Old Acquaintance, New Countenance—A Promise to Travel Together

The night wind, carrying the mingled scent of blood and crushed vegetation, swept across the ravaged forest clearing. The enormous corpses of three Scaled Earth Dragon Beasts lay sprawled on the ground, silently testifying to the ferocity of the battle just past. Splintered trees, churned-up earth, and dark-red bloodstains not yet dry formed a harrowing scene.

A deathly silence hung in the air, broken only by the heavy breathing of the surviving Su Family guards and the faint, suppressed coughing from within the damaged carriage.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on the black-clad youth standing with his hands behind his back, his shadow stretched long beneath the moonlight. He looked so young—almost immature, even—yet the cold, powerful, and mysterious aura radiating from him filled every man present, men who had fought tooth and nail through life-and-death battles, with awe rising from the depths of their souls... and fear.

The sight of him slaughtering three Seventh-tier Demonic Beasts as easily as chopping melons and slicing vegetables had already been seared into their minds, never to be forgotten! He was undoubtedly an unrivaled expert beyond anything they could imagine!

Yet Lin Chen's gaze did not linger on the guards who regarded him with such reverence. Instead, it passed through the crowd, over Su Lie, the bearded man kneeling on the ground, and locked firmly onto the familiar face peeking halfway out from the carriage window—peerlessly beautiful, yet marked by a sickly pallor.

Su Ling'er?!

It really was her!

After three years, the little girl who had always timidly followed behind him, gazing up at him with clear, wide eyes and calling him "Brother Lin Chen" in her soft, sweet voice, had blossomed into such a graceful young woman. She was like an orchid blooming in an empty valley, pure and untouched by the world. Yet the lingering frailty and pallor between her brows, along with the trace of melancholy hidden deep in her eyes, showed that these past three years had apparently not been easy for her.

Why was she here? Why had she become a "young miss" so highly valued by the Su Family that they would dispatch an eighth-level expert and elite guards deep into such dangerous territory to protect her? What change had befallen the collateral-line orphan girl who had once held such a low status in the Su Family and had even suffered exclusion?

Countless questions surged through Lin Chen's mind like a tide, stirring rare ripples in the heart that had long been hardened and chilled by too much betrayal and indifference.

Inside the carriage, Su Ling'er was equally shaken to the core!

She had lifted the curtain only because she wanted to see which senior expert had come to their rescue. Yet she had never expected the person before her eyes to be... him?!

Though three years had passed, and the youth before her had grown taller and more upright, his facial features shedding their youthful softness to become colder and more resolute, his eyes as deep as icy pools—making him utterly different from the spirited "Brother Lin Chen" in her memories, who would occasionally smile at her with gentleness—

But!

That feeling! That one-of-a-kind feeling buried deep within her soul! She could not be mistaken!

It was him! It truly was him!

Brother Lin Chen, whom the family had deemed to possess worthless meridians, who had suffered endless bullying, and who had ultimately "disappeared" amid humiliation!

How... how could he be here?! And possess such terrifying strength?!

She had seen the scene just now with perfect clarity: like a celestial god descending upon the world, he had slaughtered three savage Seventh-tier Demonic Beasts with a mere gesture! That power! That majesty! He was even more terrifying than the head of the Su Family she had once seen!

What exactly had he experienced over these past three years?!

Su Ling'er felt her heart pound like a drum. She was shocked and delighted, yet also filled with an indescribable ache and... worry? Instinctively, she wanted to call out that familiar name, but when the words reached her lips, she forcibly swallowed them back down.

She was not foolish.

From the way those guards, even Commander Su Lie, addressed him as "Senior," it was obvious that he did not wish to reveal his true identity.

Moreover, though his gaze toward her had held a flicker of surprise, there had been more coldness and indifference within it. There had even been a trace of scrutiny.

The small joy that had just risen in her heart was instantly extinguished as though drenched in icy water.

Of course...

Three years ago, he had fallen from the clouds into the mud, enduring endless cold stares and humiliation. And the Su Family—including herself—had not kicked him while he was down as Su Qingyao had, but for one reason or another, they had been unable to offer him any real help. They could only watch helplessly as he was bullied, pushed aside, and finally "disappeared."

In his heart, he must already be full of resentment and disappointment toward the Su Family... and toward her, right?

What was more, he was no longer the gifted youth she had once needed to look up to. He had become a senior expert of unfathomable strength—someone even she now had to look up to.

Between them lay a chasm that could never be crossed.

At that thought, bitterness welled up in Su Ling'er's heart. She silently withdrew her gaze and lowered the curtain once more, though the faint tremble of her fingertips exposed the unrest within her heart.

Lin Chen took in every bit of Su Ling'er's fleeting, complicated emotional change, and his heart stirred slightly as well.

So this girl... had recognized him?

Still, she seemed quite clever and had not exposed him.

That was fine.

