Chapter 258
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Chapter 258: Mu Lin: I’ve Never Heard Such a Request
"Forget Hua Man Lou. Just show me around the streets, Brother."
"Fair enough."
They spent the next while wandering the bustling streets, exchanging casual banter.
Through their chatter, Mu Lin pieced together their backgrounds. The monk turned out to be a meat-eating rulebreaker rather than the pleasure sect disciple he’d assumed. The shifty Taoist moonlighted as a tomb raider while belonging to the corpse-driving branch of the Yin Eight Sect. The knife-wielding fighter had been an executioner.
Of the two girls, one worshipped the White Snake (radiating an otherworldly aura) as a spirit medium, while the other specialized in mortuary cosmetics. Now Mu Lin understood why the youths avoided the deceptively pretty girl – that face was probably painted on.
During one exchanged glance, the girl’s cheerful expression abruptly twisted into a ghoulish grin. Though her face normalized instantly, the sudden shift chilled the tomb raider and meat-eating monk. Even the executioner edged away.
Mu Lin remained unfazed, studying her with interest. Not from attraction – his Grandmaster-level painting skills revealed her secret. ‘She’s using makeup to appear plainer than she is. Plus her Cultivation’s the strongest here… Clever girl.’
His companions lacked such insight. When Mu Lin kept observing Hong Wen calmly after her transformation, they gaped at his boldness.
‘This madman actually fancies Hong Wen!’
‘Can’t blame him – she’s easy on the eyes even with the painted face. But that creepy smile…’ The Taoist shuddered, recalling an intimate fantasy interrupted by that nightmare grin. All carnal thoughts evaporated.
Hong Wen herself blinked in surprise at Mu Lin’s lack of fear. Annoyed, she deliberately flashed her ghoulish grin several more times.
Instead of recoiling, Mu Lin critiqued: "Your grin’s all form, no essence. True terror comes from maintaining normal smiles that gradually feel wrong."
He produced paper and brush, swiftly sketching a smiling girl. Though inspired by Mona Lisa’s mystery, this portrait grew more unsettling the longer one looked – ordinary at first glance, then crawling with hidden dread.
"Hiss…"
The monk and Taoist beside Mu Lin both shivered simultaneously.
Deep down, they couldn’t help thinking Mu Lin was just as eccentric as Hong Wen—no wonder he took a liking to her.
Hong Wen froze when she saw Mu Lin’s drawing.
As a makeup artist of the Yin Eight Sect, her path required mastery of cultivation methods, spiritual training, and painting skills. Better painting directly boosted one’s cultivation.
This knowledge made her gasp in disbelief.
"This… this surpasses master-level painting! Even grandmasters couldn’t do this!"
The playful glint in Hong Wen’s eyes transformed into pure awe as she stared at Mu Lin.
A derisive snort interrupted them.
Mocking voices drifted from a nearby group of youths:
"Master-level? How dare you think that?"
"Daydreaming without an ounce of self-awareness!"
"Fools! You’ve never seen real masterpieces!"
The knife-wielding fighter and monk bristled, fists clenching.
"Filthy bastards!"
"Says the Traitors!"
"Backstabbing dogs!"
Old grudges flared instantly. The tavern staff swiftly separated both groups before blows landed, though scowls lingered as parties retreated.
Mu Lin frowned, sensing hostility from the entire street.
"Who were those people? Why the hatred?"
Hong Wen answered before others could:
"Shop owners’ offspring. Their Family Inheritance makes them claim to be Yin Eight Sect’s true successors. They call us free cultivators thieves who stole their cultivation methods."
"They also brand us Traitors for serving the Demon Exorcism Division instead of licking their boots—"
The Taoist snorted.
"We’d avoid the Division too if they didn’t hoard all cultivation resources!"
The monk growled:
"At least the Division pays fairly. Those hypocrites would work us to death for scraps!"
The group was deeply dissatisfied with the inheritors of the Yin Eight Sect on this street. Their words shattered Mu Lin’s romanticized view of the sect.
“I’d imagined the scattered Yin Eight Sect members would support each other in hardship, huddling together for warmth. Clearly, I was too naive.”
Now he understood—in this chaotic feudal world, no sect could remain entirely virtuous. Such sects wouldn’t survive these treacherous times.
