C18 Strength Was the Most Important Thing

Chen Lin's lineage indeed hailed from a long line of coroners, and by the time it reached his father's generation, several generations had passed. With his expertise in autopsies, he could certainly prove Brother Lee's innocence," a disciple well-acquainted with Chen Lin quickly quelled the crowd's doubts. Since no one else understood the craft, Chen Lin was given a chance to demonstrate his skills.

"Thank you for your enthusiasm," Lee Qing said with a slight smile, departing gracefully amid the excited screams of the female disciples. "Oh, Senior Brother Lee, I'd do anything to marry him!" exclaimed one love-struck girl. "As if he'd go for you with your barrel-like waist," jeered another, equally smitten. "Senior Brother Lee prefers someone delicate and petite like me!"

After Lee Qing's departure, Chen Yong and the others didn't dare linger and quickly left the scene. Meanwhile, Chen Lin, who was conducting the autopsy, began by examining the chest wound on Wang Ke's body. "The fatal injury appears to be a severe blow to the chest, but this alone doesn't prove it was the cause of death," Chen Lin stated, prompting Zhao Lin, who was at a distance, to nod in silent agreement with his initial assessment.

As Chen Lin opened Wang Ke's eyes, many noticed a sudden change in his expression and his breathing became hurried. Next, Chen Lin opened the deceased's mouth and retrieved a silver needle from his Spatial Pouch, inserting it inside. Upon removing the needle, Chen Lin's face turned ashen, and he quickly stowed it away. His rapid breathing led the onlookers to believe he had discovered some crucial evidence, and they all fell silent, hardly daring to breathe.

Chen Lin's complexion was ghostly pale, and some even noticed a slight tremble in his frame. Although Zhao Lin was too far to see these details, it didn't mean he lacked insight. Much of Chen Lin's reaction was within his predictions. Taking a deep breath, Chen Lin restored Wang Ke's body to its original state before rising to his feet.

"What's the verdict?" the crowd asked eagerly as Chen Lin stood up. "I apologize, everyone. My skills are too limited to determine the true cause of Wang Ke's death," Chen Lin admitted, casting a glance towards the thatched cottage. Even though Lee Qing had already left, Chen Lin felt that from the moment he engaged with Wang Ke's junior brother, escaping Lee Qing's shadow would be impossible. In that moment, Chen Lin wished he could give himself a good few slaps.

"Chen Lin, what's the problem? You can pinpoint the cause of a bird's death, yet you can't determine how a person died? Tell me, is someone preventing you from telling the truth?" The disciple, who was close to Chen Lin, challenged him. Chen Lin's face turned sour, unable to offer an explanation. He now fully grasped the meaning of a friend stabbing you in the back. Each additional word he spoke put him further in jeopardy.

"If I can't figure it out, then maybe you should try!" Chen Lin, on the brink of collapse, yelled at the person before storming off into the crowd and heading straight for his thatched cottage. Behind the crowd, Zhao Lin let out a cold snort and walked away. Inside the cottage, Zhao Lin's face was livid. "The nerve of him, he definitely uncovered the cause of Wang Ke's death. Why won't he speak up? Why won't he expose Lee Qing?" Indeed, Zhao Lin had orchestrated the day's events, aiming to use the situation to his advantage. He hadn't planned on taking down Lee Qing in one fell swoop, but he had hoped to at least make him think twice about his actions.

Yet, what Zhao Lin hadn't anticipated was that his self-staged plan could be seen as both a success and a failure. He had successfully convinced everyone to agree to an autopsy, but the one person who understood the truth didn't dare to speak it. In the end, his plan fell short. He pondered over Lee Qing's sway within the Outer Sect, questioning why the Outer Sect Elder hadn't shown up today and why Chen Lin, after discovering the truth, remained silent. All these were due to Lee Qing's influence in the Outer Sect.

Influence is all about connections and personal power. Lee Qing had both. His cousin, Wang Feng, might have been just an Outer Sect disciple, but he was a prodigy, the childhood friend of the leader's prized pupil. These connections were not to be underestimated. "Indeed, it's only with strength that you can command respect. When others respect you, they won't dare to cross you!" Zhao Lin's fists were clenched in determination.

"Very promising!" As Zhao Lin's words hung in the air, a voice echoed. Zhao Lin was startled to see a vague figure pass through the closed door and into the cottage. "You're the elder who saved my life. I can't thank you enough for your great kindness!" Recognizing the voice, Zhao Lin realized it belonged to the same person who had intervened with the Third Elder the day before.

"Rise," came the voice, "I saved you not out of a desire for your gratitude or worship. I simply recognized your potential and couldn't stand to see it wasted by their hands!" Before Zhao Lin could fully kneel, the vague figure effortlessly lifted him back to his feet. "You were correct in saying that only when you possess strength that commands respect will others think twice before wronging or looking down on you. To earn that respect, you must have strength, and with strength comes connections. It's clear you understand this, and that makes my effort in saving you worthwhile." The voice grew distant, and by the time the echo faded, the figure had vanished.

Throughout the encounter, Zhao Lin never managed to catch a glimpse of the stranger's face or attire. "The elder spoke the truth. I need strength, the kind that commands respect," Zhao Lin resolved, sitting cross-legged with determination. He tapped his Spatial Pouch, summoning the Qi Condensation Scroll to hover before him.

Now, under the directives of Wang Feng and Lee Qing, Zhao Lin found himself deprived of pills, cultivation techniques, and magical artifacts. Even his protective dagger had been confiscated by the Third Elder. His only remaining possession was the Qi Condensation Scroll. Yet, he hadn't abandoned hope of reclaiming his dagger. It was the first magical artifact he had ever acquired, holding immense significance for him. Besides, that seemingly ordinary dagger was unmatched in sharpness and heft.

"Stay true to your original aspiration, and you will maintain your steadfastness," Zhao Lin reminded himself as he enveloped the Qi Condensation Scroll with his Divine Sense. Eight large characters briefly appeared beside the image before vanishing. Zhao Lin, now seasoned by experience, quickly channeled his wakan, following the Qi flow depicted in the scroll. The Qi flow was enigmatic, having transformed three times since Zhao Lin had come into possession of it: the first upon commencing his cultivation, the second during his breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage, and the third upon reaching the Foundation Building stage, for which he had not had the opportunity to study the scroll.

Zhao Lin had discerned the pattern of the Qi Condensation Scroll: with each major realm he breached, a new mantra would be revealed, and the depicted circulation route would subtly adjust. After several cycles of circulation, Zhao Lin's eyes snapped open, ready to delve into the mantra contained within the image.

At this moment, within a lavish area of the Outer Sect, stood not a humble thatched hut but a palace in its own right. While it paled in comparison to the grandeur of the Elder Palace, being significantly smaller, it was nonetheless a hundredfold, if not a thousandfold, more opulent than Zhao Lin's modest abode. To cultivators, such material differences were often of little concern, yet the concentration of wakan here was dozens of times more abundant than in the simple thatched dwellings.