Chapter 382: The Evil God’s Demon Eye

Chapter 382: The Evil God's Demon Eye

The previously quiet treasure-hunting area grew subtly tense due to Lin Langtian's actions. Ling Qingzhu's serene gaze rested on Lin Langtian, taking in his confident expression, his calm demeanor now brighter and even more self-assured. When he looked at her, his gaze was steady and composed, clearly unmoved by her radiant presence—a stark contrast to how he'd been in the past. And indeed, his recent achievements spoke for themselves.

Defeating Yuan Cang was no small feat, and even Ling Qingzhu had to acknowledge that she couldn't compare. Her lashes flickered slightly, a trace of surprise in her otherwise calm demeanor. She had not expected that the young man from the Great Yan Empire, a place she'd once considered inferior, would grow into someone capable of standing on equal ground with the most talented individuals in the East Xuan Region.

"Long time no see," she murmured, her voice soft yet carrying a trace of emotion, as she extended a slender hand toward him in a gentle handshake.

Their hands met briefly. Her hand was as cool as jade, a sensation that seemed to sink deep into his bones, bringing a brief, fresh chill. Under the high sky and glowing sun, the two of them appeared momentarily encased in a radiant beam of light, the scene dazzling.

Though their handshake was brief, Lin Langtian could feel the piercing stares from around him, as though the crowd's gaze could bore holes into him. Yet he remained calm and unfazed, his composure undisturbed. Even if their connection became known to the Taiqing Palace, he knew he had nothing to fear. As a prominent figure in Yuan Gate, his status provided a natural shield.

"Congratulations," Ling Qingzhu spoke softly, her hand retreating. "It seems that you've indeed fulfilled the promise you once made. I must admit… I underestimated you."

Lin Langtian allowed himself a slight smile, a sense of accomplishment rising within him. It was no small feat to gain recognition from this proud woman—one who was celebrated throughout the realm as a truly exceptional talent.

"I always keep my word," he replied calmly. "There may be barriers between us, but I believe that, in time, those too will fade."

"Perhaps," Ling Qingzhu answered simply, though a flicker of emotion in her clear eyes suggested she was less indifferent than she seemed. To the onlookers, their exchange might have seemed cryptic, but to the two of them, every word was deeply understood.

"Oh, and Frost Crow is also here to participate in the competition," she added lightly, her gaze growing distant. "She would very much like to meet her brother—someone she's never seen. If you have a chance, perhaps you could arrange it."

Not inclined to converse too long in front of so many people, Ling Qingzhu turned to leave after this brief request.

"Frost Crow…" Lin Langtian murmured, a look of realization crossing his face. He called after her, "I'll make sure of it. Until we meet again."

Back when Lin Langtian and Ling Qingzhu parted ways, they had each taken half of a seven-headed Black Golden Crow's beast egg. His half had hatched into his companion, Golden Crow, while her half must have become Frost Crow—making the two creatures like brother and sister.

Ling Qingzhu paused, then, with a slight nod, turned into a streak of light and disappeared. With her departure, the crowd's attention fell squarely back onto Lin Langtian, filled with curiosity and confusion about the exchange they had just witnessed.

It seemed clear to those watching that there was more between Lin Langtian and Ling Qingzhu than met the eye.

"He actually knows Ling Qingzhu…" Dao Sect's Wang Yan murmured in astonishment.

"Yes," Lin Dong replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Years ago, she spent some time in the Great Yan Empire. Both Langtian and I met her then, but it seems there's something… different between them."

While usually slow to understand romantic matters, Lin Dong could not help but notice the subtle tension between Lin Langtian and Ling Qingzhu.

"Ling Qingzhu… in the Great Yan Empire?" Ying Huanhuan echoed in surprise, glancing curiously at Lin Langtian's back. She seemed about to say something when she caught sight of her elder sister, Ying Xiaoxiao, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since Ling Qingzhu's appearance.

"Sister, are you alright?" Ying Huanhuan asked softly, sensing that her sister's unease wasn't ordinary. If Ying Huanhuan had only suspected something between Lin Langtian and her sister before, she was now nearly certain.

A little frown forming, she cast a sidelong glance at Lin Langtian, deep in thought. After all, both Ying Xiaoxiao and Ling Qingzhu were renowned as two of the most admired young women in East Xuan Region, drawing the admiration of countless talented men. And yet, it seemed both of these highly regarded women had some mysterious connection to Lin Langtian.

What could it be about this man?

She wasn't the only one to notice. Lin Dong and Wang Yan also turned to Ying Xiaoxiao, curious about her reaction. In response to their stares, she looked to the spot where Ling Qingzhu had stood, and after a pause, she spoke with a quiet determination.

"I shouldn't keep losing to Ling Qingzhu," she said, her tone calm but firm. "After so many losses… I think it's time to win, at least once."

Lin Dong and Wang Yan nodded in encouragement, assuming Ying Xiaoxiao's resolve stemmed from previous training bouts with Ling Qingzhu and a desire to improve.

"Laughing, you're the head disciple of our Heavenly Hall," Wang Yan reminded her. "Ling Qingzhu is talented, but no one's invincible. You'll get your chance to win."

Ying Xiaoxiao gave a slight nod, though she kept her gaze fixed on the spot where Lin Langtian had been standing moments earlier. Watching her, Ying Huanhuan's suspicions grew. "Winning" here—did her sister mean besting Ling Qingzhu in combat, or… could she mean something else entirely?

Though the thought unsettled her, she swallowed her curiosity. With a gentle smile, she placed a supportive hand on her sister's shoulder. "Don't worry, Sister—I'll be cheering for you all the way."

