The Tianjian Clan's market—
once filled with laughter, chatter, and the noise of daily life—was now completely silent.
It was the kind of silence that followed a storm, heavy and oppressive, as if everything had been swept away.
A massive crowd had gathered toward the center of the market.
At the heart of it, five people were seated on the ground, their backs pressed against one another in a crude circle.Their condition was miserable.
Iron chains bound their hands together, linking all five as one.
Their clothes were torn and stained with blood, their bodies covered in bruises and signs of a brutal struggle.
Three of them wore torn black hooded outfits, while the remaining two were dressed in green robes, unmistakably marking their origin.
They looked less like cultivators now
—and more like prisoners who had just survived a savage defeat.
Low murmurs rippled through the crowd, spreading like a quiet wave.
"What do you think Fang Lin is going to do to them now…?"
"Will he really kill them?"
"If I were him, I would've done the same. They attacked him directly.
If Fang Lin didn't have that protection, the one lying there right now would be Fang Lin."
"But… two of them only insulted him. And they're from the Lin family too."
"So what if they're from the Lin family? That family won't last much longer anyway."
The whispers grew heavier, filled with fear, curiosity, and an unspoken realization—
Wei Shun bowed deeply before Fang Lin, his posture flawless as he spoke,
"Young Master Fang Lin… I've done exactly as you instructed. If there is anything else you require, please give the order."
Fang Lin looked at him quietly, his expression calm and unreadable.
This servant is far too loyal… completely different from the previous one, Ling'er, he thought.
Reaching out, Fang Lin gently lifted Wei Shun's bowed posture and said,
"There's no need to be this formal. You're older than me anyway."
Then his gaze shifted toward Tian Xueya.
"Tian Xueya… thank you very much for your help. If you hadn't had that token with you, things would have become far more troublesome for me."
Tian Xueya replied with a faint smile—so practiced that no one could tell whether it was sincere or fake, as if such expressions were part of her daily routine.
"There's no need to thank me… we're good friends now, aren't we?"
Yet inside her mind, her thoughts were completely different.
This Fang Lin completely robbed me in broad daylight.
I never expected him to be smart enough to directly use the Patriarch's token for his own benefit.
Fang Lin returned her smile, his expression just as warm and natural.
"Yes, you're right… we're good friends now—very close ones. If you ever need anything in the future, just tell me. At that time, I'll give it my all."
But his thoughts moved in a completely different direction.
This girl is unusual.
Possessing the Patriarch's token… and yet deliberately closing the distance with me so openly.
Something about this feels wrong.
He suppressed the doubt and calmly pushed the thought aside.
Forget it.
As long as I can benefit from this, I should use everything I've got.
Opportunities like this don't come often—having a token that lets you buy anything, a token before which no one dares to stand in your way.
Power like this… shouldn't be wasted.
Mu Chen stepped forward, coughing lightly as he came to a halt beside Wei Shun. There was a probing look in his eyes, as if he were carefully weighing this unfamiliar figure.
Wei Shun immediately straightened himself. Taking a small step back, he bent his knees slightly and lowered his head in respect.
"It seems you are a close friend of Young Master Fang Lin,"
he said calmly, without the slightest hint of nervousness.
"Did I fail to carry out my duty properly? If there is any shortcoming, please inform me. I will correct it immediately and do better."
There was no excuse in his voice—only responsibility.
Mu Chen paused for a moment, a trace of hesitation crossing his face. He quickly waved his hand.
"No, no… you did very well,"
he said honestly.
"Perfect, in fact."
Then his gaze lingered on Wei Shun—his attire, his posture, and the quiet confidence that was clearly not something an ordinary servant possessed.
"I was just curious," Mu Chen continued softly.
"I don't recall seeing you before. Are you new here? And…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…you don't seem like someone from this place."
Wei Shun replied politely, his expression calm and unhurried.
"Yes… I am new here," he said.
"And you are correct—I am not originally from this clan."
His gaze lowered slightly, not out of fear, but courtesy.
"I used to live near the Deep Forest," Wei Shun continued evenly,
"in a small hut, together with my family."
There was no pride in his voice, nor shame—only a quiet statement of fact.
Mu Chen's brows twitched almost imperceptibly.
Living near the Deep Forest was no trivial matter. Anyone who could survive there was either extremely lucky… or far more capable than they appeared.
Wei Shun hesitated for a brief moment, then continued, his voice still respectful, yet carrying a faint heaviness.
"It was very difficult for me to obtain this servant position," he said quietly.
"I went to other clans on the opposite side of Tai Mu Mountain as well. I even approached several families, asking to serve—but none of them accepted me."
