CHAPTER 125: 125 GOOD BOY LIN BAI

Talk about what? Romance? This foolish woman doesn’t even know to side with me. She’s not nearly as adorable as Xu Longyun!

Lin Bai looked down and shouted with all his Inner Strength, "Junior Sister Jiang, don’t worry. We have a life-and-death friendship; it’s only right for the Beggar Gang to look after Hundred Flower Valley..."

[Resentment from Jiang Yuru; +1+1+1]

[Resentment from Daoist Qingling; +1+1+1]

[Resentment from Tong Cha, Zhao Yi, Cao Ruan; +1+1+1]

[Resentment from Guo Yang, Liu Guoshi, Liu Long...; +1+1+1]

Disturbing people’s quiet dreams so early in the morning.

After unleashing a torrent of negative emotions, Lin Bai felt exceptionally refreshed. This was the advantage of having the System; there were gains in everything he did.

Having caused trouble for Jiang Yuru and increased the sense of urgency for the other Sects, Lin Bai landed leisurely in the courtyard of Hundred Flower Valley.

The Cultivation World was too foreign to him. He urgently needed to integrate, and Jiang Qingqin’s Hundred Flower Valley seemed like a good entry point.

Three or four female cultivators, dressed in the same style of green robes as Jiang Qingqin, were in their respective rooms, meditating and cultivating.

Seeing Lin Bai land in the courtyard, they all cast curious glances his way. They seemed surprised that someone would actually be so ill-mannered as to drop from the sky directly into the territory of their Hundred Flower Valley.

However, Shopkeeper Lin truly has an excellent temperament, and his gaze is clear and bright when he looks at us, not at all like those lecherous Disciples from the neighboring Sects. Perhaps this rudeness can be forgiven...

Lin Bai was completely oblivious to any impropriety in his actions. He smiled, offering a fist-and-palm salute, "Greetings, Junior Sisters."

The female cultivators blushed and hurriedly returned the greeting from behind their windows, "Greetings, Senior Brother Lin."

Jiang Qingqin leaped down from the rooftop, chiding, "Why did you just drop down from the sky?"

"Didn’t you tell me to come down?" Lin Bai replied.

"I told you to come down, but couldn’t you have used the main gate? Hundred Flower Valley is entirely female cultivators; an entrance like yours has a bad influence! Besides," Jiang Qingqin said, "when did I ever say Master invited you to discuss matters concerning the Heavenly Descent people?"

"Junior Sister Jiang, even if you hadn’t said anything, I would still look after Hundred Flower Valley." Lin Bai smiled. "Last night, when the five major Sects came to the Beggar Gang to demand an explanation, it was thanks to you, Junior Sister, for taking the lead in defusing the situation. Although I didn’t say anything at the time, I was well aware that you were on my side. I misunderstood you."

"It’s good that you understand." Jiang Qingqin shot him a look, pouting aggrievedly. "And yet yesterday, you said such things about me..."

[Pleasure from Jiang Qingqin; +1+1+1]

"It was my fault. I shouldn’t have doubted your character, Junior Sister." Lin Bai smiled and offered a fist-and-palm salute. "The Spoken Law Follows Cultivation Technique was not entrusted to the wrong person. You will definitely master it, Junior Sister..."

COUGH!

A soft cough interrupted them.

Jiang Qingqin and the other Hundred Flower Valley Disciples quickly turned towards the source of the sound and bowed. "Master."

Lin Bai turned his gaze to Jiang Yuru. Dressed in simple robes, her skin was like polished jade, and her features were exquisitely flawless. She looked like a young woman barely in her twenties. However, the imposing aura in her eyes and the faint lines on her neck betrayed her true age. She must be at least in her fifties or sixties! Considering the typically long lifespans in the Cultivation World, it’s even possible she’s a centenarian.

"Lin Bai of the Righteous Door greets Senior Sister Jiang." Standing behind Jiang Qingqin, Lin Bai quickly followed suit and bowed to her.

"You call my disciple ’Junior Sister’ yet you call me ’Senior Sister’? That certainly muddles the generations!" Jiang Yuru stated.

"This junior, Lin Bai, greets Aunt Jiang." Lin Bai’s face flushed as he hastily corrected himself. "It’s just that Aunt Jiang looks so youthful, I became flustered and forgot my manners. Please forgive me, Aunt."

"Such a smooth tongue." Jiang Yuru glanced at Lin Bai, her expression stern as she chided him.

