Chapter 288 – Forcibly Conscripting Laborers

“The Paper Crafting Lineage possesses Substitute Paper Figures, which can transfer injuries—this much I, the prince, am aware of. Using injury transfer for Sha Refinement is also a clever idea. But how many times can his injury transfer be used? Three times, five times, or seven or eight times!”

“I refuse to believe his injury transfer can continue indefinitely.”

The Third Prince of East Sea King was not optimistic about Mu Lin. As soon as he finished speaking, his guardian immediately chimed in, “Your Highness is wise.”

“Moreover, Mu Lin is indeed of humble origins, lacking wisdom and strategy. His Substitute Paper Figures are limited; once used for injury transfer, they cannot block other attacks or harm. Yet the Grave Lord’s Tomb is far from harmless. To pursue a bit of Baleful Qi and exhaust his paper figures in advance is truly sacrificing the greater for the lesser.”

“Just wait—he’ll suffer for it soon enough.”

“In fact, if luck is against him, he might even die inside.”

Not only did the Third Prince of East Sea King, Ji Yu, think this way, but many Clan Elders from aristocratic families or scions of noble houses, with their extensive family knowledge and broad learning, also believed that Mu Lin’s injury transfer could not last forever.

From a rational perspective, this was indeed the case.

But Mu Lin was never ordinary.

…

“Once, twice, thrice… the sixth time, the seventh time. Is he really planning to exhaust his paper figure reserves in one go? Does he have a death wish?”

Due to Mu Lin’s unusual actions, many were watching him. When they saw him expend seven paper figures in rapid succession, their eyes widened in astonishment, and they paid even closer attention to his next moves.

They were eager for a spectacle.

—Not everyone in Ping’an Ancient County was virtuous, nor did everyone wish for the younger generation to thrive.

On the contrary, many, driven by envy and jealousy, harbored twisted desires to see prodigies perish.

Especially since the opening of the Grave Lord’s Tomb had attracted numerous Demonic Cultivators and demonic monsters.

These individuals were particularly eager for prodigies to meet their demise.

Thus, even though the Mystic Treasure illuminating the Grave Lord’s Tomb was precious and consumed a great deal of Mana, making indiscriminate use unwise, a large number of Cultivators still focused intently on Mu Lin’s every move.

Then, they witnessed Mu Lin swiftly release the eighth and ninth paper figures.

They also saw that after recovering from the Clay Sculpture for the ninth time, Mu Lin paused momentarily.

“Is this… exhausting his paper figure reserves?”

“Hahaha, as expected! I knew his paper figures weren’t infinite.”

“It was inevitable. If paper figures were limitless, the Yin Eight Gates wouldn’t be merely a second-rate faction…”

“This is going to be entertaining.”

“What do you think Mu Lin will do next? Will he stop entirely or press forward?”

Mu Lin’s pause sparked widespread discussion and speculation about his next course of action.

Most, however, did not view his actions favorably.

What followed next made many hearts race—a hand emerged from the top of a grave mound, beckoning to Mu Lin from beyond the Yellow Mud Road.

The Grave Lord’s Tomb was far from safe. Beyond the Yellow Mud Road, the rampant resentment of Evil Gods and the all-consuming Grave Soil posed constant threats.

The sight of the numerous grave mounds, large and small, sent shivers down Mu Lin’s spine.

Only upon reaching the Yellow Mud Road did Mu Lin feel a slight sense of relief.

However, through various observation skills, the aristocratic families outside clearly knew that the Yellow Mud Road was not safe either.

The initial stretch of the road was relatively fine, with the path intact and the surrounding grave mounds remaining undisturbed.

But the further one ventured inward, the stronger the power of the Evil God’s resentment became.

Upon reaching the second stage, although the Yellow Mud Road remained intact, some grave mounds had been slightly opened, revealing skulls, eyeballs, or hands protruding from the tombs.

These things harbored malice toward life, seeking to lure people off the Yellow Mud Road.

At that moment, as the hand beckoned, a sensation of the soul being drawn out suddenly manifested within Mu Lin.

Seeing that gesture, many outside guessed what ability this was.

“Soul Summoning… Mu Lin is in trouble.”

“Judging from the previous individuals, resisting Soul Summoning requires Divine Soul strength at the Gang Condensation level or higher, along with refining Gang Qi into the Divine Soul to enhance its quality. Mu Lin is only at the Sha Refinement stage, and his Divine Soul quality hasn’t undergone transformation. It will be difficult for him to withstand this.”

“He brought this upon himself. If he had a Paper Substitute, he could have released it to confuse the enemy while making a quick escape. But he used up all his Paper Substitutes earlier. Who can he blame?”

Unable to withstand it and even harder to escape—this was the judgment many held for Mu Lin. In terms of general reasoning, this assessment was not incorrect.

Unfortunately, Mu Lin could never be judged by common sense.

The hand’s beckoning did indeed stir Mu Lin’s Divine Soul. However, as Mu Lin narrowed his eyes, his Divine Soul stabilized once more.

[Trait: Transcendence]

By elevating his status, he effortlessly stabilized his Divine Soul. This scene surprised many.

But at that moment, they were merely surprised. What followed was truly astonishing.

—Just as others thought Mu Lin had exhausted his paper figures, after pausing for a moment, Mu Lin finally took action.

He casually pulled out a handful of paper figures and flung them into the air.

“Rustle…”

As the paper figures drifted down, Mu Lin took a deep breath and exhaled sharply.

