The Great Snow Approaches

The bitter winter wind, like countless icy needles, pierced every corner of Lin Hai County without mercy.

A leaden gray sky hung low, pressing down until it was hard to breathe, the air thick with a dry chill that promised heavy snow.

Chen Yuan stood at the entrance of the Blackwater Martial Arts School, wearing only a thin black training suit. The biting wind failed to make him shiver.

His cultivation at the Skin Grinding Realm - Great Accomplishment meant his blood and qi surged like mercury, his body a furnace within, impervious to heat and cold.

Carrying the bags of gifts he'd bought yesterday, Chen Yuan decided to head home immediately.

Remembering the message Second Uncle had left, he resolved to check on him in town first.

By the time he reached the Fengyuan Fishery Goods Store in town, it was nearly noon—usually a quiet moment when the market slowed and shops tidied up.

The streets were sparse with pedestrians, all hurrying with hunched shoulders and tucked chins, bracing against the relentless cold.

But as he neared Fengyuan Trading Company, Chen Yuan's sharp senses caught something off.

Instead of the usual clatter of abacus beads and shop assistants' shouts, sounds of arguing and shoving came from inside. The atmosphere was clearly wrong.

His eyes narrowed. He nudged the heavy windproof cotton curtain aside with his elbow, and a wave of air mixed with fishy smell, charcoal smoke, and thick gunpowder hit him.

The scene inside made his gaze turn icy cold.

Five or six burly shop assistants in Jinsha Trading Company uniforms, led by a fierce-faced manager in his mid-thirties at the Qi and Blood Realm, were trying to forcibly haul away several baskets of sea bass that had clearly just been unloaded, their scales still glinting silver in the dim light.

Fengyuan's assistants were resisting, shoving and cursing. Two of them already lay on the ground, curled up in pain.

Overturned fish baskets, scattered crushed ice, and flopping sea fish made a mess of the floor.

Second Uncle Chen Dajiang, in his old blue cloth robe, face flushed red with anger and anxiety, tinged pale from cold and fear, stood stubbornly blocking the largest baskets, his voice trembling with agitation: "Wang Wei, does your Jinsha Trading Company have any shame left?"

"This batch of sea bass was ordered by our Fengyuan Trading Company long ago, payment made in advance. Liu Manor in town is hosting a banquet tonight and needs them urgently. In broad daylight, you want to rob us?!"

The Jinsha manager called Wang Wei, with his thuggish look, let out a sneer, spittle nearly hitting Chen Dajiang's face, his tone utterly domineering: "Accountant Chen, don't feed me that crap. Old Man He's boat can dock safely because our Jinsha Trading Company allows it."

"His fish naturally go to us first pick. These baskets have the best quality. Our boss Jin specifically wants top-grade sea bass for entertaining important guests."

"Liu Manor? Let them wait, or make do with some other fish from Jinsha."

A weaselly assistant behind him chimed in sarcastically: "Brother Wei's right. Liu Manor using our Jinsha fish is their blessing. What decent stuff can your little Fengyuan Trading Company offer? Don't embarrass the Liu Manor."

"You... you're acting like bandits!" Chen Dajiang shook with rage, pointing at Wang Wei. "Wang Wei, don't forget, my nephew is also training at the martial arts school. You're going too far..."

"Martial arts school?" Wang Wei laughed as if it were the biggest joke, cutting him off, stepping forward until his nose nearly touched Chen Dajiang's, lowering his voice with a threatening edge.

"Accountant Chen, who are you trying to scare? There are thousands of martial arts school disciples. Who knows if your nephew's just some errand boy in a corner?"

"Even if he's something, can he drop from the sky to help you now? Be smart, step aside nicely, and I'll take the fish and leave. Otherwise..."

He sneered, scanning the shop, "I'll make sure this Fengyuan Trading Company shuts down today. Brothers, stop dawdling. Move it!"

With that, he shoved Chen Dajiang hard.

