A woman with a soot-stained face and tattered clothes walked toward him.
Lin Dong fixed his gaze upon her, and his once-calm heart surged with emotion again.
"Sister!"
Overwhelmed with excitement and surprise, Lin Dong dashed over to Lin Qiu in a flash.
"Sister! You’re still alive!"
Lin Qiu’s face was etched with exhaustion, but upon seeing Lin Dong, she seemed to come back to life, suddenly brimming with spirit.
"Xiaodong! You’re still alive, too!"
After such a long separation—no, after experiencing the despair of being torn apart by life and death—the two embraced and wept, holding each other tightly.
"Am I... am I dreaming?" Lin Qiu looked at Lin Dong again and pinched her own arm. A sharp sting followed, and she realized it was no dream. "Xiaodong! I... I..."
Lin Qiu was speechless. Lin Dong understood her feelings perfectly, so there was no need for words; their sobbing embrace said it all.
After a long time, both had calmed down. While there was still much to lament, they were finally able to speak properly.
"Xiaodong, everyone said you were dead, but they never found your body. I spent years looking for you. I never expected that you’d truly be alive!" Over the past few years, despite her failing health, Lin Qiu had never stopped searching for Lin Dong. But her abilities were limited, and she had found nothing. Seeing him alive today, she was curious about his years away. "Where have you been all this time? You must have suffered a great deal."
Lin Dong offered a bitter smile. After years of grievances and longing, he finally had someone to pour his heart out to. Just as he was about to tell his sister everything, a shrill, mocking voice cut through the air.
"Yo, yo, yo. What are you two doing? Do you have a thing for graveyards? Or do you prefer playing dead?"
Lin Dong’s expression shifted violently.
A graveyard? He was right, but these were his own kin!
Lin Dong was about to lash out and instinctively pulled his sister behind him, but the moment he exerted force, she let out a sharp cry of pain.
"Ah!"
Lin Dong froze. He hadn’t used any real force—what was going on?
He hurriedly rolled up Lin Qiu’s sleeves, only to find her arms covered in black and purple bruises, her body riddled with wounds.
Lin Dong was overcome with fury.
"Sister! Who hurt you?!"
Lin Qiu kept her head down, saying nothing.
The thugs who had spoken earlier swaggered over. "So, you’re the brother she’s been looking for? Perfect. You can pay her medical bills now."
As he spoke, he handed over a prescription. Lin Dong took one look; the items listed were useless scraps—ghost needle grass, chicken gizzard lining, and the like. The combination made no sense and was completely ineffective. He checked the price: fifty thousand? No one in the villages would take these pathetic herbs, and they had the nerve to charge fifty thousand for them?
Lin Dong turned his head and glanced at Lin Qiu. Seeing his sister’s evasive, fearful eyes, he understood everything instantly.
The medicine bill was a lie; extortion was the truth!
Lin Dong forced down the urge to kill and said coldly, "Today is the anniversary of my parents’ death. I do not wish to shed blood, so I will give you one chance to live."
"Get lost now, while you still can!"
Hearing this, the thugs felt no fear at all. Instead, they wore mocking expressions, and one even provocatively retorted, "Oh, you want to kill me? Come on, then..."
"Ah!"
Before the thug could finish his sentence, he screamed and flew several meters away.
The thugs beside him were stunned.
What? What had just happened?
Why did their boss go flying?
They hadn’t even seen Lin Dong move.
The thug who had been struck struggled to his feet, spat out a mouthful of blood, and continued to bark arrogantly, "You bastard! You dare hit me! Do you know who I am? I’m with the Sanlian Gang! You dare touch me! You..."
Before he could finish again, Lin Dong appeared in front of him like a ghost.
"You..."
The thug’s nerve clearly failed him.
"What... what are you doing?"
Lin Dong looked at the man but did not attack him. Instead, he simply gestured casually toward a large tree nearby.
"Snap!"
The great tree was severed in two.
"You! What the hell are you?!"
Although this thug was neither a Martial Artist nor a Cultivator, he had been on the streets long enough to know a thing or two.
Lin Dong had severed a tree from a distance—this was a feat only a Grandmaster could perform!
As a mere mortal, he was likely less sturdy than a cockroach in Lin Dong’s hands. Where could he possibly find the courage to be arrogant now?
"I... I..."
Lin Dong hoisted the man up and walked slowly to the ruins of the Lin Family estate. He spoke coldly: "Today is the anniversary of my parents’ death. I do not wish to kill and disturb their peace, but while a death sentence may be avoided, your crimes cannot go unpunished!"
"Kneel! And beg for mercy!"
The thugs were terrified out of their wits. Daring not to refuse, they began to bash their heads against the ground repeatedly, not daring to stop even when their foreheads were covered in blood.
