Chapter 29: The Jade Pendant and the Immortal Mountain
Whirr, whirr, whirr—
Lin Tianlu watched as the jade pendant spun around on the ceiling for a while before finally falling to the ground, as if it had run out of power.
“Was it trying to drill a hole?”
He muttered to himself with a puzzled expression, catching the pendant in his hand.
But in the next moment, something strange happened.
Faint, shimmering lights emanated from the jade pendant, projecting onto the ceiling.
Lin Tianlu’s eyes widened slightly.
“This is—”
Although the image was blurry, the outline of mountains, rivers, and valleys resembled a large map.
A tiny, glowing dot flickered faintly within the map.
“Could this be a treasure map, leading to some magical elixir or a divine weapon?”
He excitedly ran back to his study, grabbed a map of the Fengchen Kingdom, and compared it to the projection on the ceiling.
“It seems… quite far away. It’s outside Xima Prefecture. I’d probably have to walk for over ten days to get there.”
Before he could take a closer look, the map faded away.
Lin Tianlu sighed, shaking his head.
If he had time, he could go and investigate.
But he was more curious about the jade pendant itself. Had it absorbed three wisps of gray mist just to unlock a map coordinate?
“Is there an old man or woman trapped inside or something?”
He examined the jade pendant closely, noticing some subtle changes.
The previously dull pendant now had a faint glow, and the jade itself seemed clearer and more translucent, no longer as cloudy and impure as before.
Its quality had clearly improved.
“Does it have any other abilities?” Lin Tianlu wondered, trying to infuse it with a bit of his spiritual energy.
Hum—!
A faint light emanated from the pendant.
Lin Tianlu was surprised, but then the pendant suddenly turned and smacked him in the face.
“…”
He pulled the pendant off his face with a speechless expression.
But it continued to vibrate in his hand, struggling to break free.
Slap!
It stuck to his face again.
Lin Tianlu: “…”
Had this thing turned from a flashlight into a sticky candy?
“Does my face have some kind of magnetic force? It’s just a jade pendant, why does it keep sticking to me?” He reluctantly removed the pendant from his face and held it tightly in his palm.
The pendant struggled for a while longer, like a wind-up toy.
Finally, it calmed down, and Lin Tianlu cautiously opened his hand.
Ding!
He quickly caught the pendant with his teeth before it could fly down his throat.
What was this thing?!
A deadly projectile?
But after a moment, he felt the force weakening, as if it was trying to fly away.
He released his grip, and before he could reach out to grab it, the pendant circled around him a few times and landed gently in his palm.
It even rubbed against his hand affectionately.
Lin Tianlu’s lips twitched.
This felt familiar…
“Is it a pet?”
Slap!
The pendant lightly bumped against his palm, as if in silent disagreement.
Lin Tianlu was intrigued. “Can you understand me?”
“…”
The pendant didn’t make a sound, but it spun in the air, seemingly responding.
“Interesting.” Lin Tianlu asked curiously, “Is that map and the glowing dot you showed me important?”
The pendant lay motionless in his hand, like a dead fish.
Lin Tianlu pondered, then continued, “You mean, it’s not important?”
The pendant floated up again, spinning rapidly.
“So… I’m right?”
The pendant flipped in the air, spinning even faster.
Lin Tianlu thought for a moment, then suggested, “Can you dip yourself in ink and write something on paper? Just roll around on it.”
The pendant suddenly stopped, then bumped against his forehead several times, as if a bit annoyed.
“Hey! Don’t hit me! If you can’t write, we can try Morse code. Do you want me to teach you?”
Seeing the pendant’s intelligence, Lin Tianlu bombarded it with questions.
“Are you an ancient immortal trapped inside this pendant?”
“Do you know about the changes in my body?”
“What secrets are hidden on Mount Taiyi?”
“…”
…
The pendant seemed overwhelmed by his questions.
They stared at each other in silence for a while.
Lin Tianlu pondered for a long time, then asked abruptly, “Can you transform into a beautiful girl?”
“If not a beautiful girl, maybe a divine weapon?”
“…”
Thud.
Lin Tianlu quickly caught the pendant as it fell from his hand.
He noticed that the spiritual light within the pendant was fading, as if it had run out of power.
It was truly an artifact from an immortal sect, with some mysterious properties.
