sinovels Chapter 51 The Zhou Family's Fury
Chapter 51 The Zhou Family's Fury
"I understand, nephew." Zhou Mingyuan nodded, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes. "I just can't swallow this insult."
"He has to swallow it even if he can't." Zhou Jingtang's tone turned serious. "Those who achieve great things don't concern themselves with trifles. Once he leaves Qingyun Town, it will be his death day."
Zhou Mingyuan took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and nodded.
"Uncle, rest assured, I can tell what's important."
"That's good." Zhou Jingtang smiled and turned to leave.
Zhou Mingyuan stood under the corridor, watching Zhou Jingtang's departing figure with a gloomy look in his eyes.
After a long while, he turned around and walked towards the backyard.
In the backyard flower hall, Zhou Mingxuan was sitting by the window embroidering.
She wore a light purple dress, her long, black hair cascading over her shoulders, with a few strands falling beside her ears, making her exquisite face appear even whiter and more like jade.
Seeing Zhou Mingyuan enter, she put down the embroidery frame in her hand and looked up.
"Brother, how did things go?"
"I've found out." Zhou Mingyuan sat down opposite her, picked up the teacup on the table, and drank it all in one gulp. "Zhang Lin is Lin Xuan, and Lin Xuan is Zhang Lin."
A strange light flashed in Zhou Mingxuan's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Just as I thought." She nodded. "That day on the street, I felt that this person was not simple. It's not normal for an unknown rogue cultivator to be able to refine a first-grade Qi-Nourishing Pill and also have a top-grade magic weapon pill furnace."
"Uncle has already sent Demao to take back the shop." Zhou Mingyuan put down his teacup. "Cut off his source of income first, force him to leave Qingyun Town, and then find an opportunity to make a move after he leaves."
Zhou Mingxuan remained silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke up: "Brother, this person must not be killed."
Zhou Mingyuan was taken aback: "Why?"
"This person must have a secret." Zhou Mingxuan's gaze was deep. "Rather than the fact that he was originally at the late stage of Qi Refining, I feel that he was at the early stage of Qi Refining a few months ago. He must have some kind of opportunity."
She paused, then added, "If we can get our hands on the opportunity he possesses, the Zhou family might just rise to a higher level."
Zhou Mingyuan nodded thoughtfully: "You mean...?"
"Don't kill him yet." A cold glint flashed in Zhou Mingxuan's eyes. "Force him to hand over the opportunity, then it won't be too late to kill him."
Zhou Mingyuan pondered for a moment and nodded: "That makes sense, but this person is determined, not lustful, and not greedy for money, so ordinary methods are useless."
"Then we'll use drastic measures." Zhou Mingxuan's lips curled into a cold smile. "Everyone has weaknesses. As long as we find his weaknesses, we can control him."
What is his weakness?
"We don't know yet," Zhou Mingxuan shook her head. "But we can search slowly. Brother, there's no need to rush. Leave this to me."
Zhou Mingyuan glanced at his sister and nodded.
Although Zhou Mingxuan is a woman, she is far more cunning and scheming than him.
With her involved, the chances of success in this matter increased significantly.
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Qingyun Town, Fangshi East Street.
The sun was setting in the west, and dusk was beginning to fall.
Zhang Lin emerged from the teleportation array and walked along the bluestone path towards East Street.
The shops on both sides of the street gradually lit up, casting long, orange shadows on the ground.
He walked at a leisurely pace, pondering his next move.
Three months later, they will return to Qingxuan City, and the Danxia Sect will send someone to pick them up and take them to Yunmeng Continent.
During this time, he needs to find a quiet place to cultivate and accumulate enough true energy, while also being wary of the Zhou family.
As he walked, he arrived at the shop front.
The signboard for "Lin's Grocery Store" still hangs there, the four large characters written with vigorous strokes, and were written by him personally.
Zhang Lin took out his key and was about to open the door when a voice came from behind him.
"Young Master Lin."
Zhang Lin turned around and saw a middle-aged man walking towards him from across the street.