"We’re begging! We’re sorry!"
Seeing this, Lin Qiu pulled Lin Dong aside, her face full of worry. "Xiaodong, he wasn't lying. He really is with the Sanlian Gang. We should probably hide."
Lin Dong replied with a stern face, "I returned this time specifically to avenge our parents. If I’m afraid of a few rodents hiding in the shadows, how can I talk about revenge?"
With that, Lin Dong led his sister aside. He knew she was injured, and he happened to be a divine physician—it was the perfect time to treat her.
He took her pulse and diagnosed her. After a long while, Lin Dong gritted his teeth, his voice grim. "Sister, they’re so cruel."
Lin Qiu had already accepted her fate and remained silent.
Lin Dong said in a low voice, "This poison is called the 'Circle-Eating Powder,' an ancient and rare toxin. They used it on you, which means they have other motives. Although this poison is difficult to cure and tricky to handle, it is not a dead end!"
This toxin was rare, and so was its antidote.
Lin Dong had spent his time in Taohua Spring and was unfamiliar with the current herb market, but his sister needed the cure.
"Hoo."
He took a deep breath. Suddenly, he thought of his fiancée. Didn't the family of Chu Wanning run an herb business?
Why not ask the Chu Family?
Having made up his mind, Lin Dong reassured her: "Sister, don’t be afraid. I can cure you, but I don’t have the herbs. I need to go out to get the ingredients, and while I’m at it, I’ll look into my marriage contract."
Lin Qiu asked in surprise, "Xiaodong, you’re engaged?"
Lin Dong chuckled, then hurriedly told his sister everything that had happened over the past few years.
Lin Qiu heard him out, but showed no sign of joy; instead, she fell into a bewildered, thoughtful silence.
Lin Dong asked in confusion, "Sister? What’s wrong?"
Lin Qiu opened her mouth, hesitated, and remained silent for a long time.
Lin Dong urged, "Sister, is there anything you can't tell me?"
Lin Qiu took a deep breath and spoke slowly: "Xiaodong, I don’t think you should go to the Chu Family. Because... the day our family was destroyed, Chu Wanning was in the vicinity!"
Lin Dong pressed, "Who?"
Lin Qiu said, "The Chu Family. Chu Wanning!"
Lin Dong was deeply shaken and muttered to himself for a long time.
"Her? Why would she be here?"
"My fiancée? She was nearby when our family was destroyed? What was she doing there?"
Facing the barrage of questions, Lin Qiu could not explain and remained silent.
Lin Dong said, "That’s impossible! She lived in Taohua Spring for a while. Why did I never hear her mention it?"
"Could it be that Master deliberately hid it?"
Chu Wanning had accompanied her grandfather to Taohua Spring for medical treatment; the two had spent nearly half a year together.
At that time, Lin Dong was still recovering from severe injuries, and Chu Wanning had even helped him change his dressings. They had a good relationship, or else there would be no marriage contract.
Yet, during those six months, the two young people had been alone at Taohua Spring, talking about everything under the sun. Even though Lin Dong had mentioned his thirst for revenge many times, he had never heard Chu Wanning drop a single hint.
Chu Wanning’s lips were certainly sealed tight.
Lin Dong sighed, "It seems I underestimated her."
"I suppose Master must have deliberately hidden it to keep me from going out to seek revenge. No, I must go and ask!"
Lin Qiu held him back, worried. "Chu Wanning is certainly connected to the incident, but I don’t know the specifics. However, one thing is certain: she will never help you. You two have no feelings for each other, and the Chu Family is currently in total chaos. Elder Chu is severely ill, and she is in no state to pay any attention to you!"
Lin Dong had just been wondering what leverage he could use to force Chu Wanning to help. Now, the leverage had appeared on its own.
The corners of Lin Dong’s mouth curled upward. "Then I have even more reason to go. If I save Elder Chu, I don’t have to worry about her refusing to help."
Lin Qiu, having searched for years with no progress, could only let Lin Dong try.
"Alright, go try your luck."
Lin Dong kicked the thugs aside, paid his respects to his parents, settled his sister in a safe place, and headed straight for the Chu Family estate.
The Chu Family was one of the four great families of Muye, possessing vast wealth and immense influence. Their estate was built on the sunny side of Le Mountain, and apart from the Chu Family themselves, there was no one else around.
Lin Dong arrived at Le Mountain. Before he could enter, he was stopped by a group of bodyguards.
"Who are you?"
Lin Dong didn't waste words. He handed over the marriage contract and said bluntly, "Just tell them Chu Wanning’s fiancé has arrived."
The bodyguards were stunned for a moment. Not daring to delay, they immediately sent the contract up to the estate. After verifying it, they respectfully invited Lin Dong up.