Chapter 56: Assassination
"Dear Taoist friend, please stay."
On that day, as Lin Jiang walked out, he heard a sentence from behind that scared him. Instead of stopping, he quickened his pace.
Dear Taoist friend, please stay. That sentence was so freaking scary.
"taoist friend，taoist friend"
The person behind called a few more times and hurriedly caught up, stopping Lin Jiang.
"Dear Taoist friend, may I ask what's the matter?"
"Dear Taoist friend, hello, I am Jiang Jingzhong, the landlord of this No. 18 courtyard. I wonder if you have met any of the residents in No. 18?"
"I come and go early, rarely see them. Did Taoist Friend look for them for something?"
Lin Jiang looked at the person in front of him, who seemed to be in his thirties or forties, and was a rare overweight person in the cultivation world. He had a simple and honest appearance, no, he seemed to have money.
"I am their landlord. They were supposed to pay the rent two days ago. They didn't show up when I came yesterday, and they didn't show up today either. I'm worried."
"Did you knock on the door?"
"I almost knocked the door down, but no one responded. I don't know if they ran away. Oh, there are rules in the city. Even if the rent is overdue for half a month, you can't break into the house. Maybe they will have a half-month free stay."
Jiang Jingzhong said worriedly. Cultivators often go into seclusion and have no idea about the outside world. So, in the past, a tenant went into seclusion. After the rent was due, the landlord broke into the house, which led to the tenant going crazy.
That's why Yunzhong City has set a rule. Even if it's time to pay the rent, within half a month, the landlord can't break into the house. Otherwise, they will bear the consequences. After half a month, if the tenant still doesn't appear, the landlord has the right to break into the house and take it back. By then, even if there is any loss, the tenant will be responsible for it.
"Taoist Friend Jiang has a house for rent in the city. That's a decent person. It's only half a month. They can make up for it then."
Lin Jiang casually said, but waves of shock and worry surged in his heart. He carefully recalled that there seemed to be no activity next door for the past two days, and Cao Yang came to find him three days ago.
Does that mean Cao Yang killed all the members of the Liao family the same night, but Lin Jiang didn't make a sound? How strong is Cao Yang really?
"What you're saying is simple, but our landlord is also difficult. I rely on the rent to support my three wives, eight concubines, and eighteen children. You see..."
"Ahem, my friend who practices Taoism, I have something to do. I'll leave first."
When Lin Jiang heard this, he immediately got goosebumps. "Oh no, there are also show-offs in Yunzhong City. If you don't treat me to a meal, why should I give you a chance to show off? I'm leaving."
"Hey, Taoist friend, don't go yet. I haven't talked about my pet at home..."
Jiang Jingzhong yelled after Lin Jiang. Who does he think he is? So rude, not waiting for people to finish talking. If I don't finish, how do you know how rich I am?
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The Zhonghang Sect and the Cloud Sword Sect each occupy one end of the Yunzhong Mountain Range. The sects naturally occupy the best locations for their mountain gates, while the surrounding area is where their subordinate forces are located.
These subordinate forces have intricate relationships with the two major sects, and are mostly created by disciples of each sect. The Nalan family is one of them.
At the entrance of Nalan family, Nalan De and other senior members of the Nalan family were respectfully seeing off Li Ruoxu and Wen Xing. Li Ruoxu, known as the Pill King, had unparalleled alchemy skills in the whole Yun State. Thus, the Zhonghang Sect also regarded him as an honored guest. The Nalan family could not afford to offend him.
"Elder Nalan, there is no need for you to see us off. I will leave now."
As they reached the entrance, Li Ruoxu smiled and said, while Nalan De had a constipated expression on his face.
Today, Li Ruoxu came to Nalan family to confront them. He claimed to be visiting, but he brought Wen Xing with him. Wen Xing was the one who kidnapped Nalan family women and stole their treasures. The Nalan family had recently canceled the reward for him.
Nalan Xiong couldn't do anything. Even the Soul Changing Ancestor of the Zhonghang Sect had to treat Li Ruoxu respectfully, hoping that Li Ruoxu could produce the required elixirs for Soul Changing.
"Since Senior Li has given the order, Nalan De will no longer see you off. If you have time in the future, please feel welcome to visit the Nalan family."
"Haha, I will definitely come, I will definitely come."
Li Ruoxu laughed loudly, exchanged pleasantries for a moment, and then left with Wen Xing.
"How about it? Did you vent enough anger today?"
On the way, Li Ruoxu told Wen Xing that he was very kind to him. Normally, Nalan family is also strong. Nalan De is likely to break through his Nascent Soul cultivation and become an influential elder of Zhonghang Sect. He wouldn't easily offend such a person. But for Wen Xing, he went to their door to annoy them, even if Nalan family was a little stronger, they would still end up fighting today.
"I am comfortable, but Yan'er still hasn't been found, and there is still no news about the Five Elements Golden Fruit. The stigma on me hasn't been cleared."
"I really don't know what else to do. I have done what I could do and even offered a reward."
Li Ruoxu said that they had been looking for Nalan Yan for a long time. Li Ruoxu even asked many friends to help, but they still had no news.
In fact, they all knew in their hearts that Nalan Yan was in great danger. Despite being a genius of the Nalan family, she had no experience in the martial world. In the eyes of bandits, she was an easy target. After killing her, they could just throw her into a valley and no one would find her.
"I know I am causing trouble for Master. Let's just let this matter go and turn the page."
