"Bad news! Retreat!"
The burly bandit cultivator had been pressing Xu Qianhuan hard. It would not have taken him long to wound or even kill his opponent, but the commotion in the distance told him the situation was beyond salvaging!
The Xu Family had noticed. Reinforcements were here!
If they lingered to fight, they would probably all die here!
"Go!"
He acted with utter decisiveness, immediately fleeing into the distance.
The remaining bandit cultivators unleashed bursts of power as well, broke away from their opponents, and retreated together.
"You dare run wild on the Xu Family's doorstep? Leave your lives behind!"
An immensely loud roar accompanied the Flying Vessel's swift approach!
The Xu Family cultivators breathed a sigh of relief, then saw a palm-sized bronze mirror fly up from the Flying Vessel and aim at the backs of the fleeing bandits.
Hiss!
The bronze mirror trembled. A hazy, earthen-yellow beam erupted from it and chased them down. The wounded third-layer Qi Refining bandit was the slowest, and the beam pierced straight through his chest.
A bloody hole of mangled flesh opened up. He screamed, toppled headfirst, and died on the spot.
The bronze mirror turned again, sending out another earthen-yellow beam. It was about to kill the third-layer Qi Refining bandit who now brought up the rear.
"Hmph!"
The burly bandit looked back, his eyes flashing coldly. He thrust his spear, releasing a bloody light that blocked the beam.
The third-layer Qi Refining bandit escaped death, his legs trembling.
After a cold glance at the newcomer aboard the Flying Vessel, the burly bandit seized his companion with magical power and led the bandits into the mountains, where they disappeared.
"Do not pursue a cornered foe."
Xu Qianhuan stopped the Xu Family cultivators who, their morale soaring, had set off in pursuit, then went forward to meet the newcomer.
The newcomer was a middle-aged male cultivator. He jumped out of the Flying Vessel, his cultivation at the qi refining ninth layer. Looking at the devastated scene, he frowned and ordered, "Assess our losses and tally the spoils."
"Yes, Lineage Head."
Two uninjured qi refining middle stage cultivators, still in good condition, answered loudly together and set to work.
By now, Lin Changheng had gone over to check on Master Mo and Shopkeeper Xu. Master Mo replied with a somewhat haughty "Unharmed," while Shopkeeper Xu looked at him with admiration in his aged eyes, murmuring that he was old now and could no longer compare with the young...
Only then did his heart settle completely.
He next looked toward the newly arrived head of the Xu Family, whose name was Xu Xuheng. Lin Changheng had seen him twelve years ago, when he made an appearance at the welcoming banquet for the immortal seedlings.
Back then, he had already spent a long time at the eighth layer of Qi Refining. Now, he had only just finished honing and consolidating his ninth-layer cultivation.
He was only in his early fifties and still had a chance of reaching foundation establishment, though that chance was not great.
Of course, Lin Changheng could not discern his cultivation level. Xu Fugui had told him all these recent details during their last meal together, and they were hardly any great secret.
In a Qi Refining Lineage like this, only young geniuses needed to conceal their abilities for fear of assassination. Their strongest cultivators, on the other hand, had to publicize their strength throughout the Lineage to foster a sense of security and unity.
Four more Xu Family cultivators hurried over from the distance.
By then, the tally of losses was complete.
"Reporting to the Lineage Head: two of our mortal descendants died, one alchemy apprentice was seriously injured, and two qi refining middle stage cultivators sustained minor injuries."
"Have they taken medicinal pills?"
Xu Xuheng interrupted.
"They have, and they are resting."
"How many enemies were killed? What did we gain?"
"Three third-layer Qi Refining bandits and one fourth-layer bandit died. One of the third-layer bandits was killed by you, Lineage Head, and two were slain by the Third Elder. As for the other third-layer bandit..."
His voice faltered here, clearly uncertain.
At that moment, Xu Qianyou stroked his beard and chuckled, speaking up at just the right time. "Changheng killed that third-layer bandit. The one the Lineage Head slew was also wounded because Changheng assisted me."
