“You can regard me as—ninety-seven twin Dantian at the peak of Qi Formation Stage, coexisting as one, forming an offensive and defensive power ninety-seven times stronger, Lin Shuang.”
As Xiao Ai’s voice echoed, there was silence in front of Cave Dwelling No. 1700.
“…”
Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan simultaneously looked toward her waist… the Dantian area.
Yet the voice hadn’t finished.
“After ten years of cultivation in the Outer Sect, I have already achieved Perfection in *** techniques, Excellence in *** techniques, and Mastery in *** techniques. However, the ‘Return to Sword’ and ‘Droplet Forms River Sword’ techniques have only reached the Beginner level…”
“?”
“…”
Huangpu Yuan raised his eyebrows.
Meng Zi stared wide-eyed.
Only this time, right under their eyes, the two sword techniques she had just acquired were at the Beginner level?
All other techniques she had learned were at least Excellent, and some even at Perfection?!
That’s impossible, right?
Meng Zi frowned. Despite all his years of cultivation, he hadn’t mastered a single sword technique to the point of perfection.
And then there were those ugly talismans of hers… could they really be considered excellent?
“Did those *** techniques reach Perfection and Excellence, or were they all zeros?” Meng Zi looked at her with a strange expression.
But by then, Lin Shuang’s original voice had already disappeared.
[Beep. Xiao Ai automatic reply reminder: All the above details can only be unlocked and listened to by companions who have reached Life-and-Death III level. ]
[Your permissions are insufficient. Please continue to invest emotionally with Lin Shuang to reach Life-and-Death level!]
“…”
Huangpu Yuan chuckled softly.
Meng Zi closed his eyes.
Lin Shuang, however, seemed oblivious, gazing toward the pure, unpolluted sky of the Inner Sect behind them with a vacant smile.
“Brother Meng, I can answer you now.”
Huangpu Yuan, reclining on the bamboo chair, thought for a moment and smiled.
He opened his outer robe, revealing twelve pouches on his belt embroidered with animal motifs—snake, rabbit, rooster, and so on.
With a wave of his hands, he produced an entire floor’s worth of pill bottles and defensive treasure cauldrons, each adorned with the twelve zodiac animal patterns.
“I’m equivalent to, hmm… ten mobile pouches of a Ningyuan Peak cultivator?”
“…”
That night, when Lin Shuang finally snapped out of her daze, she found the soft couch beneath her already cooled by moonlight.
She sat up straight, removing the ‘one-way glass’ talisman from her body, and only then noticed Zhao Keran practicing sword techniques in front of her.
“Hey, junior apprentice sister, you’re back.”
Zhao Keran happily turned around, though her sword technique didn’t stop. After releasing three overlapping sword energies, she finished her set and walked back to her side.
“Senior apprentice sister, you’ve finally snapped out of your daze.”
Hearing this, Lin Shuang smiled lightly, removing the two earplug talismans and placing them into her small earplug pouch, tightening the drawstring.
Having time to space out was also a kind of happiness.
Spaciness helped heal one’s spiritual sense.
The dean’s grandmother often sat in the courtyard as well, and she hadn’t known what Grandma was thinking back then.
Lin Shuang stood up from the couch, stretching lazily, feeling refreshed and energetic. “Did you see the supper I bought for you?” she asked. “Try the taste of the Inner Sect.”
“I’ve already eaten it all.”
Zhao Keran was always punctual for her shifts.
“The Inner Sect definitely has more varieties of spirit food, and its spiritual energy is richer than the Outer Sect’s.”
“By the way, senior sister, did you and Brother Huangpu offend Brother Meng?”
“Huh?”
Lin Shuang turned her head, looking puzzled.
“No, I was just listening to music the whole time. I didn’t even talk to them.”
“…”
Just as he reached the cave entrance, ready to absorb the moon’s essence, Huangfu Yuan silently lowered his eyelids and turned back.
That, wasn’t him either.
[Xiao Qi: Senior Apprentice Sister Lin, did you go to the Inner Sect for trials?]
[Xiao Qi: Senior Apprentice Sister, I’ve been inspired by you and decided to go to the Inner Sect today. There’s an Elder who needs a tea-pouring assistant. I wonder if he’ll give me some guidance if I pour tea for him carefully.]
[…Once you leave Zhenchuan, I won’t fall far behind you. Next time the Fat-Burning Trial comes around, I’ll definitely do better!]
[…Senior apprentice sister, what’s wrong with you!? Why did Brother Meng and the others come looking for me, asking the exact same question just now!]
[…Oh, my senior brother said it’s probably something to do with the Zhenchuan trial you were in. He hopes you’ve already come through safely.]
Before going to sleep that night, Lin Shuang checked her unread messages as usual.
Only then did she remember Xiao Qi.
Ah, it’s all Senior Xu Rui’s fault. He asked me to go take the Elite Disciple assessment, forcing me into Zhenchuan.
