Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 762 We Meet Again

Chen Xuan hadn't originally intended to pay any attention to these people; he just wanted to watch the show and see what happened before letting them change their minds. However, the kid's words made him look at him in a new light.

It wasn't that he had any ulterior motives or wanted to interfere, but rather that he was genuinely disgusted by what he heard.

Such a young child already shows such disregard for life, acting as if it's perfectly normal, and even subtly suggesting that it's an honor to have others sacrifice their lives to give them a chance to live. What will this kid be like when he grows up?

He'll definitely be a menace when he grows up, you know.

However, considering that he might be a junior member of the Qin family, or even a core member of the direct line, such a temperament is not surprising.

In this era, powerful families often didn't treat the lower classes as human beings at all, but as cattle or tools. So is it any wonder that they disregarded life? Just like the Wu family that Chen Xuan had attacked with their household registration book.

Of course, this is based on Chen Xuan's already fixed ideas. For many people in this era, it is actually a very normal thing. Aristocratic families should be high above, and the lower class will always be the lower class. After all, no one has shouted the slogan "Are kings and nobles born with special privileges?"

There are very few people like Mr. Yushan and Xiao Gao who can slightly break away from conventional thinking, and even they have only broken it a little bit. It is already very difficult to provide some welfare for ordinary people, let alone change the rules to ensure equality for all. The current era and productivity do not allow for such brilliant thinking.

Of course, everyone looks out for themselves, even ants try to survive. From his perspective, it's not wrong for the child to use someone else's life to survive, at most it's a bit cruel. What kind of person he is is none of Chen Xuan's business. However, it's wrong to target one's own people.

You wouldn't even dare to bully your own people, and you want them dead? Kid, you've chosen the wrong path!

Therefore, Chen Xuan decisively abandoned his mood of watching the drama unfold and directly appeared in front of them with the two little ones.

Their appearance was so sudden, as if they had appeared out of thin air, that it startled the three fleeing people, causing them to brake abruptly. The woman protecting the little boy even cried out in surprise.

"Who is it? Fangyi, what happened?" The little boy asked, puzzled. He was still young, but he had obviously practiced martial arts. Given his family background, he had probably cultivated superior martial arts. His talent seemed to be quite good, and his cultivation was quite advanced. He had opened most of his eight extraordinary meridians, but it was still not enough for him to see the scenery more than ten meters away in the dim night.

To be honest, with that boy's talent and family background, he could have reached the Innate Realm by the age of twenty if he were raised normally. However, in aristocratic families, people tend to focus more on academics, while martial arts are secondary. Unless one is particularly interested in martial arts, even the most talented person would have to wait much longer to reach the Innate Realm. Just like Xiao Gao, if he hadn't been so devoted to his studies, he would probably have reached the Innate Realm by his early twenties. After all, his sister reached the Innate Realm at seventeen, and they were born to the same mother, so how bad could their talents be?

The woman protecting the little boy looked grave and anxious. The pursuers were closing in, and now someone had suddenly appeared ahead. How could she not be serious? She became even more vigilant and whispered in a low voice, "Young Master, someone has suddenly blocked our path about ten paces ahead. Don't be afraid, leave it to us."

Upon hearing this, the little boy fell silent, his eyes flickering as if he were lost in thought.

Now only two people remain to protect the little boy: a woman with a mid-level innate talent and a white-bearded old man with a top-level innate talent. Logically speaking, with their strength, they should be able to simply move forward regardless of who is blocking their way in a critical moment, and kill any who obstructs them. But they dare not.

Because Chen Xuan and his companions appeared in a way that was almost bizarre, apart from the two young girls who had some cultivation, they couldn't tell how powerful Chen Xuan was at all. In fact, in their eyes, Chen Xuan was clearly just a handsome but weak scholar.

But the more this was the case, the more wary they became. The two girls clearly took him as their leader, and they were some distance apart. Chen Xuan was clearly looking them up and down, which was obvious. This couldn't be simple.

Those who can cultivate to their level aren't pig-brains; otherwise, they wouldn't have survived until now, let alone escaped here amidst the powerful Chrysanthemum Guards' pursuit.

There was no time for them to linger here. After a brief pause, the woman protecting the little boy, though anxious, tried her best to remain calm as their gazes met, saying, "Greetings, young master and ladies. We are being pursued by enemies, and the situation is urgent. Please allow us to leave. If we can leave safely and leave our names, we will be richly rewarded later."

