14: Conspiracy, Family Guard

Holding a First-Order Spiritual Planter badge made of metal, Lin Yongmao returned to Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff.

Actually, this First-Order Spiritual Planter badge didn't have much use; it was merely a proof of identity.

In truth, Lin Yongmao's parents weren't too keen on him returning to Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff.

After all, they had just experienced the Loose Cultivator attack yesterday, and more dangers might be lurking in the shadows.

Lin Yongmao still went resolutely, as this was his foundation.

Upon returning to Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff, the first thing Lin Yongmao did was set up a Formation, ensuring that the coverage of the First-Order Illusion Formation was exactly the same as the First-Order Protection Formation.

From outside the Formation, the spiritual plant fields and stone house that were originally visible through sight were all hidden.

They transformed into a pile of chaotic rocks, completely blending with the original environment.

This was the ability of the Illusion Formation; it could change the form of objects. If a Cultivator wanted to hide the location of an Immortal Cave, they would set up an Illusion Formation within the Immortal Cave's range.

With the First-Order Protection Formation and the First-Order Illusion Formation, coupled with the World Tree's Spatial Barrier attribute, which could completely block Divine Sense detection and various forms of deduction, Cultivators simply couldn't find the exact location.

Of course, if the location was found accurately, the First-Order Protection Formation could also fully withstand attacks from Cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm.

And now, besides Lin Yucheng and Han Yuying, no one else knew this location.

Even if others knew Lin Yongmao was on Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff, they couldn't know the exact location.

After doing all this, Lin Yongmao temporarily had no plans to leave Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff, because it gave him a strong sense of security.

The following days were very peaceful.

Lin Yongmao spent some time in the morning tending to the spiritual plants, and most of his afternoons and evenings were dedicated to Cultivation.

The Azure Wood Art controlled the circulation of the spiritual power within his body, continuously enhancing his Cultivation.

Under the condition of consuming spiritual rice daily, it would take about half a year to Breakthrough from Qi Refinement Stage Five to Qi Refinement Stage Six.

This speed was already very fast!

If he didn't have the high-quality spiritual rice he grew himself, this time would probably be extended by several times.

...

Lin Family.

Inside a secret room.

Lin Yongrong and Lin Yukai sat opposite each other, engaging in another secret plot.

"Third Uncle, have the Loose Cultivators you sent out already failed? Why is there still no news?" Lin Yongrong inquired.

Lin Yukai nodded and said, "I haven't received any news related to them again. I'm afraid they've been destroyed without a trace."

"Is this Lin Yongmao really that formidable, capable of killing even the experts you dispatched?"

Lin Yukai pondered and said, "It shouldn't be Lin Yongmao who killed them. That Lin Yucheng is a Cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refinement Stage. It's likely that when the three of them made their move, Lin Yucheng just happened to be there."

Lin Yongrong let out a sigh of relief and said, "It's a good thing we didn't act rashly."

Lin Yukai said, "I'm afraid they've already grown suspicious. How about we completely stop our efforts!"

Lin Yongrong's eyes were firm, and he said unwillingly, "That won't do! If Lin Yongmao isn't killed, I won't be able to rest or eat in peace!"

For him, the matter of Lin Yongmao was like a thorn in his flesh; if he couldn't pull it out, it would torment him for a lifetime.

"How about we use the Family's power?" Lin Yukai made a few difficult decisions.

Lin Yukai was the captain of the Family's guard team, and his Cultivation had also reached the Great Perfection of the Qi Refinement Stage.

It was just that his Great Perfection of the Qi Refinement Stage Realm was relatively unstable.

Why was it that he, despite being of the same generation as Lin Yucheng and Lin Yuheng, already showed signs of advanced age?

That was because he had taken a Medicinal Pill that stimulated his own potential when he was young, and the damage caused by this Medicinal Pill to his body was almost irreversible.

In other words, he would never be able to Breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage in this lifetime.

Ever since he reached the Realm of Great Perfection of the Qi Refinement Stage, his status within the Family also rose.

Indeed, for the past few years, he had consistently served as the captain of the Lin Family's guard team.

Lin Yongrong's eyes widened, and he said, "Won't this be too risky? Once the matter is exposed, you and I will definitely be implicated."

"Heh heh, over the past few years, I've cultivated a few trusted subordinates in the guard team. As long as Lin Yongmao is dealt with without leaving any traces, it won't arouse anyone's suspicion."

"Then I'll leave it to Third Uncle!"

...

Lin Yongmao's mind was replaying Han Yuying's words.

"To become a Second-Order Spiritual Planter, three strict conditions must be met. A Second-Order Spiritual Planter is for 'Nurturing Spiritual Root'."

"The first condition: thoroughly memorize and master the Medium-Level Spiritual Plant Compendium, which records approximately two thousand types of spiritual plants."

"The second condition: be able to instantly cast Spirit Wood Art, and be able to use Spirit Wood Art to increase the growth rate of spiritual plants by twenty percent."

"The third condition: be able to perceive the emotions of spiritual plants."

These three conditions were progressively more difficult. Given Lin Yongmao's current situation, he could at most achieve the first condition through the Attribute Panel.

However, the information obtained through the Attribute Panel was not something he had skillfully mastered, and he didn't want to take this shortcut. Instead, he planned to study diligently.

Han Yuying was even more proactive than Lin Yongmao; she had already borrowed the Medium-Level Spiritual Plant Compendium for him from the Family's Scripture Pavilion.

Lin Yongmao naturally needed to dedicate a lot of time each day to mastering various spiritual plant information.

As for Spirit Rain Technique and Spiritual Wood Art, he would cast them on the spiritual plants in the spiritual field every day, also achieving proficiency through practice.

...

The Lin Family's guard team was composed entirely of the Lin Family's direct descendants.

Although the guard team was not as good as the Hunting Demon Team, its status was relatively high, and its safety could be greatly guaranteed.

Therefore, many Cultivators with decent Cultivation were unwilling to join the Hunting Demon Team, choosing instead to remain in the guard team.

Lin Li and Lin Qi were responsible for patrolling the Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff area this time.

Generally speaking, the patrol team's task was to investigate whether there were any Yao Beasts harming people nearby.

After all, Cloud Mist Mountain, where the Lin Family was located, was close to the Qingyang Mountain Range, and there were many Yao Beasts in the Qingyang Mountain Range. Some Yao Beasts often ran to the vicinity of Cloud Mist Mountain.

At the same time, they also had to ensure that no hostile Family Cultivators or Loose Cultivators secretly infiltrated the Family's territory.

However, this time, the instructions Lin Li and Lin Qi received were not like this; instead, the captain secretly assigned them a task.

Earlier years, Lin Li and Lin Qi were merely marginal figures within the Family, but they joined the guard team due to Lin Yukai's recommendation and were also given many Cultivation resources.

Therefore, Lin Li and Lin Qi were completely obedient to Lin Yukai.

"Your mission this time is to go to Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff and kill Lin Yongmao without leaving any traces."

Recalling Lin Yukai's ruthless and determined gaze, Lin Li and Lin Qi both broke out in cold sweat.

They also knew this Lin Yongmao; he had just passed the First-Order Spiritual Planter assessment a few days ago. Although Lin Yongmao was not a direct descendant of the Family, he was much stronger than them, and besides, his parents were both formidable figures.

They were very unwilling to be enemies with such a person.