Chapter 3: The Great Calamity

  At night, Lin Xiao lay on his bed, his left hand embracing the family genealogy book, and his right hand tightly grasping the Danling.

  Located in the northwest border, Huichuntang is after all the largest medicine merchant in the northwest of Dayuan State. All kinds of news are very well-informed. Lin Xiao naturally knew that since the death of the old monarch of Dayuan five years ago, seven princes had raised troops to fight for the world, and in these five years, this world had become so rotten that it could not be salvaged. The area around Guihuacheng, due to its remote location on the border, had actually enjoyed several years of peaceful days. However, with the arrival of the Black Knife Bandits, this quiet and comfortable life was about to be disrupted.

  Hei Dao bandits, the legendary ruthless outlaws who leave no one alive wherever they pass. Their leader 'Black Blade', is also ranked ninth on the Great Yuan Kingdom's martial arts blacklist as a supreme master. The cruelty and ruthlessness of Black Blade are enough to scare children into not crying at night in the places he has wreaked havoc.

  Lin Xiao couldn't help but shiver. The Black Knife Gang had already arrived at such a close distance?

  "Father, why don't you consider moving Huichuntang..."

  As soon as this idea emerged in his mind, Lin Xiao lightly shook his head.

  "It's impossible, after all, Guī Huà City is a large city, with 3,000 imperial guards inside the city, and there are also 2,000 royal family generals defending it, which cannot be said to be weak. If we move, where can we move to?"

  He tightly grasped Dan Leng, and from within Dan Leng, a faintly cool breath seemed to seep out, bringing a wave of calmness to Lin Xiao's heart.

  "What a chaotic world!"

  Young Lin Xiao sighed softly, he put the danling into his inner pocket and was about to fall asleep when he suddenly heard the sound of "squeaking" from tens of meters away. Lin Xiao's first reaction was that a thief had come, but which thief in Guihua City dared to be so bold as to make trouble at Huichun Hall? He casually picked up a stick by the window and got out of bed quietly, walking to the door and peeking outside through the crack. This glance made Lin Xiao lose his breath.

  His elder brother Lin You, with the help of two family servants, was climbing over the wall in a most undignified manner! Having practiced the same family-style martial arts since childhood, but having lost all his skills in the gentle village, Lin You's posture while climbing the wall was like that of a pregnant sow trying to walk after getting drunk. Just as he had managed to drag himself over the high wall, Lin Xiao let out a silent sigh, dropped his staff, and lay back down on the bed, closing his eyes to sleep.

  In the following days, everything was peaceful and calm. There were no rumors circulating in the city about the Black Knife Gang massacring a town over 200 miles away. It seemed that what Lin Shan had told Lin Xiao was just a dream. However, the hard, cold token in his chest pocket reminded Lin Xiao that it was all real. Perhaps, though, news of the massacre had been suppressed by certain individuals - like Wang Dajia, who was good at doing such things. The lord of Guihua City probably didn't want rumors to disturb the city either.

  As time passed, Lin Xiao's heart gradually calmed down. While busy in the Hui Chun Tang, he comforted himself: "Perhaps, the Black Knife Gang won't be foolish enough to attack Guihua City."

  "Xiao Ye, this old man wants to decoct a dose of 'Taotai Yangshen Gao', you take care of it!" Hu Zhutie shouted loudly in the main hall, pointing at an old man sitting in front of him.

  Lin Xiao smiled slightly and nodded towards Hu Zhu's letter, then turned around to go into the medicine room to fetch the various medicinal materials for 'Taotai Yangshen Gao'.

  "Taotai Yangshen Gao", a special medicinal paste of Huichuntang, is a spiritual medicine for fetal care and tranquility, specially prepared for women with congenital deficiency and unstable fetal energy. Although the medicinal materials used are not very precious, there are many types of them, and each one must be added to the prescription at the right time. Lin Xiao, however, is the best person in Huichuntang at grasping the fire time when decocting medicine, even better than those veteran pharmacists who have been making medicine for decades.

  "In Lin Shan's words: 'This kid was born to play with fire!' As he said this, there was a hint of pride on Lin Shan's face, mixed with a tinge of regret."

  This remark is a bit nonsensical, and no one knows if Lin Shan's words have any other meaning.

  He had chosen various medicinal herbs, taken a clean medicine pot, carefully adjusted the flame of a small stove, and Lin Xiao, seemingly lazy, put some of the herbs and clear water into the pot. He gently placed the pot on the stove, then sat blankly in front of it, his eyes listlessly staring at the dancing flames in the stove.

