Chapter 118: Sweeping Aside All Resistance (I)

The bright moon hung high in the sky, and its silvery light spilled gently across the earth. The night carried a lingering chill, like an early spring evening. The night market was desolate, with few people on the streets.

Following the attendant, Lin Zheyu entered a restaurant, where an elderly man in his sixties and a young man sat together, smiling as they looked his way. At a glance, Lin Zheyu discerned the old man's strength; he was a martial artist at the first transformation of blood qi.

"You're here. Sit," said the old man with a smile, as if he were not the one who had threatened Lin Zheyu earlier.

Lin Zheyu took a seat across from him without ceremony.

"I wonder why you have invited me here," said Lin Zheyu calmly.

Could it be that the matter of Xing Jinglong and his two sons had been exposed? Impossible.

He had handled everything cleanly when he acted, leaving no trace behind. His apparent strength was only at the Bone Forging Realm, so the Xing Family should have no way of tracing it back to him.

"

Hehe

. I've heard that Leader Xu has recruited an extraordinary talent. My curiosity got the better of me, so I wanted to see just how remarkable this talent truly is. Now that I've seen you, you are indeed quite extraordinary," said the old man, chuckling.

At his signal, the attendant nearby poured Lin Zheyu a cup of wine.

"It's nothing more than a stroke of fortune, and hardly worth calling talent. If that is the only reason you have called me here, then I shall take my leave. And one more thing: Harm should not extend to friends and family. You should not threaten others by targeting their loved ones. After all, you're not alone in this world either, are you?" said Lin Zheyu while meeting the old man's gaze directly.

This old man had used Wu Yinghe and Jia Yanyong to threaten him, which made Lin Zheyu deeply disgusted.

"You're right, young friend. I was merely afraid you wouldn't come, so I resorted to some petty means, but they're nothing worth mentioning. The reason I invited you here was to ask you something. Do you know Xing Zhiyuan and his sons? Their deaths... They have something to do with you, don't they?" said the old man with absolute certainty as he fixed his eyes on Lin Zheyu.

A faint smile lingered on his face, as if it were not members of the Xing family who had died. Of Xing Zhiyuan and his two sons, only Xing Jing'an was worth his attention. The other two[1] were merely collateral relatives with poor talent, and even in death, they were hardly worth his concern.

"I don't know them. You must have the wrong person."

Lin Zheyu shook his head, his expression completely unchanged. He had left no evidence when he acted, so he truly had nothing to fear. At most, they might suspect that he knew something.

Seeing no change in Lin Zheyu's expression, the old man chuckled as he said, "Is that so? Then I'll have them investigate again. Anyhow, I've heard you have quite the talent. Would you be interested in working for my Xing Family? Whatever Xu Jingwu can offer you, we can match that, and what they cannot offer, we still can.

"Well?" asked the old man, looking at Lin Zheyu.

"Not interested. And even if I did agree, you wouldn't truly trust me. I have no intention of swallowing one of your control pills," replied Lin Zheyu, shaking his head.

Xing Jinglong had once tried to recruit him as well, but since he would have been poached from a rival side, there was always the concern of spies and no foundation of mutual trust. As a condition, Lin Zheyu had been required to swallow a pill given by Xing Jinglong. It was obvious what it was: a poison designed to control subordinates.

Great powers often used such methods to keep untrusted subordinates under control. Lin Zheyu had seen many such poisons recorded in the Toxicology Codex. However, as long as one found the antidote, they were easy enough to neutralize.

"The pill is merely a temporary measure. Once you've made enough contributions to the Xing Family and earned our trust, it can be undone. The rebel armies are approaching, and the nation is falling apart. In a few months, Songyi City will fall as well. Following the Xu Family will lead you nowhere," said the old man in an even tone.

If war reached Songyi City, the Xu Family's best option would be to relocate entirely to another city. But that was easier said than done. The power structures of most cities were already set in stone. After relocating, it would be nearly impossible for the Xu Family to reach their current level again.

"And following you will lead somewhere?" asked Lin Zheyu in return.

"As long as you join the Xing Family, I can help you raise your strength to the Blood Qi Realm in a short time, giving you a measure of security in this chaotic age! In fact, if your talent is outstanding enough, reaching the second or even third transformation of blood qi isn't out of the question," said the old man calmly, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"That's a cool story, but I'm not interested. My experience may be limited, but I understand one thing well: there are no shortcuts in martial cultivation. I wish only to advance step by step, steadily and surely. I have no intention of joining the Xing Family. Please do not disturb me again, nor threaten my friends. When it comes to friends and family, the Xing family has far more than I do," said Lin Zheyu flatly, then turned and left without another word.