His fingers clenched subtly at his side.
"Over time, my family's situation grew worse. My father abandoned us. Now, only my mother, my younger sister, and I remain together."
He paused, then spoke again, slower this time.
"My mother is ill… and my sister is of marriageable age. Expenses continue to rise, yet there was no path left for me."
Wei Shun lowered his head.
"When no one would take me in, I began blaming myself. I thought it was because of my appearance—that it wasn't good enough, that was why no one accepted me."
His voice did not crack, but the pain behind it was unmistakable.
"Then I heard about the Fang Family. I came here as well. After many attempts… after much persistence… I was finally accepted."
He straightened his back slightly and spoke with quiet resolve.
"That is why I do not wish to make any mistake—any mistake at all—that could cause me to be expelled again."
The moment those words fell, Mu Chen's eyes slowly reddened. He turned his face slightly aside, as if unwilling to let others see the moisture gathering there.
Fang Lin, however, merely watched Wei Shun in silence.
His expression remained cold and unreadable.
Mu Chen then turned his gaze toward the bound men lying on the ground. His expression grew serious as his eyes swept over their miserable state.
He spoke calmly, yet with a faint heaviness in his tone,
"Fang Lin… what do you plan to do with them?"
Fang Lin looked toward them, his gaze cold and unreadable.
"First," he said slowly,
"I want to know who they really are."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Only after that… will I decide what to do with them."
Fang Lin walked toward the bound figures and spoke calmly, his voice carrying unquestionable authority.
"Oh, servant," he said indifferently,
"remove their hoods."
Wei Shun moved without hesitation. He stepped forward quickly and, one by one, tore off the hoods covering their faces.
The first revealed blond hair, messy and dust-covered.
The second had dark green-tinted hair, his face pale and stiff.
The third revealed jet-black hair, his eyes filled with suppressed fear.
The moment their faces were exposed, Mu Chen froze.
His pupils shrank, his breath catching in his throat.
"…This is—" he muttered, unable to finish the sentence.
At the same time, a wave of shock swept through the entire market.
Whispers exploded like wildfire.
"Isn't that—?"
"How can it be them?"
"They're from that family!"
The crowd stirred violently, expressions shifting from curiosity to disbelief, then to fear. Even those who had been injured moments ago struggled to lift their heads just to confirm what they were seeing.
The identities of the attackers had shaken the market far more than the explosion itself.
Fang Lin noticed Mu Chen's pale expression and asked calmly,
"Do you know these people?"
Mu Chen looked at him in disbelief.
"…You really don't recognize them?"
Fang Lin frowned slightly, impatience flashing through his eyes.
"No. I don't remember. Just tell me quickly—this isn't the time for riddles."
Inner thought:
How would I recognize them anyway? If Lingyi were here, he'd probably know instantly…
Mu Chen raised his hand and pointed toward the blond-haired youth, his voice heavy and tense.
"This one… he's your cousin, Fang Qing—the son of the Fang family head."
His finger shifted to the youth with green hair.
"And this is Yan Ruochen, the Yan family head's son."
Finally, he indicated the third young man.
"He's Liang Yun, the son of the Lin family head. The other two—Lin Yichen and Lin Qingyu—usually stay by his side."
The moment those names were spoken, the entire market fell into a strange, suffocating silence.
Fang Lin's gaze slowly swept across their faces again. There was no shock, no panic—only a faint, cold clarity settling in his eyes.
"So that's how it is…" he murmured.
Around them, the whispers exploded like wildfire.
"C-cousin of Fang Lin?"
"The Fang family head's son was defeated?"
"Yan family… Lin family… all at once?"
Mu Chen swallowed hard and glanced at Fang Lin, unable to read his expression.
Anyone else would have been shaken to the core by this revelation.
But Fang Lin only smiled faintly—
a calm, dangerous smile that made the restrained youths feel a chill crawl up their spines.
When Wei Shun heard that one of them was from the Fang family, his mouth fell open slightly. He murmured under his breath, shock clear in his eyes,
"W-what…? Fang Qing? The Fang family head's son… did he really try to kill someone from his own family?"
His gaze drifted back to Fang Qing, who was bound and kneeling on the ground.
Wei Shun's eyes narrowed as realization slowly dawned on him.
"It seems… his anger toward Fang Lin was far too deep. That's why he took such an extreme step."
A chain of thoughts rapidly formed in his mind.
"So this means… the one who obtained A-grade aptitude in the Tianjian Clan—there's no one else but Fang Lin. The same Fang Lin who was once considered useless, yet suddenly began to obtain everything."
