Chapter 40: A Touch of Immortality, Seeds of Conspiracy
Mao Ruoyu was taken aback by his words.
“Sir, you… received such a precious gift from heaven, aren’t you excited?”
Lin Tianlu chuckled. “Precious or not, to me, a peaceful and simple life is more important.”
Although the sword was quite extraordinary and valuable, it was still just a material possession.
Besides, he was becoming increasingly aware of his own unusual circumstances.
The earth-shattering thunder, the sword that had fallen from the sky, his experiences on Mount Taiyi, the encounters he had after descending the mountain, all pointed towards a unique destiny.
It was as if he was being guided by fate, his path towards immortality already paved.
Even seeing this divine sword didn’t stir much emotion within him.
“Madam Mao, take the sword.” Lin Tianlu drew the sword and casually tossed it to her.
Mao Ruoyu’s heart skipped a beat, and she caught it with trembling hands.
The moment she touched it, a tingling sensation spread through her arm, but it quickly faded, as if it were just a figment of her imagination.
She blinked her beautiful eyes in surprise.
She had expected to feel a strong repulsion from this weapon forged by thunder and fire, considering her Yin energy cultivation.
But now, looking at the faint lightning patterns on the blade, she felt a strange sense of warmth and familiarity, her grip on the hilt bringing a comforting warmth.
And…
“This sword feels weightless.”
“It’s made of locust wood, so it’s naturally light. If you want to exercise, Madam Mao, you can use this sword for practice.”
Mao Ruoyu chuckled softly, but she still handed the sword back to him. “This is too precious a gift, Sir. It’s not something an ordinary person can accept. Besides, I don’t know any sword techniques. It would be a waste to use it.”
“There’s no need to be so—”
“But this sword seems to retain some residual thunder and fire energy. Its Yang energy is strong, making it perfect for warding off evil and protecting the house.” Mao Ruoyu’s eyes sparkled as she smiled. “Sir, if you’re not interested in this sword, why don’t we use it to protect the house? That would be a fitting use for it, wouldn’t it?”
Lin Tianlu nodded thoughtfully. “That’s a good idea. And we wouldn’t have to cut down the locust tree. We can just leave it here.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the Locust Sword in Mao Ruoyu’s hand trembled slightly and floated up into the air. Under their surprised gazes, it gently flew back into the tree trunk, as if sheathing itself.
“…”
Mao Ruoyu blinked her eyes, her face filled with astonishment. “This sword… it’s sentient?”
Lin Tianlu chuckled and patted her shoulder gently. “Madam Mao, since the sword is sentient, there’s no need for us to worry about it. Let’s go back inside and rest.”
“You’re right, Sir…” Mao Ruoyu blushed slightly and smiled seductively. “I’ll go and make some pastries for you~”
Watching the beautiful woman’s alluring figure walking away, Lin Tianlu turned his gaze towards the sky.
After a moment of silence, he muttered to himself,
“Hey, God, how about some rain?”
“…”
There was no response.
Lin Tianlu scratched his head awkwardly.
Had his connection to the heavens been cut off again?
…
As night fell…
Lin Tianlu finally finished cleaning up the courtyard.
“It’s a shame about the flowers and plants. I wonder how long it will take for them to grow back.”
He put the broom aside, glanced at the locust tree, and chuckled. “You better take good care of them now. It’s your responsibility.”
Clang.
The Locust Sword inside the tree vibrated slightly.
Lin Tianlu raised an eyebrow.
This sword was quite obedient?
He patted the tree trunk encouragingly.
But just as he was about to go back inside, there was a knock on the gate.
“Coming!”
He walked over and opened the gate, looking down to see a familiar-looking child standing outside, his shoulders hunched nervously. He smiled shyly. “Good evening, Mr. Lin.”
“You’re…”
Lin Tianlu’s eyes widened. “The boy who brought me information before?”
“Yes, Mr. Lin.” The child bowed quickly.
“You’ve changed… quite a bit.”
Lin Tianlu stroked his chin, looking him up and down with interest.
The child had replaced his dirty and worn-out clothes with a clean set of linen garments. Although he still didn’t look particularly tidy, he had clearly washed himself thoroughly, and the grime on his face was gone.
“You’re quite handsome.”
“Y-you flatter me, Sir.” The child blushed and mumbled, “Thanks to your reward, Sir, I was able to buy new clothes and eat proper meals these past few days.”
Lin Tianlu smiled. “It wasn’t a reward, it was your payment.”
“…Mm.”
The child nodded gratefully.
“So you came here because…”
“To bring you some information, Sir.”
The child quickly straightened his posture, his young face turning serious. “I’ve been wandering around the restaurants and streets in the county these past few days, paying attention to everything. The most surprising thing… was the strange thunderclouds that appeared over Changling County today. Many people said it was a sign of a demon’s awakening. There were even rumors of an immortal ascending to heaven in broad daylight.”
Lin Tianlu’s lips twitched, his expression strange.
The locust tree in his courtyard had almost ascended to heaven, that was for sure.
But the boy’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “But I think… those thunderclouds were your doing, Sir!”
“Oh?” Lin Tianlu chuckled. “Why would you think that?”
