Thinking of some Yin family member looking at him right now, Lin Xiao frowned. Even if no one was, far better to be careful.

Deciding this, Lin Xiao quickly paid his bill and left the inn. Wanting to be sure he wasn’t followed by anyone, he asked to Huangfu Shan to scout for him.

No avoiding it, Lin Xiao jostled through the crowds, letting Huangfu Shan’s concealment spell fall over him. He could have done it himself, but to prevent detection from any high-level practitioner, it was better for Huangfu Shan to provide the cover.

Getting around the largest cluster of people, Lin Xiao slunk into a nearby quiet alley. He hid his body in the shadows, scooped out a human-skin mask from his belongings and changed his face.

He also took off his jacket and put a new one on.

But even after Lin Xiao had done all this, he was not in a hurry. He stayed in the shadows, waiting.

“A few people passed by on the roof.” Huangfu Shan spoke finally.

“You felt it?” Lin Xiao asked.

“Well. After not seeing anyone, they might have relaxed their vigilance. So I could perceive their presence…”

“What cultivation were they?”

Huangfu Shan considered for a moment: “low and middle xuan (black) rank.”

The lowest of the low, xuan order?! Lin Xiao felt consternation. His heart in his throat, he was quite glad he had hidden away and changed his appearance. If he hadn’t heard those men at the inn talking, if he had given it no mind, and just continued to walk around, tonight he probably would have been taken to the Yin family.

Even if his own cultivation was rising, he wouldn’t be able to fight off a whole group of xuan-order Yin family cultivators.

It was safe to go now though. Lin Xiao closed his eyes, waited for a beat, then rapidly mingled back into the throngs of people. Thankfully, he attracted no one’s attention.

Lin Xiao went with the flow of the crowd, looking at stalls on the side from time to time. Who knew, he might get lucky and find the heaven spirit grass at one of them. But after strolling from a long time, Lin Xiao found no grass, but instead an unforeseen treasure.

A corroded qi(tool/device), containing a spirit.

If not for Huangfu Shan’s words, Lin Xiao likely would have paid no attention to it. It looked very ordinary, even junky, and damaged on top of that. After first glance, most would ignore it.

Perhaps because it appeared so unremarkable and beat-up, the stallholder left it stowed away in a corner.

The stallholder, a man in his thirties, was sleepily nodding away on his seat. Lin Xiao casually crouched down, picked at this and that, slowly looking at everything.

The stallholder finally noticed Lin Xiao perusing, but was too lackadaisical to say anything. He just gave Lin Xiao a cursory glance, then went back to dozing.

For Lin Xiao, it was still the same old routine.

When at a stall, you found something good. Definitely don’t let your interest show, or the stallholder will go in for the kill. Only if you’re willing to let the item fall through your fingers, can you dominate over the stall owner.

Or you could kill the stallholder, if you were that loath to spend coins. But would someone with low strength be able to gather all these things to sell?

“I’ll take this, and this…” Lin Xiao pointed to several items, including the spirit qi.

Hearing Lin Xiao’s words, the stallholder raised his eyes, sweeping over Lin Xiao’s selections. Nothing worth much money, only a spirit grass had any real value.

After mentally calculating, the stallholder gave an amount, then his eyes drooped yet again.

Relived that the stallholder had no intention of price-gouging him, Lin Xiao paid the fair amount. Gathering the items, Lin Xiao happily stored them away.

“Can you remove the corrosion on the spirit qi?” Lin Xiao asked Huangfu Shan.

Huangfu Shan replied: “You look for your special grass. Just wait a day, and I’ll give you a brand-new spirit.”

Lin Xiao took Huangfu Shan at her word, and continued searching stalls for the heaven spirit grass.

“Hey, brother.” Someone tapped Lin Xiao’s shoulder.

Lin Xiao looked back warily, but widened his eyes when he saw the other person.

It was Ji Quan, whom Lin Xiao hadn’t seen for a long time.

Ji Quan had grown taller than Lin Xiao remembered. And in his plain face, his eyes seemed guarded.

It’s a reserved gaze.

Lin Xiao tightens his mouth. He’s wearing a false appearance, and he can’t reveal his true identity at the moment. Speaking in a lowered voice, he asked, “Can I help you?”

Ji Quan looking at him, can’t help but feel that Lin Xiao seems inexplicably familiar. But with Lin Xiao’s fake face and skinnier frame, Ji Quan couldn’t recognize him, so he put it out of his mind.

