[Wuxia] Hunting Beauties in the Qin Dynasty (Complete) - Chapter 25

Chapter 153 Bitter Struggle Against the Fox Demon
Update Time: 7-25 8:29:58 Words: 3571

The night was deep. Long Lin, filled with immense hatred, rushed down into the valley. In the valley, a strangely-looking old man dressed in black was practicing his breathing exercises in an open space. Before him stood an ancient cauldron over half a meter tall.
Long Lin leaned against the cliff face, gazing at the scene from afar. His eyesight was exceptional; even in the dim light, he could clearly see a ferocious skull engraved on the cauldron, black energy spewing from its mouth.
The ugly old man was concentrating on absorbing the surging black energy, his entire body gradually enveloped in a layer of black light.
Upon seeing the old man's appearance, Long Lin was secretly startled. He recognized the old man—it was the fox demon who had kidnapped Xue Fei in the Epang Palace.
"Hmph, what a small world! Old grudges haven't been settled, and now a new one has arisen. If I let you escape again, I'll change my name!"
Long Lin thought to himself. Seeing the fox demon focused on her cultivation, he immediately chanted an incantation, releasing Qin Hun from his empty Ruyi Bag. The two of them each took a small path, quietly approaching the fox demon.
This fox demon, injured by Long Lin, had lost her original form, leaving only her demon soul to escape. She had intended to retreat to the deep mountains to cultivate for thousands of years, but unexpectedly, she was reborn and found the legendary Ten Thousand Demon Cauldron.
She immediately used the demonic energy within the cauldron to restore her vitality, reforming her physical form. With the cauldron's assistance, her cultivation progressed daily.
In another forty-nine days, she could use the cauldron's power to break through to the Demon Immortal level. Then, using the cauldron as a magic weapon, she could safely overcome the Heavenly Tribulation and become a true Demon Immortal.
Tonight was the night he would absorb the demonic power of the Myriad Demon Cauldron to enhance his own strength. However, when he opened the Myriad Demon Cauldron, he unexpectedly collided with Long Lin, who was arriving halfway. The demonic energy dispersed the spiritual energy of the Wingless Flying Boat and even turned Xue Niang into nothingness.
Long Lin quietly approached the fox demon from behind, silently reciting the True Intent Scripture, and a crimson true energy silently struck the fox demon. The fox demon was also quite powerful. Just as the crimson true energy reached behind him, he suddenly sensed it, dodged to the side, and the crimson true energy struck the demonic energy.
At this moment, the Myriad Demon Cauldron trembled, and the ferocious skull on the cauldron seemed to come alive. Blood light burst from its eyes, and demonic energy spewed out from its mouth. In an instant, demonic energy filled the valley, the sky darkened, and countless ghosts roared in the gusts of cold wind, their voices sending chills down one's spine.
Not only was Long Lin surprised, but even the fox demon had not expected this. He hadn't fully mastered the Myriad Demon Cauldron yet, but now it suddenly activated on its own, its power surging. He could only let out a strange cry and flee.
"Who!"
But after the fox demon had taken a few steps, the demonic energy within the Myriad Demon Cauldron subsided, and the wailing and howling subsided slightly. Only then did he suddenly realize that there was someone not far behind him.
"Fox demon, it's truly fate that we meet again from a thousand miles away! Today, I'll see where you can run now!"
Long Lin stood with his arms crossed, speaking coldly.
Enemies meeting are bound to be furious. The fox demon, seeing that it was the brat who had ruined his plans in the Snow Consort's Palace, gritted his teeth in hatred and said in a sinister voice, "It's you... Hmph, this time you've come, I'll make sure you never leave this Valley of Absolute Spirits!"
"Then come on, why all the nonsense!"
Long Lin didn't want to waste any more time with him. He silently recited an incantation, and with a slight lift of his hand, a white light flashed, revealing his magic rifle forged from Frostfire Spirit Iron.
With two clicks, the safety disengaged, the bullet was chambered, and the muzzle, flashing a blinding white light, was aimed at the fox demon.
The fox demon snorted coldly, its face slightly solemn. Suddenly, it opened its mouth, and a beam of red light shot out, transforming into a skull-shaped magic wand in front of it. The skull on the top of the wand resembled the skull on the Myriad Demon Cauldron, only much smaller, and the black gas spewing from its mouth was not as intense.
"Bang..."
Long Lin took a step closer, and with a muffled thud, the magic weapon rifle shot out, the bullet flashing white light. Wherever it passed, demonic energy dispersed rapidly like snow exposed to the blazing sun, striking the fox demon's chest.
"Well done!"
the fox demon shouted, and the two blood-red eyes on the skull of its magic wand suddenly emitted a beam of blood-red light. One beam struck the bullet forged from the Frost Heaven Spirit Iron, while the other shot towards Long Lin.
Long Lin moved quickly, and as he fired the first shot, he had already rushed close. At this moment, he hurled the magic weapon rifle high into the air and slammed it down, striking the incoming red light precisely.
Two booming sounds rang out, and spiritual energy scattered.
Long Lin's rifle bullets were deflected by the red light of the magic wand and flew diagonally downwards. Long Lin had also blocked the fox demon's attack with his magic weapon rifle.
Long Lin was secretly shocked, not expecting that the fox demon had recovered so quickly after being seriously injured, and that its magical power seemed to have improved considerably.
The fox demon was even more surprised. When they fought in Xuefei Palace, Long Lin's cultivation was still very shallow, and he didn't have any magic weapons. That defeat was entirely due to his carelessness. In such a short time, his cultivation had increased so much, and he even possessed a remarkable magic weapon that could almost rival his magic weapon, the Demon Staff, which he had refined with the essence of the Ten Thousand Demon Cauldron. Now, the fox demon had to be cautious.
Long Lin had already closed in on the fox demon. With two muffled thuds, he fired two more bullets. His body was as fast as lightning, and his magic weapon rifle flashed with cold light as it aimed to strike the fox demon's vital points.
The fox demon's staff blazed with crimson light, and two demonic heads emerged from the crimson beam, swallowing the two bullets whole.
It turned out that the demonic energy within the Myriad Demon Cauldron was formed from the resentment of countless vengeful ghosts and monsters, making it extremely effective at corrupting magical artifacts, and thus the fox demon's prized possession.
If he had encountered an ordinary cultivator, this artifact would have been enough to break through his protective magic, rendering his magical artifacts unusable. However, he had encountered Long Lin. Long Lin's internal energy was specifically designed to counter the true energy of demons and monsters. Therefore, although Long Lin's rifle bullets were countered, the fox demon couldn't withstand the fierce attack of the rifle bayonet.
"Swoosh..."
The fox demon swiftly dodged to the side, avoiding the fate of being pierced, but a thin, long wound remained on his left arm. His protective demonic energy hadn't blocked the rifle bayonet in the slightest.
"Good lad! Watch my power!"
The fox demon cried out in pain, brandishing his blood-red demon staff. Suddenly, two indistinct, headless, tailless monsters appeared beside him, each howling as they charged at Long Lin from either side. Their two-inch-long, sharp nails, like ten steel blades, aimed to stab Long Lin.
