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

The news spread quickly, and it was being discussed at tea stalls, taverns, and squares.

Some said, "The prince is truly no ordinary man," others said, "That's well said; he's much better than those who only know how to fight." Still others whispered, "That sounds like something copied from somewhere," but were quickly silenced by a glare from the person next to them.

On the official road outside the earthen city, squads of Imperial Guards and guild members began to gather in the direction of the Stone Tomb. Their swords and spears gleamed coldly in the morning light, and their banners fluttered in the wind.

Meanwhile, Lin Mu was already in Shabak.

That's right. After the lunch yesterday, Huo Lie didn't let him leave. Instead, he politely "invited" him to visit Shabak.

Chapter 248 Shabak

Lin Mu knew perfectly well that although Huo Lie said he was just doing his duty as a host, the words "I hope your fruit is effective" were practically written all over his face.

Lin Mu didn't refuse. Anyway, he could see the secrets of weapon upgrades if he went to Shabak, so he went along with it.

Despite being a grassroots organization, Shabak is much more impressive than Tucheng.

It just doesn't cover as much area as Tucheng. If Tucheng is likened to a giant beast panting on the ground, Shabak is more like a fortress made of fine iron, compact, sturdy, and every street has its purpose.

The map guide describes Shabak as follows.

Although Shabak was occupied by a local guild, its scale and grandeur far surpassed those of Tucheng. The city walls were constructed of black iron rock, reaching a height of three zhang (approximately 10 meters) and a thickness of over two zhang (approximately 6 meters). Molten iron was poured into the crevices between the stones, making them as solid as a single piece, impenetrable to swords and axes. Every ten paces along the parapets were crenellations, concealing crossbows with waxed strings that remained taut for extended periods, capable of instantly killing enemies from a hundred paces away. The city gates were forged from fine steel, studded like stars; opening and closing required eight men simultaneously winding the iron chains, the clanging sound audible for half a li (approximately 2.5 kilometers).

The city's main streets were paved with bluestone slabs, beneath which were hidden, crisscrossing channels that dried up quickly after rain and prevented snow from accumulating. The houses on either side were mostly two or three stories high, with thick walls and narrow windows; the upper floors had small windows for loopholes, while the lower floors housed shops. The sounds of hammers, bellows, and sharpening knives echoed day and night, like an incessant symphony. In the center of the city stood a high platform, upon which rose an iron flagpole, atop which hung a large black flag with gold patterns, the character "沙" (sand) embroidered on its center. When the wind blew, the flag billowed like clouds. From afar, the city resembled a colossal beast crouching in a sea of ​​sand, poised and waiting, its imposing presence awe-inspiring.

The prosperity of Shabak over Tu City can be attributed to three reasons: First, without the constraints of the imperial court, all the city's revenue went towards construction and maintenance, resulting in a full treasury and continuous construction. Second, Shabak exclusively controlled the art of forging powerful weapons, attracting heroes from all over the land with substantial sums to vie for these divine weapons; the annual revenue from its forges far surpassed that of Tu City's meager taxes. Third, the city's lordship was hereditary, and through centuries of management, its defenses, trade routes, ironworks, and medicine market formed a self-contained system, mutually reinforcing each other, making it an impregnable fortress—truly an independent and formidable city, far surpassing any ordinary guild stronghold.

In contrast, Tucheng, though the seat of the Mengzhong government, had fallen into disrepair over the years. Its walls were cracked and crumbling, leaking in the rain; its streets and alleys were narrow, muddy, and difficult to traverse; its shops were chaotic and disorganized, and its houses were low and cramped. Most of the city's money was spent on the Jinwu Guard's salaries and defense, leaving only enough for daily expenses. How could it possibly have the resources to repair and fortify its walls? Thus, Tucheng held its official title but was in reality impoverished; Shabak, though privately owned, possessed a magnificent and imposing presence. The rise and fall of a city did not depend on the difference between officials and commoners, but on where financial resources were directed and where the people's hearts were united.

