Chapter 112: Golden Crow’s Tail Feather? The Sun Blazes Across the Sky

After Zhang Yuanyi stepped aside, Lin You turned his attention to Zhao Fan. Seeing that Zhao Fan had successfully refined five strands of true vital energy, he nodded and said, "Zhao Fan, you might as well cultivate at the Chisong Dojo for the next few days. Once you have fully refined the spiritual elixir, you can venture out to hone your skills."

Although Zhao Fan had refined five strands of true vital energy, the medicinal properties of the elixir previously concocted by Daoist Hu Sheng were impure, leaving behind a certain degree of complexity that required careful refinement. Lin You intended for him to reach the second stage of true vital energy before setting out to train, otherwise, he would have no means of self-protection.

"Thank you, Senior!" Zhao Fan’s face lit up with joy. Even if the senior hadn't suggested it, he had planned to find a way to linger in this spiritual land for a few days, at least until he had refined the elixir.

Lin You nodded and looked at the others. When Qing Su and her junior brother felt Lin You’s gaze upon them, they could not help but feel a sense of restraint. Having witnessed Lin You effortlessly destroy a Foundation Establishment practitioner, their uncertainty regarding his background only deepened, and his identity seemed increasingly mysterious. Fearing that Lin You might inquire about their origins, Qing Su quickly took the initiative to ask, "Senior Yuchen, we heard you mention the matter of merit earlier. We are quite curious; would you be willing to enlighten us?"

Having just arrived in this world, they had not heard of Lin You’s path of merit, though they had overheard Daoist Hu Sheng and his companions mentioning it while gathering information. Hearing that accumulating merit could earn them spiritual elixirs made them even more intrigued.

Lin You, already aware of their identities, chose not to expose them. Instead, he explained his path of merit to them once more. Finally, he took out two apricot pits and handed them over, saying, "If you two have the heart for it, you might assist with the flooding in Jinzhou. I shall certainly not be stingy with elixirs and medicine."

Nearby, Tiger Lord and the others brightened at these words, each asking Lin You for a few apricot pits. In this Age of Dharma Decline, cultivation was arduous, and without the aid of spiritual elixirs, progress was nearly impossible. The prospect of gaining such rewards through the path of merit felt like a blessing from the heavens. They secretly congratulated themselves for not fleeing like the other loose practitioners; otherwise, they would have missed this golden opportunity.

Seeing their eagerness, Lin You was pleased. Such mutually beneficial arrangements served everyone well. Remembering something, he said to Tiger Lord, "If you manage to capture another Yin-Spirit Horse, do bring it to Mount Chisong. I will ensure you are well compensated."

Tiger Lord offered a wry smile. "Senior Yuchen, you may not know this, but although those horses reside in the subterranean Yin regions, they move like the wind. Ordinary cultivators cannot keep up with them. Capturing the first one was a stroke of extreme fortune; I fear I may lack the strength to catch another."

"It is of no concern. These horses favor extreme Yin; if you use a source of extreme Yin to lure them, you shall succeed," Lin You said with a faint smile. He gestured toward the deep valley, pointing at the spring of Yellow Springs water filled with the aura of the netherworld. "This should be of assistance to you."

Tiger Lord looked in the direction of his finger and indeed saw a murky, yellowish spring, seemingly flowing from the netherworld, bringing the breath of death into the mortal realm. "This is?" Tiger Lord asked in astonishment. Even in the subterranean Yin location where the Yin-Spirit Horse thrived, he had never seen such concentrated Yin energy. Moreover, this Yellow Spring seemed to exist in perfect harmony with its surroundings, isolated yet natural, which left him marveled.

Lin You nodded. "This is the Yellow Spring, also known as the River of Oblivion. It is most effective at dissolving souls and can be used as an ingredient in refining spiritual elixirs. If you encounter spiritual herbs growing in places of extreme Yin, feel free to collect them; this land can cultivate them."

Tiger Lord’s eyes lit up. He nodded vigorously and said, "Rest assured, Master. If this truly works, I shall capture the entire herd and bring them here for you to tend!" He had considered mentioning the ancient ruins located within that extreme Yin region, but thought better of it. There was no rush; he would first complete the task entrusted to him by Master Yuchen and improve his cultivation, then plan for the ruins later.

At that moment, the youth in beast skins, who had remained silent, suddenly stepped forward and knelt before Lin You. "Yan Wu implores you, Master, to save my father and my clansmen!"

The scene was so abrupt that even Zhang Yuanyi and the others were taken aback. Lin You helped him up and asked gently, "There is no need for such formalities. Speak your mind."

Yan Wu, looking at those around him, hesitated no longer. He took out a fire feather and presented it to Lin You. "Master, please observe this." He was no longer afraid of others coveting it, as the sheer power displayed by Senior Yuchen was enough to deter anyone present from harboring ill intentions. Furthermore, having witnesses would prevent unnecessary risks. Although he knew Senior Yuchen was of noble character and would not seize the item, the lives of his elders were at stake, and he had to be cautious.

The tail feather was a deep reddish-gold, naturally patterned with interwoven fire veins that resembled ancient totems from primordial shamanic rites. Most striking was the immense energy contained within, as if an eternal, inextinguishable divine flame burned inside.

Lin You’s expression turned solemn. As he took the feather, the small tree within his consciousness stirred, seemingly eager to consume the Dao-essence within the object. He held the feather and asked the youth, "Where did you obtain this? And how does it relate to what you just said?"

Yan Wu replied hurriedly, "Master, my father and his clansmen risked their lives to retrieve this from Yang Valley! They claim it was shot from a Golden Crow divine bird. They were severely wounded in the process and barely escaped back to our ancestral lands, but our tribe’s greatest treasure was lost in the valley!"

Before Lin You could respond, Qing Su shook her head. "That is impossible. If it were truly a Golden Crow, even one recently birthed, it would rival a True Monarch of the Origin Realm, capable of incinerating thousands of miles in an instant. There is no way they could have shot down a tail feather."

In the scriptures of their Qingwei Heaven sect, recorded by their own Origin Spirit ancestor, such divine creatures were not born of eggs or moisture, but were true innate deities birthed by heaven and earth. Even their sect’s Origin Spirit Dao Lord would not provoke one lightly. This feather might be strange, but it was far from that level; it was likely just another fire-attribute spiritual bird misidentified as a Golden Crow.

"It is not! It was a true Three-Footed Golden Crow! My father said so himself! Our tribe has possessed the Golden Crow totem for generations; we could not have mistaken it!" Yan Wu argued, growing anxious.

Qing Su chuckled in dismissal, unconvinced. The immortal lineage in these ancestral lands had long been severed, and their foundations were far shallower than those of the Blessed Lands. Did this mortal cultivator, possessing only a shred of inheritance, think to debate experience with her?

Lin You, however, felt a stir in his heart. He could indeed sense a Dao-essence of "Great Sun Burning the Heavens" from the feather. While it might not be a true Golden Crow tail feather, it was undoubtedly connected to one.