At the same time, the fox demon twisted and swung his demon staff, also attacking Long Lin.
Long Lin was immediately surrounded. Before the two illusory monsters could even get close, Long Lin smelled an extremely disgusting, stench of rotting corpses.
One of the monsters' claws suddenly extended two feet, reaching for Long Lin's magical spear. Long Lin gritted his teeth, and his magical spear shone brightly, severing the claw's wrist with a sharp crack.
"Damn it, I've fallen for their trap!"
Long Lin had just severed the claw when it turned into a puddle of filth, clinging firmly to his rifle bayonet. The magical weapon's original brilliance dimmed considerably.
"Heh heh... kid, your magic weapon has malfunctioned. Prepare to die!"
The fox demon let out a strange cry, its blood-red demon staff already at Long Lin's face.
"*!"
Long Lin cursed, gritting his teeth, and leaped back to dodge the staff. He then channeled his spiritual energy into his magical rifle, finally shaking off the filth, and the rifle regained its brilliance.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Long Lin fired three shots in quick succession, hitting the monster closest to him. The powerful impact pushed the monster back more than ten feet, but strangely, all the bullets disappeared without a trace.
Long Lin frowned inwardly, unsure how to deal with these two monsters that were impervious to blades and could corrupt magical artifacts. He raised his magical rifle in mid-air to deal with the fox demon, while he fought the two monsters with his bare hands, relying on his powerful internal energy.
Fortunately, his internal energy was abundant and his movements were fast, preventing the two monsters from getting close for the time being.
"Boy, just admit defeat!"
The fox demon swung its blood-red demon staff, deflecting Long Lin's magical rifle, and chuckled eerily. At the same time, it chanted a strange demonic incantation. Suddenly, black light blazed from the demonic cauldron, and the four skulls around the cauldron opened their mouths, spewing out four streams of demonic mist, which then condensed into four monsters.
Instantly, ghostly screams echoed around Long Lin, a chilling wind swirled, and sharp claws occasionally emerged from the black mist, catching Long Lin off guard.
Long Lin gritted his teeth, secretly channeling the Twelve Zodiacs Technique. His crimson true energy surged, instantly transforming him into a three-zhang-long, five-clawed golden dragon, its mouth spewing fire and its eyes gleaming with golden light, instantly dispelling the surrounding mist.
"Hmph, these are all demons and ghosts! This young master will see if you fear heavenly thunder!"
The giant dragon Long Lin had transformed into soared into the sky, instantly gathering dark clouds in mid-air. In a flash, thunder roared, and bolts of blue lightning as thick as an arm struck down.
One monster, unable to dodge in time, was struck by a bolt of lightning, its body billowing white smoke as it screamed and vanished without a trace.
The thunder roared, and the sound of lightning striking the ground was incessant. With several more bolts of lightning striking, the monsters formed from yin energy were pulverized.
Only the fox demon seemed unfazed, ignoring the flashing lights and engaging the magical spear in fierce combat, a strange smile on its face.
Long Lin, now in dragon form, could control clouds and rain, drawing upon heavenly lightning to slay demons, but he couldn't control the lightning itself. The lightning, having annihilated the monsters, then struck the Myriad Demon Cauldron.
However, what happened next astonished Long Lin. Several bolts of lightning struck the Myriad Demon Cauldron, but only a sinister laugh echoed from within; the lightning vanished without a trace.
Realizing the Myriad Demon Cauldron was no ordinary object, Long Lin immediately withdrew his clouds and returned to his true form. At that moment, the fox demon charged towards the Myriad Demon Cauldron.
"Fox demon, where do you think you're going!"
Long Lin roared, plummeting from mid-air, crimson true energy enveloping the fox demon's entire body. With a deafening roar, the fox demon let out a strange laugh, disregarding its injuries from the crimson true energy, and desperately charged towards the Myriad Demon Cauldron.
Boom! A golden light burst forth, instantly blasting the fox demon, who was already close to the cauldron and letting out its strange laugh, back more than ten feet. A figure flashed, and beside the cauldron appeared a young man wielding an ancient longsword, his entire body radiating golden light. His appearance was identical to Long Lin's.
"Qin Hun, well done!"
Long Lin laughed loudly. This young man was none other than Long Lin's clone—Qin Hun. Long Lin hadn't rushed to use this trump card; instead, at the last moment, seeing the fox demon's unusual desperate attempt to jump into the Myriad Demon Cauldron, he had Qin Hun intervene, injuring the fox demon in one strike.
Long Lin approached the fox demon, his magic rifle bayonet pressed against the demon's head, and laughed, "Fox demon, what do you have to say now?"
The fox demon, severely wounded, hurriedly begged for mercy, "Immortal Master, spare my life! Immortal Master, spare my life... I'm willing to serve you as your slave for life!" "
Hmph, dream on!" Long Lin gritted his teeth. Although many cultivators would use subdued demons as servants, he had a blood feud with this fox demon for killing his wife; how could he show mercy now?
The cold light of the magic rifle bayonet slowly expanded, about to engulf the fox demon's head. In despair, the fox demon cried out, "Immortal Master, have mercy! I'll tell you the secret of the Myriad Demon Cauldron!"

Chapter 154 Myriad Demon Evil Cauldron
Update Time: 7-26 11:17:51 Words: 3436

"Hmm..."
Long Lin pressed the magic rifle hilt against the fox demon's head with one hand, rubbed his chin with the other, pondered for a moment, and chuckled, "This matter is worth considering. Tell me about it..."
Seeing that Long Lin had relented, the fox demon hurriedly plastered a smile on his old face, as if seeking credit and reward. "This Myriad Demon Cauldron is a magical artifact... Legend has it that only this cauldron could rival the Nine Provinces Cauldron of Emperor Yu. It is said to have been created by immortals in ancient times, capable of storing the souls of ten thousand demons, whose demonic power is unparalleled in the world. Moreover, legend has it that the Myriad Demon Cauldron contains the supreme secret of the demon race. Whoever can decipher the Myriad Demon Cauldron will be able to rule the demon realm and become the supreme ruler."
After the fox demon finished speaking, he looked at Long Lin with a fawning expression, hoping that Long Lin would remove the strange magic weapon that could kill him from his head.
Long Lin pondered for a moment, glanced at Qin Hun beside him, and asked, "Qin Hun, do you think what he said is true?"
Qin Hun coldly replied, "This fox demon is cunning and treacherous; Master, be careful not to be deceived."
Long Lin's eyes turned cold, and the fox demon immediately cried out, "Immortal Master, Immortal Master, I really didn't lie to you!"
"Hmm..."
Long Lin nodded, then suddenly said, "Alright, have you broken the Ten Thousand Demon Cauldron yet?"
The fox demon gave a bitter smile, "I don't have that ability. I only absorbed some demonic power from the Ten Thousand Demon Cauldron to refine this magic weapon and enhance my own cultivation..."
"Good! Not bad..."
Long Lin said, but with a half-smile, "Fox demon, I remember the last time I saw you, you had an ancient immortal treasure, the Golden Pearl of the Elixir of Immortal Realm. Now you've acquired the Myriad Demon Cauldron. It seems your luck is quite good..."
