Great Calamity

That night, Lin Xiao lay in bed, the family genealogy cradled in his left arm, the Pill Token clutched tightly in his right.

Situated in the remote northwestern frontier, Spring Return Hall was, after all, the largest pharmaceutical merchant in the Great Yuan Kingdom's northwest region, making their information network quite well-connected. Lin Xiao naturally knew that ever since the sudden death of the Great Yuan Kingdom's old monarch five years ago, the seven princes had each raised armies to contend for the throne. In five years, the kingdom had descended into utter chaos. Guihua City and its surrounding areas, being far from the border, had enjoyed a few years of peace. However, with the arrival of the Black Blade Bandits, this peaceful and tranquil life was clearly about to be shattered.

The Black Blade Bandits, a legendary group of fierce outlaws who left no one alive in their wake. Their leader, 'Black Blade,' was even ranked ninth on the Great Yuan Kingdom's martial arts blacklist, a peerless master. Black Blade's brutality and ruthlessness were enough to frighten children into stopping their nighttime crying in the regions he had ravaged.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but shiver. Had the Black Blade Bandits already reached this close?

"Why doesn't Father consider relocating Spring Return Hall to..."

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Lin Xiao gently shook his head.

"It won't do. Guihua City is, after all, a large city. Within the city, there are three thousand imperial guards, plus the Wang Family's two thousand retainers. The defenses are certainly strong. If we were to move, where would we go?"

Clutching the Pill Token tightly, Lin Xiao felt a faint, cool aura emanating from it, bringing a sense of calm to his heart.

"An age of chaos!"

Young Lin Xiao murmured with a sigh. He tucked the Pill Token into his inner pocket and was about to close his eyes to sleep when he suddenly heard a rustling sound about thirty feet away. Lin Xiao's first thought was that a thief had come, but what thief in Guihua City would dare to cause trouble at Spring Return Hall? He casually grabbed a stick by the window, quietly got up, and walked to the door, peeking through the crack. That glance immediately deflated Lin Xiao.

His elder brother, Lin Yao, was being helped by two servants as he scrambled awkwardly over the wall! Having practiced the family's martial arts since childhood, Lin Yao had wasted all his cultivation in the company of women. His posture while climbing the wall was like a pregnant sow trying to walk after getting drunk. Seeing him clumsily clear the high wall, Lin Xiao sighed silently, dropped the stick, and lay back down to sleep.

The next few days passed uneventfully. There were no rumors circulating in the marketplace about the Black Blade Bandits slaughtering a city over two hundred miles away, as if what Lin Shan had told Lin Xiao was merely a dream. However, the hard Pill Token in his inner pocket served as a reminder to Lin Xiao that it was all real. It was just that perhaps the news of the massacre had been suppressed by certain interested parties—for instance, Patriarch Wang was very good at such things. The City Lord of Guihua City likely also did not wish for rumors to disrupt the marketplace.

As time went on, Lin Xiao's heart gradually relaxed. While busy at Spring Return Hall, he comforted himself, "Perhaps the Black Blade Bandits won't be foolish enough to attack Guihua City."

"Young Master Xiao, this elder wishes to have a dose of 'Fetal Nourishing Spirit Paste' brewed. You handle it!" Hu Zhutie called out loudly from the main hall, pointing to an old man sitting before him.

Lin Xiao smiled faintly, nodded at Hu Zhutie, and turned to go to the pharmacy to gather the ingredients for 'Fetal Nourishing Spirit Paste.'

'Fetal Nourishing Spirit Paste' was a unique spiritual medicine from Spring Return Hall for stabilizing pregnancy and calming the mind, specifically prepared for women with congenital weakness and unstable fetal energy. While the ingredients were not particularly precious, their variety was vast, and each had to be added to the potion at precisely the right moment in terms of heat. Lin Xiao, however, was the best at controlling the heat during the brewing process in all of Spring Return Hall. Even pharmacists who had been practicing for decades could not match him in this regard.

In Lin Shan's words, "This kid is destined to play with fire!" When he said this, Lin Shan's face showed a hint of pride, mixed with a touch of regret.

His words were somewhat cryptic, and no one knew if Lin Shan's words carried any other meaning.

Having selected the various ingredients and a clean medicine pot, Lin Xiao carefully adjusted the heat of a stove. He lazily put some of the ingredients and water into the pot, gently placed it on the stove, and then squatted motionlessly before it, staring blankly at the leaping flames.