  Every spark of the stove fire was so joyful, full of vibrant vitality. Lin Xiao's face gradually rippled with a satisfied smile, as if he felt that his body was jumping and cheering along with the flames in the stove. The true energy of the 'Longqing Jue' that he had cultivated for ten years slowly surged up from his dantian, automatically adjusting its breathing rhythm to match the dancing flames.

  Every day when giving people medicine, it was the best time for Lin Xiao to practice his Longqing Jue. It seemed that facing the flame had a very beneficial effect on his true energy cultivation. This was a strange and inexplicable thing, but it was indeed very effective. Since three years ago when Lin Xiao first discovered this strange phenomenon while giving people medicine, his internal skill progress in these three years was more than 50% of the total of the previous seven years. He had only practiced internal skills for ten years, but the thickness and purity of his internal force were not inferior to those who had practiced for twenty years.

  His fingers moved like a butterfly fluttering over flowers as he swiftly and accurately sensed the temperature of the medicine in the jar, whether the medicinal properties of the herbs had been fully activated. Every time the liquid reached the desired temperature, he would add a new batch of herbs to the jar with great flair.

  A faint, cold fragrance that seemed to penetrate the heart and spleen wafted subtly through the pharmacy. The pharmacists and apprentices inside couldn't help but take a deep sniff, gazing at Lin Xiao with envy. As experienced individuals, they naturally knew that Lin Xiao's skills in decocting medicine had advanced another level - the aroma of the fetal nourishing spirit ointment he brewed today was three parts thicker and clearer than before, clearly indicating its medicinal properties were also three times more wondrous.

  But it's three points, seemingly very small. However, many pharmacists have spent their whole lives studying medicinal soups, and they may not even be able to increase the efficacy of a certain medicine by one point, let alone three points?

  "Xiao Gongzi's talent is indeed astonishing, what a pity. The people in the pharmacy almost simultaneously shook their heads and then quickly lowered them as Lin Yao walked in."

  Wearing a pale silver brocade robe, with a purple gold belt around his waist, Lin Yao walked into the pharmacy with a pearl chain on his head, tightly bundling his hair into a heavenly braid. He walked straight to Lin Xiao's back, who was lost in thought, and struck him heavily on the head with a folding fan.

  The pain brought Lin Xiao back from that mystical realm, the true energy in his body retreated into his dantian like a receding tide. Although it was Longqing Jue, a gentle and soft technique, the sudden withdrawal still made Lin Xiao's meridians ache. Lin Xiao turned around angrily, saw Lin Yao, and his face instantly changed from anger to numbness. He asked in a low voice, "Big brother, what's wrong?" As he spoke, he casually tossed the last 'Clinging Grass' into the medicine pot.

  "Open the medicine cabinet." Lin Yao looked at Lin Xiao coldly and said in a low voice: "Get me ten doses of 'Rabbit Blood Powder', and also, and also..."

  With a slightly nervous glance around him, Lin Yao's voice became even more low and husky: "There is also one 'Tian Wang Hu Xin Dan'."

  Lin Xiao's eyes flashed with a hint of cleverness, and he lowered his voice to say urgently: "'Moon Rabbit Blood Stopping Powder' is used to treat women's uncontrolled bleeding, 'Heavenly King Heart Protecting Pill' is used to save people from sudden death due to fainting, Big Brother, you!"

  Lin Yao grasped Lin Xiao's neck with one hand, his handsome face already shrouded in a layer of sinister killing intent: "Open the medicine cabinet! Get the medicine, quickly!"

  "What have you done?" Lin Xiao stared at Lin Yao with a gloomy expression: "The Tianwang Huixin Dan is for emergency rescue, and even if you take it now, it won't save that person! If there's something going on, quickly tell Father. As long as the person isn't completely dead, if it's just a sudden death from heart failure, perhaps Father can still use his skills to revive them!"

  "Thud", Lin Yao's butt landed on the ground, his face turned green with rage, he stared blankly at Lin Xiao, his voice trembling with tears: "I dare not say it, Miss Zhang, Miss Zhang!"

  It was as if a thunderbolt had struck Lin Xiao's head, and he stumbled backward several steps, knocking over the stove behind him. The sound of the medicine pot shattering on the ground made everyone turn to look this way, but Lin Xiao only stretched out his hand, his whole body trembling as he pointed at Lin Yao and said in a low voice: "Big brother, you...you...and Wang family's second young master..."

  Lin Yao's face was ashen, his body violently trembling. He stared blankly at Lin Xiao, wailing in a sobbing voice: "Second brother, I've wronged you before... You must save my life this time! Quickly, quickly open the storage room and fetch the medicinal pellets, otherwise... otherwise..."