Chen Dajiang, a frail accountant, couldn't withstand the brute force. He yelped, stumbled backward, and slammed heavily into a shelf behind him, knocking down various items, pain leaving him speechless.

"Uncle Chen!" several Fengyuan assistants cried out.

Wang Wei smirked triumphantly, waving his hand: "Get to work. Anyone who blocks us, beat them!"

The Jinsha assistants lunged forward like wolves.

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Just at that critical moment—

"Bang!"

The heavy cotton curtain was ripped open with immense force, and a figure burst in on a gust of icy wind.

"Who dares touch my Second Uncle?"

A sharp shout, like a thunderclap, instantly drowned out all the noise.

Chen Yuan stood in the center of the shop, casually tossing his bags aside.

His face was ice-cold, his gaze sharp as a blade. An overwhelming pressure of blood and qi erupted without restraint, sweeping through the shop like an invisible tide.

The Jinsha assistants about to act felt their breath catch, their movements freezing involuntarily.

Wang Wei, the leader, was also stunned by the aura, eyeing the newcomer warily.

"Brother Yuan!" Chen Dajiang's voice trembled as he saw his nephew.

Wang Wei stared at the newcomer, startled at first, but before he could size him up, his dockside thuggishness surged back. Blustering, he roared: "Kid, you think I'm scared of you? Brothers, grab weapons, cripple him!"

The other assistants hesitated briefly but, emboldened by numbers, charged forward.

Chen Yuan's eyes turned cold. Without another word, he activated the Mysterious Vortex Skin Grinding Method, channeling force through his body.

As the first assistant swung a metal hook at him, Chen Yuan didn't dodge. His left hand shot out like lightning, grabbing the man's wrist precisely.

A crisp crack accompanied a miserable shriek—the clerk's wrist twisted, his iron hook flew from his grip, and his whole body was flung backward, crashing into two of his companions.

From the right, an iron-wrapped short staff swung at Chen Yuan's temple. Without even turning his head, Chen Yuan's right fist struck first, punching out with savage force.

A metallic clang rang out—the clerk's tiger-mouth split open, and the short staff flew from his hand.

The force penetrated through the staff, shattering his entire right arm. He screamed and tumbled backward.

Two men taken down in an instant—clean and decisive.

The remaining clerks were scared out of their wits, Soul Scattered, their charge grinding to a halt.

Wang Wei's scalp went numb. He finally understood that this young man was beyond their ability to handle. He turned to run.

"Leaving?" Chen Yuan snorted coldly, moving like lightning. In a flash, he crossed several meters and appeared behind Wang Wei, his fingers hooking like talons, carrying Spiral Force, aiming for his shoulder blade.

Wang Wei's soul fled in terror. He swung the short staff wildly backward. Chen Yuan turned his claw into a palm and struck the middle of the staff.

A dull thump—the iron-wrapped short staff was actually bent and deformed by the blow. The immense force sent Wang Wei stumbling forward.

Chen Yuan's other hand followed like a shadow, precisely grabbing Wang Wei's left arm and twisting it gently.

A crack—the left arm's joint was dislocated and broken.

Wang Wei let out a miserable shriek, went limp, and was dragged back to the center of the shop by the scruff of his neck.

The whole process took no more than two or three breaths.

The shop fell into deathly silence. The Jinsha Trading Company clerks' faces were pale as paper. They stared at Wang Wei, being held like a dead dog, then at their unconscious companions on the floor, and finally at the bent short staff...

Weapons clattered to the ground. Their legs wouldn't stop trembling.

Chen Yuan dropped the limp Wang Wei onto the floor, planted a foot on his back, and swept his icy gaze over the trembling clerks.

"Anyone else want to try?" His voice wasn't loud, but it pierced each man's heart like an ice spike.

"No more! Spare us, good sir!" The clerks dropped to their knees with a thud, kowtowing like pounding garlic.