"It was only a lucky kill." Knowing he could not conceal it, Lin Changheng shook his head with a faint smile.
In an instant, everyone present turned surprised, curious gazes toward Lin Changheng.
Not merely because he had killed someone at his own level, but even more because of his identity... he was a ranked alchemist!
Almost everyone in the Xu Family knew that an immortal seedling had finally broken through to become a ranked alchemist after twelve years as an apprentice. No one had expected him to have a fair talent for combat as well...
"Good."
Xu Xuheng gave Lin Changheng a word of praise, then nodded to the male cultivator making the report.
A storage pouch was immediately handed to Lin Changheng.
"This is...?"
"Our Lineage rules provide measured rewards and punishments. An immortal seedling who kills an enemy alone may keep all the spoils."
Xu Xuheng offered that brief explanation.
In his heart, however, he valued Lin Changheng's identity as an alchemist more. What did killing an opponent at the same level matter? What did talent for combat matter? His mixed spirit roots limited his potential, and his achievements were bound to be modest.
The Xu Family recruited so many immortal seedlings rejected at the spirit-testing assemblies and offered them generous treatment precisely to uncover talent in the hundred arts and gamble on the chances of their offspring possessing spirit roots.
Expecting these immortal seedlings to grow into pillars of strength was unrealistic...
Thus, the battle ended.
The Xu Family had suffered losses, but they were not great. The bandits, by contrast, had taken a heavy blow.
Yet if the Xu Family head had arrived just a little later, and Xu Qianhuan had been wounded or killed, freeing the burly bandit to act, everyone present would have faced certain death.
Victory and defeat truly hung on a single instant.
Realizing this only strengthened Lin Changheng's original resolve to avoid conflict and combat.
Then again, even if Xu Qianhuan alone had been killed, losing a top combatant at the eighth layer of Qi Refining would have truly wounded the Xu Family's sinews and bones.
Unfortunately, neither the dead bandits' bodies nor their storage pouches bore any identifying marks.
There was therefore no way to know where these bandits had come from, or why they had come.
Holding the storage pouch he had been given, Lin Changheng did not open it immediately. Instead, he silently followed the group, soon crossing the Black Water River and arriving at the Lineage's settlement.
It was a vast collection of estates built along the river, stretching for dozens of li.
The Xu Family's mortals all lived in ordinary towns.
Its cultivators were scattered among the various spirit veins.
The Xu Family possessed one upper-grade first-tier spirit vein and one middle-grade first-tier spirit vein. The upper-grade vein supplied core personnel, including late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.
Lineage members at the qi refining sixth layer could also apply to move there.
Everyone else shared the middle-grade vein, though there were distinctions within it as well.
Qi refining middle stage cultivators and guest retainers lived along its main artery, where spiritual energy was richer. The rest established their cultivation grounds along its branches.
The immortal seedlings had originally been assigned to a branch of the middle-grade first-tier spirit vein beside the Black Water River, called the Tide-Listening Dojo.
As soon as the group entered the settlement, many people came forward with solemn expressions.
They all clamored to ask what had happened.
Among the crowd, Lin Changheng also spotted a dark-skinned male cultivator grinning broadly and waving at him.
It was Xu Fugui.
He smiled back in greeting.
Seeing the others ahead surrounded by people, with no one paying him any attention, he simply joined Xu Fugui, and the two began chatting quietly, talking and laughing.
Suddenly, a young woman like a goddess drifted over from afar.
Her dark hair fell like a waterfall, frost gleamed in her eyes, and crimson lips graced her jade-like face.
A pale purple gown trailed along the ground, offering glimpses of icy skin and jade bones. What a cool, noble beauty!
Those gathered around voluntarily parted to make way for her, their faces filled with respect or wonder at her beauty.
"Who is that?"
Lin Changheng noticed the stir as well and turned to ask Xu Fugui.
"The Xu Family's young lady, the Lineage Head's legitimate daughter, Xu Hanji."
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