Chapter 117 - 90: Your Master Lin Provokes Public Outrage

Chapter 117: Chapter 90: Your Master Lin Provokes Public Outrage

As for those two idiots upstairs, they couldn’t even hope to see his dust.

He had previously thought about roping Lin Shu in, but now it seemed his sights had been set far too low.

Why would someone of that caliber be worth him wasting his thoughts on?

"You’re awake?"

Steward Luo had been silent the entire time. Only when he saw the figure descending from the upper floor did he slowly rise to his feet.

The hunchbacked old man clearly hadn’t slept a wink all night.

His eyes were murky as he stared intently at the young man. "I heard you killed more Enemy Cultivators, so I thought I’d come over early to tally your merits."

"I appreciate you taking the trouble, Steward."

Lin Shu yawned and took the Life Plate out of his Storage Bag.

The moment eight wisps of Life Blood emerged,

Chen Xiangzhu nearly ground her teeth to dust. "..."

She knew this Life Blood had nothing to do with her, but Lin Shu had managed to kill so many Mid-stage Jade Liquid Cultivators all by himself.

That meant if he wanted to, he could really do what he’d claimed earlier: sow panic among the disciples until no loyalty remained!

As for Yu Qing, he swallowed hard.

Although he’d spoken disdainfully, that huge pile of merits was not yet his, and a trace of envy couldn’t help but flash in his eyes.

"Heh, you’re too kind."

Steward Luo chuckled and quickly accepted the Life Blood. "It’s been a long time since Yongzhou Pass has seen a new disciple with your strength. I imagine it won’t be long before your fame spreads far and wide. Far and wide!"

No one noticed that his downcast eyes were already filled with shock and fear.

’It really is Yuan Yin’s signature!’

’The Great Shun Dynasty... they really are angry with me.’

’Since they sent Yuan Yin this time, and all of them were Mid-stage Jade Liquid Cultivators...’

’...that means they weren’t trying to take my life, this Steward’s life. They most likely wanted an explanation and a hefty compensation payment.’

’This might have been my last chance.’

’But now, even that chance has been snuffed out.’

’If I don’t react now, it will look like I, Luo, really did collude with Lin Shu to lure cultivators from the Great Shun Dynasty here just to be killed for merits.’

"Eight Mid-stage Jade Liquid cultivators, valued at five hundred merit points each, for a total of four thousand. Plus the thirty-five you had remaining. I’ve recorded it all for you. What are you planning to redeem?"

Steward Luo raised his head, steadying his voice, hoping to see some kind of hint on the young man’s face.

’For instance, that he had long since discovered the truth of the matter.’

’That he was holding off on saying anything, planning to use this leverage to team up with me for something.’

But there was nothing.

Lin Shu’s face was a complete blank.

’He still had that same damned, lazy, and carefree look!’

’In front of me, the enraged cultivators of the Great Shun Dynasty; behind me, this kid has me by the tail.’

’This man is clearly trying to drive me to my death!’

"I’ll take ten Child Stones for now. I’ll think about the rest later."

Lin Shu acted as if he couldn’t see the turmoil on the old man’s face.

’It felt great getting paid for that life-or-death work, didn’t it?’

’And now you want to make peace?’

’I’d better go ask Tian Jingyuan what to do.’

"Fine."

Steward Luo handed back the Life Plate. "I’ve already reported the matter. The Cyan Simurgh Jade Token will be sent to you along with the Inheritance Spiritual Light."

He turned, a bit stiffly, and walked out of the inn.

He didn’t notice, however, that a wisp of a split soul had silently attached itself to his back.

"..."

Hearing the words "Cyan Simurgh Jade Token," Chen Xiangzhu’s expression suddenly changed.

It was only then that she realized.

Including the twelve hundred from before, Lin Shu had amassed five thousand merit points in such a short time.

He was about to become an official disciple, able to represent the Yu Family in the world.