Lin Chen did not wish to reveal his identity yet either. His feelings toward the Su Family remained complicated, and he was filled with doubts regarding Su Ling'er's sudden appearance and transformation. Before he understood everything, keeping his distance and maintaining the identity of this "Senior" was undoubtedly the best choice.

He withdrew his gaze and looked again at Su Lie, who was still kneeling on the ground. His tone remained indifferent. "Get up and speak. The stench of blood here is too heavy; this is no place to linger. What do you plan to do next?"

"Yes, Senior!" Su Lie sensed the detachment in Lin Chen's voice. Though somewhat uneasy, he still rose respectfully and said with worry written across his face, "Reporting to Senior, we have yet to find the Purple Cloud Mushroom that was the goal of our journey. Now we have suffered such heavy losses, and even... even my young miss has been frightened, her body already so frail... Sigh. This junior plans to first escort the young miss somewhere safe to rest and recover, then... then make further plans."

When he spoke of the "young miss," his tone was full of concern and an indescribable heaviness, as though Su Ling'er's condition was more serious than it appeared on the surface.

Lin Chen's heart stirred again. Purple Cloud Mushroom? Judging by its name, it seemed to be a rather rare spiritual medicine for healing injuries or stabilizing the soul. What illness did Su Ling'er truly have? Or rather, what was her special constitution?

However, he did not question him directly. That would be too deliberate and easily arouse suspicion.

After pondering for a moment, he swept his gaze over the corpses of the guards on the ground and the damaged carriage, then said flatly, "This place is still far from the outskirts of the Green Peak Mountain Range. Demonic Beasts are plentiful, and danger lurks on every side. In your current state, leaving safely will not be easy."

Su Lie's expression turned even uglier, and cold sweat even appeared on his forehead. How could he not know the danger? But now that they had lost so many men, and even he himself had suffered serious internal injuries, escorting the young miss safely back was simply as difficult as ascending to the heavens!

After hesitating, he looked at the unfathomably powerful "Senior" before him. A glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes. With another thud, he dropped to his knees, his voice carrying both pleading and resolve.

"Senior! This junior, Su Lie, begs you to show mercy and escort my young miss for part of the journey! So long as you can safely send her out of this dangerous land, whatever request you may have, as long as my Su Family can fulfill it, we will not hesitate to brave ten thousand deaths! Even if you demand my life, Su Lie will not utter a single word of refusal!"

The surviving guards behind him also fell to their knees in unison once more and pleaded together, "We beg Senior to lend us aid!"

They knew very well that this "Senior" before them was their only hope!

Lin Chen watched the members of the Su Family kneeling all around him, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Escort them?

That had not been part of his plan.

He only wanted to find a place as soon as possible, refine the demon cores, increase his strength, and then venture out on his own. Getting dragged into the Su Family's troubles would bring him nothing but harm.

Moreover, traveling with members of the Su Family—especially Su Ling'er, who might recognize him—would greatly increase the risk of exposing his identity.

Reason told him that he should refuse immediately, then turn and leave.

But...

His gaze drifted involuntarily toward the quiet carriage once more.

The image of that little girl with twin buns, calling him "Brother Lin Chen" in her soft, sweet voice, surfaced in his mind again.

Along with the deep concern for "Miss" in Su Lie's words just now...

"Sigh..." Lin Chen let out an almost inaudible sigh in his heart.

Forget it.

Perhaps it was truly a lingering trace of old affection at work?

Perhaps he was slightly curious about what Su Ling'er had experienced over the past three years?

Or perhaps his soaring strength had given him the confidence of a strong man, making him not mind lending a hand?

Besides...

A sharp gleam flashed in Lin Chen's eyes.

The Su Family was, after all, one of Qingyang Town's three great families, with deep foundations. This caravan was headed to gather Purple Cloud Mushrooms, which meant they certainly knew certain regions of the Green Peak Mountain Range well—perhaps they even had detailed maps!

If he could obtain information about the depths of the mountain range from them, or acquire a reliable map, it would undoubtedly be of enormous help for his upcoming training!

And since the Su Family could dispatch a Body Tempering Realm Eighth Layer expert as a guard, the Purple Cloud Mushrooms they sought had to be priceless treasures! Perhaps he could get a share as well?

Risks and opportunities existed side by side.

After a brief consideration, Lin Chen had already made his decision.

"Get up." He spoke blandly again, his voice still betraying neither joy nor anger. "I can escort you for part of the way. But I have matters of my own to attend to, so I cannot accompany you forever."

"Senior is willing to help us?! Wonderful! Wonderful!" Su Lie was overjoyed upon hearing this! He was so excited that he nearly burst into tears! He hurriedly kowtowed in thanks. "Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior! So long as Senior escorts us out of this region and to the relatively safe Luofeng Gorge, that will be enough! We have our own arrangements for the rest of the journey!"