The fox demon hurriedly shook his head and said, "I dare not say good luck, it should be the immortal master who is lucky!" His eyes rolled, and he sighed inwardly. Damn it, last time I finally got the Golden Pearl of the Elixir of the Elixir of Immortal Realm, but you snatched it away. This time I got the Myriad Demon Cauldron, but you snatched it away too. You call that good luck? I've had the worst luck in eight lifetimes.
Just as the fox demon was lamenting his fate, Long Lin spoke up, "How do you know so many magical treasures? This can't be just luck, can it? This Myriad Demon Cauldron was nothing more than a broken copper basin to me just now. I think you understand what I mean?"
"Understood, understood!"
The fox demon nodded hurriedly. The cold tip of the rifle touched his forehead, the chill penetrating his brain and making him shiver. After nodding, he asked with dazed eyes, "What?"
"You're such a stupid fox, you might as well be a pig!" Long Lin cursed harshly, and then lightly kicked him in the groin.
The fox demon immediately curled up, howling in pain, and cried out, "I really don't know..."
"If you can recognize such ancient magical treasures, you must have some kind of secret manual or something. Hurry up and take it out!"
At this moment, Qin Hun said blankly from the side.
The fox demon suddenly realized what was happening. Enduring the excruciating pain of losing his manhood, he cursed the immortal master inwardly for his dishonesty. He pulled out a yellowed jade slip from behind him, holding it with trembling hands, somewhat reluctant to part with it.
Long Lin snatched the jade slip away and casually tossed it to Qin Hun beside him. Qin Hun infused the jade slip with a wisp of spiritual power, instantly understanding its contents. He was originally Long Lin's avatar, their spiritual consciousnesses connected. Many images and words immediately appeared in Long Lin's mental core, all descriptions of ancient spiritual treasures and simple instructions for their use. Moreover, there were many locations where these treasures were buried. No wonder this fox demon could find treasures everywhere; he had such a treasure-hunting record!
Long Lin casually flipped through it and indeed found the origins of the Dan Chen Golden Pearl and the Myriad Demon Cauldron, exactly as the fox demon had described.
"At least you, fox demon, know what's good for you!"
A smile appeared on Long Lin's face as he slightly raised the tip of his magic weapon, the bayonet, and said.
"Immortal Master, can you spare me now?"
the fox demon hurriedly asked.
"Yes, you can go... but don't let me run into you again!"
Long Lin put away his magic weapon, the bayonet, and kicked the fox demon in the groin again. The fox demon howled in pain, but ignored it and scrambled to its feet, running off to the side.
Long Lin smiled slightly and gave Qin Hun a wink.
Qin Hun nodded, slightly raising the Heavenly Emperor Limitless Sword in his hand. After the fox demon had taken two steps forward, he swung the sword, and four sword lights shot out, instantly cutting the fox demon into four pieces. The fox demon's spirit was also pulverized by the sword light of the Heavenly Emperor Limitless Sword.
"You broke your promise..."
The fox demon only managed to shout these words before vanishing into nothingness.
Qin Hun sheathed the Heavenly Emperor Limitless Sword and coldly chuckled, "I never said I would spare you!"
Long Lin laughed heartily, shook his head, and sighed, "Now you'll never run into me again..."
After cleaning up the fox demon's remains and putting Qin Hun into his Ruyi Empty Bag, Long Lin fell silent, gazing at the distant mountain peaks that appeared ghostly in the dark night. A sense of loneliness and bitterness gradually welled up in his heart.
"Xue Niang, brother has avenged you!"
Long Lin murmured. But he suddenly realized that without the Wingless Flying Boat and without Xue Niang, he was utterly alone, feeling an indescribable chill.
The Myriad Demon Cauldron no longer spewed demonic energy, only emitting a faint blue light, appearing so eerie in the night.
Long Lin lost all interest in studying the Myriad Demon Cauldron. He casually tossed it into his Ruyi Empty Bag and, without channeling his true energy, simply climbed the mountain step by step.
Standing atop the mountain, the bleak mountain wind seemed to finally dispel the lingering sorrow in his heart. Long Lin exhaled a long breath, then suddenly raised his arm and roared, "Xue Niang... don't worry, I will definitely cultivate into a spirit immortal and bring you back to life!"
After shouting this, Long Lin finally felt some relief and immediately began walking down a mountain path.
This damned fox demon had completely disrupted Long Lin's plans. Originally, his plan was to first return to the alchemy workshop, refine the Wingless Flying Boat into his own magical artifact, and then infuse it with spiritual power. Then, he would try to infiltrate Zhao Gao's ranks, get close to Qin Shi Huang, and incite Zhao Gao to kill the emperor and usurp the throne, laying the foundation for the ensuing chaos of the Qin Dynasty and creating conditions for his own ultimate calamity.
But now, the Wingless Flying Boat was lost, and Xianyang was still tens of thousands of miles away. Even if he rushed back, he probably wouldn't be able to infiltrate Zhao Gao's ranks.
Therefore, as he traveled through the mountains, he secretly pondered his next move.
As dawn approached, he had already emerged from the mountains. In the distance, he could see a city. With Long Lin's keen eyesight, he could make out two large characters above the city gate: "Xiaxiang."
Seeing these characters, Long Lin couldn't help but chuckle to himself. So he had arrived in Xiang Yu's territory. Xiaxiang was modern-day Suqian City in Jiangsu Province, Xiang Yu's hometown. Long Lin had been there before and even paid his respects to the statue of the Chu Overlord. But now that he was truly in Xiang Yu's hometown, wouldn't it be a waste not to see the living Xiang Yu?
Besides, Chu Yu'er was also here, which stirred up some romantic feelings in Long Lin. Perhaps Chu Yu'er hadn't yet become Xiang Yu's favored concubine!
In truth, he didn't know that Chu Yu'er's fate hadn't been smooth sailing. At this moment, she wasn't in the Chu royal palace, but in Xiang Yu's home.
Xiaxiang was located in the Chu region, a land of plenty, and was extremely prosperous. Xiaxiang City was fortified with high walls and deep moats, its soldiers were well-trained and its provisions plentiful, and all industries within the city flourished. Naturally, the darker establishments controlled by these forces also offered a full range of establishments, including brothels, gambling dens, and drug dens. Among them, the infamous Qinghua Tower was the largest and most popular den of iniquity for men. Along the
Jiangnan waterfront, with its green willows and red lanterns, a seductive fragrance wafted in the warm night air, drawing wealthy officials and playboys to the Qinghua Tower.
The Qinghua Tower was a three-story wooden building, adorned with red and colorful decorations, exuding a unique and ambiguous atmosphere. Along the railings of a row of terraces, dozens of beautiful women, heavily made up, spoke softly, their handkerchiefs swaying in the breeze, their figures as alluring as their slender bodies.
"Young master, it's been so long..."
"My lord, I've missed you so much! Why did you only think of me so late?"
"Oh dear, where are you putting your hand, sir... It's still early, no need to rush!"
The cacophony of sweet, seductive whispers, a cacophony that made one's blood boil and head spin, coupled with the intoxicating fragrance, made the young masters who came to buy pleasure unsteady on their feet, their minds intoxicated.
