Ascending to Immortality by Slaying Spirits

Chapter 175 Arrival at Baihong: A Dilemma
After a long while, flames appeared on Lin Le's body, burning away the dried scabs on his body.

Lin Le clenched his fist, feeling the power of sixty elephants.

'Dragon blood isn't very effective; perhaps phoenix blood would suit me better.'

Lin Le thought to himself, after all, Dragon Sparrow is just a nickname, its real name is Great Phoenix, and it belongs to the Phoenix lineage.

Taking out a high-grade spirit stone, Lin Le continued cultivating. He needed to quickly upgrade his Azure Golden Core to the fifth level of perfection.

Although he was far away from Tianqing Peak, it was hard to say whether Xu Lingzi had planted any methods on him to sense changes in his cultivation.

Therefore, he should break through to the Azure Golden Core first so that he can break through to the other three Golden Cores.

By the time Lin Le had upgraded the Azure Golden Pill to the mid-stage of the first level, the flying boat had arrived at its destination.

Lin Le went outside and called out to Ling Muzhu: "Senior Sister, we've arrived."

"Okay." Ling Muzhu pushed open the door, exuding an otherworldly aura that added to her sense of holiness. This holiness contrasted sharply with her alluring charm, making people unable to help but stop and stare.

It looks like the first gate of the city has been opened.

Lin Le thought to himself, and then led Ling Muzhu off the flying boat.

Ling Muzhu, whose temperament has reached a new level, naturally attracted more attention.

Many female cultivators can achieve a bewitching figure like hers through their cultivation techniques, but that sacred aura is something that ordinary female cultivators cannot cultivate later in life.

Seemingly sensing the greed, lust, and jealousy in the gazes around her, Ling Muzhu unconsciously shrank behind Lin Le, who was more than a head shorter than her.

Lin Le glanced around indifferently, and those with ill intentions immediately closed their eyes tightly, their faces showing fear.

As the malicious gazes dissipated, Ling Muzhu couldn't help but look at Lin Le. She knew that all of this must be related to Lin Le, and the thought "Junior brother seems so reliable" arose in her mind.

"Let's go, Senior Sister," Lin Le said.

"Mm." Ling Muzhu nodded, following behind Lin Le like a little deer.

This is Hongjing, the capital of the Baihong Kingdom.

Lin Le and Ling Muzhu weaved through the crowd and arrived at a government office.

The gatekeeper looked at the two approaching figures with a surprised expression, and even rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't mistaken.

He immediately rushed inside in a panic, even using his escape technique as if afraid he wasn't fast enough.

A few breaths later, just as Lin Le and Ling Muzhu reached the front of the yamen, a figure rushed out of the gate in a great hurry.

He lost his balance and fell to the ground, sliding down to his knees in front of Lin Le.

"Outer sect steward Mu Mingzi greets the true disciple!" Without even getting up, Mu Mingzi bowed respectfully.

"Get up first," Lin Le said calmly. "We haven't reached the point where we need to perform a full-fledged kowtow."

"Yes," Mu Mingzi replied before standing up.

Then, somewhat nervously, he asked, "May I ask the name of this senior disciple?"

Although Lin Le looked young, Mu Mingzi did not underestimate him. After all, there were also cultivators who maintained the appearance of a three-year-old child even at the age of one hundred.

"Newly appointed disciple of the Azure Sky Sect, Lingzhu." Lin Le introduced himself and then got straight to the point, "I have accepted the mission to suppress the White Sand Battlefield. Please hand over the mission file to me."

“Alright.” Mu Mingzi nodded. “Then please come inside and have a seat, Master Lingzhu. I’ll send someone to fetch the files.”

"Go get it quickly, I'm in a hurry," Lin Le said calmly.

Mu Mingzi's face stiffened for a moment, but she quickly recovered and said with a fawning smile, "Okay, I'll go get it right away."

Lin Le watched Mu Mingzi leave, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Although there was no malice in Mu Mingzi's eyes, there was a hint of evasion, as if she was hiding something from him.

Did you do something that violated the rules of the sect?

After thinking about it for a moment, Lin Le didn't pay much attention. He had no sense of belonging to the Xuantian Sect, and the two sides were bound to be enemies, so whether its roots were rotten or not had nothing to do with him.

Soon, Mu Mingzi took the dossier and respectfully handed it to Lin Le.

After taking it, Lin Le didn't say much and left with Ling Muzhu.

Watching Lin Le and Ling Muzhu turn and leave, Mu Mingzi breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, this true disciple didn't seem to like meddling in other people's business.

Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, a figure suddenly rushed out from a side path and knelt down in front of Lin Le: "My lord, please uphold justice!"

"That Mu Mingzi sold the outer sect quota of Xuantian Sect and took my grandson's place. If we allow this villain to act recklessly, Xuantian Sect may be in danger of collapse in the long run!"

