Chapter 58: Orphaned and Widowed Mother
Yunzhong City, South City
Lin Jiang knocked on a door, and Zhang Ruifang welcomed him inside. Zhang Ruifang saw Lin Jiang's expression and instantly felt a sense of sadness.
"It seems like you already guessed the outcome."
"Yes, can you do me a favor?"
"No, I know what you want to do. If I help, everything we did before will be a waste."
Lin Jiang said that he knew Zhang Ruifang wanted him to help with collecting bodies, to collect Cao Yang's body.
Today, Lin Jiang received news at the big market that Wen Xing, a disciple of Pill King Li Ruoxu, was attacked in the Yunzhong Mountain Range. Wen Xing got injured but managed to kill the assassin, who turned out to be Cao Yang.
A few days ago, Lin Jiang moved Zhang Ruifang and her daughter to South City. This way, they wouldn't appear to have any connection, at most just regular neighbors. If Lin Jiang helps collect the body, the suspicion will increase.
"I can't bear to let him remain exposed in the wilderness."
"There's a dedicated body collection team in the city. I'll keep an eye on it for you. We can collect his body in a few months. It's too risky to go now; everyone will die."
Lin Jiang explained that many people die daily in Yunzhong City. Outside the city, there's a mass grave where unidentified bodies are left. Cao Yang's assassination of Wen Xing is a big deal, making it easier to investigate later.
"I understand. Thank you so much."
"No, it's not necessary. Cao Yang helped me, so this is paying him back."
Lin Jiang said that he was sure that the Liao family had all been killed by Cao Yang. After Jiang Jingzhong disappeared for half a month, he broke into their house and found it in a mess, with bloodstains and signs of a fight, but no bodies. They must have destroyed the bodies to erase all evidence.
It was true that Lin Jiang owed Cao Yang for this matter. If it hadn't been for Cao Yang's reminder, Lin Jiang would have been in great danger. Once the Liao family got involved, it was uncertain whether they would live or die.
"I still owe you a favor."
"You can take your time repaying it. I've bought you three months' worth of supplies. Stay home during these three months and don't go out. If you need anything, send me a Sound Passing Talisman. Let's wait for this storm to pass first."
"I know you need to be careful too. You can't use your beast pet in the city. Watch out for the Dark Night Organization."
"Your own organization is targeting you too?"
Lin Jiang frowned. He shouldn't just be worried about Wen Xing seeking revenge. Why would he also need to be wary of the Dark Night Organization?
"I am married to Cao Yang, and we both work as assassins. After I gave birth to our child, I didn't want to be an assassin anymore. I wanted to leave the Dark Night Organization. But they won't let me go. Every assassin is trained at a high cost and they sell their lives to the organization. They can only stop after death. So the Dark Night Organization won't spare me. They might even take away my child, if they have the Spiritual Root, to become the next generation assassin."
"Why did you join such a heartless organization?"
Lin Jiang asked. Isn't the Dark Night Organization really unfair? Capitalists cry when they see it. They spend money to train assassins, who work until they die. They even take the assassins' children as their own. No capitalists can compare to them.
It is really, really dark.
Who would join such a dangerous organization if they had another choice? After Cao Yang's mother died, their property was taken away by someone, and his father died as a result. He had nowhere to go. After my brother died, I still had a family, but they were like fierce tigers, wanting to devour me.
My family has many members, and all the resources are provided to those with good talent for cultivation. For every spirit stone I earn, they take one away. And in the end, they even wanted to sell me, just because I have a Spiritual Root and they wanted me to marry another cultivator, so we can have a child with Spiritual Root.
I wanted to find my brother and give him a proper burial, but they didn't agree. They were afraid I would die and they would lose money. When we joined the Dark Night Organization, we already knew the consequences, but we had no choice.
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing? It has nothing to do with you."
"It reminded you of painful memories."
"It's all in the past. Maybe a few years ago I would have been sad and angry, but now I have a child, and there is hope. You are not a parent, so you wouldn't understand this feeling."
"I really don't understand, so for the sake of your child, live a good life. With your abilities, avoid this trouble, go to a remote place away from the big city, enough to ensure a worry-free life for you and your child forever."
Lin Jiang said. In Yunzhong City, the Building Foundation Period doesn't mean much. But if you go to a remote place, like where the Lin family used to be, the Building Foundation Period is considered quite skilled. You can occupy a spiritual mountain area, run it well, and be wealthy. You may not become extremely rich, but you won't have to worry about food and drink for your whole life.
"First, let's survive. The Dark Night Organization is very dangerous, there are powerful people backing them."
"Okay."
Lin Jiang said, feeling very upset. Not only did he hear about Zhang Ruifang's tragic past, but he also got involved in this matter and might encounter powerful enemies.
This was something Lin Jiang didn't want to happen. He just wanted to quietly cultivate and not offend anyone.
·······
"Is anyone there?"
