Zhao Lin believed his top priority was to get his family out of the city. Otherwise, his hands would be tied, making him an easy target for the bandits.

But smuggling three people out of the city while avoiding the bandits’ spies was beyond his abilities. After much thought, he concluded he had to ask Zhu Huaishan for help.

Logically, he was just an apprentice of the Liuhe Sect, not a true disciple. His life and death were none of Zhu Huaishan’s concern.

But Zhao Lin possessed an exceptional "aptitude" for martial arts. ’If Zhu Huaishan recognizes me as a promising talent, he might be willing to help.’

Regardless, Zhao Lin decided to try. If Zhu Huaishan was worried about bringing trouble upon himself and refused to get involved, he would have to find another way.

"Brother Liang, my parents and older brother are staying in the third room from the left on the second floor."

Zhao Lin brought Liang Song to the street opposite the inn and asked him to watch over his family. He then rushed to the Liuhe Sect, went straight to the rear courtyard, and sought an audience with Zhu Huaishan.

"Sect Leader, this disciple has offended Drilling Mountain Leopard, a bandit from Baitou Mountain, and I have a favor to ask..." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Zhao Lin bluntly explained the entire situation from beginning to end.

After listening, Zhu Huaishan gave him a rather surprised look. "I never would have thought someone as quiet as you could be so audacious."

Zhao Lin couldn’t tell if it was a compliment or a jab. He lowered his head and said, "This disciple was reckless."

Zhu Huaishan’s tone was noncommittal. "I’ve heard of Drilling Mountain Leopard. He operates around the Baitou Mountain area and is quite powerful."

"However, this is the county seat. He can’t run wild here. As long as you don’t leave the city, the methods they can use are limited..."

He paused, then added, "You want to send your family away, but you’ll stay behind, is that it?"

Zhao Lin’s brow twitched slightly. "As long as the Sect Leader does not cast me aside, this disciple is willing to continue training in the Liuhe Sect."

Zhu Huaishan pondered for a moment before nodding. "The Xinglong Escort Agency has a shipment leaving tomorrow. I can ask them to hide your family in one of the carts and escort them out of the city."

Zhao Lin let out a long sigh of relief. He said sincerely, "Thank you, Sect Leader. For this kindness, I could be smashed to pieces and still never be able to repay you."

"There’s no need to be smashed to pieces..."

Zhu Huaishan chuckled. "You can start calling me Master."

Zhao Lin understood immediately. He bowed down at once and said, "Master, please accept this disciple’s bow."

’He knew perfectly well that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. The reason Zhu Huaishan was willing to help was that he valued his exceptional talent. Formalizing their master-disciple relationship was a matter of course.’

Once Zhao Lin had completed his bow, Zhu Huaishan’s expression turned serious. "If I’m not mistaken, you’ve been under their surveillance since the moment you stepped through this gate."

"So, from now on, you cannot meet with your family again. Otherwise, given the bandits’ methods, they’ll threaten you with your family, and you’ll be completely helpless."

Zhao Lin knew Zhu Huaishan was speaking the truth. He took a few deep breaths and said, "Yes, Master."

Zhu Huaishan called over Yuan Cheng, who was training in the rear courtyard, and explained the situation in a few words. He then said to Zhao Lin, "I will go to the Xinglong Escort Agency myself. You take Yuan Cheng to the inn to pick up your family."

"Yes!"

Zhao Lin and Yuan Cheng left the Liuhe Sect. Zhao Lin could vaguely feel hostile gazes following him like a shadow.

’It has to be the bandits’ spies in the city; I don’t even need to think about it.’

"My parents and older brother are in Room B-3. I’ll have to trouble you, Senior Yuan."

Upon reaching the street where the inn was located, Zhao Lin stopped and spoke to Yuan Cheng.

Yuan Cheng took two steps, then suddenly stopped. "Right, do you have a token of some sort? Something your parents will recognize on sight? Otherwise, they might think I’m a fraud."

