Chapter 19 : Some Rejoice, Some Lament

Chapter 19: Some Rejoice, Some Lament

The bustling market descended into chaos that night.

“Brother Lin, if I die, please look after my wife and children.”

Under the Zhou Family’s summons, Li Erniu’s face wore sorrow as he pleaded.

As an externally hired Talisman Master, Lin Chang’an wasn’t obliged to heed that summons—if he did, the Zhou Family might suspect his loyalty.

“Erniu, rest assured. The marketplace’s formation won’t be breached so easily. You’ll be fine.”

Lin Chang’an’s expression grew grave as he retrieved two first‑rank medium‑quality Golden Light Talismans and two first‑rank low‑quality Swift Talismans from his storage pouch.

“Erniu, be careful. Don’t act rashly!”

Li Erniu cast a reluctant glance at his family, accepted the talismans, and turned away without looking back.

“Hide in the underground tunnel.”

Out of habit, Lin Chang’an had dug a tunnel beneath his home—and unexpectedly, this newly renovated house would finally serve its purpose.

After ensuring Erniu’s family was hidden in the tunnel, Lin Chang’an hastily created signs of a panicked escape in their home.

Under the reddened night sky, Lin Chang’an could tell the glow was from fire.

He stealthily climbed onto the roof and surveyed the marketplace from afar—his scalp tingled at the sight.

Countless cultivators, eyes aflame, were rampaging—smashing, looting, plundering.

“Too many cultivators joined in this time—all looking to profit from the chaos.”

He quickly ducked beneath the eaves and cast proficient‑level Invisibility and Breath‑Concealment, reducing his aura to the minimum.

The night sky over the market was alight with explosions of spells in every color, while cries and sobs filled the air.

The Zhou Family residence.

“Ancestor, many cultivators are looting our properties in the market. We’ve detected Talisman Masters from the Shensword Sect among the looters.”

“Ancestor, we’re running low on medium‑quality spirit stones. Holding eight formation nodes may soon overwhelm us!”

The Foundation Establishment Elder of the Zhou Family listened sternly to the reports below.

“Renmao, did you say Shensword Sect’s Talisman Masters?”

At this critical moment, the elderly elder seemed to sense something and quietly transmitted his thoughts to his son.

The current head of the family, Zhou Renmao, responded in kind:

“No mistake—it came from Tieshan, who barely escaped and returned to report it.”

“Good!”

In that instant, the old Elder of the Zhou Family seized a chance for a turnaround.

“Renmao, abandon these three formation nodes and go personally!”

“Father!”

Zhou Renmao was briefly stunned, but seeing the fierce resolve in his father’s cloudy eyes, he suddenly understood.

“Understood.”

Without hesitation, Zhou Renmao unleashed a terrifying Foundation Establishment aura, led his clan’s disciples, and marched straight to reinforce the formation nodes.

Watching this scene, the elder of the Zhou Family directed his murky gaze toward the Wang Family, his eyes flashing with cruelty.

“This time, the Zhou Family won’t go easy—and neither will the Wang Family.”

Demonic beasts raided, and Shensword Sect Talisman Masters looted.

And yet, the formation nodes defended by the Zhou Family were attacked, causing them to falter.

Meanwhile, the Wang Family remained untouched—raising suspicions of collusion.

The chaos of the night finally subsided at dawn the following day.

It marked the end of this state of disorder.

Some people laughed, others wept.

A few families rejoiced, while a few families despaired.

Some seized the opportunity to loot and got rich.

Others were victimized, looted during the turmoil.

“Erniu, are you alright?”

He returned with one leg crippled, his expression still reflecting the relief of surviving the desperate ordeal.

“Thanks to Brother Lin’s two medium‑quality Golden Light Talismans, I almost didn’t make it back.”

When Li Erniu saw Lin Chang’an again, snot and tears streamed from his face, survival etched in every line; in that moment, Lin Chang’an finally realized.

The biggest difference between Li Erniu and himself was that Erniu now had a family tether, no longer the drifter cultivator who once didn’t value his life.

Li Erniu wiped his disheveled appearance and recounted the events of last night.

“What, the Wang Family colluded with the Shensword Sect Talisman Masters?”

Lin Chang’an was shocked—he hadn’t expected so much to change in just one night.

“Yes, even the family head was injured last night. I heard the looters were vicious, destroying three formation nodes, which allowed many demon‑beasts to break into the marketplace.

And these looters, according to the head, were Shensword Sect Talisman Masters…”

Good grief.

First demon‑beasts attacked the market, then looters sabotaged the formation, and now there was an expose of collusion with the Wang Family.

As Lin Chang’an absorbed this, Li Erniu was brimming with emotion holding his wife and children emerging from the tunnel.

Lin Chang’an fell silent.

He had thought the Foundation‑Established aristocratic backing would be solid—but it turned out not to be so reliable.

Last night, the Zhou Family didn’t exactly abandon him, after all, their agreement didn’t include that layer of bondage.

Receiving the First‑Rank Medium‑Quality Golden Light Talisman crafting notes, he needed to exchange a set monthly over ten years—this relationship felt more like a loan.

“My only reliance is my own strength.”

Lin Chang’an silently pondered; he had to accelerate his cultivation.

In the turmoil of the marketplace, crisis and opportunity co‐existed—this might be his best chance yet.

Around noon, Lin Chang’an made his way back to the market streets.

“Brother Shen? Junior Sister?”

Seeing the ransacked shops, Lin Chang’an’s expression changed.

Unaware how many merchants had been unlucky in last night’s chaos.

As Lin Chang’an asked around for information about the cultivators who owned these shops, disputes and murmurs rang out from the street.

“Damn it, this is all because the Zhou Family captured the second‑rank wolf cub—otherwise these Black Wind Wolves wouldn’t have gone berserk driving demon‑beasts to attack the marketplace.”

“I heard the Tians who bought the wolf cub the other day—husband and wife cultivators—were both eaten by wolves.”

“Nonsense—that’s obviously the Wang Family colluding with looters.”

“I saw it with my own eyes last night, right after the formation broke we saw the Wolf King from afar.”

Everyone had their own version, each smearing the blame on the others.

“Brother Lin!”

At that moment, a familiar voice called out. Lin Chang’an turned and saw Lu Qingqing looking disheveled in the alley.

“Junior Sister, are you all right? Where’s Shen Lie?”

“Brother Lin, Shen Lie is fine. He was hurt protecting me as we escaped, but he’s resting inside now. I came to check on the shop.”

Yet Lu Qingqing’s smile was hollow as she surveyed the wreckage.

Lin Chang’an breathed a sigh of relief and comforted her, “As long as he’s okay, that’s what matters.”

Following Lu Qingqing, he reached their residence, where Shen Lie lay pale and weak on the bed.

“Shen Lie, I’m glad you’re okay.”

But the weakened Shen Lie wore a mournful expression.

“Brother Lin, what do you call this? All this stock was gathered by Dao‑friend Yun for his upcoming Foundation Establishment—now we’ve lost so much.”

Such losses—if they were his own, it would be one thing, but they belonged to others.

When Lin Chang’an heard this, he sighed inwardly. It really was bad luck for Young County Princess Yun.

She had meticulously supported the merchant guild, only for it all to vanish just at the start.

The loss wasn’t in the thousands of spirit stones, but still seven or eight hundred.