Once that happened, it would be as if he had a Protective Talisman.

Making a move against him would involve far more trouble.

At this thought, she furrowed her brow and left the inn without a word.

Just as she left the street, she saw the hunchbacked old man waiting silently ahead.

"Is there something you need?" Chen Xiangzhu stopped, puzzled.

"He wants to redeem another ten Child Stones," Steward Luo said softly.

"I’m not deaf. I heard."

Chen Xiangzhu sneered, "You may be a Steward, but in the end, you’re just another disciple. Are you trying to copy Yu Qing and mock me, an Immortal Descendant?"

"I wouldn’t dare."

The hunchbacked old man shook his head, his murky eyes suddenly clearing. "I’m deliberately holding back the Cyan Simurgh Jade Token. In three days, he has to guard the pass again. That’s equivalent to having ten days’ time."

"That matter Miss Chen wanted to discuss with the Little Mountain God earlier..."

"Could you tell this old man about it as well?"

As his voice fell, Steward Luo’s face was already covered in a frosty chill.

’He had already given the man a chance.’

’Since that Lin was being so aggressive and trying to get him killed...’

’...then they would see.’

’Just who was stronger: the talent of this new disciple, or the foundation I, Luo, have built over so many years rooted in Shihu!’

’So what if it was eight Mid-stage Jade Liquid Cultivators?’

’If he really went all out, he could kill that many himself.’

’Besides, this beast was a newcomer who didn’t know restraint. He had offended far too many people.’

’Fame spread far and wide?’

’What a joke!’

"You want to hear about it?"

Chen Xiangzhu was stunned for a moment. She suddenly recalled Lu Yun’s report when he returned: he said he had crushed the Child Stone because he’d heard the Enemy Cultivator mention Steward Luo, and it was clear they had come prepared.

He felt they were an unbeatable opponent, which was why he had taken that last resort.

"Tsk."

She then recalled how Lin Shu had been given the rare assignment of guarding the pass alone, and had happened to run into four Enemy Cultivators.

’So that’s how it was.’

Chen Xiangzhu wasn’t actually too angry.

The lives of these new disciples were cheap and not worth much anyway, and besides, the one being sold out was Lin Shu.

’Looks like this old man really is desperate, to hand over leverage against himself to me like this.’

’After this is all over...’

’...she was quite interested in that "channel" Steward Luo controlled. Yongzhou Pass belonged to the Yu Family, not her Chen Family, after all.’

"Alright, let’s talk."

Chen Xiangzhu’s expression remained neutral as she started walking again, leading the hunchbacked old man toward a deserted area.

After just two steps, she suddenly felt a chill on the back of her neck.

"Hm?"

She glanced to the side.

A troop of eight traveling merchants, a mix of old and young, was wearily making its way toward the inn.

’That kid has me so worked up, I’m starting to get paranoid.’

Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Chen Xiangzhu looked away.

Meanwhile, back in the inn,

Lin Shu was also startled for a second, almost thinking his Divine Technique had been discovered.

He kept the split soul attached to Chen and Luo.

He then looked toward the traveling merchants entering the main hall.

"Shopkeeper, we meet again! We’ll just put our goods in the back for now. This mountain road is too rough—never mind the people, even the horses can’t take it anymore. We’ll need to stay a few days."

Monkey chuckled and waved at the counter.

The young girl crisply followed a servant boy to the second floor.

The rest of the group began to take stock of their goods.

Everything seemed perfectly normal.

Only a plainly dressed woman in the crowd, her face still pale and weak, couldn’t help but steal a glance at the Shopkeeper, even as she helped gather their things.

"..."

Lin Shu sometimes wished his eyes weren’t so sharp.

’Catching every subtle anomaly like that...’

He just couldn’t quite figure it out.

This group was so poor and shabby, they even had to drag out the seriously injured County Captain Gu to keep up appearances. And yet they insisted on going up against an Immortal Descendant.

’What on earth were they after?’