In Lin Jiang's residence in West City, someone knocked on the door, coincidentally, Lin Jiang had just returned from the big market.
"Oh, it's you."
"Mr. Wen."
Lin Jiang saw Wen Xing standing at the doorstep of his home, trying hard to squeeze a smile and spoke.
"Do you live here?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you know who lives next door?"
"I know, a family of three."
"Do you know where they are now?"
"I don't know, I'm not very familiar with them, just a nodding acquaintance. We only meet once every three to five days. May I ask if there's something you need, sir?"
"Why do I feel like you're lying to me?"
Wen Xing said, he didn't believe such a coincidence existed. The spiritual talisman vendor he met at the market happened to live next to the assassin who wanted to kill him.
"Senior, we have no grievances or disputes. Why would I deceive you? There's no benefit to it either."
"That's true. So, tell me, what do they usually do?"
"How would I know? We only come across each other every few days. All I know is that the woman next door often goes to the market to buy groceries. She's married, so I can't just start a conversation with her."
"Really?"
Wen Xing felt a bit annoyed. How did he get the feeling that this person was mocking him? He used to enjoy doing that sort of thing himself.
"Senior, if there's nothing else, I'll go back first. I'm hungry and need to cook."
Lin Jiang gestured with the things in his hand. He helped Zhang Ruifang with shopping, and if he didn't bring something back home, it would seem strange.
Wen Xing glanced over and was about to release Lin Jiang when suddenly, he heard Li Ruoxu's voice in his ear, saying, "Be careful, my disciple. This person has disguised themselves."
"Wait!"
Upon hearing that, Wen Xing immediately shouted aloud.
"Senior, is there something else?"
"Why don't you dare to show your true identity?"
"Senior, what does that mean? I don't understand."
"You're still pretending to be ignorant. Just because you disguised yourself, it doesn't mean I don't know. You're an assassin too, aren't you?"
"What does it have to do with me disguising myself? Are you saying I'm an assassin just because you say so? Do you have any evidence?"
"Hmph, what evidence do I need?"
Wen Xing angrily said that this time in the Yunzhong Mountain Range, he was almost killed when he was stabbed. If it wasn't for Li Ruoxu giving him a treasure, he would be dead now.
So he will never let go of this matter easily, even if it means offending someone. What does it matter to offend an independent cultivator?
"You..."
Lin Jiang felt extremely unhappy seeing Wen Xing being so domineering. He stared at him coldly. If Wen Xing wanted to make a move, Lin Jiang was ready to fight back. Even without Big Shadiao and Small Shadiao, he could still protect himself in front of the Building Foundation Period.
"Little brother, it's me, Li Ruoxu. How about giving me some face?"
At this moment, Li Ruoxu's voice appeared in their ears. Lin Jiang felt a very powerful spiritual sense locking onto him, making him extremely terrified. Just a spiritual sense, and Lin Jiang felt overwhelmed.
"Senior Pill King, may I ask for your guidance?"
Lin Jiang held back the urge to kneel and worship, even if the other party was a Pill King, he didn't want to submit.
"Let my disciple take a look at your true identity, to avoid conflicts. If we fight, you might suffer."
Li Ruoxu spoke and said that he wasn't present, but he was teaching Wen Xing how to do things. In Yunzhong City, don't be so stubborn, you need to be skillful in your work.
"Okay."
Lin Jiang agreed.
Afterward, Lin Jiang used magic to restore his original appearance. He wasn't afraid if Wen Xing recognized him because when they first met, he was called Lin Yu and had also changed his appearance. Now, he had changed back to looking like Lin Jiang. If Zhang Ruifang was here, she would be able to recognize him.
"You're so young, no wonder you needed to change your appearance."
Wen Xing looked at Lin Jiang. Lin Jiang still looked like he was seventeen years old, appearing quite youthful. Considering Lin Jiang's cultivation level of Qi Refining at the ninth level, Wen Xing believed there was a reason for Lin Jiang to change his appearance.
"I offended someone outside and had to change my appearance. I can't show my true face to people. I hope you understand, senior."
"Let him go, he's not from the Dark Night."
Li Ruoxu's voice came again. In just a moment, he had already drawn Lin Jiang's appearance. He was accompanied by high-level members of Yunzhong City, who had confirmed that Lin Jiang was not with the Dark Night Organization.
"You can go now."
"Thank you, senior."
Lin Jiang bowed and then walked into his own house, closed the door, and activated the protective barrier. Lin Jiang looked very gloomy.
"Pill King Li Ruoxu, Wen Xing, I have remembered this debt. Although my cultivation is not as good as yours now, I will definitely come to your grave to dance a hundred or thousand years later."
Lin Jiang cursed in his heart. Being stopped in the street and forced to restore his appearance was the most humiliating thing, which most people would consider a great shame. Especially for Lin Jiang, he might not be a match now, but a hundred or thousand years later, he would definitely reclaim his dignity.
