23: Chapter 23 Bloodshed in the Dark Alley

There were no lights on in the room; only the cold moonlight spilled obliquely through the dilapidated window lattice, outlining the slender silhouette of Su Qingyao sitting on the edge of the bed.

She held a swaddled infant in her arms, rocking gently while humming a tuneless, extremely soft lullaby.

The melody was intermittent, as if it were fragments from her distant memories.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, her singing stopped abruptly, and her body stiffened slightly.

"Is Leyao asleep?" Lin Chen softened his footsteps, his voice lowered to a whisper.

"She just woke up once, I fed her some rice soup, and she fell asleep again." Su Qingyao did not turn her head, her voice carrying the softness and exhaustion unique to the dead of night.

Lin Chen walked to her side, and by the moonlight, he could see his daughter Lin Leyao's peaceful sleeping face, her small chest rising and falling, steady and full of vitality.

This vivid, fragile life was the most genuine warmth he had felt in this cold and cruel Immortal Realm since his Transmigration.

He reached out, wanting to touch his daughter's cheek, but his fingertips paused in mid-air.

He had just finished practicing the Spirit Nourishing Technique and setting up a Formation; his hands were still covered in the dust of the Formation and the lingering aftermath of spiritual power, and he was afraid of disturbing her.

He withdrew his hand and instead let it rest on Su Qingyao's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Her shoulders were very thin; through her thin clothing, the contours of her bones could be clearly felt.

Su Qingyao's body stiffened again, and she subconsciously held her breath.

She could feel the dry, warm touch coming from his palm, as well as a steady strength that gave her peace of mind.

"Thank you for your hard work," Lin Chen said.

These three simple words allowed Su Qingyao's tense nerves to completely relax.

She lowered her eyelids and gave a soft "Mn," her nasal tone a bit heavy.

Silence flowed between the two of them.

Lin Chen didn't say anything more; he just stood there quietly, watching his wife and daughter under the moonlight.

This moment of tranquility was more soothing to his heartstrings, tightened by worries about the future, than any Spirit Pill.

He knew very well that the peace in Black Stone Town was only temporary.

The death of Outer Sect Deacon Wang Heng had already caused him to forge a feud with the Qingmu Sect, and that was certainly not something that could be settled by the death of a single outer sect deacon.

Moreover, a Loose Cultivator capable of being entrenched in Black Stone Town for many years could not possibly lack a complex network of relationships behind him.

This place, after all, was not a place to stay for long.

He had to stabilize his cultivation at the first level of Foundation Establishment as soon as possible and begin preparing for the birth of his next offspring.

Only when his Family continued to grow would he have the confidence to face the storms that might come in the future.

His gaze fell back onto the coarse stone ring.

That mysterious animal skin and the massive cost of analysis were like invisible threads, pulling him toward an unknown direction.

"Tomorrow, I will make a trip to Liuyun Market," Lin Chen broke the silence.

"The Materials for the gathering Spirit Qi Formation in the residence are insufficient, and the Medicinal Pill and Spirit Rice should be sold for some Spirit Stone. Black Stone Town is too small, and there are too many eyes."

Su Qingyao held her daughter, slowly stood up, placed her carefully back into the cradle, and tucked in the corners of the blanket.

After finishing all this, she turned around and, for the first time at night, looked directly into Lin Chen's eyes: "I will go with you."

Lin Chen frowned: "The market is crowded and chaotic; it is safer for you and Leyao to stay here."

"Leyao is too young; she cannot leave me." Su Qingyao's tone was very light, yet exceptionally firm.

"I understand pharmacology and might be able to help you distinguish the quality of the Materials. Besides... I don't want to wait here alone."

She said the last sentence very lightly, as light as a sigh.

Lin Chen looked at her.

Under the moonlight, her cold face was filled with stubbornness. Those eyes that were always accustomed to avoiding his gaze were now staring at him unblinkingly, containing worry, unease, and an insistence that could not be refused.

He recalled the desperate and resolute look in her eyes when she was forced by Outer Sect Deacon Wang Heng.