Mu Mingzi's face immediately turned ashen as he glared at the old man who had run out: "You're talking nonsense! The selection of outer disciples is a public affair, how could I possibly manipulate it behind the scenes!"

The old man glared at him angrily: "Then tell me why my grandson, with his eight-section fire spirit root, was not selected! And why was Wang Taibao's son, with only a seven-section fire spirit root, selected!"

Lin Le watched the two arguing indifferently and calmly said, "Quiet."

The two who were about to argue immediately fell silent and looked at Lin Le uneasily.

Lin Le first looked at Mu Mingzi: "Is what this old man said true?"

When Mu Mingzi tried to argue, a ferocious dragon-bird floated in the sky, looking at him indifferently, as if he would be killed on the spot if he dared to utter a lie.

Mu Mingzi opened her mouth several times as if to speak, but she swallowed her words back each time, because the murderous aura emanating from the person in front of her seemed genuine.

"It's true," Mu Mingzi said, her head drooping.

"How many people are selected internally?" Lin Le asked casually.

“One hundred people, fifty of whom have been pre-selected,” Mu Mingzi said.

"Not bad, not too much." Lin Le nodded, then asked, "Are all one hundred people from families or forces affiliated with the Xuan Tian Sect, or are the fifty pre-selected people all from families or forces affiliated with the Xuan Tian Sect?"

Upon hearing this, Mu Mingzi felt a renewed sense of hope: "The fifty people selected are all from families or forces affiliated with the Xuantian Sect, while the other fifty are selected from the common people."

“That’s settled then.” Lin Le flicked his sleeves. “In future selections, you should just state that fifty spots will be reserved for those who are affiliated with the sect’s power, and the remaining fifty will be selected from the general public.”

"But wouldn't this damage the sect's prestige?" Mu Mingzi asked cautiously. "The founding patriarch once said that anyone in the world with the right destiny can enter the Xuantian Sect regardless of their family background. Therefore, the recruitment of disciples is done without regard to their family background."

Akiko deliberately emphasized the words "ancestor" and "origin".

"Majesty?" Lin Le scoffed. "Do you think everyone in the world, like this old man, is blind?"

“What’s the difference between this behavior and being blinded by a leaf? It only makes you a laughing stock.” Lin Le waved his sleeve. “You should announce this new regulation now, and also announce that fifty more outer sect spots will be added this year as compensation.”

Mu Mingzi was somewhat at a loss: "Senior brother, the sect's ancestral rules cannot be abolished with just a word from you."

"But I can kill you with one sword right now." Lin Le glanced at Mu Mingzi indifferently. "Do you want to go to the sect's prison for embezzlement and bribery, or do you want to live peacefully as an outer sect steward?" "This...this..." Mu Mingzi was a little flustered. If he resisted, he felt that Lin Le could really kill him with one sword. If he didn't resist, he felt that the sect would kill him too!

In the end, Akiko bowed her head and said, "Yes, I'll go and announce it right away!"

He ultimately chose to accept it, since he could then claim that Lin Le had forced him to do it.

Lin Le turned to look at the old man: "Are you satisfied with this?"

The old man knelt down and said, "Your Honor is just!"

This was indeed the best outcome. He knew that many people would be chosen internally, but he didn't expect so many. Moreover, one side had half of his own people, and the other side had outsiders. Anyone would know how to choose.

Lin Le calmly hummed in agreement and then left with Ling Muzhu.

As for what would happen to the old man and his grandson, Lin Le didn't care. He had disliked the old man ever since he dragged him into this mess.

But most things are probably fine now. If something were to happen to him, it would be a slap in the face to his true lineage.

Although this was just a minor incident for Lin Le, it caused a huge uproar among the other lower-class people, after all, it was a blatant slap in the face by the Xuan Tian Sect.

The news spread quickly and began to circulate upwards.

On the way, Ling Muzhu asked cautiously, "Junior brother, is what we're doing not a good idea?"

"Not a good idea?" Lin Le retorted. "Then what do you think I should do? Just kill that old man? Things have already gotten to me, and you expect me to turn a deaf ear? The whole street is watching."

Ling Muzhu was speechless. After all, killing someone for no reason would obviously give others something to talk about, and it was impossible to let Lin Le suffer injustice.

"Or should I kill that Mu Mingzi and have someone else select someone?" Lin Le continued, "Then how will those powerful families view me?"

Ling Muzhu remained silent. What did she think? It must be resentment towards Shang Linle.

The problem is, how will the sect handle this? If Lin Le is unilaterally modified in the selection of outstanding talents, those old-fashioned people in the sect may not approve of him.

No matter which choice Lin Le made, it would be harmful, but in the end he chose a choice that would benefit both sides, but only harm himself.

She lowered her head and said shamefully, "I'm sorry, junior brother, I didn't think it through. But what about the sect? They might punish you for this."

