After leaving the ruins of Heaven's Mystery Sect, Lin Che didn't charge straight for Mount Emei.
[ Friendly Reminder: Host's current cultivation is Early Nascent Soul Stage, combat power comparable to Late Nascent Soul. Mount Emei has five Deity Transformation ancestors, two hundred Nascent Soul elders. Direct assault success rate: 0.001%. System suggestion: Sneaky development, don't feed. ]
"Sneaky?" Lin Che raised an eyebrow. "Are you questioning my dignity as a demon lord?"
[ Host, you're holding your sister like a single dad. Demon lord dignity is already shattered on the floor. But no worries, shattered dignity can be picked up. Shattered heads can't. ]
Lin Che looked down at the sleeping Lin Ying in his arms, then touched the Lightning Source Nascent Soul in his dantian, finally suppressing the impulse to storm the mountain.
"You're right," he said to Meng Qingcheng. "I need to survive before I can save anyone."
Meng Qingcheng's beautiful eyes flashed with approval: "Oh? The demon lord is being rational for once. Not going to brute force it?"
"Brute force is for idiots," Lin Che sneered. "I want guaranteed success."
[ Ding! Host's intelligence is online. Reward: Slaughter Points +100! ]
Lin Che settled in "Spirit Spring Town," a hundred miles from Mount Emei. This was a mandatory stop for anyone heading to the sect, a gathering place for rogue cultivators—perfect for gathering intel.
He rented an inconspicuous inn room, set up isolation formations, and settled Lin Ying.
"Boss, one premium room." Lin Che tossed a mid-grade spirit stone.
The innkeeper was a shrewd middle-aged fat man, eyes narrowed to slits: "My, my, this young master is generous! But... bringing a little girl, are you here for Mount Emei's disciple recruitment ceremony?"
"Disciple recruitment?" Lin Che's interest was piqued.
"Indeed!" The boss lowered his voice mysteriously. "Every three years, tomorrow is the day. But I advise you not to let your sister join the fun."
"Why not?"
"This Emei Palace, on the surface, is an immortal sanctuary, but in reality..., but in reality..." The boss looked left and right, voice dropping further. "They only take beautiful young girls, and less than one in ten ever comes out. Rumor has it they're used to entertain 'distinguished guests' from major sects."
A cold glint flashed in Lin Che's eyes: "Interesting. Any special activities on the fifteenth of each month?"
The boss was stunned: "Oh? You even know that? On the fifteenth night of each full moon, the Holy Maiden bathes in the 'Moonlight Pool' to absorb lunar essence for cultivation. The scene..." He gave a lewd smile. "Many male cultivators risk their lives to peep."
[ System Notice: Key intel acquired! Moonlight Pool, fifteenth of month, Holy Maiden bathing! Infiltration success rate estimated: 15%! ]
[ Additional roast: Host, a proper demon lord like you asking about peeping? Where's your demonic dignity? Dropped on the floor and can't pick it up? ]
Lin Che now had a plan.
At that moment, a familiar voice came from outside the inn: "Boss, a pot of your cheapest spirit tea!"
Lin Che turned, pupils constricting.
It was a hunched old man in tattered Daoist robes, a greasy gourd at his waist, bargaining with the boss with shifty eyes.
It was Lao Ma—that old scammer who stole five hundred spirit stones from him in Volume 1!
"Him?" The corner of Lin Che's mouth curled in amusement.
Lao Ma seemed to sense something, turned to look at Lin Che, froze, then plastered on a smile: "Oh! Isn't this Young Friend Lin? What a coincidence! We meet again!"
He scurried over, eyes fixed on Lin Ying in Lin Che's arms: "My, this little girl is quite the beauty..."
"Take one more step and I guarantee you'll be missing a hand," Lin Che said calmly.
Lao Ma shuddered, retreating two steps: "No, no, no! This old man is a proper gentleman now! Really!"
[ System Scan: Target Lao Ma, cultivation ???, danger level: Unfathomable. Note: Extremely dangerous. Host is advised not to provoke. Also, your spirit stones may be trembling in fear. ]
"A proper gentleman?" Lin Che sneered. "Remember stealing five hundred spirit stones from me in Volume 1?"
Lao Ma's old face reddened: "That... that was youthful recklessness..."
"You're three hundred seventy-eight years old."
"Young at heart!" Lao Ma said righteously, then grinned. "But Young Friend Lin, we've fought and made up. You're in Spirit Spring Town to peep at the Holy Maiden's bath... er, to admire her grace, right?"
Lin Che's gaze turned cold: "You know how to get into Moonlight Pool?"
"Hehe, this old man has no other skills, but stealth and infiltration... ah no, covert operations, are absolutely top-notch!" Lao Ma boasted proudly. "This old man has a treasure called Phantom Cloak. Put it on and you can perfectly hide your form and aura. Absolutely undetectable below Deity Transformation!"
