Chapter 376: A Side Quest from Lin Zhen (Sixth Update!)

Devour Heaven Palace, Qingyun Mountain, night as tranquil as water.

"This timeline is... the moment I last left Devour Heaven Palace?"

Yang Ling's eyes lit up:

"This dungeon's timeline operates identically to the Divine Realm's, with me as the axis.

As long as I leave the dungeon, time here freezes!"

After confirming this, the last shred of doubt in his heart vanished without a trace.

He had been afraid that the next time he entered, the timeline would have jumped forward seven or eight years, or even decades.

Who could endure that?

This current timeline arrangement was enormously beneficial to him.

"I can slowly explore all kinds of side quests without worrying about missing anything."

The next day, Yang Ling went bright and early to pay his respects to the Devour Heaven Palace Master.

This Master had already prepared a room for him, complete with its own courtyard.

"With a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster stationed here, secluding myself in this place is extremely safe."

Yang Ling thought to himself.

The Devour Heaven Palace Master glanced at him, her expression cool and detached:

"You will cultivate here from now on, accumulating your Vital Qi.

Cultivation is not something accomplished overnight. You must have sufficient patience.

Until I obtain the Snow Spirit Marrow, do not recklessly attempt to break through to Lower Fifth-Rank."

Yang Ling's mind stirred, and he said respectfully:

"Master, does our Devour Heaven Palace possess any rare exotic herbs and flowers that can enhance Vital Qi?"

"We do have some, but your contributions have already received their due rewards. I cannot grant them to you without reason. The Mountain Chiefs of the various peaks would not accept it."

The Devour Heaven Palace Master continued:

"When I was young, I also rose to my current position step by step through accumulated merits.

If you want those rare exotic herbs and flowers that increase Vital Qi, then you need to prove you are qualified to consume them."

Yang Ling's eyes brightened, and he quickly said:

"Master, is there any task you could assign to your disciple right now? I will surely handle it flawlessly, thereby proving I am worthy of those exotic herbs and flowers!"

The person before him was a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster. If she assigned him a task, the rank of that task would certainly not be low, and the rewards would not be meager either!

The Devour Heaven Palace Master said:

"There is nothing requiring your services recently. Just cultivate well here.

If another beheading mission like last time comes up, I will naturally send you down the mountain."

Yang Ling felt somewhat disappointed.

Still, being able to peacefully refine Foundation Consolidation Pills was not a bad outcome.

For the following period, Yang Ling secluded himself here, cultivating the Vajra Bright King Technique.

One Foundation Consolidation Pill after another was consumed, and nine days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Vajra Bright King Technique's Experience Points also grew from 25,630 to 27,130.

"That's not slow. With another seventy-something thousand experience, the Vajra Bright King Technique can advance to Skilled."

Just then, the voice of Lin Zhen of Flying Dragon Mountain suddenly sounded from outside the courtyard.

"Is Senior Brother Yang present? Junior Brother Lin Zhen requests an audience."

Yang Ling was somewhat curious. What did this one want with him?

In the courtyard, upon seeing Yang Ling, Lin Zhen immediately performed a cupped fist salute:

"Senior Brother Yang."

"Junior Brother Lin, is something the matter?"

Yang Ling returned the gesture with a smile and cupped fists.

A flicker of hesitation passed through Lin Zhen's eyes, but he ultimately spoke:

"This junior brother has come because there is a matter I wish to request Senior Brother Yang's assistance with."

Yang Ling suddenly became interested. This counted as a side quest, didn't it?

Even though it was only issued by an Upper Sixth-Rank like Lin Zhen, it should still yield some rewards, right?

"It just depends on how difficult his task is. If it's not hard, and I can get a high evaluation rating, then the rewards will definitely be plentiful!"

With that thought, Yang Ling immediately adopted a serious expression:

"If Junior Brother has something to say, speak frankly. If I am able to help, I will certainly not refuse."

At this moment, Lin Zhen became rather hesitant and fidgety.

Yang Ling did not urge him.

After a few breaths, Lin Zhen said in a low voice:

"A few days ago, I received a letter from home. My father said that my third brother accidentally offended a certain instructor from the Star Observation Academy."

"From the Star Observation Academy?"

Yang Ling was somewhat curious about what kind of foundation the Star Observation Academy had at this point in time.