"It's alright." Lin Le said with a smile in his eyes, "Who told me to have such a good master? I'm sure my master will understand my point after hearing this."

'Ha, you old bastard, since you've acknowledged me as your disciple, you should take the blame for this.'

Lin Le sneered inwardly. He was more than happy to cause trouble for Xu Lingzi.

Will Xu Lingzi step in to protect him? Ling Muzhu thought about it carefully and felt it was very likely, after all, Lin Le was his only disciple now, and he would definitely protect him.

Moreover, revising the selection of outstanding talents is a big deal, but it's also a small one. If it really causes a fuss, it seems that no one will benefit.

After all, bribing the sect's steward is a fact. If Lin Le is to be punished, this matter will definitely be investigated thoroughly. Those families that bribed him will certainly be punished, and the disciples within the sect behind those families will definitely not want to see that and will certainly try to obstruct it.

So, if you think about it carefully, this is harmful to Lin Le, but at most he'll be locked up for a few days as a token gesture.

On the contrary, the other two options would either lead to a loss of reputation or being ostracized, while a few days of confinement would be harmless.

Thinking of this, Ling Muzhu's eyes sparkled as she looked at Lin Le. She hadn't expected Lin Le to be so clever, making the most advantageous choice for herself in less than a breath.

Lin Le seemed oblivious to Ling Muzhu's gaze. After glancing intently at the dossier, he asked, "Senior Sister, shall we go by boat or by carriage?"

Ling Muzhu was taken aback: "Is there a difference?"

"The scenery is a bit different, I recommend taking a boat, the scenery is more tranquil," Lin Le said, "and there won't be any traffic jams on the way."

“Then I’ll listen to my junior brother.” Ling Muzhu nodded blankly.

The two gradually walked away, leaving behind the increasingly noisy Hongjing.

Inside the secluded palace, a slender hand held a newly delivered jade piece. After scanning it with her divine sense, a clear, cold female voice echoed in the courtyard:
"The Azure Sky True Transmission, the Spirit Pearl, interesting."

"It's truly frightening that a fifteen-year-old has already reached the Golden Core stage. Such a person is not fit to serve my Sacred Heart Sect; it would be better if he were dead."

"Is that so, Your Majesty?"

“Yes, Your Majesty,” a man in a bright yellow robe said, his expression somewhat blank.

If this scene were seen by outsiders outside the palace, it would surely cause a huge uproar, for the man before them was none other than Bai Ruixian, the emperor of Baihong Kingdom.

The only one he could call Empress was Zhang Yuege, the virtuous Empress whom he favored greatly in the eyes of outsiders.

"Send someone to make contact. If he's interested, all the better. If not, have him killed immediately." The thin, red lips uttered words devoid of any emotion.

"Yes." Bai Ruixian nodded obediently.

Just one day later, another flying boat arrived, and a Taoist priest with the words "Tian Yu" on his sleeve disembarked and flew to the Taoist residence of Xuan Tian Sect stationed in Hongjing.

Without even scanning with his divine sense, the Taoist saw a group of people looking at a list outside the door.

Subsequently, parents would occasionally rush in with their children.

Following the flow of people, I saw a large group of children standing together, numbering well over a hundred.

what happened?

The Taoist priest looked around and then landed in front of Mu Mingzi, who had a somewhat worried expression.

"Are you Steward Mu Mingzi?" the Taoist introduced himself. "I am Lan Shanzi, an inner disciple, who was ordered by the Inner Affairs Hall to bring Bai Hongguo's talents into the outer sect."

"Yes, that's me." Akiko sighed and nodded.

Lan Shanzi cut straight to the point, saying, "I see there are quite a few children here. What's going on? And the selection process should have ended three days ago. Why are there still people being selected?"

"This is what happened," Mu Mingzi recounted Lin Le's story, "Who is that True Disciple of Tianqing, with such a temperament..."

Akiko hesitated for a moment before finally uttering a single word: "Reckless?"

“It’s normal for someone who’s only fifteen years old to be so unrestrained,” Lan Shanzi replied. He didn’t have any complaints, since he was only taking on some people and the rest wasn’t his responsibility.

"Fifteen years old!" Mu Mingzi gasped. After all, unless one is exceptionally gifted from a young age, true disciples usually enter the inner sect at the age of twenty or thirty, and are formally accepted as true disciples at the age of fifty or sixty.

This made Mu Mingzi realize that Lin Le must be highly valued, and he also figured out that Lin Le's actions within the sect were probably all bark and no bite.

The disciples and elders from those families within the sect probably wanted to formalize this path a long time ago, but no one dared to step forward. After all, the current sect leader, Yunxiaozi, came from a mortal background, and no one knew what his attitude was.

With Lin Le leading the way, they will definitely be willing to step in and cheer him on, in order to make this matter a formal regulation.

A day later, Lanshanzi returned with 150 prospective Daoist boys.

(End of this chapter)