Cultivation Begins with Daily Intelligence Reports

197: Entering the Zhong familyQingzhong Town, Zhong Family Stronghold.

Compared to the plain simplicity of Lin Family Village, the Zhong Family, built relying on the dangerous terrain of Black Mountain, was clearly much grander. The outer perimeter of the town was lined with low walls built from sturdy Blue Stone.

Moreover, this place had become a small market, with many Loose Cultivators depending on the Zhong Family for a living.

At the town entrance stood a very conspicuous Bronze Giant Bell, about ten feet high, whose body was engraved with complex Wind Patterns.

It was said to be a Magical Artifact that served both as a warning system and a weak offensive tool, and it was considered the Zhong Family’s landmark structure.

Lin Jingyu led the way, with Gu Yue, Wang Meng, and Shui Sheng following half a step behind him. The four arrived together.

Although they did not deliberately release Spiritual Pressure, the harmonious aura of integration with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi naturally emanating from the three Ninth Layer of Qi Refining Cultivators,

combined with the invisible majesty that came from long-term control of power, still caused the passing Cultivators and the Zhong Family disciples on duty at the entrance to look over, instinctively feeling dread, and hastily clearing the path, not daring to offer the slightest obstruction.

Just as they reached the entrance, the few Zhong Family disciples who had been loafing around next to the Bell Pavilion noticed them.

The triangular-eyed youth leading them, whose cultivation was only at the Qi Refining Second Layer, adopted an arrogant posture, perhaps accustomed to being overbearing in daily life.

Or perhaps his eyesight was too poor, as he failed to sense the formidable hidden power of the four people opposite him. Instead, he squinted at Lin Jingyu, who was walking in front, lazily extended his hand to stop them, and spoke with a frivolous tone:

”Hey! Stop! Where are you from? Don’t you know the rules? To enter our Qingzhong Town, you must first pay ten Spirit Stones as an entry fee!”

His gaze swept over Lin Jingyu’s simple attire, then glanced at the three people behind him, subconsciously treating them as Lin Jingyu’s servants.

Lin Jingyu’s gaze did not even linger on him for a moment, as if he were merely a pebble on the roadside. His voice was calm and steady as he directly stated his purpose:

”The Lin Family, Lin Jingyu. I am here to find the person in charge of your Zhong Family.”

”The Lin Family? Which backwater, ruined household is that?”

The triangular-eyed youth sneered, then seemed to suddenly recall something, and a look of exaggerated, malicious mockery appeared on his face.

”Oh... oh... I remember now! Is it that Lin Family whose members were beaten like dogs and chased out yesterday by our Young Lord?

What? Today they sent you, a fair-skinned, tender-looking pretty boy, to ask for a beating? Ten Spirit Stones, hurry up! Otherwise, scram immediately!”

The followers behind him also burst into contemptuous and malicious laughter, as if they had heard the funniest joke.

Lin Jingyu’s eyes suddenly turned cold. The pent-up frustration in his heart, accumulated from the humiliation of his clan members, almost materialized.

He couldn’t be bothered to waste another word on such ant-like trash. The aura of his Qi Refining Fourth Layer was no longer completely contained; he released it slightly and immediately withdrew it.

A cold, sharp, invisible pressure instantly enveloped the youth precisely, like an ice needle piercing the bone marrow.

The triangular-eyed youth’s sneer was abruptly cut short, as if an invisible hand had suddenly grasped his throat. His face instantly turned deathly pale.

His eyes filled with terror, and he stumbled back five or six steps, nearly falling onto his rear. His followers behind him were silent with fear, like ducks whose necks had been wrung, their laughter stuck in their throats, trembling all over.

”You... you... what do you want to do? This is the Zhong Family! Our Zhong Family Clan Head is a great expert at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining!”

The triangular-eyed youth screamed shrilly, trying to sound fierce but inwardly terrified. He frantically pressed his hand against the low-grade Magical Artifact at his waist, but he was trembling too much to pull it out.