His lips twitched.
"No wonder they couldn't endure it."
Jealousy. Fear. Threat.
"That sudden rise… it must have driven them mad, forcing them to take this risk."
Wei Shun clenched his fists lightly.
"I even came here thinking of becoming Fang Qing's personal servant. I truly believed the A-grade aptitude would belong to him."
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"But I was wrong."
His eyes shifted toward Fang Lin—standing calmly amid the chaos, the center of everyone's attention.
"From now on… I must do everything I can to stay close to Fang Lin."
A faint smile slowly spread across Wei Shun's lips.
"Because this young master… is the real future of the Fang family."
Fang Lin looked at all of them one by one, his gaze calm yet piercing.
"So… all of you belong to great families, and on top of that, you're all sons of your respective family heads," he said slowly.
"Among you is even my so-called brother, Fang Qing—the Fang family head's own son."
A faint, cold smile appeared on his lips.
"I suppose it became unbearable for you," Fang Lin continued, his voice steady, almost indifferent,
"when your father started showing me so much attention and favor."
His eyes hardened.
"You planned this very well. I'll give you that. But there's one thing you failed to do."
He took a step forward.
"You never thought it was necessary to truly understand the person you came here to kill."
His gaze swept over their lowered heads.
"You must have believed that I was still the same Fang Lin you used to look down on… the same useless trash you once mocked.
The smile on his face vanished, replaced by chilling calm.
"But you were wrong."
Fang Lin glanced at Wei Shun, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Is there any stall nearby," Fang Lin asked calmly,
"where I can get medicines or pills?"
Wei Shun immediately nodded.
"Yes, Young Master," he replied respectfully.
"There is one place. It's not far from here, but very few people visit it."
He paused for a moment, then continued,
"It's called Lin Moonleaf Corner Stall. It belongs to a branch of the Lin family.
They specialize in herbs, low-grade pills, and recovery medicines. Because the stall is small and secluded, most cultivators ignore it—but their stock is genuine."
Fang Lin let out a quiet breath, then turned toward Tian Xueya, his expression unusually restrained, almost helpless.
"My friend, Tian Xueya," he said,
"can you help me once more? I'm seriously short on spiritual stones right now. When I have them, I'll definitely repay you."
Tian Xueya paused for a moment, then gave a faint smile—soft and natural on the surface.
"Of course," she replied lightly.
"If a friend doesn't help at times like this, then who will?"
As she spoke, she took out the same golden token from her sleeve, its surface faintly shimmering.
But inside, her thoughts were far less relaxed.
He's really not holding back at all, she thought bitterly.
First it was a chain, now he wants pills… every time he asks me for help, I'm the one getting looted.
She sighed inwardly.
But what can I do? I have my own reasons too .
Wei Shun paused for a moment, then turned toward Tian Xueya.
He bent slightly at the waist and accepted the golden token with both hands, his movements respectful and precise.
"Thank you, Miss Tian," he said calmly.
"I will return shortly."
Without wasting another second, Wei Shun turned around and headed off alone, disappearing into the flow of the market ruins
Mu Chen spoke with visible confusion and restrained fury.
"Fang Lin… why are you asking for medicines and pills for them?"
His eyes burned as he looked at the bound figures.
"They tried to kill you. Or have you forgotten how they used to bully you—how they would leave you lying on the road like trash? Did any of them ever give you a pill to heal yourself back then?"
He clenched his fists.
"No. Not even once."
Fang Lin looked at Mu Chen quietly, his expression calm to the point of being unsettling.
"It's not what you think," he replied evenly.
"Just keep watching."
But inside, his thoughts were far colder.
I'll do something after which they won't even have the courage to bully anyone again, he thought.
They'll learn to behave like obedient, well-mannered young masters… with no time, no strength, and no chance left to oppress others.
While everyone's attention was fixed on Fang Lin and the bound captives, no one noticed the small child who was about to take a step that would change everything.
Vren.
Ignored by all, overlooked in the chaos, he had finally found his chance.
His eyes were locked onto the restrained figures—cold, lethal, and unwavering.
They were the eyes of a predator.
Like a heron standing motionless at the river's edge, watching a fish beneath the water's surface—silent, patient, waiting for the exact moment to strike.
And that moment had come.
Vren raised his sword.
It was a weapon that boys his age could never even lift properly, yet in his hands it felt light—almost natural—as if the only thing flowing through his body was pure, burning fury.
As if nothing else in the world mattered.
He rushed straight toward the green-haired youth.
His voice tore through the air as he shouted with everything he had—
"You can't kill my brother!"