“Haha, Senior Lin, you’re absolutely right—”
Inside the inn, the laughter of the prince and the sound of people climbing the wooden stairs could be faintly heard from the first floor.
Bai Yu closed his eyes and took a step back.
Their plan had failed…
The previous Demon King, the mother of the Lord, the nine-tailed Lu Xian, had gone mad a century ago and was slain by the combined efforts of powerful human cultivators and the current Demon King.
But within three days, when the Lord returned from his training at the Endless Sea, the bones of the Demon King and the remains of the elders of the thirteen tribes vanished from the Valley of Demon Burial.
Now, a group of evil cultivators with human bones appeared.
Everything seemed to suggest a connection between the two.
The powerful human cultivators and demon clans who had joined forces to eliminate the Demon King might have already betrayed their cause, secretly colluding with the evil cultivators. The Demon King’s demise might have involved deeper secrets.
Yet over the years, they had infiltrated various human sects, tracking the outposts of these evil cultivators, only to vanish without a trace.
This time, the Lord intended to lure the evil cultivators hiding in Huaming City.
If the bones were involved, they would feign serious injury, release the fish back into the sea, and identify the people and demons behind it.
Including Lin Shuang in the plan was purely accidental. They had been tracking Liu Ba, the wielder of the Vajra Hammer, who had lost his bone storage pouch. Left with no alternative, they had to verify her identity.
If she showed no abnormality during this mission and displayed no greed for the bones, even though the Lord detested human cultivators, he would not harm her.
But now—
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind… Who could have imagined that the cicada in the game would overturn the entire chessboard and turn guest into host!
Bai Yu gave a helpless bitter smile.
The Prince’s hearty laughter had already reached the door.
It was even a quarter incense stick earlier than he had said!
“Better to act now than wait. Oh my, thanks to Manager Huangfu for delivering Senior Lin, who helped me streamline my schedule and finish two days’ worth of inspections in one. Time management, how wonderful!”
The faint creases at the corners of Huangfu Yuan’s narrow eyes couldn’t help but twitch.
The four small snowball-like dogs at his feet scattered in alarm.
Bai Yu gasped, helplessly looking at Lin Shuang and the others behind the Prince.
Lin Shuang appeared calm and relaxed, clearly enjoying the sense of efficiency and relief.
Bai Yu stiffened.
The Prince laughed heartily, impatiently shedding his dark gray warrior’s robe to reveal a patched robe underneath, and respectfully handed a storage ring from his sleeve to Huangfu Yuan.
“Manager Huangfu, I’ve brought all the spirit stones.”
Though the Prince looked charming, he was devoted to the path of cultivation.
He wasn’t foolish either, fully aware that second- and third-grade spiritual treasures might attract envy.
If not for official duties holding him back, he would have completed the transaction earlier to avoid trouble.
Lin Shuang’s arrival was like a timely rain!
The finger on Huangfu Yuan’s new jade-carved hand warmer bulged with a blue vein.
A pale lip curved into a faint, ambiguous smile. “I understand the Prince’s eagerness. But the Prince has been busy all day, and taking the pill tonight seems too hasty. Perhaps a short rest to calm your mind before entering meditation would be better.”
“Tomorrow at noon would be more appropriate.”
Bai Yu exhaled in relief. By noon tomorrow, at least three or four evil cultivators and the Oblivion Sect should arrive.
But as his gaze shifted, he saw Lin Shuang cast a knowing glance toward the Lord, and Bai Yu’s heart sank.
Sure enough, Lin Shuang smiled, and the Prince laughed heartily.
“Manager Huangfu, you truly have my best interests at heart. What you said, Senior Lin had already considered and calculated for me.”
Huangfu Yuan’s lips twitched slightly.
“On the way here, I followed Senior Lin’s suggestion, prepared in advance for tonight’s meditation, and took a nap in the carriage.”
“After waking up, I burned incense, paid respects to the ancestral master’s statue, and came straight to the inn.”
The Prince was very satisfied. “I am now fully prepared.”
Burning incense and worshipping ancestors in the carriage!?
