Chapter 401: 101: Jack of all trades
Chapter 401: Chapter 101: Jack of all trades
Afterward, Lin Jing and the man in black had another conversation.
Later, the two separated.
Over the next two days.
Lin Jing was in Bihai City, searching for Lin Jue’s traces while refining the Shadow Escape Flying Boat.
With the introduction of that Jade Slip, Lin Jing had come to understand all the functions of the Shadow Escape Flying Boat.
Like other flying boats, the Shadow Escape Flying Boat also operated on Spirit Stones.
However, once the Shadow Escape Flying Boat was refined, its speed would increase, and it would become even easier to control.
This Shadow Escape Flying Boat, in fact, was much better than the one belonging to Lu Youjiu.
Aside from these features, many formations had been inscribed on the Shadow Escape Flying Boat, making its defenses extremely strong.
And furthermore.
The most important feature, which sets it apart from other flying boats,
was its superb invisibility function.
Once the Shadow Escape Flying Boat entered its flying state and activated the invisibility function, it could evade the probing of most cultivators.
It could even avoid the divine sense investigation of Divinity Transformation Stage cultivators.
……
Although refining the Shadow Escape Flying Boat went very smoothly, the process of searching for Lin Jue, was not.
In the past two days, Lin Jing had visited Lin Jue’s home vicinity twice, yet had not seen Lin Jue.
He had even asked Lin Jue’s former neighbors and the like, none of whom had seen him.
Moreover, over these two days, Lin Jing also made a round of the Fang Market but did not encounter that dark-skinned boy.
Apart from that dark-skinned boy, there were two other people who had also disappeared.
Those were the two cultivators who earlier had falsely accused and bullied Lin Jue.
The simultaneous disappearance of these two people and Lin Jue gave Lin Jing an uneasy premonition.
But Lin Jing had no good solutions.
Soon, the third day had already arrived.
Early in the day, Lin Jing set out.
This time, he didn’t head to the ‘slums’ of Bihai City first, but went to the Fang Market.
The day before, as Lin Jing had passed by a tavern, he had inadvertently heard that near the Fang Market, there was an ‘All-Knowing’ who claimed to be aware of everything happening within Bihai City.
For this reason, Lin Jing had specifically inquired further.
Therefore, early today, Lin Jing came to the vicinity of the Fang Market, intending to meet this ‘All-Knowing’.
Upon reaching the entrance of the Fang Market again, Lin Jing did not enter.
Instead, he bypassed the Fang Market and walked into a small alley next to the market.
After some inquiries, Lin Jing learned that the All-Knowing resided in this alley.
Proceeding inward all the way to the end of the alley, he finally saw a small courtyard with a door that was half-open.
Lin Jing then observed the small courtyard in front of him and muttered to himself:
“The door is half-open, painted red, with no signboard above; it should be this place.”
Next.
Lin Jing approached the courtyard and knocked on the door.
A hoarse, elderly voice soon came from inside:
“Please come in…”
Lin Jing then opened the door and walked in.
The courtyard was not large, containing only a single small house with its door also half-open.
That elderly voice came again from inside the house:
“I am inside, just come in directly…”
Lin Jing frowned slightly and walked in.
The lighting within the house was not good, a bit dim, but it did not affect Lin Jing at all.
Lin Jing then looked around.
The interior of the house was quite simple and plain, with only common household items and nothing superfluous.
Inside the bedroom sat an old man at the Foundation Establishment Stage.
The old man’s bedroom was different from others’.
Inside his bedroom, there was no bed but a shallow pit where the old man sat cross-legged.
That pit was not only occupied by the old man; various snakes, rats, insects, and ants crawled all over the pit and on the man himself.
In this place, what were usually natural enemies like snakes and rats, including various insects, all meekly surrounded the old man.
There was no aggression among them.
It seemed this old man was likely some sort of Beast Taming Master.
Yet, he was different from other Beast Taming Masters.
Because other Beast Taming Masters would command all sorts of powerful Demonic Beasts.
But he commanded creatures like snakes, rats, insects, ants, and small birds, these kinds of small animals and insects.
Seeing Lin Jing arrive, the old man spoke up:
“Forgive me, Senior, I am in the midst of cultivating and cannot offer my respects…”
Lin Jing spoke directly:
“No matter…”
He then continued, “Are you the All-Knowing?”
The old man replied:
“Yes…”
“I do not know, Senior, what would you like to inquire about?”
“As long as it is anything that has happened within Bihai City, feel free to ask, Senior, but please forgive me if it’s about matters outside the city…”
“Also, there is another matter I need to inform Senior of ahead of time…”
Lin Jing looked at the All-Knowing and asked, “What is it?”
The All-Knowing responded:
“That would be that no matter what news Senior wishes to inquire about, the cost is ten Midium Grade Spirit Stones.”
Lin Jing didn’t care about the charge; he directly took out ten Spirit Stones from his Storage Bag, tossed them over, and then spoke:
“What I wish to inquire about are indeed the matters that occurred within Bihai City.”
