Legendary Son-in-Law: The Man with Poison Talismans

He sat by the fire, closed his eyes, and turned his gaze toward the demon-sealing area.

At this moment, the mythical beast was lying quietly in the large wooden barrel, the flames on its two small horns flickering. Although it knew that Lin Mu was watching it, it did not move.

In front of it, Qin Yumo was sitting on a stool, holding the book "Three Classes Strategy Guide" in her hands, flipping to the mage chapter, and was quietly reciting it to the divine beast.

"Hellfire is a fiery technique within the art. Gather your energy in your dantian and concentrate it in your palm, transforming it into a line of crimson flame that shoots out ten paces, scorching the enemy's armor as if piercing through silk. Its speed is as swift as a flying arrow, unstoppable in its sharpness, but its fierceness cannot last long. Once the fire is released, the energy dissipates, and once the energy dissipates, the power weakens. Therefore, when casting this technique, one must carefully consider the timing and ensure that the strike hits its mark. Do not act rashly."

"Where the flame touches, metal and stone melt, yet its form solidifies and does not disperse. If the enemy turns to avoid its blaze, the fire will burn out, creating an opening. Therefore, the essence of this technique lies not in burning the enemy, but in driving them to move and disrupting their movements. When the enemy retreats, I advance; when the enemy avoids, I pursue. The fire moves in a line, and the body follows the flame. The balance of offense and defense rests entirely on this."

"If in a narrow alley, the flames gather and blaze fiercely, the heat wave enveloping the enemy, leaving them nowhere to escape; if in an open field, the fire disperses and its power diminishes, so one should observe the wind and take advantage of it to amplify its power, thus reaching a great distance. Therefore, those who practice this art must not only cultivate their qi, but also observe the earth's veins, discern the wind's color, understand the mechanisms of movement and stillness, and recognize the timing of slowness and speed. Knowing the time and the situation, the power of a single flame is greater than a thousand pounds..."

Lin Mu listened from across the screen and nodded.

Qin Yumo was quite attentive to her divine beast, reading at a steady pace and clearly enunciating each word. It was obvious that she had read it several times beforehand, knowing where to pause and where to emphasize her words so that the divine beast could understand.

He leaned against the cliff face, his gaze fixed on the wall, and continued listening.

After Qin Yumo finished explaining Hellfire, she paused for a moment to allow the divine beast to process the information before continuing with the explanation of Fire Wall.

"The wall of fire is a variation of hellfire. It draws the heat of the earth's veins and spreads it across the fields, with flames rising several feet high, scorching the feet and burning shoes. If an enemy steps on it, the pain will penetrate to the bone marrow, slowing their steps and weakening their strength. Their qi and blood will gradually deplete, and after a while, they will lose their senses."

"The key to this technique lies not in the intensity of the fire, but in the ability to trap and hold the enemy. Once the wall of fire is erected, it is like an iron chain across the river, cutting off their retreat and severing their pursuing cavalry. We can then drive the enemy into our trap and surround them."

"The shape of the wall should be adapted to the terrain: if it is arranged horizontally, it will block the enemy's path; if it is arranged vertically, it will bind the enemy's wings; if it is curved and encircled, it will imprison the enemy; if it is straight, it will drive the enemy forward. By skillfully using curves and straight lines, the enemy will fall into the trap."

"Those skilled at defending against fire do not seek to kill, but rather focus on controlling the enemy. When the enemy is trapped in the fire, he is caught between a rock and a hard place. I take advantage of the opportunity to strike him with other techniques, thus achieving twice the result with little effort."

"However, the power of the fire wall also has its limits. If the flames are too intense, the vital energy will be depleted quickly; if the flames are too weak, the enemy can easily overcome them. Therefore, the way to use this technique is to maintain it evenly and continuously, not to strive for momentary intensity, but to achieve a lasting effect."

