Chapter 332: Chapter 332: No Hope for Promotion _1
Clinging to the parchment, Ye Ming pondered for a long time but couldn’t unravel its mysteries. He would have to wait to ask his grandfather in person.
His grandfather had already brought him too many surprises, the Spirit Spring Water made from a Spiritual Pearl had been sold in many cities, resolving his financial crisis. This piece of parchment was even capable of withstanding the power of heavenly lightning.
What other secrets could his grandfather be hiding?
While he considered these questions, the outside world had descended into chaos.
Since his phone had been shattered by the lightning, causing him to lose all contact, many people had started to spread rumors of his death.
"Did you hear, the man behind Lingquan Company was murdered!"
"If that’s the case, won’t Spirit Spring Water soon be out of stock? No way, I’ve become so reliant on Spirit Spring Water, I need to stock up in large quantities!"
"Could it be that someone is deliberately spreading rumors? Using such rumors to drive the sales of Spirit Spring Water?"
People speculated wildly, but the sales of Spirit Spring Water did not decline. Instead, it continued to surge.
Lin Bingqing was swamped with work, and the phone calls over the past few days had left her exhausted. What was worse, Ye Ming’s mother, Jiang Rou, had received the news and was very worried about Ye Ming’s safety.
In response to other people’s inquiries, Lin Bingqing could tell the truth and simply say ’out of contact,’ but with Jiang Rou, Lin Bingqing dared not speak carelessly and could only use lies to appease her.
"Don’t worry, Auntie, my master just went on a business trip out of town. He will return soon!" Lin Bingqing said so.
The worried expression on Jiang Rou’s face did not fade as she said, "Bingqing, you’re a good girl, you mustn’t deceive me. I’ve had premonitions these past few days, occasional heart palpitations. If there’s any news of him, you must tell me right away."
Lin Bingqing agreed with difficulty, already feeling extremely anxious.
She had never been as worried about Ye Ming as she was this time. She had a very ominous premonition that Ye Ming might not actually come back.
At the same time, she felt a strange sensation in her heart, as if something was blocking her.
After hanging up the phone, Lin Bingqing immediately took some Spirit Spring Water to try to suppress the feeling, but the situation worsened, making her even more uncomfortable as if the Gu Insects inside her had started to cause trouble again.
"Could it be..."
Outside the gates of Yanjing City, Lin Guisan, clad in a black robe, strode in, accompanied by several enchanting women.
Looking at the bustling Yanjing before him, he revealed a sinister smile, "My dear disciple, your master has come to find you. I wonder how you’ve been doing in Yanjing lately. Your new master—perhaps it’s time for me to get to know him."
...
Four days passed, and no trace of lightning scars could be found on Ye Ming’s body; he was essentially healed, and the True Qi inside of him had recovered to its original level.
Once again, he fully unleashed all his abilities, beginning to break through his bottleneck.
Lin Mengdie stayed by his side loyally, guarding his safety and ensuring their survival, preventing them from starving to death.
After a whole day of running around, Lin Mengdie not only found plenty of wild game but also brought Ye Ming a complete set of new clothes.
Though the style was the least fancy, for the presently almost naked Ye Ming, it was more than sufficient.
For the following three days, Ye Ming paid no attention to worldly affairs and concentrated entirely on advancing his cultivation.
However, even though Ye Ming’s abilities had returned to their peak, he found that no matter how hard he tried, the bottleneck for his breakthrough just wouldn’t give way.
"Alas, is it still not working? Could it be that I need the help of a Top Quality Spirit Condensing Elixir?"
Ye Ming opened his eyes with a long sigh, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness.
He had worked hard enough, but the impact of lightning was severe, completely interrupting his path to promotion.
Lin Mengdie looked at him with pity and comforted, "Perhaps the time is too short. Why don’t you rest for a couple of days and try again?"
Ye Ming shook his head and responded, "It’s not about rest. Advancing in the Earth Rank requires opportunity, and I’ve lost that chance unless... unless I have another Top Quality Spirit Condensing Elixir!"
"It’s just that I’ve almost used up all the medicinal ingredients, and there’s simply not enough left."
Lin Mengdie thought for a moment and said, "Why don’t you come home with me? I’ll have my father take out all his treasures! Mingxuan Pavilion also has a collection of medicinal materials that we can provide for your use!"
If her father heard her words, he would probably be so angry that he’d lose his breath. His daughter wasn’t even married off yet, and she was already bending over backwards for someone else—how could this be allowed?
However, Ye Ming still shook his head, "Time doesn’t permit it; I’m going to Wanhua Valley anyway, so I might as well use what’s available there directly!"
"The medicinal ingredients stored in Wanhua Valley should far exceed those in the outside world, and it would be much more convenient for me to take them directly!"
As soon as Ye Ming voiced his idea, it frightened Lin Mengdie considerably.
She advised, "Such words have never been spoken in the world of martial arts. You can’t be too overconfident!"
"The defenses of Wanhua Valley are strict, and it’s full of experts. It’s not at all like what you’ve seen!"
"If you think that by killing Elder Tao you can deal with Wanhua Valley, you are gravely mistaken. To my knowledge, that Elder Tao was the weakest member of the valley, responsible only for menial tasks!"
"Killing him means nothing. You mustn’t be careless!"
Ye Ming nodded, a smile appearing on his face. He could see that Lin Mengdie truly had his best interests at heart.
He said earnestly, "Miss Lin, I appreciate your concern, but I am not blindly arrogant. Even if there are Heavenly-tier experts hidden within Wanhua Valley, I still must stir up these troubled waters!"
"I’ve already made enemies with Wanhua Valley, with no possibility of reconciliation—it’s inevitable that there will be conflict!"
Seeing Ye Ming’s resolute attitude, Lin Mengdie decided not to try to persuade him any further.
She took a deep breath and said seriously, "In that case, I’ll accompany you. Even though my strength is not as great as yours, I can still lend you a hand when the time comes!"
Her demeanor didn’t look like she was joking.
Ye Ming looked troubled and replied, "Miss Lin, please don’t. It would put me in a difficult position."
Lin Mengdie looked puzzled, "What’s difficult about it? Don’t worry, I won’t slow you down!"
Ye Ming pursed his lips, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Well, if you’re sure, I won’t say anything more. Let’s set out immediately!"
Lin Mengdie smiled, visibly excited, and nodded, preparing to pack lightly.
But just at that moment, Ye Ming suddenly struck, elbowing Lin Mengdie’s shoulder and instantly knocking her unconscious.
"Miss Lin, the journey ahead is perilous; I cannot allow you to be burdened by me!"
