Chapter 202: Lin Qingyi's Worries

Chapter 202: Lin Qingyi's Worries

Time passed.

Jiang Ning continuously refined one blood lotus leaf after another.

With each leaf a hundred years old, he could feel his qi and blood strengthening, becoming even more robust.

In the blink of an eye, two hours had passed, and the scorching sun in the sky was gradually rising towards the zenith, perpendicular to the earth.

Squeak—

The door behind him slowly opened, emitting a faint creaking sound.

Hearing this, Jiang Ning immediately turned around and saw Lin Qingyi, barefoot and wearing a thin long skirt, walking out of her room.

"Sister Lin!" Jiang Ning spoke up, then stopped his practice and bowed respectfully, "Thank you, Sister Lin, for saving me last night."

As he finished speaking, Jiang Ning took out a green hairpin with a carved phoenix design.

He had bought this item before coming here, spending over a hundred taels of silver.

"Sister Lin, I saw this hairpin on my way here, and I thought it would suit you well, so I bought it."

Lin Qingyi looked at the jade hairpin in Jiang Ning's palm and couldn't help but smile slightly.

"It seems I didn't save the wrong person!"

As she spoke, she raised her hand and gently waved, and the jade hairpin in Jiang Ning's hand seemed to be grabbed by an invisible hand and flew straight into her hand.

After holding it, Lin Qingyi examined it carefully.

Then she nodded slightly, "This is a good one, I like it. Come here and let me put it on for you."

"Okay!" Jiang Ning obediently nodded.

He was secretly grateful to Lin Qingyi.

Aside from the previous events, just Lin Qingyi's intervention last night had resolved a significant problem for him.

The incident last night was still incomprehensible to him even today, and he couldn't understand what had happened.

Jiang Ning approached Lin Qingyi, took the jade hairpin from her, and then moved behind her.

After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Ning reached out and gathered Lin Qingyi's hair, holding it in his hand, and then slowly tied it up.

At the same time, Lin Qingyi's face turned slightly red.

Because Jiang Ning had sweated a lot during his practice.

As he came behind her and got very close, the scent of the young man filled her nostrils.

Jiang Ning's martial arts had reached a level where his life had partially transformed, and he no longer had the turbid smell that ordinary people had.

"Could it be that I'm thinking about men?" Lin Qingyi thought, and then she lightly spat, "Sister Lin, I'm done!"

Jiang Ning released his hand and took a step back.

Lin Qingyi's originally messy hair was now neatly tied back with the jade hairpin, giving her an air of intellectual beauty.

At this moment, Lin Qingyi heard his words and touched the hair at the back of her head.

"Not bad, you know how to do this. Come on, tell me, which woman did you practice on, and who did you tie hair for?"

Hearing this, Jiang Ning couldn't help but think of someone.

His first love from his previous life.

They were in love, but due to the helplessness of reality, they ended up apart, never to be together.

After three years, he had also tied her hair several times.

Thinking of this, Jiang Ning smiled slightly but didn't say more.

Seeing this, Lin Qingyi changed the topic.

"Speaking of which, why did you come so early today? Is it because of last night's matter?"

"Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded and continued, "Please, Sister Lin, help me understand."

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyi nodded slightly.

"Last night's incident was Yin Shen Chuqiao."

"Yin Shen Chuqiao?" Jiang Ning asked, surprised.

"Yin Shen, as the name suggests, is a step where the Yin soul can leave the body at night, traveling a hundred li in a single breath, which is terrifying! Moreover, with the power of the Yin soul, one can influence reality."

At this point, Lin Qingyi looked at Jiang Ning, "You've gotten yourself into big trouble!"

At this moment, although Jiang Ning's face didn't show any change, his heart tightened slightly.

Then, Jiang Ning asked, "Sister Lin, what level is Yin Shen Chuqiao?"

Lin Qingyi replied, "The Yin soul wanders at night, and the Yang soul during the day. After the Yang soul, one must cross the heavenly tribulation."

"In the ancient era, after the heavenly tribulation, one becomes an immortal!"

"In the ancient era, cultivators who could achieve Yin Shen Chuqiao were equivalent to grandmasters."

"But now, the environment has long changed, and cultivators on this path have weakened significantly. Those who can achieve Yin Shen Chuqiao are only equivalent to the fourth stage of the Martial Path, which is not much."

Fourth stage of the Martial Path! Hearing these words, Jiang Ning's heart tightened, but he also felt a slight relief.

Although the fourth stage of the Martial Path sounded frightening, it was simpler than he had imagined.

He originally thought that Yin Spirit Departure was a technique only a Grandmaster could achieve. But from Lin Qingyi's words, it seemed far less intimidating. Even if it was just the Fourth Stage Martial Artist, with some time, it might not be impossible to fight against such a person.