Bai Yu: “…”
He should have thought of it when he saw the Prince!
This woman, this extraordinary woman, couldn’t possibly make any mistakes that would slow her down!
Help!
Huangfu Yuan pursed his lips, his faintly upturned eye corners revealing a slight smile as he looked at Lin Shuang.
“Senior sister, impressive.”
Lin Shuang nodded in satisfaction. “Same to you.” Fellow efficiency-driven cultivators.
Huangfu Yuan panted slightly, almost unable to stop.
“Manager Huangfu?” the Prince asked anxiously.
Huangfu Yuan waved his hand, soon calming down and signaling to Bai Yu to bring the spirit pill box.
“A third-tier Fusion Immortal Pill.”
“It can help the Prince reach the fifth layer of Yuan Condensation within ten years.”
The Prince was delighted.
Huangfu Yuan hesitated. “The first dose can be absorbed at twenty percent. As a distinguished guest of Rongbao Studio, according to our rules, once twenty percent of the medicinal effect is absorbed, the transaction is considered complete, and the final payment is collected.”
Taking advantage of the transaction, Zhao Keran, who was staying at the inn, curiously whispered, “Senior sister, how did you manage it? The Prince’s two-day schedule was completed in one day?”
Zhou Xuanwu quietly perked up his ears.
Huangfu Yuan and Bai Yu fell silent simultaneously.
They heard Lin Shuang answer generously, “Naturally by referencing modern express delivery and the management principles of the four quadrants of importance.”
Everyone fell silent.
Only Zhao Keran dared to ask, “What’s express delivery?”
With no enemies approaching, the guarding mission was effectively idle.
Lin Shuang didn’t mind killing two birds with one stone and teaching her junior sister at the same time.
“Reduce inefficiency: detours, empty runs, ineffective inspections.”
“Increase efficiency: increase dual or even multiple parallel tasks, and reasonably schedule short naps in between.”
“? ?”
Everyone wore questioning expressions.
Only Zhao Keran reluctantly followed along, muttering, “Empty runs are…”
Lin Shuang patted her junior sister’s shoulder. “You still haven’t mastered the fastest learning techniques well enough.”
Everyone: “…”
Zhao Keran lowered her head in shame.
“Haha,” the Prince laughed as he took the third-tier pill. “Every time I go to the next destination, Senior Lin has the local supervisor come to my carriage to report.”
That’s not an empty run.
Zhao Keran suddenly understood.
“Later, she saw that I still had energy, so she suggested that all the shops needing inspection hold what’s called a… oh right, a video conference… so I could inspect dozens of shops simultaneously while on the road.”
That’s parallel processing.
Zhao Keran was overwhelmed.
Lin Shuang smiled and nodded approvingly at the Prince.
Teachable.
“Prince, the best time for cultivation is at midnight when yin and yang energies intersect. Tonight, I’ve already booked a top-grade room for you.”
“! Thank you, Senior Lin.”
The Prince felt an unusual level of service.
Step by step, everything was exactly what he had in mind!
So considerate, so thoughtful.
“Next time I’ll definitely hire you guys again.”
He was too satisfied.
Lin Shuang smiled and nodded.
“Then our mission is complete. Senior Huangfu, Senior Bai, Prince, see you all later.”
Bai Yu: “???”
Huangfu Yuan: “…”
A metallic taste rose in his throat.
“Oh, by the way, Manager Huangfu, regarding my elder brother’s stolen remains, does Rongbao Studio have any news?”
Lin Shuang paused mid-step.
*
Rongbao Studio.
Remains.
After leaving the top-grade room, Lin Shuang fell into thought.
She had thought Rongbao Studio mainly sold talismans and pills.
Could these bones be connected to the finger bone stored in the Vajra Hammer’s pouch?
“This matter, I heard from my cousin,” Zhao Keran was also quite interested. “Four years ago, the Ming King died in battle, but a year later, a servant noticed something strange about the tombstone during a visit. When they moved the coffin, they found most of the remains missing.”
Lin Shuang frowned instantly. “What cultivation level was the Ming King?”
