Golden Cicada Slough

Lin Chen remained unhurried, stuffing everything inside into his Storage Pouch.

He then walked to the stairway and looked upstairs.

There was no one in the room.

He slowly climbed the stairs and saw shadows outside the door.

Judging by their silhouettes and attire, they were probably a patrol team.

They must have noticed the lock was gone and come to investigate.

After giving it some thought, Lin Chen decided that the Strategy of Retreat was best.

With that thought, he grabbed a chair beside him, swung it in a full arc, and hurled it at the door.

Whoosh! Bang!

The door exploded into splinters. Taking advantage of the momentary chaos outside, he charged straight out.

"Catch the thief!"

The patrol team was well-trained and reacted at once. Someone among them shouted angrily.

The cry carried far through the night sky.

Unfortunately, the main force had gone to put out the fire. The commotion over there was far greater than this.

There was no support at all.

Lin Chen had even torn off a piece of bedsheet to cover his face. No one could recognize him.

Besides, during the day, he had still been a frail youth incapable of trussing up a chicken.

Now, he was like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, sending the patrol team sprawling in all directions.

In just a few minutes, every one of them had collapsed to the ground, unable to rise.

Lin Chen had already scaled the wall and left the City Lord's Mansion.

He remained calm the entire time.

Following the route he had planned, he raced onward at full speed.

He took back streets and slipped through narrow alleys, encountering no one along the way.

At last, he arrived before a small courtyard on the edge of the city.

Only after confirming there was no one around did he gently knock on the courtyard gate. "Uncle Liang, it's me."

A moment later, footsteps sounded from within. An old man opened the gate and hurried out to greet him.

"Young Master, are you all right?"

The old man's voice trembled as he bowed.

Lin Chen smiled and stepped forward, taking the old man's hand. "Uncle Liang, I'm fine."

The two entered the room and immediately saw a coffin.

Lin Chen stepped forward and patted the coffin lid, producing a hollow thump.

"Uncle Liang, tomorrow we'll leave the city according to the plan."

"Good!" Uncle Liang nodded vigorously.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Chen looked up at Uncle Liang. "After this parting, who knows what year or month it will be before we meet again.

Uncle Liang, after I leave, I'll leave you some money—enough for you to enjoy your old age in peace..."

"Young Master, there's no need. What you've given me is already more than enough. I..."

Lin Chen said nothing. He patted Uncle Liang on the shoulder and returned to his room.

That night, the patrol team searched everywhere.

There was no peace for the entire night.

Yet Lin Chen slept soundly through it all.

At daybreak the next morning, Uncle Liang had already harnessed the carriage. He found people to help load the black coffin onto it, then slowly made his way toward the city gate.

When they reached the gate, a long line had already formed.

Because of last night's incident, patrols were searching throughout the city, and everyone passing through the gates had to be checked one by one.

Uncle Liang glanced back at the coffin and nervously gripped the reins in his hand.

"Why do you smell like Tung Oil? Men, arrest him!"

Just then, a guard at the city gate suddenly shouted.

A burly man was seized on the spot.

"My lord, I sell torches! I've been wronged!"

Without allowing the man to explain himself, the guards forcibly dragged him away.

Seeing this, Uncle Liang became even more nervous.

The line moved forward, and soon it was their turn.

"What's in the coffin? Open it and let's see!"

The city gate guards had no regard for propriety. They picked up their swords and began prying at the coffin lid.

"No, no!"

Uncle Liang threw himself over the coffin lid. "My old wife is inside. She's been dead for seven days already. I'm afraid she might offend you officers..."

A guard kicked Uncle Liang aside and raised his saber. "Interfere with the search again, and I'll chop off your dog head."

Crack!

Several guards worked together and pried open the coffin lid in just a few strokes.

Uncle Liang was so frightened that he collapsed limply to the ground.

Clang!

They jointly lifted the coffin lid. Before they could look inside, they heard a buzzing sound.

A black cloud of flies, carrying a horrifying stench, shot into the sky.

Like a camp exploding into chaos, they swarmed in every direction.

The guards choked until tears streamed down their faces, frantically swatting at them.

When they lowered their heads, they could even see maggots wriggling on the coffin lid.

The flies burrowed into their mouths and noses, and the unbearable stench made them vomit violently.

In that state, who would still dare look inside?