Lin Qingyi glanced at Jiang Ning and then smiled, "But you don't need to worry too much. The person who achieved Yin Spirit Departure last night was injured by me, and their divine soul was affected."

"Injuries to the divine soul are a thousand times worse than injuries to the physical body."

"Without at least a year, he won't be able to fully recover."

"Moreover, with your current status as a nameless soldier, such a prominent figure wouldn't bother to take action against you."

"Besides, your current identity is quite sensitive. As the deputy commander of the Inspection Bureau, holding an Eighth Rank official position, a true rogue wouldn't dare to kill you."

Hearing Lin Qingyi's words, Jiang Ning didn't quite agree.

In this world, there wasn't the same level of surveillance as in his previous life.

No matter how high one's status was, it would only deter others from openly attacking.

But when it came to secret assassinations and destroying evidence, who could tell who the killer was?

How could one talk about safety in such circumstances?

Lin Qingyi continued, "But you can't be too careless. The Yellow Heaven Sect has marked you!"

"The Yellow Heaven Sect? Marked me?" Jiang Ning's expression showed a hint of surprise.

He suddenly thought of what he had done the previous night.

"Could it be that my actions were so well hidden, yet the Yellow Heaven Sect still discovered them?" he muttered to himself.

At this moment, Lin Qingyi noticed the surprise on Jiang Ning's face and nodded slightly.

"Indeed! The Yin Spirit that appeared in your home last night was an Earth King from the Yellow Heaven Sect."

"In the Yellow Heaven Sect, the Earth King holds an extremely high position. They are cultivators who have achieved success in ancient cultivation methods."

"They possess ancient techniques, and thus have all sorts of incredible abilities."

"Last night's incident caused that Earth King to mark you with the Yellow Heaven Sect's mark."

"Any cultivator in the Yellow Heaven Sect who has achieved the Open Heaven Eye can see the mark he placed."

As she spoke, Lin Qingyi's gaze fell on Jiang Ning's pupils.

"But then again, what exactly did you do to the Yellow Heaven Sect that caused their Earth King to use Yin Spirit Departure? It's not a trivial matter."

Jiang Ning hesitated for a moment, then said, "Last night, I killed a few people from the Yellow Heaven Sect."

"That explains it!" Lin Qingyi nodded.

She continued, "The Yellow Heaven Sect's influence only covers five of the Great Xia's Nine Provinces. Luoshui County, located in Zeshang Province, doesn't have many followers of the Yellow Heaven Sect."

"This group of Yellow Heaven Sect members came to Luoshui County with the important task of spreading their doctrine and recruiting believers."

"By killing their people, you obstructed their mission, which is why the Earth King intervened from afar. It's quite normal."

Hearing Lin Qingyi's explanation, Jiang Ning's heart now had a rough understanding of the situation.

He then asked, "Lin Sister, does that mean the Earth King will come to Luoshui County?"

"No!" Lin Qingyi shook her head. "Who is the Earth King? Why would he come to Luoshui County for such a minor matter?"

"Don't be fooled by the Earth King's Yin Spirit Departure cultivation, which is equivalent to the Fourth Stage Martial Artist. Due to its uniqueness, it is known as the reincarnation of an immortal, and thus holds a very high position in the Yellow Heaven Sect.

"The Earth King, within the Yellow Heaven Sect, is only below the Heaven King and the Sect Leader."

"For such a trivial matter, he wouldn't bother to travel thousands of miles to Luoshui County."

"Using Yin Spirit Departure to travel a thousand miles at night to mark you is already the greatest assistance he can provide to his followers."

After listening carefully to Lin Qingyi's explanation, Jiang Ning's heart immediately relaxed.

The person who could use Yin Spirit Departure was still thousands of miles away, and with his divine soul injured, it was impossible for him to come to Luoshui County.

In other words, his potential enemy was only Liu Lintang and his group.

Although Jiang Ning was a Fifth Stage Martial Artist, he wasn't completely helpless.

Just like the previous night, with the advantage of heaven and earth, Liu Lintang couldn't do anything to him for a while.

Jiang Ning even managed to injure Liu Lintang, almost blinding him.

After pondering for a moment, Jiang Ning spoke again, "Lin Sister, do you know of any way to remove the mark on my body?"

"I don't have a solution!" Lin Qingyi shook her head. "I don't possess the Immortal Root, and such ancient immortal techniques are beyond my capabilities."

Then, she continued to look at Jiang Ning.

"But you don't need to worry. As an Eighth Rank official, the Yellow Heaven Sect here wouldn't dare to act against you. Their mission is far more important than the lives of those who died."

Jiang Ning smiled ambiguously.

He knew much more about this matter than Lin Qingyi.

The person he killed last night, if he hadn't mistaken his identity, was a member of the Cult of Malevolent Gods, not the Yellow Heaven Sect.