Wen Xing said. He understood Li Ruoxu's mindset very well. Although Li Ruoxu always helped him when he asked for it, he couldn't take advantage of it too much. It was time to stop.
"That's good then. Let's settle the grievances in Yunzhong City and go back to practice. You should also get married to Lian'er."
Li Ruoxu said. This time, he brought Wen Xing back to Yunzhong City to settle Wen Xing' worldly desires and find closure to their past. Wen Xing agreed that after completing these tasks, he would marry Li Ruoxu's daughter, Li Lian'er, and inherit Li Ruoxu's legacy.
"The master said that once the disciple finishes a few small tasks, they will leave with the master."
"What tasks?"
"There are a few old friends who live in Yunzhong Mountain Range, and I want to visit them."
"Is it your old love interests again?"
"Master, a wise person never looks back, those women are just shallow and vain. When I was in Yunzhong City, I had a few close friends who took care of me. Now that I have some abilities, I naturally want to repay them."
Wen Xing said, realizing he had misunderstood him. He was not going to find his old love interests, he knew Li Ruoxu's limits and would never do something foolish like that.
He also had a few friends who never looked down on him when he was weak. Now that many years have passed, he wanted to visit and support them, as they might be useful in the future.
"Okay, do you want me to accompany you?"
"No need, Yunzhong Mountain Range doesn't have anyone in the Golden Core Period. Even an average Building Foundation cultivator won't be a match for me."
Wen Xing said. The spiritual veins in the Yunzhong Mountain Range are not very high. Those in the Golden Core Period don't bother to live there. They mostly gather in Yunzhong City or outside the city. It's a gathering place for those in the Building Foundation and Qi Refining stages. With his current ability, as long as he doesn't encounter multiple late-stage Building Foundation cultivators attacking him, he'll be fine.
"Okay, I'll wait for you in Yunzhong City. You have two days."
Li Ruoxu nodded. He gave Wen Xing a lot of treasures and pills. Among the Building Foundation Period cultivators, there weren't many who could threaten him.
The two of them parted ways. Li Ruoxu returned to Yunzhong City, while Wen Xing flew towards the middle section of the Yunzhong Mountain Range. Along the way, he saw many cultivator caves.
Wen Xing looked at these caves and thought about his dream of occupying a piece of land here and marrying multiple wives to live a simple life.
"I can't go back anymore."
Wen Xing sighed at the end. The past is like smoke, he can't go back. He surpassed Li Ruoxu, but not without a price. For example, his average appearance and his daughter with a strong temper will become his only woman in the future.
For the sake of one tree, he has given up the entire forest.
Wen Xing had already contacted his friend a few days ago. They had drinks in Yunzhong City and made plans for Wen Xing to visit their home. He also roughly knew the location.
"Brother Zhou, Brother Zhou, I'm here!"
After a while, Wen Xing came to a valley and called out loudly.
In no time, ripples appeared in the valley, and a halo appeared out of thin air. A big man walked out from it.
"Brother Wen, you've finally come. Come in quickly!"
"Haha, of course I would come as promised. Brother Zhou, looks like you're living a good life."
Wen Xing walked into the valley, and the scenery here was completely different from the outside. The whole valley was well-maintained, with patches of flowers and grass on the slopes. There were groups of bees collecting nectar, and on the flat ground of the valley, there were some spiritual rice paddies, but not many. More of them were lower-grade spiritual herbs.
This is how independent cultivators at the bottom level are. They try their best to make money and save money. They eat their own spiritual rice, and they sell the spiritual herbs and honey to exchange for resources. If it's still not enough, they have to go out and work hard to earn money.
"These things are not worth much. It's better for Brother Wen to refine a furnace of pill. By the way, Brother Wen, can you help me get a Building Foundation Pill? The ones in Yunzhong City are too expensive. I'm already fifty-two years old this year. If I don't make a breakthrough soon, I'm afraid I won't have a chance."
"The Building Foundation Pill is a second-grade top-quality elixir. I can't refine it yet, and I don't want to trouble my master too much. But I promise to help you with this matter. I'll ask my senior martial brother for help later, but you have to pay for the cost."
Wen Xing said that he was quite skilled at alchemy, but he hadn't reached the level of refining high-grade pills yet. Li Ruoxu had more than one apprentice, including an older one.
"I'm really grateful to Brother Wen. Mom, please bring out the food and fetch the good wine that I've hidden."
The independent cultivator with the surname Zhou was overjoyed when he heard this and shouted loudly inside the house. Soon, someone responded.
Outside the house, there was a stone table. A woman brought out a sumptuous meal, and Zhou, the independent cultivator, also took out his treasured spirit wine. It wasn't a top-quality spirit wine, but it was still quite delicious.
Wen Xing was very down-to-earth, and the two of them sat down to eat and drink while reminiscing about their past experiences in Yunzhong City. It was truly unbelievable that an independent cultivator like Zhou managed to survive the pursuit of the Nalan family and even achieved the Foundation Building stage. It was something that made others incredibly jealous.
This meal lasted for more than four hours. Wen Xing used magic to dispel the alcohol in his body, bid farewell, and mentioned that he had other friends to visit.
Zhou, the independent cultivator, didn't insist on keeping Wen Xing, but instead accompanied him to the valley's exit. Wen Xing left behind a storage bag as a gift for Zhou.
With Zhou watching reluctantly, Wen Xing mounted his flying sword and flew away. After a while, he arrived at a cave more than ten miles away.
Wen Xing called out the names of a few friends, but all he received in return was a cold response.
