Chapter 62

Time flies, and before they knew it, another half month had passed.

On this day, Gao Guiyong and Zhou Quan arrived as scheduled, and were warmly welcomed by the villagers of Fiyun Village. They purchased nearly four hundred pieces of Fiyun Fire Copper from the village for seven hundred silver coins.

At the same time, Gao Guiyong brought a letter for Lin Xun. The letter was written by Xue Liang, and the content was simple. It merely informed Lin Xun that the "Prefecture Examination" in Donglin City was only a month away. If he wished to participate, he needed to set out for Donglin City as soon as possible.

Lin Xun knew that the Prefecture Examination was generally held in December each year, the Provincial Examination in March of the following year, and the National Examination three months after the Provincial Examination, which was in June.

As for the Imperial Examination, it would be held in September.

It was said that every September, the capital of the Zhaoyao Empire, Zijincheng, would be filled with blooming Zhaoyao flowers, like a sea of flowers, adorning every corner of the city. This was considered one of the greatest wonders in the world, known as the "Zhaoyao Flower Festival."

Those who successfully passed the National Examination were often hailed as the "Zhaoyao's Elite, the Nation's Pride," and would be arranged to walk through the famous Imperial Street in Zijincheng, amidst the sea of Zhaoyao flowers, to receive the cheers and praise of the crowd.

This tradition was known as the "Pride's Journey."

Lin Xun held the letter in his hand for a long time, until dusk fell, and finally made his decision.

...

Three days later.

Before dawn, Lin Xun had already packed his bags, held Xia Zhi's small hand, and pushed open the door to walk out into the courtyard.

"Are you really not going to tell the others?" Xia Zhi asked, a rare question.

"No, it's not a matter of life and death, so it's better not to disturb them," Lin Xun shook his head. He actually couldn't bear to see the scene of the villagers seeing him off.

However, when they reached the village entrance, they were stunned.

It was still dark, and the distant mountains were shrouded in darkness, but the area near the village entrance was brightly lit, with the flames of torches illuminating the area.

Xiao Tianren and the other villagers all held torches, and whether they were elders or children, they stood quietly there.

Every face was filled with reluctance, and many had tears in their eyes, trying hard not to cry.

No one spoke, and the atmosphere was silent, with only the wind rustling.

Lin Xun was completely stunned, his emotions surging, unable to calm down for a long time.

"Let's go!"

Xiao Tianren took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Don't say too much, everyone just wants to see you off for a bit."

Lin Xun nodded, held Xia Zhi, and mounted the scaly horse. The hooves clattered on the ground, making a crisp sound that echoed loudly in the silent atmosphere.

Many children couldn't help but rush forward, but were held back by the adults beside them. Some women couldn't help but lower their heads and cry, feeling indescribable sadness.

Under the light, Lin Xun silently looked at each face, suddenly remembering that he had lived in Fiyun Village for half a year...

Half a year!

Not only had Fiyun Village changed a lot, but he himself had also undergone many changes. Now he was leaving, and when would he return to this place and see these people again?

"Lin Xun!"

Suddenly, a loud voice rang in Lin Xun's ears, snapping him out of his thoughts. He turned his head and saw Village Chief Xiao Tianren saying solemnly, "Remember, Fiyun Village will always be your home. If you get too tired outside, don't push yourself. Fiyun Village will always be waiting for you to come back!"

"Waiting for you to come back!"

The villagers couldn't hold back their emotions any longer and shouted in unison. The voice full of expectation echoed in the night.

Lin Xun took a few deep breaths, laughed, and waved, then spurred the scaly horse to gallop away.

At that moment, the dawn broke, a ray of sunlight tore through the darkness, casting the first light on the world, illuminating the mountains and rivers, and bathing the young man riding the horse in a brilliant light.

That moment, frozen in time, would be unforgettable for all the villagers of Fiyun Village for the rest of their lives.

Even after Lin Xun's figure disappeared into the distant horizon, the villagers did not disperse. They all couldn't help but recall many past events.

When Lin Xun first came to Fiyun Village, who could have imagined that this young man would help them resolve one crisis after another?

And who could have thought that Fiyun Village would undergo a complete transformation in just half a year because of his arrival?

The villagers were not foolish; they knew that Lin Xun truly considered Fiyun Village his home, and they also regarded him as one of their own.

The only regret was that they all understood that someone like Lin Xun was destined not to stay in Fiyun Village for life. The outside world was his stage!

...

"Lin Xun, will we come back here in the future?"

"Yes."

"Those people are good."

"Of course, from now on, we might not easily encounter people who treat us as well as they do."

"Okay."

"Xia Zhi, the outside world is vast and full of unimaginable dangers. I will do my best to protect you from any harm."

"As long as you don't leave me, I won't feel wronged."

"Ha, how could I leave you?"

