Melissa Mu watched Evan Lin walk past her, momentarily stunned.
Her expression was complicated. After putting her clothes back on, she quickly followed after him. Beside her, Uncle Victor Li also looked up, opened his eyes, and gazed at Evan Lin's back, letting out a heavy sigh.
He turned his head, glanced at Melissa Mu beside him, and gave a bitter smile. "Miss, that sword is untouchable."
"That’s Grandfather’s favorite sword, and it’s also a blade loaned to our Mu family by a senior of the Southriver Sword Sect to suppress our clan’s fortune. Even if Grandfather were willing to trade this sword for your father’s life, the Southriver Sword Sect would never agree to it."
Uncle Victor Li quietly sized up the young man walking at the front, then leaned in to whisper in Melissa Mu’s ear.
He looked worried and troubled. The Southriver Sword Sect, after all, is a long-established and renowned family.
If Medicine King Valley is the strongest force in Seacrest Prefecture, then over in Jinnan, the Southriver Sword Sect reigns supreme. It’s said that the sect is full of masters.
“So what? When the time comes, I’ll just take him to get the sword. Whether we succeed or not isn’t something I can worry about.” Melissa Mu gritted her teeth. “No matter if Grandfather is willing to use that sword to save my father or not, I have to try!”
“Sigh, I’m just afraid that if Grandfather refuses and we really anger this Lin Jiuxuan, our Mu family will be in big trouble.”
Uncle Victor Li was about to say more, but seeing Melissa Mu’s determined expression, he fell silent.
The two of them followed Evan Lin toward the village.
Because it had just rained, the village ground was muddy and treacherous. Every step left a footprint, some deep, some shallow.
But Uncle Victor Li and Melissa Mu noticed that Evan “Nine Mysteries” Lin, who walked ahead, stepped solidly on the ground with each stride—yet left no trace behind. Wherever he walked, not even a single footprint remained.
This made Uncle Victor Li and Melissa Mu feel an even deeper sense of awe.
Once in the village, Evan Lin stepped into the Old Immortal Sage’s courtyard again. The Sage’s corpse lay sprawled on the ground, looking especially gruesome.
Evan Lin glanced at the Old Immortal Sage’s corpse, pondered for a moment, then took out the Fire Crystal Stone. With a thought, flames erupted from the stone, instantly enveloping the corpse.
The blaze looked incredibly fierce—much hotter than when the Fire Elder used it earlier.
Seeing the flames up close, both Melissa Mu and Uncle Victor Li instinctively stopped in their tracks.
In their eyes, Evan “Nine Mysteries” Lin flicked his fingers, and the flames grew even more intense. Within the fire, the Old Immortal Sage’s corpse quickly shriveled, shrinking into a tiny lump in no time.
"You spent all those years cultivating, and even though your skills were weak, at least you gathered a bit of spiritual qi. Might as well refine you directly."
Evan Lin let out a cold snort and made a grasping motion with his right hand. In the blink of an eye, the flames soared skyward.
Melissa Mu and Uncle Victor Li couldn’t help but take a half-step back.
The next moment, the flames vanished.
The Old Immortal Sage’s corpse, once engulfed in fire, had disappeared. On the ground was a pitch-black pill, faintly exuding a subtle fragrance.
“What is this?” Uncle Victor Li’s face was filled with horror. “Did you just refine a person into a pill?!”
He’d only ever heard of pill refining, but Uncle Victor Li knew well that it was anything but simple.
And yet, the young man before him had just used a single burst of fire to turn a person into a pill!
Such a feat left Uncle Victor Li utterly stunned, unable to believe his eyes.
Evan Lin walked over, picked up the tiny black pill from the ground, glanced at it, and casually tossed it toward Melissa Mu.
Melissa Mu’s face turned pale with fright, but she reflexively caught the pill in her hand.
The moment she realized the pill in her hand had been refined from the Old Immortal Sage, her palm started to tremble uncontrollably.
"Take this pill back and give it to your father. No matter what illness he has, it should keep him out of mortal danger for a while. When I have time to visit you and collect the ancient sword, I’ll cure him completely," Evan Lin said flatly.
“May I ask, Master, what is this pill called?” Uncle Victor Li forced down his worry and leaned in for a closer look.
At first glance, the pill was pitch-black and nauseating, but looking closer, Uncle Victor Li saw that it was covered with fine patterns—almost as if it had a life of its own!
He had clearly just seen the young man use blazing fire to create it!
“A trash pill like this doesn’t deserve a name,” Evan Lin sneered.
The secret art Evan Lin just used condensed what little energy was left in the Old Immortal Sage’s remains into that pill. Honestly, in Evan’s eyes, a pill of this grade was no better than dog crap.
But for ordinary people, it was enough to save a life.
Melissa Mu took a deep breath. Without any doubts, she carefully tucked the pill away, then finally looked up at Evan Lin. Calming her voice, she said, “I am Melissa Mu of the Mu family in Jinnan. If you ever visit Jinnan, just ask for me and anyone will point you the way.”
“Mm.” Evan Lin wasn’t worried that Melissa Mu would run off with the pill.
Evan Lin turned and stepped into the Old Immortal Sage’s house.
The earthen house was simply furnished: a bed, a table, a few chairs, and an altar off to the side.
On the altar was a statue of a woman, her expression cold and eyes icy. Her robes seemed to flutter, as if she could ascend to the heavens at any moment.
Melissa Mu and Uncle Victor Li didn’t dare leave right away. They stood in the courtyard, watching Evan “Nine Mysteries” Lin gaze up at the statue inside. Neither spoke, afraid to disturb his thoughts.
“On Earth, in the endless ages past, did true immortals really exist?”
Evan Lin narrowed his eyes. After a long moment, a chill flashed through them. “In this lifetime, I, Evan 'Nine Mysteries' Lin, have smashed immortal abodes and walked atop ancient burial grounds. Under heaven, all manner of spirits and demons are but foes to be faced.”
“If you really were an immortal, you wouldn’t have died so easily. If we ever meet again, I hope for nothing less than defeat at your hands.”
The statue’s face remained solemn, its eyes cold as ice.
Evan Lin waved his right hand, and a great blaze instantly engulfed the statue.
In the roaring flames, the wooden statue was quickly consumed, crackling and popping in the air.
The flames soared sky-high.