Time flew, and half a month had passed in an instant.

On this day, Gao Guiyong and Zhou Quan arrived at Feiyun Village as scheduled. They were welcomed by the villagers’ warm hospitality and purchased more than two hundred kilograms of Feiyun Fire-copper with seven hundred imperial silver coins.

Meanwhile, Gao Guiyong brought Lin Xun a letter written by Shue Liang. The letter, whose contents were simple, said that there was only a month before the start of “County Test” in Donglin Town. If Lin Xun wanted to take the test, he had to set off for Donglin Town as early as possible.

In general, Lin Xun knew County Test would be held in December of each year, State Test would be held in March of the next year, and Province Test would be held three months after the State Test, i.e. in June. As for Nation Test, it would be in September.

It was said that every year in September, Ziyao Flowers bloomed in the Forbidden City, the imperial city of Ziyao Empire. Embellishing every place in the city, it was a marvelous spectacle in Ziyao Empire, and the period was called “Ziyao Flower Festival.”

Practitioners who passed Nation Test would be honored as “Elites of Ziyao Empire, the Chosen Ones”, and then would be readied to go to the most famous Royal Street in the imperial city to walk among thousands of Ziyao Flowers and receive people’s cheers and praises.

This tradition was also called “Journey of the Chosen Ones”.

Lin Xun read the letter in his hands for a long time. It was dark when he finally made a decision.

……

Three days later.

Before dawn, Lin Xun packed his bags, took Shia Zhi's little hand, pushed open the door and walked out of the courtyard.

“You have really decided not to tell anyone else?” Shia Zhi asked surprisingly.

“Yes, since it’s not a matter of life and death, it's better not to disturb them.” Lin Xun shook his head. In fact, he could not bear to see the farewell scene.

However, they were shocked when they came upon the village entrance.

At that time, it was still night and the mountains in the distance were shrouded in darkness. But the blazing flames lit up the area around the village entrance.

Shiao Tianren and other villagers all held torches, and both the elderly and the children stood there quietly.

Every face was filled with sorrow, and many people were already holding back the tears in their eyes, trying not to cry.

No one talked. The atmosphere was quiet, and only the wind was sighing.

Lin Xun was completely stunned. Overcome by mixed emotions, he could not calm down for a long time.

“Go!”

Taking a deep breath, Shiao Tianren said in a low voice, “Do not say any more. We just came here to say goodbye to you.”

Lin Xun nodded, and then rode past them on the scaled-horse with Shia Zhi in his arms. The horse's hoofs beat on the ground, giving out a crisp clop, which was especially loud in the quiet surroundings.

Many children couldn't help trying to rush forward, but they were stopped by the adults around them. Some women had already bowed their heads and wept, suffering from unspeakable sadness.

In the firelight, Lin Xun silently looked at each of the faces, and suddenly realized that he had lived in Feiyun Village for half a year...

Half a year!

Not only had Feiyun Village changed a lot, but many changes had taken place in him. Now it was time to leave, and when would he return to this place and see these people again?

“Lin Xun!”

Suddenly, a loud cry resounded in Lin Xun's ears, waking him up from the muddled thoughts in his mind. Turning his head, he saw Shiao Tianren, the village head, who said, “Remember, Feiyun Village is always your home. If you are tired outside, do not push yourself too hard. We are here, waiting for you to come back to Feiyun Village!”

“Waiting for you!”

These villagers could no longer hold back their emotions and shouted out in unison, and the voices full of anticipation echoed in the night.

After taking several deep breaths, Lin Xun laughed and waved, and then pushed the scaled-horse to run away.

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By that time, it was dawn. The first light of morning pierced the darkness, scattering in all directions and illuminating mountains and rivers, and the young boy riding the horse was enveloped by a dazzling light.

The scene that was forged at that moment was destined to be etched in the memories of all the villagers in Feiyun Village for a lifetime.

Although Lin Xun's figure had disappeared in the vast horizon, these villagers did not disperse, and they could not help thinking of many past events in their minds.

When Lin Xun came to the village for the first time, who could have imagined that it would be this teenager who helped them resolve one crisis after another?

And who could have imagined that because of his arrival, Feiyun Village had undergone earth-shaking changes within just half a year?

The villagers were not stupid. It was clear that Lin Xun sincerely considered Feiyun Village as his own home, while they also considered Lin Xun as their friend.

The only pity was they all understood that Lin Xun was not doomed to stay in Feiyun Village for a lifetime, since the outside world was his real stage!

……

“Lin Xun, will we come back again?”

“We will.”

“Those people are pretty nice.”

“Certainly. From now on, it may be difficult for us to meet people who are as friendly to us as they are.”

“Aye.”

“Shia Zhi, the outside world is very big, and there are many unimaginable dangers. I will do my best to protect you from being wronged.”

“As long as you don't leave me, I will not feel wronged.”

“Ha ha, how can I leave you alone?”

