Great Harvest!

County yamen.

Five li away, in a grand residence.

Chen Ling stood with his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth in the courtyard as he waited for good news.

"Husband, with the three hall masters taking action, that thief will surely be captured alive. I must skin him and pull out his tendons, to console my elder brother's spirit in heaven!"

A gorgeously dressed woman in a red gown watched the entrance, waiting as well.

"Mm."

Chen Ling nodded, but a trace of worry lingered in his heart.

After all.

The moment he received word that the thief had gone to the canal beneath Lone Wolf Mountain, he had notified the three hall masters to capture him alive and bring him to the estate outside the city, where his beloved concubine could take her revenge.

Yet it was already dark.

And still no news had arrived.

"You're back! Are you all right? I've felt unsettled all day!"

When Lin Changsheng returned home, Yu Wenjing's breathtakingly pretty face greeted him, filled with worry.

At this moment.

Yu Wenjing wore a housewife's apron, looking like a young wife waiting for her husband to return.

"I'm fine. Look, perfectly fine!"

Lin Changsheng clenched his fists and struck a strongman's pose, smiling faintly.

"Mm, dinner's ready. Eat first!"

Yu Wenjing smiled sweetly and headed for the kitchen. Though she wore an apron, it could not hide her graceful, slender figure.

After dinner.

Yu Wenjing went to clear the dishes, while Lin Changsheng sat outside in the courtyard, bathing in the moonlight and tossing pebbles as he waited for the deep of night to handle serious business.

"Changsheng, could you... take a walk with me?"

At that moment, Yu Wenjing's voice sounded behind Lin Changsheng.

"Sure. Where do you want to go?"

Lin Changsheng nodded. Yu Wenjing had stayed at home all this time; perhaps she was feeling stifled.

"Let's just walk around."

Yu Wenjing broke into a smile.

Today.

Yu Wenjing seemed to have deliberately dressed herself up. Though she wore no powder or rouge, her lovely face was snow-white, her skin smooth as congealed cream, possessing a beauty that left one stunned!

The two walked side by side beneath the moonlight. He could still gain experience this way, so the time was not wasted.

All around them, insects chirped in waves, and they could even hear each other breathing.

Yu Wenjing seemed to have something to say, but in the end, it became a single sentence. "Changsheng, look. The moonlight is beautiful tonight!"

"Yes, it is!"

Lin Changsheng looked at the bright moon overhead and nodded.

Yu Wenjing said nothing more. The two passed through the bamboo grove, walked far away, then returned. After several trips back and forth, when the moon hung at its zenith, Yu Wenjing looked at Lin Changsheng and said, "Thank you for walking with me all this way, Changsheng!"

Listen to you, being so formal!

Lin Changsheng smiled faintly.

The two smiled at each other and chatted a while longer. Yu Wenjing then returned to her room. Lin Changsheng sat in his room, and after Yu Wenjing had gone to sleep, he donned black clothes, covered his face, and headed into the city.

The night deepened.

County yamen.

Five li away, in a grand residence.

Chen Ling stood before the room's screen with his hands behind his back, his brows tightly furrowed.

"My lord, this subordinate went to investigate beneath Lone Wolf Mountain. There were signs of a fight at the scene. We searched within ten li, but found no trace of the three hall masters!"

"However, our hidden sentries discovered that Lin Changsheng returned unharmed."

At that moment, a man in black flashed into the room and bowed with cupped fists toward Chen Ling.

"There were signs of a fight at the scene, the three hall masters have vanished without a trace, yet Lin Changsheng returned safe and sound. It seems..."

Chen Ling's body shook. A sense of foreboding rose within him, and cold sweat streamed down his back.

The three hall masters were all Second-Rate Expert Realm martial artists!

They had surrounded and killed a youth under twenty. Since there were signs of battle at the scene, it meant the three hall masters had acted. Most likely... Lin Changsheng had killed all three of them!

Otherwise, the three hall masters could not possibly have failed to return and report!

But Lin Changsheng was under twenty. How could he have killed three Second-Rate Expert Realm martial artists?