Each flame seemed so cheerful, so full of vibrant life. A satisfied smile gradually spread across Lin Xiao's face. He felt as if his body were dancing and cheering along with the flames in the stove. The 'Evergreen Art' true qi he had cultivated for ten years slowly surged from his dan tian, his breathing automatically synchronizing with the fluctuations of the fire.

Every day when brewing medicine for others was the best time for Lin Xiao to cultivate the Evergreen Art. It seemed to greatly benefit his true qi cultivation when facing the flames. This was a rather inexplicable phenomenon, but it was indeed effective. Since Lin Xiao first discovered this peculiar phenomenon three years ago while brewing medicine for someone, his internal energy progress over the past three years had been fifty percent more than in the previous seven years combined. He had only cultivated internal energy for ten years, but the thickness of his internal force and the maturity of its refinement were comparable to those who had practiced for twenty years.

His fingers flitted over the medicine packets like dancing butterflies, and Lin Xiao could clearly sense the temperature of the liquid in the pot and whether the medicinal properties of the ingredients had been fully activated. Whenever the liquid reached the desired heat, he would gracefully add another portion of ingredients into the pot.

Gradually, a cool, refreshing medicinal fragrance began to waft faintly through the pharmacy. The pharmacists and apprentices in the pharmacy all took deep breaths, casting envious glances at Lin Xiao. They were all experienced people and naturally knew that Lin Xiao's brewing skills had improved again. The aroma of the Fetal Nourishing Spirit Paste he was brewing today was three parts richer and three parts clearer than before, indicating a three-part increase in its efficacy.

It was only three parts, seemingly small. However, many pharmacists spent their entire lives brewing medicinal decoctions and might not even be able to increase the efficacy of a particular medicine by one part, let alone three.

"Young Master Xiao's talent is truly astonishing, a pity, a pity." Everyone in the pharmacy shook their heads almost in unison, then quickly lowered their heads as Lin Yao walked in.

Dressed in a pale silver brocade robe, with a purple-gold belt around his waist, and his hair tightly tied into a topknot with a pearl chain, Lin Yao swaggered into the pharmacy and walked straight behind the daydreaming Lin Xiao. Unceremoniously, he struck Lin Xiao's head heavily with his folding fan.

The pain jolted Lin Xiao out of his magical state. The true qi within him retreated into his dan tian like a tide. Because he had hastily withdrawn his cultivation, even the gentle Evergreen Art caused Lin Xiao's meridians to ache faintly. Lin Xiao turned around indignantly. Seeing it was Lin Yao, the anger on his face immediately turned into numbness. He asked in a low voice, "Big Brother, what is it?" As he spoke, he casually dropped the last ingredient, 'Clinging Grass,' into the pot.

"Open the medicine cabinet," Lin Yao said coldly, looking at Lin Xiao. "Get me ten portions of 'Rabbit Blood Powder,' and also..."

Glancing around with a hint of panic, Lin Yao's voice became even lower: "And one portion of 'Heavenly King Heart-Protecting Pill.'"

A sharp glint flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes. He lowered his voice and said urgently, "'Moon Rabbit Blood-Stopping Powder' is for women with excessive menstrual bleeding, and 'Heavenly King Heart-Protecting Pill' is to save someone who has fainted from sudden death. Big Brother, you!"

Lin Yao grabbed Lin Xiao by the neck, his handsome face already contorted with a ferocious killing intent. "Open the medicine storeroom! Get the medicine, quickly!"

"What have you done?" Lin Xiao stared intently at Lin Yao, saying grimly, "The Heavenly King Heart-Protecting Pill is for emergency rescue. Even if you take it now, it won't save that person! If something has happened, quickly tell Father. As long as that person isn't completely dead, if it's just a sudden death from myocardial spasm, perhaps Father can still perform a miracle to bring them back to life!"

Thump. Lin Yao sat down on the ground. His face turned ashen, and he stared blankly at Lin Xiao, his voice trembling with tears, "I don't dare to say it. The Zhang Family's young lady, the Zhang Family's young lady!"

As if struck by lightning, Lin Xiao staggered back a few steps, knocking over the stove behind him. The sound of the medicine pot shattering on the ground drew everyone's attention. Lin Xiao, however, simply extended a finger, trembling all over, and pointed at Lin Yao, saying in a low voice, "Big Brother, you, you, you and the Wang Family's second young master, you guys..."

Lin Yao's face was deathly pale, and his body was trembling violently. He stared blankly at Lin Xiao, wailing with tears, "Second Brother, Big Brother has wronged you before! You must save Big Brother's life this time~ sob sob, hurry and open the storeroom to get the medicine, otherwise, otherwise..."