His heart softened, and in the end, he nodded: "Alright. Then rest early; we will set off tomorrow before dawn."

Three days later.

Liuyun Market was far more dilapidated and chaotic than Lin Chen had imagined.

It was not built on flat ground but rather against a barren rocky mountain; rather than a market, it was more like a huge mountain stronghold.

The two did not choose to enter the expensive inns within the market but instead found a long-abandoned Mountain God Temple three miles east of the market to stay.

This place had been scorched by a mountain fire, leaving only a circle of broken stone walls and half a collapsed roof; the statue of the deity had long since disappeared.

But it had the advantage of being in a remote location with slightly higher terrain and an open view; one could clearly see the path leading to the market from the temple entrance, making it easy to detect any unusual movements in advance.

Su Qingyao quickly took out several large cloth curtains from her bundle and, using sharpened branches and ropes, partitioned the relatively intact corner of the room into inner and outer chambers.

Lin Leyao was placed in the innermost corner, with thick dry grass and old clothes brought along spread beneath her, sleeping soundly.

Lin Chen, meanwhile, took a few low-grade warning Talismans found in Outer Sect Deacon Wang Heng's Storage Pouch, slightly modified them, and set up a crude Talisman Formation around the temple.

Once any Cultivator approached within a range of fifty zhang, the Talismans would trigger automatically; although they had no lethality, they were sufficient to provide a warning.

After finishing all this, it was already near noon.

Lin Chen stuffed the "Earth Escape Talisman" obtained from the bandits of Qingyan Market into Su Qingyao's hand and lowered his voice to instruct: "I am going to the market to buy some necessities and inquire about news. You stay here and watch over Leyao. If there is any abnormality, especially if the warning Talisman is triggered, do not hesitate; activate it immediately and take Leyao toward the mountains to the south. I will come to find you."

The Earth Escape Talisman, a first-tier Medium Grade item, could instantly escape a hundred zhang away and was a Sharp Weapon for saving one's life.

Su Qingyao gripped the Talisman tightly, the cold Talisman paper pressing against her palm.

She did not speak, only nodded heavily, and then reached out to hold her daughter in the cradle even tighter.

Lin Chen restrained his aura, disguised his cultivation at about the eighth level of Qi Refining, and put on the wide bamboo hat before turning to leave the Mountain God Temple and walking toward the market.

The streets of Liuyun Market were wider than those of Qingyan Market but also dirtier and messier, the air filled with a complex mixture of odors from low-quality Medicinal Pill, the blood of Yao Beast, and sweat.

Lin Chen did not stop on the main street but turned into various remote alleys, finally stopping in front of a crude shed hanging a tattered cloth banner with the characters "Bai Xiao" (Know-All).

Inside the shed sat an old man with gray hair and a withered face, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed to rest, as if isolated from the surrounding noise.

Lin Chen stepped forward; the black veil of his bamboo hat covered his face, and he lowered his voice to a hoarse, deep tone: "I'm asking about two people. One is named Outer Sect Deacon Wang Heng, an Outer Sect Deacon of the Qingmu Sect; the other is Hong Biao, a Loose Cultivator of Black Stone Town."

The old man did not even lift his eyelids; his shriveled lips opened and closed slightly, his voice sounding like a leaking broken drum: "Outer Sect Deacon Wang Heng of the Qingmu Sect had his Soul lamp extinguished three months ago, and it was registered within the sect as 'missing on an external mission.' He had a distant uncle who is an outer sect manager, surnamed Wang. Hong Biao, a local ruffian of Black Stone Town, at the seventh level of Qi Refining, went missing a month ago and is suspected to have been silenced."

His voice paused, and those eyes that had been closed suddenly opened. His cloudy eyeballs turned toward Lin Chen, his gaze hollow yet as if capable of penetrating the black veil to see his true appearance.

"These two pieces of information cost five Low-Grade Spirit Stone."

Lin Chen felt a slight chill in his heart; this old man only had cultivation at the Perfection of Qi Refining, yet his gaze was terrifyingly sharp.