Luofeng Gorge? Lin Chen committed the name of the place to memory.

"Mm." Lin Chen nodded, indicating his agreement. Then his gaze fell upon the three Scaled Earth Dragon Beast corpses on the ground, as well as the two Green Wind Demonic Wolf corpses he had slain earlier. An unquestionable glint flashed in his eyes. "These demon beast corpses belong to me."

"Ah? Yes! Yes! Of course! These vile beasts were slain by Senior in the first place, so naturally they belong to Senior!" Su Lie nodded at once without the slightest hesitation. Let alone a few demon beast corpses—even if Lin Chen wanted every possession they carried, they would not dare utter a single word of complaint! Being able to keep their lives was already a tremendous stroke of luck!

Lin Chen said no more and walked over to the demon beast corpses.

He first dealt with the two Green Wind Demonic Wolf corpses of the Sixth Layer in the same manner, using the Myriad Dao Furnace to thoroughly refine and absorb their flesh-and-blood essence! Although the effect was inferior to that of Seventh and Eighth Layer demon beasts, it was still better than nothing, causing the power of his qi and blood to become slightly more condensed.

Next, he turned his gaze toward the three seventh-rank Scaled Earth Dragon Beasts!

These were truly good things! Not only did they possess abundant flesh-and-blood essence, but more importantly, they had those sturdy scales! Though the scales could not be stripped off intact, if they were refined...

A thought stirred in Lin Chen's heart, and he pressed his palm against the scales of one of the Earth Dragon Beasts!

Activate the furnace!

BZZZZ!

This time, he was no longer trying to strip them away, but directly refining the scales themselves!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle...

To his surprise! These incomparably hard scales, which even blades and swords could scarcely damage, actually began to break down at a visible rate before the Myriad Dao Furnace's domineering power! Melt?!

They did not turn into liquid. Rather, it was as if the very essence of the substances composing them was directly broken down and absorbed by the furnace! They transformed into an exceptionally peculiar stream of energy, carrying a metallic texture and a heavy earth-element aura, which poured into Lin Chen's body!

"This... it can actually refine artifact materials?!" Lin Chen's heart shook wildly!

The Myriad Dao Furnace's capabilities had once again overturned his understanding!

He immediately guided that peculiar energy stream to the surface of his body!

BZZZZ!

The originally earth-yellow true qi barrier over his skin instantly became more solid! More heavy! Faint patterns resembling scales even emerged upon it, glittering with a metallic sheen?!

His physical defense had received another remarkable boost at that moment! It was as though he had truly donned a layer of invisible scales!

"Hahaha! Good! Excellent!" Lin Chen was ecstatic!

Without any courtesy, he immediately used the Myriad Dao Furnace to refine and absorb all the scales and flesh-and-blood essence of the three Scaled Earth Dragon Beasts...

The process lasted roughly half an hour.

When the three massive Scaled Earth Dragon Beasts had completely become three bare skeletons, Lin Chen's aura had grown heavier and more condensed, though his realm had not broken through again! His physical defense had reached an utterly monstrous level! He felt that even if he stood still and allowed Body Tempering Realm Seventh or Eighth Layer martial artists to attack him with all their strength, they would likely be unable to harm him in the slightest!

Only after finishing all this did Lin Chen clap his hands in satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Su Lie and the others had long been utterly dumbfounded by Lin Chen's method of "dealing with" demon beast corpses!

They had only watched as this mysterious "Senior" placed his palm upon the demon beast corpses, whereupon those enormous bodies shriveled at a visible rate, until nothing but skeletons remained?! And this Senior's aura seemed to have grown stronger again?!

This... what kind of cultivation technique was this?! So bizarre! So overbearing?!

Their reverence for Lin Chen rose to an entirely new height! At the same time, they became even more determined to cling tightly to this powerful patron!

"Senior's divine abilities are unmatched! This junior admires you so deeply he throws himself to the ground in utter awe!" Su Lie stepped forward cautiously, flattering him.

Lin Chen merely glanced at him without speaking, then said flatly, "Deal with your people, then leave this place as soon as possible."

"Yes! Yes!" Su Lie hurriedly replied. He immediately directed his subordinates to gather their companions' corpses, roughly bandage their wounds, and repair the damaged carriage as best they could.

Lin Chen walked off to one side, his gaze once again drifting, seemingly unintentionally, toward the carriage.

The curtains remained tightly shut, yet Lin Chen could sense that the somewhat frail Aura inside seemed to be quietly watching him as well.

The atmosphere became subtly strange once more.

Just then.

From within the carriage came a slightly weak yet exceptionally clear and pleasant voice, like an oriole emerging from the valley:

"Th... thank you... Senior... for saving my life."

The voice was soft, carrying a trace of sickly breathlessness, yet it entered Lin Chen's ears with perfect clarity, like heavenly music.

It was Su Ling'er!

She had finally spoken!