“Hmm, I think it was Ning Yuan, but I’m not sure.” Zhao Keran shook her head.
Zhou Xuanwu walked behind them and just as they were about to close the door, he spoke up. “The Ming King had fought countless battles and never left his wooden spear.”
They say that before his death, he practiced with his wooden spear every single day without fail, successfully developing his own spear technique, which was powerful enough to challenge an early-stage Divine Refinement cultivator.
As he spoke, he showed a look of regret, softening his awkwardness from speaking too much.
“This is what Master Li told me because he thought my physique was more suited for long spears.”
Creating a spear technique on one’s own, a genius indeed.
Lin Shuang’s left index finger under her sleeve twitched instantly.
The scar felt as if it had been scalded.
Upon awakening in this new body, she immediately immersed herself in time management and efficient cultivation. Her progress in developing both her dantian and divine sense was exceptionally rapid.
Could it be that the original body already had a genius physique for cultivation?
Combined with her time management efficiency, it became even faster?
The finger bone retrieved from the Vajra Hammer’s storage pouch a decade ago when the original body was injured—what connection did it have with the Ming King?
“Good night, junior sisters,” Zhou Xuanwu said and, as if embarrassed by his unusual talkativeness, quickly left.
Lin Shuang entered the room and opened her diary scroll.
[December 17
The unexpectedly obtained finger bone carries at most a Qi-Transformation level of spiritual energy, unlikely to belong to a Core Condensation expert. It shouldn’t be this Prince’s.
It might have some connection with him, but not much.]
“Prince, take care, I’ll notify you if I have any news.”
“Currently, in the black market, there’s a group buying cultivator bones at high prices. Rongbao Pavilion has also sent people to track this information.”
Lin Shuang sat cross-legged on the bed, suddenly hearing Huangfu Yuan’s voice from the corridor outside the wall.
She wrote instantly.
[Today’s Information 2: Someone is secretly buying bones at high prices.]
Who was doing this?
For what purpose?
Lin Shuang fell into thought, but her expression soon changed.
“Why didn’t Huangfu Yuan set up a soundproof barrier? Is he so weak and sickly that he can’t even use a soundproof technique?”
“Why talk outside instead of in the room?”
“Is it because he thinks this is common knowledge, no need for secrecy, or because he thinks… me, Zhou Xuanwu, and Zhao Keran needed to hear it?”
Cultivators all had sharp hearing.
He didn’t try to avoid them.
“Wait, why does he think we needed to know?”
“No, I can’t keep thinking like this. With too little information, I might reach wrong conclusions and hinder myself. Next schedule is sound cultivation—Joy Chapter.”
Lin Shuang took a deep breath, marking important clues and the words ‘Rongbao Studio suspicious’ in her diary.
Instantly, she entered today’s sound cultivation schedule.
Joyful flute music filled the room.
Zhao Keran felt cheerful and rubbed her cheek happily.
While washing her face, she suddenly realized. “Senior sister, did you rush to help the Prince complete his schedule and finish the transaction early so that tonight you could cultivate the Joy Chapter of sound cultivation with a relaxed and joyful heart, free from mission pressure?”
She had gradually synchronized her cultivation with her senior sister over the past three years.
This way, she could benefit from various so-called cultivation ‘Buffs’ her senior sister had.
Indeed, Lin Shuang’s eyelashes fluttered lightly, each one exuding happiness.
Even in the dim candlelight, her joy sparkled like ripples.
“Yes.”
“The joy of helping the Prince.”
“The joy of finishing two days early.”
“The joy of receiving a five-star review.”
“!”
Zhao Keran suddenly understood. Indeed, her senior sister was always several steps ahead.
“Even while doing one thing, Senior sister had already planned how to do the next and the one after!”
Zhao Keran calculated with her fingers and was startled.
She was indeed still the junior sister.
“So today, Senior sister’s cultivation of the sound technique—Joyful Emotion—must have tripled in effect?!”
Lin Shuang smiled without answering.