Giving Lin Xiao a friendly expression, Ji Quan asked: “Brother, did you just buy an old spirit qi?”

Lin Xiao pretended to ponder the question, before answering in a still low voice, “Yes, is there any problem?”

“I’d like to buy it from you. I’m willing to pay double what you paid for it. What do you think?” Ji Quan smiled, seemingly slightly embarrassed.

Lin Xiao had no desire to part with the spirit qi, though. There was no hostility towards Ji Quan, but he’s not planning on selling. Lin Xiao coldly shook his head at the calm Ji Quan, “I’m sorry, I won’t sell. If you want something else, I can give it you.”

Hearing this, Ji Quan knew that Lin Xiao was not ignorant. This man knew that the spirit qi was something special. He’d rather give something else than agree to the request to buy.

Ji Quan was a decent man. He had no intention of trying to forcibly take the qi from Lin Xiao. So even though he wanted the qi badly, he gave a polite smile, saying: “No, if brother is not willing to sell, I will drop the matter.” He turned to leave.

Lin Xiao did not think to stop him. Lin Xiao was curious, wanting to ask Ji Quan about the past few years and what had happened after he fell from the cliff that day. But now was not the time…they will cross paths again. Moreover, he has his quest. After he completes that, there will be opportunity to meet Ji Quan then.

Lin Xiao looked at Ji Quan’s back. They had spoken together as strangers, so Lin Xiao turned away too.

He had almost finished searching this town, and he should keep moving on.

Checking the sky, Lin Xiao saw that nightfall was still a while away. Time to walk to the next place.

When he arrived at the next city, a massive amount of soldiers guarded the gate. Lin Xiao scowled to himself, but made his way to the front. The soldiers were impatient and demanded Lin Xiao pay a fee to enter the city.

And the amount was not cheap.

Lin Xiao hated giving the guards the money, but he couldn’t cause trouble right then. So he took out the silver and handed it to a solider.

The soldier grinned as he shook the silver coins in his hand. “Pass.” He waved to Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao entered the walls.

He wondered who controlled this city. Blatantly taking tolls, were they not concerned about someone higher-powered destroying the lair they’d built?

Inquiring with passers-by, Lin Xiao found out…a branch of the Yin family ruled the area, including a city Prefect.

No wonder the guards were so insolent. Lin Xiao’s heart started pounding.

Even if they were just a branch of the Yin family, there had to be a close relationship. And apparently, they were just as tyrannical.

He could still see the guards at the gate accosting travelers for money.

The streets were not as busy as the previous city, and the pedestrians looked serious or down-cast. Lin Xiao wished he could ask for gossip on the local situation, but looking at their dour expressions, he discarded the idea.

If he can’t strike up a conversation in the streets, where to go? Lin Xiao chose an inn that seemed the most crowded.

After all, inns were usually hot-beds of information. If you could catch it.

Lin Xiao took a seat, asked for a cup of tea, and started listening in the conversations going on around him.

Unfortunately, people were talking quietly. Lin Xiao strained his ears to hear.

……

“Well, that little Yin family son kidnapped a beautiful girl from our town, and ruined her.” Speaker A sighed.

“He takes many girls, and few survive.” Speaker B lamented.

“Thankfully, my family has a son.” That was speaker C.

Speaker A sneered at speaker C: “This Yin son is an absolute pervert. When he gets tired of women, he won’t stop at grabbing a few men to play with.”

Speaker C was shocked, “You don’t scare me! But my son takes after me, very handsome…”

Speakers A and B almost spat out their drinks at speaker C’s assessment of his looks.

Lin Xiao stopped listening.

A little Yin family son? And an evil one, terrorizing the people. Lin Xiao couldn’t fancy himself the savior of the city, he knew he had a limited capacity. If you knew yourself incapable, it shouldn’t be attempted.

He can’t compensate these people for their losses. There are other heroes roaming about, they would have to hope for one to save them. Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes, and went back to eavesdropping.

In any case, he must be careful while in this city. Try to avoid this Yin son, and any other Yin family member, so that he can smoothly leave without problems.

He still only has three months to find the heaven spirit grass.

After listening for a while, Lin Xiao stood up, ready to wander around for a bit.

He would explore a little, but aim to leave quickly.

For if there was anything of worth around, the Yin family most likely had already taken it. He’ll try his luck…but if he finds nothing, he won’t waste anymore of his time.

This is just searching a few cities, isn’t it?