[Pleasure from Jiang Yuru; +1+1]

[Jealousy from Jiang Qingqin; +1+1]

Of course. How could someone from a Sect focused on physical Shaping and beauty not care about their appearance? Accurately gauging Jiang Yuru’s mood, Lin Bai bowed again, "Aunt’s lesson is well received."

"Come inside to talk." Jiang Yuru nodded and turned back towards the house. "Qingqin, you come in as well."

"Don’t speak recklessly. My Master is very stern!" Jiang Qingqin warned in a hushed voice. "You’ve just arrived; you need to find some allies, not offend everyone."

"I won’t," Lin Bai replied softly. "Besides, I wasn’t talking nonsense. Your Master truly does look quite young, even younger than you..."

[Pleasure from Jiang Yuru; +1+1]

[Resentment from Jiang Qingqin; +1+1]

「 」

As Lin Bai entered the room, Jiang Yuru’s gaze swept over the Little White Fox nestled in his arms. She gestured for him to sit. "Nephew Lin, I agreed to your proposal yesterday about having the Heavenly Descent people recommend Disciples for the various Sects. If all goes well, the City Lord’s Manor will contact you today to discuss this matter..."

"Thank you, Aunt Jiang." Lin Bai said with a fist-and-palm salute. "When my Master sent me down the mountain for training, he didn’t tell me specifically what to do, but he did say, ’More friends mean more paths. Exchange sincerity for sincerity, and your road will only grow broader.’ My acquaintance with Junior Sister Jiang began with a misunderstanding, but even then, I felt a connection to Hundred Flower Valley. Meeting you today, Aunt Jiang, I now understand the wellspring of Junior Sister Jiang’s chivalrous nature..."

[Pleasure from Jiang Yuru; +1+1]

[Pleasure from Jiang Qingqin; +1+1]

Lin Bai chuckled and continued, "Aunt Jiang, rest assured, if the Beggar Gang can manage the recruitment event for the major Sects, we will certainly channel abundant talent to Hundred Flower Valley. Whatever type of Heavenly Descent people you require, Aunt—be they male or female, with particular skills in Alchemy or Artifact Refining—you need only instruct me. When it comes to understanding the Heavenly Descent people, no one knows them better than I do."

Jiang Yuru regarded Lin Bai with curiosity. The Lin Bai described by the group last night seemed like a completely different person from the young man before her now. How could such an outstanding and sensible young man be so disliked by so many? Was it merely because he didn’t act according to the wishes of the Supervisory Immortal Office? If he did everything their way, they’d probably devour him, bones and all! Courageous and resourceful, with a clear sense of when to advance and when to retreat! He’s a fine young man.

Jiang Yuru waved her hand. "There’s no need for special treatment. Just conduct matters officially."

"Aunt, one must distinguish between those close and those distant," Lin Bai chuckled. "If one doesn’t even look after their own, they’ll end up with no friends. Besides, the Heavenly Descent people are naturally unpredictable. Some enter this world not for cultivation, but merely to indulge in pleasure. If individuals with unreliable temperaments were sent to Hundred Flower Valley and caused trouble, it would reflect poorly on my thoroughness. After all, Junior Sister Jiang and I share a bond forged through life and death."

[Pleasure from Jiang Yuru, Jiang Qingqin; +1+1]

Such an understanding child. The more Jiang Yuru looked at Lin Bai, the more pleased she became. "Speaking of which," she said, "I must also thank you, Nephew Lin, for rescuing my young disciple from the clutches of the Blood Shadow Sect."

"It was thanks to Junior Sister Jiang for holding back the Blood Shadow Sect members. Otherwise, my Beggar Gang would inevitably have suffered some losses. I should be the one thanking Junior Sister Jiang." Lin Bai continued to cultivate positive Emotion Value, playing the part of an obedient child.

Jiang Qingqin, standing to the side, nearly rolled her eyes at him. Good heavens, the moment he saw her Master, he completely hid his true personality! Yet, for some reason, seeing Lin Bai so reserved in her Master’s presence made her genuinely happy deep down.

"Let’s set aside the matter of who saved whom for now." Jiang Yuru looked at Lin Bai with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "But you used Spoken Law Follows to deceive my foolish disciple. It wouldn’t be right if you didn’t provide an explanation for that, would it?"

"..." Lin Bai paused, taken aback, and looked towards Jiang Qingqin.

Jiang Qingqin blushed and said in a low voice, "I told Master about the Spoken Law Follows."

