Ling Yuan's words let Lin Chuan breathe a little easier, and he said nothing more.
Her lack of decorum was nothing new. Thankfully, she hadn't said anything that would tarnish his aloof image.
He already knew about the ceremony six months from now.
His appearance and the status he would be granted were sure to attract the attention of the Upper Three Sects.
The people assigned to protect him in secret were only there to prevent some faction from losing its mind and trying to assassinate him.
The result would be the same whether they succeeded or not: their sect would be wiped out.
No one would be foolish enough to do something like that, especially in a time of peace.
Ling Yuan's outgoing nature had already let Lin Chuan feel her genuine sincerity.
It was fine to have her protect him from the shadows.
At least he had more history with Ling Yuan than with anyone else. He could trust her, and having someone else around would make him uncomfortable.
After all, the promise they had made was real.
At the very least, Ling Yuan took it seriously and followed the rules. He didn't covet anything more.
From now on, perhaps he could only rely on his own strength to win over the other members of Spirit Hall.
Or he could raise a few subordinates he could trust, at least to some extent.
In any case, there were plenty of Immortal Herbs.
He could accept using one or two to cultivate a couple of capable subordinates.
Lin Chuan couldn't completely trust anyone but himself.
But he was generous enough to use good resources to cultivate his subordinates and earn their trust.
He couldn't trust anyone else, but he could trust himself.
The matter of cultivating a personal guard would have to be put off. He needed to handle it personally, and now was no time to waste.
Putting aside those unnecessary thoughts, Lin Chuan went to the corner of the courtyard and placed the Blue Silver Emperor, along with the soil around it, into a flowerpot to carry with him.
He had found someone to feed the Black Hoof Horse in the stables, so he didn't have to worry about it starving. He could come back for it when he had some free time and take it for a ride.
He left Suotuo City and arrived in the wilderness.
Lin Chuan activated the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor's Spirit Bone Skill. Wind sprang beneath his feet, and he once again soared into the air, speeding toward Heaven Dou City.
Ling Yuan, following behind him, was stunned when she saw this.
But she soon realized it was a Spirit Bone Skill and stopped finding it strange.
That was only natural. Many Spirit Bones granted the ability to fly, especially those dropped by flying Soul Beasts. They were more likely to have flight skills.
She was just curious why Lin Chuan had absorbed a flying-type Spirit Bone.
Was it simply to gain a somewhat useless ability to fly?
But surely that would happen sooner or later. Given his talent, she felt he would soon break through to Soul Douluo.
Soul Douluos could fly for short periods, like her, while Titled Douluos could sense the world around them and stand in midair.
He had wasted a powerful Spirit Bone Skill.
So she could only express her regret tactfully.
And she really couldn't understand the way this young man's mind worked.
They flew in fits and starts for two days, crossing a thousand miles.
The rising bonfire painted a bold stroke across the dark night.
The firewood crackled now and then, sending tiny sparks flying.
Plump rabbit meat was skewered on several sharpened sticks beside the fire. Grease dripped from the crisp skin onto the ground, and the meat fell apart in distinct strands.
Lin Chuan lay sprawled on a patch of open ground nearby.
His gaze rested on the boundless night sky, on the blue river of stars, as delicate as silk.
He looked relaxed yet quiet. His gentle brows and deep, serene eyes gave him an air of utter coolness.
Ling Yuan sat to one side, watching the rabbit legs sizzle and glisten with oil, her face alight with excitement.
Lin Chuan had only just learned that Ling Yuan was a foodie.
She was quite the connoisseur, too. She loved delicious food and couldn't help comparing dishes whenever she tasted something good.
But after comparing them, she still ate every last one.
When the rabbit legs seemed ready, Ling Yuan eagerly picked one up and took a bite.
They had set out in such a hurry that neither of them had brought any seasoning. But as soon as she bit into the meat, its tender, savory aroma filled her mouth, and she couldn't help exclaiming:
"This rabbit meat is really delicious."
