Chapter 117: Murdering with Flattery
At the sight of Lin Jin, Zhao Pi immediately put on a smile, making sure to look extra sincere.
“Appraiser Lin!” he greeted with a salutation.
The people following after Zhao Pi went over ‘respectfully’ as well.
Stunned, Lin Jin looked up wondering who this person was.
He hadn’t met him before.
But one does not simply hit a smiling face. Since the other man was approaching him with no fangs bared, Lin Jin did the same. Putting on airs was rude after all.
“Appraiser Lin, ever since I heard that you’ve joined our Friar Association, I’ve been wanting to meet you but didn’t get an opportunity to do so. What a coincidence to meet you here at the Spirit Library today,” Zhao Pi spoke kindly as if he was catching up with an old friend.
The others looked just as friendly but Zhao Pi did most of the talking.
As they were conversing rather loudly, they attracted quite a bit of attention. Those who hadn’t known earlier now knew who Lin Jin was.
“And you are…?” Lin Jin still couldn’t recall who this person was so he asked.
Zhao Pi quickly slapped his own forehead and said, “As expected from Appraiser Lin! So it seems great wits have short memories. I’ve requested for your appraisal services at the Beast Appraisal Association before, but considering how many clients you meet on a daily basis, it’s only natural that you don’t remember me.”
One statement to bring them closer to his goal.
If a random stranger came over, trying to be friends out of the blue, it would only arouse suspicion.
Being adept at scheming, how could Zhao Pi not foresee this possibility?
Thus, he found an excuse to make up a connection between him and Lin Jin.
Most people wouldn’t suspect him this way and it would be too difficult to verify his claim. After all, the number of creatures a beast appraiser had to appraise in one day meant that it was impossible for the appraiser to remember every single client who had visited him.
It was practically impossible.
Hence, Zhao Pi did not worry about his lie being uncovered.
Admittedly, this presumption of his, as well as the plan, was impeccable. It was damn-near flawless.
Too bad he didn’t know that Lin Jin had the Museum of Deadly Beasts.
Lin Jin looked down at the pet beast following Zhao Pi. It was a large rat.
Smiling, he reached out to caress the rat’s head before saying, “Uhm, please don’t laugh at me but it’s true that I meet too many creatures every day so I really don’t remember who you are.”
Zhao Pi was smirking on the inside, thinking, ‘That’s exactly what I’m aiming for. If you said that you remember who I am, that would either mean that you’re lying, or my plan’s exposed.’
“With Appraiser Lin’s amazing caliber, you’ve appraised and treated so many beasts, it’s only normal that you don’t remember. But I, Zhao Pi, have never forgotten your greatness. Now that Appraiser Lin has entered the Friar Association, it’s my honor to be able to acquaint myself with you,” Zhao Pi said earnestly as if he meant his words.
Lin Jin responded with a smile but he was already starting to suspect the lying stranger.
This was the first time Zhao Pi’s pet beast was recorded in the museum. In other words, this man was spouting nonsense. But of course, there was another possibility.
His predecessor may have appraised this man’s pet beast before.
Nevertheless, for this person to fawn over him so suddenly, something fishy must be going on.
‘Let’s see what he has to say,’ Lin Jin told himself.
“These are my friends and they’re great guys. Let’s get to know each other so we can help each other out in the association from now on,” Zhao Pi introduced ardently.
As he spoke, Zhao Pi noticed a book in Lin Jin’s hand so he asked, “Appraiser Lin, are you planning to enhance your blood pact realm?”
Lin Jin glanced at the book in his hand, the ‘Blood Contract Cultivation Basics of the Five Elements’.
This was a book he just randomly picked up.
“I don’t know. I’m just reading random books that I thought would be interesting!” Lin Jin answered honestly, smiling.
Zhao Pi immediately shook his head. “Appraiser Lin, you’re just being humble. I know that Appraiser Lin is a talented man, having achieved so much in beast appraisals, I assume it must be the same when it comes to blood pact cultivation. I’ve been researching that book you’re holding for several years now, and I still can’t wrap my head around it. For Appraiser Lin to be able to study this cultivation method right upon entering the association, you’re truly worthy to be called a talent. I, Zhao Pi, am impressed.”