"Those who practice this art must understand the principles of fire, be able to judge the wind and weather, and assess the terrain. The wind fuels the fire; if it comes from the east, it will spread to the west. If it goes with the wind, it will spread like wildfire; if it goes against the wind, it will burn you. If the fire is trapped in a low-lying area, the heat will be concentrated and difficult to dissipate. If the enemy sees this gap, they can break through the flames from a high mound. Therefore, the choice of location must be made with great care."

"Therefore, before setting up a wall, one must observe the wind, examine the terrain, and assess the enemy's situation before lighting the fire. Those who are skilled in using fire do not only rely on strength, but also value wisdom..."

Qin Yumo read slowly, pausing occasionally as if going over the words in her mind before continuing.

A strange feeling gradually rose in her heart.

The booklet in her hand looked like just old paper with copied text, but the more she read, the more she felt that this was no ordinary guide, and it didn't seem like something casually written for anyone to read.

It's more like someone has collected their years of experience word by word, leaving it for later generations to slowly peruse.

She recalled that when she was in the Qin family, she had flipped through many skill books, but none of them were written in such detail. She knew in her heart that not everyone could obtain this, nor would everyone be willing to show it to others.

She thought of Lin Mu again. Back in the Qin family, she thought that rank was everything, and talent was the foundation of confidence. She believed that the things she wanted could only be reached by climbing up step by step on her own.

But now, those things she once thought she would have to work hard to get close to are laid out in front of her, and placed on the table by someone without saying a word.

The mythical beast lay on the water's surface, listening quietly, small flames flickering in its breath. It seemed to be slowly digesting the words, the flames above its head swaying slightly in the medicinal mist.

Lin Mu watched Qin Yumo studying diligently. The firelight illuminated her profile, revealing her gentle features and undeniable beauty.

He felt a slight warmth in his chest, as if something was gently burning inside, like a fire had been ignited again, but he used his mental combat techniques to suppress it.

Then he looked away and glanced around.

The mythical beast's body seemed to have swelled up a bit more; it looked like it would be ready in two more days.

Beside it, a small, weak skeleton, its bones grayish-white, sat quietly in the tub, diligently absorbing the medicinal power.

Lin Mu observed for a while, then withdrew his gaze and turned his attention back to himself.

He opened his eyes and saw his own campfire burning before him. The firelight flickered in the night, casting shadowy images of the surrounding cliffs and tents.

Chapter 224 Wolves

He sat for a while, then placed the water bag by the fire and boiled a pot of water, waiting for the water to slowly simmer.

The distant howls of wolves still echoed intermittently. He leaned against the cliff wall, motionless, just watching the flames dancing in the fire, as if he were thinking about something, or perhaps he wasn't thinking about anything at all.

The water boiled, he poured himself a cup, took out a flatbread that Chunxing had specially baked for him during the days of sealing the demon from his Qiankun bag, and slowly ate it with the water.

The sesame seed cake was still soft, with the aroma of wheat and oil. Taking a bite, the heat and fragrance of the cake spread, as if I had returned to that little courtyard.

He chewed very slowly, as if savoring the cake, or perhaps savoring the distance that was neither too close nor too far.

A night breeze blew from the direction of the cliff, causing the fire to flicker before settling back down.

The distant howls of wolves gradually faded into the distance, and the night slowly quieted down, leaving only the crackling of the campfire and the whistling of the wind blowing across the cliffs.

After finishing his meal and drink, Lin Mu leaned against the cliff wall, closed his eyes, and let himself slowly sink into a quiet slumber in the night and firelight.

-

When Lin Mu opened his eyes at dawn, the fire had mostly died down, leaving only a few dark red embers that glowed faintly in the morning breeze.

He sat up, packed up the tent, and stomped out the embers of the fire.

Turning around, I suddenly noticed that not far from the tent, a skeleton was confronting a pack of wolves.

It is a jungle wolf unique to the Mengzhong Forest, with grayish-yellow fur, thin and bony, and its eyes gleaming with a ghostly green light.

They formed a semi-circle, lowered their bodies, and emitted low whimpers from their throats, as if testing the skeleton's true nature.