Lin Xiao had long known about Lin Yao's sordid affairs outside and the character of his disreputable friends. But he had never expected that Lin Yao and his cronies would actually commit such shameless acts that violated the laws of nature and ethics. He had roughly guessed some of the key points, but precisely because he had guessed the key points, Lin Xiao felt a fear as if the sky were about to collapse.

Spring Return Hall was the largest pharmaceutical merchant and medical clinic in the northwestern prefectures, and Lin Shan was the most famous divine doctor within hundreds of miles. Spring Return Hall had saved countless lives and enjoyed high prestige among the populace. However, Spring Return Hall was, after all, just a pharmaceutical merchant, just a medical clinic, just an organization that treated people. Lin Shan, Hua Wuniang, and others all possessed considerable cultivation, but Spring Return Hall as a whole did not have much power.

And the Wang Family of Guihua City, the Zhang Family of Guiying City, what were they? They were the local overlords of these northwestern prefectures. What profitable ventures were there that they were not involved in?

The Wang Family openly had two thousand retainers, and the Zhang Family was no different. If the two families joined forces, along with their household servants and staff, they could easily raise an army of ten thousand men!

And now, the young lady of the Zhang Family, who had only married into the Wang Family a few days ago, was about to need Rabbit Blood Powder and a Heart-Protecting Pill to save her life!

The Wang Family's second young master would certainly be fine; the old Patriarch Wang would not let his own son take the blame. So, who would be the most suitable scapegoat? Wasn't it the dissolute young master Lin Yao?

The Wang Family might not say anything out of consideration for their generations-long relationship with Spring Return Hall, but what about the Zhang Family? The Zhang Family of Guiying City did not have much affection for Spring Return Hall! If something happened to their young lady, and the Zhang Family Patriarch flew into a rage, no one would say anything! If it were merely killing Lin Yao, that would be one thing, but Lin Xiao feared that the entire Spring Return Hall might be dragged down!

The medicinal trade in this chaotic era, perhaps many people had already been coveting it!

The Wang Family of Guihua City, after all, had roots as prosperous landlords. As for the Zhang Family of Guiying City, they were a powerful clan that had emerged in the last few decades. Their identities and origins were associated with some unsavory and dirty rumors. Lin Yao's actions had now attracted a hungry wolf to the doorstep of Spring Return Hall, this big piece of fat meat!

Lin Xiao's expression changed drastically. He glared fiercely at Lin Yao, ignoring the Fetal Nourishing Spirit Paste that had already spilled onto the ground. He spread his legs and, as swift as a gust of clear wind, rushed towards the backyard.

In a side room on the south side of the courtyard, Lin Shan was anxiously staring at an account book with the rat-whiskered accountant.

After a long while, Lin Shan suddenly gave a wry smile, "Mr. Wei, you mean to say that all our convoys transporting medicinal materials back to the city over the past three days have been lost?"

Accountant Mr. Wei stroked his rat-like whiskers, his entire face contorted into a frown. He gave a wry smile, "Owner, it seems the Black Blade Bandits are already outside the city. In this chaotic age, for those desperate outlaws, is there anything more precious than medicinal materials? With enough medicine, they will have sufficient confidence to protect their lives in battle."

"It matters not!" Lin Shan flicked his chin whiskers lightly, narrowed his eyes, and said loudly, "Guihua City has high walls and deep moats, and City Lord Jin is also a brave and resourceful hero. With three thousand elite imperial guards stationed here, even if the Black Blade Bandits have an army of ten thousand, they cannot break in. Furthermore, there are the Wang Family's two thousand retainers and their privately accumulated three thousand private troops. Even an army of thirty to fifty thousand cannot conquer the city."

He let out a light sigh, shaking his head. "It's just a pity that these medicinal materials couldn't be used to treat the common people, but instead fell into the hands of these rebellious villains."

Mr. Wei let out a wry smile and said in a low voice, "Ordinary medicinal ingredients are one thing, but the ones among them..."

Lin Shan's expression turned grim, and he said in a low voice, "That's fine too. They can find the Black Blade Bandits to get them back later. Besides, the Black Blade Bandits might not even recognize those medicinal ingredients, so they probably won't waste them." He nodded lightly, and Lin Shan calmly added, "As for the employees in the caravan, I'm afraid their lives are forfeit. Even if they somehow survive by joining the bandits, Spring Return Hall won't take them back. Let's treat them as if they all died in action and provide generous compensation."

Mr. Wei nodded gently and chuckled softly, "The employer is truly benevolent."

Clasping his hands together, Mr. Wei carefully gathered the account books on the table, preparing to leave.

