"Are you the Shadow Scholar's reincarnated body?"
When Chen Lin asked about the Truth-Restoring Brush, Yue Hengshan raised an eyebrow, and his aura turned sharp.
"I used to be."
Chen Lin answered calmly.
"Oh?"
Yue Hengshan looked Chen Lin up and down repeatedly.
Then he said coldly, "Breaking free of being the Shadow Scholar's reincarnation is no easy feat. Don't speak too confidently just yet. If that really were all in the past, you wouldn't need to look for the Truth-Restoring Brush."
"However."
His tone shifted.
"Since you haven't been chosen yet, you're merely nourishment. Whether you can break free or not makes no difference to me. If you need help with anything, I can even lend you a hand."
"Then is the Truth-Restoring Brush in your possession or not, City Lord?"
Chen Lin immediately pressed him.
"In a manner of speaking."
Yue Hengshan gave his answer.
Then he added, "But it isn't here with me now. It was sent to the Holy Temple long ago. Besides, this treasure is a sacred object. I couldn't possibly give it to you, unless..."
"Unless what?"
Chen Lin immediately asked, his heart easing a little.
Whatever conditions Yue Hengshan imposed, and whether Chen Lin could obtain it or not, all that mattered was that it hadn't fallen into High Person Yunhai's hands yet.
"Unless you earn special merit and obtain the unanimous approval of the Holy Temple Elder Council. Otherwise, even I, the owner of this treasure, have no right to give it to you."
"What qualifies as special merit?"
Chen Lin asked.
The Holy Temple had many Sage Realm experts. If the brush was there, taking it by force was hardly possible. That meant his earlier agreement with the Soulless Patriarch would have to be scrapped. Besides, with strange beasts now approaching