Earth Spirit Milk

After the time it took to burn an incense stick, inside the inn's main hall.

The food and wine were served, and the group immediately began feasting. They had traveled all day and had only eaten some dry provisions along the way; by now, they were already ravenous. Lin Baichuan naturally did not stand on ceremony either, taking huge bites of meat and swigging wine.

The others chatted quietly among themselves. He was a newcomer, and Li Da's group of five did not pay him much attention. He was happy to be left alone, his hands never stopping as he swept through the food like a whirlwind scattering clouds.

A tableful of food and wine was quickly wiped out by nearly half at his hands alone. Ever since he had raised the Golden Bell Shield to the fourth level and his physical strength had broken through eight thousand jin, he had felt his appetite grow enormously. If he truly let himself eat freely, he feared he could swallow an entire ox in a day.

Lin Baichuan was feasting away, sweeping through the dishes like a whirlwind scattering clouds. He was enjoying himself, but some people found it far from pleasant to watch.

Li Da and the others looked at the plates that had been cleared in an instant, their brows immediately furrowing.

Li Da, however, said nothing. As the captain, he had his own depth of character. As a woman, Qin Qing also disliked the sight of Lin Baichuan wolfing down food, but she merely frowned and did not speak.

The other three were different.

Niu Zhenye, who was seated beside Lin Baichuan, immediately darkened, glaring at him in displeasure. "Lin Baichuan, you really don't stand on ceremony, do you? Half a table of food has gone into your stomach already, hasn't it?

What, are you treating us to this meal today...?"

Lin Baichuan turned his head to glance at Niu Zhenye, then looked at Li Da. "Captain, are our meals not reimbursed when we go out on missions? The Demon Suppression Division's Demon Slayer Guards slay demons and eliminate devils—we do work with our heads tied to our belts.

If even meals have to be restricted, isn't that a little too lacking in human feeling?"

"You..."

Although Lin Baichuan had asked Li Da, his words were actually directed at Niu Zhenye. Niu Zhenye's fury immediately surged, and a chill appeared in his eyes.

A mere newcomer dared to mock him. He was simply courting death.

"Enough!"

Just as Niu Zhenye was about to flare up, Li Da waved a hand and cut him off. He said in a deep voice, "Stop making fools of yourselves. It's only some food. Once it's finished, order another table.

Eat quickly. Afterward, go back to your rooms and rest early. I have a feeling something isn't right."

"Captain, the inn is full of martial artists. There are even people in the Seventh Rank Organ Forging Realm." Qin Qing suddenly spoke up. "From what they've been discussing, it seems they all came for something."

Lin Baichuan raised an eyebrow and gave Qin Qing a discreet look, inwardly shocked.

He had originally thought this woman was some well-connected official's daughter sent down from the prefectural city to gild her credentials. He had not expected her to actually have some skill.

In such a short time, she had gathered so much information.

One had to know that ever since entering the inn, Qin Qing had been sitting with them and eating.

Now it seemed that when he ate, he was truly just eating. This beautiful Lady Qin, on the other hand, was merely using the meal as cover; her real purpose had been to eavesdrop on the conversations of the other people in the hall and analyze the intelligence.

Lin Baichuan immediately felt a little embarrassed.

Damn it, he was still too inexperienced. Such things had not even crossed his mind.

"Captain, could some Natural Treasure have appeared? Otherwise, how could it have drawn so many people here?"

Wu Xiaoqi, seated opposite Lin Baichuan, suddenly spoke.

At once, a glint flashed in the eyes of Niu Zhenye and Luo Kang, their expressions growing slightly heated.

"Don't get any crooked ideas. No matter what it is, it has nothing to do with us." Li Da said coldly. "Remember our mission. We're only staying here for the night, and we leave at daybreak tomorrow."

Niu Zhenye and the other two immediately hesitated, wanting to say more. But seeing Li Da's icy expression, they forcibly swallowed the words that had reached their lips.

They had followed Li Da for many years and knew his temperament well. Once he made a decision, there was no changing it.

If they entertained any ideas at a time like this, Li Da would definitely teach them a proper lesson in how to behave.