He no longer had much reason to fear the Xing family. With his strength at the second transformation of blood qi, combined with his mastery of the Golden Goose Technique, even martial artists at the third or fourth transformation of blood qi might not be able to catch him.

After Lin Zheyu left, the young man beside the old man snorted coldly. "

Hmph

. This man truly doesn't know his place, daring to threaten the Xing Family instead."

"What a pity. I hadn't wanted to resort to such crude methods," said the old man, shaking his head.

If possible, he would have preferred not to use drugs to destroy Lin Zheyu's mind and turn him into a mindless deathsworn. He had heard that Lin Zheyu had comprehended momentum within just half a year of training, a testament to his astonishing comprehension. If his mind were damaged, that comprehension would become worthless.

It was a pity Lin Zheyu refused to join the Xing Family. If someone was forced into the Blood Qi Realm unwillingly, even poison would not keep them under control; it would only lead to backlash. Poison could only restrain those who feared death.

"Grandfather, should I send someone to capture his friends and then...?" the young man suggested.

"No need. Those people are insignificant," said the old man calmly.

***

Lin Zheyu's expression turned cold after leaving the restaurant. The Xing Family was growing ever more brazen.

I'll find a chance to get rid of that old bastard!

Ruthlessness surged in Lin Zheyu's heart. He hated being threatened or having someone's attention fixed on him. With his strength at the second transformation of blood qi and the Tortoise Breath Grand Method's aura-concealing abilities, killing a few people would not be difficult. Only when enough people were dead and the Xing Family thrown into chaos would they stop fixating on him.

"

Hu... Hu... Hu...

"

Just as he stepped out of the restaurant, Lin Zheyu saw Xu Qinyi rushing toward him, panting heavily. Beside him was a middle-aged man with a powerful aura, one that had reached the gauze stage of the Blood Qi Realm.

"Thank goodness you're fine. That old man didn't do anything to you, did he?" asked Xu Qinyi.

When Lin Zheyu followed the attendant out, he had someone from the Feihong Gang inform Leader Xu along the way. He had been worried the Xing Family might completely tear off their mask and make a move against him in the city.

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"I'm fine. That old man threatened me with my friends and tried to force me into joining the Xing Family to serve them," said Lin Zheyu, shaking his head.

"The Xing family is becoming utterly lawless!" said Xu Qinyi grimly.

The middle-aged man beside him also looked displeased. He looked up toward the second floor of the restaurant, where the Xing Family elder poked his head out the window, smiling down at them. The young man beside the elder even waved at Lin Zheyu, his face twisted into a cold sneer.

"Come on, then. Let's head back first," said Xu Qinyi.

The three of them left the restaurant and went to Funing Garden. Once the middle-aged man confirmed Lin Zheyu was unharmed, he departed, leaving only Lin Zheyu and Xu Qinyi.

"Didn't you say the Xing Family wouldn't dare act rashly inside Songyi City?" asked Lin Zheyu.

"The situation isn't looking good. I suspect that the City Lord is no longer in the city. Songyi City is about to fall into chaos!" said Xu Qinyi with a frown.

Although people like Lin Zheyu hadn't felt much change, the major families of Songyi City had been stirring beneath the surface these past few days, with many casualties already. Outside the city, several factions had clashed repeatedly over territories, though things had not yet escalated into open war.

"What do you mean?" asked Lin Zheyu in confusion.

The City Lord could be said to be the linchpin maintaining Songyi City's current stability. As the most powerful family in Songyi City, the Xing Family controlled a third of the city guard. Without the City Lord keeping them in check, the city would have long since fallen under their sole domination.

"The war at the front is disastrous; it's worse than anyone expected. Even though many troops have been dispatched over the past two months, they still can't halt the rebel army's advance. The latest report arrived yesterday. It's said that the rebel army has already reached the outskirts of Baohe City, and it takes time for information to travel back and forth. Baohe City might already have fallen by now," said Xu Qinyi grimly.

When they had received the latest report yesterday, it had shocked them as it had all happened far too quickly.

1. Referring to Xing Zhiyuan and his other son. ☜