Chapter Seventeen: Caught Red-Handed

Qin Feiyang’s expression was dark and stormy as he fixed his gaze on the young man, cold light flickering in his eyes.

“Fine, I’ll step aside,” the youth replied, moving to the side, arms crossed over his chest, a hint of amusement at his lips.

It was obvious—he hadn’t yielded out of fear of Qin Feiyang.

Qin Feiyang had no mind to dwell on it. Turning to Lin Yiyi, he said, “Look up and meet my eyes. Tell me, why is this happening?”

Lin Yiyi did not raise her head, but tears streamed from her eyes.

“Is it your father who’s forcing you?” Qin Feiyang pressed.

She remained silent.

Qin Feiyang’s voice rose. “I told you to look at me! Didn’t you hear?”

The young man laughed. “Yiyi, you’ve already made it clear. Let him give up completely so he won’t pester you again.”

“Shut your mouth!” Qin Feiyang snapped, turning a murderous glare on the youth.

He had met nearly everyone in Iron Bull Town, but this young man was a stranger—no trace of familiarity stirred in his mind.

Could it be this person wasn’t from Iron Bull Town?

Yet the young man simply shrugged off Qin Feiyang’s chilling glare, utterly indifferent, as if Qin Feiyang weren’t worthy of his attention.

“Qin Feiyang,” Lin Yiyi suddenly spoke, wiping away her tears and lifting her head to look at him.

Their eyes met—and Qin Feiyang’s heart twisted in pain.

Because Lin Yiyi’s gaze was nothing like before.

Once, her eyes had been gentle, trusting, full of longing.

Now they were cold—so cold, as if she were looking at a stranger.

“Qin Feiyang, hear me well,” Lin Yiyi said. “From this day forth, we are finished. Please, do not trouble me again.”

Qin Feiyang’s body shook. His fists clenched tightly as he stared at the girl before him.

Suddenly, he laughed—carefree, almost relieved.

“Fine. I’ve never had much fondness for your Lin family anyway. Sooner or later, I knew things would fall apart.”

“No—things have already fallen apart.”

“With you here, I was holding back.”

“Lin Yiyi, from this day, your Lin family had best not provoke me. Otherwise, I won’t show mercy to anyone—no matter who it is.”

With that, Qin Feiyang turned and strode toward the counter.

For some reason, saying these words lifted a weight from his heart.

Yet the staff of the Treasure Pavilion looked at him with contempt.

Don’t provoke me? I won’t show mercy?

To say such arrogant things—did he really think he was someone important?

Just a useless cripple who couldn’t cultivate, and yet so brash!

“Qin Feiyang, did I say you could leave?” the young man called out, turning to him with a bland expression.

Lin Yiyi frowned. “Lin Baili, what do you want?”

“This is business between men—don’t interfere,” Lin Baili replied with a faint smirk, walking toward Qin Feiyang. “I didn’t intend to make an issue of things, but you’re too arrogant. Without a lesson, you’ll never learn your place.”

In a flash, he darted behind Qin Feiyang and struck out with his palm.

“Hmph!” Qin Feiyang sneered, spinning around and punching toward Lin Baili’s palm.

Instantly, he felt a torrent of terrifying force surge from Lin Baili’s hand, sweeping over him like a tidal wave.

Blood spurted from his lips as he staggered backward, crashing into a stone pillar. His face went deathly pale.

“You’re a Martial Master!” Qin Feiyang gasped, eyes narrowing as he looked at Lin Baili.

“Arrogant as you are, at least your eyes are sharp,” Lin Baili replied.

“That’s right. I am a three-star Martial Master.”

“And I didn’t use my full strength just now…”

“If I had, you’d be dead before Yiyi’s eyes. Take my advice—keep a low profile from now on.”

Lowering his hand, Lin Baili flashed a brilliant smile.

“Lin Baili… Three-star Martial Master…” Qin Feiyang’s eyes narrowed further.

There were no three-star Martial Masters in the Lin family.

Nor among the younger generation of Iron Bull Town.

So, this man truly wasn’t from the town.

But his surname was Lin—there had to be a connection to the Lin family.

Lin Baili cast Qin Feiyang a glance, then led Lin Yiyi away without a backward look.

But before she left, Lin Yiyi glanced back at Qin Feiyang, her eyes full of confusion and doubt.

At the same time, the staff of the Treasure Pavilion stood in stunned disbelief.

On one hand, they were shocked by Lin Baili’s strength—a boy of fifteen or sixteen, already a three-star Martial Master!

On the other, Qin Feiyang’s reaction astounded them.

Wasn’t he supposed to be unable to cultivate?

So how had he survived taking Lin Baili’s palm head on?

Qin Feiyang exhaled slowly, wiped the blood from his lips, and walked to another counter. “I want sixty Body Tempering Pills and thirty Qi Gathering Pills.”

“Sixty Body Tempering Pills will be thirty-five gold coins.”

“Thirty Qi Gathering Pills cost sixty-five gold coins.”

“That’s a total of one hundred coins. Do you have that much?” the staff member asked, snapping out of his shock.

