Lin Xun had gathered from the enemies in the previous battles that the clan who dispatched people to deal with him was the Chi Family, one of the seven high clans in the Forbidden City.
The one in charge of the operation was Chi Cangmei, a descendant of the Chi Clan, and Xu Qianjing, a young tactician master from Qinglu Academy.
Lin Xun didn’t dare to let his guard down since he was facing a tactician master like Xu Qianjing.
He was already worried that Xu Qianjing had learned a lot about his fighting style and strength after the several attacks and operations on him.
The more his enemy knew about him, the more disadvantaged his situation would be.
However, if he could break through to the Earth Dipper Stage, his situation would undoubtedly change again. Xu Qianjing would have to further investigate his strength if he still wanted to deal with him. To do that, the master tactician would have to put in more time to collect intelligence and conduct analysis on him!
That would buy a lot of time and create opportunities for Lin Xun to take advantage of.
However, Lin Xun was unaware that all his analysis was a waste of time because Xu Qianjing had already left under Chi Cangmei’s orders.
Regardless, Lin Xun strongly felt signs that he was about to break through to the next cultivation level. If everything went as planned, he would successfully ascend to the Earth Dipper Stage within the next few days!
As long as a cultivator’s foundation was solid enough, a cultivation breakthrough was insuppressible, natural, and unstoppable like a waterfall.Lin Xun looked forward to the changes in his strength once he set foot into the Earth Dipper Stage.
……
After a few hours of walking, the scenery ahead became more and more bright. He could vaguely see the outline of a city in the distance.
It was Yellow Dragon City, a large and prosperous city in the center of the empire.
According to the route that Lin Xun had planned to take to Forbidden City, Yellow Dragon City was one of the cities that he had to pass through.
He intended to reach Yellow Dragon City before night fell and find a safe place to go into closed-door cultivation to prepare for his breakthrough to the Earth Dipper Stage.
The wilderness was too dangerous. If anything happened during his breakthrough, he could be in life-threatening danger.
As to whether or not he would run into danger when he entered Yellow Dragon City, he wasn’t too worried.
Yellow Dragon City was one of the most prosperous cities in the empire. Even if his enemies were unscrupulous and brazen, they wouldn’t dare to openly target and deal with him.
Huh?
Lin Xun noticed a team of people heading his way from afar.
He narrowed his eyes, analyzing whether they were friends or foes. But he inadvertently noticed three words inscribed on the golden flag hanging on the beast carriage leading the group of people. It said Stone Cauldron Alms!
Why would I run into a Stone Cauldron Alms team here?
As he drew closer to the group of people he noticed a familiar figure—Wang Lin!
Wang Lin was the treasure appraiser of Stone Cauldron Alms in Donglin City and
was also Mu Wansu’s most capable subordinate.
Lin Xun had become acquainted with Wang Lin in Donglin City, but he didn’t expect to run into him in Yellow Dragon City.
“Lin Xun!? Why are you here?”
Almost at the same time, Wang Lin, who was sitting on the beast carriage, noticed Lin Xun and waved enthusiastically.
Immediately, the team of hundreds of people came to a stop.
Smiling, Wang Lin hurried off the carriage and walked over to Lin Xun. “I didn’t expect to see you in this wilderness.”
“I didn’t expect it either.”
“Come with me, Miss Wansu is also here. She will also be very surprised to see you. Hahaha.” As Wang Lin was speaking, he guided Lin Xun to the center of the team.
As Lin Xun followed Wang Lin, he noticed that the Stone Cauldron Alms team was very unique. In addition to dozens of elite and vigilant-looking guards, there were several young spirited youths.
When Lin Xun studied the young people, they also curiously looked at him.
“These are the good seedlings that Miss Wansu selected from the Stone Cauldron Alms in Yellow Dragon City,” explained Wang Lin.
Lin Xun said in puzzlement, “You’re just hiring subordinates, why did you have to travel so far?”
Wang Lin explained in a whisper, “Miss Wansu has just established a foothold in Haze City and only has a few people whom she can trust. She is worried that there are spies planted around her by people with ulterior motives so she traveled to other cities to hire people.”
Understanding dawned on Lin Xun and he couldn’t help but sigh, “If you want to do something well, you must first lay a solid foundation. Loyalty is undoubtedly the most important quality when employing people.”
Wang Lin smiled. “Exactly."
Lin Xun remembered that Mu Wansu wasn’t around when he wanted to say farewell to her in Stone Cauldron Alms in Haze City.
“Wang Lin, why did we stop?”
Before they came to the center of the team, a man in a silver robe came over looking displeased.
