Lin Lang knew perfectly well that he could rescue Ren Woxing now, even with Ren Yingying in tow.
He could issue a false order from Dongfang Bubai to lure the tiger away from its mountain, drawing the Four Friends of Plum Manor away, or have Ren Yingying bring Lan Fenghuang over to poison them. He did not necessarily need to be stronger than those four.
But if he rescued Ren Woxing so easily, how would he show how important he was?
He wanted not only Ren Yingying to be grateful to him, but Ren Woxing as well, willing to give him his daughter's hand in marriage.
Ren Woxing had no son and no fondness for women. Wouldn't the Sun Moon Holy Cult become Ren Yingying's dowry someday?
Living off a woman tasted so sweet. Why shouldn't he take a bite?
After passing through the mountain forest, Lin Lang reached a small town before nightfall and checked into its only inn.
As he entered, he noticed that many of the people eating in the main hall had weapons beside them. Some of those weapons even had traces of blood remaining on them.
Lin Lang tossed a silver ingot onto the counter. "Give me a superior room, and send up a table of food and wine."
The food and wine arrived soon afterward. Just as Lin Lang was about to pick up his chopsticks, the door was pushed open again.
He was about to snap at the intruder when he saw a figure enter wearing a short blue embroidered jacket and numerous silver ornaments.
The woman had a graceful figure, brows like blue-green mountains, and eyes like rippling autumn waters. She swayed her waist as she approached Lin Lang, making it impossible for him to look away.
An inn in a little town like this actually had such a fine-looking local working girl?
No!
Her clothing looked like that of the Miao people around Dali, but this was within Great Song territory.
So she was an out-of-town... martial arts expert!
Every step she took seemed to cover exactly the same distance. Only someone with profound mastery of movement techniques could do that. Even if she was not a Martial Arts Master, she had to be at peak first-class.
"Miss, please restrain yourself. I practice Child Skill." Lin Lang wore an air of stern righteousness.
Lan Fenghuang froze for a moment. What sort of woman did he take her for?!
Still, learning that Lin Lang practiced Child Skill actually put her at ease.
She had previously suspected that Lin Lang harbored improper intentions toward the Holy Maiden. The Holy Maiden was young and easily deceived, especially since Lin Lang was rather handsome.
But if Lin Lang practiced Child Skill, there was nothing to worry about.
Her reading of Lin Lang was that his aura was contained, so he was undoubtedly strong. His attainment in Child Skill must have been high, and he would never bear to ruin it.
When roaming the martial world, strength mattered most.
"So Young Hero Lin practices Child Skill. What a pity." Even Lan Fenghuang's voice carried a seductive charm.
She reached back to close the door, walked over to the table, and sat down without ceremony, casually picking up a chicken leg and bringing it to her mouth.
Lin Lang smiled. "I take it this lovely young lady is Lan Fenghuang, leader of the Five Immortals Sect?"
What's so good about chicken legs? You people from Dali must all love eating mushrooms.
Lan Fenghuang blinked. "Am I that famous? Even Young Hero Lin has heard of me."
Hearing Lin Lang call her the leader of the Five Immortals Sect rather than the Five Poisons Sect greatly improved her impression of him.
Lin Lang seemed rather different from the other martial artists who proclaimed themselves righteous.
Then she would refrain from poisoning Lin Lang today and simply ask him directly.
"Then Young Hero Lin must know my methods, and why I've come."
"Since you know the Old Cult Leader's whereabouts, please tell us. Neither the Holy Maiden nor the Sun Moon Holy Cult will ever forget a friend's help. My Five Immortals Sect can also do three things for you in the future."
Lin Lang looked incredulous. "Miss Ren is the Holy Maiden of the Sun Moon Holy Cult, yet she sent you to poison her benefactor?!"
Lan Fenghuang hurriedly replied, "Who said I was going to poison you? The Holy Maiden never gave such an order either. Our Sun Moon Holy Cult never turns its poisonous hands against a benefactor."
