“Keep your voice down, don’t let anyone hear,” Fifth Sister glared at him.
She then hooked her arms around his neck, and the two became lost in passionate intimacy.
Lin Yun, observing this through his divine sense, felt utterly exasperated.
But to avoid missing any useful information, he gritted his teeth and continued watching.
He wasn’t interested in their antics; he just wanted intelligence…
“So there are moves and methods like that? I’ve been too sheltered,” Lin Yun muttered, clicking his tongue inwardly, admitting it was an eye-opener.
They sure knew how to have fun!
After about half an hour of probing, Lin Yun’s persistence paid off with a piece of useful information.
“Fifth Sister, this time at Barren Valley, your senior brother is going too. We don’t know when we’ll get to be close again, so you’d better keep me company tonight,” the man said.
…
In their casual conversation, they mentioned Barren Valley.
“Barren Valley,” Lin Yun murmured.
It seemed their destination was Barren Valley.
Lin Yun kept probing until late at night, and it wasn’t until dawn approached that the man reluctantly left Fifth Sister’s room.
At daybreak, Old Black came to Lin Yun’s room.
“Lieutenant Lin Yun, are you going out to explore today? If you don’t like wandering the city, we could head outside,” Old Black said.
“Old Black, I’ll pass. By the way, do you know where Barren Valley is?” Lin Yun asked.
“Barren Valley isn’t too far from here, but it’s in a remote location and covers a large area,” Old Black replied.
Lin Yun nodded and waved his hand to shield the surrounding space.
“Lieutenant Lin Yun, why shield the space? Is there something important?” Old Black asked, puzzled.
“Old Black, I’ve got some news. Barren Valley might soon have a Xuanyuan Fruit ripening,” Lin Yun said seriously.
“What? A Xuanyuan Fruit!” Old Black was shocked by the news.
“Lieutenant Lin Yun, is the information reliable?” Old Black pressed.
He knew full well what a Xuanyuan Fruit meant.
For cultivators like them, yet to reach the Saint Realm, it was a supreme treasure!
Even top-tier forces would deploy their strongest to vie for a Xuanyuan Fruit.
Though it only aided in breaking through to the Saint Realm, top forces could use it to nurture their genius disciples or direct descendants.
“It should be reliable, but I don’t know the exact location. I overheard it through my divine sense from a group at the inn. From their tone, others might also be competing for it, and this group seems to have enlisted a strong helper,” Lin Yun said.
“Barren Valley is vast, and Xuanyuan Trees usually grow in extremely remote spots, making them hard to find. Plus, with others competing, it’ll be tricky for us,” Old Black mused.
After a moment of silence, Old Black looked up. “Lieutenant Lin Yun, we’re only at the Dominion Realm, not yet at the Saint Realm. Competing for a Xuanyuan Fruit gives us little chance. Why not report this to the Heavenly Fire Temple and let their experts handle it?”
“In the Northern Flame Region, our Heavenly Fire Temple is one of the three top forces. If they act, securing the Xuanyuan Fruit is almost guaranteed.”
Lin Yun shook his head. “Old Black, if we report this to the Heavenly Fire Temple, what share would we get?”
“Lieutenant Lin Yun, even if we don’t get the Xuanyuan Fruit, providing the intelligence would earn us a reward,” Old Black said with a smile.
He continued, “If we try to compete, two Dominion Realm cultivators like us have no chance of winning. We might even lose our lives. I’ve told you before, the ancestral land’s long history means it’s full of relics and treasures, but countless immortals have died chasing them.”
Old Black smiled. “If we just report to the Heavenly Fire Temple, we get a reward for the intelligence without any risk. Isn’t that a great deal, Lieutenant Lin Yun?”
Lin Yun shook his head. “Old Black, you make sense, but for me, a cultivator from an outer star realm, if I want to rise and achieve my goals, what choice do I have but to take risks?”
Clearly, their mindsets differed: one sought stability, the other embraced risk and defied the odds.
“Well… Lieutenant Lin Yun, your ambitions and drive are indeed different from mine. I know a Xuanyuan Fruit is beyond my reach, so I don’t want to take such a huge risk. My long survival is tied to my caution,” Old Black sighed.
Lin Yun nodded. “Old Black, I understand your perspective.”
Old Black’s reasoning wasn’t wrong; he assessed the risks.
To him, vying for a Xuanyuan Fruit was extremely dangerous, potentially a near-certain death, so he preferred the risk-free option of reporting to the Heavenly Fire Temple for a reward.
“Lieutenant Lin Yun, what’s your plan?” Old Black asked.
“Old Black, you said the Xuanyuan Fruit is rare and precious, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Since we’ve got this chance, whether I succeed or not, I have to try,” Lin Yun said firmly.
“Since you’re determined, Lieutenant, rest assured, I won’t report this to the Heavenly Fire Temple,” Old Black said.
After all, reporting it would leave Lin Yun with nothing.
Old Black added, “If there’s anything else you need help with, just say so.”
“Old Black, I’ll stay here to keep monitoring the situation. Please pick up my weapon for me later. As for Barren Valley, you don’t need to come. You can return to the Heavenly Fire Temple. Also, help me buy a map of the Northern Flame Region and some information on the Xuanyuan Fruit,” Lin Yun said.
Since Old Black wasn’t willing to take the risk, Lin Yun wouldn’t force him to join.
Lin Yun then handed over the weapon exchange receipt and 2.4 million Haoyue Crystals to Old Black.
After handing over the money, Lin Yun’s Haoyue Crystals dropped to 600,000.
If he hadn’t acquired the Shadowless Jade Pendant for free earlier, he wouldn’t have had enough to pay for the weapon upgrade.