However, many others remained calm, seemingly oblivious to the common beauties, only crowding around, craning their necks, and looking up at the red lantern high on the three-story building.
On the red lantern was a large Qin seal script character—"Yu."
Yu Ji, a famous courtesan in Xiaxiang City, was Qingfeng Tower's most prized asset in attracting customers. It can be said that most people who come to Qingfeng Tower don't come to patronize prostitutes or buy laughter, but rather to catch a glimpse of Yu Ji's unparalleled beauty—to wonder what this beauty, who costs hundreds of taels of silver for a single glance, is made of. Some are even willing to sell their possessions just to witness Yu Ji's beauty firsthand.
Yu Ji is like a fairy in the dreams of every man in Xiaxiang City, only to be admired from afar, not to be touched. A mere glance from downstairs costs a hundred taels of silver, while entering her boudoir to enjoy a song with ten like-minded men costs thousands of taels of gold, and a private audience costs ten thousand taels.
As for winning her hand and spending a night with her, that's merely a dream for everyone. Not only does it require a staggering sum of ten thousand taels of gold, but there are also stringent conditions: Yu Ji herself must review and approve it.
In any case, since Yu Ji debuted over a year ago, no young master has had the honor of winning the heart of the Flower Demon Lady.
Those men from Chu, whether wealthy or penniless, ugly yet rich, or self-proclaimed ladies of the land, mostly only caught a hazy glimpse of the fairy-like figure from afar. Their desires were stirred, but they lacked the fortune to possess her. They could only find a random woman at the nearby Qingfeng Tower, imagining the woman beneath them was Yu Ji, seduce her, and then leave.
However, Yu Ji's high price also raised the prices of other women at Qingfeng Tower. The tower was overflowing with customers, attracting beauties from several other notorious brothels who used Yu Ji's fame to rake in large sums of money.
Looking at the dim lights in the distance, and her solitary figure nearby, Yu Ji, though warm in her boudoir, felt a chill in her heart. She sighed before the mirror, even reminiscing about her days in the Qin Palace. At least then, there was a sliver of hope to kill the First Emperor, and the strong arm of Prince Longlin. Here? She was merely a canary in a golden cage.
Since the day Long Lin sent her to this land of Jingchu, she had intended to become a maidservant in the Xiang family, but unexpectedly encountered villains on the road. Although she possessed martial arts skills, she was no match for them and was sold to this Qingfeng Tower, losing her freedom. The owner of Qingfeng Tower was also an extremely shrewd man. Seeing that Yu Ji was as beautiful as a celestial being, he created this entourage, making Chu Yu'er the most expensive courtesan, causing his business to soar. In just a few months, it became the number one brothel in Xiaxiang City.

Chapter 155 Courtesan
Update Time: 7-27 16:09:46 Words: 3304

When Long Lin entered Xiaxiang City, it was already dark. Time seemed to stand still in the mountains; he had been walking in the deep mountains for almost a day.
Thinking of his current predicament, Long Lin couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. In the past, he would probably be starving and dizzy by now. But now, supported by his inner strength and true energy, he could go three to five days without food or water without any problem.
In Xiaxiang City, Long Lin naturally had no interest in the mundane affairs of the marketplace. Instead, he wanted to first inquire about the location of the Xiang family, meet Xiang Yu, and if possible, meet Chu Yu'er. Then he would buy a good horse in the market and ride swiftly to Xianyang, since there were still ten beauties in the Qin Palace.
After inquiring along the way, he learned that the Xiang residence was in the west of the city, so Long Lin headed west along a street.
As dusk fell, the street was bustling with activity, and from afar, Long Lin could smell the pungent scent of rouge and perfume. He looked up and saw a string of large red lanterns with three large characters written on them—"Qingfeng Tower."
Long Lin shook his head and smiled, knowing it was a brothel, and didn't pay much attention, heading straight there.
At this moment, a large crowd of men and women was bustling about below Qingfeng Tower, discussing something amongst themselves. Long Lin hadn't paid any attention at first, but upon hearing the name Yu Ji, he paused, stopped, and squeezed into the crowd to see who Yu Ji was.
According to the crowd, Yu Ji was the top courtesan of Qingfeng Tower, a beauty renowned for miles around. Normally, Yu Ji never showed herself in public; anyone wanting to catch a glimpse of her from afar would have to pay over a hundred taels of silver. But today, to attract customers, Qingfeng Tower had specially arranged for Yu Ji to appear openly on the third floor, allowing the crowd below to watch.
So, although it was still early for Yu Ji's appearance, the area below was already buzzing with excitement and overflowing with people. Long Lin, having money in his pocket, naturally didn't want to squeeze in with the crowd, so he went straight into Qingfeng Tower.
"Young master, which girl have you taken a fancy to?"
a pimp immediately approached, asking with a smile.
At this moment, a row of girls stood on the first floor, each dressed in a tight-fitting palace gown. Their large expanses of snow-white skin were dazzling, and the scent of rouge was intoxicating. Their smiling faces were enough to make one swallow hard.
"I'm not looking at anyone else. I've heard that your Yu Ji is a national beauty, and I'd like to see her,"
Han Long said bluntly, naturally not bothering with those common beauties.
"Heh..."
The pimp smiled disdainfully, coughed, and said, "Young master, if you want to see the most beautiful courtesan, you've come to the right place. Just wait outside, and you're sure to see her."
Long Lin sneered, and with a snap, a gold bar was slammed onto the table. "I believe it. Is it really that difficult to see Yu Ji?"
The sound of the gold bar hitting the wooden table wasn't loud, but it instantly elicited a gasp. The girls waiting to be chosen all widened their eyes and gasped in surprise. Originally, their status had risen because of Yu Ji; they were all stunning beauties, and ordinary customers wouldn't even look at them. But they never expected that such an unremarkable person could spend so much money.
The pimp was stunned for a moment, then bowed and smiled, "You're a distinguished guest, I was blind. But Miss Yu Ji is about to receive guests on the third floor, would you please
wait a moment, sir?" Han Long then coldly smiled, "Waiting is certainly possible. Miss Yu Ji is hard to come by even with a thousand pieces of gold, what's a little wait?"
The pimp immediately beamed, took the gold bar, and told the girls to receive the guests. He invited Long Lin to a private room on the second floor, where tea, snacks, and fruits were laid out. Several beautiful women entertained Long Lin with their banter.
Long Lin's mind was filled with thoughts of Chu Yu'er, and he had no interest in playing around with these courtesans. He took out some loose silver, sent the women away, and drank alone in the private room on the second floor.
