Chapter 2361 Tears of a Man

In the courtyard.

A dim lantern swayed gently on the treetop, casting mottled light and shadows across the ground.

A hunched old man struggled to draw water from the well.

His frail frame was bony and gaunt, his disheveled hair hanging over tattered clothes. It was just a bucket of water, but it seemed to require every ounce of strength he had. His veined hands gripped the rope tightly, trembling under the strain, sweat dripping from his forehead as he pulled.

His hand slipped and the bucket plummeted back into the depths of the well with a loud splash. He staggered, nearly toppling over the edge.

Panic flashed in his cloudy eyes.

Hu— Hu—

With labored breaths, he steadied himself, preparing to try again. Just as he reached for the rope, an icy voice sounded, “I heard you’re being dishonest again. What trick is it this time? Suicide? Or hunger strike?”

The old man froze, and without turning his head round, he said in a hoarse voice, “What? Did you come here to laugh at me again?”

Chi Cangmei stood watching in the distance, her gaze as sharp and cold as a knife. “You’re just a useless thing without cultivation now, what’s there to laugh at? If you didn’t still hold some value, do you think...you would have lived this long?”

The old man said nothing and just gripped the rope, intent on fetching the water.

Chi Cangmei’s voice rang again, “You’re a clever man. I’m sure you’ve already noticed the spring water in this well has changed recently. It is now rich in aeth qi and if you keep drinking it, not only will it prolong your life, but it will also cleanse the murky qi in your precious daughter’s body. Who knows...it might even help her lay the foundation for cultivation.”

The old man’s hands trembled. Realization dawned on him and he asked, “What exactly do you want this time?”

Chi Cangmei’s expressions remained cold and indifferent. “Your daughter is already five years old. I plan to take her away and help purify her essence and cleanse her marrow, shed her mortal shell, and then teach her cultivation. Then she will have a chance to train in the Spirit Treasure Holy Land in the future.”

“You dare!” The old man whipped around, his face contorting with rage.

Chi Cangmei smiled. “Don’t worry, I won’t let your daughter know that Spirit Treasury Holy Land was the one that destroyed Stone Cauldron Alms and ruined her father’s future. She will live a good life...I assure you.”

The cruelest fate in the world was to mistake a thief for a father and an enemy for a master!

The old man stood there stunned, as if he was struck by lightning. His eyes were bloodshot, and he suddenly rushed into the house.

“Even if I die, I won’t let you take Linlang away!”

He roared like a madman.

Bang!

Chi Cangmei lashed out with a kick, sending him sprawling to the ground. She marched into the house and when she came back, she held a five or six-year-old girl in her arms. The child seemed to be deep in sleep.

Although her clothes were ragged, it was evident the child was a pretty and adorable girl with snow-white skin.

“Shi Linlang...well, from now on, her surname will be Chi.” Chi Cangmei said as she strode out of the courtyard.

The old man felt as if a blade had pierced his heart. Rolling and crawling across the ground, he howled, “Chi Cangmei, if you have a grudge, come at me! Come at me—!”

Chi Cangmei smiled. “Don’t worry, I already told you that you still have some value. Sooner or later, I’ll come to use you.”

As she spoke, she carried the young girl in her arms and strode toward the courtyard gate.

Behind her, the old man’s face twisted with fury and his bloodshot eyes brimmed with rage. He roared, “Chi Cangmei! One day, I will raze your Chi Clan to the ground!”

“Is that so?” Chi Cangmei sneered contemptuously, utterly unbothered by his threats.

However, when she pushed open the courtyard door, her steps halted and her expression stiffened.

A tall figure stood outside. She had no idea when or how they had arrived.

When her gaze fell on the figure, she was stunned for a moment. Then, her face changed drastically. An indistinctive sense of danger surged through her, and without hesitation, she clenched her fingers around the little girl's throat.

Then, she spoke in disbelief, “How...are you here?”

It had been almost fifty years since this person had vanished!

Over those decades, the lower world had undergone tremendous changes, which made her long conclude that this person would never return.

Now, he was standing before her!

The person standing outside the gate was of course Lin Xun.

Lin Xun’s eyes were cold and indifferent as he spoke, “If I hadn’t returned, I wouldn’t have known that the Chi Clan, who begged for my mercy like dogs back then, has now become a rabid beast, sinking to such despicable means.”

Chi Cangmei’s face flashed with fury, but she quickly uttered coldly, “Lin Xun, this lower world has changed long ago. You may have been unrivalled in the past, but now, who do you think in this world still cares about you?”

She paused, as if regaining her confidence, and added, “I suggest you think carefully. My Chi Clan is now the most valued force of Spirit Treasure Holy Land. If you offend us, you will bring great disaster upon yourself!”

Lin Xun glanced at her and said, “I thought that after I spared your Chi Clan, even if you failed to turn over a new leaf, you would at least have the sense to know what should and should not be done. Unfortunately, you have disappointed me.”

He stepped forward.

“What are you doing?! I will strangle this girl to death if you take another step. She is the daughter of your good brother, Shi Yu!”

