Cultivation begins with earning spirit stones

Chapter 68 Poisonous Scheme

Lin Yizhi's gaze swept over Yu Youwei, a smile playing on his lips. He said, "Fellow Daoist Zhang is quite chivalrous, bringing a beauty along on the journey. It's not lonely."

These words were spoken lightly, with a hint of mockery.

Yu Youwei's expression remained unchanged, but a hint of displeasure flashed in her eyes.

Zhang Lin glanced at Lin Yizhi and said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Lin is joking. Miss Yu is a fellow Daoist, not a subordinate."

"She came with me to join the Danxia Sect for cultivation, nothing else."

Lin Yi was taken aback, then burst into laughter: "Fellow Daoist Zhang is right, I misspoke."

He bowed with his hands clasped in apology.

Yu Youwei glanced at Zhang Lin, her gaze filled with complex emotions.

She hadn't expected Zhang Lin to speak up for her like that.

"Comrades-in-arms, not vassals."

She kept those words in mind.

The four people sat down, and the tea server served them tea and snacks.

Chen Boyuan was a talkative person, and he started talking as soon as he sat down.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, where have you been these past two months? I've been in Qingxuan City for over a month and haven't seen you return."

"I went home to take care of some mundane matters," Zhang Lin said, "and also spent some time cultivating."

"Cultivation?" Chen Boyuan looked him up and down. "I see that your aura is much stronger than it was two months ago. You must be close to completing the Qi Refining stage."

Zhang Lin's heart stirred slightly; this old man had a sharp eye.

He usually concealed his aura, and Chen Boyuan could tell at a glance that either his senses were extremely sharp or his cultivation was far beyond the late stage of Qi Refining.

"Fellow Daoist has good eyesight." Zhang Lin neither denied nor admitted it, but simply responded with a casual remark.

Chen Boyuan laughed heartily and didn't press the matter further.

Lin Yizhi picked up his teacup, sipped slowly, and looked Zhang Lin up and down.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, there's something I'm hesitant to ask, but I've heard that you've offended the Zhou family quite badly this time?"

Zhang Lin glanced at him, wondering if he was here to act as an intermediary for the Zhou family or if he had other motives.

Lin Yizhi put down his teacup and smiled, "Fellow Daoist, please don't misunderstand. I've only heard some rumors. The Zhou family has been operating in Qingxuan City for generations, and their influence is quite extensive."

"They also have disciples in the Danxia Sect. Fellow Daoist, you have offended them. You should be careful in your future actions."

"Thank you for the reminder, Fellow Daoist Lin." Zhang Lin's expression remained unchanged. "I understand."

Lin Yizhi nodded and said nothing more.

Chen Boyuan snorted and said, "The Zhou family? They're just local bullies. Fellow Daoist Zhang is an outer disciple of the Danxia Sect. If the Zhou family dares to touch him, they're slapping the Danxia Sect in the face. They won't be able to explain themselves to the branch sect leader."

Lin Yizhi smiled but did not reply.

Zhang Lin picked up his teacup, sipped slowly, and looked out the window at the alley across the street.

At the alley entrance, a man in gray flashed and disappeared.

He saw it.

He recognized the gray-clad man's aura; he was from the Zhou family.

From the moment they entered the teahouse, someone was secretly watching them.

Zhang Lin withdrew his gaze, his expression remaining unchanged.

Qingxuan City, Zhou Family.

The atmosphere in the council chamber was heavy.

Zhou Mingyuan stood in the hall, his face ashen, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white.

"I messed up."

His voice was low and tinged with disbelief.

"A cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining, with awakened spiritual consciousness and a spiritual weapon at his disposal, couldn't even kill a rogue cultivator at the late stage of Qi Refining?"

Zhou Huai-ren sat in the main seat, his face gloomy, and he did not say a word.

Zhou Jingtang sat on the right, his brows furrowed.

Zhou Mingxuan sat second from the left, holding a cup of tea in her hands, her expression calm, as if all of this was within her expectations.

"Mingyuan, sit down," Zhou Huai-ren finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "What kind of behavior is this, standing like that?"

Zhou Mingyuan took a deep breath and sat back in his chair, but he was still restless.

"Uncle, I went to great lengths to invite that man, and the Blood Fiend Banner is a treasure of the clan. Now the man is dead, and the banner is lost. The Zhou family has suffered a heavy loss!"