“Class divisions and oppression are the Eternal Immortal truths. They can’t be erased anywhere.”
After sighing, Mu Lin followed the monks back to the small courtyard where his grandfather’s group gathered.
Before anyone could speak, a thunderous bell boomed from Ping An Ancient County’s center.
The bell tolled three times.
Though Mu Lin felt nothing unusual, his grandfather and the monks/taoists immediately tensed.
“The Demon Exorcism Division’s summoning bell?”
“Why would they call us?”
“No use guessing. We’ll find out by going.”
After brief discussion, the group rushed toward the Demon Exorcism Division. Mu Lin joined them—but not before secretly sending out a Substitute Paper Figure disguised as another person, carrying the Division’s authorization token.
……
Being cultivators, they reached the Demon Exorcism Division’s Ping An Ancient County compound swiftly. Mu Lin noted with interest that nearly every local cultivation faction had sent representatives, crowding the courtyard with buzzing speculation.
They didn’t wait long.
A fiery woman materialized midair with a resounding hum.
“BOOM!”
Her domain erupted—not mere aura, but a blazing sphere resembling the great sun itself, radiating overwhelming power and yang energy.
Under this Terrifying Might, everyone trembled. Yin Eight Sect members and demon cultivators suffered most—some even had paper figures and evil ghosts spontaneously combust from the intense yang energy.
Yet none dared protest. The woman’s domain was too overpowering.
Satisfied by the terrified silence, the woman announced: “Regarding the Grave Lord inheritance—we won’t restrict it. But to contain the situation, only juniors may compete. You elders will observe from the sidelines.”
"Remember, this isn’t a request—it’s an order! Anyone who objects can step forward now. I’ll gladly teach you a lesson before putting a nationwide bounty on your heads."
"Don’t doubt my authority—I belong to the Ji family."
"…"
Those final words shut up the old-timers completely.
This world ultimately belonged to the Great Spirit Dynasty, ruled jointly by powerful clans and respected orthodox sects.
Monsters and evil spirits, the Yin Eight Sect, demon sects… though dangerous, they were just outcasts and losers—like gangsters from another life.
Even if they banded together, the Demon Exorcism Division alone couldn’t handle them all—which was why Chu Xuezhen said they couldn’t block the Grave Lord inheritance.
But for a single wanted criminal? The Division could seal every escape route, sky and earth alike.
And so, under Ji Hongyu’s iron-fisted approach, the Grave Lord inheritance became a contest for the younger generation.
After giving orders, Ji Hongyu vanished like smoke. Division cultivators began clearing the crowd—though only outsiders got chased off.
Allies and affiliate forces stayed behind.
They needed plans to keep Ping An Ancient Town stable.
No easy task. With the Grave Lord inheritance activating soon, hordes of monsters and evil spirits would swarm here—lawless troublemakers bound to cause chaos.
This was why the Division kept Grandpa Mu Lin and others to discuss countermeasures.
……
Monks, Taoists, and the aloof woman grew uneasy imagining these dangerous madmen.
Losing family protectors meant more than grief—it meant facing this brutal world alone.
Mocking laughter cut through their worries.
"Pfft…"
"Look at these Traitors getting the worst assignments!"
"Serves them right for licking the Division’s boots!"
Mu Lin recognized those voices.
The Ping An Ancient County second-generation members were sneering at them nearby.
Their jeers made the monks clench their fists.
Before anyone could react, a calm voice spoke:
"Who gave you clowns permission to mock Division affiliates on Division turf?"
Mu Lin’s challenge only made the rich kids smirk harder.
"Hah! Using the Division’s name? Think we care?"
"Mocking you trash? Let your precious Division try something!"
"Listen well, mutts—Ping An Ancient County’s peace doesn’t depend on you. We rule Ping An Ancient Street!"
One punk even thumped his chest, yelling: "I’m right here! Arrest me if you dare!"
He stared down at Mu Lin’s group, waiting for their helpless rage.
Chains rattled during their sneering.
Snake-like metal coils suddenly wrapped around the Yin Eight Sect heirs.
A bored voice commented as the chains tightened:
"Honestly? Never met anyone begging for arrest before."
