He says you’re a rare good man.”

Li Lin smiled. “Young Master Wang flatters me.”

The martial artist unconsciously rotated the teacup in front of him. After a long while, he said, “I have a favor to ask.”

“Go ahead. That depends on whether I can do it.”

An embarrassed expression appeared on the martial artist’s face before he finally said, “I’d like to purchase some blood rice from you.”

“Why?” Li Lin asked curiously.

The martial artist replied, “I’ve always wanted to become a Spirit Hunter, but my talent is mediocre. I need a small amount of blood rice to consolidate my blood vitality. Only then will I have a chance to cultivate a yin-energy cultivation method.”

“Many people have blood rice. Why come to me?”

The martial artist said, “Because you possess a virgin body and don’t require much blood rice. You have a surplus.”

Li Lin fell silent for a moment before asking, “Actually, Young Master Wang is the one who sent you, isn’t he?”

The martial artist laughed awkwardly. “As expected, I couldn’t hide it from Patrol Hunter Li.”

“Young Master Wang is a generous man. For him to be so roundabout about this... who exactly is the one who needs my blood rice?”

In a low voice, the martial artist said, “The eldest young master.”

Li Lin had always known that Wang Tianyou was not the eldest son.

Moreover, the amount of blood rice distributed by the government had increased, from 25 kg (~55 lb) to 35 kg (~77 lb). He truly did have roughly half of it to spare.

However, he vaguely felt that something about this matter was not quite right.

Why would the Wang family need blood rice? As far as he knew, obtaining some blood rice should not be difficult for a family with the Wang family’s influence.

Why go to the trouble of purchasing it from an outsider?

Li Lin narrowed his eyes and said, “Then have Young Master Wang Tianyou come here personally to collect the grain.”

The martial artist said with some difficulty, “My young master has matters to attend to and cannot travel far.”

“Then I’ll wait for him to come.” Li Lin smiled. “Whenever he arrives, that’s when I’ll sell it to him. There’s no hurry.”

The martial artist chuckled softly. Then he suddenly lowered his voice and said, “Patrol Hunter Li, you and my young master are friends. If you don’t want to harm him, then you must not sell it.”

Then the martial artist left.

Li Lin remained seated in the room, and he too laughed.

This was really damn interesting. A conflict between brothers within a family had somehow dragged him into it.

It seemed, however, that Wang Tianyou was not the problem. The problem should lie with that eldest young master.

Li Lin felt somewhat irritated. He snorted, and the moment this displeasure arose, an icy current surged through his mind, followed by a flash of inspiration.

He had found a line of thought for combining the Falling Lightning Incantation with talisman arts.