Chapter 73: Chapter 72: Harsh Condemnation

Despite the Martial Arts being offered to him, Wu Chen’s eyes held no trace of joy.

He draped his arm over Lin Gaoyuan’s shoulder and asked with lowered eyes:

"Young Master Lin... how do you know my surname is Wu?"

Aside from the wanted posters, he had never told anyone in Fenglin County his name.

His dealings with the three martial arts schools had been brief as well.

The only possibility was Liu Linshan and his daughter.

’So, in such a short time, they’ve already done a thorough background check on everyone connected to me?’

"Young Master Wu! Let me explain!"

Wu Chen’s arm was draped around Lin Gaoyuan’s shoulder, yet it felt as if a mountain were crashing down upon him.

He struggled to breathe, his body’s Qi and Blood completely suppressed, leaving him with no strength to resist.

Hearing the cold indifference in Wu Chen’s voice, he explained in a panic:

"Liu Linshan is a distant relative of mine. He mentioned that the Lin family’s merchant caravan, bound for Black Stone City, was saved by you. He suspected that the person who saved them might be the same one who protected him as he fled the famine in the south."

"It was you, Young Master Wu!"

"He said you were devoted to Martial Arts, which is why I came bearing them!"

"I see." Wu Chen nodded, finally releasing his arm from Lin Gaoyuan’s shoulder.

The pressure on Lin Gaoyuan’s shoulder suddenly eased. He let out a long sigh of relief as the mountain-crushing presence disappeared and his Qi and Blood began to flow freely again.

Only then was he finally certain that his family’s caravan and his distant relative had indeed met the same person.

He also felt a surge of relief. ’It seems our family’s problem can finally be solved.’

"So, what is this matter you need help with?"

Wu Chen grew thoughtful. ’This fellow came to see me on my very first day in the city, and now he’s back again.’

’Whatever problem the Lin family is facing, it must be serious.’

"Young Master Wu, please take these Martial Arts techniques first."

Lin Gaoyuan had obviously learned from Liu Linshan that Wu Chen was a man of integrity, which was why he was presenting the Martial Arts with such a sincere expression before even stating his purpose.

After a moment’s hesitation, Wu Chen accepted them. He didn’t rush to examine them, instead looking at Lin Gaoyuan and saying:

"First, tell me what sort of trouble you’re in. If this is just some dispute between rich families that requires me to kill and burn, I can’t help you."

Wu Chen had no desire to get involved in such messy affairs. Besides, the local authorities likely had their own skilled practitioners.

Causing a huge commotion and getting on the authorities’ bad side—and possibly ending up with a bounty on his head—all for a few Martial Arts techniques was simply not worth the risk.

’It would be far safer and more convenient to just trade for techniques with the various schools and then leave Fenglin County as quickly as possible.’

"Of course I wouldn’t ask you to do such sordid things, Young Master Wu!"

Lin Gaoyuan waved his hands dismissively. The older generation had already fought those kinds of overt and covert battles. Now, with the turmoil in Qingzhou and an uncertain future, every family was focused solely on self-preservation. No one dared to waste their strength at a time like this.

He walked ahead and gestured for Wu Chen to follow.

"It’s getting late, and I imagine you haven’t eaten, Young Master Wu. I’ve prepared a banquet at a restaurant. Why don’t you join me? We can talk while we eat."

"..."

Lin Gaoyuan was extremely courteous, and seeing his earnest expression, Wu Chen did not refuse.

「Manxiang Building, Private Room」

From outside the door came the clear, pleasant music of string and bamboo instruments.

Inside, scantily clad serving girls swayed their hips, placing one exquisite side dish after another onto the table.

A fragrant breeze trailed in their wake, enough to stir a man’s soul.

Wu Chen threw a passing glance at their slender, curvaceous figures and the skin that was faintly visible under the lamplight.

’This must be condemned! Harshly!’

"Please, help yourself, Young Master Wu."

Nearly twenty dazzling dishes crowded the table, a clear sign of the banquet’s lavishness.

After the serving girls withdrew, Lin Gaoyuan rose to pour wine for Wu Chen.

Wu Chen didn’t stand on ceremony, immediately beginning to savor the vast array of delicacies.

The two men exchanged toasts, and as the wine warmed them, they fell into idle chit-chat. Once they had nearly finished eating, the atmosphere shifted.

Wu Chen knew it was time to get down to business. He circulated his Qi and Blood, and the haze of alcohol in his eyes instantly vanished.

He tapped on the table.

"Young Master Lin, it’s time to talk business."

At Wu Chen’s words, Lin Gaoyuan sat up straighter, the drunken haze in his own eyes vanishing as well.

He said cautiously:

"Young Master Wu, how about we have some tea first? The dessert here at Manxiang Building, the Peach Blossom Pastry, is exquisite. I’ve already ordered some."

