After helping the Zu family form a blood contract with the two-headed snake, Lin Jin’s job here at the manor was done.
The Zu family’s Third Elder came over with a few younger descendants and gave Lin Jin a bow.
“Appraiser Lin, we’ve been too presumptuous the last time and ended up offending you. Seeing as my father is elderly, would you please show us some mercy and save him?” Third Elder’s son asked as he paid his respects.
Third Elder was also staring at Lin Jin with a pitiful expression. Being unable to speak for several days has been torture for him. Such was the human condition. They never knew what to treasure until it was gone.
Had he known that his arrogance would bring about such consequences, he would have never disrespected Lin Jin.
Lin Jin kept quiet.
The Zu family’s second elder came to beg him as well.
Lin Jin continued to ignore him.
Finally, it was when Zu Tianhong and Zu Can started begging him that Lin Jin said, “Third Elder probably can’t speak because he was too agitated. This may, on rare occasions result in the sealing up of the acupoints in his nose and throat. It’s nothing serious. I’ll write you a prescription. You can gather the relevant medicinal ingredients accordingly and after consuming it for a few days, his condition should return to normal.”
The Zu family’s only option now was to believe him.
It didn’t matter if the medicine worked or not. Gaining Lin Jin’s positive approval was of overriding importance.
They weren’t idiots. Back then, Lin Jin didn’t touch Third Elder at all. He only told him that if he didn’t know how to speak, he shouldn’t talk.
Third Elder found himself unable to speak after that.
Hence, it was possible that some hidden magic was used. All in all, the entire Zu family was spooked by this experience. What Lin Jin did was mysterious and left no traces. The family even assumed it might be due to some kind of ‘curse’, but no matter what it was, they came to a consensus.
That was to never offend Lin Jin anymore.
They could only get in Appraiser Lin’s good graces and refrain from provoking him.
After leaving them with a simple prescription, Lin Jin took his leave. The Zu family immediately gathered the medicinal ingredients on the list. After brewing the medicine, Third Elder drank an entire bowl.
To their surprise, this first bowl managed to produce immediate results. Third Elder could vaguely make some noise now.
Looks like after a few more bowls, he would be able to speak normally again.
Third Elder’s family was ecstatic while tears streamed down Third Elder’s face once more. The last time he cried, it was out of fear, frightened by his predicament. Now, these were tears of joy, as if he just escaped with his life.
In the meantime, Lin Jin was heading for Mount Zoroku. Third Elder’s condition was undoubtedly his doing.
His method? The coiled-wire needle of course.
An acupuncture technique that worked mysteriously and was discreet enough to kill, this coiled-wire needle was the strongest offensive skill Lin Jin had in his current arsenal. This strange technique also had a wide range of uses.
Besides killing, it could also seal off acupoints.
Before an average person could realize it, the coiled-wire needle would have already sealed off their acupoints. Lin Jin had used this exact technique to seal off Third Elder’s throat acupoint, rendering him unable to speak.
Lin Jin had undone it earlier but it would take several days for the once sealed off acupoint to recover. The prescription he gave them was just a simple medicine that helped moistened one’s throat so consuming it would do no harm.
What happened at Zu manor wasn’t a huge deal and Lin Jin wasn’t an unforgiving person. Since their apology was sincere, all was well. Of course, he also forgave them out of respect for Zu Can and Zu Tianhong.
At Mount Zoroku.
The fox cubs had improved quite a bit and were now learning some lower-level spells. As for Little Five, Lin Jin was currently teaching her Transfiguration.
The first part of Demonic Transformation provided a relatively detailed explanation of the technique, deeming it a basic skill.
Ancient legends once said plants could turn into fairies while beasts could turn into monsters. Most of them could then take on a human form through transfiguration. With Little Five’s cultivation level reaching Rank 3, she managed to learn Transfiguration quickly. After all, she could already take on a human form during Dream Invasion.
Perhaps in just a few more days, Little Five could transfigure into a human.
Shang’er had completely mastered Object Manipulation by now. She could control more than ten large rocks simultaneously and also using tree leaves as darts. Those leaf darts could reach a distance of a hundred feet and stab at least three inches into rocks.
A more advanced version of Object Manipulation should be available in part two of Demonic Transformation. Lin Jin didn’t have it now but he might soon. He only had to record a few more monsters into the Museum of Deadly Beasts to trigger the second reward, thus getting Demonic Transformation, part two.
