The Snow Was Coming

The cold wind of the twelfth lunar month was like countless icy needles, mercilessly piercing every corner of Lin Hai County.

Lead-gray clouds hung low, pressing down until it was almost hard to breathe. The air was filled with a dry, bitter chill, as though warning that heavy snow was on its way.

Chen Yuan stood tall at the entrance of Blackwater Martial Arts School. He wore only a thin black martial outfit, yet the howling cold wind failed to make him shrink back in the slightest.

With his cultivation at the Skin Grinding Realm - Great Accomplishment, his qi and blood surged like mercury, forming a furnace within him. He had long since become impervious to heat and cold.

Carrying the bundles of gifts he had bought yesterday, Chen Yuan decided to set off for home at once.

Remembering what Second Uncle had said the day before, he decided to first go to town and check on him.

When he reached the "Fengyuan Fishery Goods Store" in town, it was almost noon—the quiet time when the market took a brief rest and the shops began tidying up for the day.

There were few pedestrians on the streets. Everyone hurried along with hunched necks and curved backs, fighting off the all-pervasive chill.

However, as soon as he drew near Fengyuan Trading Company, Chen Yuan's keen senses detected something unusual.

Instead of the familiar clacking of abacus beads and the shop assistants' cries, he heard arguing and shoving from inside. The atmosphere was clearly wrong.

His eyes narrowed slightly. He used his elbow to nudge open the heavy cotton wind curtain, and air carrying a mixture of fishy odors, charcoal smoke, and a strong smell of gunpowder rushed into his face.

The scene inside made his gaze turn cold in an instant.

Five or six burly shop assistants wearing the uniforms of Jinsha Trading Company were led by a fierce-looking manager in his mid-thirties, whose face was covered in thick flesh. They were trying to forcibly carry away several baskets of sea bass that had clearly been unloaded only recently, their scales still flashing silver in the dim light.

The people from Fengyuan Trading Company were desperately blocking them. Both sides shoved and cursed, and two Fengyuan workers already lay beaten on the floor, curled up in pain.

Overturned fish baskets, scattered chunks of ice, and struggling sea fish leaping about had made a complete mess of the floor.

Second Uncle Chen Dajiang wore his old blue cotton robe. His face was flushed with anger and anxiety, yet tinged with pallor from the cold and fear.

Still, he stood firmly in front of the largest baskets of fish. His voice trembled slightly with agitation. "Wang Wei, does Jinsha Trading Company have no shame?"

"This batch of sea bass was reserved by Fengyuan Trading Company long ago, and the payment was made in advance. Liu Manor in the eastern part of town is urgently waiting for it for tonight's banquet. In broad daylight, are you really planning to rob us by force?!"

The Jinsha Trading Company manager known as Wang Wei had a ferocious appearance.

At those words, he immediately let out a mocking laugh. Spittle nearly sprayed onto Chen Dajiang's face as he spoke with extreme arrogance. "Accountant Chen, spare me that nonsense. The reason Old He's boat can dock safely at the pier is because Jinsha Trading Company is showing him favor."

"His fish naturally belong to Jinsha Trading Company's priority selection. These few baskets are the finest quality, and our Master Jin specifically requested top-grade sea bass to entertain distinguished guests."

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

A sharp-faced shop assistant behind him chimed in sarcastically. "Master Wei is right. For Liu Manor to use fish from Jinsha Trading Company is their good fortune. What decent goods could a small household like Fengyuan Trading Company possibly produce? Don't disgrace Liu Manor when the time comes."

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

"A martial arts school?" Wang Wei seemed to have heard the greatest joke in the world. He cut him off abruptly and stepped forward until the tips of their noses were nearly touching, lowering his voice with unmistakable menace.

"Accountant Chen, who are you trying to scare? There are thousands of martial arts disciples. Who knows which remote corner your nephew is doing odd jobs in?"

"Even if he really has some ability, can he descend from the heavens and help you now? If you know what's good for you, step aside obediently. I'll take the fish and leave. Otherwise..."

He let out a cold laugh and swept his gaze around the shop. "I'll make sure Fengyuan Trading Company can't stay open today. Brothers, stop wasting time. Move!"

Before his voice had even faded, he shoved Chen Dajiang away with all his strength.

