Chapter 249 – Si Ye Envies Her Own Daughter

After informing Mu Lin of the news, this ordinary-looking man prepared to leave. However, halfway through his departure, he suddenly thought of something and turned back to address Mu Lin:

“By the way, there’s one more thing you should know. We aren’t the only ones aware of this information. Others from your Yin Eight Gates faction, the Demonic Sect, and even the Evil God’s followers will also participate in the struggle for the Grave Lord Inheritance. If you plan to go, you’d better be careful… those Divine Servants of the Evil God and the Cultists harbor a deep hatred for you.”

With that, he finally departed, and Mu Lin narrowed his eyes.

“There are dangers… but I still have to go.”

Mu Lin wasn’t particularly concerned about the Grave Lord Inheritance or the cultivation methods and resources within it. His cultivation method had already been elevated, and he currently lacked no resources.

However, while he didn’t need other things, how to gain control over Sky Burial City was something Mu Lin cared about deeply.

That was the Netherworld Hell he had prepared for himself.

Of course, Mu Lin also took note of the warning from the savior organization, and he had a plan to deal with it.

“There’s still a month and a half until the Grave Lord Inheritance opens. If we factor in the Tower of Time, that’s seven and a half months (with a fivefold time flow rate). Besides the acceleration from the Tower of Time, I also have clones, Fixation and Refresh abilities, and plenty of resources…”

“Although my clones aren’t as perceptive as my main body, and I have other cultivation methods and mystical arts to practice in the meantime, nearly seven and a half months is enough for me to raise my cultivation level to Sha Refinement and elevate my foundational cultivation method, the Taiyin Life-Nurturing Scripture, and the mystical art, Substitute Paper Figure, to the Grandmaster level!”

With such strength as his foundation, Mu Lin no longer feared competing for the Grave Lord Inheritance.

At the very least, he was confident that if he elevated Substitute Paper Figure to the Grandmaster level, even if he couldn’t defeat his enemies, he could escape, and they wouldn’t be able to stop him.

…

While Mu Lin was calculating how to improve his own strength, Si Ye, Chu Lingluo’s mother, arrived after being summoned by Yan Yunyu.

This could be considered their “second” meeting, but unlike the first time, there was no longer any haughty condescension in the eyes of this palace-attired young woman—only satisfaction and regret.

What satisfied her was naturally Mu Lin’s extraordinary talent and his affection and support for Chu Lingluo.

After dual cultivation, Chu Lingluo’s strength had skyrocketed, something Mu Lin had sensed, and as her mother, Si Ye had naturally noticed as well.

Such improvement made Si Ye realize that although her daughter’s mind and body were now bound to Mu Lin, she also had the opportunity to become a powerful cultivator.

In this world, strength not only represents power, status, and quality of life but also longevity.

Learning that her favorite daughter could live a long life naturally brought her joy.

As for regret, it stemmed from the fact that her daughter could have had something better.

If, back then, she hadn’t forcefully opposed their relationship but instead acknowledged them and supported Mu Lin…

Now, Chu Lingluo wouldn’t be just one of Mu Lin’s wives or concubines but his sole legal wife.

Her relationship with Mu Lin wouldn’t be so strained either.

—Nowadays, Mu Lin didn’t treat her as a mother-in-law at all, and she couldn’t say anything about it.

This wasn’t just because of the rift between them; it was also because the parents of a concubine aren’t considered in-laws, so Mu Lin didn’t need to show her excessive respect.

They exchanged a glance on equal terms, but before they could speak, Dongfang Ya’s petite figure appeared.

“Looking for me?”

“Indeed, there are two matters where I need your help, teacher.”

Mu Lin was quite respectful toward her.

And Dongfang Ya was rather casual in her attitude toward Mu Lin.

“Go ahead, but let me say first that my abilities are limited, and I may not even have as many resources as your beloved. I might not be able to help with your request.”

These words made Yan Yunyu smile shyly: “Teacher Dongfang, you jest. How could I dare compare myself to you?”

After settling her and setting out some paper tables and chairs, Mu Lin did not immediately state his business. Instead, he glanced at Dongfang Ya, asking if anyone was nearby.

At the same time, following Mu Lin’s will, the Underworld Spider Lily took root and grew around them, using its illusion ability to conceal the area.

This scene made Dongfang Ya raise an eyebrow.

“So cautious?”

As she spoke, she also followed Mu Lin’s intention and cast a detection spell. After confirming no one was around, she nodded to Mu Lin.

“You can speak now.”

“Thank you, teacher.”

With that, the Dharma Image Zhong Kui emerged from within Mu Lin’s body. At the same time, the Crimson Wine Gourd was held in his hand, ready to be opened.