“You’re too modest!” Lin Jin was baffled.
He hadn’t so much as peeped at the contents of this book at all. But if this person still couldn’t understand this cultivation method after researching it for so many years, it must be a very profound method.
Suddenly, several onlookers shot contemptuous looks their way and mocked, “Come off it! He doesn’t even have a single cloud pattern and you dare call this guy a talent? Pooh!”
It was exclaimed loudly.
Zhao Pi instantly flared up in anger. “Which b*stard said that? Come forward, right now.”
That person who spoke earlier seemed just as annoyed when he came over. “Sure, I’ll come forward. Did you think I’d be scared? You keep singing praises for this Lin Jin fella, and yet he doesn’t even have a single certified cloud pattern on him. That means he hasn’t even reached the first realm of his blood pact. To call him talented, are you making fun of us?”
“Nonsense!” Zhao Pi barked back. “Who doesn’t know that Appraiser Lin is an exceptional individual? Just because he doesn’t have any cloud patterns on his robe doesn’t mean he can’t pass for one. For someone so incredible as Appraiser Lin, he should be able to reach the third realm of his blood pact on the first assessment attempt. When that happens, you blind fools will have to apologize to Appraiser Lin.”
“Boasting is an easy task. I just hope your Appraiser Lin won’t chicken out when getting himself certified.”
“How could a figure such as Appraiser Lin possibly be a coward? Just you wait. Appraiser Lin will get himself assessed immediately and he’ll show you all your place.”
Their quarrel attracted the attention of every other visitor in the Spirit Library.
An initial assessment was required of every newcomer. It was to assess which realm level the blood pact of this newcomer was at.
Anyone familiar with the Friar Association knew that most newbies would be filtered out by the first assessment while only a few of them could get to first realm. And this only applied to those with a strong foundation or disciples who have been in the process of cultivation for at least three months.
A person who could reach the third realm on the first assessment…
Was never heard of.
At least there had been no such case in the history of Maple City’s Friar Association. Even Yang Jie, who was deemed as the number one disciple only managed to reach the second realm during his first assessment.
And even then, Yang Jie had only managed to achieve it through diligent cultivation for three months.
So what about Lin Jin?
It hasn’t even been two days since he joined the Friar Association. Even if he was a certified beast appraiser of the Beast Appraisal Association, two different industries were worlds apart from each other. Even if he could reach the first realm if he goes for an assessment right now, that would be as far as he would ever go.
The third realm?
It was obviously preposterous and impossible.
This was no doubt a murder attempt through excessive flattery.
Meanwhile, Zhao Pi and that skeptical onlooker must be part of the same gang. Their clash was obviously an act to lift Lin Jin up. And the more they inflated the peoples’ expectations of Lin Jin, the harder he was going to fall when the truth is revealed.
If he couldn’t achieve the results Zhao Pi claimed that he could on the first assessment, Lin Jin would become a laughing stock.
And that was Zhao Pi’s goal.
Lin Jin was placed in an incredibly difficult position. He couldn’t avoid taking the initial assessment, or he would forever be labeled a coward by the members of the association.
Lin Jin watched on icily.
Finally, he realized that Zhao Pi and these guys were sneakily laying out a trap for him.
But he had to admit, their show was pretty convincing.
Lin Jin decided that he would go for the initial assessment. He had always been curious about the realm his blood pact was in any way.
But whether or not he could achieve third realm was a mystery to himself as well.
However, there were indirect descriptions in the Museum of Deadly Beasts that could serve as hints to him.
One of them mentioned how the ‘coiled wire needle’ was a high-tier move belonging to the pulse-seeking technique and it required an individual with a considerable blood pact level to perform it.
In addition to this, after reading some books containing fundamental knowledge here, Lin Jin recalled them mentioning that a blood pact of the third realm could be regarded as ‘considerable’.
Assuming that he was an ‘individual with considerable blood pact level’, combined with the spirit seizing cultivation and vein strengthening cultivation he had done earlier, if he worked just a little harder, achieving the third realm shouldn’t be too much of a problem.