Chapter 261: Non-human?

Pushing open the door, Chen You entered the courtyard.

At this moment, Chen You was dressed in silk, looking high-spirited.

It seems he has been living quite well at the Lei Family Martial Arts Hall these past few years.

"Xu Ling, long time no see, you're doing quite well." Chen You looked at the courtyard, slightly surprised.

Because of the Holy Light Sect, housing prices in Yangyue Prefecture have dropped significantly recently.

With the Whirlwind General stationed here, although prices have recovered somewhat, a courtyard like this still requires over a dozen taels of silver.

"Brother Chen You, why have you suddenly come to my humble abode?" Lin Chao said casually, holding Xiao Jing.

His friendship with Chen You was never deep to begin with.

"Senior Brother Li Qing broke through to become a Martial Master a year ago," Chen You said, a look of pride on his face.

Back then, his choice to latch onto Li Qing was a correct move.

Now, as Li Qing's number one lackey, his status at the Lei Family Martial Arts Hall has risen with the tide.

"Convey my congratulations to Senior Brother Li Qing." Lin Chao did not pay it much mind.

With Li Qing's talent, breaking through to Martial Master was only natural.

"You should have reached the Blood Refining Third Realm, right?" Chen You raised an eyebrow.

"By luck."

"Not bad," Chen You commented.

He was only at the Blood Refining Second Realm, but with Li Qing as his backer, he did not hold Xu Ling in high regard.

Those in the inner courtyard at the Blood Refining Third Realm, even those with higher talent than Xu Ling, still had to call him Senior Brother Chen You when they saw him.

"The current situation is turbulent; it is a good opportunity for us martial artists to build merit and establish a career.

Senior Brother Li Qing is preparing to form a team of martial artists to serve under the Whirlwind General. Xu Ling, are you willing to go?

One month, one tael of silver in compensation."

"Apologies," Lin Chao refused. "Xiao Jing is still young, and there is no one at home to look after her; I cannot rest easy."

Chen You frowned slightly: "Are you sure you won't come?

If things succeed, perhaps Senior Brother Li Qing will be happy and reward you with a night with the courtesan Wanwan from the Qingping Building."

The courtesan Wanwan of the Qingping Building was born into an official's family; her uncle was a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, but he eventually offended the Imperial Brother-in-law and was imprisoned for his crimes.

Wanwan fell into the Qingping Building, became a top courtesan, and was sought after by the dignitaries of Yangyue Prefecture.

It is said that even with a dozen taels of silver, it is hard to even catch a glimpse of Wanwan, let alone get intimate with her.

Lin Chao still refused.

His strength was still weak right now.

Participating in such matters would be courting death.

Moreover, his wish in this life was to step into the Ninth Tier.

For him, living, and then experiencing the various states of life, was the true pursuit.

Chen You glanced at Lin Chao, a look of disappointment flashing in his eyes: "You are still the same as before..."

Chen You flicked his sleeves and left, slamming the door shut.

Outside the door, a low curse could still be heard: "Coward!"

"That uncle is a bad person."

Xu Xiaojing's voice was soft and sweet, carrying a trace of anger.

"Haha." Lin Chao laughed.

"Uncle, can we go watch the circus performance tomorrow?" Xu Xiaojing looked up, her eyes filled with longing.

"Alright." Lin Chao patted Xu Xiaojing's head.

Having arrived in Yangyue Prefecture for so many days, he had not yet taken Xiao Jing out to play.

The next day, Lin Chao paid the entrance fee and entered the circus.

The circus here had good business; inside, people were coming and going.

"Tell me, how are these people blonde and blue-eyed? The men's skin is even fairer than the young ladies of Daxing."

"I heard they came from overseas, where there is no Sun."

"No Sun? Wouldn't they be unable to see the road?"

Some people whispered, their words falling into Lin Chao's ears.

Before coming, Lin Chao had also heard of this circus.

This circus had arrived in Yangyue Prefecture a year ago.

The people in the circus were not from Daxing; their skin was white, their hair was of various colors, and the colors in their pupils were also different.

Furthermore, the circus's performances were very strange, and its reputation had soared.

