Two days later.
The gray miasma hanging over the waste slag grounds seemed heavier than usual during the wei (goat) hour (around 2 PM), pressing down on the crude roof of Panstone Residence until even the air felt thick and hard to breathe.
The Yinshan Sparrow paced restlessly along the rough stone window frame for reasons unknown, its little head turning in wary, sharp sweeps of the courtyard.
Then, as if in a daze, heavy and hurried footsteps sounded from afar, closing in fast on Panstone Residence across the gravel path.
Hearing this, a deep unease stirred in Chen Jinshu's heart.
The footsteps were chaotic, belonging to more than one person, and they carried an undisguised air of aggression that shattered the afternoon's quiet.
Thud—! Thud—! Thud—!
This was no polite knocking. It was a brutal pounding that made the stone frame rattle.
"Chen Jinshu. Open the door. Open it now."
A loud and arrogant middle-aged man's voice pierced through her restrictions and exploded inside the stone chamber, thick with an official tone of intimidation.
"Elder Zhou of the Medicine King Valley market garrison is here. Open the restrictions at once and submit to inspection. Don't make a mistake you will regret."
Xiao Yin shrieked sharply and instantly turned into a streak of blue-red light, shooting toward the narrow crack in the door.
In the end, it didn't act rashly and instead flew back to settle on Chen Jinshu's shoulder, its feathers ruffled.
She sat steadily on the stone couch, not moving an inch, and spoke in a cold, clear voice.
"Elder Zhou? May I ask what this is about, to warrant such a display, smashing your way in to inspect a cultivator who is merely renting here?"
"Hmph."
Elder Zhou's voice carried a thick, impatient weight.
"What is it about? You know very well. Someone has reported you. Two days ago in the market, you stole their treasured third-grade spirit plant, the Qingfu Seed. This is a serious crime. If you know what is good for you, open the door immediately, hand over the stolen goods, and follow this elder back to the garrison to await judgment.
Otherwise, you will be treated as resisting enforcement."
As his words fell, the already flimsy light screen of Boulder Residence's restriction flickered violently under the impact of several powerful bursts of spiritual energy from outside.
It was clearly on the verge of collapse.
At that moment, a moon-white figure stood not far from Elder Zhou's side in the courtyard.
The resentment previously seen on Lin Xiao's face was gone, replaced by the anxious look of someone who had lost a precious treasure.
He stepped forward and put on a show of cupping his hands toward Elder Zhou, who wore the dark robes of a Medicine King Valley elder. The man's face was puffy, his eye bags were heavy, and his body reeked of strong, cloying pill scents. Lin Xiao spoke with an earnest tone.
"Elder Zhou, please calm down. Please. Chen Daoyou has only just arrived here. Perhaps it was a moment of confusion, a single misstep. nFor the sake of us both walking the path of alchemy, I ask Elder Zhou to show mercy and not hurt her."
Elder Zhou clearly had a tacit understanding with him. Hearing this, he snorted.
His fat fingers formed seals even faster as a thick column of earthy yellow spiritual energy slammed hard into the restriction.
"Alchemist Lin, there's no need to plead for this thief. Medicine King Valley has its laws. Break it—!"
Buzz—!
In an instant, the restriction let out a piercing wail as cracks spread across its surface like a spiderweb.
Seeing this, Chen Jinshu didn't hesitate. She took out the transmission jade talisman that Liu Qingchen had given her that day.
The talisman shattered soundlessly between her fingers. A faint yet extremely pure wave of divine sense shot out, piercing the tottering restriction of Panstone Residence, cutting through the filthy miasma over the waste grounds, and racing toward a direction deep within the inner valley.
Boom—!
At that very moment, the restriction finally gave way under Elder Zhou's charged strike, shattering completely and dissolving into countless flickering points of light.
The heavy stone door was shoved open by brute force, slamming into the stone wall with a deafening crash.
Boom—!
Amid the swirling dust of the impact, Elder Zhou's bloated figure was the first to step inside the room.
Behind him followed two enforcement cultivators at the late Foundation Establishment stage, their auras fierce and unyielding.