He pulled out a gray cloak, offering it like a precious gem.
[ System Emergency Alert: Detected ancient spirit treasure "Phantom Cloak," grade: Heaven-tier high-grade! Note: Unknown origin, suspected to be scammed from some unfortunate soul by Lao Ma. ]
Lin Che stared at the cloak for three seconds: "Terms."
"Refreshing!" Lao Ma gave a thumbs-up. "Rental: one thousand spirit stones, pay first. Also, if you get caught, don't rat out this old man. Say you picked it up yourself. I'm too old to be chased by those Mount Emei witches."
Lin Che fell silent, then smiled: "Deal. But if you try to trick me..."
Lightning flashed in his palm, and the nearby table turned to dust.
Lao Ma swallowed: "Guaranteed no tricks!"
[ Ding! Host successfully obtained temporary item "Phantom Cloak" (Rental Version). Side quest activated: Infiltrate Moonlight Pool. Quest reward: Slaughter Points +2000, clue to remove "Forgetful Curse" ×1. ]
[ System Roast: This is Lao Ma's real game—take the money and leave you holding the bag. Host, are you sure you want to work with this sly old fox? ]
The next few days, Lin Che had Lao Ma map out Mount Emei's layout while gathering more intel.
For that one thousand spirit stones, Lao Ma gave his all, even managing to get a copy of "Moonlight Pool Peeping Guide (Collector's Edition)" detailing predecessors' "peeping experiences" and "failure lessons."
[ System Notice: Detected forbidden text "Moonlight Pool Peeping Guide." Suggest destroying and reporting Lao Ma. But... Host seems to be reading it carefully? ]
Lin Che expressionlessly closed the tattered book: "Know yourself and your enemy, survive a hundred battles."
[ Host is right, but System suggests not smirking so creepily next time you say that. ]
"Am I smirking?" Lin Che was taken aback.
[ Your mouth corners are reaching your ears. ]
Lin Che: "..."
Finally, the fifteenth full moon night arrived.
[ Warning: Infiltration begins! Current time: Hai hour, third quarter. Holy Maiden expected to enter Moonlight Pool at Zi hour. Suggest early infiltration. ]
Lin Che donned Lao Ma's Phantom Cloak, his figure fading into transparency, vanishing into the night. Before leaving, he glanced at the sleeping Lin Ying, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Brother will be back soon."
Moonlight Pool was located at Mount Emei's back mountain, surrounded by nine layers of concealment formations. But for System-equipped Lin Che, they were useless.
[ Formation cracking... 1%... 50%... 100%! Success! Slaughter Points consumed: 500. ]
[ System Roast: Host is getting quite proficient. Career change from sect-destroying demon lord to technical peeping tom—quite the leap. ]
Lin Che silently infiltrated the poolside, hiding behind a massive boulder.
At Zi hour, a white-clad figure approached.
Under moonlight, Luo Jiayin's beauty was breathtaking. She removed her clothes, stepped into the spirit pool, her snow-white skin glowing under lunar radiance.
Lin Che's gaze locked onto her left shoulder—
There, a faint pink lotus mark flickered in the moonlight.
[ Emergency Alert! Lotus mark pattern match: 99.9%! Soul scanning... ]
[ Scan complete! Target soul similarity to "Su Qingyao": 67%, unable to confirm reincarnation identity. ]
[ System Analysis: This mark is likely transplanted post-birth. Target has 87% probability of being a fake reincarnation. ]
[ Warning: Detected large-scale soul alteration traces at Mount Emei, suspected mass production of "reincarnated bodies"! ]
Lin Che's heart skipped a beat.
Mass-producing reincarnated bodies? What does that mean?
Could Mount Emei have found a method to replicate Su Qingyao's lotus mark and soul fluctuations, mass-producing fakes?
At that moment, Luo Jiayin suddenly turned, her gaze like lightning, shooting straight at Lin Che's hiding spot!
"Who dares peep at this palace's bathing?!"
[ Warning: Host has been detected! Immediate response required! ]
Lin Che sucked in a breath, turned tail and ran!
Are you kidding? This is Mount Emei's home turf with several Deity Transformation ancestors. Getting exposed now is suicide!
"Trying to run?" Luo Jiayin snorted, her jade hand waving. Pool water transformed into thousands of ice blades, shooting at Lin Che like a storm!
"Holy shit! This woman flips faster than a pancake!" Lin Che cursed, his Lightning Source Nascent Soul erupting, his form turning into a lightning bolt, instantly shooting out of Moonlight Pool.
Ice blades exploded behind him, riddling the entire back mountain with holes.
[ Host agility +1, fleeing experience +1, integrity -999... ]
"Shut up!" Lin Che cursed while running. "I don't have time for your jokes!"
[ Ding! Detected Host being chased by Holy Maiden, triggering special plot: Market encounter in three days! ]
[ Chapter 26 Complete ]