The skeleton noticed Lin Mu coming out of the tent, as if it felt the play should end. The flames in its eye sockets suddenly turned dark red, and a cold aura spread from its skeleton, as if something invisible was pressing down on it.

The wolves felt a sense of oppression, immediately tucked their tails between their legs, squeaked, and turned to run away, leaving behind several thin trails of water that shimmered wet in the morning light.

Lin Mu was stunned for a moment when he saw this scene, then he couldn't help but burst into laughter, laughing so hard that he bent over. After a while, he straightened up, patted the skeleton's shoulder blade, and said, "Not bad, one look and you scared the wolves to death."

After watching the whole thing, Lin Mu told the skeleton to stay there while he washed his face with cold water from his Qiankun bag. The icy water woke him up completely.

After restoring, he packed up the tent, put the horse into the brocade bag, and released the maggot cart, which then sped along the mountain cliff.

Lin Mu noticed that when the maggot was first released, it ran quite steadily and accelerated relatively slowly. But after running for a while, it suddenly went berserk, as if the accelerator had been welded shut. It accelerated desperately, the sound of the wheels crushing the gravel became more and more urgent, and the wind rushed into its collar more and more violently.

Fortunately, this place is far from the main road and rarely visited by people. There is no vegetation on the side of the cliff, so the view is open and does not obstruct the view or the route forward. Otherwise, if it suddenly came like this, something bad would definitely happen.

He lowered his body and walked forward along the cliff. After passing through the last narrow valley entrance, the view suddenly opened up. The trees on the side disappeared, and the gravel road was laid out again. All he could see was the yellow of the sand. A wave of heat hit him, carrying the dry heat unique to the Mengzhong Desert. It was as if an invisible wall was blocking his way, shutting out the moisture and coolness behind him from the valley entrance.

Lin Mu got out of the car, cast a spell to freeze the black maggots in place, and then took out a map from his Qiankun bag, unfolded it and glanced at it.

To the left front, which is to the west, is the direction of Tucheng; to the right front, which is to the north, is the direction of Shabak.

Without hesitation, he folded the map, stuffed it back into his storage bag, climbed back onto the bicycle seat, and, luring the maggots, rode towards Tucheng.

The wind blew in my face, dry and scorching. The wheels rolled over the gravel road, making a continuous and even sound, like a line being slowly straightened, stretching along the morning light of Mengzhong towards Tucheng.

As the sun was about to set in the west once again, Lin Mu finally saw the yellowish-brown city emerging from the sandstorm on the dim horizon.

He stopped about five kilometers away from the northeast gate of Tucheng, put the maggot cart into his brocade bag, changed into a horse, patted the horse's neck, and rode towards the city gate.

As dusk settled, there were fewer guards at the city gate than during the day, and fewer pedestrians were coming and going. He passed through the city gate without attracting much attention.

Upon entering Tu City, Lin Mu's gaze was immediately drawn to the massive black silhouette in the center of the city.

Under the moonlight, the shadow was square and heavy, like a pyramid, silently pressing down on the center of the city.

That was the stone tomb in the middle of Tu City. It looked much taller and more magnificent than in the game. The gray-black stone walls gleamed with a rough, cold light under the moonlight, like a giant beast crouching on the ground.

Lin Mu muttered to himself, wondering if it was because of the desert, but like some ancient civilization from his previous life, they also built pyramids here. Could it be that the pyramids in these two worlds really hold some unknown secret?

He shook his head, put away his wild thoughts, and rode his horse along the street in search of an inn.

The streets of Tucheng were much quieter at night than during the day; most shops were closed, with only a few taverns and inns still lit up.

He found an inn with lanterns still lit in front of it, put the horse back in his pouch, and went inside.

There were seven or eight people sitting in the lobby of the inn, scattered around a few tables. Some of them were talking in hushed tones. When they heard the door open, they all looked up at Lin Mu, then looked away, but their voices were even lower than before.

Lin Mu sat down at an empty table in the corner, ordered a pot of wine, a plate of stir-fried pork liver, and a plate of mutton, as if he had just come in to rest after a long day's journey.

