Chapter 59: The Wang Clan’s Remnant
“Brother Lin, I’ve embarrassed myself in front of you.”
On the way back, Lu Qingqing brushed aside the blue strands beside her ear, trying to hide the embarrassment in her heart.
However, Lin Chang'an gently shook his head.
“Not at all. Brother Shen’s decision wasn’t wrong, and neither was yours, Junior Sister.”
Shen Lie, at his current age, and having used the Barrier-Breaking Pill to break through, had long since stopped dreaming about Foundation Establishment.
Though he appeared to be a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, he had no craft, nor did he venture outside for adventure. If he wished to live a stable life through business, he needed to make other sacrifices.
“Let’s hope this child doesn’t disappoint his father.”
Looking at the child in her arms, Lu Qingqing revealed a sincere smile on her face.
In the world of cultivation, the unfulfilled regrets of parents were always hoped to be realized by the next generation, to complete the dream of Foundation Establishment they had once pursued in youth.
Under the setting sun, they headed home. When they passed the foothill behind the marketplace, Lin Chang'an suddenly became alert, subtly sweeping a glance behind with the corner of his eye.
“Junior Sister, take this talisman. Just run straight back in a moment.”
In a secret voice transmission, Lu Qingqing's pupils contracted, yet her facial expression remained unchanged.
“Brother Lin, I have talismans for protection. You must be careful.”
The two continued communicating via voice transmission. As they passed a corner, in the distance, a figure with a face full of burn scars hid among the trees, staring at the two figures afar with a fierce and vicious gleam in his eyes.
“Two rogue cultivators, and a child. Their cultivation can’t be that high. Moreover, that male cultivator has a build similar to mine. I’ve waited so long to find this substitute. I still need to escape from here—and the Wang Clan!”
When he thought of the Wang Clan, a poisonous hatred involuntarily surged in his dark eyes.
His name was Wang Lin, the legitimate eldest son of the Wang Clan patriarch. With a top-grade spiritual root and cultivation at the ninth level of Qi Refinement, he should have had a bright future—but all was ruined because of the secret realm.
“Father, you never expected this, did you? I’m still alive!”
He had been cast aside as a sacrificial pawn so that more members of the clan could escape.
“The clan’s kindness, I’ve repaid. After I escape, from now on, Wang Lin will live only for himself!”
Carrying a treasured artifact from the secret realm, Wang Lin revealed an unprecedented ambition. He wanted to become a legendary cultivator in Yue Country and would personally establish his own Wang Clan.
Just as Wang Lin’s expression turned cold and he prepared to follow, a sudden cold gleam shot from behind, startling him immensely.
“Not good!”
Clang—an audible chime rang out as a golden glow enveloped Wang Lin’s body.
“A premium-grade First-rank Talisman!”
Seeing the golden light, Lin Chang'an’s expression changed. His full-powered strike, the Wood Spirit Thorn, had failed.
This was the first time his sneak attack had failed.
But at this moment, Wang Lin’s face turned deathly pale with terror.
“How is this possible!”
His premium-grade First-rank Talisman was comparable to a Foundation Establishment-level mana shield, yet one strike had caused a fine crack to appear.
He had nearly died!
“Courting death!”
All of this happened in a flash. Seeing his sneak attack had failed, Lin Chang'an did not hesitate and directly threw out three Fireball Talismans.
In an instant, they turned into three blazing fireballs with terrifying auras, launching at Wang Lin. This scene made him cry out urgently:
“Fellow Daoist, it’s a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!”
He had originally intended to find an ordinary rogue cultivator as a stand-in. He hadn’t expected this person to possess not only deep cultivation but also powerful magical tools and techniques, along with such vigilance.
By the time he realized the opponent was troublesome, it was already too late for regret.
“Flaming Sun Sword!”
However, upon seeing the fire-attribute magical tool used by the sneak attacker, Lin Chang'an’s expression changed instantly.