Even without a thing added, the rich flavor of the rabbit's own fat made it delicious.
The taste lingered in her mouth. It was the best meal she'd had while roughing it outdoors.
Watching how much she enjoyed it, Lin Chuan picked up a leg and took a bite too. It really was delicious.
"Where did you get this rabbit? It tastes so good. How come I've never had any before?"
As he ate the roast rabbit, Lin Chuan answered without thinking, telling the truth:
"This is a hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Charm Rabbit. Of course it's better than an ordinary rabbit."
Ordinary rabbits were called Soft Bone Rabbits, while Soft Bone Charm Rabbits were a more noble-blooded breed. Their eyes were tender, and every frown and smile could stir the hearts of their kin.
Among rabbits, Soft Bone Charm Rabbits were as beautiful as Daji, the ruinous beauty who had brought a kingdom to its knees.
Ling Yuan was still relishing the rabbit meat when she heard Lin Chuan say, "a hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Charm Rabbit."
She burst out laughing. Her laughter rang like clear bells, echoing through the woods.
"A hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Charm Rabbit? Hahaha..."
Lin Chuan ignored her laughter.
There was nothing he could do; it was the truth. He'd told her because he was certain Ling Yuan would think he was joking and wouldn't believe him.
But he didn't dwell on it. If she wanted to take it as a joke, that was fine. Either way, he'd had a very satisfying dinner.
After eating his fill, Lin Chuan leaned lazily against a tree trunk.
In his hand was a copy of the "Herb Encyclopedia," transcribed from the books he had gotten from Elder Chrysanthemum.
Meanwhile, he was working through the details of all his plans in his mind.
He was currently in a forest in the wilderness, just over a hundred miles from Heaven Dou City.
His top priority was the opportunity at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Back when he had first joined Spirit Hall, he had secretly studied herbs in his spare time. For some of the rarer ones, he had even gone to Elder Chrysanthemum to learn more.
That was one of the reasons the two of them had grown so close.
Elder Chrysanthemum had introduced him to many herbs, teaching him about them again and again.
To him, herbology was like standing before a trove of treasures.
During the training a few months ago,
he had even reviewed his herb knowledge while soaking in the medicinal bath.
Otherwise, when he reached the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he would feel as helpless as someone who had never encountered English trying to understand spoken English for the first time.
Now he didn't have to worry about being a tourist at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
His notes on herbs included the Immortal Herbs found there.
Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, Lovesick Heartbreak Red, Aromatic Silk Beauty, Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid...
The notes were detailed, and he could compare them one by one. They included the various characteristics of each herb, even descriptions of their appearance.
After two days on the road and more than a thousand miles, sleepiness gradually swept over him.
Lin Chuan fell asleep just like that, with the sky for a quilt and the earth for a bed.
Early the next morning, Lin Chuan woke up and made his way to the gates of Heaven Dou City.
However, a crowd had gathered at the city gate. The commotion was great, and heated discussions rose one after another.
Everyone was gathered there, most of them looking at a sheet of paper posted on the wall.
Curious, Lin Chuan edged closer and heard several rough voices in the crowd discussing it:
"How many years has it been? Tang Hao still hasn't died."
"I only found out recently, but almost every Spirit Hall Branch in Fasinuo Province has been destroyed."
"I heard people say it was terrifying. A huge hammer, hundreds of meters across, suddenly came crashing down. One hit was enough to flatten a branch."
"All the Purple-Robed Deacons in the province died. Plenty of people nearby were caught up in it too. Only the White-Robed and Yellow-Robed Deacons who happened to be out on duty that day survived. No one else lived through that hammer strike."
"Tsk, Tang Hao really is a madman. He was fooling around with a Soul Beast, and when trouble came, he dragged ordinary people like us into it."
"Even the Clear Sky Sect wanted nothing to do with someone like him. If you ask me, the Spirit Hall should've beaten him to death years ago, when they were hunting him down."