Chapter 114: The Chaotic Heaven Furnace of the Divine Path Sect

"If that’s truly the case, then all the better. Still, Ah Xiong, I believe it would be wise for you all to keep a close eye on the movements of the Red Blossom Society these days," Lin Le said, his tone carrying an undercurrent of concern. He had a hunch that Miao Shouren was not someone who would so easily relinquish control of the entire Haidong region.

As for the Red Blossom Society’s apparent retreat, it might simply be a façade.

"Why, Mr. Lin, do you sense something amiss?" Guan Tianxiong picked up on the subtle clues in Lin Le’s voice.

"Nothing concrete for now. It never hurts to be cautious," Lin Le advised.

"Understood. I’ll have my men keep a close watch on the Red Blossom Society. If anything seems off, I’ll report to you immediately."

After hanging up, Lin Le’s worries lingered. If the Red Blossom Society’s current withdrawal was merely a ploy to buy time, then their eventual counterattack would only be fiercer.

But Lin Le did not dwell on it. No matter how many tricks the Red Blossom Society had up their sleeve, he had his own iron fists to counter them.

The day passed swiftly. When Lin Le drove back to the villa on Dragon’s Breath Mountain, he saw from a distance that someone was already waiting at the entrance.

It was none other than Liang Qiuyang.

"Master Liang, I didn’t expect you to come by. I just got out of school. Sorry to have kept you waiting," Lin Le greeted him, a little surprised at this visit. After all, Liang Qiuyang had already come by the day before when Lin Le emerged from his seclusion. Why had he come again today?

"Mr. Lin, you’re too polite. The fault is mine for turning up unannounced," Liang Qiuyang replied with courtesy.

Liang Qiuyang had been waiting for quite some time. He had come with a request.

Lin Le quickly invited him inside and served him tea.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of Master Liang’s visit today?" Lin Le asked.

"It’s like this: You emerged from seclusion yesterday with your cultivation greatly improved. I should have brought you a gift, but my visit was too rushed. I’ve come today to make up for it," Liang Qiuyang said, placing a gift box on the tea table before Lin Le.

"Master Liang, you’re far too kind," Lin Le said, somewhat overwhelmed by the gesture. He hadn’t expected such thoughtfulness from Liang Qiuyang.

"I know that as a cultivator of your caliber, you don’t care much for material wealth. So, I’ve prepared something related to cultivation—a modest token of respect. I hope you’ll like it."

"Oh? Something related to cultivation?" Lin Le was taken aback.

Liang Qiuyang was right. These days, Lin Le had little interest in material possessions. Even if someone gifted him gold or silver, it was nothing more than a fleeting change in his bank balance—hardly worth a second thought.

Clearly, Liang Qiuyang was a discerning man, deliberately avoiding such clichés.

Now, Lin Le’s curiosity about the gift was piqued.

"May I take a look now?" Normally, unwrapping a gift in front of the giver was considered impolite, but Lin Le was eager to see what it was. Moreover, since it was related to cultivation, he expected Liang Qiuyang would have something further to say about it.

"Of course. Since the gift is now yours, you may open it whenever you wish," Liang Qiuyang said, pleased to see Lin Le’s interest.

Lin Le opened the box. Nestled inside was a bronze censer, just the size of his palm.

The censer looked ancient, clearly bearing the marks of age. Despite its small size, it was exquisitely crafted, with meticulous workmanship down to the finest detail.

At the sight of the little bronze censer, Lin Le’s eyes lit up.

The moment he opened the ornate box, he sensed a surge of magical energy emanating from the censer.

Evidently, this was no ordinary artifact, but a genuine magical tool.

In today’s world, with spiritual energy depleted and Daoist arts in decline, it was nearly impossible for an ordinary person to come into possession of a true magical tool. Only the inner disciples of authentic Daoist sects might still have such treasures.

Even the Wudao Sword Lin Le had acquired atop Dragon’s Breath Mountain was an exception—most likely abandoned years ago by someone else, and in a damaged state at that.

But this bronze censer was, by any measure, a flawless magical artifact.

Not only that, when Lin Le sent his spiritual sense into the censer, he could feel the dense magical energy within. This was no ordinary tool.

By his judgment, the artifact’s grade was at least on par with the Wudao Sword—no less than a fifth-grade magical tool.

However, the censer contained no trace of offensive energy; it was not designed as a weapon, but for another purpose.

"This is a true magical artifact!" Lin Le exclaimed.

A look of satisfaction crossed Liang Qiuyang’s face. Clearly, Lin Le had not disappointed him—he had recognized the gift’s rarity at a glance.

"You’re absolutely right, Mr. Lin. This ‘Heaven-Melding Censer’ is indeed a magical artifact—a high-grade one, at that, ranked as a sixth-grade tool," Liang Qiuyang said with pride.

"Sixth-grade?!" Lin Le knew full well what that meant. Even in the cultivation world, among the inner circles of Daoist sects, such treasures were rare.

"Master Liang, may I ask how you came by an artifact of such quality?" Lin Le was deeply curious.

"It was passed down to me by my master," Liang Qiuyang explained.

"Your master?" Lin Le was startled. "Then, this censer is from the Divine Dao Sect?!"

Liang Qiuyang had previously mentioned that his master was an inner disciple of the Divine Dao Sect. The censer was, naturally, a relic of that sect.

The Divine Dao Sect was one of the Four Great Daoist Sects, a cornerstone of cultivation circles even on Earth.

Lin Le had heard of the sect during his time at the Kyushu Bureau, but had never witnessed its true power. Now, from this Heaven-Melding Censer, he caught a glimpse of its strength.

Such a fine magical artifact could not be crafted by an ordinary cultivator.

"You are correct, Mr. Lin. My master brought the censer with him when he left the Divine Dao Sect. After he passed away, he left it to me," Liang Qiuyang said with a sigh.

"If this was your master’s legacy, how could I take it from you?" Lin Le was fond of the censer, but felt it would be improper to accept.

"You are too courteous, Mr. Lin. My master did impart to me some elementary cultivation methods, but my talent was lacking, and our time together was short. I only learned the basics of the Five Elements feng shui, and nothing of the true inner Daoist arts. My cultivation has made no progress at all," Liang Qiuyang replied, looking helpless.

In truth, his master had only shown him the path, but passed away before he could guide him any further.

"As for the Heaven-Melding Censer, to be honest, my cultivation is so shallow that since inheriting it, it’s been nothing more than a decorative piece to me. I don’t even know how to use it. Keeping it is simply a waste," Liang Qiuyang lamented.

"Rather than let it languish, I’d rather entrust it to you, Mr. Lin, so that its power might be fully realized," Liang Qiuyang said sincerely.

"I see... In that case, I will gladly accept!" To receive a true magical artifact, and one from the Divine Dao Sect no less, was an unexpected joy for Lin Le.