Chapter 781: Arranged in the Dark

Chapter 781: Arranged in the Dark

Lin Nuo managed to fend off the Sword Saint this time, successfully shaking him off and even threw in a taunt for good measure.

Though he couldn’t match the Sword Saint in power, Lin Nuo had his own way of drawing aggro, making sure the Sword Saint was seething with anger.

Having made a smooth getaway, Ling Meng’s Grass Mud Horse was nowhere to be seen, blown away by the massive shockwave.

“Cough, cough…”

Ling Yuan coughed, the explosion was more than a little rough—suddenly sent flying.

Where in the world was he now?

Ling Yuan felt dazed, completely unaware of his surroundings.

The frontline of the Refining Demon Sect was annihilated, and the Demon Platform was utterly destroyed; the Demon Disciples and the second son of the Chen family were done for, sent off by the Sword Saint to the afterlife.

What a tragic fate for them—may the Buddha escort him to hell.

Now that they had escaped the Sword Saint’s sight, they found themselves on a desolate path surrounded by dense forests where visibility was poor.

“Are you alright?”

Lin Nuo approached Ling Yuan, inquiring.

“I’m fine, nothing serious.”

Ling Yuan rubbed his head and shook it a bit—thankfully, nothing major happened.

“You are Ling Meng’s master, Wu Ying Ge, aren’t you?”

Ling Yuan examined the dark-skinned youth in front of him, a look of confusion on his face.

“That’s right, Dad. That’s him.”

Ling Meng jumped in to answer proudly before Lin Nuo could speak.

“Thank you for saving us.”

Ling Yuan politely bowed, as if thanking a mighty figure.

“Enough with the pleasantries, let’s get settled.”

“Settled? Where do we settle?”

“Just follow me. This is an opportunity for your Ling family to rebuild your power.”

Lin Nuo coldly replied. They needed to find some means of transport, like horses—walking was too tiring.

He began looking for a nearby homestead to steal some horses.

“Dad, it’s like this…”

As they walked, Ling Meng explained the situation about Demon Abyss Valley to Ling Yuan, detailing how they were now in command of a batch of demon beasts and the stranded Demon Disciples as a way to expand their new power.

Ling Yuan was taken aback; this was truly shocking news.

After all, the ferocity of the demon beasts in Demon Abyss Valley was well-known, and hearing that Lin Nuo had managed to bring them out was astonishing.

He never thought the Ling family would get a chance to control those demon beasts—it felt surreal, like a dream.

How to manage those demon beasts was still a mystery in his mind.

No matter what, they now had a direction and could rebuild their forces, which was better than being half-dead.

Lin Nuo quickly found some horses; there were horse hunters in the area, and after stealing a bunch, they made off with the horses.

No disputes there.

The robbers got robbed in the end.

Riding on their newfound horses, Lin Nuo and the others made their escape.

……

Huan Tian City, Liu Family.

Liu Shuqin had returned to the Liu family estate since she passed through Huan Tian City.

Thanks to the efforts of the townspeople, Huan Tian City had been rebuilt, and everyone was gradually returning to their original lives.

News of the Sword Saint wiping out the Refining Demon Sect had spread quickly, with more people becoming aware of the bloodshed and devastation.

To be honest, the Sword Saint had originally been seen as a powerful figure who eradicated villains, but recently there had been drastic changes—he had become reckless, indifferent to the innocent lives he was taking in his quest to eliminate foes.

Now, the Sword Saint had lost his esteemed image in the eyes of the people, and they could scarcely discuss him without fear.

It was a tragic reality; how could a once heroic figure turn his sword against those who revered him?

It was truly disheartening.

Liu Shuqin worried that Lin Nuo might end up like this.

Turning his sword against the people, staining the earth with blood—it felt like a scene straight from a nightmare, full of malevolence.

Unable to bear the thoughts, Liu Shuqin distracted herself from dwelling on such dark images.

“Shuqin, you seem distracted. Is something on your mind?”

Her father noticed Liu Shuqin’s unusual demeanor right away.

“Nothing, Dad. Just a lot happening lately.”

“A lot? You still need to adjust. Sigh, it’s hard to come back to the Liu estate; you should stay a few more days.”

“Sorry, Dad. Everyone is busy, and I can’t afford to idle about. But don’t worry, I’ll manage; it’s fine.”

Liu Shuqin smiled lightly, trying her best to appear cheerful, not wanting to worry her father.

Thinking back, she remembered she had bought the ring on her hand in the alley of Huan Tian City with Lin Nuo; she thought it was pretty and dragged Lin Nuo along to get it.

They even got a pair, like a couple, holding matching tokens and accessories.

Of course, she was the only one who wore it; Lin Nuo never put on any.

But she really hoped Lin Nuo would wear it someday, even imagining them holding hands and stepping into marital bliss together.

Yet, it remained just a hope—optimistically, she thought that day would eventually come.

The street was called Fen Ling Street, a secluded place rarely visited by anyone; shop owners continued selling their wares regardless of foot traffic, as if it were part of their daily routine.

Liu Shuqin found that same store again and approached, greeted by the familiar warm owner.

“Ah, it’s Miss Liu! A privilege, please, have a seat.”

“No need to be polite, boss. Your accessories are quite nice; I’ll look around and if anything catches my eye, I’ll be back.”

Liu Shuqin smiled lightly, shifting her focus to the various accessories, browsing like she was shopping.

“Miss Liu, how about the ring you chose last time?”

“It’s lovely. The ring looks great.”

Liu Shuqin displayed the hand with the ring that indeed matched beautifully with her fair skin.

“Glad to hear that. Miss Liu, this ring is special; not only did you choose it, but it also chose you.”

“What do you mean, boss?”

Liu Shuqin found his words puzzling, sensing an underlying message.

There was something more to it.

“Oh, it’s nothing. There are arrangements in the dark; your choices are all guided by fate, and even accessories have spirits—they’re just waiting for you to notice. Miss Liu, if you’re not in a hurry, please come in; I believe there’s something you might care about.”

The owner smiled, gesturing towards a passage inside the shop, which was obscured by a bead curtain. Now, he parted the curtain, allowing Liu Shuqin to peek inside.

Liu Shuqin hesitated for a moment but remembered that ever since she bought this silver ring, she had continuously dreamed of scenes involving Lin Nuo.

And those visions did not seem like mere dreams; from Lin Nuo’s expression, they felt genuinely real.

“Okay.”

Liu Shuqin nodded and entered.