How could a frail accountant like Chen Dajiang withstand such brute force? He cried out and staggered backward, crashing heavily into the shelves behind him. Quite a few miscellaneous items were shaken loose, and the pain left him unable to speak for a moment.

"Uncle Chen!" several Fengyuan workers cried out.

Wang Wei smiled smugly and waved his hand. "Do it! Anyone who dares to stop us, beat them!"

The Jinsha Trading Company workers surged forward like wolves and tigers, preparing to seize the fish by force.

At this critical moment—

"Bang!"

The shop's heavy cotton curtain was violently torn open by a tremendous force, and a figure charged inside wrapped in the icy wind.

"I'd like to see who dares touch my Second Uncle."

The shouted rebuke exploded like thunder, instantly drowning out all the noise.

Chen Yuan appeared in the center of the shop and casually flung his bundles aside.

His expression was icy, his gaze sharp as a blade. An overwhelming qi-and-blood pressure, far beyond that of ordinary people, erupted without the slightest concealment, sweeping through the entire shop like an invisible tide.

The Jinsha workers who had been about to attack suddenly found their breathing constricted, their movements stiffening involuntarily.

Even Wang Wei, the leader, was so frightened by this aura that his movements faltered. He stared at the newcomer with uncertainty and alarm.

"Brother Yuan!"

When Chen Dajiang saw his nephew, even his voice trembled.

Wang Wei was startled at first, but before he could take a proper look, the domineering air that had allowed him to run rampant at the docks surged back up. Putting on a brave front, he shouted, "Brat, do you really think I'm afraid of you? Brothers, grab your weapons and cripple him!"

The other workers hesitated briefly, but still charged forward, relying on their numerical advantage.

Chen Yuan's gaze turned cold. Without another word, he activated the Mysterious Vortex Skin Grinding Method, and force burst from his body.

Facing the first worker rushing at him with an iron hook, Chen Yuan neither dodged nor retreated. His left hand shot out like lightning and seized the man's wrist with pinpoint accuracy.

With a crisp crack and a shrill scream, the worker's wrist twisted grotesquely. The iron hook slipped from his hand, and his entire body was flung away, knocking over two of his companions.

From the right, an iron-wrapped cudgel smashed toward Chen Yuan's temple. Chen Yuan did not even turn his head. His right fist struck first, blasting out with savage force.

With a loud clang of metal striking metal, the worker's web between thumb and forefinger split open, and the cudgel flew from his grasp.

The force, however, passed through the cudgel and shattered his entire right arm. He screamed as he was sent flying backward.

Two men were dealt with in an instant, the method clean and decisive.

The remaining workers were scared witless, their charge grinding to a halt.

Wang Wei's scalp prickled. He finally understood that the young man before him was someone they could never defeat, and he turned to run.

"Trying to leave?" Chen Yuan gave a cold snort. His figure moved like lightning, crossing several meters in an instant and appearing behind Wang Wei. His five fingers curled like hooks, carrying Spiral Force as they clawed toward Wang Wei's shoulder blade.

Wang Wei's soul nearly left his body. He wildly swung the cudgel backward, but Chen Yuan changed his claw into a palm and struck the middle of the cudgel.

With a muffled bang, the iron-wrapped cudgel was smacked crooked and deformed. The tremendous force sent Wang Wei pitching forward.

Chen Yuan's other hand followed like a shadow, catching Wang Wei's left arm with precision before giving it a light twist.

With a crack, the joint of his left arm was dislocated and broken.

Wang Wei let out a shrill scream and collapsed limply. Chen Yuan grabbed him by the collar and dragged him back to the center of the shop.

The entire process had taken no more than two or three breaths.

The shop fell deathly silent. The Jinsha workers' faces were as pale as paper as they looked at Wang Wei, dangling like a dead dog in Chen Yuan's grip, then at their companions lying motionless on the floor and the bent cudgel...

Weapons clattered to the ground, while their legs trembled uncontrollably.

Chen Yuan threw the limp Wang Wei onto the floor and planted one foot on his back. His icy gaze swept over the trembling workers.

"Who else wants to try?" His voice was not loud, yet it pierced every person's heart like an icicle.

"We wouldn't dare! Hero, spare us!" The workers dropped to their knees with thuds, kowtowing as frantically as pounding garlic.