Upon arriving at Shabakhor, Lin Mu was not allowed to wander around; he was simply kept waiting in a side hall.

Although Huo Lie didn't say it explicitly, his meaning was clear: The fruit is yours, and you suggested how to use it, so you can just stand by and watch.

He was quite composed, drinking tea by the window, occasionally glancing towards the side hall, neither urging anyone nor leaving.

At this moment, in this side hall, a warrior wearing the Heavenly Demon Armor was sitting at a table, holding an iron mortar and pestle in his hand, putting the brown acorn into it and pounding it vigorously.

He was strong, and each blow was firm. He pounded for a full half hour, turning the fruit from a whole fruit into pieces, and then from pieces into coarse dregs.

He poured the coarse slag into a small stone millstone.

The stone millstone is small, about the size of a palm. Fine lines are engraved between the upper and lower plates. Coarse slag is poured into the mill hole, and the upper plate is pushed to rotate in circles. The powder then flows out finely from the edge of the millstone.

The soldier exerted even strength and moved steadily, grinding very slowly, as if afraid of using too much force and splashing the powder out, or as if afraid of grinding too fast and generating heat that would diminish the medicinal properties.

The sound of the millstone turning echoed rhythmically in the quiet room, round and round, unhurriedly.

After grinding for another hour, the coarse residue turned into fine powder, and the color changed from brown to light brown. It piled up in a small heap at the edge of the grinding disc, as fine as high-quality flour. You could hardly feel any particles when you rubbed them between your fingers.

The leading soldier swept the powder from several millstones together, gathered it into a white porcelain bowl, poured some warm water into the bowl, and slowly stirred it with chopsticks.

The powder dissolves in water, turning into a bowl of light brown paste, neither too thick nor too thin, with a fine sheen on the surface. It looks easy to swallow and doesn't burn your throat.

He held the bowl and glanced at Huo Lie.

Huo Lie stepped forward, took the white porcelain bowl from the soldier, steadied it in his hand, and turned to walk towards the next room. The soldier stepped aside and did not follow.

The door to the inner room was ajar. The girl was sitting on the edge of the bed, clutching the hem of her skirt, waiting quietly. She heard footsteps, looked up, and saw Huo Lie carrying a bowl as he walked in. Her gaze lingered on the bowl for a moment before moving to his face, but she didn't say anything.

Huo Lie walked up to her, handed her the bowl, and said nothing. The girl took the bowl, glanced down at the light brown paste, and without hesitation, picked it up and took a sip. She paused, took another sip, and then finished the whole bowl in a few gulps.

The bottom of the bowl was clean, with only a little residue clinging to the porcelain wall.

Huo Lie stood in front of her, not in a hurry to speak. After a couple of breaths, he asked, "How is it?"

She put down the bowl, looked up, and glanced at her father. Then she opened her mouth, about to say something, when her face suddenly turned deathly pale.

She bent over abruptly, clutching her stomach with both hands, and a fine layer of cold sweat instantly appeared on her forehead.

Huo Lie's expression changed, and he stepped forward to support her: "What's wrong?"

The girl gritted her teeth and didn't speak. Her body started to feel hot, and she could feel the temperature rising even through her clothes. She curled up into a ball, her whole body trembling slightly.

Huo Lie hugged her tightly, his voice low but clearly panicked: "It's alright, Father's here, it's alright..."

He turned and shouted towards the door, "Call the Taoist priest in!"

Hearing the commotion, a middle-aged Taoist priest dressed in a Taoist robe rushed in, holding a talisman in his hand, and cast a group healing spell.

A burst of white light exploded above the girl's head, followed by a layer of pale golden light. The girl's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, but her body was still trembling.

The Taoist priest cast another healing spell, and the white light fell again. The girl's complexion improved slightly, but sweat was still seeping from her forehead.