Lin Jingyu completely ignored him, as if merely brushing away a speck of dust before his eyes, and walked straight into the town.

Seeing this, Gu Yue let out a cold snort. Although he didn’t speak, that cold snort struck the hearts of the Zhong Family disciples like a heavy hammer.

Wang Meng was even more direct, glaring at the few youths. His gaze carried pressure as substantial as reality, filled with the ferocity tempered by battlefields.

This caused the legs of those disciples, who were only at the Qi Refining Second or Third Layer, to turn soft. With a few thuds, they actually collapsed onto the ground, their trousers instantly becoming wet, no longer daring to harbor any thought of obstruction.

The group entered the town without obstruction.

What was even more intriguing was that the Zhong Family’s Clan Protection Array, which should have been constantly active or at least responsive, showed no movement at all, its light curtain dim.

Clearly, someone had given instructions to deliberately keep the gates wide open, displaying a condescending contempt born of assurance, as if saying: Even if we let you in, what can you do to us?

Lin Jingyu sneered inwardly, but his steps did not falter. His target was the most magnificent cluster of buildings at the center of the town.

Sure enough, just as they reached the main gate of the Zhong Family mansion—a structure with flying eaves and upturned corners, a bustling courtyard, and several times grander than the Lin Family Ancestral Hall—

a group of young Zhong Family disciples, led by Zhong Peng, were already gathered there, seemingly having received news and waiting for a long time.

They were all brightly dressed, arrogant in expression, standing with crossed arms, waiting like spectators for the Lin Family members to come again and ”seek humiliation.”

Zhong Peng was tall and robust, his face carrying the arrogance of someone spoiled. His cultivation was around the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, which was decent for his age.

He stood with his arms crossed, scanning Lin Jingyu up and down with an extremely rude gaze, like sizing up merchandise. The corner of his mouth curled into a deep sneer and undisguised malice:

”Oh? Who do we have here? Isn’t this the Lin Family’s ’Young Clan Leader’ who got lucky, somehow managed to cozy up to a Miaoling Pavilion woman, and only rose to prominence thanks to a bit of Alchemy luck?

What? Was that old trash not beaten enough yesterday? Today they sent you, this little sissy—this pretty boy who seems only capable of hiding behind women—are you here to sing a song and apologize to your grandpa?

Or is it that your Lin Family really has no one left, so they sent you to use a honey trap?”

Zhong Peng completely ignored the three seemingly ”ordinary” attendants behind Lin Jingyu whose aura was restrained, or rather, his arrogant heart disdained to even check.

His view of Lin Jingyu was based solely on the impression instilled by Liu Chengcai; he hadn’t even bothered to investigate.

The followers behind him immediately burst into even harsher and more unrestrained laughter, spewing endless vulgarities:

”Brother Peng, I think he came to offer himself up! Too bad, our Brother Peng isn’t into men! Hahaha!”

”Is the Lin Family completely out of people? Sending this kind of thing? Do they think Brother Peng is kind-hearted and won’t beat him to death?”

”Maybe he thinks he’s handsome enough to get hit two fewer times?”

The vulgar, unbearable words were utterly humiliating.

Lin Jingyu remained expressionless, as if these foul words were merely wind passing his ears, unable to taint even the corner of his clothes.

His gaze calmly passed over the ugly sight of their laughter and landed directly on Zhong Peng’s face. His voice was clear and steady as he spoke every word:

”Zhong Peng, my Lin Family Cultivator Lin Lingxi was severely injured without cause by members of your Zhong Family while gathering herbs on Black Wind Mountain, and the Spirit Beast she was treating was stolen.

Yesterday, my clan’s Clan Head, Lin Lingshan, came respectfully to inquire about the reason, but was instead besieged and humiliated by you. Today, I, Lin Jingyu, have come here for one thing: justice.”