“It’s definitely the aura of the Blood Nether! No mistake—this mountain is suppressing a Blood Nether General!”
The Daoist Nun stood at the base of the cliff, gazing upward.
Luo Yin frowned.
“I don’t sense any aura at all.”
“You’re too weak,” the Daoist Nun said.
Luo Yin fell silent.
“There’s a powerful formation inside this cliff suppressing the Blood Nether General. I have no idea who set it up—even I can’t break it.”
Her words caught Luo Yin off guard.
Even she couldn’t break it?
Could it have been laid down by an Immortal Emperor?
Quite possible!
“Is the formation still holding strong?” Luo Yin asked.
The Daoist Nun nodded. “According to what you said, Venerable Xuan Yi used his own life to reinforce the seal. That’s true enough—it should hold for another ten thousand years. No need to worry.”
Luo Yin let out a quiet breath of relief, his mind easing.
The Daoist Nun waved a hand dismissively. “Anyway, forget about him for now! I can’t kill him at the moment either. Our top priority is refining a Shielding Artifact.”
“A Shielding Artifact? What does it shield?”
Luo Yin asked, puzzled.
“You killed one of the Blood Nether, so traces of their dying resentment cling to you. It’ll draw others right to you. To avoid unnecessary trouble, you need to carry a Shielding Artifact.”
Luo Yin frowned. “If they’re going to come after me anyway, why not use me as bait? You can kill them one by one as they show up.”
The Daoist Nun shot him a cold laugh.
“What, you want me to be your bodyguard? Helping you wipe out the Heavenly Demon Sect was already more than enough. Don’t push your luck—don’t I have my own business to handle?”
Luo Yin grinned sheepishly but said nothing.
The Daoist Nun didn’t press the point. She tossed him a sheet of paper while transmitting the refining method directly to him.
The paper listed the materials needed for the artifact.
Luo Yin scanned the names and inwardly gawked. Nearly every one was a top-grade rarity, next to impossible to obtain!
But with the System on his side, it shouldn’t be too much trouble.
At that moment, the Daoist Nun tossed him a jade pendant as well.
“Refine this jade pendant when the time comes. Right now, it can hide you from the Blood Nether, but it’ll wear off in three months. Use that time to either grow strong enough to take on a Blood Nether at full power—or get the Shielding Artifact made.”
Luo Yin caught the jade pendant and slipped it onto his person. He nodded.
“Alright, I’m heading back. If you make it to the Central Province Realm, come find me at the Heavenly Dao Academy. I’ll give you an opportunity.”
With a wave of her hand, the Daoist Nun stepped away without another pause and vanished.
Luo Yin bowed toward the spot where she had disappeared.
…
By the time he returned to his residence, night had fallen.
Ling Qingxue was absent. Ling’er sat in the courtyard, gazing up at the stars.
Spotting him, she hurried over. “Young Master, you’re back.”
Luo Yin gave a slight nod.
A sweet smile bloomed on Ling’er’s face. “I’ve prepared hot water for you, Young Master. Shall we get you bathed?”
Luo Yin nodded. Under her attentive care, he sank into the wooden tub.
Ling’er gently scrubbed his back and kneaded his shoulders. Luo Yin gradually closed his eyes, pondering his next steps.
Before long, the door creaked open, and Liu Qingchan stepped inside.
Ling’er shot to her feet, her pretty face flushing crimson. “Qing… Qingchan Sister.”
Liu Qingchan smiled at her, then turned to Luo Yin. “Senior Brother really knows how to enjoy himself.”
Luo Yin smiled faintly, utterly unabashed. He made no effort to hide his body and remained calmly seated in the tub.
“Barging in without even knocking—you’ve seen everything now. So, how are you going to make it up to me?”
Liu Qingchan shot him a playful glare, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She stood there prettily and said, “How about Qingchan lets Senior Brother have a look too?”
Luo Yin burst out laughing. He waved Ling’er off.
“Ling’er, you can go now.”
Ling’er nodded understandingly and quickly slipped out of the room into the courtyard.
Only then did Luo Yin grow serious. “Alright, what brings you here?”
Liu Qingchan put away her smile and moved behind him, taking over Ling’er’s task.
As she wiped down his back, she said, “Senior Brother, the Holy… my father wants me to enter the Ancestral Land and receive the inheritance.”
“Oh? That’s great news! So why do you look unhappy?”
Luo Yin turned his head to study her pretty face.
Liu Qingchan pursed her lips. “It is good news. My strength will definitely rise after receiving the inheritance, but…”
“But accepting and absorbing the inheritance won’t be quick. Once I enter the Ancestral Land, it could take anywhere from three months to a year and a half to emerge. Not seeing Senior Brother for so long… it makes my heart ache.”
Luo Yin chuckled and reached out to pat her head. “You said it yourself—it’s only a year and a half at most. It’s not like we’ll never see each other again. What’s there to be sad about?”
Liu Qingchan wrinkled her nose and huffed cutely. “Hmph! If Senior Brother’s no good at comforting people, then don’t bother! Geez!”
Luo Yin chuckled helplessly.
Liu Qingchan gazed at him earnestly. “Senior Brother, you’re not the type to be confined to this world. A mere Northern Spirit Realm—or even the Central Province Realm—won’t be enough to hold you. Qingchan senses you’ll be roaming the nine heavens someday. I want to keep pace with you. But I’m afraid that while I’m in the Ancestral Land, you’ll advance too quickly, surround yourself with too many women, and forget all about me.”
Luo Yin paused in mild surprise.
Truth be told, since arriving in this world, he hadn’t aspired to roam the nine heavens or anything grand like that.
He hadn’t obsessed over becoming overwhelmingly powerful either—just strong enough to protect himself and live a long life would suffice.
But at that moment, he realized the truth: it wasn’t about whether he wanted to grow stronger. It was whether others would force him to.
Like now—if he didn’t strive to grow stronger, the Blood Nether would hunt him down, and he’d die.
So if he wanted to survive, he really did need to become a powerhouse, someone destined to roam the nine heavens!
Luo Yin let out a soft sigh. Then, with keen interest, he looked at Liu Qingchan.
“So, what do you plan to do about it?”
A blush crept over Liu Qingchan’s face. She bit her lower lip and stared at Luo Yin. “To make sure Senior Brother never forgets me, Qingchan wants to give you my most precious possession! So you’ll always remember!”
Luo Yin smiled faintly and reached out to caress her cheek.
“Very well! Then tonight, let me etch you into my heart!”
With those words, Luo Yin abruptly stood.
He stood tall and straight before Liu Qingchan.
Her eyes widened, brimming with curiosity.
Luo Yin grinned, scooped her up in his arms, and carried her toward the bed…
In the courtyard, Ling’er lay sprawled over the stone table, ears attuned to the sounds drifting from the room.
Her heart pounded wildly, a blush rising to her cheeks.
At the same time, a question bubbled up in her mind.
Why didn’t Young Master let me serve him?
Oh!
Right!
I’m still too young!
