Chapter 69: Chapter 68: Terrifyingly Strong

Meanwhile, let’s turn our attention to Lin Gaoyuan of the prominent Lin family in Fenglin County.

Having failed to persuade Wu Chen to help, he had no choice but to return home in defeat.

In the rear courtyard of the grand Lin Mansion, the enormous carcass of a Bear lay on display.

The beast had been dead for several days, yet standing beside its mountain-like frame, one could still feel a fierce aura wash over them, sending a shiver down their spine.

BUBBLE BUBBLE!

The firewood in the courtyard’s furnace burned brightly, and the fresh water in the large iron pot on the stove was nearly boiling.

Several bare-chested men stood by, boning knives in hand, waiting for the water to come to a full boil before they would dehair the Bear and butcher it.

Every part of this creature was a treasure. Even without its internal organs, its hide, flesh, sinews, and bones were rare medicinal ingredients worth a great deal of silver.

Besides that, the Lin family’s caravan had paraded the Bear’s corpse through the city, causing a huge sensation. The value of that fame was far beyond what silver could measure!

But as Lin Gaoyuan looked at the giant beast that had brought him such renown, he felt no joy. Instead, his worries only deepened.

"Eldest Young Master Lin, you were too hasty just now."

At this point, Sun Cang could only sigh helplessly. "Patience is a virtue."

"The man just arrived in Fenglin County. He’s exhausted from his journey and hasn’t even had a chance to settle in, yet you show up on his doorstep asking for a favor."

"Forget about this young master—anyone else in his shoes would have been lucky not to lose their temper with you. How could you expect him to agree?"

"Besides, would someone of his caliber be short on food and drink? Do you really think he’d care about your few hundred silver?"

"Uncle Sun, I know. I was just too desperate. Besides, that was all the money I could scrape together on such short notice..."

In response to Sun Cang’s words, Lin Gaoyuan let out a long sigh, knowing he had acted improperly.

But if that matter wasn’t resolved, the Lin family would begin to decline in less than a month, eventually being devoured by the other major families in the city.

The details of this situation were not known to outsiders.

Lin Gaoyuan stared blankly at the massive Bear corpse before him, his mind replaying the caravan members’ description of the man they had met on the road and the scene of him slaying the beast:

"One kick to send it flying, ten punches to beat it to death!"

"The beast was completely powerless to fight back..."

Lin Gaoyuan couldn’t even imagine such a scene. Just from the description, he knew this was a level of mastery he could never hope to achieve in his lifetime.

’This man must be in the Jade Bone Realm! If he were to help, my family’s problem probably wouldn’t be difficult at all...’

Lin Gaoyuan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and thought back on his earlier actions.

Three hundred silver and a meal. To think he had tried to hire a Jade Bone Realm Martial Artist with just that...

The fact that the Jade Bone Realm Martial Artist hadn’t lost his temper on the spot was a testament to his good nature.

The atmosphere in the courtyard fell silent for a moment, with only the sputtering and crackling of the boiling water echoing endlessly.

Just as dusk began to fall, a figure ran briskly into the courtyard, calling out in a clear voice:

"Cousin, I heard our caravan hunted down a fierce beast on their way back! Where is it?"

"Whoa, it’s huge!"

The figure stood before the cutting board and gasped, staring at the ferocious-looking corpse of the Bear.

Lin Gaoyuan, who had been covering his face with his hands in misery, heard the voice and knew it was his distant relative who had fled the famine in Qingzhou.

According to their generational standing, it was correct to call her cousin.

"Cousin, our caravan didn’t hunt this. Someone passing by killed it and just let us have it to sell."

Since she was family, Lin Gaoyuan didn’t hide the truth. After all, it really wasn’t their caravan’s kill.

Even if they took credit for it, the truth would eventually come out. When it did, they would inevitably become a laughingstock for the other families in the city.

It was better to be open about it. That way, people would know the Lin Mansion had a guest capable of slaying fierce beasts, which might make the other city families more wary and less inclined to seize their farmlands.

"Not ours?"

The newcomer was none other than Liu Wei, the daughter of Liu Linshan, whom Wu Chen had escorted south.

She circled the Bear a few times, her eyes showing no fear as she looked at the beast.

She had seen plenty of bared-fang Demon Corpses on her journey; by comparison, this Bear actually looked a bit simple and honest.

"If it wasn’t one of our people, then who was it?"

She looked at Sun Cang with curiosity, knowing he was the leader of this caravan and the one who had brought the Bear’s carcass back.

Sun Cang shook his head. "He didn’t say, and we didn’t dare rashly ask for the name of such a powerful figure."

"I see."

Liu Wei nodded. Although she didn’t get a name, something occurred to her, and she couldn’t help but ask another curious question:

"Uncle Sun, I heard you went to Black Stone City to purchase medicinal supplies this time?"

"Yes."

Sun Cang nodded and said, "I was lucky. I met this young man on the way back. Otherwise, who knows how long we would have been delayed, not to mention we might not have even made it back to Fenglin County alive."

The memory of the caravan facing the bear still made his heart pound with fear.

"Black Stone City! A young man!"

Liu Wei murmured to herself for a moment, her eyes growing brighter and brighter as a figure in her mind became increasingly clear.

That description could only make her think of one person.

Seeing her muttering to herself with a furrowed brow, Sun Cang asked in confusion:

"What is it? Do you know someone in Black Stone City?"

Hearing this, Liu Wei first nodded, then quickly shook her head.

She knew that man was a heaven-sent prodigy. She couldn’t even be considered a fleeting passerby in his life, so how could she dare claim to ’know’ him?

Seeing Liu Wei shake her head, the mood in the courtyard grew somber once more.

Liu Wei, of course, didn’t know the full situation at the mansion, but she could still sense that something was wrong.

She looked at Lin Gaoyuan and asked, "Cousin, has something happened to the family?"

"There’s a problem with the family business."

There were no outsiders present, so Lin Gaoyuan didn’t hide it. "I had hoped to ask the Martial Artist who killed the Bear for his help, but unfortunately, my offer was too meager, and he refused."

Liu Wei nodded. Now she understood why the atmosphere in the mansion was so gloomy, even though they had a Bear that could earn them a lot of silver, even if it was just on consignment from someone else.

But then she thought of Black Stone City, the fact that he was a young man, and the glance that had swept past her when he was distributing congee outside the city.

She felt she had to do something to help the Lin family, but she also couldn’t let that person be taken advantage of.

Hoping against hope, she asked:

"Uncle Sun, this person who killed the beast and returned with you... on the journey, did he ever watch your Martial Arts and then give you pointers on them?"

This was the only thing she really knew about Wu Chen. If the details didn’t match, it would mean the one who killed the Bear wasn’t Wu Chen, but someone else entirely.

Sun Cang nodded. "The man’s martial skill is terrifyingly high. After watching our Martial Arts, he was able to casually give us pointers. His talent is frightening."

"And most importantly, whenever we followed his advice on how to strike, our blade techniques became at least thirty percent faster!"

"Wait a minute...! How do you know all this?!"

Sun Cang shot to his feet, his voice rising considerably as he stared intently at the young woman before him.

He had just returned not long ago—less than two hours had passed in total.

Everyone in the caravan was busy with their own tasks. Even if it were just gossip, it would take three to five days to spread.

But even if it were just gossip, the fact that their group had received guidance and improved their martial skills was something they certainly wouldn’t be broadcasting to the public.

Yet this Liu Wei knew this specific detail, as if she could predict the future!

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