Chapter 7: Interrogation by the Protagonist

Zhao Lingfeng remained perfectly still, keenly aware that the slightest movement would end with his throat being opened.

Their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills, neither willing to back down.

"N-No really… I really came to help, believe me." Zhao Lingfeng said firmly, forcing himself to maintain eye contact with those unsettling eyes. "Not all of us agree with Young Master Guo's... methods."

Lin Tian continued to bore his gaze at him, as if trying to gauge the validity of his claim. "Prove it. If you can't…"

The razor-sharp dagger gleamed.

There was a glint in Zhao Lingfeng's eyes. He had been waiting for those words.

"Fellow daoist, do you not find it odd that I continued to remain here?"

"I do not find anything odd about it. After all, aren't you here to finish what he started? Why else have I felt your stares numerous times. Or judging by your lack of experience and cultivation…"

He paused.

"…you're probably just waiting for an opening to loot the 'dead body', aren't you?"

*Silence*

Yet, contrary to what Lin Tian had expected, there was no flinch of movement from Zhao Lingfeng. This made Lin Tian raise a brow.

Zhao Lingfeng smiled. "The reason why I looked at your numerous times was because of my indecisiveness of whether to help you or not."

"Hahahahaha. What? Did you want to give my body a burial?"

"Yes."

"…"

Lin Tian face was full of questions, and he gave a baffled expression as if he were looking at an idiot. He was sharp enough to tell that it was not a lie.

In fact, this was true. Before he had obtained the System, he was thinking of burying the poor fellow who was 'killed' by his senior brother.

Zhao Lingfeng chuckled, finding the look on the protagonist's face absolutely satisfying. If it weren't for the dagger that continued to press on his neck, he would have burst out laughing.

"My left hand. Open my left hand."

Lin Tian did not say a word, but the caution in his movements were evident. Very carefully, without losing the grip on his dagger, he pried open Zhao Lingfeng's left hand.

The small vial gleamed in Zhao Lingfeng's palm, its contents a swirling mix of crimson and gold that seemed to pulse with its own inner light. Lin Tian's eyes narrowed as he studied it, his grip on the dagger never wavering.

"An elixir?" His voice carried a hint of curiosity beneath the suspicion.

It was not a pill that Lin Tian was most familiar with, but an elixir. These were quite rare.

"A healing elixir," Zhao Lingfeng confirmed. "Though probably not like any you've seen before."

Lin Tian's lips curved into a sardonic smile. "And I'm supposed to believe a mere third level Qi Refining carries such a precious item? One he'd willingly give to someone who just threatened his life?"

"I can drink it first if—"

Before Zhao Lingfeng could finish his offer, Lin Tian had already snatched the vial with his free hand. In one swift motion, he uncorked it with his teeth and downed the contents with elegance, his cold eyes never leaving Zhao Lingfeng's face.

Zhao Lingfeng couldn't help but stare in amazement. Here he was, ready to launch into a made up careful explanation about the elixir's properties, perhaps even demonstrate its safety, and this madman just... drank it. No hesitation, no careful testing, not even a moment's consideration that it might be poison.

Truly this was the boldness of a protagonist.

"You..." Zhao Lingfeng said, watching Lin Tian's grievously wounded body appear to magically recover. "You really just drank an unknown elixir from someone you think might be your enemy?"

Lin Tian's response was cut short as the elixir's effects began to manifest. His eyes widened slightly as healing energy coursed through his body, mending internal injuries and replenishing lost blood. The spiritual energy within the elixir was pure and potent, working with an efficiency that seemed to surprise even him.

"Interesting," Lin Tian murmured, though whether he meant the elixir's effects or Zhao Lingfeng's actions was unclear. "Very interesting. But you still haven't answered my question—why help me?"

The dagger pressed forward again, drawing another drop of blood. "And this time, I suggest you give me the full truth. No one is this charitable without reason."

Zhao Lingfeng's mind raced. The next few words could mean life or death, and not just for him. The quest notifications flashed in his mind. The impending doom of his sect, the ancient evil stirring in the depths of this realm. He needed Lin Tian's trust, needed his strength, but how much should he reveal?

The answer, he realized, might lie in that same inexplicable boldness that had made Lin Tian drink the elixir without hesitation.

Perhaps it was time to be equally bold.

"Because," Zhao Lingfeng said slowly, his eyes meeting Lin Tian's with newfound determination, "I believe you're not a simple cultivator. I may only be a humble cultivator at the third level, but even I was able to discern that the movements you displayed against the Young Master Guo were not something ordinary."

"Hm. So you think I may have some hidden background and want to leverage it for your own survival?" Lin Tian finished coldly, but unlike before the coldness in the words were not as cold.

"Leverage is such a strong word, fellow daoist. It is not wrong that I'd like your help. I may hold you back, and it may be so for the time being but…"

Zhao Lingfeng took a careful breath.

"Would you believe me if I said that I have a feeling that this secret realm is not as simple as what everyone thinks? Something tells me that there is a hidden danger. Dangerous to the point that it may be something that nobody of our level may be capable of handling."

For a moment, Lin Tian did not say anything, but Zhao Lingfeng caught the quick moment where Lin Tian's eyes had reflexively laid rest to the ring on his finger.

Suddenly, Lin Tian lowered the dagger, finally freeing Zhao Lingfeng from his grasp.

"It appears you are not as simple as you appear either."

"Zhao Lingfeng," he introduced himself with a slight bow, rubbing his neck where the dagger had left its mark. "Outer Court disciple of the Liuyun Sect, though I suspect you already knew the sect part."