Mu Lin then spoke up:

“Although this Secret Realm assessment was dangerous, I also gained some rewards. However, these rewards come with certain risks, so I would like to ask Teacher Dongfang and you, Madam, to help find a way to unseal them.”

Upon hearing this, both of them turned their gazes toward him, curious about what could make Mu Lin so cautious.

After all, Mu Lin was no longer an ignorant and impoverished commoner.

Having displayed his strength and being eagerly courted by various major powers, he had seen many valuable things. Under such circumstances, if something still made Mu Lin this cautious, the spoils must be extraordinary.

Thinking this, they had mentally prepared themselves. Yet even so, when Mu Lin revealed his gains, both of them widened their eyes in astonishment.

“This is…”

“Eternal, immortal, such an aura… Divinity! You actually obtained Divinity!”

It was no wonder they were shocked. In the Aristocratic Families, Divinity was among the most precious treasures.

After all, eternal and immortal Divinity was the touch of laws, the extension of rules.

Once obtained, it could elevate a person’s essence, something needed by both low-level and high-level Qi Refiners alike.

In fact, high-level Qi Refiners had an even greater need for it.

At that level, cultivation was no longer about simply accumulating Mana or enhancing physical strength but required comprehending the laws of heaven and earth.

Yet laws were difficult to find and even harder to comprehend.

With Divinity, however, a Qi Refiner could essentially skip the steps of sensing and comprehending laws, needing only to fuse with them.

‘For Qi Refiners, fusing with laws is like reaching Rome. Their cultivation is a step-by-step journey toward Rome.’

‘But those who possess Divinity are born in Rome.’

Divinity was that precious, that miraculous, leaving Si Ye and Dongfang Ya entranced for a long while.

It took a full moment before they regained their composure, but their gazes toward the Divinity still held a lingering reluctance.

After fully regaining her senses, Dongfang Ya shook her head with a bitter smile and said, “Mu Lin, you overestimate me. Unsealing divinity and eliminating its hidden dangers—such matters are far beyond the capabilities of a mere lecturer like me.”

Hearing this, Mu Lin felt somewhat disappointed, but he soon replied calmly, “It’s alright. Just having you here is enough.”

With that, he turned his gaze toward Si Ye.

After pondering for a moment, the palace-attired young woman gritted her teeth and said to Mu Lin, “I can retrieve some Three Lights Divine Water from my family to help you unseal the divinity and cleanse its hidden dangers.”

“However, this divinity is highly compatible with Lingluo. I need you to use the divinity to help Lingluo attain enlightenment during dual cultivation.”

Her willingness to offer her family’s precious resources to assist Mu Lin in unsealing the divinity was not solely because the divinity could aid Chu Lingluo in enlightenment. More importantly, Si Ye wanted to mend her relationship with Mu Lin and increase Chu Lingluo’s importance in his heart.

Yet, what happened next left her stunned.

Upon hearing this, Mu Lin shook his head and said, “There’s no need for such trouble. This Withered Divinity was originally prepared for Lingluo.”

“Huh?”

“Huh?!”

Mu Lin’s words left both women speechless, unable to process what they had just heard for quite some time.

A few moments later, Dongfang Ya, who was the first to react, exclaimed in astonishment, “Are you sure you want to give this divinity to Chu Lingluo? Do you know the function and value of divinity?”

Her words instantly made Si Ye’s heart race, and she wanted to immediately stop Dongfang Ya from speaking further.

However, in the end, she dared not say a word.

Divinity was too precious—a resource even she coveted.

With Yan Yunyu and Dongfang Ya present, it was highly unlikely that Mu Lin would be deceived.

If she intervened, the most probable outcome would be losing the resource while further alienating herself and Chu Lingluo from Mu Lin.

Thus, even though her heart ached as if bleeding, she remained silent and maintained a smile.

Just as Si Ye thought her daughter was about to lose this extraordinary opportunity, something even more astonishing happened.

Mu Lin said, “I naturally know the value of divinity. It can turn one into a Divine Being, greatly enhancing both strength and cultivation efficiency.”

Dongfang Ya replied, “The increase in cultivation efficiency is secondary. The most crucial aspect of divinity is that it serves as a key—a ladder that allows you to ascend to higher stages.”

“Mana is easy to cultivate, but advancing in realm is difficult. Beyond Mortal Shedding, what troubles us cultivators is never the accumulation of mana but how to sense and comprehend the Heaven and Earth Laws.”

“This cannot be achieved through mere effort alone; it requires opportunity and insight. Countless people remain stuck at this stage for decades, or even a lifetime, unable to comprehend the Heaven and Earth Laws.”

