Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

”Little brother, we admit our defeat this time. Spare me, and I can compensate you.”

”I am a member of the Zhuang Family. If you kill me, they will definitely investigate. As long as you let me go, I can swear that the family won’t hunt you down.”

Zhuang Xin looked at Lin Chen, knowing that their attempt to kill and rob could not be concealed—otherwise, the other party wouldn’t have ambushed them here.

”Who gave you the courage to kill and rob?”

Lin Chen squinted. As such a young Grade-Entering Martial Artist, it wasn’t just his limitless future that made him untouchable. Simply being at this level at his age implied considerable backing in the eyes of others.

Anyone with sense would know that a martial artist like him should not be easily provoked.

The two before him were well-aged and had also managed to Enter the Grade, meaning they certainly weren’t fools.

”It was... it was the Shopkeeper at the Treasure Pavilion who secretly informed us...”

Without hiding anything, Zhuang Xin confessed, knowing it was useless to deny as the other party was already aware.

Lin Chen suddenly understood. He had initially thought it was Dan Muqing, infuriated by his rejection, who wanted to kill and rob, suspecting he had more than one Canglan Pearl.

Unexpectedly, it was an insider from the Dan Family, with the Treasure Pavilion’s Shopkeeper secretly colluding with the Zhuang Family, informing them of his sale of the Canglan Pearl.

”We speculated that, with your talent for reaching the grade at such a young age, your family must be extraordinary. However, there is no prominent Gu family in the surrounding counties that meets the criteria, which suggests that you come from afar.”

”If you traveled so far to sell the Canglan Pearl, it’s very likely your family faced some upheaval, forcing you away from your homeland.”

Listening to Zhuang Xin’s analysis, Lin Chen had to admit that no Grade-Entering Martial Artist had a simple mind.

The logic was sound, and it was likely what Dan Muqing thought of him as well.

A descendant of a fallen family, traveling thousands of miles to sell a Canglan Pearl, likely because his family was annihilated and he was pursued by powerful enemies, leaving him with no choice but to flee.

A very plausible deduction.

In his position, he might have reached the same conclusion.

”With such talent at a young age, we could turn hostility into friendship. I’m willing to recommend you to my family. With your strength, you could represent the Zhuang Family in the Four Families’ Contest, and at that time, the family would surely...”

Whoosh!

Before Zhuang Xin could finish, Lin Chen’s arrow shot out again, ending Zhuang Xin’s life instantly.

Seeing Zhuang Xin’s eyes lifeless, Lin Chen bent down to search the two bodies briefly, only finding several silver tickets worth twenty taels each, not even a single bottle of pills.

”No wonder they resorted to robbery; they must be marginal figures within the Zhuang Family.”

It’s extremely rare for Grade-Entering Martial Artists to be so impoverished. At least in Liang, such martial artists would not be this poor.

However, they might have left their wealth at their residence instead of carrying it with them.

Lin Chen picked up the two corpses and headed quickly into the depths of the forest...

A quarter of an hour later, Lin Chen dusted off his hands as he emerged from the woods. Even though these two had intended to kill him, his kind heart couldn’t bear leaving their bodies exposed to the wilderness, so he dug a pit and buried them.

...

...

At a mansion in Forest Sea City.

”Miss, something bad has happened. Shopkeeper Chen has been taken away by the Zhuang Family.”

A maid hurriedly rushed into the backyard, and Dan Muqing’s expression turned serious: ”The Zhuang Family took my family’s Shopkeeper Chen, what do they intend to do?”

”Miss, the shop’s waiter said it was the second young master of the Zhuang Family who personally came to take him.”

”Follow me to take a look.”

...

At the Treasure Pavilion.

Before Dan Muqing arrived, her face had already turned cold.

In front of the Treasure Pavilion, Shopkeeper Chen’s corpse lay with eyes wide open, half of his head crushed underfoot, while two waiters sat shivering in fear nearby.

”Your Zhuang Family is indeed arrogant. Do you really think the Dan Family is without anybody?”

Dan Muqing strode to the entrance, where a middle-aged man emerged, facing her frosty gaze with a smile and a cupped fist: ”Miss Dan, please don’t be angry. Our second young master’s action today was to rid the Dan Family of a traitor.”

”Rid of a traitor?”

”This person colluded with our Zhuang Family members, feasting with one hand while thieving with the other. When our second young master found out, he personally disposed of him to prevent any damage to the relationship between our families. He wanted to assure the Dan Family that this was not the act of our Zhuang Family’s main house.”

The middle-aged man’s words suppressed Dan Muqing’s anger slightly, but she still coldly asked, ”Is there evidence?”

”Of course there is evidence. Today, this person went to Zhuang Xin’s residence. If Miss Dan doesn’t believe it, you can ask these two waiters.”

Dan Muqing looked at the two trembling waiters and asked sternly, ”Did Shopkeeper Chen go to Zhuang Xin’s residence?”

”Miss... Miss, I... I don’t know. After you left the shop today, Shopkeeper Chen said he had something to attend to and left the shop, where he went I’m not sure.”

”The Shopkeeper went to Lord Zhuang’s residence. I’ve seen Shopkeeper Chen come out from there several times.”

As the two waiters spoke, the middle-aged man smiled and said, ”Miss Dan, our second young master said he took care of this without the Dan Family’s sanction, but if you’re dissatisfied, he’s willing to personally apologize to you.”

”No need!”

Dan Muqing’s face was icy.

”In that case, I’ll take my leave.”

The middle-aged man walked away arrogantly, and Dan Muqing instructed over her shoulder: ”Sixth Uncle, investigate why the Zhuang Family acted against Chen Yan.”