Chapter 257
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Chapter 257: The Improper Monk
Mu Lin harbored complex feelings toward Grandpa Mu Lin. The old man had deeply loved the original host and devoted everything to helping him, but Mu Lin wasn’t truly that person. Fortunately, he hadn’t caused the original host’s death—having crossed over only after that event—so Mu Lin felt no lingering guilt.
“Enough,” he decided. “I’ll treat him normally. Providing excellent cultivation conditions and ample resources will be my way of repaying both him and the original host.”
As for explaining his sudden power surge? “I’ll claim a near-death experience sparked enlightenment, catching the notice of Yin Eight Sect’s ancient sages.” He prepared multiple excuses in mere moments.
Yet none proved necessary. The moment Grandpa Mu Lin arrived, dust coating his robes, he tugged Mu Lin outward. “Lin’er! A secret realm connected to our Yin Eight Sect—we must go now!”
Mu Lin’s brow lifted. “The Yin Eight Sect’s secret realm… Ping An Ancient Town?”
“You’ve heard?” Grandpa Mu Lin’s surprise melted into approval. “The Taoist Palace does have better intelligence than us free cultivators. Joining them was wise.” Without further explanation, he kept pulling Mu Lin along.
Mu Lin’s eyes narrowed but he complied. Meanwhile, an identical Mu Lin materialized behind them, deft fingers folding a paper figure. Soon, the effigy bore Grandpa Mu Lin’s likeness as an ethereal flower bloomed from its chest—a Manjusaka rooted in the old man’s soul.
This wasn’t the lethal Nail the Seven Spirits curse. Mu Lin fueled the Other Shore Flower with his own vitality and soul power, sparing his grandfather. The blossom swiftly wove an undetectable illusion around its target.
Grandpa Mu Lin, seasoned wanderer that he was, noticed nothing. The Other Shore Flower now carried divinity of delight—its divine rank dwarfed even Dongfang Ya’s capabilities, let alone an aging cultivator’s.
After intricate ritual gestures, Mu Lin secured their protections. Yet triumph eluded him; his expression darkened like storm clouds.
“Finding Ping An Ancient Town immediately?” he mused bitterly. “Is this luck… or a trap by my enemies using Grandfather as bait?” The suspicion held weight—with countless grudges against him, such schemes were inevitable.
As Mu Lin was deep in thought, Yan Yunyu approached. Worried about his safety, she offered advice:
"Mu brother, since there might be traps, let’s not go to Ping An Ancient Town. Your strength can still grow at Yuhu Academy anyway."
The suggestion held some logic, but Mu Lin flatly refused.
"Why not go? Now I’m even more curious about that place."
Seeing her anxious expression, he reassured her: "Don’t worry. I know better than to stand beneath crumbling walls. Neither Grandpa Mu Lin nor I will face danger there."
He first glanced at the paper figure representing his grandfather, then checked the Substitute Paper Figure’s proficiency on his Attribute Panel. Seeing it nearly reached 5th Level Grandmaster, all doubts about his safety vanished.
"I won’t die. Not ever."
…
During their journey from Yuzhou City, Grandpa Mu Lin behaved like any doting elder – constantly fussing over Mu Lin’s comfort and training progress. Mu Lin had deliberately met him in the city without revealing his powers, wanting to explain things personally rather than shock the old man.
Some might wonder how Grandpa Mu Lin remained unaware of his grandson’s fame. But information barriers exist everywhere. In Mu Lin’s previous life with advanced networks, people rarely knew annual award winners or politicians’ names without active searching. In this phone-less world, such knowledge gaps grew wider.
Previously, Mu Lin would’ve reassured his grandfather by revealing his strength. But now, suspecting possible mind control, he kept silent. Playing the meek grandson, he maintained ordinary conversation throughout their seven-day journey.
Upon reaching Ping An Ancient Town, they entered a street cluttered with paper figures, coffins and funeral wreaths – an entire block radiating ominous energy. The rare paper folders and coffin makers seen elsewhere crowded this place.
"A Yin Eight Sect outpost?"
While Mu Lin surveyed the scene, Grandpa Mu Lin led him to a small courtyard gathering strange companions – monks, Taoists, elderly women, a voluptuous young matron, and a reeking drunk butcher.
The moment they entered, someone snorted coldly:
"Paper Man Mu. You’re late."
"You all came too early…"
After talking for a while, Mu Lin soon realized these people were Grandpa Mu Lin’s "teammates," who often worked alongside his grandfather. This time, they’d agreed to look out for each other in the secret realm.
Through their conversation, Mu Lin also learned how his grandfather had discovered the secret realm of Ping An Ancient Town. As he’d observed earlier, this place served as a base for the Yin Eight Sect. Grandpa Mu Lin and his teammates usually rested and stocked supplies here. Since they were already stationed in This Place, it made sense they’d found the Grave Lord inheritance the moment it appeared. Even the Yin Eight Sect’s presence here felt logical—knowing about the Grave Lord inheritance, keeping a base here was natural.
"Was I wrong? Was this truly just a series of coincidences without any conspiracy?"
Mu Lin stood quietly to the side, pondering like a bystander. Before he could reach any conclusions, though, others interrupted his thoughts.
Grandpa Mu Lin had brought him, and others in the small courtyard had also brought apprentices or direct offspring. Thus, there were peers around Mu Lin’s age. A greasy-haired monk with a sly face soon sidled up to Mu Lin, winking and gesturing for them to slip outside. Mu Lin agreed.
As they walked, he counted five youths his age: the slick monk, a shifty-eyed Taoist Child, a knife-wielding fighter with a ruthless glare, and two girls. One girl was strikingly pretty, while the other carried an otherworldly air.
Mu Lin noticed the monk, Taoist Child, and knife-wielder kept stealing glances at the ethereal girl, ignoring the lively one—even though Mu Lin found the latter equally attractive. The ethereal girl, meanwhile, seemed mildly disgusted by their attention.
"Interesting," Mu Lin mused.
The monk spoke first: "You’re Mu Lin, right? Grandpa Mu’s talked about you. Now that you’re here, we’re brothers. My treat—let me show you around Hua Man Lou, heh…"
The monk’s leer and the ethereal girl’s deepening scowl told Mu Lin exactly what Hua Man Lou was. He rolled his eyes. "You’re a monk. Taking me to a brothel—really?"
The monk looked equally exasperated. "Brother Mu, if my master and I work with paper folders, butchers, and spirit mediums—you think we’re *proper* monks?"
"…"
The logic was irrefutable.
