Zhong Lin collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily.
After running continuously for a day and night, even with the help of the Breathing Skill, Zhong Lin was utterly exhausted. What’s more, having just narrowly escaped death, the shock to his spirit made him want to lie flat on the ground, finding it extremely difficult to even move a finger.
Yin Daoyan quickly pulled out an elixir from his chest and stuffed it into Zhong Lin’s mouth. The elixir melted upon entering his mouth, and its surging medicinal power spread throughout his body like a stream flowing through parched land, leaving him feeling completely rejuvenated.
"How are you? Feeling better?"
Yin Daoyan’s face was full of concern.
Zhong Lin stood up, feeling his fully recovered strength and Qi-Blood.
"I wasted a Fourth Grade Elixir from Master."
"It’s just an elixir, how can it compare to you, Zhong Lin? What happened, and why was this person chasing you?"
Zhong Lin did not hold back, recounting the events on Turtle Back Mountain and the ambush by Wu Jingguang in full detail.
"Damn it, first killing people from Hundred Herbs Hall, and then ambushing my disciple. Letting him off easy,"
Yin Daoyan said angrily, making a grabbing motion with his right hand, and the severed body of Wu Jingguang flew over from a distance.
With a step, an invisible Qi Force squashed Wu Jingguang’s body into a pulp.
Zhong Lin opened his mouth to say "search the body," but swallowed the words back, realizing there was no need; even any divine weapon might have been broken underfoot.
At the same time, a warm feeling arose in his heart. This was what it felt like to have family support.
From afar in Tianyang City, Old Deng, Gu Yourong, and others rushed over, along with people Zhong Lin did not recognize, likely from other factions within Tianyang City, startled by Master’s thunderous shout earlier.
"Zhong Lin, are you alright?"
Gu Yourong exclaimed with worry as she ran over, checking Zhong Lin thoroughly.
"I’m fine, how could I not be, with Master here!" Zhong Lin replied with a smile.
"What happened? Weren’t you going to Wuyun City for the Treasure Pavilion auction? Why do you look so battered?"
"I ran into some minor issues, all dealt with by Master. Let’s go! We’ll discuss it back home."
Zhong Lin patted Gu Yourong on the back, indicating he was alright.
"So this must be Nephew Zhong! Indeed a prodigy, escaping under the hand of Wu Jingguang at just the Fifth Grade Inner Strengthening Realm. Truly a young hero; Yin, you have a great disciple!"
A middle-aged man stepped out of the crowd, appearing over forty, dressed in luxurious robes, with refined features, resembling Mei Weixuan by three parts, likely Weixuan’s father, the Mei family head. However, unlike Weixuan’s unreliability, this handsome man exuded authority.
Yin Daoyan frowned slightly, about to inquire, when Lord Mei opened his palm to reveal a letter the size of his palm.
"My son Weixuan sent a letter via a carrier pigeon, saying that Nephew Zhong was being hunted by Wu Jingguang, the Village Chief of Black Wind Village. I was about to inform you, and thought Nephew Zhong unlikely to escape, yet he returned to Tianyang City unharmed despite being hunted by an Upper Third Grade martial artist. Truly impressive."
Lord Mei spoke with admiration and did not hold back in his praise.
Gu Yourong whispered to the side, "Zhong Lin, this is Mei Weixuan’s father, the current Mei family head, Mei Haiqing."
Zhong Lin nodded upon hearing this and respectfully said, "Thank you for your praise, Senior. Zhong Lin is unworthy of such honor."
"No need for such formalities; you are close with Weixuan, and since I’ve known Brother Yin for many years, just call me Uncle," Mei Haiqing said with a chuckle.
Zhong Lin looked at his Master, saw Yin Daoyan nod, and hurriedly saluted, "Zhong Lin greets Uncle."
Mei Haiqing chuckled heartily, stroking his beard.
"Uncle, how is Weixuan now?"
"Rest assured, he’s fine. Wu Jingguang only chased you; he didn’t bother with him. He’s on his way back and should return in two days."
Zhong Lin no longer worried about Mei Weixuan being targeted by Black Wind Village. Although Wu Jingguang pursued him, there was no guarantee someone else wouldn’t target Weixuan.
Mei Haiqing stepped to Yin Daoyan’s side and, looking at the pulp that was Wu Jingguang beneath his feet, spoke coldly, "A mere clown, daring to stir trouble in Tianyang City instead of staying in the mountains. Truly ignorant of the word ’death.’ Brother Yin, since Zhong Lin calls me uncle, leave the rest to me. Wu Jingguang is dead; thus, Black Wind Village no longer needs to exist."
Zhong Lin quickly expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Uncle."
"It’s no trouble. Nephew, you should rest; these past two days must have exhausted you!"
Mei Haiqing patted Zhong Lin’s shoulder with care.
The group didn’t linger long and began to head back.
Zhong Lin returned to the courtyard of the Hundred Herbs Hall, feeling refreshed after a bath, and went to pay respects to his Master.
"Sit down! Yourong cooked these dishes for you, eat up!" Yin Daoyan said with a smile.
Zhong Lin looked at the four dishes and one soup on the table, all exquisitely prepared and aromatic, clearly made with care.
"Even to me, Yourong hasn’t shown much care in a long time."
Yin Daoyan teased again.
Gu Yourong blushed, lowered her head, and continued brewing her tea without replying.
Zhong Lin chuckled foolishly, sat down, and started eating, picking up the rice and devouring the food ravenously.
After these few days and one night of intense running, he was starving, and in a short while, he had swept the table clean; ’wolfing down’ would not be an exaggeration.
Gu Yourong conscientiously cleared the dishes and left Zhong Lin alone with his Master.
"Master, how is the matter with Han Jin being handled?" Zhong Lin asked after wiping his mouth.
"He managed to escape again. As you suspected, he intended to steal the Silver Wolf cub from Black Wind Forest, not to keep, but to provoke the Silver Wolves and incite a beast tide. Fortunately, he didn’t succeed, or else the nearby people would have suffered great casualties."
Yin Daoyan slammed his hand on the table in anger. He knew the horrors of a beast tide, having fought in one in his youth. The ground was soaked in blood for nearly a hundred miles, all he could see were mangled corpses, and the air was filled with cries of agony.
"Never mind him; I’ve only been away for a month, yet you’ve already reached organ refinement perfection. How did you do it so quickly? Did you injure your internal organs?"
Yin Daoyan was a bit worried, fearing Zhong Lin would harm his internal organs in his eagerness to advance, leading to the Five Labors and Seven Injuries.