Chapter 266: A Gamble

Chapter 266: A Gamble

“This is an internal energy technique—Burning Art. And this is a spear technique—Phoenix Faces the Sun.” Chen Huaian slapped two jade slips down in front of Lin Lingling, speaking seriously. “The first one suits your single Fire Spiritual Root, and the second works with your current spear skills. Go train with them!”

Lin Lingling took the two jade slips with a dazed expression. Her sixth sense told her—these were top-tier treasures.

Far more valuable than the breathing technique recorded on the Kunlun Stone Stele, which the Exorcist Division had spent a decade deciphering!

“Governor…” Lin Lingling looked at Chen Huaian with big, shining eyes.

He waved her off with a carefree air. “Enough. Don’t start with that ‘this is too precious, I can’t accept it’ crap. If I’m giving it to you, I mean it. But you cannot spread these around. You need to understand the concept of ‘an innocent man gets blamed for holding treasure’. Also—if I can give it to you, I can take it back.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Chen Huaian raised an eyebrow. “Then what do you mean?”

Expressionless and dead serious, Lin Lingling offered a suggestion: “Governor, the jade slips are crammed full of text. Just understanding it is gonna take forever. I’m a science student—looking at all that writing gives me a migraine. Isn’t there a way I can just instantly learn the techniques? Like you grabbing my head and yelling ‘Activate!’ or something to flip the entire situation?”

Chen Huaian: “…”

…

Thirty seconds later—

Lin Lingling was launched out of Containment Site 0 with her head in a death grip.

The two jade slips were thrown out right after her.

“Scram!”

The alloy doors slammed shut with a loud boom.

Pouting in grievance, Lin Lingling puffed out her cheeks.

It was just a suggestion. If he didn’t have that kind of method, fine—no need to be so aggressive.

But then she remembered: those techniques Chen Huaian gave her… he probably got them by selling his body.

Such amazing techniques…

He must’ve been rubbed down with steel scrubbers until he turned into a dried radish…

Although Governor Chen always acted like he didn’t care much about the Exorcist Division, when the time came—he really delivered!

Two subordinates were still standing at the gate. When they saw Lin Lingling get thrown out, they both looked stunned.

Her usual blank expression returned in an instant. That three-no face was back on.

“What are you staring at? That’s the Governor’s way of showing love. Does he ever pat your heads?”

“You’re right, Captain.” The two Exorcists immediately lowered their heads.

Lin Lingling snorted and crossed her arms. “You two have a mission. Go out and buy some ginseng, deer antler, epimedium, and oyster extract or something. Six-Flavor Rehmannia Pills aren’t nourishing enough. Our good Governor of the C Province Exorcist Division deserves to be supported by each and every one of us—with love!”

“Captain, the Governor’s code name is KSC-0, the Tyrant. If he finds out we bought him that kind of stuff, won’t he rip us apart?”

One of the team members looked uneasy.

To put it bluntly—wasn’t the Governor already superhuman? Did he need this kind of thing?

“You guys don’t get it. Ever heard of ‘returning to simplicity’?”

Lin Lingling spoke with deep conviction: “A thousand-mile levee can collapse from a single ant hole. Our job is to patch every ant hole before that happens!”

“Then Captain, what are you off to do?”

“I haven’t submitted the Governor’s tournament application yet. Gotta take care of that.”

With hands behind her back, Lin Lingling strutted off in her proud little duck-walk.

As if she hadn’t consulted Chen Huaian about signing him up?

Of course she had his permission.

That’s called social finesse, people…

…

When Chen Huaian returned to the Small World—

He had more than just the Black Scales Sword on his hip—he now also carried the Emperor’s Sword – Chenjiang.

Back when he only had a Sword Spiritual Root, the Chenjiang Sword was already throwing flirty glances his way. Now that he possessed both Pure Yang and Profound Yin Dual Sword Bones, Chenjiang turned into a full-blown sword simp. The moment his hand gripped the hilt, the whole sword let off a misty vapor and trembled with excitement.