He calmly took out five Low-Grade Spirit Stone from his bosom and placed them on the wooden table in front of the old man.

The old man's withered fingers swept, and the Spirit Stone disappeared.

He withdrew his gaze and added as if casually: "Recently, there have been a few new faces on the outskirts of the market, all at the Late Stage of Qi Refining, acting suspiciously, as if they are looking for someone."

Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat, and he cupped his hands: "Many thanks."

After speaking, he turned and left without the slightest hesitation.

The information obtained confirmed Lin Chen's guess and also made the warning signs in his heart increasingly intense.

Outer Sect Deacon Wang Heng's uncle, the Qingmu Sect manager, the suspicious new faces... these clues connected together, pointing to a net that was being cast toward him.

He did not dare to delay. Following the list given by Su Qingyao, he quickly purchased several auxiliary Medicinal Pill ingredients that were urgently needed for Alchemy, and in a grocery store, he bought a small jar of sealed goat's milk with a few silver coins.

When he walked out of the shop carrying the items, it was already afternoon, and the sky was somewhat gloomy.

He did not take the main road he had arrived on but chose a shortcut for the return trip marked on the map—a quiet alley that could only accommodate two people walking side by side.

The alley was long and narrow, with towering stone walls covered in moss on both sides, and at the end, the outline of the barren mountain in the direction of the Mountain God Temple could be vaguely seen.

A damp, musty smell drifted in the air.

Lin Chen walked carrying the items, unhurriedly, but his eyes beneath the bamboo hat were vigilantly scanning the surroundings.

When he reached the middle of the alley, at a corner where sunlight could not reach, two black shadows leaped down from the high wall on the left without warning!

The two were swift in their movements and landed without a sound. One held a black short blade, blocking the path ahead, while the other sealed off the rear corner, just right to trap him in the narrowest part of the alley.

Almost at the same time, at the alley entrance behind him, a sturdy, middle-aged man with a sinister gaze walked in slowly. In his hand, he also held a black short blade of the same style, with blood-colored patterns seemingly flowing slowly on the blade.

The three formed a triangular Formation, trapping Lin Chen tightly in the center.

A cold killing intent instantly locked onto Lin Chen.

"Lin Chen?" Wang Long, the leader, spoke. His voice was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing together. "Hand over the relics of Junior Martial Uncle Outer Sect Deacon Wang Heng, tell us how he died, and we will give you a quick death."

Lin Chen slowly set the jar of goat milk and the medicine packet in his hand down by his feet. He did not answer, merely raising his head and sweeping his gaze over the three of them one by one.

He noticed that while their positioning seemed casual, their auras were actually linked, vaguely forming a simple triangular trap Formation.

This kind of Formation allowed their spiritual power to conduct between them, doubling the power of their attacks, far beyond what ordinary Qi Refinement Stage Cultivators could compare to.

"Do it!"

Seeing that he did not answer, a fierce look flashed in Wang Long's eyes, and he stopped wasting words.

The three of them simultaneously formed hand seals, and with a humming sound, three black short blades flew from their hands!

The short blades crisscrossed and circled in the air, creating sharp whistling sounds as they tore through the air. They turned into three chilling black streaks of light, stabbing at Lin Chen's glabella, throat, and Dantian from three different angles!

At the same time, the trio changed their footwork, their spiritual power instantly connecting like a spider web. An invisible, heavy pressure enveloped the entire alley, attempting to slow down Lin Chen's movements and leave him with nowhere to dodge!

Lin Chen stood where he was, his face beneath the bamboo hat remaining without the slightest ripple of emotion.

He didn't even look at the three short blades shooting towards him at high speed, simply quietly sensing the changes in the Spiritual Qi in the air.

Just as the three black streaks of light reached within three feet of him, he suddenly raised his right hand and splayed his fingers.

—The Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator's exquisite control over Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was activated instantly!

The thin Spiritual Qi that had been flowing steadily in the alley seemed to be violently stirred by an invisible giant hand, suddenly becoming chaotic and wild!