Unless he was a First-Rate Master!

First-Rate Masters under twenty were not unheard of in this world!

He had been to Yu Capital and had heard that Yu Capital possessed such youthful martial arts prodigies!

"It's all that bitch's fault!"

"She's dragged me into this dead end!"

Chen Ling cursed inwardly, then spoke in a deep voice. "Men! Seize Ma Qian and throw her into the prison!"

Lin Changsheng had killed the three hall masters and would certainly not spare him. He might come knocking at any moment. His skills were inferior, and he had misjudged his opponent. If he wanted to live, he could only save himself!

He would push everything onto his beloved concubine, Ma Qian!

Then offer up all he had gained over the years. Coupled with his special status, perhaps he could save his life!

As for running away?

Before such an expert, he knew there was nowhere he could hide!

"My lord, this..."

A middle-aged man in black entered. Hearing this, his face filled with shock. He had never expected his lord to abandon his beloved concubine!

"Go, quickly! A moment's delay will be too late!"

Chen Ling spoke in a deep voice.

"Yes!"

The man in black turned and hurried away.

"Lord Chen, if you knew this day would come, why act as you did in the first place?!"

Just then, an indifferent voice rang out behind Chen Ling.

"Ah!"

Chen Ling spun around in terror and fell to the floor. Supporting himself with both hands, he stared fearfully at the black-clad, masked man before him. Then he rolled over, dropped to his knees, and kowtowed. "Spare my life, Hero! This was all forced upon me by my concubine Ma Qian. This lowly one had no choice! I have already sent someone to throw Ma Qian into prison!"

"Furthermore, I am willing to compensate Hero for your losses. I beg Hero to spare my life!"

After speaking, Chen Ling raised his head to look at Lin Changsheng. His entire body trembled, and his eyes were full of pleading.

"Compensate my losses?"

Lin Changsheng's heart stirred at those words. He needed silver to buy Blood-and-Qi Pills to increase his cultivation experience!

Chen Ling was the brother-in-law of Ma Zhankui of the Green Snake Gang. Over the years, he must have raked in plenty. Lin Changsheng immediately said, "That depends on how much silver you are willing to spend to buy your life. If you satisfy me, I can spare you!"

Though he said that.

Chen Ling had sent three hall masters to ambush and kill him. How could he spare the bastard's life?

Once he had the silver.

If Chen Ling died unexpectedly, Lin Changsheng would not be breaking his word.

"This lowly one is willing to exchange 4,000 taels for my life!"

Hope appeared in Chen Ling's eyes. He hurriedly held up four fingers.

"Four thousand taels of silver! No wonder they say that after three years of clean service... one has one hundred thousand taels of snow-white silver!"

Lin Changsheng narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Lord Chen, show me your sincerity. My time is limited!"

Lin Changsheng clearly remembered that Chen Ling had colluded with the Green Snake Gang to scrape the people's flesh and suck their marrow. Over the years, he must have amassed quite a fortune. How could he have only this little?

"Ah..."

"H-Hero, this lowly one also has some gold and silver jewelry, calligraphy, paintings, antiques, and the like. They can be exchanged for 1,000 taels. I will give you 4,000 taels first, then gather the remaining 1,000 taels tomorrow and give it to you then. Would that be acceptable? I beg Hero for mercy!!"

At those words, Chen Ling shuddered violently in fright and hurriedly replied.

This time, not a single drop remained.

"Fine. Go fetch the silver!"

Lin Changsheng said in a deep voice.

"Yes! Hero, please follow this lowly one!"

Chen Ling sighed inwardly. After speaking, he headed toward a room behind the screen. He pressed against the wall, and a hidden door immediately appeared. Beyond it was a small chamber.

It was roughly five zhang in size. A landscape painting hung on the wall opposite the entrance, while several niches lined the right wall, filled with antiques.

Chen Ling walked before the painting, lifted it, and pressed somewhere behind it. A hidden compartment appeared beneath the painting.

Chen Ling reached inside and pulled out a stack of banknotes.

This estate.

Was Chen Ling's private property. Everything he had gained over the years was hidden here.