Rear Mountain Treasure Hunt

Lin Qing felt even more pressured. Wang Ling's tone was calm, but it carried an undeniable domineering air. Considering Wang Ling's previous behavior, he had no doubt that if he performed poorly in the Prefectural City assessment, Wang Ling would really do something.

"Sir, how exactly will the assessment be conducted?" Lin Qing asked.

"Things change every year, but as long as you are strong enough, you have nothing to fear no matter how the situation changes," Wang Ling replied.

"I understand, sir!" Lin Qing nodded.

"I will stay at the Soul-Calming Office for the next seven days. If you have any questions, feel free to ask," Wang Ling added.

"My lord, what is so mysterious about the Bai'e Cult that allows it to gather such a large number of followers?" Lin Qing asked.

His understanding of the Bai'e Cult had always been limited to word of mouth, and he had always been curious about it. Since Wang Ling allowed him to ask questions, he naturally wanted to ask more and broaden his horizons.

"Good question. Apart from the Evil Spirits roaming the wild, our greatest enemy is the Bai'e Cult. It will be good for you to learn more about it."

The Bai'e Cult attracts members for two main reasons: lifespan and strength.

By sacrificing Evil Spirit, one can attract Evil Spirits into one's body, and as a result, one's followers will be transformed into a form that is neither human nor ghost.

They can practice martial arts like ordinary humans, and also mimic Evil Spirits, devouring human blood and energy to rapidly strengthen their bodies, prolong their lifespans, and acquire various evil arts and demonic techniques. Naturally, those willing to join are endless, and even with the strict crackdowns by local Soul-Calming Office, it's difficult to eradicate them; in fact, they've only grown larger over the years.

"With lifespan and martial prowess as incentives, it's indeed something that can drive many people crazy." Lin Qing nodded.

"I've heard that some powerful beings within the Bai'e Cult can achieve immortality by constantly absorbing the life force of others. But throughout history, how many have resisted the temptation of immortality? However..." Wang Ling sighed, then changed the subject, "Everything comes at a price. When Evil Spirits enter the body, they will continuously grow stronger, gradually eroding the Martial Artist's soul and clouding their mind. To resist this erosion, one must constantly improve their cultivation level; there's no stopping, because stopping means death. Martial Artist have lost their minds often commit many insane acts, even transforming into pure killing puppets."

A sudden realization dawned on Lin Qing: ordinary people could stop practicing martial arts, but members of the Bai'e Cult could not.

"All cultists deserve to die, they wreak havoc on the world. In my lifetime, I, Wang Ling, will do everything in my power to exterminate the Byr cultists!" Wang Ling's words were suddenly filled with strong emotions, and a surging killing intent erupted from his body.

Lin Qing, standing to the side, suddenly tensed up, a chill running down his spine.

"Such formidable strength, such intense killing intent," Lin Qing thought to himself.

He had heard that when a person kills enough, they will condense a near-tangible killing intent, and Wang Ling gave him that feeling.

Moreover, Wang Ling's state of mind had always been like a block of ice that had never melted, so this sudden and intense emotional fluctuation surprised him greatly.

He vaguely felt that Wang Ling had a story, and that his hatred for the Bai'e Cult members went beyond the realm of normal people.

After some thought, Wang Ling quickly calmed down and said indifferently, "Any more questions?"

"My lord, what kind of strength is needed to win the assessment in the Prefectural City?" Lin Qing asked again.

"You possess low-grade Yin Bone. To be absolutely certain of victory, you'll need to master at least Six Force Types," Wang Ling said calmly, glancing around at the crowd.

"Six types." Lin Qing breathed a slight sigh of relief. This matter wasn't too difficult. He had already mastered five types of energy: Spirit Snake Force, Cold Marrow Force, Blood Soul Force, Mount-Towning Force, and Bloodflame Force.

Mastering another type of power in five months wouldn't be difficult; in fact, he felt there was even a chance to master more.

Because of this great upheaval, many Martial Artists are currently imprisoned. Once convicted, these people will be executed, and their bodies will be sent to the Soul-Calming Office. He believes that there will definitely be an opportunity to obtain more martial arts at the Perfect Mastery Realm.

"Six types, that's quite difficult for you. You can't slack off or waste a single moment these five months," Wang Ling instructed again.

Lin Qing nodded solemnly and said, "Sir, I have a request."

"Explain."

"My master, Yang Feng, was accidentally kicked in the spine by Han Shantong and has now become a cripple. There are no good doctors or medicines in Jiangyin County to cure this injury. I wonder if you, sir, have any way to help?" Lin Qing said slowly.

In this era, the relationship between a master and his apprentice is sometimes even closer than that between a father and son.

Yang Feng is of good character and has always treated him well. Since he has the ability, he should definitely help him.

"The Prefectural City has its own effective remedies," Shen Ling said.

"I understand, sir. If there's nothing else urgent, I'll take my leave," Lin Qing said, cupping his hands in greeting.

Wang Ling waved his hand, and Lin Qing turned and left.

In the afternoon, a light rain was falling from the sky, drizzling and misty.

Lin Qing stood at the entrance of the Han Family Residence, holding an oil-paper umbrella. His gaze swept across the gate and he saw that the Han Family's gate was wide open, the plaque above had been removed at some point, and the inside was empty and desolate.

"Who goes there?" Suddenly, a group of Prefectural Soldiers in light armor strode over.

Lin Qing waved his hand, showing the Gold Token. The leader immediately said respectfully, "So it's Lord Lin. This Han Family Residence has been sealed off, and no one is allowed to enter or leave. However, since you are the person chosen by Lord Wang Ling, you may go in for a look if you wish."

A strange light flashed in Lin Qing's eyes. He had only wanted to test whether the Gold Token was useful, but he hadn't expected these Prefectural Soldiers to be so afraid of him.

He suddenly realized that he had underestimated the value of this Gold Token, as well as the strength of the Prefectural City Soul-Calming Office.

Thank you!

Lin Qing responded, stepped into the mansion, and headed straight for the Rear Mountain.

The so-called Rear Mountain is actually an artificial mountain, with a lake, flower beds, bamboo groves, and pavilions nearby; it is the Han Family's own back garden.

Lin Qing walked through the room, momentarily at a loss. He had thought it would be easy to identify the Hidden Chamber, but now he realized that there were no distinguishing features at all, making it impossible to make a judgment.

However, Lin Qing was very patient. He walked around the artificial hill again and again, and soon he had an answer in his heart.

"Since it's Hidden Chamber, it will take some time. This artificial hill isn't very large, so there are only three possibilities: it's either buried underground, in a mountain, or, extremely rarely, in this lake."

Lin Qing glanced around and saw the shimmering water, with golden carp swimming beneath the surface.

He shook his head, thinking that the lake answer could also be ruled out.

He didn't think Han Shantong had the ability to build a Hidden Chamber underwater in this lake.

While pondering, Lin Qing decided to first inspect the artificial mountain to see if any caves had been carved out inside.

He circled the mountain again and again, even using his Lightness Skill to climb to the summit and carefully examine every large rock, but found nothing unusual.

Lin Qing pondered for a moment and decided to walk through every inch of the surrounding land.

If the entrance to the Hidden Chamber is underground, the soil at the opening must be loose; perhaps that's a good starting point.

Lin Qing explored step by step, and after about an hour, he arrived at a flat open space in the northeast corner of the artificial hill. He reached out and his palm easily sank halfway into the soil. Compared with other places around, the soil in this area was obviously much looser.

"Found it." Lin Qing's eyes lit up.