I was too rushed and forgot to tell Xiao Qi.
[Lin Shuang: I’m safe now. Keep going, I wish you success entering the Inner Sect and finding extraordinary opportunities. Let’s meet again at the next Fat-Burning Trial, and I’ll experience it firsthand.]
She smiled as she replied.
Xiao Qi, this new companion she hadn’t known for long, was really sincere.
Probably even if she forgets the Fat-Burning Trial, he’ll come to remind her.
Grandma, this is what you meant when you said sincere people can make good friends, right?
Lin Shuang glanced at tomorrow’s schedule, feeling there was nothing needing adjustment, and chatted a bit with Zhao Keran.
Soon, the two turned off the lights and fell asleep peacefully.
*
Inside the inner bedroom.
Huangpu Yuan gazed at the extinguished lamp, lost in thought.
He was polishing the cauldron adorned with the twelve zodiac animal patterns.
The chicken design was the most delicious, but unfortunately one was destroyed today.
Even Rongbao Studio didn’t have such a vivid and juicy chicken painting.
One glance was enough to whet his appetite.
Go to Zhenchuan tomorrow to buy or exchange for another?
“Three thousand and one spirit stones, correct.”
In another room, Meng Zi counted the spirit stones he had earned today, satisfied as he put them away.
“Tomorrow I’ll collect the projection ownership income from today’s winners in Zhenchuan.”
“New earnings will come soon… Hmm, I should count the old ones again, hehehe.”
The spirit stones were soon taken out and counted one by one.
*
The next morning at dawn.
Meng Zi flew directly without speaking to Lin Shuang or Huangpu Yuan, maintaining silence all the way.
Upon arriving at Zhenchuan, he still didn’t speak.
Lin Shuang, standing at the 3,000-layer rest cave dwelling, finally sensed something was off.
But she felt so innocent.
She didn’t know what had happened last night, why Brother Meng was so irritable.
It couldn’t be her fault, right?
She looked innocently and accusingly at Huangpu Yuan beside her, who was holding a hand warmer.
Huangpu Yuan: “…”
He raised his eyebrows, giving her a similarly innocent pale smile.
Lin Shuang: “…”
“That’s it. Yesterday’s share from the viewing session you two won totaled thirty thousand and two hundred spirit stones.”
The pink-robed woman directly tossed a pouch at the rest cave dwelling.
Meng Zi immediately brightened. “So much!?”
Ten thousand each?
That’s way more than what you get from clearing trials!
Hmm, his mood improved visibly. Lin Shuang observed silently.
“Junior, shall we divide it now? I can take a hundred less.” Huangpu Yuan, sensing the mood, suggested.
Sure enough, after Meng Zi took ten thousand spirit stones, his happiness was visibly evident.
But after putting away the pouch, upon seeing the two of them, he snorted, turned his head away.
Lin Shuang: “…”
Huangpu Yuan: “…”
Big problem. Not even spirit stones could fix it.
“Senior sister, senior brother,” Zhao Keran, who was still doing chores today, cheerfully asked, “want to check yesterday’s 1,720-layer lord’s discount for purchasing pills?”
“Maybe buy something before going to the next layer?”
Huangpu Yuan was somewhat tempted, his gaze instantly drifting toward the chicken cauldron on the treasure shelf.
The Three-Winged Spirit Chicken was vividly painted.
It perfectly captured the essence, with large wings, thick meat, and small bones.
The kind you’d bite into and feel the juices flow while getting a satisfying crunch.
Why didn’t Rongbao Studio stock this? Xiao Bai’s taste in procurement…
“Hmph, what are you looking at! One at Qi Formation Stage, one at the early stage of Condensing Yuan, buying pills?”
“Wasting spirit stones!”
Meng Zi snorted, not looking back as he strode toward the teleportation formation.
Huangpu Yuan’s eye twitched.
Lin Shuang comforted him with a nod. “Let’s go, Senior Huangpu. The treasure pavilion doesn’t have legs. It’ll still be there when we come out.”
We should hurry. Our supplies weren’t damaged much yesterday.
And layer lord exchanges don’t seem urgent.
The tomato clock is more pressing.
Lin Shuang turned as well.
Huangpu Yuan pressed his fingers to his forehead, remained silent for a moment, then followed.
“I’ll come back to buy this cauldron later.”
He walked a few steps, then returned.
Looking at Zhao Keran, he said, “Junior sister, please keep it for me.”
“…”
Zhao Keran increasingly believed that Senior Huangpu was the culprit who had killed ten people’s souls yesterday.
How much does he love it anyway.
“This set was made by our sect’s artifact masters, exclusively for Zhenchuan.”
The pink-robed woman remained expressionless.
“Bring out the other eleven later. Let’s see how long he can hold out.”
“…”
*
[Huangpu Yuan, Meng Zi, and Lin Shuang have chosen Trial Layer 2217.]