The All-Knowing took the Spirit Stones and put them away before asking Lin Jing:
“May I know which matter Senior wishes to inquire about?”
Lin Jing said,
“I want to find a young man who lives here, named Lin Jue, who often used to set up a stall in the Fang Market…”
Lin Jing then proceeded to describe Lin Jue’s information.
Upon hearing this, Omniscient pondered for a moment before asking Lin Jing again,
“You’re saying he disappeared, and it has been more than half a month, is that right?”
Lin Jing nodded and replied,
“Judging from the situation at his home, that seems to be the case.”
Omniscient then said,
“Senior, please wait a moment…”
After speaking, Omniscient began to run his cultivation technique, and a distinctive aura emanated from his body.
The snakes, rodents, insects, and so on that had been surrounding him immediately quieted down.
Shortly after, Omniscient uttered some strange syllables, and the snakes, rodents, insects, and the like immediately crowded around him, as if they were listening intently.
It wasn’t until a moment later that the strange syllables from Omniscient’s mouth ceased.
These small animals and insects, whether burrowing into the ground, flying in the air, or crawling, all dispersed in different directions.
Even when passing by Lin Jing, these snakes, rodents, and insects made a point to detour around him.
Only then did Omniscient begin to speak again to Lin Jing,
“Senior, please wait a moment longer, my ‘friends’ are quite well-informed, and I estimate it won’t be long before they bring back some news…”
Lin Jing nodded and then patiently waited there…
After more than an hour had passed, various small animals and insects began to return from the outside and from underground.
These creatures differed from the ones before, as their bodies bore traces of spiritual power to varying degrees.
Clearly, these were the ‘scouts’ that Omniscient had trained…
After their return, each animal and insect approached Omniscient.
Some used physical gestures, while others made noises to convey messages to Omniscient.
Once all the messages had been relayed, Omniscient knitted his brows in thought for a while, then raised his head and said to Lin Jing,
“Senior…”
“I have found out…”
Lin Jing turned his gaze toward Omniscient and asked,
“Where did Lin Jue go?”
Omniscient then spoke,
“I just got news from my friends…”
“The Lin Jue that Senior is asking about was most likely tricked and kidnapped by two men.”
“Of those two men, one was somewhat fat, while the other was very sturdy, and they had distinctive features. One of them…”
“And the other one…”
…
…
As Omniscient described them, Lin Jing’s frown grew tighter because he recognized the description of the two men.
They were the same two men Lin Jing had disciplined before.
But how could they dare to lay hands on Lin Jue, especially since Lin Jing had already tampered with their sea of consciousness. Unless.
The marks left by Lin Jing on their bodies had been erased by someone else…
To erase the methods used by Lin Jing, one would also need cultivation at the Golden Core Stage, just like Lin Jing.
“Could it be that those two men have the backing of a Golden Core Stage cultivator?” Lin Jing’s brow furrowed deeply as he pondered silently.
“However, even if there really is a Golden Core cultivator behind them, Lin Jing is not intimidated.”
A moment later, Lin Jing suddenly asked,
“Do you know where Lin Jue was taken?”
Omniscient nodded and replied,
“Their conversation was accidentally overheard by my ‘friends’…”
“Before they kidnapped Lin Jue, they mentioned a place…”
“Black Xing Island…”
“And this incident happened half a month ago.”
Black Xing Island was known for various human and slave trades, could it be Lin Jue was sold to Black Xing Island by those two men?
If that was the case, it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility…
“It seems I need to take a trip to Black Xing Island and hope everything is still in time.”
Afterwards, Lin Jing bid farewell to Omniscient and left.
Having left Omniscient’s place, Lin Jing decided not to delay any further and proceeded straight to Black Xing Island.
Both men were at the Foundation Establishment Stage, and if they truly intended to sell Lin Jue to Black Xing Island…
Given their speed, half a month would have them just arriving at Black Xing Island.
If he pursued now, he reckoned there should still be time.
Thus.
Lin Jing no longer hesitated and left Bihai City immediately, steering the Shadow Escape Flying Boat towards Black Xing Island.
The Shadow Escape Flying Boat truly was extraordinary.
Lin Jing had yet to fully refine it but was already able to control it to an extent.
Its speed was also extremely fast.
As soon as Lin Jing fed Superior Grade Spirit Stones into the flying boat and activated it, the flying boat had “swooshed” away, speeding into the horizon, disappearing out of sight.
At that moment, Lin Jing was in the cockpit of the flying boat, controlling it as it sped along.
Meanwhile, he extended his Divine Sense, monitoring the situation outside the flying boat.
At this rate, it wouldn’t take a full day for Lin Jing to reach Black Xing Island.
……
After flying non-stop for most of the day, Lin Jing was getting closer and closer to Black Xing Island.
Just before reaching the last distance to Black Xing Island, Lin Jing found a secluded, unpopulated area to land.
With his current low cultivation, driving the flying boat directly into Black Xing Island would be too conspicuous.
Lin Jing didn’t want to draw attention, so he collected the flying boat well ahead of time.
After stowing away the flying boat, Lin Jing continued flying towards Black Xing Island on his sword.