“In my heart, you’re the most capable scholar in Changling County, Sir!” The child smiled brightly. “You must be blessed by heaven, destined for greatness!”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
Seeing Lin Tianlu’s gentle smile, the child quickly continued, “Besides that, there are other rumors circulating both inside and outside the county. I heard that the authorities are pursuing a bloodthirsty killer who has been terrorizing the surrounding villages, committing multiple murders.
But they haven’t been able to catch him after days of searching. The authorities are at their wits’ end.”
Lin Tianlu was surprised.
Hua Shuya had left early this morning and hadn’t returned yet. Could she be helping the authorities capture this criminal?
“They say this killer specifically targets women in the villages. Although no bodies have been found, they’ve all disappeared. People are starting to panic.” The child lowered his voice. “Sir, do you remember the strange death of that concubine in the Li family’s house? Perhaps it’s related to this killer.”
“That case hasn’t been solved yet?”
“I don’t think so. I still hear rumors about it. They say that the Taoist priests who were performing rituals at the Li residence left that night, their expressions hurried.”
The child hesitated for a moment, then said softly, “Sir, this seems even more suspicious than the incident at the Cheng residence. If you’re not sure, I can go and inquire further, especially around the Li residence. I might be able to find out something.”
“You shouldn’t go near the Li residence, it’s too dangerous. Your safety is more important.” Lin Tianlu smiled warmly.
The child quickly lowered his head and mumbled,
“A-also… there seem to be a lot of martial artists and wandering Daoist priests in Changling County lately. It’s much more lively than usual.”
“Is there some kind of festival coming up?”
“It’s just that there have been many strange events in Changling County recently, and word has spread to the surrounding towns. Perhaps they’ve come to see what’s happening. You should be careful, Sir… Some of these wandering martial artists can be quite rough. It’s best to avoid walking alone in the market at night, to avoid unnecessary conflicts.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Lin Tianlu smiled and took out a string of copper coins from his pocket, handing it to the child. “This is your payment.”
But the child shook his head and took two steps back. “I can’t accept this yet, Sir.”
“Why not?”
“You said you wanted information about strange and supernatural events, Sir. But what I told you today are just unconfirmed rumors. I just wanted you to be careful.” The child said seriously, “I want to wait a couple of days, until I’ve verified the information, before coming back to you.”
Lin Tianlu raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, Sir!”
Seeing the determination in the boy’s eyes, he smiled in approval. “Good boy. Go home and rest now. I’ll wait for your news in a few days.”
“Yes, Sir!”
Watching the child leave, Lin Tianlu sighed with admiration.
He hadn’t expected to find such a remarkable character in the streets.
He wondered what had happened to this child, why he had ended up as a beggar. Perhaps he had suffered some misfortune, his family fallen from grace?
Tap—
Footsteps approached.
Lin Tianlu turned his head and saw a familiar figure emerging from the shadows.
Hua Shuya brushed her hair back, a surprised look on her face. “Senior, you’re still awake?”
“I just met with that diligent young man.” Lin Tianlu asked curiously, “You seem to have had a busy day. It’s quite late. Did you encounter a particularly troublesome thief?”
Hua Shuya’s expression turned ashamed, and she lowered her voice. “I caught a few thieves today, Senior, but not the main target. I don’t know where he’s hiding.”
“It seems he’s quite cunning.” Lin Tianlu chuckled. “Would you like to come in for some snacks? Madam Mao made quite a few and saved some for you.”
The girl’s eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly.
As they entered the courtyard, Lin Tianlu was about to close the gate.
But then, he frowned slightly, his gaze fixed on something in the distance.
“So much for a peaceful night.”
Behind Hua Shuya, in the shadows, a faint gray mist lingered.
Looking closer, he could see a thin trail of gray mist extending from it, reaching all the way to the end of the street. As he focused his vision, he noticed a faint red glow surrounding it, and he could almost hear the sound of sobbing and wailing.
“To secretly follow an unmarried woman, even a ghost can be shameless.”
Lin Tianlu channeled some spiritual energy into his fingertip and flicked it.
—Snap!
The gray mist instantly shattered, the trail of mist breaking along with it.
“There are quite a few of these filthy things in Changling County… But it’s strange. Why haven’t the residents noticed them before?”
He muttered to himself, closing the gate.
…
Inside a luxurious brothel, several miles away…
“Hehe, Brother Li, your methods are impressive! To be able to control a ghost and track someone from miles away, I’m truly in awe!”
A handsome young man smiled, raising his cup. “But I’m curious, who is Brother Li targeting this time?”
“That yellow-haired girl, of course. Since she dared to ruin Brother Ye’s plans, she deserves to be punished.”
The middle-aged man, Li Xin, laughed heartily and drained his cup.
“You’re a bold one, Brother Li!”
“This wine is too weak! Not strong enough!” Li Xin clicked his tongue.
But the handsome young man, Ye Mingshan, frowned and said in a deep voice, “There have been many strange occurrences in Changling County lately. Like that thunder today, although I was outside the county and only heard about it from others, but…”
“That thunder, although dangerous, could also be an opportunity!”
Li Xin smiled faintly.
“You’re right, Brother Li. But… I also heard that there’s a righteous and talented scholar in the county.”
“Eh! What can a mere scholar do? You’re not afraid he’ll kill us, are you?”
Li Xin chuckled dismissively.
Then, under Ye Mingshan’s bewildered gaze, he turned into dust and vanished into thin air.
“…”
Silence fell upon the brothel.
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