In the vast mountains, Lin Xun galloped his horse, and in the early morning, the bitter wind-swept Lin’s handsome and angular face, making it appear particularly stiff.

Shia Zhi sat in Lin Xun’s arms, a faint smile hanging on her beautiful and quiet little face. Her world was so small that there was no room for something or someone else except Lin Xun.

……

Three days later.

Lin Xun arrived at Green-sun Tribe and met Shue Liang. And then he left Green-sun Tribe that afternoon with a map presented by Shue Liang and headed north.

At the same time Lin Xun left, Yan Zhen, the manager of Keystone Business in Green-sun Tribe, sent a letter to Donglin Town thousands of miles away.

The letter was sent to Mu Wansu, who was in charge of Keystone Business in Donglin Town. The content was very simple. It said, "Lin Xun has gone to Donglin Town and is expected to arrive in two days."

The letter was carried by a "green falcon", and only six hours later, it came to Mu Wansu.

At that time, Mu Wansu was bathing. After reading the letter, she tore it up, and leisurely said, “It doesn’t matter. Anyway, I have the final say in Keystone Business of Donglin Town. As long as this little bastard is in Donglin Town, he should stop dreaming about relying on Keystone Business!”

Saying that, she stood up from the tub. Drops of water hung from her white body, which was sexy and suffused with alluring luster.

Mu Wansu put on a loose bathrobe and stood in front of a huge bronze mirror, wiping her wet hair with a clean towel. There was an unspeakable beauty in her lazy manner.

Immediately, she seemed to think of something, raising a pair of black eyebrows and exuding an air sharp like a blade.

“No, henceforward, Keystone Business can't even work with that little bastard in terms of buying or selling goods. I must cut off any contact with him. Didn't the big Childe say that this little jerk would become somebody someday? I'd like to see if he can survive in Donglin Town without the help of Keystone Business!”

Thinking of this, Mu Wansu, with blurred eyesight and a smile at the corner of her full red lips, muttered, "Lin Xun, don’t blame me for being ruthless. You used to make me so angry. You shall remember evermore that if a woman bears grudges against you, the consequence will be terrible..."

……

At the same moment, in Wu Business of Green-sun Tribe.

“Manager, I have already sent someone to Feiyun Village to investigate. Great Deacon Wu Henshui and his subordinates, including Lian Rufeng and his crowd, have all disappeared. The consequence is just as you have expected. They may have all come to a bad end.”

“In addition, just tonight, the scout came back with the news that Lin Xun had set out for Donglin Town accompanied by only a little girl.”

Wu Deyong quietly listened to the news reported by the subordinate and his facial expressions changing. After a long time, he finally gnashed his teeth and said, "You don’t take the road to heaven, only to push yourself to hell? You will bring yourself to ruin! The base camp of our Clan of Wu is in Donglin Town! Although Keystone Business also has an industry in Donglin Town, perhaps we can still find an opportunity to kill him!"

It had been a whole month. Whenever Wu Deyong thought of Wu Henshui, who had disappeared, and Wu Jie and the others who had been killed, it was like needles being pushed in his heart, making him unable to sleep or eat well.

Especially ever since Keystone Business had silenced the event that day, the reputation of Wu Business in Green-sun Tribe had plummeted to the bottom, and made Wu Business a laughingstock.

This caused Wu Deyong's resentment to amplify with each passing day. Now learning that Lin Xun was going to Donglin Town to make a living, Wu Deyong immediately realized that this might lead to an opportunity.

Just as he said, Donglin Town was the headquarters of Clan of Wu, whose influence was intricate there. Although Keystone Business was powerful as one of the first-class forces in the empire, it could only be regarded as an outsider in Donglin Town.

It was said that a powerful dragon could not crush a snake in its old haunts. Wu Deyong knew very well that there were tens of millions killing methods, so it was not necessary to kill Lin Xun with a real weapon. As long as some means were well arranged, and they were extra careful, Lin Xun could be wiped out silently!

By that time, even if Keystone Business knew about it, Clan of Wu would never admit to what they had done, and the consequence would not be as serious.

After thinking clearly about the possibility, Wu Deyong couldn’t hold back any longer. In the evening, he took several guards and quickly left Green-sun Tribe to go to Donglin Town.

“Manager, things are in a bad way. Wu Deyong has taken his people to Donglin Town tonight. I’m afraid that he has heard the news on Lin Xun and plans to kill him!”

In Keystone Business, Shue Liang hastily found Yan Zhen, and worriedly said.

“That doesn’t matter. I have already sent a message to Ms. Mu.”

Yan Zhen said imperturbably, "Ms. Mu is there. Although Clan of Wu is rampant, how dare they offend Keystone Business because of Lin Xun?" Shue Liang felt relieved after hearing this.

However, neither Yan Zhen nor Shue Liang knew that Mu Wansu had planned to draw a clear line with Lin Xun.

Likewise, Lin Xun would have never imagined so many things had happened secretly because of his trip to Donglin Town.