Chapter Thirty-Five: The Six-Character Divine Mantra

Stepping out from the Lin family residence, Qin Feiyang came face to face with Zhao Shuang’er and her grandfather.

“What business do you have with the Lin family?” the head of the Zhao family asked, suspicion flickering in his eyes.

“Does it concern you?” Qin Feiyang cast a fleeting glance at them, then strode toward the outskirts of the town.

“Qin Feiyang, wait!” Zhao Shuang’er called out in haste.

“If you have something to say, say it,” Qin Feiyang replied without turning his head or slowing his pace.

“Is what you said really true? How could it possibly be done in six days?” Zhao Shuang’er pressed.

“Have you ever heard the old saying, ‘Curiosity killed the cat’?” Qin Feiyang looked back at her, then quickly vanished into the distance.

“How mysterious he is,” Zhao Shuang’er muttered, her eyes filled with deep curiosity.

The Zhao family head’s heart gave a jolt at her demeanor. He hurriedly cautioned, “Shuang’er, Qin Feiyang is no ordinary man. Whatever you do, don’t provoke him.”

“Don’t worry, Grandfather. I know what’s proper and what’s not. Come, let’s go home,” Zhao Shuang’er replied with a playful smile, taking his arm as they walked back toward the Zhao residence, chatting and laughing along the way.

Qin Feiyang, however, was silent as he made his way.

For years, he had regarded Lin Yiyi as his closest friend. He had never considered her as a lover. He had assumed she felt the same.

But unexpectedly, Lin Yiyi’s feelings were entirely different.

Love? Romance? These complicated matters were things Qin Feiyang dared not contemplate, nor did he wish to.

His sole desire now was to grow stronger as quickly as possible, return to the imperial capital, and reclaim all that belonged to him.

As for Lin Yiyi’s feelings, he could only offer her a silent apology.

But he would not stand idly by.

Having grown up in the imperial palace, he understood life among royalty all too well. Scheming and intrigue were daily affairs. Even if you did not provoke others, others would not spare you. Life in the royal court was akin to living on the edge of a blade, and one could fall victim to treachery at any moment.

Lin Yiyi was too innocent, too kind; she could never survive in such a ruthless environment.

Most importantly, Lin Yiyi herself had no desire to marry into the royal family.

“Yan Prefecture… Yan City…” Qin Feiyang’s gaze flickered.

The Great Qin Empire governed nine provinces and eighteen prefectures. Yan Prefecture was one of them.

In fact, the eighteen prefectures had once been eighteen great kingdoms. They were unified by the ancestor of the Qin clan and incorporated into the empire, renamed as prefectures, and their kings bestowed the title of Prefectural Lords.

Thus, there were now eighteen great Prefectural Lords, each governing their respective regions.

The town of Iron Bull, where Qin Feiyang currently resided, belonged to Yan Prefecture.

The lord of Yan Prefecture, called Lord Yan, ruled over his people.

Yan City was the capital of Yan Prefecture.

As for the Pill Hall, Martial Hall, and Treasury Pavilion, Qin Feiyang was well acquainted with them. These three major powers spanned every city within the Great Qin Empire and possessed profound foundations.

Yet, they too were controlled by imperial authority.

To put it plainly, the people behind these three powers were actually the emperor of the Great Qin Empire—Qin Feiyang’s father.

In sum, within the lands of the Great Qin Empire, imperial authority was supreme, and all must submit.

Since its founding, none had dared to challenge that power.

The realm belonged to the king; all within its borders were his subjects.

By rights, with such formidable backing, even if Qin Feiyang were banished from the imperial capital, he should not have fallen to his present state.

But it was imperial authority itself that threatened him.

In other words, if he wished to return to the capital and reclaim what was his, he would have to contend with the imperial power.

The road ahead was destined to be arduous, perhaps even fatal.

Thus, for him, matters of the heart were burdensome.

And to return to the capital, Yan City was an unavoidable passage.

The Lin family of Yan City, the royal house of Yan Prefecture—he would have to face them all, sooner or later.

Lost in thought, Qin Feiyang unwittingly arrived before the mountain cave.

Dozens of white wolves lurked nearby, their fangs bared and emerald eyes gleaming in the darkness, making them appear all the more menacing.

He entered the cave.

A young maiden lay quietly on the ground, as if in a deep sleep.

The Wolf King crouched nearby, watching vigilantly.

“Awroo!”

Seeing Qin Feiyang approach, the Wolf King rose and growled softly, its eyes questioning.

“It’s settled,” Qin Feiyang replied with a smile.

“Awroo!” The Wolf King growled again.

After some effort, Qin Feiyang finally deduced what the Wolf King was trying to communicate.

The Wolf King was asking what he planned to do next.

“First, I need to find Elder Yuan. I wonder where he is now. It’s worrying,” Qin Feiyang said, anxiety in his voice.

The Wolf King rushed out of the cave and howled at the night sky.

The wolves lingering nearby scattered in all directions, vanishing into the darkness.

Qin Feiyang followed the Wolf King, asking, “Are you sending them to search for Elder Yuan?”

The Wolf King nodded.

“Thank you!” Qin Feiyang said gratefully.

The Wolf King grinned broadly, as if to say, “No need for such formality between us.”