Meng Zi had been sulking all night, and seeing Huangpu Yuan and Lin Shuang only made him angrier.
As a result, at the teleportation formation, he directly set the upward space to five hundred layers.
Randomly selected a layer.
“Hmph, since you two—one at Qi Formation Stage and the other at early Condensation Realm—are so capable, let’s just head to the highest layer possible.”
“Why pick and choose?”
Huangpu Yuan helplessly smiled.
Lin Shuang pressed her fingers to her forehead.
[Trial Content: Brother, your treasure fell!]
Meng Zi: “!”
He couldn’t stand this trial name.
But Lin Shuang’s face lit up with joy.
Her first task today was speed training.
This layer’s number, leaving a remainder of three when divided by nine, was perfect for speed!
“Could it be a trial to catch up with Brother and return his treasure?”
Huangpu Yuan’s phoenix eyes also showed deep thought. “Looks like it from the name.”
But the naming of Zhenchuan trials was like Green River novel titles—fraudulent at the slightest carelessness.
As Lin Shuang secretly mocked inwardly, upon entering the teleportation formation of the rest cave dwelling, she immediately saw the pink-robed woman’s smiling expression behind the counter, and her heart sank instantly.
And in the next moment, the teleportation formation stabilized, and they arrived at the trial location.
Lin Shuang opened her eyes and saw in front of her a drum tower three times larger than the Outer Sect’s administrative hall.
A plaque hung at the entrance, inscribed with five clerical script characters—Inner Sect Administrative Hall.
“Hmm?”
This time, Lin Shuang was genuinely surprised.
But soon she saw a familiar figure steadily walking out of this Inner Sect Administrative Hall.
Two Bagua swords were crossed neatly on his back, the angles perfectly symmetrical.
His hairpin was square and straight, his black hair not a strand out of place.
He walked in a perfectly straight line.
“Senior Brother Xu Rui?”
Lin Shuang looked in astonishment at this senior brother who clearly had severe obsessive-compulsive disorder from his very entrance.
Strange, wasn’t Senior Brother Xu Rui working in Zhenchuan with Zhou Xuanwu yesterday?
Could this layer be a murder mystery game, with Senior Brother playing the host of this trial?
Curious, Lin Shuang asked, “Senior Brother Xu Rui, what’s the real title of this trial?”
Upon hearing her words, Meng Zi and Huangpu Yuan exchanged strange expressions.
The dignified senior brother who had walked out of the administrative hall also showed a momentary flicker of unnaturalness upon hearing her words.
Then he looked at her, revealing a gentle smile.
“You must be Junior Sister Lin Shuang?”
Lin Shuang was momentarily stunned and immediately activated her Fire Eye Golden Vision Technique.
In an instant, she saw this dignified man smile with the exact same lip curvature as Xu Rui, but he took a step with an odd number.
“Junior sister, I’ve been in the Inner Sect for twenty-one years and one month.”
“I’m Xu Rui’s twin elder brother, Xu Xiang.”
Lin Shuang, with ninety-seven twin Dantians: “…!”
Xu Xiang and Xu Rui.
Omen of auspiciousness.
One likes odd numbers, the other likes even numbers—twin brothers with obsessive-compulsive order?
Lin Shuang never expected this.
But in the next moment, Xu Xiang briefly greeted her, then took five precise steps forward with a straight posture and upright demeanor.
He presented them with a beast-headed golden plaque.
—Layer 2217.
A hint of satisfaction flickered across his face, clearly enjoying the odd number.
“Junior brothers and sisters, I am the temporary examiner for this layer.”
“Three disciples, listen carefully to the trial question: Brother, your treasure fell.”
As Xu Xiang read this, his voice, just as rigid as Xu Rui’s, became somewhat stiff.
He also couldn’t stand the trial’s name’s vulgar humor.
But he soon turned serious as he looked at the three of them.
“In the past six months, the Inner Sect administrative office has successively received reports from many disciples about multiple incidents of spiritual treasures being stolen in cave dwellings, dining halls, and transmission halls.”
Lin Shuang’s expression became complicated.
This Zhenchuan naming could indeed be said to have nothing to do with the actual topic.
Deceiving the entire life of a Clear Water Sect disciple!
“Stolen spiritual treasures?”
Meng Zi nervously touched his pouch, his voice changing.
“I’ve heard about it in the patrol team. Haven’t they caught the thief yet?”
He never took these kinds of unlucky tasks involving losing spirit stones.
Xu Xiang nodded to him.
“Due to the increasing number of Inner Sect disciples involved, the administrative office issued an investigation mission two months ago, but there’s still no progress.
Yesterday, another disciple lost a treasure worth two thousand spirit stones after leaving Zhenchuan.”
“After reporting to the Elders last night, the title of this layer in Zhenchuan has been changed as follows.”
“You have three days to investigate this incident. Find the lost items or the thief, and you will pass this layer.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage