Chapter 5: The Changes at the Flowerless Palace (7) (Bonus Update)
==============================
Since Luo Ying was only willing to believe he was an outsider and that the “Male Character” was just the original consciousness in the body, he had no intention of correcting her misconceptions.
After all, holding onto prejudices is a human instinct. Want to change those views? Better be ready to put in ten to a hundred times the effort.
He didn’t need to expend that kind of energy, nor did he have the time to allow himself to do so.
Luo Ying had a misunderstanding, and that’s fine; it didn’t matter as long as the end result suited him.
At this moment, Luo Ying realized that her earlier surprise could potentially lead the outsider’s spirit to use Lin Nan’s body as leverage in negotiations. So, she quickly retracted her emotional outburst, and in a blink, she transformed back into the aloof, untouchable Inner Door Chief of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
In this world, where the weak are devoured by the strong, having any attachments means you have a weakness. Typically, all the high-level experts from the various sects would present themselves as if they were above the mundane world.
She had been careless just a moment ago.
Thus, as she glanced at Lin Nan, a flicker of wariness crept into her gaze. If he dared to threaten her with any unreasonable demands, even if she had to go down with the ship, she wouldn’t let him have his way.
She had her principles.
If the “Male Character” were present, he would surely understand.
Lin Nan originally hadn’t intended to involve Luo Ying. He merely wanted to use his status as an Inner Door Disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect to take a trip to the remains of the Monster King, who had fallen four hundred years ago.
Whether it was true that the Monster King had voluntarily surrendered, as Fu Yetian claimed, or the injuries Shiyuan sustained during his appearance at Floating City, the twelve imprisoned in the Thousand Bird City’s forbidden area were far beyond Lin Nan’s comprehension.
Had it not been for Shiyuan and the Evil Shiyuan teaming up to defeat him, the Cold Moon Witch would have faced that mysterious and incredibly powerful enemy head-on.
None of this was within her control.
Survival isn’t just about a passive approach; it’s about actively seeking out and eliminating potential dangers when you spot them.
Therefore, he thought maybe the remains on Phoenix Mountain would yield some inspiration.
Of course, if the Master Sister could provide some convenience during his exploration, he wouldn’t mind releasing the “Male Character” early to ease her wariness and suspicion.
He wanted to chat with Luo Ying, but just then, a flurry of private message alerts buzzed in his ear.
He quickly glanced over, only to find they were from Fatty.
As a player, he could not reveal anything related to the system in front of NPCs.
With so many messages, he had to take some time to read through them.
Since Luo Ying had already misunderstood, he might as well switch up his original attitude.
“Please allow me a moment,” he said politely. “If the Master Sister isn’t busy, could you wait for my return? I need to discuss something with you.”
Luo Ying nodded.
At this point, they were practically strangers.
Yet because of the “Male Character,” she felt compelled to show respect and awe towards the consciousness that had taken over Lin Nan’s body.
Anyway, since Lin Nan was already a disciple of Falling Sunset Peak, as its leader, she naturally felt obligated to ensure his safety.
She was even prepared that if the consciousness could leave Lin Nan completely, she could tolerate losing some of her cultivation as a price.
Once outside the training hall, Lin Nan found a secluded corner to open the private messaging window.
To his dismay, after reading a few lines, he was so furious that he felt smoke coming out of his nostrils, itching to storm over to Fatty and wrench his ears.
“Bro, are you there? I’ve got something to tell you!”
“I’m safe now, no need to worry.”
“But the other day, I almost bit the dust during an enemy interrogation. The Heavenly Sword Sect’s name didn’t help at all. Luckily, I had a brainwave, telling them I was from Extermination of Immortals and tight with the Cold Moon Witch, who they thought was a gal.”
“Ha! That brilliant improvisation left them speechless for ages, just enough to save my skin!”
“But lately, the Flowerless Palace has been getting stranger by the minute. If this keeps up, we might be in for some serious trouble. Can you suggest to the Master Sister to bring some backup over here?”
“White Peach might be the nominal leader, but her team’s strengths don’t add up. I suspect the Great Palace Master is being controlled by the Ji Shen organization. Otherwise, why would they let Ji Shen capture Nightmare Beasts in the East Sea?”
Fatty also sent over their plan for a nighttime expedition to the Underground Palace tomorrow.
Lin Nan fought down his anger and read it carefully.
Holy heck, this is ridiculously unreliable! White Peach trusts you so much!
Though Fatty meant well, he was just a player, not a forensic expert.
What if the Great Palace Master died from internal injuries or poisoning? What could an outsider like him possibly detect—what secrets could he possibly uncover?
Moreover, this operation was highly risky; if they got caught by the enemy, it would backfire on them.
He immediately replied to Fatty, urging him to proceed with caution and avoid doing anything reckless.
To his surprise, Fatty replied that this was their only chance. Once the Great Palace Master was buried, they’d never get to the bottom of the truth. Better to gamble now than undergo a slow d*ath—there might be a chance for a turnaround.
Seeing Fatty so resolute, Lin Nan could only sigh.
This sudden situation had disrupted his original plans.
Regardless, Fatty had shared hardship with him before—
Their bond was like the friendship forged in the Eight Immortals’ restaurant kitchen while chopping radishes. Plus, Fatty had trusted him unconditionally during the Heavenly Sword Sect’s entrance test, willingly playing the role of a meat shield.
This alone made it impossible for him to stand by and do nothing.
Even though Fatty could respawn after being killed, the guilt in his heart would never be replaced.
With his current abilities, going to save Fatty alone was not an issue. But since it involved the Flowerless Palace and Ji Shen, he had to be cautious.
After all, the battle in Thousand Bird City had just concluded, and Ji Shen had completely vanished along with its forbidden area.
And Extermination of Immortals hadn’t received any useful intel from Ru Yu. Fu Yetian would never reveal his plans to a mere tool.
What truly made Fu Yetian frightening was not his strength but his mind.
If he had left behind any trump cards in the Flowerless Palace, perhaps investigating could yield even a fraction of the truth—it would be a breakthrough.
Luo Ying, as White Peach’s friend, could not be left out.
Moreover, with her skills, she would be quite the asset.
His true form, the Cold Moon Witch, could not make a public appearance easily. Doing so would provoke Ji Shen, who might act out of desperation, leading to unpredictable consequences. By then, it might be too late for regrets.
Lin Nan promptly returned to the training hall and said to Luo Ying, who was sipping delicately,
“We’re leaving now, straight to the Flowerless Palace.”
Luo Ying didn’t agree right away. She lifted her chin to look at Lin Nan, a blush creeping across her cheeks.
“Can I interpret this as your request to me?”
Lin Nan responded, “You can choose not to go. If White Peach dies, and you don’t feel the slightest bit guilty…”
“No, I’d definitely feel guilty. Including Fatty, I want them all safe and sound, no mishaps. But I’d like to have a timeline for when you’ll leave Lin Nan’s body. In exchange, I can help you with three things.”
Lin Nan stared at her thoughtfully.
It seemed Luo Ying had been contemplating how to break the deadlock during his absence.
She wanted his affirmation rather than an endless torturous wait.
His heart softened, and he nodded. “It won’t be long. Besides, most of the time, he’ll still be in control of the body.”
Luo Ying took a sip of her drink. “Three years?”
“Alright, three years it is.”
……
P.S.: Bloodbath four updates! Please vote!
