A Drunken Confession and a Treacherous Betrayal

Recognizing Lin Tian, the guards at the entrance offered respectful bows without a word. Many within the imperial residence knew the prince was pursuing him, constantly dreaming of him, and the servants often gossiped about it.

Upon entering the secret chamber, Lin Tian found all the equipment untouched. Using his Telekinesis Art, he brought over several uranium ore rocks and began the refining process.

When Qin Jiu learned of Lin Tian’s return, he came to visit. Lin Tian neither rejected nor acknowledged him, focusing solely on his refining.

When he grew tired, he would practice the Qi Gathering Art to restore his spirit, occasionally glancing at the Mad Soul Art.

Mastering the first layer of this cultivation technique expanded one’s divine sense, allowing for a much broader investigative range, though it required a physical body twice as strong as an ordinary person’s.

The second layer also significantly amplified divine sense, but it introduced numerous techniques: calming the emotions of surrounding creatures, even causing enemies to lose their will to fight, thereby weakening their combat effectiveness.

Upon reaching the third layer, one acquired a Divine Sense Domain. Not only would others’ divine sense be unable to penetrate it, but if enemies were trapped within the domain, they would be utterly incapable of releasing their own divine sense, every movement laid bare before the practitioner.

For a cultivator, operating without divine sense was akin to being blind; even a slight sneak attack could ensure their defeat. Those with weaker cultivation would find themselves dizzy and disoriented under the pressure of such a divine sense domain.

This seemed to bear little resemblance to the ‘Mad’ in its title, employing only gentle methods. The old man had only comprehended this much; the subsequent three layers were said to be entirely focused on violent offensive techniques.

No matter how strong an opponent’s physical body, or how many magical treasures they possessed, if their soul was too weak, they would be instantly killed, leaving no room for defense. Cultivators dreaded soul-based attacks above all else.

Just as when Lin Tian was possessed last time, he couldn’t use any of his abilities. If he hadn’t possessed two souls, he would likely have long since perished.

He buried himself in refining uranium, and days melted into weeks. The two butterflies atop his head, having been fed for some time, gradually saw their white markings turn red—a clear sign that they were about to lay eggs.

Lin Tian was overjoyed. He carved out some time specifically for their care, finding another room where he laid out a pile of spirit herbs, allowing the butterflies to lay their eggs independently.

Another two months passed in the blink of an eye. Qin Jiu would visit him periodically, bringing gifts each time.

Men were often like this; the more unattainable something was, the more they yearned for it. If a man simultaneously liked two women, he would often choose the one who didn’t love him back.

Qin Jiu could easily find women more beautiful than Lin Tian, and readily available at that, yet he chose not to.

****

The uranium ore in the courtyard dwindled day by day, and the Autumn Leaf Valley gathering was fast approaching.

The next day, Lin Tian exhaled a long breath as he sat in his chair. A small portion of the uranium ore remained unrefined, but the ore from this world was somewhat different from what he had anticipated.

Having only refined half, the amount of uranium and plutonium he obtained had already exceeded his budget. At this rate, there was no need to refine it all; the current quantity was sufficient to construct three small nuclear bombs!

He rested for a day, meticulously packing everything away, then prepared to check on the butterflies in their room.

As soon as he stepped out, he encountered Qin Jiu. Noticing his room was tidied, he asked with a hint of confusion:

“Is Miss Yingkong preparing to leave?”

“Yes. Thank you for your care during this time, Brother Qin. Here are a thousand spirit stones; please accept them. I dislike owing others favors.” Lin Tian waved his hand, producing all the spirit stones he and Qian Yuling had collected from the cave last time.

Qin Jiu had been quite helpful during this period, even providing the secret chamber. A thousand spirit stones was a generous amount, also serving as compensation for the flawed handgun blueprint he had given him.

Seeing the pile of spirit stones, Qin Jiu’s eyes lit up, but he then asked with concern, “How long will Miss Yingkong be gone this time?”

“This farewell will likely be our last encounter. Brother Qin, please take care of yourself.” Lin Tian walked towards the spirit insect room without looking back, leaving Qin Jiu frozen in place, lost in thought.

Upon reaching the door of the room, Lin Tian sensed over twenty mental connections; there were twenty-five Corrupted Butterflies inside!

Because they had been blessed with his true blood once, their offspring also carried Lin Tian’s blood, eliminating the need for new recognition. Only a small pile of spirit herbs remained on the ground, indicating they might be becoming too expensive to raise.

