Chapter 15 The Prestige of a Powerful Martial Cultivator

In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed.

On this particular morning, Lin Xuankong had just finished practicing the Pine Heart Method and the Stone-Throwing Skill. He sat down at the wooden table in the outer room, intending to eat, when a sudden knock sounded at the door. Immediately after, a gentle and kind woman's voice called out, "Is Lan at home?"

Wang Po's voice!

Lin Xuankong's expression turned cold. He glanced at the bowls and chopsticks on the table.

Currently, there were two bowls and two pairs of chopsticks laid out. Lin Xuankong touched his own bowl, then looked at the one opposite. In the other bowl, only a little porridge remained at the bottom, appearing as if it had just been finished.

Lin Xuankong concealed the murderous intent in his eyes, feigned weakness, and dragged himself to the door.

CREAK...

The wooden door opened. Lin Xuankong coughed. "Are you looking for my wife?"

Wang Po glanced at him, her eyes darting about as she peered past him. When she saw the two bowls and two pairs of chopsticks on the table, a flicker of understanding crossed her eyes, and she retracted her gaze.

She flicked her handkerchief and said with a smile, "Oh, Brother Lin, of course, I have business! Your young lady promised to help embroider handkerchiefs, but ten days have passed, and I haven't seen a single one. The customers who pre-ordered them nearly tore down my shop! I'm worried sick! This time, I came over specifically bringing twenty taels of deposit for the young lady first! Ah, your young lady's craftsmanship is so good, of course I have to try and butter her up!"

After speaking, she waved the moneybag in her hand. "Brother Lin, please step aside. I need to go in and discuss with the young lady which flowers to embroider!"

Let her in?

Lin Xuankong glanced outside. Wang Po's sedan chair was parked by the street.

Besides two tall, sturdy sedan bearers, several Black Tiger Gang members stood not far off, each with a hand resting on the Hundred-refined Steel Saber at their waist.

Some of the nearby neighbors were stealing glances in their direction, whispering amongst themselves.

However, with Wang Po and the Black Tiger Gang members present, these neighbors kept their voices extremely low, and not a single one dared to point or stare openly.

He had planned to take this old pig-dog's life in the next two days, but she had unexpectedly delivered herself to his doorstep. However, too many people had seen this. Now was not a good time to act; it would be better to wait until night! If he couldn't kill her now, he absolutely mustn't let her in, lest he expose his strength and the fact that the young lady was not at home!

Standing squarely in the doorway, Lin Xuankong blocked Wang Po, who was trying to squeeze past. "My wife is in a bad mood these days. She's not inclined to embroider handkerchiefs, nor does she wish to see anyone. You should go back for now."

Wang Po's expression shifted, adopting a look of concern and worry.

"Oh dear, the young lady is troubled? Then I simply must see her, Brother Lin, to help you comfort and persuade her!"

With that, she wriggled her body, attempting to push her way into the wooden house.

Lin Xuankong's face darkened. He snapped, "I said my wife is in a bad mood and doesn't want to see anyone! Are you deaf?"

Wang Po, who had been all smiles, froze, looking at Lin Xuankong with some surprise.

This poor old man selling flatbread actually dares to be so rude to me? He dares to call me deaf in front of so many people! What I fear is Lii Xiaolan's martial prowess, not this useless old man before me. Does he have a single useful thing about him? How dare such an old man scold me? Has he eaten a bear's heart and a leopard's gall?

Wang Po frowned at Lin Xuankong, her expression gradually turning sour.

However, before she could speak, one of the two strong sedan bearers, a red-faced man, started shouting abuse. "Old Dog Lin, you pauper, have you gone mad? Don't you know Aunt Wang's power and status? People of Aunt Wang's stature—even wealthy landlords have to call her Dry Mother Wang when they see her. How dare you curse Aunt Wang as deaf?"

As he was shouting, the other bearer, a yellow-faced man, also cursing, drew the saber hanging at his waist and advanced on Lin Xuankong. "If I don't cut out your old dog tongue today, my surname isn't Huang!"

Seeing this scene, most of the neighbors looked panicked. They hurriedly slammed their wooden doors shut, afraid they would be implicated if Old Lin were hacked to death by the bearers. A few others, however, widened their eyes in excitement, staring intently as if terrified of missing a thrilling moment.

The few Black Tiger Gang members watched with thoughtful expressions, their eyes flickering.

Lin Xuankong ignored the cursing bearer approaching him.

He suppressed the urge to strike immediately and stared at Wang Po. He even took a step closer to her. "I told you, my wife is in a bad mood. If she loses her temper, people might die. Many people might die!"