  Lin Xiao had long known about Lin Yao's filthy affairs outside and the kind of people his gang of friends were. But he never thought that Lin Yao and his group could actually do something as shameless as violating the norms of human relationships. He had roughly guessed some of the key points, but precisely because he had guessed those key points, Lin Xiao felt a fear that made him feel like the sky was falling.

  Huishunchang is the largest pharmaceutical merchant and the largest medical institution in several counties in the northwest. Linshan is the most famous divine doctor within a radius of hundreds of miles. Huishunchang has saved countless lives, enjoying extremely high prestige among the people. However, after all, Huishunchang is just a pharmaceutical merchant, just a medical institution, and just an organization that treats illnesses for people. Linshan, Hua Wuniang, and others have extraordinary skills, but overall, Huishunchang does not have too much power.

  And the Wang family of Guihua City, and the Zhang family of Guiying City, who are they? They are the local tyrants of these northwestern counties. Every trade, every industry, everything that can make money, is there anything they don't have a hand in?

  The Wang family has about 2,000 households on the surface, and the Zhang family is not far behind. If the two families were to join forces, adding their servants and retainers, they could easily muster an army of 10,000 men!

  Now, Miss Zhang, who has just married into the Wang family for a few days, actually needs to use rabbit blood powder and heart-protecting pills to save her life!

  The second son of the Wang family can't possibly be involved, and Old Master Wang wouldn't let his own son take the fall. So who's most suitable to take the blame? Isn't it Lin Yao, that dissolute young master?

  The Wang family might not say anything due to their long-standing relationship with the Hui Chun Tang, but what about the Zhang family? The Zhang family from Guiying City doesn't have much affection for the Hui Chun Tang! If something happens to their own daughter, the master of the Zhang family might do something in a fit of rage, and others won't say anything! If it were just Lin Yao who got killed, that would be the end of it, but what's scary is that the entire Hui Chun Tang might get dragged down with him!

  The pharmaceutical business in a chaotic world, I'm afraid many people have been eyeing it for a long time!

  The Guihua City Wang family, after all, is the foundation of a wealthy landlord's family. And as for the Zhang family in Guiying City, they are a newly emerged big and powerful clan in recent decades, but their identity and origin have some unsavory rumors that can't be revealed. Lin Yao has done such a thing, it's like leading a hungry wolf to the doorstep of this fat meat, Hui Chun Tang!

  Lin Xiao's face suddenly changed, he glared at Lin Yao fiercely, and without caring about the scattered Totaigenkin on the ground, he spread his legs and rushed towards the backyard like a gust of wind.

  In a small room on the south side of the attic, Lin Shan was anxiously staring at an account book with Mr. Shu Zang, the old mouse.

  After a long time, Lin Shan suddenly sighed and said: "Mr. Wei, that is to say, in the past three days, our caravans transporting medicinal materials back to the city have all been lost?"

  Mr. Wei, the accountant, twirled his whiskers and scrunched up his face. He sighed and said, "Master, it seems that the Black Knife bandits are indeed outside the city. In these chaotic times, for those fugitives, is there anything more precious than medicine? With enough medicine, they'll have the confidence to fight on the battlefield."

  "It doesn't matter!" Lin Shan flicked his chin whiskers with his fingers and said in a long, drawn-out tone: "The city of Guihua is high-walled and deep-moated, and the Lord of Golden City is also a brave and clever hero. With three thousand elite soldiers stationed there, even if the Black Knife bandits have an army of ten thousand men, they still won't be able to break in. Moreover, there are two thousand royal family generals and three thousand private soldiers secretly accumulated by the king, so even an army of thirty or fifty thousand men can't take down the city."

  Lin Shan sighed softly and shook his head, saying: "It's just a pity that this batch of medicine couldn't be used to treat the common people, but instead benefited those unscrupulous thieves."

  Mr. Wei sighed and said in a low voice: "Ordinary medicinal materials are nothing, but those..."

  Lin Shan's face sank, and he said in a low voice: "This is also nothing to worry about. Later on, they will naturally go find the Black Knife Gang to demand it back. Those medicinal materials, the Black Knife Gang won't be able to recognize them either, and they won't dare to waste them randomly." He nodded lightly and said calmly: "The brothers in the caravan team, I'm afraid they can't be saved. Even if they temporarily escape from the robbers, they won't be tolerated when they return to Chun Tang. Let's just assume they all died in battle, and give them a generous consolation."

  Mr. Wei nodded slightly and smiled softly: "Dongjia is kind and good."

  Mr. Wei carefully gathered up the account books on the table and was about to leave after lightly clasping his fists together in a gesture of respect.