“Hoo…”

As Taiyin Life-Nurturing Qi was expelled by Mu Lin, the fluttering paper figures visibly swelled and expanded at a rapid pace.

Soon, vivid and lifelike replicas of Mu Lin appeared on the Yellow Mud Road. What was astonishing was that there were thirteen of these Mu Lins.

“?!”

“How is this possible!”

“Thirteen, plus the previous nine, that makes twenty-one. He has twenty-one substitutes.”

“This defies all logic!”

Twenty-one substitutes were already shocking enough.

But soon, someone shook their head in disbelief and said, “Not just that. If Mu Lin has any sense left, he would have kept a few paper figures in reserve. His substitutes are definitely not limited to just over twenty—they could be over thirty, or even fifty or sixty…”

Before others could express their amazement, the speaker himself gasped in shock. “Hiss… Thirty to fifty Substitute Paper Figures, thirty to fifty lives. Is this a Mystical Art that can be cultivated at the Sha Refinement stage?”

Summoning thirteen paper figures in one breath, the scene left not only the aristocratic families in awe but even the East Sea King, who instinctively rose to his feet, his gaze toward Mu Lin growing profoundly deep.

After staring at Mu Lin for a long while, he suddenly turned his head and looked at Prince Liang, saying:

“Mu Lin, has he really only been cultivating for five or six months?”

“Hmm, probably, roughly, more or less…”

Prince Liang’s reply was somewhat bewildered, his tone uncertain.

Clearly, even he had not expected Mu Lin to be so remarkably strong.

But soon, something troubling emerged.

After hearing his response, the East Sea King actually brought up the marriage between Ji Lingsha and Mu Lin again.

“Seventh Brother, I see that Mu Lin and Lingsha aren’t getting along well. Their marriage should be called off.”

This made Prince Liang sigh and say:

“Fourth Brother, I’ve told you, I also wish Lingsha could marry your family’s Yu’er. But Lingsha truly likes Mu Lin and insists on marrying no one else. There’s nothing I can do about it.”

Hearing this, the East Sea King’s expression remained unchanged. He calmly replied:

“This has nothing to do with Yu’er marrying Lingsha. What I mean is that the two of them aren’t suited. Even as members of the main family, we cannot forcibly seize a common… husband.”

“A union between two people should be based on mutual consent. Although Lingsha is from the main family and a girl, she cannot keep pestering Mu Lin. It’s inappropriate and would make our main family appear as if we’re bullying others with our influence.”

“???”

The East Sea King’s words left Prince Liang stunned at first. He couldn’t understand why the East Sea King would say such things, especially the phrase “a union between two people should be based on mutual consent,” which left him utterly confused.

“Is the East Sea King giving up, or is he trying to sabotage Lingsha and Mu Lin’s marriage from another angle…”

Prince Liang had always known that the East Sea King coveted his family’s wealth, power, and territory.

Thus, initially, he assumed the East Sea King was scheming to have Ji Yu marry his daughter.

However, he soon realized something was amiss.

‘Wait, just now, the East Sea King was criticizing my Lingsha. If he wanted Lingsha as a daughter-in-law, his tone wouldn’t be so harsh… What he wants is Mu Lin.’

At this thought, Prince Liang’s eyes widened in anger. He said furiously, “You scoundrel… Are you trying to steal my Mu Lin and make him your son-in-law?”

Having his intentions exposed, the East Sea King showed neither anger nor embarrassment. He replied indifferently, “Don’t use the word ‘steal.’ Mu Lin is a free man, not yours. He hasn’t even established a relationship with your Lingsha. It’s your Lingsha who’s actively pursuing Mu Lin.”

“…”

The East Sea King’s words left Prince Liang both furious and unable to refute. Mu Lin and Lingsha… indeed, nothing had been settled between them.

In fact, Mu Lin had been completely unaware of the matter from start to finish.

However, even though neither had agreed to it, Prince Liang had always valued Mu Lin. Now, after witnessing Mu Lin’s extraordinary Substitute Paper Figure, Prince Liang was even more unwilling to let go.

Thus, this time, he did not back down. Instead, he stood his ground and said, “Who says Mu Lin isn’t mine? While mutual affection is important in a union, what matters even more are the parents’ orders and the matchmaker’s words.”

“Mu Lin’s grandfather has already agreed to the marriage between Lingsha and Mu Lin. Their engagement has been Stabilized.”

As he spoke, Prince Liang secretly gestured to Uncle Fu, instructing him to quickly finalize the matter.

And he was confident he could get it done.

He understood Mu Lin’s family background all too well, and he knew that a prince willing to marry his own legitimate daughter to Mu Lin was an offer Mu Lin’s grandfather, who had lived a life of poverty, could never refuse.

…

Prince Liang could not verify the truth of the East Sea King’s words, but as someone preparing to undertake a great endeavor, he cared little for trivial details.

“You’re right—parental consent and matchmaker’s arrangements are indeed important. Unfortunately, my family also has a marriage agreement with Mu Lin.”

“Utter nonsense! You just arrived today and were criticizing Mu Lin earlier. What kind of relationship could you possibly have with him?”

East Sea King: “Don’t say that. It’s precisely because of our close relationship that I criticize Mu Lin—it’s for his own good…”

…

Prince Liang and the East Sea King stood firm, refusing to yield an inch in their dispute over Mu Lin.

Their attitudes left the East Sea King’s third son, Ji Yu, and his guardian in an awkward predicament.

No matter what, they had never expected the situation to take such a turn.

(End of Chapter)