This person appeared to be in his fifties, with a round face, bright eyes, wearing a brocade robe, and a white jade token hanging from his waist. He possessed the cultivation level of the late stage of Qi Refining.
Zhou Demao, the market clerk of Qingyun Town.
Zhang Lin's heart stirred, but his face remained calm. He cupped his hands and said, "Deacon Zhou, it's been a long time. How have you been?"
Zhou Demao cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, a smile on his face, though the smile seemed somewhat forced.
"Young Master Lin, I have come to your door today with something to tell you."
"Please speak, Steward Zhou."
Zhou Demao hesitated for a moment, then took out a cloth bag from his sleeve and handed it over.
"This is the rent and deposit paid by the young master. The rent for two months is 160 spirit stones, and the deposit is 80 spirit stones, for a total of 240 spirit stones. Please check it, young master."
Zhang Lin took the cloth bag, but instead of counting it, he looked at Zhou Demao.
"Steward Zhou, what is the meaning of this?"
Zhou Demao sighed, his gaze somewhat evasive.
"Young Master Lin, this shop... cannot be rented."
Zhang Lin raised an eyebrow: "Why? The contract was signed three months ago, and only one month has passed?"
"Young master, please don't make things difficult for this old man." Zhou Demao smiled bitterly. "I am only acting under orders. You know in your heart who you have offended in Qingxuan City. I advise you to leave Qingyun Town as soon as possible and go as far away as possible."
Zhang Lin remained silent for a moment, having already made up his mind.
Zhou family.
It really is the Zhou family.
They acted quickly; only two days after the Dharma assembly ended, they had already located Qingyun Town.
Zhang Lin looked at the cloth bag in his hand with a calm expression.
"I appreciate Steward Zhou's good intentions, but I never change my ways because of threats from others."
Zhou Demao sighed and shook his head.
"Young master, you are young and impetuous, which I understand. But you must know that some things cannot be solved by acting on impulse."
After saying this, he bowed respectfully, turned and left, his steps hurried, and soon disappeared around the street corner.
Zhang Lin stood at the door, watching Zhou Demao leave, his face calm and composed.
The Zhou family's methods are nothing more than cutting off their source of income, keeping watch on them, and waiting for an opportunity to strike.
He had seen too many of these despicable tactics.
Zhang Lin put the cloth bag into his storage bag, opened the shop door, and went inside.
The shop remained unchanged, with low-grade magical artifacts and pills neatly arranged on the shelves, covered with a thin layer of dust.
He looked around and made up his mind.
This shop is better off not having.
The Zhou family's attempt to cut off his source of income is nothing but wishful thinking.
Zhang Lin went to the backyard and put the items from the three side rooms into his storage bag.
The prepared medicinal materials, elixirs, ritual implements, and jade slips were all included.
After tidying up, he stood in the courtyard and took one last look at the shop.
A month or so passed in a flash.
But it's good, it's a good opportunity to completely retreat into the deep mountains and concentrate on cultivation.
Zhang Lin turned and left the shop, locked the door, and placed the key on the door frame.
Zhou Demao will come to collect it himself.
He strode out of the market, his steps steady and unhurried.
As we left the market, it was already completely dark.
He glanced at the market, made a hand seal, and vanished into the ground.
Half an hour later, Zhang Lin used earth magic to travel all the way to the outside of the Black Wind Mountain Spirit Spring before finally emerging.
Under the moonlight, the waterfall resembled a silver ribbon, cascading down from a great height into the deep pool below with a thunderous roar.
A misty halo hung in the air, shimmering faintly in the moonlight, like smoke and fog, like a dream.
Zhang Lin walked to the spiritual spring, sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes and concentrated, sensing the fluctuations of spiritual energy around him.
The cave is filled with spiritual energy, and the spiritual spring emanates a spiritual aura that drifts in the air like silk threads.
No one has been here, and there is nothing unusual.
Zhang Lin opened his eyes and nodded.
It's safe here for now.
Zhang Lin took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and began to circulate his internal energy.