“So expensive?” Qin Feiyang raised his brow, then poured out all the coins from his storage pouch.

Normally, sixty Body Tempering Pills would cost thirty coins at market price.

Qi Gathering Pills were a tier higher, two coins apiece—so thirty would be sixty coins.

That made ninety coins in total.

But the Treasure Pavilion demanded ten extra—these people certainly knew how to do business.

The staff member quickly counted, then looked up in surprise. “Exactly?”

He glanced at Qin Feiyang, unable to believe he had so many coins, and counted again.

The total was the same—precisely one hundred coins.

“Please wait here. I’ll go fetch your pills,” the staff member said, his attitude now more respectful.

Soon after, the staff member returned with a jade box, placed it before Qin Feiyang, and smiled. “Check it, please.”

But Qin Feiyang didn’t bother, sweeping it into his pouch and turning to leave.

The Treasure Pavilion never cheated its customers.

After he was gone, the staff gathered together, whispering.

Their topics: how did Qin Feiyang have so much gold? And who exactly was Lin Baili?

…

After buying his pills, Qin Feiyang did not linger in Iron Bull Town but left at once.

“Feiyang, wait!” came Lin Yiyi’s call from behind as he stepped out of town.

She was still in her fitted clothes, figure graceful, skin snow-white—though her eyes were reddened.

Qin Feiyang paused, turning to her, brow furrowing slightly.

Lin Yiyi ran up, said nothing, just pulled a storage pouch from her breast, thrust it into his hand, and said, “Brother Feiyang, you must live well.”

Before he could react, she turned and ran back toward Iron Bull Town, disappearing down the street.

But as she turned, two tears fell, landing on a blade of grass.

What is happening? Qin Feiyang stood there, stunned.

“Qin Feiyang, you truly have some nerve!” A sudden shout rang out.

The head of the Lin family swept over, face cold as water, and stopped in front of Qin Feiyang.

“What do you mean by this, Master Lin?” Qin Feiyang asked.

“What do I mean?” The Lin family head gave a cold laugh. “Yiyi stole gold and pills from our house—wasn’t it at your direction?”

“What?” Qin Feiyang’s brow knit.

“You were caught red-handed—what have you to say for yourself?” the Lin family head barked.

“Red-handed?” Qin Feiyang frowned, quickly opened the pouch Lin Yiyi had handed him.

He was shocked—inside were at least five hundred gold coins! And dozens of healing pills, bone-mending pills, and body tempering pills!

Didn’t she just say they were finished? So why now give him so much gold and so many pills?

Qin Feiyang’s mind was a mess. He felt there was something fishy here.

“What, can’t bear to return it?” the Lin family head sneered. “Qin Feiyang, you’ve truly disappointed me. Last time, you claimed you’d never asked Yiyi for a single coin—I believed you were honorable. But now, I see you’re just a hypocrite.”

Qin Feiyang’s brows drew together, but as he was about to speak, the Lin family head cut him off.

“Return the pouch now and promise never to trouble Yiyi again, and I’ll let the past go—including the deaths of Lin Shi and the others. But if you refuse, I’ll tell everyone in town, and your reputation will be ruined!”

Qin Feiyang’s eyes flickered, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips. “You Lin father and daughter are truly cunning.”

“What do you mean by that?” the Lin family head frowned.

“I always wondered—how did you arrive just as Lin Yiyi gave me the pouch? Now, I understand.”

“This was a trap you set for me—Lin Yiyi hands me the pouch, you catch me in the act, and use it to threaten me. Isn’t that right?”

“Not bad—you’re clever after all,” the Lin family head said with a satisfied smile.

Seeing that smug expression, rage surged in Qin Feiyang’s chest.

“Rest assured. From now on, I won’t seek out Lin Yiyi again.”

“And I have no interest in what’s in this pouch.”

“But let me offer a word of advice—always leave yourself a way out. Don’t burn every bridge.”

With those words, Qin Feiyang tossed the storage pouch at the Lin family head’s feet and strode away without looking back.

“Why does he seem different now?” the Lin family head murmured, frowning as he watched Qin Feiyang’s receding figure.

“He’s a seven-star martial artist now—of course he’s not the same as before,” a light voice sounded.

Lin Baili stepped out from behind a large tree, approaching the Lin family head with a half-smile.

“Seven-star martial artist!” the family head exclaimed, then snorted with disdain. “Fifteen years old and only a seven-star martial artist—his future is limited. Still, Young Master Lin, I must thank you for your plan. After this, I doubt Qin Feiyang will dare trouble Yiyi again.”

Lin Baili said, “You are of the Lin family, of course I’ll help. But if Yiyi ever learns the truth, she’ll be heartbroken—she may even hate us.”

“We’re doing this for her own good,” the family head replied with a laugh.

“True enough,” Lin Baili smiled, turning toward the town.

“Qin Feiyang, even if you can cultivate now, you’ll never be worthy of my daughter,” the Lin family head said coldly, picking up the storage pouch before leaving as well.