In the quiet treasure-hunting area, Lin Langtian's recent encounter left a lingering sense of curiosity and complexity. Ling Qingzhu's gaze, as clear and cool as ever, remained fixed on Lin Langtian's face, which bore an air of calm confidence. His eyes, meeting hers directly, held no trace of discomfort or hesitation, revealing his quiet confidence and the strength that now allowed him to view her glow with equanimity.

This quiet yet profound meeting wasn't as intense as Lin Langtian had once imagined it might be. Instead, they met, exchanged a few steady words, and parted just as peacefully.

And perhaps, he thought, that was enough for now. Someday, he knew he would stand before Ling Qingzhu with nothing left between them, and on that day, he wouldn't have to worry about any obstacles.

Turning to leave, Lin Langtian noticed Song Yun and his companions watching him with intrigued expressions. Clearing his throat, he gestured to them. "Come on, let's get back."

Seeing him brush off the encounter so lightly, Song Yun and the others held back their curiosity. A bit awestruck, they respectfully followed him back to Yuan Gate's lodgings. Although they kept silent on the walk, they exchanged a few glances, each marveling at their senior's achievements.

"To think he even won over Ling Qingzhu… truly our formidable Senior Brother!"

Over the next two days, Dark Demon City's crowds continued to swell at an impressive pace, with not only the Eight Great Super Sects arriving in droves but other influential groups and well-known factions quickly following. Dark Demon City became a gathering ground for powerful warriors from across the East Xuan Region, making it chaotic and incredibly lively.

Lin Langtian, however, mostly kept to his room, avoiding the crowds. Using the quiet before the competition, he focused his energy on studying an unusual item—the dull black bead he'd recently bought.

In his silent room, he sat cross-legged on his bed, examining the black bead in his hand. This bead, which he had acquired at a steep price in the treasure-hunting district, now rested in his hand as he scanned it thoroughly.

After about thirty minutes, he sighed, rubbing his eyes. Despite trying every method he knew, he couldn't detect a single unusual property from the bead.

Its material wasn't anything rare, and there was no detectable energy pulse within it. He was now almost certain that this bead was nothing like the powerful artifact he'd hoped it might be.

"But… something doesn't feel right."

Lin Langtian rolled the black bead between his fingers thoughtfully. At first sight, his own Golden Spirit Mirror had given a faint, unusual response to the bead—a sign that something special about it lay hidden.

Frowning, he brought the bead up close, noting faint, barely-visible lines across its surface. Time's erosion had worn the lines down, making it impossible to tell if they held any valuable clues.

"What's this thing even supposed to do? Could it really be nothing more than a worthless relic?"

After a few more futile attempts to reveal the bead's mysteries, he was on the verge of stashing it back in his Qiankun Bag when a sudden black-gold flash burst from the Golden Spirit Mirror, darting directly into the bead.

Buzz…

In an instant, the bead released a pulse of dark energy, shooting threads of black light into the air. Lin Langtian's astonished gaze followed the dancing black lines, which wove themselves together in a strange pattern, filling the space above him.

Lin Langtian blinked in shock. He had tried everything to activate the bead, but it took only a moment for the Golden Spirit Mirror to unlock its secrets. Shaking his head, he thought wryly, "If you could've solved this so easily, why did you let me waste all that time?"

Yet he couldn't deny his growing excitement—the black bead was proving far more valuable than he had initially suspected.

"What… is this?" he murmured.

The black lights seemed to organize themselves into intricate paths, forming a detailed pattern that looked strikingly like a map.

"A map?"

With a flicker of concentration, Lin Langtian channeled his spiritual power to capture every detail of the map-like pattern, storing it carefully in his mind. Just as he finished, the black light began retracting back into the bead. Under his watchful eye, the dark threads wrapped around the bead, which seemed to pulse to life with a strange glow. Even more astonishingly, as it looked back at him, the bead took on an eerie, eye-like appearance.

"The Demon God's Evil Eye?"

As Lin Langtian studied the ominous black bead, the words appeared in his mind, and he repeated them aloud, surprised.

The mysterious bead had clearly concealed a significant secret all along.

"Well, it seems you have a knack for finding things tied to the Extraterritorial Evil Tribe," the familiar voice of Aunt Ling echoed in his mind with a faint chuckle.

Lin Langtian gave a wry smile. Perhaps it was fate. And since the Golden Spirit Mirror had been the one to detect the bead, he wasn't too surprised that it had a connection to the Evil Tribe.

Rolling the bead between his fingers, Lin Langtian fell deep into thought. Though he still had no idea what the Demon God's Evil Eye could do, anything linked to the Evil Tribe was certainly no ordinary item.

It was, without a doubt, worth the cost. The Golden Spirit Mirror had never disappointed him before.

"When we enter the Demon Domain, I'll break away from Yuan Cang's group, and using the map, I'll lead the Fire Division to track down the Demon God's Eye," he murmured, rubbing his chin. "This will also let me avoid unnecessary conflicts between Yuan Gate and the Dao Sect… Let Yuan Cang take care of himself."

Though technically a member of Yuan Gate, Lin Langtian had little interest in the feud with the Dao Sect. If Yuan Cang and his allies met the same fate as they had in the original timeline, with Lin Dong dismantling their plans, he'd be more than happy.

Smiling to himself, Lin Langtian carefully stashed the eye-like bead back into his Qiankun Bag, sensing that its unique properties might come in handy in the future.

This was one find that was sure to be worth every effort to unlock its full potential.

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