Chapter 99
(Unedited)
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"This friend… Are you an acquaintance of this waste?" A tall and burly youth stood in the middle of 5 people with a white and red-colored robe which is the uniform of an Inner Sect disciple.
"Hehe… Since they are acquaintances, why not let them shoulder each other's burden…" one of the people behind the tall and burly man said with a smirk.
However, the burly man which seems to be the leader of this bunch suddenly stopped.
"Mask, robe, cloak… damn this guy is on an errand from the elders…" the burly man thought as he realized something.
"Shut up! This brother, we ask that you forgive our folly and let us not hinder your way…" the tall and burly man said as he turns around and left.
I was a bit stunned at this situation and did not know what just happened. They are clearly trying to bully this guy beside me and then suddenly their leader showed some kind of realization on his expression.
I looked at my robe and realized that this thing seems to hold some meaning in this place.
"Umm… I… I think they are afraid that you would tell on them when you meet the elder that sent you for an errand outside. So… So they back away." The young man beside me said in a low and shy voice.
So that was the reason, I never thought that these clothes mean that. I carefully remove the mask and the cloak from my body.
With my ability in changing my face because of my active skill 'mask', my face now somewhat resembled that of the Inner Sect disciple that I have taken these clothes from.
"I am Wei, I heard those people call you Ho Jiang Lin, that's your name, right?" I asked while extending my hand for a shake.
The young man nodded his head and shakes my hand.
I could see that his face is already showing some bruising and the shaking of his frame means that he has some injury in his body.
"Yes... Thank… thank you…" the young man said while nodding his head.
"You are injured, you need to heal your wounds fast, or else it would cause complications in the future." I kindly reminded the young man.
He did not say anything and just fished out a few medicinal pellets from a small pouch and immediately took it.
Then a strange thing happened. Right in front of my eyes, thick Qi began to surround the body of the young man and his condition suddenly turned better.
"Hmm… That is a good medicinal pellet… But… it would exhaust your Qi quickly by using it. Yet, I'm amazed that you have such a medicine. Did you refine this yourself?" I said feeling a bit astounded.
I know that this type of medicine is good if someone wanted to heal their wound fast. However, this medicine could not be taken by any normal human. Without Qi in their body, their veins and flesh will rot in just a few seconds. Even to those Qi practitioners who are in the 1st level, this medicine is dangerous for them.
However, for those who have enough Qi, this type of medicine is heaven-sent.
There are drawbacks and there are advantages, this is truly a good medicinal pellet.
"This senior… I am but a lowly alchemist. This medicine is not accepted by most of the alchemists, deeming it a dangerous poison… You are the first to say that it is an amazing medicine." Ho Jiang Lin said with a slight smile.
As I look at him, I noticed that he actually looks older than me. He looks like he is in his 20s and wears disheveled black hair. From what I could tell, he is an alchemy enthusiast.
"Anyway, you are good now, right? I have somewhere to go." I said as I turn around and was about to walk away.
Then I noticed that as I walked, Ho Jiang Lin seem to be following me. This made me feel a bit confused and a bit annoyed. I am doing an undercover mission. If this guy discovers my real identity, then it would be troublesome.
"Why are you following me?" I asked with a frown.
Ho Jiang Lin was a bit hesitant but then he smiled sheepishly.
"Umm… It's… It's your token… You… you should put a blood mark on it before returning to the mission elder. That way, it would signify that… that you finished the mission." Ho Jiang Lin said as he showed a hesitant look on his face.
"Plus… plus I think you should not be wearing that robe… It… it is a bit bigger…"
Upon hearing his words, I grew alarmed and suddenly a dagger appears in my hand. Luckily no one is walking near us and my figure flashes in front of him.
"Wait… wait… I mean no harm…" Ho Liang Lin said in a panic as he closed his eyes in fear.
Both of his hands are in the air as if it could stop me from killing him if I really wanted to.
"Speak… what do you want?" I asked in a deep tone.
"I… I can help you disguise yourself better. But… But in return, I want you to… help me. I want to go back outside in the Outer Sect." he said with a hint of fear.
I tried to read the mood and I could tell that this guy is really someone who is easily scared. However, it seems that he has gathered his courage to say this to me. I agree that he has sharp eyes and that he could see through my disguise. I know that my 'mask' ability is already good, the problem is not the face but the underlying things like clothing, movement, and etc.
With the guidance of Ho Jiang Lin, we soon reached an old-looking brick house.
Inside, I could tell that this guy likes his surroundings clean. Then we pass by his small laboratory where he does his research on pills and concoctions. Entering the small room, he fished out a small bottle and took three pills.
"This is one of my secret works. I dare not divulge this to the Inner Sect because I don't want them to take everything I work hard for." He said as he handed me the three pills.
Red, green, and black are the colors of the pills.
"The green pill is for you to change according to the person in your mind. The red would change you back to your original appearance. Meanwhile, the black would mask your Qi level according to your preference. But it would not affect your true level." He explained.
Upon hearing this, I was a bit stunned. Ho Jiang Lin could be considered a genius, right? How come that this guy would be staying in this lowly place and be bullied but not be standing at the top of the alchemist in the Inner Sect?
As if reading my mind, he showed a helpless look on his face.
"I know what you are thinking… But… I have my reasons…" Ho Jiang Lin said with a sad expression.
I did not want to fry more and just nodded my head.
"Thank you for this."
"Wait… You… Since you came from the Outer Sect. Do… Do you perhaps know someone named, Gan Wanxin?"
Upon hearing his question, my brow knitted. I have not been really going out and meeting people when I was in the Outer Sect, but I have not heard such a name before, so I shook my head.
"Oh, I see…"
"Who is she? Your sister? Lover?" I asked.
Upon asking that, the expression of Ho Jiang Lin changes but he did not say anything.
"She is just someone that I know…" he said.
"By the way, why have you entered the Inner Sect?" Ho Jiang Lin suddenly changes the topic.
"Hmm… I wanted to read some books."
My answer seems to make him feel dumbfounded as he showed an awkward expression. But then he recovered quickly and asked.
"Alchemy or martial arts?"
"Both, if possible…"
"I have a lot of advanced books on alchemy in here, you can try to read them first. Tomorrow, we can go to the Inner Sect library…"
I then spent my time reading the alchemy book which Ho Jiang Lin lent me after that, while Ho Jiang Lin, on the other hand, spends his time in his alchemy room.
…
Inner Sect
The next day, two people could be seen walking to the Inner Sect library which is located near the lecture halls and other buildings of the Inner Sect. The area looks like it is inside a huge building with many rooms and halls with many people busily walking to and fro doing their stuff. And this place seems to be in the middle of the living area which separates the male and female disciples.
It's like inside a university campus just without the blue sky and green trees.
The two figures stopped walking when they reached a bend in the corner as they were suddenly surrounded by 8 Inner Sect disciples.
"Why if it isn't Ho Jiang Lin… And it seems that you found a new friend… Hahaha..." one of the young men said while the rest chuckled.
"You owe us something… and it's time to pay." One of them said while a sinister smile appears on his face.
Meanwhile, the rest of the people with him also drew closer.