Chapter 87: Burning the Bridge After Crossing the River

In the middle of the night, the ancestral hall of River Mouth Village was still brightly lit. At this time, the main figures from the surrounding villages around Moon Lake had all gathered. A group of village chiefs and clan uncles were surrounding a round table in the main hall, watching the young man who had just killed Old Meng feast heartily.

The food and drinks were prepared hastily, with all the best fish and game from the village gathered, filling the table. They did not dare to be the slightest bit negligent.

“Smack, smack...”

Surrounded by over a hundred people, Shen Chen remained calm and composed, enjoying his meal alone. The entire table of food and drinks was prepared for him, and it seemed that Shen Chen had no intention of inviting anyone to share.

After a while, seeing that Shen Chen was full and burping, Liu Gu and his daughter exchanged glances and both approached, bowing deeply to Shen Chen. The girl, who was ethereal and graceful, spoke with gratitude, her eyes welling up with tears: "Liu Hanyan thanks you for saving her life!"

As she spoke, a hint of surprise flickered in Liu Hanyan's eyes, seemingly amazed that her savior was so young. Her father, Liu Gu, quickly showed a look of worry...

"There's no need to thank me. It was just your good luck that I happened to be swimming ashore when you needed help!" Shen Chen stretched and stood up, his face showing little emotion.

This girl, Liu Hanyan, with her delicate features and ethereal beauty, was a rare beauty, like a lotus flower. However, Shen Chen, burdened with a great vendetta and with the whereabouts of the Flowing Cloud Sect disciples unknown, had no intention of lingering here.

Shen Chen casually waved at Liu Gu and Liu Hanyan, then turned his gaze to the villagers and said indifferently, "How far is it from here to the Cloudy Mist Mountains?"

"Reporting to you, sir, this place is called Moon Lake, which is part of the territory of the Qin family of Ye City. The Cloudy Mist Mountains you mentioned, are they the desolate mountains near Luo Yun City?" The old village chief, Mu Xi, hurriedly stepped forward, speaking very respectfully, with a meek and submissive demeanor.

"Yes, those desolate mountains!" Shen Chen nodded. The Cloudy Mist Mountains were vast and stretched across several major cities in Yun Province. The territory of Luo Yun City only included a corner of the outer region of the Cloudy Mist Mountains. He wanted to find out about that place.

"The exact distance, I can't say, but it must be at least several hundred miles," the old village chief Mu Xi said with a troubled look, then added, "However, if you want to go there, the best route is to head to Ye City and take the official road. Ye City is not far from Luo Yun City, and it would only take a few days to travel via the official road!"

"Alright, then, get me a room to sleep in. I'll leave early tomorrow morning!" Shen Chen, looking sleepy, turned to leave. The villagers, including Liu Gu and Liu Hanyan, who were still pondering how to thank him, were left behind.

However, just as Shen Chen's feet left the ground, a commotion from outside the courtyard caught his attention. He didn't want to get involved, but upon listening closely, he heard a familiar girl's voice.

"Wow? What a coincidence, that girl is also here in this desolate place..." Shen Chen stopped, looking puzzled.

"Come out! The person in charge, get out here! If anything happens to Hanyan, I'll make this village pay with their lives!"

Soon, a girl's voice echoed through the bamboo grove where the ancestral hall was located. The voice was melodious, like the tinkling of silver bells, but it was now filled with anger. It reached the ears of everyone inside the hall from a distance.

"Wan Ning? She... she really came to save me!" The others were still looking at each other, unsure who was causing trouble in the middle of the night. But Liu Hanyan, standing beside the Buddha statue, suddenly trembled with joy, tears streaming down her face as she rushed out.

"Ah! Hanyan, you're safe, that's great!"

"Wan Ning, thank you for coming to save me. I'm fine now..."

Soon, two girls' voices of surprise and joy echoed from the bamboo grove outside the hall, sounding like two close friends reuniting, leaving Mu Xi and the others even more confused.

"Ha ha! Sir Shen, this is my daughter's close friend, the beloved daughter of Lord Beifeng, who has come in person. When Hanyan was captured by Old Meng An, I had no choice but to send a messenger to Miss Wan Ning, who was traveling on the official road to Ye City. I didn't expect Miss Wan Ning to be so devoted and come in person. Now I no longer have to worry..." Liu Gu, dressed as a merchant, walked over and explained with a faint hint of pride, his tense muscles relaxing.

This scene did not escape Shen Chen's notice. Seeing the old man's relieved expression, how could Shen Chen not know what he was up to?