"We can have the maids bring it up. You can enjoy it at your leisure, and I can explain everything then. There’s no rush."

The Eldest Young Master Lin was truly afraid he wouldn’t be able to secure the help of a powerhouse like Wu Chen. He leaned in and added in a low voice:

"Xiang is all cleaned up, too."

"..."

Wu Chen’s mouth twitched. Though he didn’t know who or what Xiang was, he shook his head.

"Stop stalling. Just tell me what’s happened to the Lin family."

Seeing the impatience in Wu Chen’s expression, Lin Gaoyuan dared not delay any longer and quickly began to recount the Lin family’s troubles in detail.

But just as he was about to speak, a clamor erupted from outside the room.

"Young Master Lin is in this room, right?"

"Sir, please! Young Master Lin gave orders that no one is to enter!"

"I’m not just ’anyone’! Get out of my way!"

The words had barely faded when the door was roughly shoved open and three figures strode inside.

In the lead was a grizzled, elderly man.

A well-crafted Copper Hammer hung at his waist. He glanced at the two men in the room, then sat down at the table with an air of entitlement and began helping himself to their food and wine, eating with great gusto.

Behind him stood two young men in their twenties, both with gray-brown iron hammers hanging from their waists.

By the looks of it, they were a master and his apprentices.

Lin Gaoyuan stared at the uninvited old man, fury blazing in his eyes.

Wu Chen watched the scene unfold with a pensive expression, neither intervening nor asking who the newcomers were.

The old man ate and drank with complete abandon. Once he had his fill, he wiped his mouth, leaned back in his chair, and said casually:

"Young Master Lin, why don’t you trust your own people? The moment a little trouble pops up, you start looking for outsiders?"

"It’s a complete waste of money!"

"I’ve served the Patriarch for decades. If you need something, all you have to do is say the word, right?"

As he spoke, he shot Wu Chen a sideways glance, unable to see anything special about the young man that would warrant a personal invitation from his own young master.

"Get out! You have no right to speak here!"

Seeing his old retainer barge in and speak so insolently, Lin Gaoyuan struggled to control his temper. He only refrained from throwing him out immediately out of consideration for his past contributions.

The old retainer made it sound like hiring an outsider was a waste of money, as if he himself would handle the matter for free.

In truth, as the Lin family’s power had waned, these retainers had gradually begun to act as if they were the masters.

It was a classic case of everyone kicking a man while he’s down.

This uninvited intrusion, for instance, was utterly infuriating.

"Hey, no need to get angry, Young Master Lin. Just leave this to me, and I’ll even give you a discount!"

The old man wiped his mouth, revealing his true intentions.

He was well aware that the Lin family’s businesses were in trouble; that’s why Lin Gaoyuan had been seeking out freelance martial artists.

But as long as the price was right, he didn’t mind dragging his old bones out to solve another problem for the Lin family.

"I’ll say it again. Please leave, Elder Wu!" Lin Gaoyuan shot to his feet, his patience clearly at its absolute limit.

If it weren’t for the old retainer’s distinguished service in his younger years, he would have long since expelled these insolent men who didn’t know their place from the Lin family.

Seeing Lin Gaoyuan’s rage, the retainer known as Elder Wu seemed completely unfazed, his gaze slowly drifting toward Wu Chen.

He chuckled.

"It seems the Young Master is still too young. You’ve never seen what I can do."

"In that case, I’ll just have to trouble myself to give you a little demonstration."

The moment he finished speaking, his five gaunt fingers shot up, forming a claw as he lunged for the young martial artist beside him.

SWOOSH!

The sound of the air whistling from that strike alone was enough to tell he was using his full strength. Even solid steel would be gouged by such a grab.

Lin Gaoyuan’s face drained of all color. It was bad enough that the old dog was disrespectful, but he had never imagined he would actually dare to attack his invited guest!

He was showing him, the Patriarch of the family, absolutely no respect!

Although he was aware of Wu Chen’s capabilities, he also knew this old retainer of his was no slouch.

Having wielded a pair of single-handed Copper Hammers, each weighing nearly a hundred pounds, for forty or fifty years, the Qi Power in his arms was terrifying.

Don’t be fooled by his age and frail appearance; in a real fight, he wouldn’t lose to a man in the prime of his life.

The old retainer was barely an arm’s length from Wu Chen, and his attack was completely unexpected.

Even though Lin Gaoyuan knew Wu Chen possessed the power of the Jade Bone Realm, he feared that being caught off-guard by such a strike would still result in several broken bones.

"You old dog! Stop!"

Lin Gaoyuan bellowed, but the old retainer paid him no mind.

In fact, hearing his shout only made the old man’s hand move even faster as it descended upon Wu Chen.

The strike was so swift and vicious that it was already too late for Lin Gaoyuan to intervene.

He could only watch helplessly as the claw, backed by savage power, struck Wu Chen.

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