Chapter Twenty-Three: Murong Yueyao

Under the simultaneous assault of filth, a foul stench immediately filled the air. As for the Fierce Tiger Ghost-Headed Saber, Lin Yi naturally couldn't bring it down directly on Li Zhancheng's head—if he did, Li Zhancheng's skull would be sliced apart like tofu. The saber was imbued with the essence of a tiger's soul, and in the blink of an eye, accompanied by a chorus of tiger roars, the apparition of a tiger's head materialized! As Lin Yi wielded the weapon, the tiger's head bit down on Li Zhancheng's skull. Lin Yi could sense that something within Li Zhancheng's head had been devoured by the gaping maw of that spectral tiger.

In the next instant, Li Zhancheng seemed to become an imbecile. Even the cunning light in his eyes vanished, along with all traces of fear. Satisfied, Lin Yi sheathed his blade. After confirming several times that Li Zhancheng's life force was steadily ebbing away and certain that he would die before long, Lin Yi left him to his fate and started walking away from the other end of the road.

He had promised An Miaoyi to attend the Paranormal Investigation Bureau's assessment; this was his only planned opportunity to make a high-profile appearance. Lin Yi decided to spend the rest of the day cultivating, making thorough preparations for the test tomorrow. He reflected that if he truly became a staff member of the Paranormal Investigation Bureau, even as an intern, he ought to have his own place to live. After all, he harbored many secrets, and having his own residence would afford him greater freedom. Though his dorm mates were decent fellows, it was, in truth, a bit inconvenient.

Shengjing Academy was strictly managed. Moreover, thanks to the ninety-nine locations shrouded in mist, supernatural incidents abounded, and the school did not permit boarding students to live off campus; all were required to stay in the dormitories—unless they were day students. Lin Yi's family was not from Shengjing, so if he wanted to rent a place off campus, he had to pass a test: he needed to prove his true capabilities.

Lin Yi had a plan—he would first register for the titles of Martial Artist and Mentalist. In that case, he could submit an application to his advisor to move off campus. If his identity as a Paranormal Investigation Bureau member could not be revealed, this was the only way.

Still, these dorm mates had been with him for several years; he couldn't simply abandon them. He would have to return to the dorm from time to time. That was the next step in his plan. But there was no rush for that—what was urgent now was finding a place to stay tonight for cultivation.

Thinking about this, Lin Yi unlocked his phone. Renting a place required money. His family wasn’t wealthy and couldn’t offer much help. His last thousand or so yuan was gone; all he had left were a few dozen yuan in his mobile wallet. However, if he sold the items he had picked up from Li Zhancheng, he’d lack for nothing.

Though the wise prize wealth in moderation, Lin Yi felt no guilt about taking Li Zhancheng’s ill-gotten gains. It would help him grow stronger, enabling him to better vanquish monsters and demons—a service to the people. What he took from the people, he would use for the people. He wasn’t after personal fortune, but rather to contribute more to society. His conscience was clear.

“The first step is figuring out how to sell these things…”

Lin Yi’s thoughts turned to Antique Street. Thanks to his thirty years’ worth of cultivation, a degree of mastery that would take an ordinary person sixty years to achieve, he no longer felt hungry and was a far cry from his morning state. If earlier he’d been like a starving ghost reborn, now he was a normal man.

Antique Street in Shengjing was located in the very heart of the city, which set it apart from most such streets, which tended to be downtown but not in the most bustling districts. Shengjing’s Antique Street, however, defied convention, planted right in the thick of the city’s busiest area.

Lin Yi had visited Antique Street before with his dorm mates, so he knew the place well. However, he’d always come as a buyer, never as a seller. This time, he was here to sell, but figured the process couldn’t be all that different.

Perhaps it was the effects of the “Great Cavern Sutra” or the result of his deepening cultivation, but Lin Yi found his senses sharper than ever. Even while practicing the “Secret of Movement,” as he walked the avenue and boarded the bus, he could clearly overhear the whispers and playful banter of a young couple nearby.