This elegant room was located near the street, and through the window, one could see the large crowd waiting for Yu Ji outside, completely filling the street. Long Lin couldn't help but shake his head inwardly. There was a saying, "The streets are deserted,"
and perhaps this was no more impressive! If this Yu Ji was truly Chu Yu'er, what should he do? Just as he was pondering this, he heard a shout from below: "Make way! Make way! Young Master Xiang is here!" Long Lin went to the window and looked down. He saw a commotion in the crowd, and more than ten tall horses were heading straight for Qingfeng Tower, squeezing into the throng. The waiting onlookers hurriedly made way, clearing a space about two zhang in diameter below. A burly young man sat atop a tall, jet-black horse. The young man had sharply defined eyebrows, a sharp jaw, and eyes filled with an arrogant, domineering air. His hands gripped the reins tightly; his hands were as large as wine jars, indicating considerable strength. "Young Master Xiang?" Long Lin murmured, wondering who this Young Master Xiang was. Was it Xiang Yu or his brother? At that moment, the young man on horseback raised his head, his eyes meeting Long Lin's on the second floor. He seemed slightly startled. This young man was none other than Xiang Yu, the boy who had lifted the cauldron in his youth. He had just returned from practicing hunting in the mountains and, seeing the crowd gathered at Qingfeng Tower, wondered what was happening and decided to investigate. When he learned that it was Yu Ji displaying her beauty, he was also captivated. He knew of Yu Ji's fame but had never had the time to appreciate her. When he saw Long Lin on the second floor, he felt a strange sense of familiarity and was slightly startled. At that moment, the person in the second-floor window slipped inside. *Clang…* At this moment, a servant dressed in emerald green appeared from Qingfeng Tower, holding a copper gong. With a crisp sound, he announced, “Thank you all for your patronage. Miss Yu Ji is currently dressing up and will be available to meet you shortly. Moreover, Miss Yu Ji has personally instructed that whoever can answer three questions for her today can ascend to her boudoir for free and enjoy her singing and dancing.” The crowd below erupted in commotion. The romantic scholars and impoverished literati were immediately smug, each fanning themselves and rubbing their foreheads, secretly wondering what kind of questions the most beautiful woman in the capital would ask. The peddlers and laborers, though knowing they couldn't possibly answer the questions, still craned their necks and stared, hoping for a miracle, perhaps a swan from heaven would descend upon them. Long Lin, in his elegant room on the second floor, also heard everything. He smiled wryly. He never cared too much about windfalls, but believed that money could make the devil dance. Now, even taking out ten thousand taels of gold wouldn't be difficult for him. After all, he had taken all the gold hidden in the alchemy room in one go. He only hoped that when Master Wuye returned and saw the empty alchemy room, he wouldn't be so angry he'd vomit blood and then hunt him down the world. A short while later, a burst of drums and music filled the air, and two rows of scantily clad, alluringly dressed young and beautiful women slowly emerged from the pavilion, immediately eliciting cheers and whistles from below. The people below craned their necks, mouths agape, as if afraid their saliva would unknowingly spill, their eyes scanning the beauties. The clamor was now mixed with the sounds of Adam's apples bobbing and swallowing. Even if they couldn't have the pleasure of kissing the stunning beauty Yu Ji, just being able to embrace these beauties would be a blessing beyond measure. At this moment, countless people harbored such wicked thoughts. "Miss Yu Ji has arrived!" a shout rang out, and the beauties in the front row parted to reveal the spacious third-floor terrace. On the terrace, a beautiful woman, her face veiled, gracefully emerged from the pavilion. The previously noisy downstairs fell instantly silent; a pin drop could be heard. Heavy breathing filled the air as everyone stared intently at the woman in the center. Of course, at this moment, seeing this ethereal beauty made all the other women seem like mere carcasses. Someone in the crowd sighed heavily, shook their head, and left the line. Many others, however, stood there, mesmerized, as if even a single glance was a blessing beyond measure.

Xiang Yu, mounted on his horse, had initially shown no interest in the beauties who had appeared earlier, but upon seeing Yu Ji, he couldn't help but hold his breath.
This woman was simply too beautiful.
"Ahem, everyone!"
At this moment, a middle-aged woman behind the beauties stepped forward, coughing and startling the people from their reverie. She was very satisfied with the reaction of the crowd downstairs; with their word-of-mouth, Yu Ji would be her cash cow from now on. Imagining countless gleaming pieces of real gold and silver flowing into her purse, the madam was secretly overjoyed, probably laughing herself to sleep.
"Gentlemen, you have already witnessed the stunning beauty of our Qingfeng Pavilion's top courtesan. Now, the most exciting moment is just beginning. Miss Yu Ji will personally pose three questions, and those who answer correctly will receive a generous reward!"
As soon as the madam spoke, a commotion erupted downstairs. Someone immediately shouted, "Hurry up and pose the questions! I can't wait!"
The madam, all smiles, said, "Please be patient, everyone. This is the first question." She paused deliberately, and the room fell silent.
Xiang Yu, mounted on his horse, also waited quietly for the madam to pose the questions. The moment he saw Yu Ji, a ripple of emotion stirred within him—something he, who had honed his will to become a hero since childhood, had never experienced before.
In the elegant room on the second floor, Long Lin sat quietly, fiddling with his wine cup. He paid no heed to the madam's tantalizing words. He was waiting, waiting for an unpredictable outcome. That outcome was so important that it would affect his next course of action.
He had finished drinking the wine in his cup, which now had a pale bluish-white hue, faintly reflecting Long Lin's image. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth slowly widened, a slight look of surprise appearing on his face, for the image transmitted through the mind of his avatar, the bronze figure Qin Hun, was none other than the person he had imagined—Chu Yu'er.
"Chu Yu'er, how did she end up here? How did she end up in this Qingfeng Tower, becoming a prostitute?"
Han Long put down his wine cup, muttering to himself. He now seemed to regret not having safely delivered her to her destination, instead turning back halfway.
"Sigh!"
Long Lin poured himself another cup of wine, slowly sipping it, a bitter taste spreading between his lips and teeth.
The madam was still immersed in the excitement of everyone eagerly awaiting her words, unhurriedly continuing to whet everyone's appetite, while Long Lin stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the young man sitting motionless on his horse, his brows gradually furrowing.

Chapter 156 Three Trials to Win the Beauty
Update Time: 7-28 9:13:35 Words: 3526

"The first challenge is archery. Whoever can shoot an arrow into the hole of this copper coin will pass the first challenge!"
the madam said with a smile.
At this moment, the servant behind her had already hung a red rope at the corner of the building, with a copper coin that was round on the outside and square on the inside tied to it.
A shout immediately rang out from downstairs. It turned out that those eager and self-important scholars immediately became dejected, not expecting that the so-called challenge would turn into a martial arts competition. Those who had practiced martial arts and archery began to rub their hands together, ready to try their luck.
One after another, exquisitely carved bows were thrown down from upstairs and caught by many skilled people.
From downstairs to the copper coin at the corner of the building, it was about four zhang (about 10 meters) away. Those with good eyesight could only see the shape of the copper coin, while those with poor eyesight could only see a blurry shadow.
Several archers had already drawn their bows, aimed at the copper coins, and with a series of whooshes, arrows shot towards the upper floor. Some missed, while one grazed the madam's earring and pierced the wooden pillar with a soft thud.
"Ah..."
the madam screamed in fright, her face turning deathly pale. She hurriedly pushed the beautiful Yu Ji and the others back into the upper floor. Only a servant remained on the terrace, crouching in the corner to act as a referee.
After all, with everyone watching below, it was impossible to slack off in the chaos. He wasn't worried about that, so he simply focused on his own safety. After all, some people who couldn't shoot arrows came to try their luck, and perhaps one of them would be unlucky enough to be hit by a stray arrow.