Lin Shan also smiled, but a deep worry still lingered in the depths of his eyes. His mood was not as relaxed as he had made it seem when comforting Mr. Wei. Lin Shan lowered his eyelids and mused inwardly, Should I send Xiao'er away in advance? And where could I send him? It's not just the Black Blade Bandits outside the city!

Thump. The door to the side room was pushed open by Lin Xiao, the door panel nearly hitting Mr. Wei, who was just leaving.

Mr. Wei yelped, clutching his account books and leaping three zhang away. He drew a bronze judge's brush, about a foot long, from under his arm. His two rat-like whiskers bristled fiercely as he glared menacingly at Lin Xiao, who had burst into the room. The moment he saw it was Lin Xiao, Mr. Wei's fierce expression instantly turned incredibly amiable. He casually tucked the judge's brush behind his collar and said with a grin, "Second Young Master's cultivation has advanced greatly! Old Wei here really didn't hear you approaching, hehe, I'm ashamed, ashamed!"

Nodding at Lin Xiao, Mr. Wei, holding his account books, hummed a little tune and swaggered out, closing the door behind him.

Lin Shan picked up the fist-sized purple clay teapot from the table and leisurely took a sip of the clear tea before asking indifferently, "My dear son, why have you become so uncomposed? What happened? Did the Black Blade Bandits break through the city? It shouldn't be that fast, should it?"

"Father, it's not me, it's... it's Eldest Brother!" Lin Xiao stood there blankly for a moment before recounting how Lin Yao had asked him for the Rabbit Blood Powder and the Heavenly King Heart-Protecting Pill. At the same time, he logically analyzed the possible events and the Zhang Family's potential reactions.

Crack. The purple clay teapot in Lin Shan's palm shattered into pieces. The tea and leaves within were instantly vaporized by a ball of faint green flame emanating from his palm, dissipating into a wisp of smoke.

Hiss~~~. Lin Xiao gasped. He knew Lin Shan's martial arts cultivation was extremely high, but he never imagined that a living person could produce fire from their palm.

Lin Shan froze for a moment, then looked at the egg-sized ball of faint green flame in his palm. He quickly dispersed the true essence stored in his palm, coughed dryly, and said indifferently, "My dear son, well, once your Evergreen Art reaches the eleventh level or above, you'll be able to achieve what Father can do."

"Father, please hurry and go treat Miss Zhang." Lin Xiao quickly calmed himself, temporarily setting aside the anomaly in Lin Shan's palm, and urged him anxiously.

"It's too late." Lin Shan said calmly, "Given the nature of your elder brother and his cronies, nothing they do would be surprising. And he lacks quick thinking; he'll definitely panic in the face of a major event. If something happened to Miss Zhang, he would have at least delayed for a quarter of an hour before remembering to get the medicine from the hall to save her. He must have been worried about being punished by me on the way, dragging his feet for at least another quarter of an hour. And now, with this much further delay, hmph!"

"Father means...?" Lin Xiao's face turned ashen.

Lin Shan shook his head and listlessly closed his eyes.

Two tears slowly trickled down his face. Lin Shan sighed deeply, "Master, Master, I can never repay your great kindness in this lifetime. But when you passed, you asked me to treat Wuniang well, and I will never disobey that. However, however~~~" Lin Shan's eyes snapped open, two beams of green light flashing within them. Lin Shan, who had always given off an air of carefree detachment, now exuded a chilling killing intent and an imposing, superior aura.

"My dear son, you don't need to worry. Although Spring Return Hall is not a major power, they can't just swallow us whole. Hmph, if it weren't for~~~ then~~~ hmm!"

Lin Xiao stood there, completely bewildered, watching Lin Shan slowly count on his fingers, pondering something.

After a long while, Lin Shan slowly nodded, "Forget it. Although we are merely servants, we have worked hard for many years. If I truly make a move, I believe they won't refuse to help me clean up the mess after they finish their seclusion this time."

A flush suddenly appeared on Lin Shan's face, "At that time, I won't have to be so anxious!"

Standing up with great effort, Lin Shan said solemnly, "My dear son, gather everyone from Spring Return Hall. Father needs to hold a meeting to discuss this matter. While we are not afraid of the Zhang Family, we cannot act in a way that bullies others and unnecessarily ruins our reputation."

Lin Xiao stared blankly at Lin Shan, utterly perplexed as to where his father found such courage!

The total number of people capable of fighting in Spring Return Hall was less than a hundred. How could they possibly be a match for a nouveau riche family like the Zhangs? (To be continued)