Lin Xiao came in right after them, a satisfied smile curling at his lips as his greedy gaze swept toward Chen Jinshu, who sat calmly inside. He looked as if he were already savoring the sight of her being captured without any resistance.
"Chen Jinshu. Theft of spirit plants, with conclusive evidence. Why aren't you surrendering…"
Elder Zhou barked aggressively, his fat finger jabbing toward her nose, spittle flying as he shouted.
"Elder Zhou."
The voice arrived before the person could be seen.
A streak of vibrant green light fell like a meteor into the small courtyard of Boulder Residence.
The light faded away, revealing Liu Qingchen. He still wore the dark green robes of a Medicine King Valley elder. His face was fair, with three long whiskers, but the usual gentleness of his expression was gone, replaced by tightly furrowed brows.
He first cast a displeased glance at the forcibly smashed door and the remnants of the shattered restriction, then his gaze turned icy as it fell squarely on Elder Zhou and Lin Xiao, who were frozen at the entrance.
The powerful pressure of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator spread without restraint, instantly overwhelming Elder Zhou's hollow aura and turning Lin Xiao's face pale as he instinctively took half a step back.
"Liu… Elder Liu?" The arrogance on Elder Zhou's face froze, turning into pure shock. Panic set in at once, and his bulky body stiffened.
"Why… why are you here?"
He clearly hadn't expected Liu Qingchen to appear in this remote, backwater corner.
Liu Qingchen didn't bother answering him. He stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the wrecked doorway and then over Chen Jinshu sitting inside, her expression remaining calm as still water. Finally, his eyes locked onto Elder Zhou's sweat-slicked face.
"Elder Zhou, what are you doing? Bringing enforcement disciples to barge into the place of quiet cultivation of a guest I personally recommended, smashing doors and restrictions, shouting about arrests?"
"This… this…"
Overwhelmed by Liu Qingchen's presence, sweat seeped from Elder Zhou's temples. He stammered, his eyes drifting involuntarily toward Lin Xiao for support.
Sensing trouble, Lin Xiao forced himself to stay calm. He hurried forward, plastered on a respectful smile, and gave Liu Qingchen a deep, sweeping bow.
"Elder Liu, please allow me to explain. It's not that Elder Zhou wishes to make things difficult for Chen Daoyou. It's simply that someone personally witnessed Chen Daoyou stealing a box of precious third-grade Qingfu Seeds from me two days ago in the market.
These seeds were meant as a birthday gift for a Martial Uncle within the valley. The matter is of great importance. Elder Zhou is only carrying out his duty and had no choice but to investigate. I ask Elder Liu to see clearly."
He spoke with an air of absolute certainty, as if he had suffered a grave injustice.
"Oh? Theft of Qingfu Seeds?"
Liu Qingchen raised a brow and turned his gaze to Chen Jinshu.
"Chen Daoyou, is this true?"
She rose slowly from the couch and gave Liu Qingchen a slight bow. Her voice was calm and steady, making every word clear to those present.
"Elder Liu, please judge fairly. What Lin Daoyou claims is pure slander and false accusation. Two days ago, he did indeed place this item outside my door, claiming that the treasure was free for the taking.
However, I hadn't even had time to fully react to the bird's alarm and I had no intention of possessing it and never picked it up or touched it. I ignored it from beginning to end."
Liu Qingchen followed the direction she indicated, his eyes shifting slightly as he assessed the area. With his experience, and considering Lin Xiao's usual reputation along with Elder Zhou's known underhanded dealings, the truth was already clear to him. He turned back to Elder Zhou, his tone suddenly becoming sharp.
"Elder Zhou. As a market garrison elder, you hold enforcement authority and should act impartially, investigating with care. How can you rely on one-sided words, fail to discern truth from falsehood, and rashly resort to force, barging into the residence of a guest I personally recommended?
The Valley Master's eight-hundredth birthday is approaching, and preparations for the Five Continents Pill Assembly are in full swing. Countless eyes are watching Medicine King Valley. Are you saying the valley's laws are a joke, or are you saying that my, Liu Qingchen's, reputation can be trampled on at will by you?"