The bowstrings twanged wildly, but the copper coins hanging on the red rope remained motionless, because not a single arrow had grazed them, let alone hit the hole.
"Sigh...it's so difficult!"
"Damn it, if only the coin were the size of a pot lid!"
"Sigh, I was just a little short, what a pity!"
As the arrows in people's hands dwindled, many began to sigh. Seeing that everyone was out of arrows, a smile finally appeared on Xiang Yu's face as he rode on horseback.
"Arrows!"
Xiang Yu reached out, and the people around him immediately handed him a bow and arrows they had snatched. He took the bow and arrows, tested their weight; the arrows were a bit light, but they would do. He nocked the arrow, and with a gentle pull, the bow was drawn to its full extent.
"Whoosh!"
The arrow left the bowstring, tracing a dark streak through the air. Seemingly slow, it drifted steadily toward the coin, the arrowhead striking the hole in the coin with a clang, pinning it to the wooden beam.
"Excellent archery!"
A cheer erupted from the crowd, and everyone turned their gaze toward Xiang Yu on horseback, their eyes filled with admiration and envy. Some people recognized him as Xiang Yu, the young master of Xiang Yu's mansion, and people began to whisper among themselves again.
"Good!"
With a clang of a gong, the waiter jumped up and shouted.
At this moment, the madam and her entourage also came up to the terrace from the back of the building, glancing at the copper coins nailed to the wooden beam by arrows with astonishment. The madam, of course, recognized Xiang Yu. She loudly proclaimed, "The first question is answered by Young Master Xiang Yu. Young Master Xiang's archery skills are superb; he is truly a hero among men!"
"What is the second question?"
"Yes, hurry up and tell us..."
By this time, some people had already impatiently begun asking about the second question.
The madam chuckled, "Don't rush, everyone. This second question is quite simple. Our Miss Yu Ji has put a lot of thought into today's challenge, specially having a two-thousand-pound stone cauldron made. If anyone here can lift it, they'll pass the second test."
A murmur of disapproval rippled through the crowd below. Many murmured, "Two thousand pounds? Who can lift that?" Many shook their heads and sighed, showing no intention of trying.
Just then, a dozen or so people laboriously carried a massive cauldron from the back street and placed it in front of the Qingfeng Tower.
The madam smiled, "Now we'll begin. Our Miss Yu Ji said she wants to find a warrior with the strength to lift a mountain."
People stepped back, making way for the stone cauldron, but no one dared to step forward. After all, two thousand pounds was a weight that even those with magical abilities would find difficult to lift.
Seeing no reaction from the crowd, the madam smiled and turned to Xiang Yu, who was calmly watching the stone cauldron from his horse, saying, "Young Master Xiang, since no one dares to try, would you be willing to test your skills?"
Xiang Yu laughed heartily and said, "A mere two thousand catties, what difficulty is there?"
He immediately leaped off his horse, his towering figure walking to the stone cauldron. He took a step, gathered his strength, grabbed one leg of the cauldron with one hand, and with a thunderous shout, shouted, "Lift!"
The stone cauldron soared high in the air under his single arm. The surrounding crowd seemed stunned, then erupted in cheers.
"Lifting a cauldron with one hand, extraordinary strength! Does Young Master Xiang know anything about the affairs of the world?"
Just then, a soft, enchanting voice rang out. It turned out that the young lady Yu Ji had quietly arrived on the terrace sometime earlier.
Her voice wasn't loud, but those below heard it clearly; it was so sweet it sent shivers down their spines.
"What important matter of the world does Miss Yu Ji wish to inquire about?"
Xiang Yu put down the stone cauldron in his hand and spoke in a voice as loud as thunder.
"The world is the realm, and I, a mere woman, naturally dare not presume to speak of it. However, I have a question, the last of these three questions. Young Master Xiang, do you love the realm more, or do you love beauty more?"
Yu Ji finished speaking, then smiled, a smile so beautiful it could topple kingdoms, unforgettable at first glance.
Xiang Yu laughed heartily, "A true man with lofty ambitions can have both power and beauty—it's not impossible!"
Yu Ji nodded and said, "In that case, Young Master Xiang, please come upstairs. I would like to hear the details!"
Since Yu Ji had expressed her opinion, everyone downstairs couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. Some envied Xiang Yu's good fortune, others envied his great strength. In any case, from then on, a craze for archery, horsemanship, and lifting cauldrons swept through the entire city of Xiaxiang. Of course, bows were easy to make; those with horses rode them, those without rode donkeys; those with stone cauldrons lifted them, those without lifted stones—everyone was practicing with great enthusiasm. It seemed everyone was hoping that one day, a beautiful woman would stand upstairs and pose such challenges to them. Opportunity always favors the prepared.
In the elegant room on the second floor, Long Lin witnessed Xiang Yu's skills and smiled slightly. He thought to himself that Xiang Yu truly deserved to be called the Hegemon of Chu; his martial prowess was indeed extraordinary. It seemed his strength was even greater than that of Niu Mou, whom Zhang Liang had invited to assassinate Qin Shi Huang.
He turned back to his desk, downed the wine in his cup, and went downstairs. At this moment
, he no longer had any intention of seeing Chu Yu'er again. He had initially thought Chu Yu'er, having fallen into prostitution, needed his help, but now it seemed she no longer needed it.
As night fell, Long Lin left Qingfeng Tower, found an inn to stay overnight, and the next day bought a fine horse in the market, riding towards Xianyang.
Judging by the time, Qin Shi Huang should be returning to Xianyang by now. Xu Fu's fleet should also be setting sail.
Once Xu Fu left, Qin Shi Huang would make his southern tour, and then the real big events would begin.
What he needed to do now was to reach Xianyang, bring Shi Mei back to Dangshan, and then focus on his training, waiting for the right opportunity.
"Madam, how much is Miss Yu Ji?"
At this moment, a young man entered Qingfeng Tower and asked directly upon entering.
The madam was taken aback, sized up the man, and asked, "Ten thousand taels of gold? May I ask where this guest comes from?"
The young man smiled slightly and said, "I am from the Xiang family. Young Master Xiang Yu asked me to redeem Miss Yu Ji from her servitude. He wants to take her as his concubine."
As he spoke, he took out a stack of silver notes from his pocket and placed them on the table, exactly ten thousand taels of gold.
The madam's eyes lit up when she saw the silver notes, but she quickly changed her expression and said with a smile, "What are you doing, sir? I was just joking. Our Miss Yu Ji is the star of my Qingfeng Pavilion. No amount of money could redeem her. If Young Master Xiang misses Miss Yu Ji, he is welcome to come to Qingfeng Pavilion often. We will certainly welcome him as an honored guest."
The young man was rebuffed and reluctantly put away the silver notes, smiling, "Since that's the case, then I will inform my young master. As for whether he wants to come or not, that depends on his decision."
After saying that, the young man turned and left.
At this moment, Long Lin was already riding a fast horse, galloping along the straight road to Xianyang.
He was unaware that the very next day after he left Qingfeng Tower, the tower was destroyed by a group of thugs, and everyone inside was killed. Of course, only Yu Ji's whereabouts remained unknown.
