Becoming a Saint Starts with Copying Martial Arts

Chapter 71 Treasure Hunt in the Back Mountain

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 Suppression Division 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 Byr Cult that it can gather such a large number of followers?" Lin Qing asked.

His understanding of the Beyer religion 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 wilderness, our greatest enemy is the Byr cult. It will be good for you to learn more about it."

The Beyer Cult attracts people to join for two main reasons: lifespan and strength.

By sacrificing evil spirits, one can attract evil spirits into one's body, and as a result, one's followers will be transformed into something that is neither human nor ghost.

They can practice martial arts like ordinary humans, yet they can also mimic evil spirits, devouring human life force to rapidly strengthen their bodies and prolong their lives. They can also acquire various evil arts and demonic techniques. Naturally, those willing to join are endless, and even with the strict crackdowns by local Soul Suppression Divisions, 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 certainly something that can drive many people crazy," Lin Qing nodded.

"I've heard that some powerful beings within the Byr Cult can achieve immortality by constantly absorbing the life force of others. But throughout history, how many have been able to resist 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, never stopping, because stopping means death. Martial artists who have lost their minds often commit many insane acts, even transforming into pure killing puppets."

A realization dawned on Lin Qing: ordinary people could stop practicing martial arts, but members of the Baier 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 murderous aura that is almost tangible, 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 Beyer Cult members had gone 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 are a low-grade Yin Bone cultivator. To be absolutely certain of victory, you need to master at least six types of energy," Wang Ling said calmly, glancing at the crowd.

"Six types." Lin Qing breathed a slight sigh of relief. This matter was not too difficult. He had already mastered five types of energy: Spirit Serpent Energy, Cold Marrow Energy, Blood Soul Energy, Mountain Suppressing Energy, and Blood Flame Energy.

Mastering another type of power in five months is not difficult, and he even feels that there is a chance to master more.

Because of this great upheaval, many martial artists are currently imprisoned. Once convicted, they will all be executed, and their bodies will be sent to the Soul Suppression Division. He believes that there will definitely be an opportunity to obtain more martial arts at the Perfect Realm.

"Six types, which is quite difficult for you. You must not slack off or waste a single moment during 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 medicine," 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, drizzling down and creating a misty atmosphere.

Lin Qing stood at the entrance of the Han family mansion, holding an oil-paper umbrella. His gaze swept across the scene and he saw that the gate of the Han family mansion 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 soldiers in light armor strode over.

Lin Qing waved his hand and showed the golden token. The leader immediately said respectfully, "So it's Lord Lin. This Han family mansion 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 stroll if you wish."

A strange light flashed in Lin Qing's eyes. He had only wanted to try it out and see if the golden token was useful, but he did not expect that these soldiers would be so afraid of him.

He suddenly realized that he had underestimated the value of this golden token and the strength of the town's Soul Division.

Thank you!

Lin Qing responded, stepped into the mansion, and headed straight for the back mountain.

The so-called back 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, and was momentarily at a loss. He had thought it would be easy to find the secret room, but now he realized that there were no distinguishing features at all, and he had no way 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 a secret room, it will take some time. The area of ​​this artificial hill isn't very large, so there are only three possibilities: it's either buried underground, it's in the mountains, or it's in this lake, which is extremely unlikely."

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 secret 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 it.

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 secret room is underground, the soil at the opening will be loose, and 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.