Though the attacker was masked and unrecognizable, that sword was too familiar. The marketplace still bore the wanted posters issued by the two major sects.
The Wang Clan’s Remnant!
Yet Lin Chang'an’s shifting expression was also caught by the other side. Wang Lin’s heart sank fiercely. Whether or not this person had recognized anything, he had to kill him now—otherwise, everything would be lost.
“Go to hell!”
Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Chang'an threw out several Fireball Talismans and immediately turned around to flee.
Wang Lin—this person was the most highly wanted figure among the younger generation of the Wang Clan.
“Stop right there!”
Seeing Lin Chang'an trying to escape, Wang Lin's expression drastically changed. In this moment, he could no longer afford to stay cautious as he had been all this time. His eyes red with rage, he chased straight after him.
Boom boom boom!
Explosions from Fireball Talismans echoed through the forest behind the mountain. In the distance, Lu Qingqing hurriedly ran toward home.
“Brother Lin is naturally cautious. If he dared to draw the enemy away, he must have sensed the enemy's aura was weaker than his own. He’ll definitely be fine.”
Just as Lu Qingqing had thought, from the moment Lin Chang'an sensed someone was watching them, he had already noticed the weak presence. Judging that the opponent’s cultivation must be inferior, he had thus acted with confidence.
Who could have expected it to be the Wang Clan’s remnant? Wang Lin had been hiding in the cemetery behind the mountain for several months. Even though he had taken Fasting Elixirs, his aura remained extremely weak.
In truth, Wang Lin’s cultivation was not any weaker than his.
Thus, this misunderstanding occurred.
……
“Moo!”
During the pursuit, a Green-Horned Ox suddenly appeared ahead, charging directly at Wang Lin, who gritted his teeth and cursed:
“Damn beast, get out of my way!”
In his desperation, Wang Lin neither dodged nor avoided. He directly thrust out with the Flaming Sun Sword. The Premium-grade First-rank Golden Light Talisman on the Green-Horned Ox flickered with golden brilliance.
Upon impact, the golden light shattered. At the same time, the brute force of the Green-Horned Ox surged forward, slamming into Wang Lin and causing his qi and blood to churn. Even the golden defensive shield around him dimmed considerably.
Moo!
The Green-Horned Ox let out a pained cry. Though it had thick skin and tough flesh, it couldn’t withstand a blow from a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator wielding a magical tool. The sword pierced straight into its resilient body.
However, in that instant, a figure emerged from beneath the ox’s belly. At such close range, four streaks of green light burst forth.
【Wood Thorn】
“Not good!”
Wang Lin’s pupils contracted. Just before falling into darkness, the final image in his mind was of those four green streaks.
In Lin Chang'an’s field of vision, the four Wood Thorns shattered the already-dim golden glow of the talisman. The remaining three green streaks struck—two into the eye sockets, one into the throat.
In an instant, Wang Lin’s corpse fell straight down with a thud.
All of this occurred in a flash.
“Damn it, how could I run into a remnant of the Wang Clan just by stepping outside.”
Looking at the corpse on the ground, Lin Chang'an's expression remained tense. Others might require opportunities, but he himself possessed an extraordinary one—there was no need to take risks.
Despite what the wanted posters from the two major sects claimed, the Wang Clan’s remnant was related to the treasure from the secret realm. He didn’t believe a word from those great sects.
“And the Green-Horned Ox!”
At this moment, the Green-Horned Ox was seriously injured, lying on the ground panting white mist.
Lin Chang'an didn’t hesitate. After feeding it a few healing pills, he directly stored it into his Spirit Beast Pouch.
At the same time, he dealt with the corpse of this Wang Clan remnant, awarding it with a Fireball Spell, and conveniently took the storage pouch and magical tool.
With one Fireball Spell after another, he erased all traces of battle, including the bloodstains left by both sides.
Even the Green-Horned Ox’s blood was burned clean by the Fireball Spell, leaving not the slightest trace of aura behind.