The fact that a member of the Cult of Malevolent Gods was following the Yellow Heaven Sect indicated some problems.

Therefore, the person he killed might be far more important than Lin Qingyi imagined.

So, he dared not let down his guard.

The mark that Lin Qingyi mentioned was something he couldn't discover, let alone remove.

In other words, as long as Liu Lintang came knocking on his door, opening a Heavenly Eye in front of him would reveal that he was the one who made the move last night.

"I must work harder to improve my strength!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself.

He glanced at his panel.

【Essence Energy】: 31.7

The only way to quickly enhance his strength now was through Essence Energy points.

Breaking the limits of skills and techniques couldn't bring about a fundamental improvement in his Martial Dao, but it could undoubtedly enhance his actual combat power.

Just like the arrow he shot last night.

Without mastering the perfect level of Gale Thunder Arrow Art, how could he shoot such a terrifying arrow?

Including last night, when he barely injured Liu Lintang's eyes, it was also due to the abilities he gained after breaking the limits of his Water Spirit Body.

After some thought, Jiang Ning prepared to return home and absorb the resources he obtained today.

Then,

Jiang Ning cupped his hands, "Thank you, Sister Lin, for unraveling the mystery in my heart! I'll take my leave now!"

"Wait!" Lin Qingyi raised her hand, "Do you want a wife?"

Jiang Ning: ". . ."

He then said, "Sister Lin, I have no such thoughts at all! Unless there's a woman as beautiful as you, who looks like a heavenly immortal, I might be moved."

After speaking, Jiang Ning cupped his hands, "Sister Lin, I'll take my leave now."

As his voice trailed off, Jiang Ning turned and left.

Lin Qingyi watched Jiang Ning's tall figure, and she couldn't help but pause slightly.

Then, she watched as Jiang Ning gradually walked down the stairs, his disappearing figure causing her to smile faintly.

"This little guy actually dared to flirt with me?"

In a moment, she had a faraway look, as if pondering something.

After a few breaths,

Lin Qingyi sighed softly, "Ah..."

Her tone was filled with melancholy.

She walked to the wooden railing and looked down at the street below.

She immediately saw Jiang Ning, who had also turned to look at her.

At this moment, Jiang Ning stood on the street, looking up at the rooftop terrace of Wanhua Tower.

Seeing this, Jiang Ning waved his hand in farewell.

Then, he turned and left again.

"This kid is really not bad! He's right up my alley! If I had met him when I was younger, I might have really sworn to never marry and remain a widow for him!"

"I don't know if what I've found out about that matter is true or not."

"The old prince wants me to marry him just because I'm a good crucible?"

"If that's the case, if I were to marry and my husband were to die on the same day, could it be the old prince's doing?"

Thinking of this possibility, Lin Qingyi's heart was filled with a sense of helplessness.

Marrying into the royal family, she truly felt the terror of being a one-character equal king.

Even if that old man was old and white-haired, he was still a giant existence in Great Xia.

Even with her current strength, she didn't have the qualifications to escape.

Moreover, if she escaped, her entire family of over a thousand people would perish because of her.

If this matter were true, the old prince allowing her to act freely showed just how powerful he was.

Thinking of all this, Lin Qingyi sighed, filled with endless melancholy.

Then, she calmed herself and shook her head.

"No!!! I must find a wife for this kid; otherwise, I'm afraid I might do something wrong one day."

"If I really do something wrong, this kid might be harmed because of me!"

Lin Qingyi made up her mind.

On the other side.

After leaving Wanhua Tower,

Jiang Ning fell into deep thought.

This trip to Wanhua Tower today resolved many of his doubts.

Especially the biggest doubt in his heart, the reason for last night's incident.

Yin Spirit Departure.

This was the root cause of last night's change.

"Fortunately, there's Lin Qingyi!" Jiang Ning thought to himself.

He was silently grateful to Lin Qingyi.

She had helped him a lot.

"I wonder what Lin Qingyi's true strength is?" After this question appeared in Jiang Ning's mind, he felt that Lin Qingyi's expression was shrouded in heavy mist.

According to Lin Qingyi's words, the Earth King was equivalent to a Fourth Stage Martial Artist.

Fourth Stage Martial Artist, this was the strongest existence below the Grandmaster level.

Such strength couldn't be considered weak.

Even in the entire world, they were first-rate experts.

But Lin Qingyi, last night, was able to injure the Earth King's Yin Spirit.

This showed that Lin Qingyi wasn't simple.

With such strength, how could she be just a small deputy floor master of Wanhua Tower's Luoshui County branch?

If Wanhua Tower could afford to be so extravagant, allowing Lin Qingyi to be a small deputy floor master.

In that case, this world wouldn't belong to Great Xia, but to Wanhua Tower.

"Lin Qingyi isn't that simple, but it's best not to probe too much!" Jiang Ning thought to himself.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end