“Is Junior Sister Bai here to buy spirit artifacts?”
Lin Dongming exchanged a few polite words.
“…Mm.” Bai Zhiqing looked hesitant, as if she wanted to say something but held back.
“Senior Brother Lin, aren’t you going to accompany Senior Sister Han today?”
The Senior Sister Han Bai Zhiqing mentioned was naturally Han Xiangjun—the one who hired someone to spar with her and act as her bodyguard.
“I don’t hang out with her all the time either,” Lin Dongming awkwardly retorted. It seemed his recent sycophantic image had really stuck.
“Oh? Has Senior Brother switched targets?”
Bai Zhiqing’s bright eyes gleamed with a trace of teasing. It was like a top student in elementary school watching the class troublemaker get a taste of their own medicine.
Lin Dongming gave a helpless, embarrassed smile.
“I’ve just been busy cultivating lately, no time for anything else. There’s no entanglement with anyone.”
“Oh? Then I won’t disturb Senior Brother’s cultivation. I’ll take my leave first.”
She turned and left.
“Bai Zhiqing… isn’t quite what the rumors say.”
At least, she didn’t look like someone loaded with riches or closely connected to some Elder. Given how quickly she had progressed at her age, she must be very diligent in her cultivation. Usually, such diligence is driven by a deep-rooted insecurity.
Bai Zhiqing was currently in early Jindan. For her age, her progress was impressively fast—she definitely belonged to the Sect’s First Tier, a true genius.
“But it seems she doesn’t think very highly of me.”
As his client list grew, Lin Dongming’s reputation within the Sect seemed to be slipping. Thinking back to Bai Zhiqing’s half-smile and somewhat unfriendly attitude, he could easily sense the subtle disdain—like the look one gives a notorious playboy when hearing rumors.
“But that’s none of my concern.”
Lin Dongming turned toward the direction Song Yumian had indicated. “Serving clients is the important thing.”
Tuoba Wanyu’s designated place was her Refining Hall near the peak of the Artifact Refining Peak.
Lin Dongming also knew that ancient swords and Ancient Spirit Artifacts lay dormant nearby. Many who were overconfident would tremble and lose their courage just by approaching, overwhelmed by fear.
But Lin Dongming didn’t need to challenge them, so he didn’t care much.
He knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
A cold female voice responded from inside.
Pushing open the door, Lin Dongming saw a female cultivator dressed in a plain-colored robe refining a jade pendant.
The residual spiritual energy emanating from her alone was enough for Lin Dongming to feel that she was on a completely different level.
Her skin was taut and delicate, her limbs long and gracefully curved, possessing the charm of a mature woman. But that was something Lin Dongming neither wanted nor dared to covet.
“Elder Tuoba.” Lin Dongming cupped his hands respectfully.
“Sit down. I’ll be a moment.” Tuoba Wanyu didn’t even lift her head.
“Alright.” Lin Dongming nodded. For an Elder at Integration to be so meticulous, it was probably an artifact above Integration-level.
After a short while, Tuoba Wanyu finally nodded with satisfaction and tucked the jade pendant into her robe.
“Have you received the message from Yumian?”
“Mm.” Lin Dongming nodded.
“Do you know why I called you here?”
“I can roughly guess. There’s something to discuss, right?”
Lin Dongming’s modest cultivation and Sect status certainly wouldn’t attract Tuoba Wanyu’s notice. There were plenty of gifted disciples, but only a few made it to Integration. It wasn’t uncommon for prodigies to fall along the way.
So, it was likely she needed his service. Either she had some unspoken troubles requiring emotional support and daily care, or her junior needed protection.
“Not bad, you’re not too stubborn-minded,” Tuoba Wanyu said lightly. “I’ve never heard the actual situation about Yumian from other disciples. You seem pretty good at keeping secrets.”
“Of course.” Lin Dongming suppressed a smirk. “Business integrity is important. One must maintain a good reputation.”
“Then I’ll be straightforward.” Tuoba Wanyu didn’t seem annoyed by his smugness. “I need you to protect someone. The assignment lasts until the end of the Forbidden Land Trial.”
The Forbidden Land Trial was a grand event held every five years in the Eastern Cangzhou Sect. Each Sect selected outstanding disciples to participate. Gaining opportunities there often meant advantages in the later Five Domain Grand Competition.
“So, about two months then.”
Lin Dongming did some mental calculations. “Are you worried about dangers during the trial?”
Only top disciples could enter the Forbidden Land Trial, so protecting them probably required considerable effort.
***
A cold gleam shot toward Lin Dongming’s forehead.
He turned his head to avoid it, but several more cold beams aimed at his position. Their speed left only afterimages in his eyes.
—Well, this isn’t going to stop, huh.
Instantly, all his strength was mobilized. As he retreated, Lin Dongming drew his sword, cutting off three of the cold beams.
“Not bad.” Tuoba Wanyu nodded. “Your strength is much higher than your Sect ranking suggests. You’re indeed qualified for this task.”
The severed cold beams were actually chains. The broken chains slowly reconnected and healed, the cracks disappearing as they retracted back into Tuoba Wanyu’s sleeve.
Lin Dongming wasn’t particularly nervous. From the moment she attacked, he knew it was a test—there was no killing intent.
If Tuoba Wanyu really wanted him dead, he would have died the instant she decided.
Jindan, Yuanying, Spirit Severing, Integration—the two were separated by three major realms. The outcome was never in doubt. The gap between them was like that between a human and an ant.
“You hide your strength pretty well. Not many in the Sect probably realize.” Tuoba Wanyu could tell easily, but Jindan disciples definitely could not.
“I prefer to hide my spirit stones,” Lin Dongming replied lightly, unwilling to explain further. Shallow talk was taboo in dealings—even with an Integration Elder.
“You’re honest enough.” Tuoba Wanyu dropped the subject and returned to the matter at hand. “The price will be ten middle-grade spirit stones per month. That should be quite a good income for someone at your Jindan level.”
“Thanks for the patronage.” Lin Dongming was satisfied. One middle-grade spirit stone was worth one hundred lower-grade spirit stones, so ten middle-grade stones equaled a thousand lower-grade stones—roughly the equivalent of a monthly income of 100,000 in the original world.
“So, who exactly is the one I’m protecting?”
Lin Dongming asked, getting to the point.
“The one you just saw.”
Tuoba Wanyu said flatly. “Bai Zhiqing.”
“…………” Lin Dongming’s heart skipped a beat.
This was really going to be a huge problem.