Chapter 61 The Chen Family Again?

Yun Bai raised an eyebrow.

The Chen Family certainly arrived quickly.

He had only just learned the reason, and the Chen Family's people had already arrived.

It was both laughable and hateful; the Chen Family couldn't possibly think they actually had the ability to demand people from a State Religion Cultivator, right?

"Oh? Shen Qi is my adopted younger sister; what business is it of your Chen Family? Why do you come up and say you want to take her back to the Chen Family?" Yun Bai's expression suddenly changed as he sternly rebuked them.

The rebuke was not loud, but it utilized the power of his Divine Sense. The deterrent force from a Cultivator frightened the three people in front of him, making them tremble.

"This, hehe." Steward Chen Mao's Face stiffened. He forced a smile and pulled a few pieces of paper from his bosom.

"Young Master Yun Bai, please look at what this is!"

"Although you say Shen Qi is your adopted younger sister, Yang Peilan and Shen Qi, the mother and daughter, had long ago signed a long-term indentured servitude contract with my Chen Family! It is written in black and white, with the term lasting until the twelfth lunar month of next year. The validity of this contract, even if taken to court, is evidence. You wouldn't deny it, would you?" Steward Chen Mao said with a fake smile, his eyes narrowed.

"This, my mother and I never signed an indentured servitude contract. We were just temporary workers for the Chen Family. They couldn't even pay our wages on time, and sometimes they didn't even pay in full. How could there be talk of long-term servitude?" Shen Qi's eyes widened, her Face full of disbelief.

"Shen Qi, when you worked for my Family, when did our Young Miss ever mistreat you? You escaped without permission; our Young Miss is kind-hearted, so as long as you obediently return, there will be no punishment. I am now trying to persuade you with kind words; do not use flowery language to deceive Young Master Yun." Steward Chen Mao's expression darkened.

"It is clearly you who are twisting the truth!" Shen Qi was so angry that tears welled up in her eyes. "My mother and I were temporary workers. It would be one thing if you didn't pay our wages, but when we wanted to leave, you blocked us. When my mother and I ran out in the middle of the night, we were discovered by you, and the servants beat my mother and me with sticks!"

"You little hussy! You—" Steward Chen Mao did not expect that Shen Qi, who had been introverted and obedient in the Chen Family, would dare to talk back.

"Enough!" Yun Bai said coldly.

"Steward Chen Mao, you are used to throwing your weight around relying on the Chen Family. Perhaps you have not yet realized that the current Chu Prefecture is the State Religion's Chu Prefecture, it is the Human Race's Chu Prefecture. In our State Religion, everyone is equal, with no distinction between noble and lowly. In our State Religion, there is no such thing as selling oneself into servitude! You fabricated such a thing out of thin air; in my eyes, it is utterly laughable!"

With lightning speed, Yun Bai snatched the papers from Steward Chen Mao's hands. With a few rips, the so-called "indentured servitude contract" was turned into fragments.

"Just a few pieces of waste paper; what, do you still dare to threaten me?" Seeing Shen Qi on the verge of tears, anger immediately rose in Yun Bai's heart.

"This, you, you, you, you." Steward Chen Mao had always been arrogant and domineering in Chu Prefecture; he did not expect Yun Bai to be so forceful.

"You what, you!" Yun Qian also scolded.

"Uh, this. Hahaha, Young Master Yun, let's talk things over properly, let's talk properly." A person behind Steward Chen Mao stepped forward with an awkward laugh to smooth things over. "This, well, since you do not recognize this indentured servitude contract, and now Shen Qi is following and serving you, how about this: our Young Miss truly misses the days of having Shen Qi for company. You are a person of great stature, a gentleman who helps others fulfill their wishes. My Chen Family will pay to buy Shen Qi back from your hands."

"Hehehe." Upon hearing this, Yun Bai laughed out of extreme anger.

The people of the Chen Family were hopelessly stupid, just like the stones in a latrine—smelly and hard. Yun Bai had already brought out the teachings of the State Religion: All under heaven should be equal, with no distinction between noble and lowly.

The State Religion was the backbone of the currently unified Human Race. Who would dare to ignore it in broad daylight? Yet this Chen Family steward actually did not care at all. A Family that acted like this would surely not last long.

This person started with the word "buy and sell"; it was evident that in his heart, Shen Qi was merely a piece of merchandise!

"Shen Qi, are you willing?" Yun Bai turned his head and asked gently to comfort her. "You can speak your mind; do not worry about the Chen Family's retaliation. With the State Religion here, and with me here, you are safe."

Shen Qi fought back her tears. She did not want to be afraid anymore. She had previously submitted and endured humiliation, only to bring about endless beatings, scolding, and contempt. This time, she wanted to say "no."

"No, I will not go with you!" Shen Qi seemed to use all her strength to say this sentence.

Yun Bai stared at the few people in front of him.

The few Chen Family members looked at each other, in a dilemma. If they returned empty-handed to report, their fate would likely not be good.

"Get out!" Yun Bai glared, the pressure belonging solely to an Innate Cultivator making the few unable to catch their breath.

"Fine, fine, fine, fine. Shen Qi, I originally wanted to save you some Face, but now it seems there is no need." Steward Chen Mao spat out these words through gritted teeth.