Even a little girl like Xiao Jing had heard of it; its reputation had indeed soared.

Xiao Jing sat on Lin Chao's shoulders, holding a candied hawthorn in her hand, carefree and extremely happy.

"Uncle, I want to see that!"

Xiao Jing pointed with her fair, tender finger.

The place she pointed to was a dog jumping through a ring of fire.

Many people were attracted to it, especially children; it was incredibly lively here.

"Hmm?" Lin Chao's gaze fell upon the blonde man training the dog.

"Strange." Lin Chao frowned.

He had originally thought that the people in this circus might be the same as the Westerners from his past life.

As it turns out, looking at it now, there is a huge difference.

It even gives him the feeling that it is not a human, but some other creature wearing a human shell.

Lin Chao glanced at that blond man, withdrew his gaze, and felt secretly wary in his heart.

"Sure enough... I am still too weak."

If he were stronger, not to mention having the strength of Feng Yan from his previous life or the strength of Xiang Long, it would be enough for him to see clearly what kind of existence this blond man really is.

"Uncle, I want to go see the elephants dance."

Xiao Jing cheered.

Lin Chao was slightly stunned.

Elephants can't dance, can they?

"Alright."

Lin Chao took Xiao Jing over.

Xiao Jing watched the animals, while Lin Chao watched the people from the circus.

Half a day passed, and Xiao Jing kept laughing, looking very happy.

However, on the way back, the little girl was sullen, as if she had thought of something unhappy.

"What's wrong?"

"Uncle, those animals are so pitiful."

"Hmm..."

"So I decided, I won't eat roast chicken tonight, I'll eat it tomorrow!"

"Haha."

"But, the rice is also so pitiful, the stone slab is also so pitiful, I step on it every day..."

"Haha, you are riding on me now, am I not pitiful?"

Zhu Mansion.

Zhu Qiang frowned, furious, and pushed a vase off the table, which shattered to the ground with a crash.

"Little bitch, I gave her face and she didn't want it!"

"Young Master, calm your anger," the middle-aged man comforted from the side.

If Lin Chao appeared here and saw this middle-aged man, he would definitely recognize that this middle-aged man was the very one who came to find Lin Chao and gave him eight large coins after Wan Lian died.

"Five years!" Zhu Qiang was extremely angry, "Five years of time, just wasted like this! Bitch!"

The Zhu family is a wealthy clan in Yangyue Prefecture.

Starting five years ago, the Prefecture Master had the intention of recruiting a talented son-in-law.

The Prefecture Master's daughter, Qin Xu, is a famous beauty in Yangyue Prefecture, and the Prefecture Master has no sons, only this one daughter.

So whoever marries the Prefecture Master's daughter can inherit the Prefecture Master's future estate, leaping like a carp over the dragon gate.

Zhu Qiang naturally would not let this opportunity go.

For these five years, he had been trying hard to please Qin Xu, but unfortunately, Qin Xu had always kept him at a distance.

A whole five years.

And today, the Prefecture Master announced that he had already chosen a son-in-law, and they would be married in five days.

How could Zhu Qiang not be angry?

For this woman, he had spent too much time and energy, always pretending to be a gentleman.

These five years, he hadn't even been to a brothel.

When his energy was high, he could only vent it on the maidservants.

However, those coarse maidservants could not satisfy him at all.

Fortunately, his father was quite understanding and would occasionally reward him with concubines to play with.

Otherwise, he would have gone crazy.

Now that he was told the Prefecture Master had recruited a son-in-law, how could he not be angry?

After smashing several vases, Zhu Qiang finally calmed down.

"If I remember correctly, that Wan... what's-her-name gave birth to a daughter for me?" Zhu Qiang calmed down and thought of something.

"Wan Lian," the middle-aged man reminded him from the side, "The daughter's name is Xiao Jing, she is five years old this year, and has been living with Wan Lian's younger brother."

"Bring Xiao Jing back, and after some time, let Wan Lian's brother have some kind of accident." A cold glint flashed in Zhu Qiang's eyes.