The waiter quickly brought over the food and drinks. He poured himself a glass, but instead of drinking it, he picked up a slice of beef and chewed it slowly, while his ears were busy listening.

The people at the next table were speaking in hushed tones, their voices broken and intermittent. "...Prince An hasn't shown up yet, and the Imperial Guards haven't given us any explanation either."

"I heard that the Crown Prince is temporarily acting as commander, but His Majesty didn't send anyone to ask. Did he just tacitly approve it?" Another person chimed in, "Such a large alliance, jointly managed by the Prince's Palace and the Imperial Guard for so many years, now it seems like they're going to merge into one."

Someone sneered: "An explanation? They're too busy dealing with their own situation in Bichon to care about Mengzhong."

Someone else lowered their voice and said, "And what about the marriage between the princess and Huo Yan, the son of Lord Huo? It's so sudden, and the wedding date is so close. Has anyone heard any rumors about it before?"

The people at the next table were silent for a while, as if they were all thinking about this question.

Chapter 225 Bargaining Chips, Tools of Alliances

After a moment, someone spoke up: "Anyway, something's fishy about this. Who is the princess? She married into Shabak with such fanfare, and then Prince An just happened to disappear at this time. Who would believe there's nothing going on?"

Someone picked up their wine glass and took a sip, their voice muffled: "What does this have to do with us? Don't meddle. There's some kind of wind blowing in Mengzhong right now, and the adoration for Prince An has shifted to the Heir Apparent. Be careful that these words don't get overheard by someone with ulterior motives."

After saying that, she glanced at Lin Mu.

Lin Mu's heart sank upon hearing this news. The rest didn't matter, but this princess… His Majesty had said it was Gu An, whose real name was Gu Qingyi.

Why would she suddenly want to marry the son of the Shabak city lord? Was it her own choice? Lin Mu thought about their experience at the Woma Temple and shook his head. Definitely not.

Considering His Majesty's words about the unusual nature of the alliance, it seems that His Majesty was right. The alliance has probably changed drastically, and Qingyi has been used as a bargaining chip in political transactions, a tool for the alliance between the two forces.

I was initially indifferent, thinking it would just be a different map for leveling up, farming, and making friends, and I could just send the Empress some hearsay.

It seems I need to be serious now, or my wife will be taken by someone else.

He put down his wine cup, waved his hand to call over the waiter, pointed to the next table, and whispered, "Send two jugs of good wine to that table, and put it on my tab."

The waiter paused for a moment, then nodded, picked up two jugs of wine, walked over, placed them on the next table, and said in a low voice, "This is for that gentleman."

Several people at the next table turned to look at Lin Mu.

Lin Mu stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute, and said politely, "Please forgive me, everyone. I did not mean to eavesdrop. I just overheard you talking about the princess's marriage and I was really curious. I've been away leveling up and fighting monsters for years and have only just returned to the city. I was unaware of this matter. May I ask when this was decided? And what day is the wedding?"

The people at the next table exchanged glances. Seeing that Lin Mu was young, dressed plainly, and asked about news that had already spread throughout Tucheng, they didn't pay much attention.

One of the older men picked up the wine Lin Mu had brought, took a sip, wiped his mouth, and said, "It was rumored five days ago. The wedding date is set for the ninth day of next month."

Lin Mu quickly calculated in his mind that there were still 25 days left.

He breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, there was still plenty of time. He didn't ask any more questions, but simply clasped his hands in a fist salute again, his tone sincere: "Thank you all. Consider these two jugs of wine as an apology."

After saying that, he lost his appetite and asked for a room.

Led by the waiter, we went up to the second floor.

When Lin Mu arrived at the room, he summoned the skeleton in front of him with a thought.

He glanced at the small map in his mind, found nothing unusual about his surroundings, then took out the white jade horn, held it in his palm, brought it to his lips, and whispered: "We have arrived at Tu City. Prince An is missing, and the heir apparent is temporarily acting as commander. On the ninth of next month, the princess will marry the son of the lord of Shabak City."