At the same time, the soldier pounding fruit inside the house had taken out the Judgment, its tip pointing at Lin Mu.

Two more mages and a warrior rushed in through the door, their staffs and weapons simultaneously aimed at Lin Mu, who was sitting at the table.

The soldier leading the fruit-pounding group gritted his teeth and said, "You gave me the fruit, so you'd better pray that the young lady is alright."

Chapter 249 is another level 15.

The air in the room seemed to have been sucked away, and the cold light from the blades and staffs flickered and shimmered in the candlelight, while the glow of magic flickered on and off at the fingertips.

Lin Mu sat at the table, holding a cup of tea in one hand and picking up a piece of pastry from the saucer with the other, taking a bite and chewing slowly.

He glanced at the knives pointed at him, then at the lightning crackling at the mage's fingertips, then at the trembling girl in Huo Lie's arms, before taking a sip of tea, swallowing the pastry in his mouth, and slowly saying, "Go ahead and chop! What are you standing there for? You've already raised your knives, but you're too afraid to bring them down?"

After he finished speaking, he picked up another piece of pastry, took a bite, and chewed it with a relaxed and carefree air.

Several warriors tightened and loosened their grip on their swords, the tips pointing at him. The lightning at the mage's fingertips flickered twice and then dimmed, his gaze shifting back and forth between Lin Mu and Huo Lie.

But Huo Lie, holding his daughter, his clenched fists bulging with veins, never looked up or gave any orders.

That way, they won't dare to make a move.

The room was so quiet that only the girl's rapid breathing, the soft sound of the white light from the Taoist's healing spell falling, and the occasional crackling of the candlelight could be heard.

Fortunately, the Taoist priest's healing spell gradually calmed the girl's breathing. Although her face was still pale, it was not as tense as before.

She took a couple of breaths and spoke, her voice soft and hoarse: "Father... I'm alright."

Huo Lie looked down at her and saw that although she was still trembling, she could speak. He finally felt a little relieved.

He raised his head, glanced around at the flashing swords and spells in the room, and said in a deep voice, "Do not be disrespectful to Young Master Lin. Zhang Dao and Tieshan, stay here. Everyone else, leave."

The people inside gradually left, and the door closed again, leaving only Huo Lie, the girl, the Taoist Zhang Dao, and the warrior Tie Shan.

Zhang Dao's healing spells didn't stop; beams of white light fell one after another on the girl's head, and her complexion gradually returned to normal, her breathing slowly becoming even.

Huo Lie squatted down beside her, one hand still on her shoulder, without saying anything more, just waiting.

Lin Mu sat at the table, picked up a piece of pastry from the plate, and took a bite.

He took a few sips, picked up his teacup and swirled it, finding it empty. He then turned to Tieshan, who had been standing to the side with the Judgment in his hand, and gestured with his chin: "You have no sense of propriety, there's no water left, pour some."

Tieshan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly turned his head and glared at Lin Mu, his eyes full of fire, as if he wanted to swing the Judgment on the spot.

But Huo Lie didn't speak, and he didn't dare to move. After holding his breath for a few moments, he gritted his teeth, leaned the verdict against the table, picked up the teapot, turned around, went out to fetch hot water, put it heavily on the table, glared at Lin Mu, and then returned to his original position.

Lin Mu seemed not to notice his gaze, picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup, blew on the steam rising from the surface, and was about to drink it.

Suddenly, a golden light burst forth from the girl's body, spreading outwards and illuminating the entire room.

After the golden light dissipated, her breathing became completely steady, her complexion returned to normal, and even had a slight rosy glow than before.

Huo Lie tightened his grip on her shoulder, his voice low and menacing: "So? What can you see?"

The girl closed her eyes, as if sensing something. After a moment, she opened them, her voice trembling slightly with uncertainty: "Father... I saw the status bar. And... my level is 15."