“Miss Luo…” Qin Jiu approached. Lin Tian waited for him to speak further.

“Miss Luo, if you would simply share a pot of wine with me, I will not take a single one of these spirit stones. As we part ways today, I hope you will grant me this request.” Qin Jiu offered a gentle smile.

“Unfortunately, I don’t drink, Brother Qin. But to exchange a pot of wine for a thousand spirit stones… I can try…”

With the increase in Corrupted Butterflies, a large quantity of immortal herbs would be needed. He had initially regretted giving away so many spirit stones, but now, unexpectedly, he had another chance to get them back.

“Miss Luo, please…”

Under the cover of night, the two arrived at an elegant pavilion. A maid brought a pot of wine and two cups, then quietly withdrew.

“Having met, let us drink to our farewell. Miss Luo, please take good care of yourself in the future.” Qin Jiu poured the wine and drank a cup himself.

Lin Tian’s last experience with alcohol was in his previous life, having only drunk once. The taste was unbearable, so he suppressed his sense of taste and also drank a cup.

“Pour my share, too.”

“Miss Luo has quite the capacity for drink. It’s late already; why not depart tomorrow instead?” Qin Jiu refilled his cup, and Lin Tian drained it again.

“For us cultivators, there’s little difference between day and night.”

“Drink slowly. I still wish to chat more with Miss Luo. Perhaps we should order some snacks to go with the wine?”

“That would be nice. It’s been a long time since I’ve had mortal food; his stomach is quite empty…” A faint blush spread across Lin Tian’s face, and he felt a slight dizziness.

He hadn’t expected to feel tipsy after just two cups. He wondered how potent Qin Jiu’s wine was; finishing the remaining half-pot seemed precarious.

He circulated the Mad Soul Art to maintain sobriety, but he felt his spiritual energy circulate somewhat sluggishly. He attributed it to the alcohol and didn’t think much of it.

“What are your plans for the future, Miss Yingkong?” Qin Jiu secretly chuckled, observing Lin Tian’s flushed face.

“What plans could there be? Find a sect, seek the path to immortality.” Lin Tian replied dismissively.

“Don’t push yourself too hard. Enjoy life occasionally.”

Perhaps it was the alcohol’s effect, but Lin Tian felt an overwhelming urge to confide in someone about his past:

“Enjoy life? I used to be just like Brother Qin, filled with curiosity about all sorts of people and events. Perhaps my emotional intelligence was low, for I was often deceived.

It wasn’t until all my wealth was gone that I truly understood the dangers of the world. After that, I dedicated myself to my endeavors, exploring the unknown, finding joy amidst hardship. I… have always been enjoying life.”

Qin Jiu paused, taken aback. “Miss Luo, you must have had too much to drink. You don’t seem very old; how could you have such experiences? The dishes are here; please eat something first.”

“My apologies, I misspoke.”

After a few bites, his stomach felt more comfortable. He drank another cup, feeling his face grow hot. These thousand spirit stones were proving difficult to earn.

Qin Jiu continued to speak with him, but he heard nothing, his eyelids drooping uncontrollably. He merely saw Qin Jiu’s lips moving, uttering words he couldn’t comprehend.

It wasn’t until Lin Tian collapsed, drunk, on the table that Qin Jiu remained unmoved, continuing to eat. The smile on his face had completely vanished.

When he next awoke, a fierce pain throbbed in his head. He tried to sit up but found he had no strength; his spiritual energy wouldn’t circulate.

He tilted his head slightly, discerning his surroundings. He was lying on a grand bed in a lavishly decorated room.

He heard the door open, footsteps approaching, and then Qin Jiu stood by the bed, looking down at him with cold eyes.

“Brother Qin?… What is this…?”

“Oh? Didn’t Miss Luo simply drink too much?” Qin Jiu said with a mocking, sarcastic tone.

“You… you tampered with the wine?” Lin Tian tried to sit up, but he couldn’t manage it; his arms lacked the strength to even support his body. Ordinary wine, no matter how much, couldn’t cause this.

“Don’t waste your efforts. I paid a hefty price for that poison. Let alone you, a Qi Refinement cultivator, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator wouldn’t be able to stand if they touched a drop.”

****

“Speak,” Lin Tian said calmly. “What do you want?”

Qin Jiu’s expression suddenly changed, and he exclaimed, “You should understand your current position! Don’t act so superior! Do you think being a cultivator makes you incredible?!”