Chapter Eleven: Let Them Plant Trees for Me

Before Lin You could speak, Wang Jin, lying on the ground, lost his composure first. He turned his head to the side and said coldly, “I admit defeat this time. Kill me or spare me as you wish!”

Having chosen this path, he had long been prepared for death and would never beg for mercy and invite ridicule.

The other river bandits on the ground began to shout as well, “That’s right! In twenty years, we’ll be heroes once more!”

Now that the haunting by a female ghost had been exposed as a ruse, the bandits regained their courage, each adopting a fearless stance.

At this moment, Lin You suddenly let out a soft laugh.

The impassioned atmosphere in the great hall was instantly shattered by this light chuckle.

The bandits all glared at Lin You, their eyes wide with anger.

Wang Jin’s face darkened as he demanded furiously, “What are you laughing at? We may be outlaws, but we are renowned men of the greenwood—how dare you insult us so!”

Lin You drew the saber from one bandit’s waist and flicked it with his finger. The blade rang out with a crisp, metallic note.

This was the hallmark of hundred-times-refined steel, sounding like precious jade, singing at a touch.

“It amuses me that a group of soldiers, who should have used their blades to defend the people, have now transformed into bandits and pirates who plague the land! And this saber, meant to slay enemies and serve the nation, has become a murder weapon against the innocent!” Lin You shook his head.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about!” Wang Jin’s expression froze, his face shifting uneasily.

At that moment, the elder Daoist Yu Jing, standing aside, seemed to sense something amiss. He stepped forward, took the saber from Lin You, and examined it carefully. His face grew grim.

“This is a standard saber of the Jinhua Garrison. Though the official insignia has been removed, the shape is unmistakable!” Yu Jing said in a low voice.

In other words, these men were not ordinary bandits, but a group of well-trained elite soldiers.

Such a force, masquerading as pirates of the Jinsha River, plundering passing ships, and tonight even attempting a night assault on the Chisong Daoist Temple—what lay behind this was truly chilling.

“Junior brother, what should we do now?” Yu Jing’s brows tightened into a frown as he turned to Lin You.

If this matter was not handled well, the Chisong Daoist Temple would face disaster.

Though the news of Master Songhe’s passing had not yet spread, there were no secrets that lasted forever. Without the deterrence of the grandmaster Songhe Daoist, the predators all around would soon set their sights on this “fat prey.”

“Be patient, senior brother,” Lin You comforted Yu Jing.

He then asked Bai Yi, “Miss Bai, can you reveal who sent you up the mountain?”

“I don’t know his exact identity,” Bai Yi shook her head, “But I have a feeling that he is a formidable figure even among martial arts grandmasters. Had he attacked me, I would have found it hard to escape.”

With these words, the truth was laid bare.

Someone with such power, able to command elite soldiers to disguise themselves as bandits—the identity of the mastermind was all but self-evident.

Yu Jing’s face grew even more somber. Who else but the Prefect of Jinhua could wield such power and influence?

Although they did not know why the Prefect targeted their temple, the moment they captured Wang Jin and his men and learned their true identities, there was no turning back.

To have government troops act as bandits, the Prefect must harbor grand designs. With such ambitions, he would not spare anyone who might discover his secrets.

Yu Jing secretly felt relieved that he had just dismissed all the disciples, leaving only a few elders in the hall. Otherwise, news would spread, unrest would grow, and Master Songhe’s passing would quickly become common knowledge.

The situation was now extremely unfavorable for them. He himself was only at the peak of the Qi Vein stage, and even with the other elders, they might not withstand a martial arts grandmaster. If the Prefect truly became ruthless, they would be powerless to resist.

A trace of bitterness appeared on Yu Jing’s face.

Bai Yi, surveying the group, suggested, “Why don’t we leave the mountain for now? As long as the green hills remain, there will be wood to burn!”

“No,” said Daoist Yu Yin firmly, “the foundation passed down by our founder cannot be abandoned so lightly. I will live and die with this temple!”

The other elders nodded in agreement.

“That’s right! At worst, we die! We old fellows have lived long enough anyway.”

“In my view, let Junior Brother Yu Chen lead the disciples down the mountain to preserve our legacy. We old ones will stay and face the consequences,” said Daoist Yu De, stroking his grizzled beard.

The other elders all nodded.

“Indeed! Junior Brother Yu Chen is a rare talent and must not perish here! We must protect him at any cost!”

Lin You was moved by their words.

But to leave the Chisong Daoist Temple now was impossible for him. This mountain was now his domain, his foundation. Besides, he owed a great debt to the late grandmaster Songzu; how could he abandon everyone and leave?

Wang Jin, lying on the ground, saw their anxious expressions and could not help but feel a surge of satisfaction. He laughed loudly, “Where could you possibly escape to in Jinhua Prefecture? If you’re smart, let us go, and there may still be room for negotiation!”

Lin You glanced at him and smiled, “That’s none of your concern. Even if your Prefect comes himself, I can deal with him.”

“Hah! Such arrogance! If I’m not mistaken, you haven’t even perfected your Qi Veins, have you? Do you really think you can take on a martial arts grandmaster just because you tamed a beast?” Wang Jin sneered, clearly unconvinced.

Bai Yi, enraged, was about to kill him on the spot.

Lin You stopped her, laughing, “Killing them is pointless. Better to have them atone for their crimes.”

With that, he struck several points on the bandits’ bodies, sealing their veins.

Bai Yi asked curiously, “Atone for their crimes? What do you intend for them to do?”

“It’s simple—they’ll plant trees for me.”

“Plant trees?” The group looked at each other in confusion.

Even the bandits seemed baffled.

Lin You nodded with a smile. “That’s right. I’ll explain the details to you later. What’s more, this will greatly aid Meiniang’s recovery. So please, Miss Bai, help me with this task.”

Bai Yi’s eyes lit up and she nodded repeatedly, “Rest assured, I will not fail you!”

Seeing Lin You’s calm demeanor, Yu Jing and the other elders were somewhat reassured.

Though they didn’t know his true intentions, Yu Jing still stepped forward and asked, “Junior Brother, do you need the disciples to help as well?”

Lin You nodded. “That would be good. This is no small task and we’ll need all the help we can get.”

His plan was to reorganize the ley lines of Chisong Peak.

Though his cultivation was not yet high enough to wield the power of the land for battle, he could lay some simple traps.

Their victory over the bandits was not only due to Bai Yi’s illusions but also because he had used the power of the land to assist them.

Once the ley lines were fully realigned, the mountain’s protective power would be greatly enhanced. Even a grandmaster might become lost and trapped within.

That the Prefect had not acted directly against the temple showed he was wary of Songhe Daoist and was using others to test their strength.

This meant they still had a little time.

But to truly resolve the crisis, Lin You needed to become much stronger.

He gazed out of the hall, where under the vast canopy of the sacred pine, the ancient pavilion stood.

Beneath the eaves, the words “Seeking the Way” were inscribed in powerful calligraphy, exuding a sword-like intent that seemed to pierce the heavens.

In just a few more days, once his soul wounds healed, he could use the little jade tree to absorb the spiritual essence there again.

He could only hope that the ancient pavilion of “Seeking the Way” would bring him unexpected fortune.