“…”
“………………”
On the corridor, Huangfu Yuan and Bai Yu, who had intentionally let Lin Shuang and Zhou Xuanwu overhear the information.
Silence.
The three Qi Transformation cultivators were unable to escape their high-level spiritual senses.
Within a few breaths, they heard Lin Shuang’s room activate a soundproof barrier, but from inside still faintly came cheerful flute music.
The jumping notes were as joyful as birds flying into the sky, as happy as fish swimming into the sea.
“Cough—”
Huangfu Yuan’s chest tightened, a hot metallic taste rising in his throat.
“We’ll depart tomorrow.”
Bai Yu sighed.
Lord, you see now?
He didn’t become a man just randomly.
It was because he met her… this extraordinary woman.
Bai Yu shook his head, sending a message that tomorrow the Rongbao Pavilion manager would return and the transaction was complete.
A complete defeat.
The Lord’s plan.
*
“Hmm? Not going to the Prince’s mansion, but back to the mountain?”
In mid-air on their journey, Meng Zi, who was masked and riding on tables, met Zhao Ming.
They both frowned.
What’s going on? Changing orders midway!
“Hmm? Transaction completed, his ancestor’s!”
On their way, the evil cultivators trying to seize the treasures met.
They all frowned.
Are they playing with us!
At dawn over Huaming City.
Three assassins from the Oblivion Sect and several evil cultivators met by chance, glaring at each other.
“!”
“!”
Each saw the joy of seeing a fat sheep.
“Brothers, attack! The mission is canceled, let’s take down these bounty-listed evil cultivators!”
“Damn it, attack! Slaughter them and take their storage pouches!”
The two sides clashed instantly.
Slowly returning to the Qing Shui Sect, Lin Shuang and the others rode on wide swords, basking in the first rays of morning sun, meditating, reading novels, listening to sound cultivation music, watching the sunrise…
[Beep, Xiao Ai Travel Service at your service.]
[We have smoothly risen to 2000 meters altitude, flying steadily.]
Lin Shuang lay back, applying a chilled cucumber slice mask, slowly lifting her neck slightly.
A massage claw talisman on her head moved up and down through her cloud-like hair.
“Senior Huangfu, Senior Bai, won’t you really ride with us?” Zhao Keran looked at the frail Huangfu Yuan.
Huangfu Yuan stood behind Bai Yu, looking at the four swords side by side… each blade from tip to tail covered in talismans.
Not even a dog would like it.
“No need,” Huangfu Yuan tightly clasped his hands, smiling. “Thank you, junior sister.”
Zhao Keran nodded regretfully.
Multiple swords fly more steadily and faster.
What a pity.
[Beep! Alarm! 15 degrees southwest ahead, 309 steps away, spiritual energy disturbance detected, number of participants five or more, spiritual fluctuations ranging from Condensation Realm third to seventh layer.]
Zhao Keran trembled.
Zhou Xuanwu also turned solemn.
[Alarm! Immediately deploy wings and tail fins, stabilize flight!]
Zhao Keran had grown up and immediately cast shock-absorbing and reinforcement talismans on the four swords, and the four swords immediately unfolded their wings and tail fins.
Zhou Xuanwu stood on the sword, his face stern, silently adding a defensive talisman to the sword’s head.
[Beep, activating automatic avoidance mode. Deviating, automatically deviating from the disturbance…]
[Deviation successful! Please accelerate flight!]
Huangfu Yuan and Bai Yu silently watched the disturbance zone pass them by in an instant.
Could it be the group originally planning to surround them at the Prince’s mansion?
Bai Yu was stunned. Then shouldn’t he slow down now to capture an evil cultivator?
“Phew, finally shook them off.” Zhao Keran exhaled in relief.
Huangfu Yuan and Bai Yu remained silent.
Hesitating, they were already a hundred li away.
But suddenly, they saw Lin Shuang smear mud on her face, straighten her neck, stand up on the sword, her robe fluttering.
Bai Yu’s heart trembled.
He seemed to have forgotten something important.
Lin Shuang indeed smiled at them.
“I’ll go for a bit.”
“To take care of some personal business.”
“???”
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