  Lin Shan also smiled, but in the depths of his eyes, there was still a hint of thick worry. His mood was not as relaxed as when he comforted Mr. Wei. Lin Shan lowered his eyelids and thought to himself: "After all, should I send Xiao'er away ahead of time? But where can I send him? Outside the city, it's not just the Black Knife Gang!"

  "Bang", the door of the room was pushed open by Lin Xiao, and the door almost slammed into Mr. Wei's face as he was walking out.

  Mr. Wei let out a loud "Ah" and jumped three feet away, clutching his account book, then swiftly pulled out an eighteen-inch long yellow copper judge's pen from under his arm. The two whiskers on his chin stood up straight, glaring fiercely at Lin Xiao who had rushed in through the door. As soon as he saw it was Lin Xiao, Mr. Wei's ferocious face suddenly turned extremely gentle. He casually inserted the judge's pen behind his collar and chuckled: "Second Master's skills have improved greatly! Old Wei here didn't even hear Second Master's footsteps when you ran over, haha, shameful, shameful!"

  Zao Lin nodded slightly, Mr. Wei hugged the account book and walked out humming a tune, shaking his head and swaying his body, and also pulled the door shut with one hand.

  Lin Shanduan picked up a purple clay teapot the size of a fist from the table, slowly and elegantly took a sip of clear tea, and only then asked faintly: "Good son, how did you become so unstable? What happened? Did the Black Blade bandits break into the city? It can't be that fast, right?"

  "Father, it's not the child, it's big brother!" Lin Xiao stood there stupidly for a while before telling Lin Yao about wanting to get rabbit blood and Tianwang Huixin Dan. At the same time, he also analyzed in detail what might happen and how the Zhang family might react in the future.

  "Crack", the purple clay teapot in Lin Shan's palm shattered into powder, and the tea water along with the tea leaves inside were vaporized by a burst of pale blue flames from his palm, dispersing into a wisp of smoke.

  "Hiss~~~", Lin Xiao involuntarily took a cold breath, he knew that Lin Shan's kung fu skills were extremely high, but he also didn't think that there was a living person who could spout fire from their palm.

  Lin Shandiao was taken aback, turned his head to look at the egg-sized ball of pale blue flames in his palm, and hastily dispersed the true yuan stored in his palm. He coughed dryly and said faintly: "Good child, your Longqing Jue has been cultivated to the eleventh layer or higher, you can also have this ability like Father."

  "Father, please hurry up and save Miss Zhang's daughter." Lin Xiao quickly calmed down and temporarily put aside the strange feeling in his palm, urging Lin Shan to rush.

  "It's too late." Lin Shan said calmly: "Given your brother and his gang of friends' temperament, it's not surprising that they can do many shameful things. But he also doesn't have any quick thinking to respond to emergencies, and when something big happens, he panics. When Miss Zhang had an accident, he at least delayed for a moment before thinking of going back to the hall to get medicine to save her, and on the way, he must have been worried about me scolding him, so he dragged his feet and wasted at least another moment. Now they've delayed for so long again, humph!"

  "What does Father mean?" Lin Xiao's face turned white in an instant.

  Lin Shan shook his head and weakly closed his eyes.

  Two tears slowly flowed down, Lin Shanzhang sighed: "Master, Master, your great kindness, I will not be able to repay in this life. But when you leave, you want me to treat Wuyang well, this is a promise that I will never dare to disobey. But... but..." Lin Shanzhang suddenly opened his eyes, and two green lights flashed in his pupils, the usually carefree and elegant Lin Shanzhang actually showed a cold and ruthless killing intent and an overbearing aura.

  "Don't worry, kiddo. Although Huichuntang isn't a big shot, they're not someone who can be easily taken down either. Hmph, if it weren't for... yet again..."

  Lin Xiao stood there with a confused expression, watching Lin Shan slowly counting on his fingers.

  After a long time, Lin Shan slowly nodded and said: "Forget it, although we are just servants, but after so many years, there is some hard work. If I really did something, I think that after they finish their closed-door meditation this time, they won't not help me clean up the mess."

  Lin Shan's face suddenly flushed with a few shades of red: "At that time, it won't be necessary to be so nervous and worried!"

  He stood up with a loud voice, Lin Shan said in a low voice: "Well, gather all the people in Hui Chun Tang, Dad wants to hold a meeting to discuss this matter. Although we are not afraid of Zhang's family, we cannot do things that deceive people and damage our reputation for no reason."

  Lin Xiao stared blankly at Lin Shan, utterly bewildered as to where Lin Shan had gotten such courage from!

  The people in Huichuntang who can fight, all together, are no more than a hundred. Can they be the opponent of the Zhang family, that kind of local tyrant?