The Resourceful Chen Chang'an

"Young man, we truly owe you a great deal for this journey."

"Without you, our group might not have made it here safely."

"People like you, who uphold justice and righteousness, are rare to find these days."

An elderly man gazed at the young man before him, eyes brimming with gratitude. The group behind him also looked at the youth with deep appreciation—had it not been for his timely intervention, their fate would have been grim.

"You flatter me, elder. Acting with chivalry is simply what we young people ought to do."

"Turning a blind eye to those in need is not in my nature."

"It was merely a small effort on my part. There’s no need for such gratitude," the young man replied with a smile.

"What may seem trivial to you, benefactor, is a life-saving grace to us—greater than the heavens themselves."

"Please, at least leave us your name. Though we cannot repay you, we shall carve a longevity tablet in your honor and offer daily prayers," the old man said, his voice tinged with remorse.

"That’s far too generous."

"No, we insist. Otherwise, our guilt will only deepen."

"Very well. My name is... Heng Ruolin."

Heng Ruolin?

"Good. This old man will remember it. Are you leaving now, benefactor?"

"Yes, it’s time for me to go," Heng Ruolin nodded with a smile.

"Benefactor, once we part, we may never meet again. We..."

"No need for farewells. If fate wills it, our paths will cross once more."

Without further words, Heng Ruolin gave them a final smile and turned to leave. Watching his carefree demeanor, the old man and his group couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. Who hadn’t once dreamed of such freedom?

Alas, they were but ordinary folk, nothing more.

"A kind soul who does good without seeking recognition—truly admirable."

"Don’t you agree, Lin Ruoheng?"

This person was none other than Lin Ruoheng, who had changed his name and disguised himself. Just as he had walked a short distance away, the sudden voice sent a chill down his spine.

How... how could someone recognize him here? And that voice—it sounded familiar. Where had he heard it before?

"Who’s there?" Lin Ruoheng frowned, his guard up as he scanned his surroundings.

"What’s wrong? Don’t you remember?"

The next moment, Chen Chang'an, accompanied by Gu Xian'er and Da Huang, stepped into view.

At the sight of Chen Chang'an and Gu Xian'er, Lin Ruoheng’s face paled.

Impossible!

How could this be?

How did they find him here?

After leaving Qingshui, Lin Ruoheng had changed his name, altered his appearance, and even wore a mask, claiming his face had been disfigured and should not be shown. To avoid suspicion, he played the role of a wandering hero, helping others and traveling with them.

Yet despite all his precautions, they had still tracked him down?

"Gentlemen, do we know each other?"

"You must have mistaken me for someone else."

"My name is Heng Ruolin, not the Lin Ruoheng you speak of."

Lin Ruoheng refused to admit his identity, hoping his disguise would fool them.

"A person’s instinctive reactions never lie. You tensed up just now."

"Besides, you can change your appearance, but not your aura."

"Do you really take others for fools?" Chen Chang'an remarked coolly.

Realizing further deception was futile, Lin Ruoheng let out a bitter laugh and removed his mask.

"As expected of Senior Chen. But I’m curious—how did you find me?"

"And why seek me out alone, when I didn’t leave with the Lin family?" Lin Ruoheng asked, puzzled.

"Caution is never unwarranted. When cornered, even the meekest will fight back."

"So when Lin Xiangliu sent men to Qingshui’s Lin family, I naturally kept my own watch on their movements."

"Rest assured, your clansmen will face Lin Xiangliu’s judgment. As for you, I’ve come to reclaim what’s mine."

"Hand over the orb," Chen Chang'an said calmly.

Hearing this, Lin Ruoheng fell silent. He hadn’t expected Chen Chang'an to be so prepared.

After a moment, he suddenly laughed.

"I see now. From the very beginning, you never intended to spare Qingshui’s Lin family."

"Because you knew they would never accept your terms."

"Once the Lin family rebelled, the main branch would be furious and wipe them out entirely."

"This way, you avoid conflict with the main family while still achieving your goal. Am I right?" Lin Ruoheng asked with a wry smile.

Chen Chang'an didn’t deny it. Instead, he nodded.

"I despise complications. So, I leave no loose ends."

"But you’re sharper than I anticipated. Now, the orb."

"If I give it to you, will you spare my life?"

"Do you truly think me a fool?"

"I’ve hidden it in a place only I know."

"Kill me, and you’ll never find that orb in this lifetime."

"Weigh the orb against my life—I’m sure you know which matters more." Lin Ruoheng smirked, confident he held the upper hand.

"I’ll take both the orb and your life."

"Xian'er."

"Yes."

In a flash, Gu Xian'er appeared before Lin Ruoheng.

The man who had once longed for her now stared in shock at her formidable strength.

"You—"

Thud!

Before he could finish, Gu Xian'er struck. A single palm strike effortlessly ended Lin Ruoheng’s life.

"Lin Ruoheng did save you once. No hesitation?" Chen Chang'an asked, watching her.

"He saved me for two reasons: lust and guilt."

"Had his family not annihilated mine, there’d have been no need for his ‘rescue.’"

"To me, he was never a savior—only a foe draped in a benefactor’s guise."

"You, young master, are the one who truly freed me from suffering."

"Your command is my duty."

Chen Chang'an nodded in satisfaction. He had always known Gu Xian'er was sharp, but as a woman, he wondered if sentiment might sway her. Seeing no such conflict, he let the matter rest.

Approaching Lin Ruoheng’s corpse, Chen Chang'an spoke coolly:

"If you were as clever as you thought, you’d know the most crucial item—like a fetal orb—is safest when kept close."

"I’m not some naive boy to be fooled by empty threats."

In the end, Chen Chang'an retrieved the third fetal orb from Lin Ruoheng’s spatial ring.

"Six more remain."

"However..."

Holding the fetal pearl in his hand, Chen Chang'an felt little joy, for according to the clan records, there was no way to pinpoint exactly when and where the other fetal pearls had been lost.

"Will it really come down to luck?"

"Never mind, I’ll fuse this fetal pearl first and see."