Starting Cultivation During a Trip

It really does fit the old saying: big plate, tiny portion, stick a blade of grass in the empty spot. Dab on some sauce, sprinkle on the scraps, and sell it to some poor sucker for 8,800.

Only the old grandpas in Shanghai could afford something like this.

”Forget it, I’m not hungry.” Zhang Fan shook his head.

Even though he had a bit of money now, he wasn’t about to blow it this way.

”I’ll treat.” Lin Jianyue spoke up.

”Waiter, can I get three of these?”

Lin Jianyue paused slightly, knife and fork in hand, her bright eyes lifting to look at Zhang Fan: ”Alright, spill it. What’s up? Why ask me out?”

”Mr. Nian escaped his tribulation?” Zhang Fan cut to the chase.

Last night, he’d had a bad feeling. If this was true, it was probably the biggest thing happening in Yujing City—or even the whole Daoist Sect right now.

”That’s right. There’s no hiding this, and there’s no need to,” Lin Jianyue didn’t deny it.

As the Rabbit, she’d come to Yujing City partly on Zhao Jie Xuan’s behalf, and partly because of this Vice Sect Leader of the Wuwei Sect.

After Mr. Nian escaped the tribulation and left Deserted Mountain, the Wuwei Sect’s forces hidden in Yujing City immediately arranged for his departure.

”Yujing is already the target of all eyes. Shangjing sent people, even Zhenwu Mountain has their experts coming on the morning flight—they should already be at the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance by now…”

Lin Jianyue spoke in a soft, serious voice: ”But it won’t do them any good. I’ll be real with you—last night, the Vice Sect Leader left Yujing City in a hurry. Even I don’t know where he is now.”

Mr. Nian had been trapped in Jue Miaoguan for over ten years, nearly drained dry by Chu Chaoran’s persistent thoughts. Even after escaping calamity, he was almost dead. He’s probably holed up somewhere, slowly recovering.

At this point, even if more experts show up, it wouldn’t matter.

And once Mr. Nian is fully recovered, it won’t matter how many people come either.

”A badass always finds a way. Can’t believe he pulled off such an escape.” Zhang Fan’s expression darkened slightly.

Because of the bet with Chu Chaoran, Mr. Nian staying in Yujing City was actually safer.

But now that he’d left, Yujing City had suddenly become unsafe.

Plus, with him gone, all sorts of people were pouring in, everything was very mix, and who knew how many eyes were watching.

”The timing’s perfect, isn’t it? Last night’s black market commotion drew most of the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance’s attention!” Lin Jianyue looked at Zhang Fan with a meaningful smile.

”The black market…” Zhang Fan seemed to suddenly get it.

”No wonder he chose to escape his tribulation now—the timing was spot on.”

Last night, Yin Hu made such a ruckus that ninety-nine percent of Yujing City’s watchers were focused here. Even the people monitoring Deserted Mountain got pulled away—the defenses got weak.

No exaggeration, that kind of chance only comes once in a thousand years.

At this, Zhang Fan’s expression grew tense; he even suspected Lord Hongshan had exposed himself on purpose just to draw fire—though he never expected to lose himself.

”Yin Hu’s in your hands, isn’t he?” Lin Jianyue asked directly.

”You sure get your news fast.”

”Yin Hu’s not like me. He’s one of the old-timers in the Thirteen Zodiacs… I can’t believe he lost. And so completely, too…” Lin Jianyue’s tone hinted at something.

Among the ranks, Rabbit, Xu Dog, Hai Pig, and the rest, they’re the newbies added after Dragon Tiger Red Moon ten years ago.

Yin Hu’s different. He’d joined the Thirteen Zodiacs way before Lin Jianyue, and he even survived the Dragon Tiger Red Moon ten years back.

For someone like Yin Hu to lose—not just lose, but get captured alive and handed over to the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance…

That really took Lin Jianyue by surprise.

”Did you participate? I know you were at the black market last night, in that abandoned building…” Lin Jianyue didn’t bother to hide it.

”Did Zhao Jie Xuan send you to Yujing to help me, or are you just here to keep tabs on me?” Zhang Fan’s voice was heavy.

”I had my own sources at the black market—just a coincidence…” Lin Jianyue chuckled knowingly.

”Someone saw you there last night, with Fang Changle of Maoshan… Tsk, that Maoshan inheritor isn’t ordinary either…”

As she spoke, Lin Jianyue’s knife and fork gently tore into her steak, slicing the bloody meat apart.

”I want to know—did Yin Hu lose to him, or to you, or was it you two together…?”

”Why don’t you wait for the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance’s official statement?” Zhang Fan replied flatly.

Lin Jianyue smiled at that, set down her cutlery, leaned forward and lowered her voice: ”Honestly, this isn’t necessarily a good thing for you.”

”How do you mean?”

”Right now, Zhang Fan, you’re not exactly a big name in the Daoist Sect. But once word gets out you took down Yin Hu, that’ll change everything…”

For you, keeping a low profile’s probably wiser, don’t you think?” Lin Jianyue grinned softly.

”Besides, with Yin Hu in Daoist Alliance custody, no one knows how much he’ll spill. If it drags your family in…”

She suddenly stopped. Zhang Fan’s heart thudded hard.

This was exactly what he dreaded most. If Yin Hu really ratted them out, he’d rather have never gotten involved—even if it meant not mastering the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Shield.

”Will he talk?”

”Hard to say!” Lin Jianyue shook her head. ”Don’t underestimate the Wuwei Sect’s methods—our Primordial Spirits have a protection mechanism…”

”The Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance might not be able to do much with Yin Hu, but…”

”But what?”

”They’re definitely sending him to Shangjing City—that’s where the Daoist Alliance Headquarters is, also the White Crane Temple’s turf…” Lin Jianyue’s voice grew lower.

”You should know, after all these years of dealing with Non-action, aside from the old days at Dragon Tiger Mountain, no one knows the Wuwei Sect like the White Crane Temple—they might be able to pry open Yin Hu’s mouth.”