All the guards ran off, bending over as they retched.

"Damn bad luck! Cover it up already and get the hell out!"

Only then did Uncle Liang crawl to his feet. Some kindhearted people behind him came forward to help, covered the coffin lid, and drove the carriage away.

From beginning to end, no one looked inside even once.

In truth, there was only a pig that had been dead for several days inside.

This had all been part of Lin Chen's plan.

After passing through smoothly, Uncle Liang drove the carriage all the way into the wilderness. Only when there was no one around did he stop.

Lin Chen rolled out from beneath the carriage.

All this time, he had been clinging to the underside of the carriage.

An ordinary person would have been unable to endure it long ago.

But he had stubbornly held on until now.

"Young Master, your plan was brilliant." Uncle Liang looked deeply gratified.

Lin Chen smiled. "Uncle Liang, don't dwell on such details. Since this coffin saved my life, we should bury it."

Lin Chen picked up some tools and began digging a pit.

Half an hour later, the two set out again.

"Uncle Liang, don't go back to Clearwind City."

Sitting on the carriage, Lin Chen took out a large chest from his Storage Pouch and slammed it onto the carriage with a bang.

At the sight, Uncle Liang's eyes widened. "Young Master, you... you..."

He stammered for a long while without daring to say it aloud.

Lin Chen merely smiled calmly. "Uncle Liang, I'm already at the first layer of the Qi Condensation Realm. I'm a true cultivator now."

"Heaven has eyes! Heaven truly has eyes!"

Uncle Liang suddenly stopped the carriage, jumped down, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed toward the front.

Lin Chen hurriedly got down and helped Uncle Liang up.

The old man's face was already streaked with tears as his trembling lips moved while he looked at Lin Chen.

"Young Master, if Master and Madam knew you could cultivate, they would surely be happy."

Hearing this, Lin Chen could not help asking, "Uncle Liang, who is the enemy of our Lin Family?"

Since he had taken over someone else's body and gained the system, he should do his part and put in some effort.

Once he had the ability in the future, he would surely avenge their blood debt, so that his heart could be at peace.

Uncle Liang sighed. His eyes were filled with hatred, but Lin Chen could see fear mixed within it.

"Young Master, Master and Madam once instructed me not to let you concern yourself with this matter, but..."

He hesitated, his clouded eyes looking toward Lin Chen.

"Young Master, if one day you can open that Sealed Letter, perhaps you will learn the truth."

That letter?

Lin Chen suddenly recalled the sealed letter inside the Iron Box.

It seemed his parents had long foreseen the coming danger.

They had prepared for the aftermath in advance.

They also understood that if Lin Chen learned of this while he was weak, it would only harm him.

In other words, he was not yet qualified to know the truth.

After understanding this, Lin Chen did not dwell on it and directly changed the subject.

"Uncle Liang, we're going to Linshan City now. I'll buy you a big house there, ten servants to attend you, and ten strong men to work for you..."

Hahaha...

Uncle Liang laughed until tears came to his eyes and told Lin Chen to put the chest away.

The two talked and laughed along the road. Near noon, they arrived at a Post Station.

Both man and horse were weary, so Lin Chen decided to rest there.

After eating and drinking their fill, while drinking tea, Lin Chen suddenly raised his head and looked outside.

"Uncle Liang, go sleep in a room. We'll leave after you wake up."

Hearing Lin Chen's words, Uncle Liang stood up and yawned. "I'm old and useless now. Young Master, you should rest too!"

"Mm, I'll go up after I finish my tea." Lin Chen watched Uncle Liang head upstairs, then slowly rose and walked outside.

Outside stood twenty or thirty men on tall horses, clad in armor.

At the center of the crowd, Lord Qin was dusty and disheveled, his face livid as he stared at Lin Chen.

"Lin Chen, the Lin Family caught fire last night. Why are you here today?" Lord Qin asked through gritted teeth.

Lin Chen feigned surprise, scratched his head, and replied, "Lord Qin, yesterday I sold the old residence to the Pawnbroker. I left after selling it. Isn't it normal for me to be here now?"

"Bullshit!" Lord Qin roared. "Yesterday, you were clearly at..."

"At where? Lord Qin, were you spying on me?" Lin Chen took several steps forward, arriving before them.

He lifted his head, his gaze firm and confident. "Lord Qin, why have you chased me all the way here?"