Further focusing his mind and channeling the “Great Cavern Sutra” through his body, the power of those thirty years’ cultivation surged within him. He could even hear the buzzing wings of several mosquitoes circling his feet. Whenever these mosquitoes drew near, Lin Yi would release a bit of his aura and, with a silent “pop,” they would explode in an instant.

This alone spoke volumes of Lin Yi’s current prowess.

After disembarking from the bus, Lin Yi arrived at Antique Street. Casting his gaze around, he could clearly see every bottle, jar, bird, fish, and insect displayed in the distance. He could even make out the intricate patterns on some porcelain vases—his vision now worlds apart from what it once was. With a look of delight, he made his way forward.

First, he slipped into an alley off Antique Street lined with garbage bins. Once he was sure there were no cameras around, he summoned a host of items with a thought.

This was the real world. While Lin Yi could obtain many rare treasures from the “God-Slaying Sutra,” one thing remained unchanged: he had little cash on hand. Even with the “Great Cavern Sutra” and thirty years’ worth of inner energy, every use consumed a portion of his cultivation. To maintain his youthful state, he would need to keep replenishing his resources. Besides, one couldn’t rely solely on the “God-Slaying Sutra” for cultivation—he had to train on his own as well.

With money, he could buy other medicinal herbs and resources for further cultivation.

Carrying his goods, Lin Yi made his way to a shop called “Imperial Fragrance Pavilion.” To clarify, this was not some brothel from ancient times, but a proper, reputable establishment dealing in antiques and jade. Most of the valuables Lin Yi had acquired from Li Zhancheng were gold, silver, and jade—items of considerable worth. Lin Yi was no connoisseur, but the Imperial Fragrance Pavilion was a large, trustworthy business, and its staff did not look down on customers.

The last time Lin Yi had come with his dorm mate to buy a small crystal pendant—priced a little over three hundred yuan—the shop assistant had shown no impatience. The lovely attendant had spent more than twenty minutes helping his indecisive friend, always smiling and wishing them to visit again. Of course, whether she secretly felt otherwise, no one could say; but at least her manner was impeccable.

Yet perhaps because of the day’s many harrowing events, the whiff of misfortune still clung to him. As Lin Yi approached the entrance of Imperial Fragrance Pavilion, he ran into the last person he wanted to see—his ex-girlfriend, Murong Yueyao.

Lin Yi could have posted on a forum: “What to do when you run into your ex? Need advice, urgent!” Murong Yueyao was his bona fide ex-girlfriend, his first love from high school, and the only ex he had. The lighter he’d tossed away had been a gift from her—he’d never had the heart to throw it out. This alone showed that despite chastising himself for not ending things cleanly, he couldn’t help but dwell on the past.

What you can’t let go of is bound to come back to you.

And so, he saw her again.

Deep down, Lin Yi felt conflicted, a part of him yearning to rekindle the relationship. Yet the memory of their breakup still haunted him, a reminder that water spilled in front of a horse cannot be gathered up again.

They had parted amicably, with none of those melodramatic scenes found in novels. It wasn’t as if Murong Yueyao had left him for someone wealthier—her family was rich, and money was never the issue. The reason for their breakup was simple: Murong Yueyao thought Lin Yi didn’t study hard enough.

Yes, that was all—not diligent enough in his studies. And so, she broke up with him.

Lin Yi wasn’t the type to cling or pester, so the two gradually drifted apart. Still, he’d heard from others that Murong Yueyao had been deeply unhappy in those days, even drinking a few times despite never touching alcohol before. This knowledge pained Lin Yi, though after breaking up, it was no longer his place to intervene. Keeping one’s distance, too, was a kind of dignity.

Murong Yueyao must have had her reasons for ending it, but Lin Yi no longer cared to know them. What unsettled him now was seeing her again—and with a young man at her side.

This man exuded a certain mature charm. His white shirt, though casual, bore the unmistakable quality of hand-stitched luxury, and his black trousers were perfectly pressed, not a crease in sight. The belt, Lin Yi recognized, was a foreign brand—expensive enough to buy him clothes for a year in his old life.

His features were striking, and the gold-rimmed glasses on his face enhanced his scholarly, refined aura. His square-jawed face wore a gentle smile, epitomizing cultured elegance.