This silver-robed man was handsome and well-dressed. A feathered hat crowned his head and a jade belt was strapped around his waist. He wore dragon patterned boots and was fanning a gold-adorned fan. His every movement exuded an arrogant and bossy demeanor.
“We ran into a friend of Miss Wansu on the way so I’m taking him to see Miss Wansu now,” Wang Lin explained as he continued to lead the way for Lin Xun, but his eyes had turned cold and he furrowed his brows in disgust.
The silver-robed youth coldly snorted and blocked their path. “What friend? Why don’t I see him?”
He clearly saw Lin Xun but pretended to not see him, appearing extremely arrogant and rude.
Lin Xun also frowned. He sensed an undisguised hostility from the silver-robed man.
Wang Lin’s face darkened and he drew a deep breath and said, “Young Master Lu, this is Lin Xun, Miss Wansu’s friend.”
Then, he introduced the silver-robed man to Lin Xun. “Lin Xun, this is Lu Shaoyun, Young Master Lu.”
As Lin Xun nodded, Wang Lin whispered in his ear, “This guy’s father is Lu Tianzhao, an elder who works at the Stone Cauldron Alms headquarters in the Forbidden City.
“And this Lu Shaoyun is arrogant, incompetent, and conceited. He messes around and stirs up trouble using his father’s name. He has a very bad reputation. I heard that he has offended the son of an aristocratic family in the Forbidden City because of a woman and his father expelled him from Forbidden City.
“Lu Shaoyun ran into Miss Wansu when she went to Yellow Dragon City for business. At the time, he followed her everywhere and obviously lusted after Miss Wansu’s beauty. But because his father is an elder at the Stone Cauldron Alms headquarters, Miss Wansu had no choice but to give face to his father and let him follow us.”
A flash of realization struck Lin Xun.
As Wang Lin was explaining, Lu Shaoyun was sizing up Lin Xun. He blatantly looked him up and down before sneering, “This little guy is only in his teens and he is dressed in such shabby clothes. How would he be friends with Wansu?”
Anyone who wasn’t deaf could tell that he was blatantly mocking Lin Xun.
Wang Lin’s face darkened. He didn’t expect Lu Shaoyun to be vicious. “Young Master Lu, please respect yourself!”
Lu Shaoyun raised the beautiful fan in his hand and aimed it at Wang Lin’s forehead. “Slave, how dare you talk to me like that!”
PA!
A hand clutched the fan in the air. It was Lin Xun.
He couldn’t stand it anymore. He thought that Rui Qing, whom he met in Qingliu Town, was arrogant but he realized that Rui Qing was nothing compared to Lu Shaoyun.
“You want to die!”
He struggled to free the fan from Lin Xun’s firm grip and could only curse out loud and try to kick Lin Xun.
Crack!
However, Lin Xun attacked before him. He slammed his fist into Lu Shaoyun’s cheek and broke his nose. Lu Shaoyun saw everything spin around him before he was uncontrollably blasted away.
It wasn’t over. Without a word, Lin Xun stormed up to Lu Shaoyun and beat him violently until he curled up on the ground screaming.
Wang Lin stood in stunned silence. Lu Shaoyun might be arrogant, but he merely said some unpleasant things. Lin Xun took action without saying a single word. Comparing the two, Lin Xun seemed much more domineering.
In truth, Wang Lin felt very satisfied to see Lu Shaoyun being beaten to such a state, but when he thought of Lu Shaoyun’s identity, he felt a headache coming on.
The disturbance on their side naturally attracted the attention of many people in the team. But no one stepped forward to stop Lin Xun when they saw Lu Shaoyun being beaten. On the contrary, they all felt as happy as Wang Lin.
Lu Shaoyun had always acted high and mighty and would scold anyone he found displeasing to his eyes along the way. Many people had to suffer silently because Mu Wansu had reminded them to not offend Lu Shaoyun.
How would they not be happy to see the arrogant and bossy young master being taught a lesson?
“This is ridiculous! Do you know who I am?” Lu Shaoyun roared, his face bruised and swollen.
Bang!
Only a kick responded to him.
“You’re dead! You’re dead—!” Lu Shaoyun screamed. He was so furious that his eyes almost popped out.
A handful of soil was stuffed into his mouth and he couldn’t utter the slightest sound. In the end, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he lost consciousness.
Only then did Lin Xun stop. He exhaled a breath of turbid air, feeling invigorating.
He glanced around and said with a smile, “I hope you guys don’t mind. It’s the first time I met someone who was asking for a beating. If I didn’t fulfill his desire for a beating, I would feel very bad.”