Yin Qingsi was mysterious, and the Crippled Zen Master was even more so. The Zen Valley housed many a secret. Since Yin Qingsi didn’t tell, Lu Li would not ask or use psychic power to probe.
Yin Qingsi and Lu Li spent an hour drinking in the pavilion. Not one of the Semi-God Realm warriors was able to enter. Lu Li felt completely relieved.
But how should he journey on?
Lu Li had not the faintest idea. But at the very least, he was safe at the moment. Yin Qingsi had bought him time. He now had the chance to work on the Wicked Bead. If he could dissolve more layers of seals, he would be greatly empowered.
“Young Master Lu!”
Pointing to a cabin, Yin Qingsi said, “You can put your mind at ease and live here for as long as you want. It is absolutely safe in the Zen Valley. You can trust me on that.”
Yin Qingsi reiterated the point. Lu Li felt reassured. He nodded and went to the cabin following Yin Qingsi.
It was a cabin with simplicity. Inside were only one bed and a bathroom, a chair and a cushion. Simple as it was, the cabin was clean. Lu Li took a look and said with satisfaction, “Young Lady Yin, thank you very much. I need to keep on working on with Wicked Bead.”
Lu Li took out the Wicked Bead in front of Yin Qingsi without reservation. The latter turned to him and said with a smile, “Emperor Heng was very talented, and he could best all the other great warriors. He soared soon after he went to the Divinity. He had incredible taste and judgment. Young Master Lu, you are fortunate enough to have passed his test and obtained the Relic.”
Lu Li could tell that Yin Qingsi was not in the least jealous or envious. All she felt was happy for him. His curiosity of Yin Qingsi grew thicker. What kind of warrior would be not interested in the Wicked Bead? Did Yin Qingsi have a Relic of her own?
Last time at the Purgatory of Primordial Chaos, Yin Qingsi almost lost her life to her pursuers. Therefore, it was unlikely that she had Relics with her. Then, the only thing that could explain her reaction was that she really thought of him as her friend, a friend even closer than families.
Lu Li felt a spread of warmth in his heart. He said with a smile, “I got lucky and learned a Profound Meaning in the Forbidden Ground of Elder God. I can control Feather Wind with that Profound Meaning. I used the Feather Wind so that I could enter a dungeon. Then, by pure chance, I got the bead.”
“Feather Wind?”
Yin Qingsi was taken aback. She had entered the Forbidden Ground of Elder God herself before, and she knew very well how horrifying the Feather Wind could be. She lacclaimed, “This is more than luck. The fact that you can control the Feather Wind means that you have passed ones of Emperor Heng’s tests. Only you can get the bead and nobody else stood a chance.”
The idea had crossed Lu Li’s mind as well. He smiled gently. Then, looking at her eyes, he asked, “Young Lady Yin, can your eyes be treated? If you need any Mystical Materials, I can find them for you.”
“Yes!”
Yin Qingsi replied, “Forefather said one herb would do. That herb is called the Blue Orchid. But I don’t think the herb exists in this universe.”
“Also…”
Speaking of herbs, Yin Qingsi used psychic power to check Lu Li’s bone marrows and said, “You haven’t been relieved of the venom yet? I have learned the prescription of the antidote. I can make it for you.”
“There is no need!”
Lu Li shook his head and said, “Leng Wuxin is the one who gave me the venom and she is in the Wicked Bead making the antidote for me at the moment.”
“Good, then!”
Yin Qingsi nodded and said, “Young Master Lu, take a rest now. I will cultivate in the cabin next to yours. If you need anything, send the maids outside for me.”
“Okay!”
Lu Li watched as Yin Qingsi left. He sat in his room for a while and then took out the Wicked Bead to work on it. He crossed his legs and began to cultivate as well. Soon, something caught his attention.
The Xuan Qi in the Zen Valley was almost as rich as that in the Wicked Bead. There must be a Xuan Qi collection formation here. Lu Li didn’t find it strange. The Crippled Zen Master must be skilled in many kinds of formations.
More than half of the first layer of the seal had been dissolved. At this rate, Lu Li could dissolve the first layer completely after six months.
“I think I’d better go into the Wicked Bead.”
Lu Li flashed into the small hall in the Wicked Bead. Even though he could dissolve the first layer of seal from outside just as well, he felt more at ease inside the Wicked Bead.
He told Leng Wuxin to keep on with the antidote. The other soul slaves were cultivating and Lu Li did so as well.
…
Instead of going back to her own cabin, Yin Qingsi went to that of the Crippled Zen Master. Through the cabin, she walked to the huge phoenix tree in the backyard.
The Crippled Zen Master was playing chess to himself. His eyelids drooped. The pot of tea had gone cold. He hadn’t put his hand down and he paused, like a statue.
Yin Qingsi walked over and got him another pot of hot tea. Then, she squatted next to him. The Crippled Zen Master’s eyes moved as he said, “Dear, you like him?”
Yin Qingsi blushed. But she shook her head and said, “I only treat him as my friend. He has saved my life.”
“Well…”
The Crippled Zen Master threw Yin Qingsi a look and said in a colder voice, “You’d better not have feelings for him or you will put him in harm’s way!”
“In harm’s way?” Yin Qingsi was shocked and asked, “Why do you say so?”
The Crippled Zen Master didn’t say anything. After the time for half an incense stick to burn, he sighed and said, “There are some things I don’t want to tell you, but I think you need to know a part.”
Yin Qingsi was intrigued. She held her breaths. The Crippled Zen Master continued after a pause, “Dear, I once told you that you were an orphan. I lied.”
“What?”
Yin Qingsi was shocked and confused. She asked the Crippled Zen Master, “Forefather… why have you lied to me? So, I have parents and other relatives?”
“Yes, you do!”
The Crippled Zen Master nodded and sighed, “I cannot let you know about your family now and I have my reasons for lying to you. When you reach the Semi-God Realm, I will let you know.”
Yin Qingsi lowered her head, disappointed. She would not get any answers since the Crippled Zen Master made it clear that he could only tell her in the future.
The Crippled Zen Master continued solemnly, “Your family is powerful, and you are born in distinction. Therefore… you cannot develop feelings for average guys. If you really fell in love with that young man, I would kill him immediately without a second thought and nobody would be able to stop me.”
“What?”
Yin Qingsi looked up suddenly. From the Crippled Zen Master’s words, she had heard many things and she even sensed a faint hint of anger from him.
She was merely being nice to Lu Li, but the Crippled Zen Master had already had the intention to end his life. If she really had romantic feelings for Lu Li, then there was no escape from death for him.
“Powerful family? Born from distinction?”
Yin Qingsi could not figure out the exact implications of those words. The number of families in the four major universes and five minor ones were few. Were there any families “powerful” by the Crippled Zen Master’s standards.
None!
The Crippled Zen Master was the most powerful man in the Central Imperial Universe. More than that, he should be the most powerful in the other universes as well. In this case, not even the top family of the Divine Imperial Universe could be regarded as powerful according to the Crippled Zen Master. Besides, there was no family in those four major universes that was named Yin.
“Can it be…”
An idea came into Yin Qingsi’s mind. She trembled at the revelation. She turned to the Crippled Zen Master and asked, “Forefather, is my family… in the Divinity?”