"You really won't use poison on me?" Seeing Lan Fenghuang nod, Lin Lang instantly relaxed. "Then I'm not telling you anything."
If you aren't using poison, what do I have to fear?
Lan Fenghuang: "???"
So you think I can't take you down without poison?
"Forgive me." Lan Fenghuang suddenly struck at Lin Lang with her palm, and he brought two fingers together like a sword.
After several exchanges, Lan Fenghuang realized that she was actually at a disadvantage. Only then did she recall Lin Lang saying he had wounded Qu Yang. She had thought he was boasting, but now it seemed he had probably told the truth.
She also noticed that Lin Lang only attacked and never defended. Was he using Child Skill's formidable defenses to bully her?
Thump!
Lan Fenghuang's palm struck Lin Lang's chest, while his hand stopped at her throat. He fought down the urge to move it three inches lower.
Lan Fenghuang's expression dimmed. Without poison, she truly could not hurt Lin Lang in the slightest.
And if Lin Lang had not held back, her throat would probably have been shattered.
"Sect Leader Lan, I told you I practice Child Skill. Your palm strikes can hardly hurt me."
"If I didn't want to rescue Cult Leader Ren, why would I have told Yingying where he was?"
"Go back and tell Yingying to come find me once she's found an expert she can trust. I'll help her rescue Cult Leader Ren. Cough, cough..."
Lin Lang suddenly coughed twice, looking as though he had been injured.
During their exchange, he had spotted a wine gourd hanging at the back of Lan Fenghuang's waist.
If he was not mistaken, it contained something good that could increase his cultivation.
If he asked for it, Lan Fenghuang probably would not refuse. But wouldn't that diminish the favor she owed him?
He had to make Lan Fenghuang offer him the wine gourd herself.
Lan Fenghuang looked at Lin Lang in surprise. "You're injured?"
Surely her palm strike just now had not been enough to injure Lin Lang seriously?
Lin Lang caught his breath. "When I fought Qu Yang earlier, I took one of his palm strikes and suffered a slight injury. Then I took another strike from you just now. Ten days or a fortnight of rest should see me right."
Life was a play; it all came down to acting.
When Lan Fenghuang heard that her palm strike had aggravated Lin Lang's old injury, and that he had still held back against her, she was overwhelmed with guilt.
Without hesitation, she untied the wine gourd from her waist and poured out a brimming bowl of green wine. "Young Hero Lin, this is our Five Immortals Sect's Five Treasures Flower Honey Wine. It's brewed from five highly venomous creatures-centipedes, scorpions, spiders, toads, and snakes-with many other rare medicinal herbs added. It will help you recover from your injuries. Do you dare drink it?"
Lin Lang raised the bowl and gulped down every drop.
"Good wine!"
Seeing Lin Lang trust her so completely that he drank the wine without hesitation, Lan Fenghuang found him even more pleasing.
"Aren't you afraid of the poison in it?" she asked with a seductive smile.
Lin Lang wiped the corner of his mouth. "You said you wouldn't poison me. I believe you."
"Besides, if you pour me wine, I'll drink it."
Lan Fenghuang was even happier. "Of course I wouldn't poison you. Not just anyone gets to drink this Five Treasures Flower Honey Wine. Even the leader of the Sun Moon Holy Cult doesn't get much."
"Consider this my apology. I shouldn't have attacked you just now."
"Hurry and circulate your energy to absorb its medicinal power. Once your injuries heal, your cultivation might even improve a little."
"I'll stand guard here while you do it. Are you afraid?"
Lin Lang sat cross-legged on the bed without another word. What did he have to fear? With Lan Fenghuang's every joy and anger written plainly on her face, he could handle her with ease.
As he circulated his cultivation technique, a current of warmth rose from his abdomen and flowed through his limbs and every bone in his body.
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