Chapter 25: Reality

After obtaining the Blood Demon Pill and placing the Gu worm inside Chen Lin's body, Yu Yuehai ceased monitoring him.

Chen Lin waited for two days. Seeing that the other party never appeared, he tentatively stepped out of the courtyard.

He walked a long distance without being intercepted, confirming that the other party truly no longer restricted his movements.

This brought him a great sense of relief.

The taste of lost freedom was truly unbearable.

However, he was equally worried. The more this happened, the more it indicated that the Gu worm inside him was extraordinary and that Yu Yuehai had great confidence in it.

It was likely impossible to remove the Gu worm on his own.

Lost in thought, he soon arrived at the marketplace in the shanty town.

Having not been here for a long time, Chen Lin noticed that the crowds had grown.

People chatted and laughed in small groups, and many more street vendors had appeared along the roads, their cries and calls filling the air with a sense of lively bustle.

The roadside trees had sprouted new branches, lush and green, sending waves of fresh botanical fragrance into his nostrils.

It was full of vitality.

Yet, this did not lift his spirits; instead, it brought a sense of oppression.

In one month, this colorful tapestry would be torn to shreds.

The more beautiful the scenery was now, the more tragic it would be then.

After a moment of lamentation, Chen Lin regained his rationality.

He was merely a tiny ant in the cultivation world; he could barely protect himself, let alone change anything.

Furthermore, even if he were to loudly expose everything he knew now, those whose minds had already been influenced would not believe him; instead, they would treat him as a madman.

Even if someone did believe him, they would be powerless to sever the red threads of connection.

Therefore, he had to look out for himself.

Shaking his head, he took a breath of fresh air and stepped into the Zhang Clan Trading Firm.

Zhang the Pockmarked was still sitting in his chair with an air of grandiosity, acting like a lord.

However, there were now two additional clerks in the shop attending to customers.

As the weather warmed, disturbances from demonic beasts decreased. Conversely, as it became the season for cultivators to go out hunting and gathering heavenly treasures, the number of people purchasing supplies began to rise.

It was hard to imagine that the cultivators here had not noticed anything unusual for years, believing they were living normal lives as cultivators.

This abnormality was truly terrifying.

Glancing at the sky through the open window, he saw a blazing sun and a clear, vast firmament, feeling not a hint of evil intent.

But this was merely a surface appearance. He had personally witnessed that massive, hazy shadow that night, and he had seen with his own eyes the red thread landing upon him.

He did not know how Yu Yuehai was able to see the red threads; he had never asked, and the other party had never explained.

Sometimes Chen Lin wondered if he had left this place before encountering that hazy shadow, would he have been able to escape safely?

At that time, he had not yet been entangled by the red thread; he was a completely normal person.

Unfortunately, there were no "ifs."

The opportunity had passed; now, his only hope lay with Yu Yuehai.

Such is the unpredictability of life—his greatest enemy was, paradoxically, his only hope for survival.

"Yo, if it isn't the Great Talisman Master Chen. It's been a while. Has your skill improved so much that you look down on my establishment now?"

Zhang the Pockmarked's sarcastic voice rang out, interrupting Chen Lin's thoughts.

"Haha, I am but a lowly rogue cultivator. How could I dare look down on Fellow Daoist Zhang? I have been in seclusion lately and haven't been out."

Chen Lin gave a hollow laugh and offered an explanation.

Zhang the Pockmarked nodded with a smile, clearly enjoying Chen Lin's submissive attitude.

But his expression shifted instantly, and he sneered with a sidelong glance, "Hmph, I doubt it. A mere rogue cultivator at the early stage of Qi Refinement—even if you can craft a few mediocre talismans, you're still not worth my notice!"

Chen Lin was speechless.

Naturally, he would not bicker with a man who was as good as dead; he simply felt pity for him.

Shaking his head, he decided not to engage further. He intended to buy some alchemy materials and return to test whether Yu Yuehai's Gu worm could alleviate the side effects of the Enlightenment Pill.

While he ignored him, Zhang the Pockmarked suddenly stood up from his chair, pointing at him and crying out in disbelief.

"You... how is your mana fluctuation so strong? You've broken through to the middle stage of Qi Refinement!"

His voice immediately drew the attention of everyone in the shop, who turned to look at Chen Lin with expressions of surprise and envy.

However, no one was as histrionic as Zhang the Pockmarked.

The middle stage of Qi Refinement was considered a high level of cultivation among the rogue cultivators of the shanty town. Even if one couldn't befriend such a person, one would try their best not to offend them.

"Heh, it's just the middle stage of Qi Refinement. I simply broke through during my seclusion. There is no need for such surprise, Fellow Daoist Zhang," Chen Lin said calmly.

He felt helpless; because he had not learned any spells to conceal his cultivation, he could not hide his level. Anyone with a similar or higher cultivation level could see through him at a glance.

This was severely inconsistent with his cautious and low-profile style.

His purpose for coming out today, aside from purchasing alchemy materials, was to see if he could buy a spell or a magical tool to mask his cultivation level.

Zhang the Pockmarked's expression was quite colorful.

He looked Chen Lin up and down as if seeing him for the first time.

Finally, with a look of suspicion and amazement, he nodded and said, "Then congratulations to you, Fellow Daoist. You have accumulated strength and finally released it; a whole new world awaits you."

Zhang the Pockmarked cupped his hands, his previous contempt gone.

Though the middle and early stages of Qi Refinement were only one minor realm apart, the difference was as vast as heaven and earth.

An early-stage Qi Refinement cultivator was essentially just a slightly stronger ordinary person, unable to even practice spells. A middle-stage cultivator, however, could not only practice spells but also command magical tools; their combat power was incomparable.

Only upon reaching the middle stage could one go out to hunt demonic beasts; those in the early stage could only dig for ores and herbs.

"Is Fellow Daoist Chen interested in joining my Zhang family?"

His eyes flashed as he extended an invitation.

The mention of old business caused Chen Lin's face to darken.

"What, has your widowed cousin still not found a good match?"

Zhang the Pockmarked did not take offense at Chen Lin's mockery. He said, "Times change. Now that you have broken through to the middle stage of Qi Refinement, your status is naturally different. If you are interested, I invite you on behalf of the Zhang family to become a guest elder of our clan. The benefits will absolutely satisfy you."

Then, with a smile, he added, "If Fellow Daoist Chen truly wishes to marry into the Zhang family, I can report this to the clan and select an unmarried woman at the early stage of Qi Refinement to wed you."

As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding cultivators all showed expressions of envy.

Although there were rumors that the Patriarch of the Zhang family had gone missing during the Foundation Establishment stage, they were still one of the five great families, and their status in the city remained unchanged. To align oneself with the Zhang family was to leap into the ranks of the elite.

Chen Lin was somewhat stunned.

This was truly a pragmatic world.

As his cultivation and talisman-making skills improved, the conditions offered to him became increasingly better.

Had it been before the Gu worm was planted, he might have actually agreed, perhaps using the Zhang family's prestige to deal with Yu Yuehai's oppression. But now, it was too late; no matter how good the conditions were, they were useless.

He shook his head helplessly and declined.

"My apologies. I am used to a life of leisure and do not wish to be constrained. I must decline your kind offer, Fellow Daoist Zhang."