"If you told her, then you told her." Lin Bai gave a wry smile. "I never intended to keep the Spoken Law Follows a secret anyway."

He looked at Jiang Yuru and said earnestly, "Aunt Jiang, please don’t think the cultivation method for Spoken Law Follows is absurd. It is, in fact, the most treasured secret manual of the Righteous Door. I did not deceive Junior Sister Jiang."

Jiang Yuru snorted. "Lin Bai, deceiving my disciple is one thing. Do you take me for a three-year-old child to be fooled so easily as well?"

"Aunt, please hear me out." Lin Bai glanced at Jiang Qingqin. "I did indeed deceive Junior Sister Jiang about something, but it wasn’t about the manual itself, rather the matters behind it..."

"..." Jiang Qingqin’s eyes widened. "There’s something else?"

"That’s right." Lin Bai nodded, turning his gaze back to Jiang Yuru. "Aunt Jiang, I presume Junior Sister Jiang has also told you about the Righteous Door’s practice of divining heavenly secrets."

Jiang Yuru nodded.

"This is the root of the matter." Lin Bai sighed softly. "The Heavenly Descent people possess naturally unobstructed meridians, are immortal, and their numbers are unknown. My Master told me that their arrival in this world will inevitably cause an unprecedented catastrophe, one that is impossible to prevent at its source. Initially, while their abilities are still nascent, they can be somewhat controlled. But once their skills mature, they will inevitably encroach upon our living space. After all, no one is content to remain subordinate. That time will spell doom for all native Sects..."

Jiang Yuru’s expression finally turned grave, and she couldn’t help but sigh. "You’re right. Everyone knows the Heavenly Descent people are a latent threat, yet no one dares to completely exterminate them. The Sects of this world are not united; there are always those who wish to use the Heavenly Descent people to cause trouble..."

Exactly! I’m one of those who wants to use them to stir things up! Lin Bai thought to himself, then said aloud, "Actually, if the leaders of the Seven Major Orthodox Sects and the Evil Sects were to unite, they could expel the Heavenly Descent people. However, they cannot do so."

"Why?" Jiang Qingqin asked.

"Because there is another Continent on the other side, where Heavenly Descent people are also arriving." Lin Bai glanced at the two of them, dropping a bombshell.

"What?" The master and disciple exclaimed in unison.

Jiang Yuru could no longer maintain her composure. Her voice trembled as she asked, "How do you know this?"

"My Master told me, naturally," Lin Bai said. "Only Heavenly Descent people can deal with other Heavenly Descent people. The Seven Major Orthodox Sects are indeed confident they could expel the Heavenly Descent people from our lands at the outset. But what if the Heavenly Descent people from the opposing Continent invade? The situation would become unmanageable then, and the outcome would likely be even more tragic than it is now..."

"How can this be?" Jiang Yuru was profoundly shaken, murmuring to herself.

Jiang Qingqin, learning this earth-shattering secret for the first time, asked timidly, "But what does this have to do with Spoken Law Follows?"

"My Master told me that with the arrival of the Heavenly Descent people, catastrophe is unavoidable. Our only hope for survival lies in the Spoken Law Follows Cultivation Technique," Lin Bai said gravely. "Therefore, I deliberately leaked the Spoken Law Follows to Junior Sister Jiang. I wanted to use her to disseminate this Cultivation Technique, to let more people know about it..."

"After all, for ten thousand years, no one in the Righteous Door has ever successfully mastered this Cultivation Technique. I, Lin Bai, also have no certainty that I can master Spoken Law Follows. However, I cannot, for my own selfish reasons, ignore the impending world catastrophe. Thus, the more people who practice this Cultivation Technique, the better." Lin Bai looked at Jiang Qingqin with guilt. "I’m sorry, Junior Sister Jiang. I used you."

"It’s alright." Jiang Qingqin looked at Lin Bai and sighed. "Actually, it would have been fine if you had told me the real reason."

"Even if I had told you, you wouldn’t have believed me," Lin Bai said with a forced smile. "After all, the method of cultivating Spoken Law Follows is so outlandish. If I hadn’t genuinely cultivated it to the first three levels, even I wouldn’t believe it myself."

"Can Spoken Law Follows truly counter the Heavenly Descent people?" Jiang Yuru asked.

