Chapter Twenty-Eight: Star Iron

“Yes, Master!” The young lady called Qingqing responded crisply, then led Lin Yanghao toward the side chamber.

Lin Yanghao gazed at Qingqing, the girl before him. Her black, glass-like off-shoulder chiffon dress floated as lightly as feathers. Her green eyes undulated like the waves of a night sea, veiled in a faint, enchanting mist that made her all the more alluring. Cherry lips, willow brows, porcelain skin, and a delicate oval face—she looked like a goddess stepped from a painting. Even compared to his own goddess-like wife, Feng Shihan, her beauty was nearly unmatched. Moreover, Lin Yanghao felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity as he looked at Qingqing, which left him puzzled.

But for Lin Yanghao, it was nothing more than genuine admiration. He was not the sort of man who would throw himself at every beautiful woman nor did he envy those ancient men with three or four wives. His requirements for love were simple: he longed for one companion to grow old with, a wife who loved, understood, and accepted him.

He had been favored by fate, blessed with Feng Shihan, a wife who considered his needs in all things.

If someone were to ask Lin Yanghao now, "Have you found the person to accompany you for life?" he would answer without hesitation, "Of course. If anyone is to stay with me until old age, it will certainly be Feng Shihan."

Before long, Qingqing brought Lin Yanghao to a side chamber. The more he looked at her, the more familiar she seemed. He was certain he had seen her somewhere, yet his mind held no memory of her. He thought, "I haven't met many people since arriving on this continent. Anyone I've met, I would recognize. Perhaps I'm overthinking it."

Qingqing quickly tidied the room for him and hurried off, as if she had taken Lin Yanghao for a lecher.

Watching her flustered retreat, Lin Yanghao chuckled, not taking it to heart. He realized he must have lost his composure just now. Though he was only admiring her beauty, she couldn't have known, and so mistook him for a scoundrel.

"Boy! Are you still after that precious crystal or not? If you don't want it, I, your ancestor, would like to be freed sooner," a voice suddenly rang in his ear, startling Lin Yanghao. He quickly realized it was the old monster, Master Muyu, still residing within him.

"Right, right, I nearly forgot the important matter. What a memory I have! Old monster, we'll go to the treasury tonight," Lin Yanghao replied sheepishly.

Deep into the night.

Lin Yanghao slipped quietly from the side chamber, glancing suspiciously about. Indeed, he was here to steal the precious crystal. Through his daytime investigations, he had learned the White Tiger Sect's treasury was right beside the main hall. Those who had rendered meritorious service could enter and select a treasure.

Arriving outside the treasury, he found not a soul in sight. For such a vital place in a sect, it was odd that no one stood guard. Lin Yanghao mused it must be related to today's events and, in any case, the absence of people made things easier.

"Boy, yes, yes, this is the place. After two hundred years, it's still the same. Move the large cauldron to the right, dig a meter down, and you'll find a box. The precious crystal is inside," Master Muyu said excitedly, on the verge of regaining his freedom. Naturally, he was thrilled. Most people couldn't stand being trapped for days or even hours, let alone two centuries.

Following the old monster's instructions, Lin Yanghao dug and indeed found a nearly rotted box. He took it out and restored the area to its original state.

"Boy, in the lower right corner there's a piece of Star Iron, an excellent material for forging. Who knows which fool threw the most valuable thing here on the ground. If used well, it could make a spiritual artifact," the old monster's voice suddenly piped up again as Lin Yanghao prepared to leave.

"Couldn't you warn me before speaking? You'll give me a heart attack one of these days." In the lower right corner, Lin Yanghao found a very inconspicuous, fist-sized black stone. If tossed among ordinary rocks, it would be indistinguishable from the rest.

"This is the stone? It looks just like garbage," Lin Yanghao muttered, reluctant to touch it.

"What do you know? This is rare Star Iron! All the treasures in this room aren't worth a fraction of it. If auctioned in the Spirit Realm, it would fetch at least fifty thousand mid-grade spirit stones. Take it or leave it," the old monster snapped.

Master Muyu thought to himself, "I've already told you what the treasure is, and you still hesitate. If this Star Iron weren't meant for me, I wouldn't have mentioned it. When I'm freed, it will be your turn to be possessed. Ha! Heaven truly favors me: first gifting me a spiritual body, then a weapon. Immortal ascent is not out of reach!"

Lin Yanghao had no concept of spiritual artifacts or fifty thousand spirit stones, but since even a Nascent Soul cultivator considered this rare, it must be valuable. He hurriedly stowed the fist-sized Star Iron away.

Then Lin Yanghao departed quietly, and the treasury returned to its usual silence, as if nothing had happened.

The night passed uneventfully.

At dawn, Lin Yanghao was ready to leave. Having stolen from the White Tiger Sect, it would be unwise to linger and risk capture. Even if the combined force of the sect was no match for him, Lin Yanghao wished to avoid unnecessary trouble and did not want to affect the bond between Old Lin and Bai Chen. Thus, escape was the wisest course. As for the sect's troubles, Lin Yanghao couldn't care less, so he rose early to say his farewells.

He entered the White Tiger Sect's main hall and saw Bai Chen and three elderly men, all bearing wounds and troubled expressions. Lin Yanghao approached and asked, "Uncle Bai, what has happened? Is there anything I can help with?"

"Ah, it's hard to explain. Just a few days ago, our sect discovered a vein of Spirit Gathering Stones, but somehow the news was leaked. That brought the three masters of Black Wind Mountain upon us. They lured four elders away, then ambushed me and the elders. One elder perished, and the other three escaped only just now. Without your help, our sect would have been doomed, but our strength will be greatly diminished from now on."