"What?" Yun Bai was on the verge of an outburst of anger.

"Shen Qi!" Steward Chen Mao did not dare to Face Yun Bai directly, only daring to shout at Shen Qi. "You little hussy! Back then, our Young Master favored you. You were originally just the Second Young Miss's maid, relying on a bit of beauty to enter the Young Master's room. The Young Master and Young Miss both doted on you and treated you well, but never did I think you would be so restless, stealing things and then running to the State Religion to shift the blame!"

"If it weren't for you climbing into—" Steward Chen Mao spouted a long string of words.

Yun Bai could bear it no longer, his hair standing on end with rage.

He stepped forward and slapped Steward Chen Mao across the Face; Steward Chen Mao immediately flew backward.

"You are courting death!" Yun Bai was beyond angry.

How vulgar the people of the Chen Family were! Seeing that things could not be resolved peacefully, they actually wanted to spread slander about Shen Qi!

With Steward Chen Mao's loud shouting, many people had already started to stop and watch from a distance.

This person must be silenced! Yun Bai was furious. He rushed forward, grabbed Steward Chen Mao by the collar, and slapped him dozens of times in succession.

Slap, slap, slap, slap!

The slaps were crisp; in the ears of Shen Qi and Yun Qian, they sounded like music.

"Wuwuwu." Steward Chen Mao was beaten until he saw stars, his cheeks swollen high, unable to open his mouth at all.

Yun Bai took a black Medicinal Pill from the Storage Pouch at his waist, pried open Steward Chen Mao's mouth, and shoved it in roughly.

"Cough, cough, cough." Steward Chen Mao wanted to refuse, but could not resist.

"Steward Chen Mao, listen well! This is the 'Zen Sect Silent Pill,' a pill specially used by the Buddhist Sect to assist in cultivating 'Silent Zen.' For someone with low cultivation like you, if you dare to speak nonsense within three months, you will bleed from your seven orifices and die."

"If you want the antidote, you must behave yourself honestly. If I ever discover you being arrogant and domineering in the city again, I guarantee I will make you die even more miserably than this!"

Yun Bai threw Steward Chen Mao to the ground and shouted: "If you don't want to die, get out!"

Steward Chen Mao was full of terror, as if he had seen a devil crawling out of the Nine Netherworlds. He crawled and scrambled, running away without looking back.

"Good! Well done! This Chen the Skinflint should have been dealt with long ago!" The onlookers burst into a round of cheers.

"Hero!"

"Chen the Skinflint! Bah! Serves him right!"

"Exactly, exactly. Relying on the Chen Family, did he think he was the Heavenly King himself?"

"I've long been annoyed by him! The other day, when he bought things from my shop, he actually made an excuse that he didn't have Spirit Stones and tried to snatch them. If it weren't for..."

Watching the staggering retreating figures of the Chen Family members, Shen Qi finally could not help but shed tears.

Those tears were like a flood breaching a dam, unstoppable. No matter how Yun Qian comforted her, she could not stop.

"Brother, why didn't you beat them up!" Yun Qian blamed her brother angrily.

"They will receive their retribution." Yun Bai's mood calmed down a bit, and he said indifferently.

It was not that there was no retribution, but the time had not yet come. One could not act recklessly in the city. Since the State Religion entered the city, it had repeatedly promoted equality and the rule of law. People of the State Religion must lead by example.

In chatting with Captain Zeng Fu and others in the team, Yun Bai already had some speculations about the undercurrents in the city. With the Chen Family being so domineering, something would happen sooner or later. For a Family like the Chen Family, the State Religion not taking action against it was just a temporary measure.

Yun Bai looked at Shen Qi, whose makeup was ruined by tears, and sighed slightly in his heart.

"Shen Qi, Shen Qi, it's all over. Congratulations on becoming an adult today. On the day of adulthood, you should be happy. If you go back like this, Aunt Yang will also feel heartache and worry when she sees you." Yun Bai comforted her softly.

Hearing Yun Bai's words, for some reason, Shen Qi suddenly felt her mood calm down a lot. A feeling of peace and comfort welled up in her heart.

"Thank you, Qianqian, thank you, Brother Yun." Shen Qi looked at the two people beside her who were concerned for her, and was moved in her heart.

"Since when did you become so good at comforting people!" Yun Qian cast an admiring look at Yun Bai. Yun Bai had actually managed to coax Shen Qi into a better mood with just two sentences.

"By the way, is that 'Silent Pill' from just now real? How come I've never heard of it?"

"Of course it's fake. In order to make that bastard shut up, I had to bluff him like that." Yun Bai said helplessly.

"Pfft—" Shen Qi couldn't help but laugh through her tears.

"Brother Yun is right. I will dress up nicely and make everyone happy." Shen Qi thought to herself, "Thank you, Brother Yun. Today is not only my 18th birthday, but also the day of my independence. I am not anyone's slave; I am just me."

That night, the four of them gathered together to celebrate Shen Qi's birthday. Yun Bai and Yun Qian also prepared small gifts for Aunt Yang, making Aunt Yang smile from ear to ear with happiness.

Aunt Yang thanked them repeatedly, grateful to fate for letting her meet the State Religion and the Yun Bai siblings, allowing her and her daughter to start a completely new life, without fear, without having to be servile.