C6 Lure

One day later, Lin Hao had finally mastered the second level of the Gold Needle Technique! He could now unleash five gold needles simultaneously. Moreover, his spiritual energy foundation was much denser than that of his peers, allowing him to fire the gold needles multiple times without depleting his spiritual energy.

"It's time," Lin Hao said as he rose to his feet.

"The past few days of training have significantly enhanced my abilities, but it's all thanks to the pills. It looks like I need to buy more Spirit Pills, and maybe I'll find some other types of pills as well."

Previously, with his low cultivation level and lack of soulstones, Lin Hao wouldn't even dream of affording Spirit Pills or Spirit Gathering Pills. But now, with several hundred soulstones in his possession, he was eager to invest in more pills.

Another goal on his mind was to find some panacea seeds. He had yet to cultivate the several acres of spirit field within his jasper bracelet.

With these thoughts, Lin Hao quickly got up, tidied his room, and was about to leave when he heard a series of sharp knocks.

"Pa! Pa! Pa!"

Lin Hao's expression turned stern. The sound carried a subtle malice, and he could sense the faint whiff of murderous intent. Having encountered a similar situation before, he was acutely aware of what might follow.

"Lin Qing, what brings you here again?" Lin Hao demanded as he recognized the visitor.

"I've been..." Lin Qing started but paused to scrutinize Lin Hao. "You seem to have broken through to the third level of Qi Refining. Did you stumble upon some treasure? Spill the beans, or you'll regret it!"

"Don't push me too far!" Lin Hao retorted with fury.

Lin Qing unsheathed her Windsong sword, looking at Lin Hao as if he were simple-minded.

"Fine, I'll tell you, but you must keep it to yourself," Lin Hao said, feigning resignation.

"Out with it," Lin Qing urged, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Lin Hao bit his lip, appearing to wrestle with his decision.

"A few days ago, I intended to hunt dire beasts in the Misty Forest to trade for pills. By chance, I discovered a cave with two doors. With my limited strength, I could only open one. Behind it, I found several pills, which I consumed right there and then. As a result, I successfully ascended to the third level of Qi Refining!"

"Pills? Where are they now?" Lin Qing's face lit up with excitement as he pressed for an answer.

"How could I possibly carry the pills on me?" Lin Hao glanced at Lin Qing before explaining, "I've stashed the pills back in that cave. When I reached the third level of Qi Refining, I attempted to open another door but failed. However, I'm confident that at the fourth level of Qi Refining, I could definitely open it. There might even be higher-level pills inside."

"Hmm, if I help you find those pills, would you share some with me?"

"Fourth level? Does that mean I could..." Lin Qing's eyes darted around as he eagerly pressed, "Tell me where this cave is, and take me there now."

Lin Hao couldn't help but feel a surge of joy at Lin Qing's eagerness.

"How can we go now? If we leave at this moment, we'll surely be spotted by others. We need to strategize. This must remain a secret."

"You're right, we can't let anyone else find out. If it comes to it, no one would know if we had to silence someone," Lin Qing muttered under his breath, yet he was relentless. "Hurry back and get ready. We'll sneak out tomorrow night, not the day after. Remember, don't tell a soul, or you'll regret it."

"Fine," Lin Hao replied with a hint of irritation. "May I leave now?"

"Go ahead," Lin Qing chuckled. "Haha, once I get those pills tomorrow, you'll definitely reap the benefits, my boy."

Without looking back, Lin Hao rushed to his quarters.

"Hmph! I'll spare you today, but tomorrow you'll pay," Lin Qing said with a malicious gaze at Lin Hao's retreating figure.

Lin Hao had cleverly tricked Lin Qing today, but if discovered tomorrow, he wouldn't be able to escape so easily.

"Maybe I should just end this once and for all..." Lin Hao pondered darkly.

"No, that won't do," he concluded, pacing his room, torn with inner conflict. "I'm not yet a match for Lin Qing in a direct confrontation. I lack combat experience, and he wields the Enchanted Item. Unless I take him by surprise and seize the Windsong, or somehow convince him to leave it behind, I stand no chance of defeating him."

"Let's see if I can make a breakthrough tonight. If I manage it, I'll stand a great chance against Lin Qing."

Lin Hao took out several low-grade soulstones and sat cross-legged. As he practiced the Cloud-Piercing Mental Art, wisps of spiritual energy flowed from the soulstones into his elixir field.

Lin Hao's elixir field already contained far more spiritual energy than his peers at the same level, absorbing it ceaselessly like a bottomless pit.

Beads of cold sweat trickled down Lin Hao's forehead as he broke out in a cold sweat and quickly ceased the absorption of spiritual energy.

Using Inner Vision, Lin Hao examined his elixir field.

"The capacity of spiritual energy in my elixir field must be at the peak of the fifth level by now, right? Better not to risk it. After all, with the jasper bracelet, I can take my time to research further."

Gazing at the jasper bracelet, Lin Hao mused, "The spiritual energy in my elixir field should sustain several uses of the gold needle technique. If I catch it off guard with a surprise attack, I'm confident there's a sixty percent chance of success."

Meanwhile, Lin Hao continued his diligent cultivation in his room.

Simultaneously, in Lin Qing's room, his expression was one of intense excitement.

"With that fool's Energy Pill and my own, reaching the sixth level of Qi Refining is no longer just a dream," Lin Qing thought to himself. "The crucial part is the cultivator's cave that fool stumbled upon. It could belong to a mage at the Foundation Building or even the Core Formation stage. Once there, I'll eliminate that kid without a second thought, since nobody will be the wiser."

"Hmm, I'd better not take Windsong with me. Carrying it might raise suspicions. I'll return Windsong to my father, claiming that I need to focus on my cultivation and that having it might lead to complacency. That should dispel any doubts about me."

Lin Qing's face twisted malevolently, as if he had already secured the pill and the magic weapon.

"No, that won't do," he reconsidered after a moment, pacing his room. "It's safer to bring Windsong. Who knows what treasures that kid might have found in the Immortal Abode? I'll take this Enchanted Item just in case."

Lin Hao had no choice but to take a risk. If he didn't, he would constantly be under Lin Qing's scrutiny within the family. By eliminating Lin Qing and shifting the blame to disciples from other families, he could secure a significant amount of time for his cultivation.

Currently, Lin Hao wasn't lacking resources; it was time he needed. With enough time, he was confident that he could stand up to anyone in the Cultivation Family.

To uncover the truth about his parents, Lin Hao was forced to resort to this desperate strategy. It was a gamble he had to take.

Success would grant him the precious time needed for his cultivation.

Failure, however, could very well mean death.