Huo Lie didn't speak, but his shoulders visibly slumped, as if a string that had been stretched for more than ten years had finally been released.

He looked down at his daughter's face, his Adam's apple bobbing as if he wanted to say something but didn't. In the end, he just nodded vigorously, his voice a little hoarse but with an undisguised smile: "Okay."

Just one word, yet it felt like a stone that had been pressing down for a long time had finally been lifted.

Lin Mu paused for a moment while holding the teacup.

Level 15, it's level 15 again.

Chunxing is also at level 15.

Talent is something that is rare, and it is unusual for him to encounter two geniuses one after another.

The only possibility is the fruit itself; it not only provides experience but also raises the user's talent ceiling.

This means that its value is much higher than he previously thought.

He didn't show his feelings on his face, and took another sip of tea, as if trying to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

Huo Lie had already stood up and strode over to Lin Mu, his pace much faster than usual, as if he couldn't wait to get to him.

Without hesitation, he clasped his hands and bowed deeply, his waist bent lower than ever before, his voice carrying an undisguised solemnity: "Young Master Lin, my men were quite offensive just now. It was my fault, Huo Lie, for not disciplining them properly. Please forgive me, Young Master Lin."

Lin Mu then came to his senses, put down his teacup, smiled, and was about to say, "Lord Huo, you flatter me," when he caught a glimpse of Huo Lie's back out of the corner of his eye.

The girl had already stood up from the bedside and was standing not far behind her father, her hands folded in front of her. She stood quietly, her gaze fixed on him. She didn't look away or scrutinize him deliberately; she just looked at him with great interest, as if she were looking at something she didn't quite understand but found very interesting.

Her expression was completely different from before she took the medicine, as if the golden light had not only changed her constitution but also washed away the layer of things that had accumulated on her body over the years.

Lin Mu withdrew his gaze, not looking at it for long, but simply cupped his hands to Huo Lie and softened his tone: "City Lord, you flatter me. If I were Tieshan, I would also draw my sword. It's only human nature."

Hearing this, Huo Lie's expression relaxed a bit. His gaze fell on Lin Mu's face, and his tone carried a pure and undisguised joy that he rarely showed in front of others. "Tonight, the whole city of Shabak will celebrate together. Young Master Lin, from now on you will always be a distinguished guest of Shabak. As long as I, Huo Lie, am still in Shabak, no one in this city will dare to be disrespectful to you."

He turned his head and gestured with his chin toward Tieshan: "Send word to prepare a banquet tonight to celebrate my daughter's awakening."

Tieshan responded and quickly went out.

Huo Lie stood by the table, as if he hadn't completely recovered from that emotion.

Lin Mu stood by the table, glanced at Huo Lie, then at the girl named Huo Tang behind him, and said, "I've heard that Shabak's weapon forging and upgrading techniques are unparalleled in the world. I'd like to see for myself."

Huo Lie turned around, glanced at him, and nodded, his tone still carrying the energy he hadn't quite contained earlier: "If Young Master Lin is interested, I'll personally show you around."

A moment later, Huo Lie led Lin Mu out of the mansion and walked along the main street of Shabak towards the west of the city.

Unlike cities under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, Shabak was not lined with shops and bustling with people. The streets were wide but there were not many shops on both sides, and you could see the end of the street at a glance.

There was only one blacksmith shop, but it occupied half a street. The storefront was huge, and you could hear the clanging of hammers from afar, like the heartbeat of the entire city.

Walking on the streets of Shabak, everyone who passes by will respectfully clasp their hands in a fist salute to Huo Lie and say "Lord of the City".

A man pushing a cart stopped and stepped aside to make way, bowing his head and calling out "Lord of the City"; two apprentices carrying iron ingots stood by the roadside and bowed; an old man repairing a carriage in the distance also straightened up and nodded to Huo Lie.

Huo Lie would respond slowly and deliberately, nodding slightly, his pace unchanged, as if he had been doing this for decades.