When Shen Chen said there was no need to thank him, he noticed that the old man did not feel relieved by his words. Instead, his eyes became more suspicious, and his gaze toward Shen Chen was almost like that of a wolf.

That look clearly showed he was afraid Shen Chen would later demand a high price, and Shen Chen was simply too lazy to argue with him, not because he didn't see through it.

Now, the old man, upon hearing that strong support had arrived, quickly changed his attitude, looking completely unbothered and even boasting that he no longer had to worry. "What a joke, that old man is already dead, and you're still worried? Aren't you just indirectly warning me not to be too demanding later?"

Such a fickle person truly embodied the saying, "Indeed, there is no honesty in business!"

Shen Chen felt deep disdain. He was originally too lazy to argue, but now, hearing the old man's indirect threat, how could he tolerate it?

Immediately, a playful smile appeared on his cold face, and he walked over to the old man, patting his shoulder and said meaningfully, "Ha ha, since you and your daughter are both safe, shouldn't we settle the accounts? I can't just do all this for nothing, can I?"

"Sir Shen, you said..." Liu Gu's face stiffened, not expecting Shen Chen to suddenly bring this up, feigning confusion.

Shen Chen grew angrier the more he looked at him. "Pretending! You're still pretending!" He thought to himself, then put on a cold face and said, "Yes, I did say there was no need to thank me, but I didn't say there was no need for compensation!"

"This..." Liu Gu's eyes narrowed, a shadow of unease flashing in them. He was a shrewd businessman with a significant business in Beifeng City, and for such a person, it was always about taking money from others, never giving it away easily.

He thought this matter would be over, and the appearance of the noble lady had given him confidence. But now, it seemed his plans were not working. The young man who had seemed indifferent earlier was now demanding compensation.

For Liu Gu, this was like having to take the money he had just put in his pocket back out, which was like a cold shower, making the already stingy Liu Gu feel very uncomfortable, even a bit angry.

"Ha ha, Mr. Liu, are you trying to cheat me?" Shen Chen smiled, looking harmless, but in his heart, he had already cursed the old man a hundred times.

Shen Chen had seen many stingy people, but such a stingy and ungrateful old man was rare. Now that he had fallen into his hands, he had to make the old man pay dearly...

"Alright, how much do you want? Three thousand taels of silver, is that fine?" Seeing Shen Chen's persistence, despite feeling uncomfortable, Liu Gu said calmly, deciding to give some money to get rid of Shen Chen.

At the same time, Liu Gu's tone had a hint of displeasure, not even trying to hide it, as if he was afraid Shen Chen wouldn't understand. With strong support now here, he no longer felt the need to be cautious about the young man...

"Ha ha... Three thousand taels of silver, Mr. Liu, you are truly generous. Do you think your precious daughter's life is worth only this much?" Shen Chen sneered, sensing the old man's impatience, as if he was treating him like a beggar.

Three thousand taels of silver sounded like a lot, but for a cultivator, it was nothing, equivalent to only a few hundred body-refining pills.

"How much do you want, then?" Hearing Shen Chen's sarcasm, Liu Gu's unease grew, and he said impatiently.

If it had been before the incident, Liu Gu might have hesitated a bit. Although he was greedy, he valued his daughter greatly. But now, he no longer took Shen Chen seriously.

His daughter was saved, and the process no longer mattered to him. Although this seemed ungrateful, it was the mindset of a businessman, who only cared about the outcome, not the process.

Moreover, the noble lady he had been eagerly awaiting had arrived, and with the burden lifted, his focus was no longer on Shen Chen. He even disliked the idea of traveling with Shen Chen the next morning.

The old man was very shrewd, knowing that a young girl in her prime could easily develop feelings for a savior of similar age, which he absolutely could not allow.

When his daughter thanked the young man, the sparkle in her eyes was a dangerous signal, which was why he had shown impatience when talking to Shen Chen.

Liu Gu had always been proud of his daughter's ethereal beauty. In fact, his daughter was well-known in Beifeng City, admired by many noble sons and young masters, only slightly less famous than the noble and ethereal Princess Wan Ning.

In Liu Gu's view, his daughter would only marry a prince or a high-ranking official's son. A mysterious young man from the wilderness like Shen Chen was not even considered...

"Ha ha..."

In the main hall of the ancestral hall, watching the old man's shifting expressions, Shen Chen guessed his thoughts and smiled playfully.

"Sir Shen, just say what you want. No need to beat around the bush," seeing Shen Chen