Return to Peace

Lin Yi carefully examined the various materials laid out before him.

He discovered that there were indeed several items he needed for refining corpses, as well as a few treasures that would be highly beneficial for his future martial arts practice.

He picked out a few pieces and said earnestly, "I owe you for these; I will compensate you later..."

"Compensate?" Yu Qinglian's eyes curved, and she reached out to gently press her fingers against Lin Yi's lips, smiling, "Do you think I need your compensation?"

"Aren't you already mine, body and soul? You've already compensated me with yourself, so are you worried I can't afford to keep you?"

Lin Yi was stunned, then gave a helpless smile.

He finally understood why so many people in his past life were fond of relationships between older women and younger men.

He had to admit, an older sister was truly wonderful.

Lin Yi decided to retract his previous words.

Who said a man shouldn't be bought if he's poor? When the money is given in abundance, that's called love...

As he was thinking this, a flash of mischief crossed Yu Qinglian's eyes: "Hmm? Are you planning to eat your fill, wipe your mouth, cut ties with me, and just walk away?"

Lin Yi's tone faltered: "Naturally, I wouldn't..."

A smile instantly bloomed on Yu Qinglian's face: "That's right."

Lin Yi cleared his throat and said solemnly: "However, there is something I have been keeping from you."

Yu Qinglian narrowed her eyes, a hint of curiosity shining in her gaze: "What is it?"

"Hu Ma has another identity—he is the long-lost son of the county magistrate, recently found, though it hasn't been made public yet..."

Yu Qinglian's eyes widened in surprise, and she couldn't help but exclaim: "The magistrate and his wife managed to produce such an ugly creature?!"

"???" Lin Yi was dumbfounded.

No, big sister, is your focus a bit off?

Isn't the point his identity?

Yu Qinglian spread her hands: "Don't look at me like that. In any case, given the current situation, I can no longer stay in Jiaqing County. I might as well take this opportunity to leave and seek a breakthrough to refine my cultivation realm."

"However..." she narrowed her eyes, "besides this, are you sure you haven't kept anything else from me?"

Lin Yi pondered for a moment, then raised a hand to scratch his brow: "There is one other small matter."

"I am not twenty; I am sixteen this year."

"You are... sixteen?" Yu Qinglian's voice paused.

"Yes," Lin Yi replied.

"I am twenty-one, and you are sixteen..."

Yu Qinglian murmured softly, as if struck by lightning, her expression shifting between light and shadow.

A moment later, as if she had made a firm decision, she pulled Lin Yi's neck toward her again and muttered: "Fine, sixteen is sixteen. Sixteen is exactly what I want."

As she spoke, she pushed Lin Yi back down onto the bed.

The night was silent, the moonlight hazy and ambiguous as it spilled through the window lattice onto the intertwined figures in the room.

The next morning, at dawn.

Lin Hua rose early, even though the bandages on his head had yet to be removed.

Chen, her face full of bitterness, urged him: "You're injured like this, must you still go to the restaurant?"

Lin Hua shook his head and said: "I've thought a lot these past few days; in the end, family is what matters most. Since Hu Ma is determined to have that plot of land, who knows what kind of underhanded tricks he might pull in the shadows later on? I won't have you all implicated..."

"At worst, we can set up our old morning tea stall again; we'll still be able to get by."

"Mm..." Chen replied softly, bowing her head, not daring to say more.

"I'm leaving then. Take good care of Xiuwen at home. Yi is busy these days choosing a suitable martial arts school in the inner city; don't let him know about the troubles at home."

"Mm," Chen replied in a low voice, forcing herself to remain silent, fearing her husband would hear the sob in her voice.

"I'm off." Lin Hua chuckled twice and reached out to gently ruffle Chen's hair.

The moment he turned to step out the door, his previously relaxed expression instantly tightened, and he couldn't help but let out a low sigh from his throat.

"Xiuwen is now at the age where he should have a private tutor, and for Yi's martial arts training, there is no cutting corners on the meat supplements..."

In his early years, the Lin Clan had run an Escort Agency, so Lin Hua knew all too well the expenses required for a Martial Artist's cultivation.

The pressure of these trivial silver coins weighed on his shoulders like a mountain.

"Yo, Old Lin, congratulations! Come over and have a cup of tea!"

Just as he reached the alley entrance, Old Liu from the tea stall greeted him with a beaming smile.

"No, no, next time," Lin Hua said, waving his hand.

But before he could finish, Old Liu had already enthusiastically pulled him to sit down in front of the stall.

The area was filled with neighbors, and as soon as they saw Lin Hua, they gathered around him with familiar warmth.

"Old Liu, how's the food at your newly opened restaurant? I'm planning to go taste it this noon! We're old neighbors, so you'd better give us a discount!"

"That's right, Old Liu, your cooking is famous for being excellent. Everyone has been looking forward to the food at your place for a long time!"

Lin Hua was stunned for a moment, his lips moving as he asked, "Are you all... not afraid of that Hu Ma?"

"Ha, Hu Ma! Tsk tsk, that guy is just a stray dog who tucked his tail and ran. It would actually be great if we ran into him; the bounty is a full hundred taels!" someone in the crowd teased.

"Hm? What happened to Hu Ma?" Lin Hua asked, his face full of confusion.

The crowd laughed and explained to him, everyone talking at once.

"Hahaha, Old Lin, you still don't know?"

"That Hu Ma hacked the son of the Master of Qingsong Hall to death over a courtesan."

"He's being hunted by the whole city now! The County Yamen has a bounty of three hundred taels, the Green Pine Martial Hall has five hundred, and the Peace Guard has fifty! If you could actually find him, you'd never have to worry about food or drink for the rest of your life!"

The more they talked, the more delighted they became.

Hu Ma was known for bullying men and oppressing women, often coming to the Black Water Alley area to extort people. The neighbors hated him to the core, and at this moment, insults and gloating remarks were endless.

"Good... that's great... hahaha!" Lin Hua laughed heartily, the gloom that had previously hung over him swept away. He then shouted loudly, "I'm treating today! You all come! Come to my restaurant!"

The neighbors immediately stood up and cheered with excitement: "Shopkeeper Lin, you're generous!"

Suddenly, someone asked Lin Hua, "Take a look, is that your Lin Yi over there?"

Lin Hua froze, then quickly looked toward the distant crowd and waved his hand with a smile: "Hey, you know how my boy is. He's a famously handsome lad; you'd recognize him at a single glance in a crowd. That's clearly not him..."

[Disaster successfully avoided, obtained 10,000 Destiny Talisman Coins]

[Current Destiny Talisman Coins: 21,000]

[Cultivation Method: Corpse Kui Rebirth Method (First Layer)]

[Proficiency: 525/1000]

[Qi Refining Path: Corpse Puppet Path]

[Realm: Ninth Grade]

[Destiny: Know Heavenly Fate, Jade Cicada Cocoon]

[Know Heavenly Fate: Seek good fortune and avoid disaster, observe the Aura of Fortune, can use Destiny Talisman Coins to trigger Strong Luck]

[Jade Cicada Cocoon: Inherited from the maternal Destiny "Molting Jade Cicada". Once fully saturated, one can break the cocoon to awaken one's own Destiny.]

[Jade Cicada Cocoon Completion: 95%]

Lin Yi glanced at the situation near Lin Hua from afar, then his figure merged into the crowd as he turned and headed toward his secret base in the outskirts.

With the timely inheritance left behind by that wave of Hu Ma's trouble, I can finally start refining corpses and fully incubate this 'Jade Cicada Cocoon'.