In the vast wilderness, Lin Xun spurred the scaly horse to gallop, the cold morning wind brushing his face, making his clear and sharp features appear even more determined.

Xia Zhi sat in Lin Xun's arms, her beautiful and serene face wearing a faint smile. Her world was small, small enough to only hold Lin Xun.

...

Three days later.

Lin Xun arrived at the Qingyang Tribe, met with Xue Liang, and then left the Qingyang Tribe in the afternoon, heading north with a map to Donglin City given by Xue Liang.

At the same time that Lin Xun left, the shopkeeper of the Qingyang Tribe's Shidingzhai, Yan Zhen, sent a letter to Donglin City, thousands of miles away.

The letter was addressed to the head of the Donglin City Shidingzhai, Mu Wansu. The content was simple, only saying: "Lin Xun is heading to Donglin City, expected to arrive in two days."

This letter was carried by a "Green Feather Falcon" and reached Mu Wansu's hands in just three hours.

At that time, Mu Wansu was bathing. Seeing the letter, she casually tore it up and said, "If he wants to come, let him come. Anyway, I have the final say in the Donglin City Shidingzhai. As long as he stays in Donglin City, he won't have any connection with my Shidingzhai!"

Speaking, she got out of the bathtub, her graceful and alluring body covered in droplets that shimmered with an enticing luster.

Mu Wansu put on a loose bathrobe, stood in front of a large bronze mirror, and used a clean towel to dry her wet hair, exuding a lazy and indescribable beauty.

Then, she seemed to remember something, her eyebrows arching sharply, looking fierce and intimidating.

"No, the Shidingzhai will not even buy or sell items with this brat. I must cut off all ties with him. The eldest son said this brat would become a great talent in the future? I want to see if he can stand on his own in Donglin City without the help of my Shidingzhai!"

Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Mu Wansu's full lips, her beautiful eyes filled with a hazy look, and she murmured, "Lin Xun, don't blame me for being heartless. You made me so angry in the past. You must remember, if a woman has you on her mind, the consequences can be very serious..."

...

At the same time, in the Wu Family Business of the Qingyang Tribe.

"Shopkeeper, we have sent people to investigate Fiyun Village. Wu Henshui, the major steward, and his subordinates, including Lian Rufeng, have all disappeared without a trace. The outcome is likely as you predicted, they have all met with misfortune."

"Additionally, this evening, our spies reported that Lin Xun has set out for Donglin City, accompanied only by a little girl."

A subordinate reported, and Wu Deyong listened quietly, his face changing for a long time. Finally, he clenched his teeth and said, "Why go anywhere else when he's heading to Donglin City? Isn't he walking into a trap? That's our Wu family's stronghold! Although the Shidingzhai has assets in Donglin City, if we seize the opportunity, we might be able to take care of this boy!"

For a whole month, every time Wu Deyong thought of the missing Wu Henshui and the slain mad dog Wu Jie and others, he felt a needle in his heart, unable to sleep or eat.

Especially after the Shidingzhai intervened in the matter, the reputation of the Wu Family Business in the Qingyang Tribe plummeted to the bottom, becoming a laughingstock.

This made Wu Deyong's resentment grow even stronger. Now, hearing that Lin Xun was heading to Donglin City, Wu Deyong immediately sensed an opportunity.

As he said, Donglin City was the Wu family's stronghold, with deep-rooted influence. Although the Shidingzhai was a powerful force in the empire, it was still an outsider in Donglin City.

A strong dragon does not suppress a local snake. Wu Deyong knew very well that there were countless ways to kill someone, not necessarily through direct confrontation. With some careful planning, Lin Xun could be eliminated silently.

At that time, even if the Shidingzhai found out, the Wu family would not admit to it, and the consequences would not be severe.

Understanding this, Wu Deyong could no longer hold back. That night, he left the Qingyang Tribe with several guards, heading for Donglin City.

"Shopkeeper, it's not good. Wu Deyong has already set out for Donglin City at night, likely hearing about Lin Xun and planning to harm him!"

At the Shidingzhai, Xue Liang hurriedly found Yan Zhen, worriedly saying.

"No problem, I have already sent a message to Miss Wansu."

Yan Zhen said calmly, "With Miss Wansu there, the Wu family, no matter how rampant, would not dare to offend our Shidingzhai because of Lin Xun."

Hearing this, Xue Liang felt reassured.

However, neither Yan Zhen nor Xue Liang knew that Mu Wansu had already decided to cut all ties with Lin Xun.

Similarly, Lin Xun probably didn't realize that so much had happened behind the scenes because of his trip to Donglin City.

---

PS: Thank you again to Teng Xiao for the support. The first volume, "Rising from the Ashes," is now complete. The main and secondary plot lines have been laid out, and from here on, Lin Xun will truly begin to show his prowess!

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