The three short blades, driven by spiritual power and echoing each other, instantly showed an extremely subtle, almost imperceptible deviation and hesitation in their flight paths!

When experts contend, the difference is but a hair's breadth!

It was in this gap of less than half a breath that Lin Chen's figure moved.

He did not retreat, but charged forward!

His entire body was like a weightless ghost, sliding through the gaps between the three black streaks of light and instantly appearing in front of the Wang Family disciple to his front left.

Wang Bao was shocked. He could never have imagined that the opponent could be so at ease while under their combined attack!

Without a second thought, he frantically activated his protective spiritual light.

However, Lin Chen's speed was faster.

He pressed his fingers together like a sword, his fingertips condensing a layer of visible pale golden Foundation Establishment spiritual power. Carrying an unstoppable sharpness, he directly ignored that cicada-wing-thin layer of spiritual light and, in the man's terrified gaze, tapped lightly.

A soft sound, like a fingertip popping a water bubble.

Lin Chen's fingertip landed precisely on Wang Bao's glabella.

Wang Bao only felt a chill at his glabella as a burst of violent spiritual power instantly surged into his Sea of Consciousness, shattering all his thoughts and all his perceptions.

The terror in his eyes froze, then everything went black before him, and his whole body collapsed to the ground like a piece of rotten wood, devoid of all breath.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye.

The other disciple, Wang Hu, and Wang Long behind him were terrified beyond measure. They could never have dreamed that a Qi Refinement Stage 8th-level Cultivator could kill a Qi Refinement Stage 8th-level companion with a single finger!

No! He is not at the Qi Refinement Stage!

The two were scared out of their wits and tried to forcibly change their moves to retract the short blades.

But Lin Chen had already turned around, not even glancing at them, simply waving his right hand backward casually.

A massive amount of spiritual power left his hand, turning into an invisible wall of air that slammed fiercely into Wang Hu, who had just steadied his figure!

"No!"

Wang Hu only had time to let out a desperate roar before he was hit head-on by that overwhelming, irresistible force.

He felt as if he had been hit head-on by a rampaging giant beast. His protective spiritual light shattered instantly, his ribs broke inch by inch, and a mouthful of blood sprayed out wildly. His body flew backward like a torn sack, slamming heavily against a stone wall seven or eight meters away before sliding to the ground and fainting.

From the start of the fight to the end, it was no more than three breaths.

The alley returned to deathly silence.

Wang Long's face was as pale as paper, his hand holding the short blade trembling like a sieve.

He looked at his two companions on the ground, whose conditions were unknown, and then at the figure standing in the center of the alley, whose bamboo hat hadn't even been ruffled. A chill originating from the depths of his Soul completely engulfed him.

Foundation Establishment!

This Lin Chen is actually a Foundation Establishment Cultivator!

The intelligence was wrong! Completely wrong!

Only one thought remained in his mind—run!

Wang Long burst forth with the fastest speed of his life, turning around and sprinting for his life towards the alley entrance.

However, just as he ran two steps, a black shadow silently blocked his path.

Lin Chen's right hand had already firmly gripped his throat.

The cold touch made all the blood in Wang Long's body seem to freeze.

"Who are you? Who sent you?" Lin Chen's voice came from beneath the bamboo hat, cold without a trace of warmth.

A flicker of despair and madness flashed in Wang Long's eyes. Gritting his teeth, he squeezed a few words from his throat: "You... you kill me! The Wang Family will not let you go... Blood Crow Tower will not either..."

"Blood Crow Tower?" Lin Chen's fingertips applied slight pressure.

He stopped wasting words, raising his left hand like lightning and pressing it onto the top of Wang Long's head.

He sank his consciousness into his Sea of Consciousness and gave a low shout: "System, Questioning Heart!"

A weak but pure trace of Family Luck was extracted from the milky-white aura on his Luck panel. Following his palm, it turned into an invisible torrent, forcibly rushing into Wang Long's Sea of Consciousness!

[Elementary Divine Sense Technique · Questioning Heart] activated!

Wang Long's whole body shook violently, his eyes instantly becoming unfocused.