Lin Baichuan took it all in, a divine light flickering uncertainly in his eyes.

Yet his chopsticks did not rest. He continued sweeping through the food like a whirlwind scattering clouds. In the end, ninety percent of the dishes on the table went into his stomach. By the time the others came to their senses, every plate on the table was empty.

Everyone was left dumbfounded.

Damn it!

For a moment, even Li Da and Qin Qing looked at Lin Baichuan with gloomy expressions. Could this kid really have been the reincarnation of a starving ghost?

"Waiter, bring another table of food and wine..."

Li Da gave a bitter smile.

Lin Baichuan smiled awkwardly, but quickly returned to normal. Patting his stomach, he said, "Well... I'm full. Captain, you all keep eating. I'll go outside for a walk and digest my food..."

As he spoke, he prepared to rise.

Bang...

At that moment, the inn's doors were pushed open once again. A gust of sinister wind swept through, instantly dropping the temperature in the hall by more than ten degrees. Quite a few people could not help shuddering as they all turned toward the entrance.

A young man in luxurious brocade robes stood outside the doors. His handsome face was beautiful to an excessive degree, making him seem exceedingly sinister and strange.

"Waiter, give me a superior room, then send several dishes and some wine to my room."

The young man's voice was shrill, and his words carried a sinister chill that made people's hair stand on end.

"Hmph, Yin Kuisheng. So many people are waiting for you. If you want to drink and eat, hand over the item first."

At that moment, a gloomy voice rang out from the crowd.

With a bang, everyone in the hall rose to their feet. Their faces were filled with Killing Intent as they stared at the sinister young man.

Someone immediately took up the words, pointing at the young man and shouting, "Yin Kuisheng, a Natural Treasure like Earth Spirit Milk is not something you can hold onto. Hand it over and you'll still have a path to live. Otherwise, Seven Mile Slope Town will be your burial ground tonight."

"Earth Spirit Milk? This is a supreme Natural Treasure for body refinement. If consumed in the Ninth Rank Skin Refinement Realm, it can break the limits of the human body and push one's physical strength beyond ten thousand jin..."

Niu Zhenye, seated beside Lin Baichuan, immediately widened his eyes, his face filled with shock and greed.

In truth!

It was not just Niu Zhenye. Everyone in the inn's main hall revealed greedy expressions. Quite a few were even swallowing their saliva. Damn, just how impatient were they?

Even Qin Qing, the Young Miss of an Aristocratic Clan who had come down from Eastern Wasteland Prefecture to gild her credentials, had a gleam appear in her eyes. She was clearly tempted.

That was only natural. A Natural Treasure capable of breaking the limits of the physical body and raising one's strength beyond ten thousand jin was absolutely a divine medicine for Foundation Establishment. Who would not be tempted? On the martial path, the Ninth Rank Skin Refining Realm tempered the skin, flesh, and muscles, cultivating physical strength.

Yet human strength had its limits. It was said that the limit of the human body was ten thousand jin.

Those able to break the limits of the human body were as few as the fingers on one hand, as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns. Most martial artists could not even reach the ten-thousand-jin limit, much less break it. Many martial artists in the Ninth Rank Skin Refinement Realm chose to advance into the Eighth Rank Bone Forging Realm after raising their strength to merely two or three thousand jin.

Some geniuses could raise it to five or six thousand jin. Those who could reach ten thousand jin of physical strength were all heavenly prodigies.

As for breaking the limits of the human body, that was the realm of unparalleled monsters.

Yin Kuisheng, this sinister young man, actually possessed such a heaven-defying Natural Treasure—and news of it had leaked out. No wonder so many people had set their sights on him.

Lin Baichuan inwardly sighed. A gleam also flashed in his eyes as he looked toward Yin Kuisheng, secretly thinking, If I can seize this Earth Spirit Milk, I can break the limits of my body and raise my strength beyond ten thousand jin.

And with my Seven Kill Saber Art at perfected mastery, even Li Da, who is in the Seventh Rank Organ Forging Realm, will not be my match...