"I know," Zhou Huai-ren said coldly, "but will throwing a tantrum solve anything?"

Zhou Mingyuan opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

Zhou Mingxuan put down her teacup and said calmly, "Brother, I told you long ago that Zhang Lin is not that simple, but you wouldn't believe me and insisted on sending people to intercept and kill him. Now that you've failed, it's to be expected."

Zhou Mingyuan looked at his sister, a flash of anger in his eyes: "You—!"

"Am I wrong?" Zhou Mingxuan looked at him calmly. "At the alchemy conference, he used his late-stage Qi Refining cultivation to refine twelve first-grade high-quality Qi Nourishing Pills. Even inner disciples of the Danxia Sect might not be able to do that."

"He must have a secret to be able to cultivate from the early stage of Qi Refining to the late stage within a few months."

"He has a top-grade magic weapon alchemy furnace, a high-grade magic weapon flying sword, and he even sold a top-grade magic weapon armor at Tianbao Pavilion. His wealth is beyond what even you and I can match."

"Could someone like that be an ordinary rogue cultivator?"

Zhou Mingxuan spoke clearly and logically, leaving Zhou Mingyuan speechless after her questioning.

Zhou Mingyuan's face flushed red, but he couldn't refute it.

Zhou Huai-ren sighed and said, "Ming-xuan is right, this person is indeed not simple."

He paused, then said, "Now that he is an outer disciple of the Danxia Sect, he will be heading to the upper sect of Yunmeng Continent tomorrow. Although we have some influence in Qingxuan City, we are nothing but ants in front of the Danxia Sect."

"Does Uncle mean... we should just let it go like this?" Zhou Mingyuan was unwilling to accept it.

"Let it go?" Zhou Huai-ren sneered. "They killed members of my Zhou family and seized our spiritual artifacts. You think you can just let it go like that? Where will that leave the Zhou family's reputation?"

He looked at Zhou Mingyuan with eyes as sharp as knives.

"But we can't make a move in Qingxuan City. Although the branch master doesn't concern himself with worldly affairs, he's not blind. The people who are supposed to pick you up will be here tomorrow. If we try to ambush the outer disciples of Danxia Sect at this critical juncture, we'll be in deep trouble."

Zhou Mingyuan gritted his teeth: "Then what do we do?"

Zhou Huai Ren looked at Zhou Ming Xuan.

Zhou Mingxuan pondered for a moment and said, "If we can't make a move in Qingxuan City, then we'll make a move in Yunmeng Continent."

"Yunmeng Continent?" Zhou Mingyuan was taken aback. "The upper sect of Danxia Sect is located in Yunmeng Continent, which is Danxia Sect territory. Why would we make a move there?"

Zhou Mingxuan's lips curled into a cold smile.

"Isn't Cousin Mingxuan in the inner sect of Danxia Sect?"

Zhou Mingyuan was taken aback, but then he understood what she meant.

Zhou Mingxuan, the eldest son of the Zhou family, is the elder brother of Zhou Mingyuan and Zhou Mingxuan.

This person is exceptionally talented. He was sent to the Danxia Sect at the age of fifteen and is now an inner disciple with the cultivation level of the early Foundation Establishment stage. He has quite a few connections within the Danxia Sect.

"You mean... let Mingxuan deal with him?" Zhou Mingyuan frowned. "Mingxuan is an inner disciple, while Zhang Lin is just an outer disciple. Their statuses are vastly different."

"If Mingxuan openly deals with him, it might attract the attention of the sect."

"Who said we were going to confront them openly?" Zhou Mingxuan said calmly. "Cousin Mingxuan has been in the Danxia Sect for many years and has extensive connections."

"Zhang Lin is a newcomer to the outer sect, with no roots or foundation in the sect. There are plenty of ways to make it difficult for him to move an inch."

She picked up the teacup and gently blew away the foam.

"For example, being assigned to a remote cave with no spiritual veins and thin spiritual energy."

"For example, when allocating medicinal herbs, the worst quality and the youngest age are given to the most."

"For example, sect missions are the hardest and most tiring, but the rewards are the lowest."

"For example, dying unexpectedly while going out for training."

She put down her teacup and looked at Zhou Mingyuan.

"These things all require someone to handle them. My cousin Mingxuan has been in the Danxia Sect for many years, so it's not difficult for him to do these things."

Zhou Mingyuan remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.