Zhao Lin took out a pouch his mother had sewn for him, stuffed all the silver taels he had into it, and handed it to Yuan Cheng.

"Please pass on a message for me, Senior Brother. Just tell them to take care of themselves out there, and that I’ll find them sooner or later."

"Alright, I’ll remember." Yuan Cheng put the pouch away and turned towards the inn.

Zhao Lin stood on the street corner, watching as Yuan Cheng entered the inn. Not long after, he came back out, supporting Zhao Lin’s brother with one hand. His parents followed behind.

His brother’s waist injury hadn’t healed yet, and he walked with a limp. His mother was muttering something, while his father’s eyes scanned the crowd, seemingly searching for him...

A sour feeling rose in Zhao Lin’s nose. He quickly looked away and retreated behind a sesame-pancake stall.

He didn’t dare watch any longer. If the spies noticed him, it would only bring trouble to his family.

’After this parting, I have no idea when or where we’ll meet again.’

"Once we’ve killed all the bandits, you can bring them back."

Liang Song walked over and clapped him on the shoulder, offering comfort.

Zhao Lin grunted in agreement. After a moment of silence, he said, "We have one more thing to do before dark."

Liang Song was taken aback. "What is it?"

Zhao Lin said, "Find a place to live."

Liang Song slapped his forehead. "Right, I forgot about that. Staying at an inn is a waste of money, not to mention unsafe. But where can we live?"

"We’re a thorn in the bandits’ side now. They might not dare to attack us on the street in broad daylight, but what if they send assassins at night?"

Zhao Lin thought for a moment. "I remember there’s a brokerage office in the east. Let’s go ask there first."

The two of them headed for the brokerage office. On their way through a sparsely populated alley, they saw five thuggish-looking men walking toward them.

Zhao Lin sensed their hostile gazes and tugged on Liang Song’s sleeve.

Liang Song nodded, indicating he had noticed too.

The two deliberately walked slowly along the side of the road. The five thugs dropped their pretense. One of them shouted, "Get them!"

Zhao Lin and Liang Song were already prepared. One drew an axe, the other a short blade, but they were surprised to see the thugs pull out packets from their coats and throw them forcefully.

The thrown objects were paper packets tied with string. Midway through the air, the packets burst open, releasing clouds of grayish-black powder.

The thugs stood upwind, and the breeze blew the powder straight toward Zhao Lin and Liang Song, covering their clothes.

Thinking it was poison, Zhao Lin and Liang Song quickly covered their noses and mouths with their sleeves and retreated hastily.

After throwing the packets, the thugs turned tail and ran without any follow-up.

Zhao Lin felt something was strange. He moved his sleeve aside just enough to take a light sniff and smelled a peculiar odor—a mix of sweet and spicy, with a hint of leather.

"What is this? It doesn’t smell like poison."

As the dust settled, Zhao Lin looked up and saw the five thugs about to disappear at the end of the alley.

He shot forward like a cheetah and, in moments, kicked the last man’s legs out from under him, sending him to the ground.

He had expected the man to know at least a little martial arts, but he was surprisingly weak. Zhao Lin pinned his arms and barked, "Talk! Who sent you?"

Unable to bear the pain, the man cried out, "It was the Cyan Dragon Gang! They hired us! They told us to throw the stuff in the packets on you, and they’d give us each one silver tael!"

"What was in the packets?"

"I don’t know!"

Zhao Lin pressed him, "What’s your relationship with Drilling Mountain Leopard?"

The man cried foul. "Drilling Mountain Leopard? Don’t you go making baseless accusations! We’re just street thugs, not bandits."

’Zhao Lin figured this was likely a subcontracted job: the bandits hired the Cyan Dragon Gang, who in turn hired these thugs...’

He patted down the thug’s chest, found over two taels of silver, and stuffed it all into his own coat.

The thug cried out in distress, "That’s my money!"

Zhao Lin snorted coldly. "Get lost. It’s mine now!"