“But with divinity, you can skip this step entirely!”

Dongfang Ya, who held him in high regard, did her utmost to explain the hardships of cultivation and the preciousness of divinity.

Yet, after learning all this, Mu Lin’s expression remained utterly indifferent.

“So divinity has this function too. Perfect—I won’t have to worry too much about Lingluo’s future advancements.”

“Huh??”

Mu Lin’s response left Dongfang Ya utterly bewildered and unable to comprehend his reasoning.

“Did I not make myself clear enough? This is a treasure that can allow you to comprehend the laws ahead of time, ensuring you face no bottlenecks in your future advancements. Are you really sure you want to give such a precious thing to Chu Lingluo?”

Sensing Dongfang Ya’s concern, Mu Lin smiled, a hint of pride in his expression. “Saving someone from bottlenecks in cultivation—this Divinity is indeed remarkable. But in my cultivation—there are no bottlenecks.”

As he spoke these words, Mu Lin was brimming with confidence.

Of course, in Dongfang Ya’s eyes, this came across as sheer arrogance.

Yet, when she thought of Mu Lin’s heaven-defying comprehension and the numerous Mystical Arts he had elevated to Master Grade, she ultimately found herself unable to accuse him of arrogance.

It was truly possible that he could disregard bottlenecks and advance directly.

Once she accepted this, Dongfang Ya stopped trying to dissuade him. Instead, she sighed and said, “This Divinity is yours. You may distribute it as you wish, as long as you don’t regret it later.”

…

Seeing Mu Lin insist on giving the Divinity to her daughter, Dongfang Ya no longer tried to dissuade him. After a long silence and half a day of anxious waiting, Si Ye couldn’t hold back any longer and stepped forward. “Mu Lin, please rest assured. I will make sure Lingluo serves you well. Moreover, the two of you can engage in dual cultivation, so you can also make use of this Divinity.”

“Also, resources—I will allocate some resources from our family for your use…”

“And maidservants—the Chu Family’s affiliated clans have some beautiful girls. I will have them serve as accompanying maids and marry them over along with Lingluo…”

She was doing her utmost to list the benefits, hoping to compensate Mu Lin.

Even as someone who doted on her daughter immensely, she was willing to actively seek out accompanying maidservants for Mu Lin.

This alone demonstrated the preciousness of Divinity.

However, before she could finish speaking, Mu Lin interrupted her.

“Forget about the resources and maidservants. However, your Aristocratic Families may be large and influential, but they are also rife with unsavory affairs. To avoid any mishaps, I will not hand the Divinity over to you to take back home for unsealing. You must bring the Three Lights Divine Water here and unseal it in front of Lingluo and me.”

“Hmm… Bring more Three Lights Divine Water, preferably three portions.”

Having the Chu Family unseal the Divinity for him was precisely why Mu Lin had called Si Ye over.

To this, Si Ye agreed wholeheartedly.

Although the Three Lights Divine Water was precious, it was still a resource that could be gathered. In contrast, eternal and immortal Divinity was something entirely rare and almost impossible to come by.

“Agreed. I will arrange it immediately, and I will bring extra Three Lights Divine Water.”

And so, the two of them settled the matter.

Once it was confirmed that the Divinity would fall into her daughter’s hands, Si Ye felt a wave of relief. For the first time, she also felt a surge of envy and jealousy toward her own daughter.

She wanted this Divinity too.

She had been stuck at the stage of Sensing the laws for several years, with no idea when she might achieve comprehension.

“If luck is not on my side, Lingluo might even advance before me, her own mother…”

How could she not feel envious at the thought?

Especially when she considered that her daughter, with her naive temperament, had always been someone she needed to worry about.

Yet, in her innocence, Lingluo had done nothing—neither cultivating with all her might like Si Ye had, nor painstakingly gathering resources.

Simply by enjoying a beautiful romance and sharing a night’s rest, she had obtained the key to becoming a high-level Cultivator.

What’s more, Si Ye, who had toiled and worried all this time, might one day need Lingluo’s protection and assistance.

This future, even though Chu Lingluo was her own daughter, still stirred a trace of bitterness in Si Ye’s heart.

“If only I had such luck, to gain a husband like that…”

Thinking of a good husband, she couldn’t help but think of Mu Lin, who was willing to give up his Divinity and possessed extraordinary talent, which made her heart flutter uncontrollably.

Some shy thoughts also emerged in her mind, beyond her control.

However, she quickly shook her head, forcefully banishing those improper thoughts from her mind.

“What am I thinking? Lingluo and Mu Lin are my daughter and son-in-law.”

(End of Chapter)