In the Xiang residence, Xiang Yu gazed at Yu Ji, who sat before him. If only he could finally achieve his wish and take this stunning beauty into his own household as his concubine.
The Xiang family held the hereditary throne. Even after the fall of Chu, the Qin dynasty hadn't harmed them, so in terms of power, the Xiang family still held the highest position in the entire Chu region.
From childhood, no one had ever dared to object to Xiang Yu's desires.
Of course, while Xiang Yu was violent and ruthless, he wasn't without brains. After sending men to loot Qingfeng Tower, he himself intercepted the so-called bandits on the way, single-handedly wounding several of them with his spear before rescuing Yu Ji.
So this heroic rescue naturally moved Yu Ji to tears of gratitude, and she immediately pledged herself to him, becoming his beloved concubine. That very night, they entered the bridal chamber.
Chu Yu'er's long-cherished dream had finally come true. Under his strong arms, Chu Yu'er exerted all her strength to please him, until Xiang Yu's towering body collapsed onto her soft, snowy body. By the moonlight filtering through the window screen, Chu Yu'er gazed at the sleeping Xiang Yu, a smile playing on her lips. "You said you could have both power and beauty, but I know that the softest thing can overcome the strongest. I've conquered you, which is equivalent to conquering the world. Qin Shi Huang, just you wait! One day, your Qin Dynasty will fall into my hands!"
As for the story of the heroic rescue, with Chu Yu'er's experience and intelligence, she could naturally guess that it was purely a performance by Xiang Yu, a young master whose acting skills were not very good. However, this also strengthened her confidence in Xiang Yu. After all, he wasn't the kind of reckless fool; otherwise, wouldn't he have ruined her body?
The raid on Qingfeng Tower caused a huge uproar in Xiaxiang City, but no one suspected Xiang Yu, because no one dared to make that judgment. As a result, rumors spread that Yu Ji's public display of beauty had brought about the annihilation of Qingfeng Tower's entire family.
In any case, from then on, in several prefectures surrounding Xiaxiang, regardless of size, all the popular girls in brothels were hidden away, no longer daring to flaunt their
beauty. Those Jiangdong disciples who had previously hoped to gain favor by practicing archery and weightlifting to strengthen their bodies were now disheartened, and no one dared to practice those strenuous activities until the Xiang family secretly recruited soldiers, at which point this trend revived.
Qingfeng Tower was extremely wealthy, possessing hundreds of thousands of taels of gold. This shows how much wealth Yu Ji had accumulated for Qingfeng Tower in just one year. Xiang Yu's risky attack on Qingfeng Tower certainly brought him a huge profit, laying the foundation for his own military expansion.
Under the influence of Yu Ji's pillow talk, Xiang Yu finally began to act. He secretly recruited elite soldiers and generals, training them discreetly within his residence, waiting for the opportune moment to make a great move!

Chapter 157 The Living Dead Beauty
Update Time: 7-29 10:49:08 Words: 3594

After Xiang Yu took Yu Ji as his beloved concubine, he secretly recruited soldiers and accumulated strength, which need not be elaborated upon. Long Lin rode a fast horse towards Xianyang. In less than half a month, he had already arrived at the city walls of Xianyang.
The Qin capital, the great city of Xianyang, was still as magnificent and majestic as before, with carriages and horses flowing through the city gates like dragons and crowds of people.
Long Lin was not in a hurry to enter the city. Instead, he dismounted on the straight road by the city wall, observing the passersby, and frowned slightly.
He had noticed that among these people heading to Xianyang, there were many laborers with children in tow. The children were only seven or eight years old, or about ten years old, mixed in with the crowd, curiously looking around.
This reminded Long Lin of something else: Xu Fu's conscription of a thousand boys and a thousand girls to cross the sea eastward and retrieve the elixir of immortality. A thousand boys and girls would naturally be recruited from Xianyang, the capital, a place of great importance, to show respect to the immortals. Could it be that preparations for this event were already underway?
Long Lin asked a passerby, and indeed, these people were all delivering boys and girls to the immortal master. He secretly made a plan, and without mounting his horse, he walked along with the crowd into the city.
In a tavern outside the palace, Long Lin sat in a private room, waiting for Zi Ran's arrival. He had already contacted Zi Ran and arranged to meet her here. The Ten Beauties of Dangshan, being maids, were almost never allowed to leave the palace.
"Guest, your guest has arrived!"
the waiter announced, and a figure appeared behind him, dressed in black and wearing a bamboo hat.
"Alright, go ahead!"
Long Lin casually tossed the waiter a small silver ingot.
After the waiter closed the door and left, the figure in black removed her hat, revealing a beautiful and affectionate face. It was Zi Ran from the Qin Palace.
However, there was no smile on her face. She silently looked at Long Lin, and before she could speak, tears welled up in her beautiful eyes.
Long Lin was slightly taken aback and stood up, asking, "Zi Ran, what's wrong?"
"Brother Long, you've finally come!"
Zi Ran suddenly threw herself into Long Lin's arms, crying sorrowfully.
This greatly surprised Long Lin, and an ominous feeling immediately welled up in his heart. In his memory, Zi Ran was a seemingly gentle but strong-willed woman; she would never be so distraught unless something serious had happened.
"It's alright, I'm here. Zi Ran, what happened?"
Long Lin patted Zi Ran's shoulder and gently comforted her.
Zi Ran then wiped away her tears and hesitated before saying, "Brother Long Lin, I don't know what happened either. Anyway, all my sisters are sick, and very sick."
"What illness do they have?"
Upon hearing this, Long Lin breathed a slight sigh of relief; at least the situation was much better than he had just expected. He helped Zi Ran sit down in a chair, poured her a glass of water, and then asked.
Zi Ran took the glass and shook her head, because she didn't know what illness the Ten Beauties had; even the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital couldn't diagnose it. They were just unconscious, gradually weakening, and completely without consciousness.
Long Lin frowned; hearing Zi Ran's words, the Ten Beauties of Dangshan were indeed strange. Given their physical condition, they shouldn't be sick. Besides, they've all practiced the Strength Scripture technique he taught them, albeit a simplified version, but it still has a certain self-healing ability.
It's important to know that the Azure Emperor belongs to the Wood element, and Wood-based techniques have the strongest healing ability. Long Lin himself could feel this. Whether it's injury or poison, as long as it's not fatal, there shouldn't be any problems, and they certainly wouldn't be unconscious for more than ten days.
"Where are they? Take me to see them!"
After a moment's thought, Long Lin said.
"Okay!"
Zi Ran stood up, her eyes red, and said, "I'm relieved to have Brother Long here. I was really worried about my sisters..."
In a house outside the Qin Palace, a large two-courtyard house with six rooms on each side, since the Ten Beauties of Dangshan fell ill and could no longer work at the Qin Palace, Zi Ran arranged for them to live here.
Long Lin examined the women's conditions one by one, and couldn't help but frown. The situation was indeed strange. Qi Xian and the others were all lifeless and unconscious, yet they still had pulses. For the past few days, Zi Ran had painstakingly nourished them with ginseng soup and elixirs, preventing their bodies from deteriorating to the point of extreme weakness.
