novelraw Chapter 41 – Draw the snake out of its hole
Chapter 41 – Draw the snake out of its hole
Lin Manqing told you that many high-ranking members of the Spirit Sword Sect, even quite a few Heaven-Human powerhouses, are blood relatives of these women with special bloodlines.
"People are not plants; who can be without feelings?"
Many Heaven-Human powerhouses also don't want their blood relatives to suffer such a tragic fate, so they secretly send their descendants out of the Spirit Sword Sect to live as ordinary people in the mortal world. As long as they don't break through to the upper four realms and get sensed by the Heavenly Tome, the Spirit Sect, out of respect for the Heaven-Human powerhouses, would turn a blind eye...
During the conversation, you learned that Lin Qiushui's grandfather is an elder at the Heaven-Human Realm in the Spirit Sect.
He is also from the special bloodline group. Fifty years ago, after Lin Qiushui's mother was born, he couldn't bear to see his daughter become a breeding tool, so he secretly sent her to be adopted by a noble family in the Imperial City...
Chen Shi fell into deep thought.
In previous simulations, the reason why Lin Qiushui wasn't handed over to the authorities after her identity as the daughter of an official was exposed has been found.
It is very likely that her Heaven-Human grandfather intervened.
Moreover, her picking up Song Fan on her escape and living peacefully for fourteen years in the Song family, running a tavern business... was also orchestrated by someone behind the scenes.
In my third simulation, being beheaded by Song Fan in the Alpha Battalion might also be due to this reason.
Offending the granddaughter of a Heaven-Human Ancestor.
It's hard not to die.
"It seems I should treat Big Sister better in the future, not like in the simulation where I always let her grovel at my feet. A relationship where one side gives and the other takes is bound to not last long."
Chen Shi thought to himself.
Then he remembered Lin Qiushui's disappearance at the Cloud Moon Pavilion. Could this also be her grandfather's doing?
Unrelated to the Mastermind?
Perhaps, in the next simulation, I can verify this together.
Next, Lin Manqing warned you that if you don't want trouble, it's best to let Lin Qiushui stop cultivating, which would be beneficial for both of you.
You understood the underlying message in her words, implying that she would keep it a secret.
You were somewhat surprised by this.
After all, in your impression, this woman has always been ruthless and self-serving, with little sympathy. Her tone when discussing the scandal of the Spirit Sect made you suspect that she might also belong to the special bloodline group.
You voiced your suspicion.
Lin Manqing shot you a cold glance, telling you not to ask what you shouldn't.
Then she mentioned that through your Earth Grade Spirit Herb, she contacted Master Gu He of Medicine King Valley, the foremost Profound Alchemist of the current era, who would visit the Song family in person in a few days.
You were overjoyed.
In fact, you were always uneasy about cooperating with Lin Manqing, fearing she would leave nothing of you. Now, by inviting Master Gu He to join and using the spirit herbs from the Scroll Secret Realm as leverage, you could form a stable triangular relationship between Master Gu He, Lin Manqing, and yourself.
Then, Lin Manqing asked again about the great opportunity you mentioned.
After a brief hesitation.
You told her that you knew of a Secret Realm, which is the ruins of a sect from a superpower faction ten thousand years ago. In your past life, just at the outskirts of the Secret Realm, you refined your Low-Grade Silver Bones to High-Grade Silver Bones and acquired over a hundred Profound Grade Spirit Artifacts and several Earth Grade Treasure Artifacts. If you went deeper, you might have the chance to refine Jade Bones or even break through to the Heaven-Human Realm.
Lin Manqing's breath quickened.
"Ten thousand years ago!"
"That was when the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi hadn't yet declined!"
"If what you say is true, this is absolutely a world-shaking opportunity, comparable to the Immortal Palace in the Cursed Land fifty years ago!"
She hurriedly asked where the Secret Realm was.
You said you couldn't reveal it for now but promised to take her into the Secret Realm within seven months.
Lin Manqing was silent for a long time.
Suddenly, she asked you who won the True Dragon Selection three years later.
To not destroy the trust just established, you decided to be honest, saying you died too early and didn't know about it.
She seemed relieved after hearing this.
Then, you remembered Lin Qiushui's disappearance at the Cloud Moon Pavilion in your past life. To clarify this matter, you earnestly asked Lin Manqing to find a highly skilled person adept in Stealth Techniques to secretly watch over Lin Qiushui.
Lin Manqing asked why.
You explained that there was a mysterious person outside who had designs on Lin Qiushui, and you wanted to try to lure the snake out of its hole.
Lin Manqing pondered for a moment and said she had an old maid who was a Perfected Innate Realm expert, skilled in Stealth Tracking, who could secretly ensure Lin Qiushui's safety.
You had a strange expression upon hearing this.
You recalled that in your fourth life, you inexplicably died in the Inner Court, and the culprit was likely one of the old maids around Lin Manqing.
Seeing your hesitation, Lin Manqing seemed displeased, stating that the old maid was her mother's servant, who had watched her grow up and was a trusted confidante.
Seeing this, Chen Shi was quite certain.
This old maid was the one Lin Manqing sent to monitor him, and his inexplicable death in the Inner Court was likely her doing.
This was Chen Shi's previous suspicion.
Now, however, he wasn't so sure, simply because the other party was a Perfected Innate Realm powerhouse, not the ordinary person he had imagined.
But if it wasn't her.
Then who could it be?
Chen Shi couldn't help but think of Lu Yi. In the Sword Maniac simulation, after he exposed Elder Wang's affairs, Lu Yi hurriedly told him to leave the Divine General's Manor that very night...
Could it be that Lu Yi learned something from Elder Wang?
According to the timeline of October 2nd year.
It was less than two months before he inexplicably died in the Inner Court on December 8th, 2nd year.
Did Lu Yi ask him to leave because of this?
"I need to find a way to live longer next time, especially avoiding the critical death point of December 2nd year. During this period, someone in the Inner Court wants my life, and this person is strong enough that even a Perfected Innate Realm expert like Lu Yi couldn't protect me, and it was a death in sleep, very much like the Mastermind's way of killing..."
Chen Shi thought to himself.
Speaking of which, since he activated the simulator, in seven or eight simulations, aside from the Sword Maniac one, his longest survival record was being imprisoned by Lin Manqing in the Inner Court and giving birth to Chen Ping'an, lasting until December 8th, 2nd year, nearly three years.
Oh... no, it should be the four years of survival in the Cursed Land.
All others resulted in sudden death within a year.
Several deaths occurred in sleep, not even giving him a chance to see what the Mastermind looked like, as the other party was excessively cautious.
...