Of course, he would not let people kill the person who raised her in front of his daughter, as that would make his daughter hold a grudge against him.

An accidental death, however, would be nothing.

In his heart, he had no feelings for Wan Lian; she was just someone to play with.

Especially since at the time, that foolish woman even wanted to use the child in her belly to threaten him, asking him to help take revenge if he had the chance.

He grew hateful because of that.

"Young Master, Wan Lian's brother joined the Lei Family Martial Arts Hall five years ago and sensed his spiritual sense within a month."

"He went to the inner courtyard?" Zhu Qiang knew the Lei Family Martial Arts Hall and frowned.

If that was the case, it would be quite troublesome.

"He didn't enter the martial arts hall, but he should have become a Blood Refining Third Realm martial artist by now," the middle-aged man said.

"Blood Refining Third Realm..." Zhu Qiang frowned.

At the Blood Refining Third Realm, and still carrying the name of the Lei Family Martial Arts Hall, it was indeed not easy for him to make a move.

After all, the Lei Family Martial Arts Hall had been in the spotlight recently, and one of its disciples, Li Qing, had been favored by the Whirlwind General and promoted to an officer in the army.

"Bring Xiao Jing back and ask if he is willing to come work at my Zhu Mansion." Zhu Qiang changed his mind.

"As you command." The middle-aged man retreated.

"Yangyue Prefecture is becoming less and less peaceful." Lin Chao sighed.

Watching the people coming and going on the street, Lin Chao felt a sense of lament in his heart.

Beside him, Xu Xiaojing's eyes were red: "Uncle, I don't want to leave you."

This morning, people from the Zhu family found their way to Lin Chao's courtyard, wanting to take Xiao Jing back.

At that time, Lin Chao hesitated for a moment, asked for Xiao Jing's opinion, and refused the steward from the Zhu family.

With Lin Chao's current strength, he did not fear the Zhu family at all.

Of course, keeping a low profile was still the priority.

Lin Chao picked up Xiao Jing, and he couldn't help but think of his own daughter, Yingxue.

"When you grow up a bit more and meet a husband to your liking, perhaps you will want to leave." Lin Chao chuckled.

"I won't." Xiao Jing muttered, stubbornly raising her head to look at Lin Chao.

Lin Chao smiled and changed the subject: "Let's go, let's eat the roast chicken we didn't finish yesterday."

"Okay." Xiao Jing immediately broke into a smile through her tears, her face filled with joy.

Zhu Mansion.

Zhu Qiang frowned, his face full of anger: "This Xu Ling, he doesn't know what's good for him; that is my daughter."

"Young Master..." The middle-aged man was somewhat fearful.

"Go a few more times. If he still doesn't know his place, then... kill him!" Murderous intent flickered in Zhu Qiang's eyes.

The Prefecture Master could bully him, and he had no way to resist.

A Commoner, even if he was a martial artist, so what? How dare he go against him?

Their Zhu family was not without Martial Masters in their service!

In the following days, the middle-aged man came to Lin Chao's courtyard several more times, wanting to take Xiao Jing away.

However, every time, he was refused by Lin Chao.

The middle-aged man had no choice but to leave.

A rain fell upon Yangyue Prefecture, the rain landing on the tiles and making a pitter-patter sound.

Lin Chao's gaze was calm: "He has developed murderous intent toward me."

With his perception, if someone revealed murderous intent toward him, he would naturally know.

"This Zhu family, it is time to pay them a visit."

Furthermore, a large part of the reason why Wan Lian had committed suicide by poison back then was related to this young master of the Zhu family.

"Tomorrow is the day of the Prefecture Master's daughter's grand wedding."

Lin Chao looked at the sky; the rain was still falling.

The matter that had attracted the most attention in the entire Yangyue Prefecture now was the grand wedding of the Prefecture Master's daughter, Qin Xu.

Because, up until now, no one knew who the groom was.

Only on the day of the grand wedding would the groom reveal his mysterious face.

"An eventful autumn."

Lin Chao sighed.

However, in this world, he only wanted to be a passerby, sitting and watching the clouds rise and fall.

(End of this chapter)