Chenjiang was like a fallen noble lady marrying down as a concubine, who, after enduring cold stares for a while, finally accepted her place.

Then came the favor—and once she got a taste of that power, she understood real capital.

Perhaps because he often wielded it to kill Void Fusion Realm enemies—

The sword spirit within the Black Scales Sword was starting to take shape.

That sword was like a gentle, understanding little wife. Sensible, composed, and with all the makings of a proper wife.

Even when he held Chenjiang, Black Scales would just give a soft hum—not even a hint of jealousy.

Put that on any other Sword Pavilion disciple?

Two swords, both developing spirits? They’d be at each other’s throats until one devoured the other.

“Senior, I’ve refined four Primordial Heaven-Mending Pills. Due to limitations in technique and ingredients, they’re only middle-grade. Please don’t be offended.”

Dan Bai had been waiting by the pool on Luoxia Peak for a while.

In truth, she’d finished the pills much earlier.

But she deliberately waited another half hour before coming out of the hut.

She wanted to stall longer, but in the end, couldn’t bear to see Yun Baiyu and the three Sword Pavilion disciples continue suffering from internal injuries.

“Middle-grade Primordial Heaven-Mending Pills? That’s already excellent.”

Chen Huaian took the four porcelain bottles and was instantly hit by a wave of medicinal fragrance.

These weren’t Celestial-grade pills, so they didn’t cause any Heaven-Earth phenomena.

But he was satisfied—if he had to buy these, even just regular-grade ones would cost tens of millions per pill.

“How effective are middle-grade ones? Can they repair the Dantian?”

“They can.” Dan Bai nodded. “Common-grade ones have a chance to fail. Middle-grade almost always succeed. Superior and high-grade pills can even enhance the Dantian. As for top-grade and Celestial-grade—those definitely enhance it. But top-grade pills… probably only my mother can refine those.

Celestial-grade ones are legendary. They require not only skill and materials, but also the right time, place, and people.”

Dan Bai glanced at Chen Huaian and couldn’t help asking:

“Senior, you must’ve already given Miss Li Qingran a very high-quality Primordial Heaven-Mending Pill, right?”

She was staring at a point three inches below Chen Huaian’s navel, her eyes beginning to glow faintly. “Yet your Dantian, Senior… it’s actually the lowest tier. And even so, you’ve reached the Fifth Stage of the Void Fusion Realm. Your talent and comprehension… I’m in awe.”

【Li Qingran affection +30, current ♡♥35】

A system prompt popped up in front of him.

There was a shadow leaning by the hut’s window—a little girl was clearly eavesdropping.

Chen Huaian went silent.

He honestly wasn’t sure if Dan Bai was praising him or insulting him.

“You can see the state of a Dantian?”

“I can.” Dan Bai blinked her sparkling eyes and explained sincerely, “My mother and I were born with Spirit Eyes. We can see information that even special divine abilities can’t detect… That’s also why my mother was captured by the Holy Land of Jade Pool.”

Chen Huaian narrowed his eyes.

He didn’t get it—Dan Bai had been so guarded around him before. Why was she suddenly revealing everything?

“You’re not afraid I’ll use you?”

Dan Bai dropped to her knees, her tone firm and unwavering. “I absolutely do not believe someone who prioritizes giving his best resources to his disciples could be like those hypocrites at Yaochi.

Please, Senior, I beg you to save my mother. With our alchemy and Spirit Eyes, we can help the Sword Pavilion rival the Three Great Holy Lands!”

There was one thing she hadn’t said aloud—

She had seen Chen Huaian under the moonlight, patiently and warmly teaching Li Qingran sword moves. That gentle demeanor overlapped more and more with a man from her memories—her father.

It was her father who had taught both her and her mother the art of alchemy.

If he hadn’t gone missing in the Great Secret Realm—

She’d be the daughter of the Dan Sect’s Master right now.

Fate was cruel…

But no matter what—

Anyone who reminded her of her father… couldn’t be a bad person.

Gazing at the man in black robes before her, Dan Bai silently whispered in her heart:

【Mother… forgive me for being willful this once.】

【I’m betting everything.】