Huge Bounty

"What do you two mean by this?"

Chen Lin stopped in his tracks and watched the pair warily.

Though he did not think they would rob him on the road, he could not understand why they had stopped him.

"Fellow Daoist, there is no need to panic. My junior sister and I mean no harm. We merely have a favor to ask."

Lu Li cupped his hands and forced out a faint smile.

Chen Lin's gaze flickered. He seemed to have guessed their purpose, yet found it hard to believe.

The other party spoke again. "Allow me to introduce myself first. I am Lu Li of the Lu Family, and this is my cousin, Lan Yuqing. You saw it yourself at Duobao Pavilion just now—I urgently need to craft a Soul Capturing Talisman. I noticed that you seemed to have purchased talisman-crafting materials, so you must be a talisman master. That is why I rashly stopped you."

Chen Lin's eyes flickered.

He had actually guessed right.

But just how desperate were they, to be charging about like headless flies?

"My apologies, but I am only a low-level talisman master who has just begun. At present, I can only craft Great Strength Talismans. I'm afraid I won't be able to help."

Chen Lin waved his hands repeatedly.

His refusal was exceedingly decisive.

Though he dearly wanted to give it a try, and with the Talent Ability of Ten Times Certain Hit he would surely be able to craft it, he did not dare agree.

The matter of his Talent Ability absolutely could not be exposed. If others came to believe that he possessed some treasure that granted him such an ability, he could be blasted into pulp in minutes.

Even if others believed it truly was a Talent Ability, there was still a strong possibility that he would be imprisoned and made into a talisman-crafting slave.

The Cultivation World here did not care for righteousness or morality. It only followed the law of the jungle.

Lu Li did not seem to mind Chen Lin's refusal.

He cast him a sidelong glance and sneered. "This young master intends to hold a Talisman Crafting Assembly at Lianyun Inn tonight, and I sincerely invite Your Excellency to attend. If you know any familiar talisman masters, you may recommend them as well.

"I, Lu, have no shortage of spirit stones. Whoever can craft the talisman I need will be rewarded with Fifty Mid-grade Spirit Stones. Recommenders may also receive Five Mid-grade Spirit Stones!"

Shock appeared in Chen Lin's eyes.

That reward was truly extravagant!

"Then... all right."

He nodded in agreement.

The enormous spirit stone bounty made Chen Lin's heart stir. Whether he would go or not, he would agree first.

Seeing this, Lu Li's expression improved considerably.

Then the senior brother and junior sister both let out sidelong sneers. Their figures flashed, and they skimmed away through the low air.

Chen Lin watched their retreating backs enviously, wondering when he would learn the Flying Technique so that he would no longer have to crawl miserably through the snow.

Only after their figures had completely vanished did he smack his lips and withdraw his gaze.

He continued limping toward his residence.

There were many others crawling besides him.

From afar, they looked like stiff zombies, occasionally letting out bursts of wicked, overbearing laughter.

Where was the bearing of cultivators in this? It was simply eye-searing.

Chen Lin quickened his pace.

Preoccupied with thoughts, he returned to the courtyard and happened to run into his neighbor, that fierce Female Cultivator with the sallow face, as she came outside.

"Hmph, you old bachelor!"

He had originally intended to greet her, but she glared at him irritably, choking the words back down his throat.

Chen Lin could not be bothered to stoop to the level of such a woman. Ignoring her, he entered his room.

He had just taken off his padded coat and hat when someone knocked on the door.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, it's me, Zhao Zhengyuan."

Chen Lin's gaze flickered. He slipped an Exorcism Talisman into his hand and opened the door.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, something terrible has happened!"

The moment the door opened a crack, Zhao Zhengyuan squeezed in urgently, his face full of panic.

"What happened?"

Feeling the other man's emotions, Chen Lin became somewhat tense as well.

"They're dead. They're all dead!"

Zhao Zhengyuan's face had gone pale, and his lips trembled without stop.

"What's all dead?"

Chen Lin was baffled, but then seemed to recall something and cried out in alarm, "Could it be... all those people afflicted by evil are dead!"

Zhao Zhengyuan nodded repeatedly.

"That's right. Didn't I say last time that many others had been afflicted by the same evil as us? This morning, after I saw you go out, I took a walk myself and asked around. Only then did I learn that all those people were dead—and they died exactly like Sun Shi and the others!

This answer made Chen Lin's heart sink.

The Sun Shi the other man mentioned was one of the cultivators who had been afflicted alongside the original owner of this body and the others last time. He had died not long after returning.

There were several others as well. Not a single one had survived.

It was said they had all died horribly, as if they had been air-dried, their entire bodies turned into mummies.

"Are they really all dead? Not one of them is still alive?"

Chen Lin confirmed it again.

If that was truly the case, then he and Zhao Zhengyuan, the two survivors, would stand out far too much. They would definitely draw attention.

Zhao Zhengyuan's expression was unpleasant as well. He swallowed and said, "All the ones from last time are dead, but new cultivators afflicted by the evil have appeared. It's already drawn attention, and many people are discussing it."

"More people have been afflicted?"

Chen Lin frowned.

The more people were afflicted, the more conspicuous the two of them who had survived would become. That was no good thing.

"That's right, and there are quite a few of them. There are currently two rumors. One says a powerful Evil Thing has appeared outside the city and has set its sights on Kaiyuan City. The other claims this is an epidemic."

Having pulled himself out of his nervous state, Zhao Zhengyuan dragged over a chair and sat down.

"An epidemic?"

Chen Lin shook his head. "That can't be possible, can it? Cultivators can catch epidemics too?"

Zhao Zhengyuan shot him a sidelong glance and sneered. "Of course they can. Though it certainly wouldn't be an ordinary epidemic. But don't worry—this Zhao has some knowledge of epidemics too!"

Chen Lin automatically ignored the man's crazy talk and fell silent in thought.

If it truly was an epidemic, that would be better. As long as they isolated themselves properly and avoided contact with others, it would be fine. But if a powerful Evil Thing had set its sights on them, the consequences would be unthinkable.

Moreover, if some powerful aberration had appeared outside, the danger of his escaping this place would rise in a straight line.

"Which do you think it is?"

Chen Lin looked at him and asked.

"Sigh, I don't know either. We'll find out after some time. No matter what it is, there's nothing we can do. With snow this heavy, we couldn't even find the road if we left the city. We can only wait inside the city."

Zhao Zhengyuan sighed, shook his head, rose, and left the room.

After the other man left, Chen Lin sank into thought. But no matter how he considered it, just as the other man had said, there was nothing he could do.

Leaving the city and fleeing was definitely not an option now.

With snow more than half a meter deep, without the Flying Technique, it was impossible to travel any great distance. Besides, the demonic beasts outside the city had probably been driven mad by hunger. Going out would be like delivering them a snack.

Not to mention there might also be a powerful aberration out there.

"This world is too insane. I can't proceed step by step anymore!"

Chen Lin gritted his teeth and made his decision.

Originally, he had planned to advance steadily, slowly developing with his Ten Times Certain Hit ability. But this sudden upheaval had forced him to change his plans.

He did not continue Talisman Crafting. Instead, he cooked a pot of Spirit Rice Porridge, and after drinking it, began meditating to cultivate.

By evening, he had made his preparations, then left the room with a bundle slung over his back.