Chi Cangmei’s fingers tightened around the child’s throat, as if she would ruthlessly crush the girl’s neck without hesitation if Lin Xun took another step.

Lin Xun simply extended his hand.

A wave of invisible force surged forward. Chi Cangmei’s body froze in place. Her face drained of color as she realized that she couldn’t even lift a finger.

Then, the little girl in her arms floated and landed steadily in Lin Xun’s embrace.

“Linlang...such a beautiful name, how could it bear the surname Chi...” Lin Xun sighed.

“Lin Xun, do you still not understand? The Forbidden City is no longer a place where you can act as you please!” Chi Cangmei screeched, struggling to calm down.

PA!

An invisible slap landed on her beautiful, icy face. Her body spun violently before crashing to the ground with a thud. Her cheeks swelled and blood trickled from her lips.

Her hair became disheveled and she let out a piercing scream as she attempted to rise to her feet, but her limbs wouldn’t respond. Terror gripped her heart. She felt as though she had fallen into an ice cave.

It should be noted that she was now a Big Saint!

Yet before Lin Xun, she was as powerless and insignificant as an ant, trampled at will!

Lin Xun ignored her shrieks and strode toward the frail old man with a filthy and unkempt beard and hair.

The old man sat paralyzed on the ground, his body trembling as if he had suffered the greatest shock of his life. Between sobs, he murmured painfully, “Linlang...Linlang... Father is sorry...I am so sorry...”

He wept like a madman, his face streaked with dust and tears, completely unaware that Lin Xun was now standing before him.

Seeing him in this state, Lin Xun felt a sharp pain stab through his chest.

Was this really the elegant and graceful Third Young Master of Stone Cauldron Alms from back then?

Was this the Shi Yu who used to laugh and chat so freely, full of confidence and ambition?

What kind of torture had he endured all these years to end up like this?

A tightness gripped Lin Xun’s chest. Taking a deep breath, he spoke softly, “Brother Shi, I, Lin Xun... am back...”

His voice carried the power of the dao, like a ray of light piercing through darkness. Just one sentence, and the turmoil, despair, fury, and madness in Shi Yu’s heart began to melt away.

He lifted his head with difficulty, staring blankly at the familiar figure standing before him, as if he couldn’t believe it.

After a long moment.

He suddenly threw himself forward, clinging to Lin Xun’s legs. And he burst into tears.

His cries were gut-wrenching!

Just like the sobs of a prisoner who had long lost hope, but at last, found a thread of hope to hold onto. At this moment he released the years of suffering, pain and helplessness.

Lin Xun felt a lump in his throat.

Men only weep when deeply grieved.

Lin Xun could not have imagined that fifty years later, the once handsome and dignified Shi Yu would be reduced to a state worse than a beggar!

“Lin Xun, it’s you...it really is you...”

After a long time, Shi Yu’s emotions finally settled. His lips trembled and a genuine smile curved his lips. His dim eyes sparkled with joy.

Especially when he saw the young girl in Lin Xun’s arms. He exclaimed, “Hahaha, Linlang is here too! Linlang is here too!”

“She’s here, and she will always be.”

Lin Xun spoke in a gentle voice, pulling Shi Yu up from the ground and dusting the dirt from his tattered robes. “As for you, it doesn’t matter if your cultivation is crippled. I will help you rebuild your path. And I will personally repay every ounce of pain and suffering you’ve endured all these years!”

His voice was gentle, yet carried the power of the great dao, seeping into Shi Yu’s mind and soothing the scars of his devastated spirit.

Soon, the clarity in Shi Yu’s eyes returned and his state of mind was fully restored.

He suddenly hugged Lin Xun tightly and laughed, “It doesn’t matter anymore. Now that you’re back, even if I die, my daughter Linlang will never be alone!”

Those words pierced Lin Xun’s heart like a knife again. He patted Shi Yu’s back firmly. “Don’t worry, Linlang will always be with you.”

“How absurd! If the powerful forces in the Forbidden City and the Ancient Wasteland Domain find out that you, Lin Xun, are still alive, can you imagine what the consequences would be?”

In the distance, Chi Cangmei, who was still imprisoned on the ground, let out a cold sneer, “If you listen to my advice and release me now, I can personally ensure that you, Shi Yu and his daughter leave here safely. But if you kill me, you are doomed!”

Shi Yu’s expression darkened and he was about to speak but Lin Xun interrupted, “Go wash up first, change into clean clothes, and take the pills in this bottle. As for her...she can’t escape.”

He spoke casually, but the weight behind those words sent a chill through Chi Cangmei. Her hands and feet turned ice-cold, her hair stood on end, and her mind almost collapsed.

Lin Xun ignored her completely and handed Shi Yu a set of clothes and a bottle of pills. His voice softened as he reminded him, “Your cultivation has been crippled and your body has accumulated severe internal damage and ailments over the years. Dissolve these pills in water but don’t take them all at once. Once your body recovers and your condition stabilizes, I will personally help you rebuild your cultivation foundation...”

Shi Yu’s emotions churned and an indescribable warmth spread through his chest, causing his eyes to mist over once again.