"My third brother, while in a jealous rivalry with that instructor's disciple over a woman, accidentally severely injured the other party."

"The Star Observation Academy has already sent word to the Lin family, setting a time to deal with this matter. My father is worried that the instructor will not let it go, and wants me to go down the mountain and return home..."

Yang Ling mused: "You are the Flying Dragon Mountain Chief Disciple, a disciple of Devour Heaven Palace. Can't you handle this yourself?"

A bitter smile appeared in Lin Zhen's eyes:

"The Star Observation Academy's foundation is roughly on par with our Devour Heaven Palace's. I don't want to trouble the sect to intervene because of my personal affairs.

If Senior Brother could accompany me back to the Lin family, with your status as the Devour Heaven Palace Master's personal disciple, the other party will certainly be wary.

At that time, our Lin family will also be willing to make a reasonable compensation to resolve the matter."

[You have received a request from Lin Zhen, the Flying Dragon Mountain Chief Disciple of Devour Heaven Palace, to resolve the conflict between the Lin family and the Star Observation Academy. This is a side quest.]

[Do you accept?]

[Yes/No]

"This task doesn't seem difficult, so the rewards probably won't be great... But it's a good excuse to go down the mountain."

"I'll ask Lin Zhen later if there's anywhere we can sell the Xuan Phoenix Sword and the Star-Observation Kylin Vest."

"The Rong State at this time might not have the Divine Armaments Pavilion yet, but there should be similar organizations."

With that thought, Yang Ling smiled at Lin Zhen:

"I've got nothing better to do anyway. I'll accompany you down the mountain."

Lin Zhen breathed a sigh of relief. He had truly been afraid the other party would refuse.

If the person before him was unwilling to help him with this favor.

He would have had no choice but to seek out his own Master, which would leave the impression that he was incapable.

If his fellow junior brothers and sisters found out, they would likely badmouth him behind his back as well.

Most critically, he really didn't have confidence in relying on his own status to intimidate the Star Observation Academy.

But the status of the Devour Heaven Palace Master's personal disciple was more than enough!

When going down the mountain, Yang Ling went to request permission from the Devour Heaven Palace Master. Upon learning that Yang Ling was accompanying Lin Zhen down the mountain to help handle his family affairs, she didn't say much and simply nodded in approval.

...

On the surging, turbulent river, Yang Ling and Lin Zhen boarded a fast boat belonging to the Water Transport Guild, heading toward the Qi Heavenly Provincial Capital where the Lin family resided.

"This river should also connect to the Tianyuan River. The Palace Master said the Water Qilin Cave would open in a few more years..."

"At this period, there shouldn't be the restriction of needing Seventh-Rank to enter the Water Qilin Cave yet, but for Martial Artists above Seventh-Rank to go there, it's still extremely dangerous."

Yang Ling figured he probably wouldn't have another chance to visit the Water Qilin Cave.

If that divine beast were to truly unleash its power, a single breath from it could freeze him into an ice popsicle.

"Senior Brother Yang, at this fast boat's speed, we should be able to return to the Lin family within five days."

"This time, I've troubled Senior Brother Yang to make a special trip. This junior brother is deeply grateful. Here are three Foundation Consolidation Pills, please accept them, Senior Brother Yang."

Lin Zhen handed Yang Ling a wooden box.

Only 3 Foundation Consolidation Pills? Yang Ling was momentarily stunned, then quickly came to his senses.

For someone like Lin Zhen, a Flying Dragon Mountain Chief Disciple, being able to offer 3 Foundation Consolidation Pills was already quite generous.

After all, this guy wasn't a player like him.

Yang Ling casually accepted the wooden box. He had consumed three Foundation Consolidation Pills earlier, and now he had received three more.

His Foundation Consolidation Pill count remained at 190.

"So many Foundation Consolidation Pills, but no time to digest them all..."

"I should trade them for some exotic herbs and flowers that can be refined faster, or Spirit Nurturing Pills..."

"Junior Brother Lin, is there a place in the Qi Heavenly Provincial Capital where one can sell Divine Armaments, or purchase pills and rare exotic herbs and flowers?"

Yang Ling asked casually.

【Sixth update delivered! Desperately begging for more updates and five-star reviews! Give me a chance to write 20 chapters in a row, will you?!】