"Absolutely," Lin Bai stated proudly. "When Spoken Law Follows is cultivated to its peak, one masters the fundamental principles of the Great Path governing heaven and earth. With a single utterance, it’s possible to extinguish myriad other laws. The Heavenly Descent people, in comparison, would naturally be of little concern."

"If the Spoken Law Follows Cultivation Technique spreads, it likely won’t remain hidden from the Heavenly Descent people for long." Jiang Yuru had long forgotten her original reason for summoning Lin Bai, now engrossed in discussing the cultivation of Spoken Law Follows with him.

"I never intended to hide it from them," Lin Bai said. "This kind of Cultivation Technique, which relies on luck and offers no discernible benefits in its intermediate stages, is not something any Heavenly Descent person would persevere with. I explained Spoken Law Follows so thoroughly to Junior Sister Jiang, and I had already begun cultivating it myself before she even went to Jiamucheng. Even so, none of you believed me, let alone them..."

"I didn’t disbelieve you," Jiang Qingqin mumbled.

"I understand now." Jiang Yuru looked at her foolish disciple and sighed with a hint of melancholy. "Nephew Lin, it was I who misjudged you."

"It’s good that the misunderstanding is resolved." Lin Bai smiled. "Aunt Jiang, Junior Sister Jiang must have told you about the cultivation method for Spoken Law Follows. Why not disseminate it, allowing everyone to cultivate it as fate dictates? Whoever succeeds will be a blessing to the entire world."

"Since Spoken Law Follows is such a panacea for saving the world, why doesn’t your esteemed Sect approach the Seven Major Orthodox Sects directly...?" Jiang Yuru frowned as she asked.

"My Master doesn’t trust them," Lin Bai bluntly interrupted Jiang Yuru. "As for why he doesn’t trust them, Master never explicitly told me..."

Jiang Yuru was stunned for a long moment, then suddenly gave a wry laugh. "The Righteous Door truly has profound and well-meaning intentions!"

Profound and well-meaning intentions? You’ve completely confused me! Lin Bai asked, "Aunt Jiang, what do you mean by that?"

Jiang Yuru smiled but didn’t elaborate. "Nephew Lin, no need to ask further. Just act according to your own judgment. Should you encounter any difficulties, Hundred Flower Valley will be your support."

"Thank you, Aunt Jiang." Lin Bai stood up, bowed to Jiang Yuru, and offered a bashful smile. "To tell you the truth, before I descended the mountain, my Master told me something very similar. Hearing the same words from your lips, Aunt Jiang, truly makes me feel a great sense of warmth!"

He paused for a moment, then asked, "Oh, by the way, Aunt Jiang, we seem to have strayed from the original topic. I still don’t know why you summoned me."

"Those matters are no longer important." Jiang Yuru glanced at him with a smile and asked, "Nephew Lin, you and Qingqin seem to get along well. I heard you even spent an entire night whispering sweet nothings to her. Might you be interested in becoming a son-in-law of Hundred Flower Valley?"

"Master!" Jiang Qingqin’s face flushed immediately.

"Not for now, perhaps." Lin Bai glanced at Jiang Qingqin. "I’m currently overwhelmed with matters concerning the Heavenly Descent people and have no mind for romance. Let’s reconsider such things once these issues are resolved. Furthermore, my dealings with the Heavenly Descent people will inevitably involve some unconventional actions. It wouldn’t be good to bring disaster upon Hundred Flower Valley then."

[Resentment from Jiang Qingqin; +1+1+1]

"You certainly have a smooth way of talking, little fellow. But what disaster could be more severe than the Heavenly Descent people themselves?" Jiang Yuru glanced at the two of them and chuckled. "I’ll leave it to you two. However, since the Beggar Gang is organizing the recruitment fair for the Heavenly Descent people, Qingqin will still need to liaise with you on that."

"That’s no problem at all," Lin Bai agreed decisively.

"If you have nothing else, you may go about your business. The information you brought today is very important; I need to re-evaluate our stance regarding the Heavenly Descent people," Jiang Yuru said.

"Actually, Aunt Jiang, there is one more thing." Lin Bai pressed his advantage.

"What is it?" Jiang Yuru asked.

"Aunt, my Master sent me down the mountain to gain experience but didn’t inform me about the current state of the Cultivation World. As a result, I often find my hands tied when trying to accomplish things, and I frequently offend people without even knowing it," Lin Bai explained. "Therefore, I’d like to ask you, Aunt, to tell me about the current dynamics among the various Sects. It would help me avoid some unnecessary pitfalls."