Several blurry and fragmented images instantly flooded into Lin Chen's mind:

A majestic residence with a plaque hanging that read "Wang Family". In the ancestral hall, several clan elders were looking at an extinguished Soul lamp, their faces livid, angrily discussing something...

In a dim secret room, a black-robed figure whose face could not be seen stood in the shadows, giving orders to a Wang Family elder: "...Investigate clearly, if the item on Junior Martial Uncle Outer Sect Deacon Wang Heng truly has value... report it to the branch headquarters..."

The last image was a corner of a tattered map, on which "Liuyun Market" was clearly marked in vermilion ink, along with several red circles around it. One of them was, shockingly, the location of the Mountain God Temple where he was currently!

Lin Chen suddenly let go.

Wang Long slumped to the ground like a pile of mud, his eyes unfocused, drool flowing from the corner of his mouth; he had already become an idiot.

The consumption of this secret technique was far greater than he had imagined.

Lin Chen felt a slight dizziness. He could clearly "see" that on his Family Luck panel, that already thin milky-white aura had dimmed by another small circle.

But the harvest was also huge.

The Wang Family, the Blood Crow Tower branch headquarters... this web was even larger and more dangerous than he had anticipated.

Lin Chen did not hesitate at all.

He quickly stepped forward, collecting the Storage Pouch of Wang Bao and Wang Hu and all three black short blades. He then took out a low-grade "Fireball Talisman" and activated it with spiritual power; the two corpses quickly turned to ashes in the surging flames.

Then, he picked up the unconscious Wang Long and walked to the depths of the alley.

He circulated the "Spirit Nourishing Technique", mobilizing a strand of pure Foundation Establishment spiritual power. He deliberately twisted and simulated it at his fingertips into a completely different, violent fire-attribute aura, and then tapped it into Wang Long's Dantian with one finger.

Pfft!

Wang Long's Dantian Qi Sea was instantly destroyed, and his Meridians were also burned into a complete mess.

Next, Lin Chen separated a wisp of Divine Sense and forcibly implanted a fragmented memory segment into Wang Long's chaotic Sea of Consciousness: "...Offended a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Senior... failed to seize the treasure... companions killed by fire-attribute Cultivation Technique... cultivation base waste... Senior warned: If you commit this again, your Family will be exterminated..."

After doing all this, he threw Wang Long like trash in the most conspicuous place at the alley entrance. He himself picked up the things on the ground, his figure flickering, and disappeared at the other end of the alley.

Diverting the disaster, framing the blame.

He wanted to make the Wang Family and that Blood Crow Tower investigate a non-existent "fire-attribute Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Senior"!

A quarter of an hour later, Lin Chen rushed back to the Mountain God Temple like a gust of wind.

"Pack up, we're leaving immediately!"

He didn't even have time to explain before low-shouting to Su Qingyao, who was feeding water to their daughter.

Su Qingyao saw his grave expression and the faint smell of blood on him, her face going pale, but she didn't ask a single extra word.

She immediately wrapped up her daughter and the jar of goat milk with a cloth, and quickly stuffed all necessities into a large bundle.

Lin Chen picked up his daughter, and Su Qingyao shouldered the bundle, following closely behind him.

Taking advantage of the fact that it wasn't dark yet, they left the Mountain God Temple where they had only stayed for half a day without looking back, heading in the exact opposite direction to Liuyun Market and plunging into the vast, boundless mountains to the south.

About half an hour after they left, Wang Long at the alley entrance woke up faintly.

When he felt his empty Dantian and those terrifying memory fragments in his mind, he let out a shrill howl like a beast, crawling and scrambling as he fled towards the direction of the market...

Night soon swallowed the mountains.

Lin Chen held his daughter, walking unevenly through the rugged mountain forest.

Su Qingyao followed closely behind him, nearly slipping several times, but she gritted her teeth and held on.

The cold night wind blew past, and Lin Chen suddenly felt a stuffiness in his chest. The forced mobilization of spiritual power earlier to quickly resolve the battle seemed to have aggravated an old injury that had not yet fully recovered.