Chapter 174: Anything That Falls to the Ground, I'll Claim as Mine!
Yun Zhi, of course, had never heard of Jiang Lin's name, because back when Jiang Lin was in the Jia Ma imperial capital, he mostly used the alias "Young Lin."
Even his Fourth-Rank Blacksmith badge carried the words "Young Lin." In the Jia Ma imperial capital, only a few people actually knew Jiang Lin's real name.
The reason Yun Zhi felt the name sounded somewhat familiar was because she had heard of "Young Lin" before. Since "Jiang Lin" and "Young Lin" sounded similar—and the character Lin wasn't very common on the Dou Qi Continent—she naturally found it familiar.
"For cultivation." Xiao Yan answered.
"Yes, also for cultivation." Jiang Lin thought for a moment. The reason he wanted to sneak into the Amethyst Winged Lion King's lair was, at its core, still about cultivation.
Jiang Lin's gaze quietly swept across Yun Zhi. The orange glow of the firelight reflected against her face, highlighting her exquisite features. Although Jiang Lin had never met Yun Zhi in person before, by now he had basically figured out who she really was.
The moment the name Yun Zhi was spoken, Jiang Lin knew exactly who the woman in front of him was.
Back in the Blacksmith Guild, Jiang Lin had read through all sorts of Jia Ma Empire folklore and legends—things like The Ten Great Beauties of Jia Ma, The Cold Sect Master Who Fell in Love with Me, The Tyrant Queen Who Conquered Me… Well, Jiang Lin wasn't picky with books. Whatever he grabbed, he would read. And the guild was full of old men anyway—you get the idea—they loved collecting all sorts of strange books.
Within the Jia Ma Empire, among female Dou Huangs, only two were truly famous. One was Queen Medusa of the snake-people in the Tagor Desert, and the other was the Sect Leader of Yun Lan Sect—Yun Yun.
"Aren't you two worried about running into danger?" Yun Zhi asked, puzzled. To her, two people at the level of Dou Shi and Dou Zhe daring to venture deep into the Magical Beast Mountain Range was nothing short of reckless.
"With Brother Lin here, what danger could scare us?" Xiao Yan's eyes rolled slightly, then he pushed the question right onto Jiang Lin.
Hearing this, Jiang Lin glared at him helplessly, then reached into his spatial ring and pulled out a smooth, mirror-like, thirty-centimeter fragment of amethyst horn. Under Yun Zhi's shocked gaze, he placed it before them.
"When it comes to picking things up, I do have some talent. If we hadn't run into Miss Yun Zhi, I wouldn't have mentioned it, but since we've met, it's better to be upfront."
"Don't worry, Miss Yun Zhi. For the sake of this amethyst horn, we'll ensure your safety."
Yun Zhi stared blankly at the horn. She was certain—this was the very one she had cut off from the Amethyst Winged Lion King's head in her desperate strike! But… how had this man managed to retrieve it from within that perilous pack of magical beasts?
After all, the Lion King would never abandon its own horn. That horn was a vital treasure—if reabsorbed and refined, it would allow the beast to regrow its amethyst horn in no time.
And yet, what should have been reclaimed by the Lion King was now somehow in the hands of a mere six-star Dou Shi!
"You—you… how did you get that horn?" Yun Zhi asked in disbelief.
"Didn't Miss Yun Zhi give it to me?" Jiang Lin smiled lightly. "Anything that falls on the ground counts as mine."
Xiao Yan's face instantly darkened at those words. What kind of ridiculous logic was that!?
His Heavy Xuan Ruler had nearly been "picked up" by Jiang Lin once, too!
In the end, Xiao Yan had to work as Jiang Lin's test subject for days just to buy back his own weapon. The very thought made Xiao Yan's heart ache, and he nearly wanted to cry.
"To venture this deep into the Magical Beast Range, you must have some skill," Jiang Lin said while examining the amethyst horn with his spiritual sense. "But enough of that—let's talk about you, Miss Yun Zhi. All of your meridians have been sealed. Do you have a plan?"
Yun Zhi slowly shifted her gaze from the horn to Jiang Lin's bright eyes. Her expression flickered slightly as she realized he seemed capable of moving freely in the mountain range. Pressing her lips together, she said softly: "I can undo the seal myself, but it will take some time. I'll have to trouble you for a few days."
"My purpose in coming here is the Violet Spirit Crystal. That item can only be found within the Amethyst Winged Lion King's lair."
"If Miss Yun Zhi trusts us, then after you've recovered, we can split up. You hold off the Lion King outside, while we sneak into its nest." Jiang Lin immediately cut in before she could say more.
In truth, Jiang Lin's original goal was to rob the Lion King's lair. In the past, he could only bide his time and wait until the beast left its cave. But now, with a Dou Huang to provide cover, his chances of success skyrocketed.
As for the Violet Spirit Crystal, he wanted it too. Depending on the situation, he planned to study it first before handing it over to Yun Zhi.
After realizing Yun Zhi's true identity, Jiang Lin felt he could trust her. And with that strange old ghost watching from the side, he and Xiao Yan were safe no matter what.
"…Thank you." Yun Zhi gave him a grateful look, then glanced at the horn in his hand. "But truthfully, since you picked it up, you didn't need to tell me. If my thoughts shifted… you two would be in grave danger."
It was her way of reminding him—wealth should not be flaunted. The amethyst horn was a top-grade Tier Six magical beast material. Even though Yun Zhi didn't know its exact uses, her instincts told her its value rivaled even some sixth-grade pills.
"Hehe. My instincts tell me Miss Yun Zhi is someone worthy of trust. And I trust my instincts—as well as you." Jiang Lin's smile widened, his bright azure-golden eyes shining with sincerity. He was already fascinated by the horn's mysterious properties, his excitement hard to hide.
At the same time, Xiao Yan heard Yao Lao's voice in his mind: "Tsk, tsk. Sometimes I feel this 'spiritual sense' is nothing but cheating. Spatial awareness, sensing killing intent, judging good or evil—it all turns into instinct. Too much! Then again, the Yao clan's bloodline talents are outrageous too. The stronger the blood, the more they're basically living spirit medicines… Makes you wonder if they've ever refined one of their own, eh?"
Yun Zhi's jade-green eyes met Jiang Lin's azure-golden gaze. In that instant, she felt the honesty and confidence within them. Flustered, she lowered her head, staring instead at the flickering campfire, her heart beating as fast as the sparks that leapt into the night air.
"…Thank you."
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Franklin1