Chapter 22: I Am No Horse-Herder, Priest!

Lin Chen was clearly startled by the sudden scream. Instinctively gripping his bamboo staff, he asked warily, "A ghost? Where is the ghost?"

Hearing this, Hu Mei'er retorted with annoyance, "Right here! What? Does the young master intend to kill me?"

Lin Chen finally understood; the "ghost" Xiao Yunyao spoke of was none other than Hu Mei'er.

He took a long, deep breath to steady himself and said, "Miss Xiao, do not be afraid. She is your savior. If it weren't for her, you would likely be a corpse by now."

Hu Mei'er had anticipated this reaction, so she had simply placed a restraining spell on her; otherwise, the girl would likely have aggravated her injuries.

"That's enough. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. Just rest and recover," Hu Mei'er said as she approached to apply a medicinal balm to her scars.

After a brief internal struggle, Xiao Yunyao replied gratefully, "Thank you, I've troubled you."

Several days passed, with Hu Mei'er applying various precious medicinal salves to Xiao Yunyao daily. Many of these remedies were ones Lin Chen had never even heard of, which made him realize once again just how extraordinary Hu Mei'er was.

Xiao Yunyao gradually recovered, but just as everyone was rejoicing, grim news arrived. Outside the courtyard, the heavy snow continued to fall without any sign of abating.

It turned out that the men in black from a few days ago were not actually looking for Xiao Yunyao, but for the widow from the Li family. Today, the widow and her son had been dragged away from Qinghe Town by a group of men in black.

Hearing this, Lin Chen did not hesitate. He mounted his old donkey and gave chase. The Li family widow was one of the few neighbors Lin Chen had in Qinghe Town, and their families had gotten along well. If he didn't save them now, his cultivation would have no meaning.

Outside Qinghe Town, amidst the vast expanse of snow, a group of eight men were escorting the widow and her son. Seeing someone approaching on a donkey, they warily reached for their weapons. As Lin Chen drew closer, the men looked at the blind man with mixed expressions.

"Cough—scared the hell out of me. It's just a blind man. Ignore him and keep moving," the leader of the men in black said with a look of disdain.

Lin Chen leaped from his donkey and charged toward the widow and her son. One of the men in black reacted, calling out in panic, "Watch out, this blind man is trouble!"

Before he could finish, the man standing next to the widow hurriedly blocked Lin Chen's powerful strike.

*Clang!*

A harsh clashing sound echoed as Lin Chen swung his bamboo staff in a direct, lethal strike.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!*

The man in black flew backward, the wind whistling past his ears. He spun his broadsword into a windmill-like defense to deflect the fierce attack.

*Snap!*

As his weapon shattered, the man's eyes filled with shock, fear, and disbelief.

*BOOM!*

With a thunderous crash, the man flew backward, slamming into the snow and sending a flurry of white flakes into the air.

*Pfft!*

The man vomited blood and collapsed, unconscious and beyond help. He hit the ground, his blood staining the snow red and melting the flakes where it touched.

Lin Chen warned the widow and her son, "Quickly, ride the donkey and get back!"

The widow didn't hesitate; she pulled her son along and started running back.

The leader of the men in black sneered, "Run? Do you think that's possible? Listen here, you blind fool, I advise you not to meddle in affairs that don't concern you."

Lin Chen replied coldly, "I think I'll give it a try."

In the blink of an eye, he attacked the man attempting to block his path. Within a single breath, Lin Chen was in front of the man, his bamboo staff piercing straight through the man's chest.

*Squelch!*

Another man fell to the ground. Now, the remaining six were wary of Lin Chen. They stopped making threats and lowered their tone, saying, "Young hero, everything is negotiable. We only ask that you spare my brothers."

But Lin Chen seemed not to hear. With a sudden, forceful step, he struck down another man.

Lin Chen’s silence was so absolute that, had they not heard him speak earlier, the men would have assumed he was blind, deaf, and mute.

Seeing that Lin Chen was immovable, the leader cursed, "Damn it! All of you, kill this blind man together! Forget about the woman for now!"

At his command, the five men formed a circle, surrounding Lin Chen and charging with their weapons drawn.

Lin Chen leaped, avoiding the mob, and wielded his bamboo staff as if it were a sword. As he unleashed the "Breezy Sword Technique," the surrounding air seemed to freeze. Countless sword shadows flew from above his head, accompanied by the sound of tearing through the air, leaving no survivors in their path.

In an instant, screams filled the air beneath the falling snow, and the white ground was dyed a deep, crimson red.

Seeing that they were all dead, Lin Chen rummaged through their belongings for spoils of war. He was short on money, and these men carried a fair amount of silver. Surprisingly, their "merit coins" were pitifully few, proving they had little in the way of cultivation resources. This was one reason they had been so easy to handle, and Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

He muttered coldly, "I am no caretaker of horses; if there is trouble, it must be resolved once and for all."

He knew that if he let them go, they would likely return with reinforcements. It was better to finish them off now so that the news of this encounter would end here.

However, this forced Lin Chen to reconsider his situation. He now had two "ticking time bombs" with him, and enemies could strike at any moment. To solve the problem, he had to go to the source. He needed to understand the full scope of the consequences. Xiao Yunyao's predicament involved a prince, which was currently beyond his ability to handle. The widow’s debt, however, might be a different matter.

Thinking, he acted. Lin Chen went back home and called the widow to ask for details.

The widow knelt, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Little Chen. If it weren't for you, I don't dare imagine what would have happened to us."

Lin Chen helped her up and asked, "Don't mention it. I just want to know who your creditor is and where he lives."

The widow pondered for a moment and said, "He is the son of the Mo family in Jinxiu City, Mo Qinghai."

"Understood. You may go back now," Lin Chen said calmly.

He knew that anyone capable of running a usury business in Jinxiu City—the Imperial Capital—must have significant backing. To commit such atrocities under the very nose of the Emperor and remain unscathed required powerful connections.

Lin Chen whispered to himself, "It seems I must make a trip to Jinxiu City to scout the situation before making further plans."

At Peach Blossom Temple...

Inside the main hall, Su Xiangling stood before Liu Ruohan, her face pale. She stammered, "Master, I... I..."

"What is it? Why are you stuttering? What kind of behavior is that?" Liu Ruohan said coldly.