Furthermore, after checking their pulses, Long Lin observed that their faces showed no signs of blackening or poisoning.
This state of being physically healthy but unconscious was akin to a person losing their soul. This was why Long Lin couldn't help but frown.
"Zi Ran, before they fell ill, were there any demonic entities causing trouble in the Qin Palace?"
Long Lin asked Zi Ran after a moment's thought, already feeling that these matters were more than just illness.
Zi Ran lowered her head in thought, then shook her head and said, "There's no demon at work. The Qin Palace is a forbidden area guarded by the Imperial Observatory; ordinary demons and vengeful spirits can't enter. Brother Long, could it be that the sisters are under some kind of evil spell?"
Long Lin nodded and said, "I'm not sure either, but it's hard to find any other reason." He thought for
a moment and then said, "Zi Ran, you stay here and protect them. I'll go find some help." Zi Ran didn't know who the helper was, but she immediately nodded in agreement.
Long Lin left the house and immediately used his stealth technique, heading towards the Epang Palace. He had already made up his mind to find Shangguan Shuyuan.
As soon as he entered the Epang Palace's Observatory, he encountered Shangguan Shuyuan and several disciples setting up the Observatory's defensive formation. Because of the lesson learned from the theft of the underground Yu Ding artifact, Shangguan Shuyuan had strengthened the defensive formation of the Observatory after his return. Now, without Shangguan Shuyuan's personal decree, not even a fly could get in, let alone a person.
"Oh dear, Brother Long, where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you..."
Shangguan Shuyuan said. Ever since he returned from the eastern tour with Emperor Qin, Master Wuye had come to him, saying that Long Lin and Lingyun were missing, and the alchemy workshop's reserves were all gone.
"Brother Shangguan, you may not know this, but something big might happen in Xianyang!"
Long Lin sighed.
"What makes you say that?"
Shangguan Shuyuan asked.
Seeing Shangguan Shuyuan's surprise, Long Lin said, "Brother Shangguan, you don't know, but ever since the Qin Emperor's eastern tour, there have been occasional demons causing trouble in Xianyang City. Moreover, my junior sister Lingyun from the alchemy workshop is actually a hawk-dove demon. She used some method to completely conceal her demonic aura, thus deceiving everyone. After you left, she suddenly took advantage of the lava ditch outside the alchemy workshop to transform into a demonic form, intending to kill me. Unfortunately, I saw through her, so her evil plan failed. However, she is very powerful, and she escaped. I was afraid she would come back for revenge, so I packed up many treasures from the alchemy workshop and went into hiding. I only dared to return now."
"Oh, is that so?"
Shangguan Shuyuan asked in surprise.
At this moment, a loud laugh was heard, and then a person appeared from behind the platform. It was none other than the Taoist Wuye.
"Long Lin, your departure was not a problem, but it made me appear in a hurry!"
Taoist Wuye chuckled.
"Senior Brother Wuye, I am truly sorry!"
Long Lin immediately apologized.
At this moment, Shangguan Shuyuan pondered for a moment and said, "In that case, those demons are nothing to worry about. With us here, I doubt any demons will dare to cause trouble again."
"Yes, I don't believe anyone has the guts to plunder my Alchemy Workshop!"
said Master Wuye.
Long Lin echoed this, though he was unconvinced, as the Alchemy Workshop had already been ransacked countless times. However, he certainly wouldn't say this aloud, and instead said, "It's perfect that Senior Brother Wuye is here as well. I have a favor to ask."
"What is it? Speak freely!"
Master Wuye said with a smile.
"Yes, Brother Long Lin, why are we being so polite?"
Shangguan Shuyuan also said.
Long Lin then described the strange symptoms of the Ten Beauties of Dangshan. Shangguan Shuyuan and Master Wuye were both shocked upon hearing this and suggested that they go and take a look. Long Lin immediately agreed and led the two to the house.
Upon entering the house, both Shangguan Shuyuan and Daoist Wuye involuntarily frowned, causing Long Lin's heart to sink.
After greeting the ten beauties in turn, Shangguan Shuyuan and Daoist Wuye called Long Lin to a secluded spot and said, "Brother Long Lin, things are probably not simple!"
"What have you two brothers noticed?"
Long Lin asked hurriedly.
Wu Ye Dao Ren glanced at Shangguan Shuyuan, signaling for him to speak. Shangguan Shuyuan then said, "Brother Long Lin, I know these ten people have a special relationship with you, but you don't need to worry too much."
Long Lin nodded and said, "Brother Shangguan, please tell me what's wrong."
Shangguan Shuyuan then sighed and said, "When we came in, we found the yang energy here was extremely weak. These ten people are actually already dead."
"What?"
Even though Long Lin was somewhat prepared, hearing Shangguan Shuyuan's words still left him momentarily stunned. It took him a long time to recover, and after taking a deep breath to calm himself, he said, "Then why aren't their bodies stiff yet? And when I used my true energy to examine their bodies, I found absolutely nothing abnormal."
Shangguan Shuyuan sighed and said, "Brother Long Lin, that's the truly perplexing part. However, the only explanation is that their souls were taken away; they are actually already dead. As for why their bodies aren't stiff, it must be related to the strange cultivation technique they practiced."
Long Lin was slightly taken aback. Could it be the wondrous effect of the Power Scripture cultivation technique? However, he still couldn't believe that they were dead.
"Their souls were taken? Who could do such a thing..."
Long Lin gritted his teeth.
Shangguan Shuyuan and Master Wuye shook their heads. Shangguan Shuyuan said, "I don't know. In this world, it's not just ghosts and monsters that can take people's souls; some evil sects also know this method. However, these people have no external injuries or signs of panic, so their souls must have been taken away in their dreams, losing their yang energy. But because they practiced special techniques, their bodies still retain vitality. In other words, they are now no different from the living dead!"
Long Lin gritted his teeth, enduring the stabbing pain in his heart. The Ten Beauties of Dangshan were people he had personally trained. They were his wives, lovers, and disciples, although they had always regarded him as a concubine. But they were like this...
Long Lin suddenly felt that the air was unusually heavy, heavy enough to suffocate him. He stood up and was about to walk outside. At this moment, Master Wuye called out to him.
“Brother Long, although this matter is very strange, I have heard that there is a fairy island in the East Sea with the elixir of resurrection. If we can obtain the resurrection herb, it should be able to bring these ten girls back to life,”
said Master Wuye.
Long Lin stopped abruptly, his eyes lighting up as he turned around hastily, saying, “Senior Brother Wuye, why didn’t you say so sooner?” But then he sighed, “Without their souls, what use is the resurrection herb?”
“Brother Long, your words are strange. A person’s soul cannot be destroyed so easily. This resurrection herb has a peculiar effect: as long as the body’s life force remains, even if the soul is annihilated, it can recreate a soul using the body’s life force.” He paused here, then sighed again, “Unfortunately, they will lose all their previous memories. After being resurrected, they will be completely different people. They might not even recognize you.”
Long Lin felt relieved and said, “As long as they can be brought back to life, why should I care about so many things? Brothers, where is that fairy island in the East Sea? I will go and find the resurrection herb right now.”

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