"Lin Tian of the Azure River Sect." The reply was simple, measured, carrying neither pride nor shame at his sect's name.

Zhao Lingfeng had never heard of the Azure River Sect, but that was hardly surprising. The Western Province was vast, home to countless minor sects that lived in the shadows of giants like the Liuyun Sect. Still, something about the way Lin Tian carried himself spoke of training far beyond what a small sect could provide.

Must be because of that spirit in the ring, Zhao Lingfeng thought.

"Azure River Sect?" Zhao Lingfeng echoed, keeping his tone carefully neutral. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of encountering any of your sect brothers or sisters before."

A fleeting smile crossed Lin Tian's face. "We're a small sect in the outer regions. Barely worth mentioning, really." He tucked the empty vial into his robes, his movements precise and economical. "Now, since you seem so concerned about hidden dangers, perhaps we should explore this realm while there's still daylight?"

Zhao Lingfeng noticed how Lin Tian's eyes constantly scanned their surroundings, taking in every detail of the ancient forest. There was something practiced about those movements, like a warrior who had grown up watching for threats from every shadow.

"Lead the way, Fellow Daoist Lin," Zhao Lingfeng said, deliberately taking half a step back to cede the leadership position. "Your judgment in these matters is surely better than mine."

Lin Tian shot him a look that suggested he wasn't fooled by the humble act, but didn't comment. Instead, he turned his attention to the three paths leading away from this neutral ground. Each disappeared into the mist after about fifty paces, offering no hint of what lay beyond.

The left path sloped gently downward, its dirt-packed trail winding between roots and stones. The right path wound upward, promising higher ground but also greater exposure. The middle path stretched straight ahead, disappearing into what appeared to be a dense grove of spirit trees.

Lin Tian stood motionless, considering each option. Then, without warning, he started walking toward the left path.

The one that led down into the unknown depths of the realm.

Zhao Lingfeng followed Lin Tian down the sloping path, hiding a smile. Of course the protagonist would choose the most ominous route—the one leading deeper into the secret realm's mysteries.

Zhao Lingfeng was confident that this route was the most dangerous route. Not only would there be boundless opportunities present, it would likely lead them eventually to the Ancient Evil Spirit.

***

The worn stones beneath their feet gave way to rougher terrain as they descended. Very soon, luminous fungi dotted the walls, casting everything in a pale blue glow and shadows.

"The spirit energy here..." Lin Tian murmured, more to himself than to Zhao Lingfeng. "It's not natural."

"Oh?" Zhao Lingfeng prompted, genuinely curious. The System hadn't given him any warnings yet, but that was probably because there was no such function, or at least not yet. He hadn't noticed anything different.

"It's too... concentrated. Like someone deliberately gathered it here." Lin Tian's hand rested casually on his sword hilt. "Such density usually indicates—"

A distant screech cut through the air, echoing off the stone walls.

Both cultivators froze.

"Was that..." Zhao Lingfeng started.

"Spirit beasts," Lin Tian confirmed, his voice dropping to a whisper. "And not just one."

They pressed forward more cautiously now, Lin Tian moving with the silent grace of a hunting cat while Zhao Lingfeng did his best to match his companion's stealth. The path continued its downward spiral until it opened into a vast underground chamber.

Zhao Lingfeng's breath caught in his throat. The chamber was enormous, its ceiling lost in darkness above. Ancient stone that resembled pillars, each thick as a house, stretched upward into the gloom. But what truly drew the eye were the spirit herbs growing in scattered patches throughout the chamber, their leaves glowing with inner light.

"Five-Petal Moon Essence," Lin Tian identified one cluster. "And there... Black Leaf Breath. These herbs... they're worth a fortune for cultivators of our level."

But Zhao Lingfeng barely heard him. His attention was fixed on the the massive claw marks on the pillars, each groove deep enough to hide a man's arm.

Another screech split the air, closer this time.

Much closer.

Through the gaps between pillars, shapes moved in the darkness. Multiple sets of eyes reflected the herbs' ghostly light. The sound of claws scraping stone echoed from all directions.

"Fellow Daoist Lin," Zhao Lingfeng said quietly, his hand closing around the Party Formation Token hidden in his sleeve. "I hope you're as good at fighting as you are at surviving death blows."

A pack of Tiger-Eyed Spirit Wolves emerged from the shadows, their bodies rippling with spiritual energy, their fangs gleaming like unsheathed swords. Each beast was the size of a small horse, their fur patterns shifting like living smoke.

Zhao Lingfeng was sweating profusely as he stared at the levels of the six wolves in front of him.

[Tiger-Eyed Spirit Wolf LV10] x 3

[Tiger-Eyed Spirit Wolf LV11] x 2

[BOSS] [Tiger-Eyed Spirit Wolf Leader LV13] x 1

Their first encounter with the secret realm's inhabitants included a [BOSS], and their levels were beyond ours. Worst of all, it is a known fact that magical beasts were often stronger than human cultivators at the same level.

This was not a battle that Zhao Lingfeng was capable of participating. Looking at the orange nameplates and red nameplate of the [BOSS], he couldn't really imagine winning even with a protagonist on his side.

God damn Nightmare Difficulty! Zhao Lingfeng cursed in his mind.

He had yet to even kill one spirit rat and had already encountered a [BOSS] in his first battle.

Lin Tian drew his sword, the plain blade somehow looking more threatening than any spirit weapon. "If you want to run, you can run."

The wolves charged.