Qin Feiyang couldn’t help but laugh, fearlessly reaching out to stroke the Wolf King’s head. “Once we find Elder Yuan, I’ll try to obtain a Beast Spirit Pill. Then we can communicate mind-to-mind, no more guessing games.”

The Wolf King’s eyes shone and it nodded eagerly.

“The Beast Spirit Pill is extremely rare. It won’t be found in Iron Bull Town,” said a melodious voice from behind, as sweet as heavenly music.

The Wolf King immediately turned, baring its teeth and showing fierce intent.

Qin Feiyang also turned to see the young maiden had awakened and was stepping out of the cave.

She stood about five foot seven, slender and willowy, her long hair cascading like a waterfall, though somewhat disheveled. Her face and clothes still bore traces of blood, making her features indistinct.

Yet, Qin Feiyang had noticed this maiden both at the Lin family and by the lakeside. In both beauty and bearing, she was no less than Zhao Shuang’er or Lin Yiyi.

But one thing puzzled him greatly.

In his five years at Iron Bull Town, he had never heard that Luo Qianxue had a daughter—she had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

“Are you really Luo Qianxue’s daughter?” Qin Feiyang asked.

“As genuine as can be. I’ve lived in Star Moon City since childhood and only arrived yesterday. It’s natural you wouldn’t know,” she replied calmly.

If the bloodstains were wiped away, it was easy to imagine she was a gentle, well-educated young woman.

“Star Moon City!” Qin Feiyang exclaimed in surprise.

Star Moon City was well-known in Yan Prefecture, second only to Yan City in scale.

Clearly, this young woman’s background was not simple.

“You may leave,” Qin Feiyang stepped aside, drawing the Wolf King back.

“You’re letting me go just like that?” The maiden’s eyes showed surprise. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll betray your hiding place?”

“You can try,” Qin Feiyang replied with a faint smile.

The maiden looked at him deeply. “Do you know who Lin Baili is?”

“Does it matter?” Qin Feiyang countered.

“Of course it matters. He’s the youngest son of the Lin family’s head in Yan City. You broke his arm—your future won’t be easy,” she replied, her tone full of implication.

“Really?” Qin Feiyang frowned.

She nodded.

“Well, that’s unfortunate. Before coming here, I killed him. What should I do? The Lin family in Yan City is so powerful—how will I survive? Perhaps I should go offer an apology?” Qin Feiyang feigned anxiety, though his eyes betrayed contempt.

“Killed him?” The maiden was dumbfounded.

This fellow was audacious beyond measure.

Was this something an apology could resolve?

She was about to speak, but suddenly noticed the scorn in Qin Feiyang’s eyes.

At that moment, she understood.

He hadn’t cared at all—he was merely toying with her.

“How outrageous!” She glared fiercely at Qin Feiyang and strode between him and the Wolf King.

Qin Feiyang laughed. “Miss, don’t be angry. It was only a jest. Would you mind telling me your name?”

“Luo Qingzhu.”

“Qin Feiyang, we’ll meet again,” she answered without looking back, quickly vanishing into the forest.

“Luo Qingzhu? How could she share the same surname as Luo Qianxue?” Qin Feiyang murmured in confusion.

Then he took out the ancient castle from his spatial pouch, his eyes shining.

“White Wolf, I’ll show you a wondrous place. Come inside,” Qin Feiyang beckoned, turning into the cave.

The Wolf King followed, eyeing Qin Feiyang and the castle with suspicion.

“You’ll see soon enough,” Qin Feiyang said mysteriously, biting his finger and letting a drop of blood fall onto the castle.

In an instant, the blood merged with the castle, which radiated streams of black divine light, appearing even more enigmatic.

At that same moment, Qin Feiyang felt a strange sensation—the castle seemed to merge with him, as if it had become a part of his body.

He tentatively willed it.

Whoosh!

The castle transformed into a streak of light and entered his forehead, leaving no trace.

The Wolf King’s pupils contracted, full of astonished doubt.

Qin Feiyang willed it again, and the castle emerged from his forehead, hovering before him.

He touched his brow, eyes gleaming with wonder. His forehead was unscathed; there was no pain when the castle entered.

“Could it really be part of me now?” Qin Feiyang muttered.

Unable to understand, he stopped pondering and stored the castle in his brow once more.

“Relax.” He then crouched, patting the Wolf King’s head and gripping its fur. With a thought, both he and the Wolf King vanished without a trace.

Even the castle disappeared.

In fact, the castle had not vanished; it had transformed into a speck of dust, floating quietly in the void.

Internal space!

As when Qin Feiyang and the Wolf King first entered, they looked around in awe.

“Take your time exploring,” Qin Feiyang smiled, heading straight for the altar, where a metal box rested.

Elder Yuan had told him to examine the metal book inside when he had the chance; it must have held some purpose.

“Oh?” But to his surprise, he found an envelope beside the metal box.

“I don’t recall seeing this last time,” Qin Feiyang mused, but set the envelope aside and reached for the metal box.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not open it.

“That’s right, Elder Yuan said I’d need my blood to unlock it,” he recalled.

He bit his finger again, letting a drop fall onto the box.

Click!

The box sprang open.

The metal-bound book appeared before his eyes.

This time, with no miraculous pills to distract him, he clearly saw four bold characters on its cover.

—The Six-Word Divine Formula!