He paused, then enunciated each word clearly, "Boss Wang, aren't you afraid you'll be among the dead?"

Lin Xuankong was very certain that the old pig-dog would not turn hostile right now, because the young lady was 'at home'!

Hearing his words, Wang Po studied his composed expression carefully and suddenly felt a pang of unease.

Where did he get such confidence? Could Lii Xiaolan really have developed some feelings for this wretched old man? Otherwise, where did his confidence come from?

She hesitated, her gaze drifting back to the two sets of chopsticks and two bowls on the table.

Gritting her back teeth, she quickly retreated a few steps.

By now, the sedan bearer with the drawn saber had reached Wang Po's side, preparing to strike Lin Xuankong.

To the bearer's surprise, Wang Po turned and blocked him. Then, she raised her hand and delivered a rapid series of slaps—SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!—across his face. "You cur! How dare you speak like that! Didn't you see I addressed him as Brother Lin? Is he someone you can insult? Get lost!"

The slaps were so heavy that several of the bearer's teeth were knocked out, flying some distance away. Blood gushed down, soaking a large patch of his chest.

Yet, the bearer dared not dodge, only stretching out his neck to receive the blows.

Only after Wang Po yelled at him to get lost did he stumble back to his position by the sedan chair.

Wang Po glanced up at the second floor of the Lin Family's wooden house, then, in an instant, her face was wreathed in smiles again. She chuckled at Lin Xuankong, "Oh dear, what a scene today! Brother Lin and the young lady are magnanimous, please bear with us. I'll teach this blind fool a proper lesson when I get back! Brother Lin, just remember to have the young lady help with the handkerchief embroidery!"

With that, she strode to the sedan chair and entered. Once inside, her smiling face instantly contorted.

An almost uncontrollable murderous intent gleamed in her eyes. I, Wang Qiluo, have navigated the Great Marsh Prefecture for so many years! When have I ever been so humiliated by a pauper like this! Lin Xuankong, you will die a miserable death! But before you die, I will make you watch with your own eyes how your wife is ravaged by others!

Soon, the group departed from Wutong Village.

From the wooden houses in Wutong Village, countless faces with peculiar expressions peeked out.

These neighbors looked from the retreating figures of Wang Po's group to the Lin Family's now-closed wooden house, utterly unable to comprehend what had just transpired.

That was Wang Po from Wang's Clothing Shop, a genuine Martial Cultivator in the Transcendence Realm, with connections to powerful figures in the Black Tiger Gang. How could such a Boss Wang seem to be fawning over this old flatbread seller?

Especially those neighbors who had openly or secretly ridiculed Lin Xuankong; they were now dumbfounded and uneasy, completely baffled as to how Old Lin had managed it.

Inside the Lin Family's wooden house, Lin Xuankong, having closed the door, sat at the table. He looked at the bowl and chopsticks at the opposite seat, a smile playing on his lips.

This was the deterrent power of his lady, a truly formidable Martial Cultivator. Merely a pair of bowls and chopsticks placed here, without her even showing her face, had scared off Wang Po and those Black Tiger Gang members! I wonder when I, too, will possess such prestige!

After finishing his meal and completing a round of Cangsong Posture training in the backyard of the old wooden house, Lin Xuankong sat beside the Old Willow Tree to rest for a while.

He frowned as he looked up at the second floor of his house. The young lady had been gone for ten days.

According to what she said when she left, if everything went smoothly, she should have returned by now. Since she hasn't, she must have encountered some trouble or setback. I wonder if she's in danger... Thinking of the young lady who loved to eat pies, brew medicine, serve soup, and had diligently taught him the Martial Dao for many days, a trace of worry appeared in Lin Xuankong's eyes.

Unfortunately, she didn't tell me where she was going when she left. Even if I wanted to find her, I wouldn't know where to start! She's so powerful, she could probably handle two hundred of me. She shouldn't be in any danger, right? She said ten days at the earliest, half a month at the latest. Maybe she'll be back in another five days!

But do I still have five days to wait for her? Wang Po showing up today, insisting on seeing the young lady, is the most dangerous sign. It indicates that Zhang Wu and Wang Po might suspect the young lady isn't home! It might be because the young lady hasn't gone out recently, or perhaps they simply can't hold back any longer! I managed to deflect Wang Po's probing this time, but that doesn't mean their suspicions will be completely dispelled. If they just thought about it, they could come up with countless other ways to test if the young lady was truly at home! I must act immediately. Tonight, I'll eliminate that old pig-dog Wang Po first! My strength has progressed to this extent; it's enough to make a move now.

He then looked at the lines of large text in his mind.