“Could it be that the immortals used this little thing for entertainment?”
He infused the pendant with spiritual energy, confirming that it could still glow, and then put it away in his pocket, chuckling helplessly.
Putting this little interlude aside, he walked to the pavilion in the courtyard and sat down, crossing his legs.
He focused his mind, parting the mist within him, and saw the ethereal Mount Taiyi, its peaks shrouded in a shimmering light.
“There’s no change except for that white lotus. But—”
Now, with a thought, he could summon the emerald green chains from the mountain and control them effortlessly.
“How strange. I didn’t expect Mount Taiyi to have the ability to capture souls and spirits.”
He focused his gaze, seeing a faint image of Cheng Yishi, dressed in a pure white robe, bowing to him with a gentle smile. Wisps of golden mist rose from her head, merging with the spiritual energy flowing within his body.
Lin Tianlu’s expression turned strange.
Not only was there a mountain inside him, but now there was a person too?
…
The next morning…
After washing up, Lin Tianlu went to the courtyard, feeling refreshed.
Hua Shuya was already practicing her swordsmanship, her movements graceful and elegant, like a dancer. Her swordsmanship seemed even sharper after yesterday’s battle with the ghost.
“As for this jade pendant…”
Lin Tianlu took it out and examined it.
Unfortunately, after its antics last night, it had been quiet. Even infusing it with spiritual energy had no effect.
It seemed it needed to absorb more Yin energy.
“Senior!”
Sensing his arrival, Hua Shuya quickly stopped practicing and walked towards him.
But there was a strange look on her face.
She seemed hesitant, unsure how to speak, her awkward demeanor puzzling Lin Tianlu.
What was wrong with her today?
“Could it be that she caught a cold from the Yin energy last night?”
“No.”
Hua Shuya shook her head repeatedly, her hands clenching and unclenching within her sleeves. Finally, she mustered her courage and asked, “Senior, what’s your relationship with that… woman?”
“Woman?”
Lin Tianlu was confused.
At that moment, a voluptuous figure emerged from the corridor, carrying a tray of steaming food.
Lin Tianlu turned to look and was surprised. “Madam Mao?”
“M-Mr. Lin?!”
Mao Ruoyu’s body trembled as their eyes met, her legs almost giving way.
Hua Shuya’s eyes widened in shock upon hearing the word “Madam.” She looked back and forth between them.
“S-Senior?!”
…
The three of them sat around the table, and after some explanations, they all relaxed, each with their own thoughts.
“I apologize, Madam Mao. It was my oversight.”
Lin Tianlu bowed with an awkward smile. “I was busy last night and forgot to tell Miss Hua about our arrangement. Please forgive me.”
“It’s alright.”
Mao Ruoyu wiped the sweat from her forehead and quickly put on a gentle smile. “Now that the misunderstanding is cleared, please enjoy the food while it’s still hot, Mr. Lin and Miss… Hua. Porridge is best served warm.”
Hua Shuya blushed and bowed deeply. “Thank you for your kindness, Madam Mao. I apologize for my rudeness earlier.”
She was mortified.
In her panic, she had mistaken Senior and this beautiful woman for a married couple and almost said something inappropriate.
Embarrassed, she picked up her bowl and started eating the porridge.
But as they took their first bite, both Lin Tianlu and Hua Shuya let out a soft exclamation. The porridge was sweet but not too rich, and they quickly took another spoonful.
Soon, they had finished their bowls. They picked up the pastries and found them perfectly balanced in flavor and texture.
Before they knew it, they had devoured their breakfast.
Hua Shuya rubbed her stomach, her face filled with admiration. “Madam Mao, your cooking is truly amazing. Even renowned chefs can’t compare.”
“You flatter me, Miss. I’m glad you like it.” Mao Ruoyu smiled sweetly.
“It’s truly delicious. But…”
Lin Tianlu rubbed his chin, a puzzled look on his face. “Compared to the pastries you made before, Madam, these seem to lack a certain refreshing coolness, that lingering fragrance.
It’s a bit of a shame. I wonder what ingredients you used in those pastries. If they’re expensive, I can help you with the cost.”
Mao Ruoyu: “…”
Her gentle smile froze, and she didn’t know how to respond.
Those pastries were drugged.
Normal people would fall unconscious after eating them, lost in a dream. Who would eat them like snacks?!
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