Lin Jin began teaching Shang’er some other spells including ‘Dark Wind’.
However, the one who showed the greatest improvement was the great white ape.
As primates were the nearest species to humans, they an edge in terms of intelligence over other creatures. This advantage would be amplified during the process of cultivation.
After several days of training, the great white ape managed to grasp the basics of Transformation. It could even alter its size for a short period of time, shrinking down to the size of a regular monkey.
This was important for its survival.
Lin Jin had made inquiries with the relevant authorities today and found out how the City Lord Manor was still pursuing the great white ape. The Grassy Continent caravan probably hadn’t given up either.
Their search would eventually lead them to Mount Zoroku so precautions had to be taken.
Fortunately, even if Lin Jin wasn’t here during the day, Shang’er could guide the ape through its cultivation. Moreover, the ape had a better starting point than Shang’er and the others. It was already a Rank 3 from the start, so if it could cultivate the first three parts of Beast Energy Formation, it could definitely evolve into Rank 4.
Lin Jin took over the role of teacher and personally taught the great white ape.
The ape bowed respectfully. It had already familiarized itself with human etiquette. Thus, despite its massive size and beastly features, judging by its actions and behavior alone, the ape seemed no different from a human.
Lin Jin’s educational content came from the museum’s detailed explanation of the relevant skill. Like a manual refined by experts, it was much easier to understand and was equivalent to receiving guidance from a renowned mentor. The white ape could learn more this way, and once Lin Jin was done with his lecture, he had the ape perform Transformation. The latter skillfully invoked the spell.
Poof!
There was a burst of white smoke and the great white ape shrunk in size. A breeze took away the demonic aura and the great white ape reappeared as a regular-sized monkey.
“Let’s see how long you can last in this form.” Lin Jin began tapping the tree branch in his hand rhythmically on a nearby tree trunk.
A steady tapping sound resonated. The last time Lin Jin tried this, the great white ape could last seventy-six taps. Now that its cultivation had improved, it should be able to last longer.
However, an eagle’s cry suddenly reverberated across the sky.
Lin Jin’s heart jumped at this. He quickly had Shang’er bring the fox cubs inside the cave to hide. The next instant, two large eagles swooped down from above.
One of them was covered in yellow feathers, engulfed in a raging gust of yellow sand, making it seem much larger. Standing on the back of this yellow eagle was a tall silhouette, easily recognized as a Grassy Continent native.
The other was a normal eagle but with a wingspan of almost twenty meters. It was carrying one of the lieutenants of Maple City’s city guards.
Lin Jin had met him several times before.
These men showed up too suddenly that Lin Jin didn’t have time to hide. Of course, the white ape couldn’t either as it remained under the watchful eyes of the two unexpected guests, as well as their eagles.
Reacting quickly, Lin Jin sprung up to his feet, putting his hands behind his back. He was secretly giving Shang’er signals with hand gestures, indicating her not to let out the fox cubs and herself included.
As for the white ape, it couldn’t move recklessly either now that it was exposed. Fortunately, it was still in its transformed mode. Lin Jin stopped tapping the tree trunk but instead gripped the tree branch and lightly tapped on his robes, continuing the count in silence.
He only hoped that the great white ape could hold out longer. Otherwise, they would definitely be exposed.
And when that happens…
Lin Jin didn’t know what to do either. He was panicking right now.
Of course, it didn’t show on his face.
He took the initiative to approach them, remembering the lieutenant’s name as he went.
“Lieutenant Guo, what are you guys doing out here in the middle of the night?” Lin Jin remained composed. Aside from his nonchalance, he displayed hints of displeasure as well.
As if he was being disturbed in the midst of having a good time.
After a closer look, the lieutenant on the large grey eagle recognized Lin Jin as well.
He jumped down from the eagle’s back and saluted Lin Jin. “It’s you, Appraiser Lin!”
The current Lin Jin was incomparable to the Lin Jin of the past. Just his identity as a Rank 2 beast appraiser was enough to command respect. Moreover, Lin Jin was at the height of his power in the Beast Appraisal Association and he was also on good terms with the City Lord Manor’s Steward Zuo.
Hence, even a city guard lieutenant had to be courteous toward him.
The Grassy Continent native on the yellow eagle leaped down as well.