With pursuers already difficult to handle approaching, and not knowing Chen Xuan and his group's methods and cultivation levels, how could they easily make enemies unless absolutely necessary? They certainly couldn't reveal their identities, otherwise, now that the Qin family had fallen, there would be plenty of people licking the boots of the imperial court to stop them from seeking rewards.

The Qin family's only remaining heir is of unimaginable value; helping the Chrysanthemum Guard capture him would be a great achievement.

The white-bearded old man behind them unleashed another powerful attack, slightly hindering the Chrysanthemum Guards. He sustained some minor injuries and caught up. Chen Xuan glanced over there, then fixed his gaze on the little boy and said in a calm tone, "Kid, you just said you wanted to divert trouble eastward and even kidnap people from the camp ahead to buy your own chance to survive? You even went so far as to plant some kind of blood poison? That's obviously a deadly thing, isn't it?"

Upon hearing this, the little boy's gaze sharpened, and he fell silent, his eyes flashing as if he were deep in thought. This guy was carefully nurtured by the Qin family, and if nothing unexpected happened, he would become the pillar of the Qin family in the future. Well, something unexpected did happen, but that didn't stop him from having a clever mind and the wisdom taught by countless good teachers. Don't underestimate him because of his age; his insight and maturity far surpass those of his peers. He only lacks experience and training, and he is already quickly thinking about everything he can use right now.

The middle-aged woman who was protecting her was startled when she heard this. Although she hadn't deliberately lowered her voice, this young man who had appeared out of nowhere had heard her.

Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile and said, "Young master, you must have misunderstood. We were being chased by enemies, and we were simply asking if we could seek help from all sides to escape our predicament."

She was certain that Chen Xuan and his group were definitely connected to the people in the camp ahead; otherwise, they wouldn't have bothered to ask those questions. Their origins and strength were unknown, and she absolutely couldn't afford to make enemies again, much less admit to having ulterior motives.

Chen Xuan wasn't a talkative person, especially when facing strangers. But some people had ulterior motives towards them, especially the people he cared about most. Of course, he wouldn't label someone as courting death based on a single sentence. He wouldn't be so petty. He judged by actions, not intentions. He wouldn't be so narrow-minded about things that hadn't happened.

That's why he asked to confirm. Although it was a pointless question, it would determine his attitude towards these people. He smiled faintly and said again, "No need for further words, just answer yes or no."

Others wouldn't wait for them to waste time talking. The white-bearded old man had already caught up quickly, and after a quick glance, he narrowed his eyes and looked at Chen Xuan and the others, saying in a deep voice, "Who are you? Get out of the way at once, or don't blame us for being rude."

There was no time for idle chatter; the people behind were about to catch up. As he spoke, he grabbed the woman's shoulder and began to move forward with his inner energy. If Chen Xuan and the others dared to stop him, he would not hesitate to take action. His cultivation was high, the situation was urgent, and he had developed an arrogant attitude from being born into a top-tier family like the Qin family. He had no time to think things through.

Shaking his head, Chen Xuan chuckled and said, "Looks like it's true, and you haven't given up yet. You all want to take advantage of the people I care about, and you still want me to let you pass?"

"Boy, you're asking for death!" The white-bearded old man leading his men forward glared coldly. Just then, the little boy spoke, trying to calm his voice, "Grandpa Xiang, wait!"

The white-bearded old man, who was already preparing to make a move, hesitated upon hearing this and stopped. He was less than ten feet away from Chen Xuan and the others. As he said before, others couldn't wait for them to ramble on and on. It wasn't a cutscene that couldn't be interrupted until they passed by before they could act. At this moment, the Chrysanthemum Guards had already caught up and spread out to form a semi-encirclement around them.

The white-bearded old man's eyes flashed, and he sighed inwardly, but a resolute look flashed in his eyes. With his cultivation level, he could break through the encirclement with his full power, regardless of the injury. This was not the first time he had encountered such a situation along the way. However, he was soon surprised that the Chrysanthemum Guards who had come to chase him did not make a move immediately.

The little boy, who was being protected in the woman's arms, also noticed this. A hint of joy flashed in his eyes. He couldn't care less about anything else for the time being. While the woman hesitated and looked on in confusion, he gently broke free from her embrace. He even straightened his appearance and bowed to Chen Xuan and the others with a polite and dignified manner, saying, "Greetings, sir. May I ask what you have to say?"

Seeing this, Chen Xuan raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking to himself that this was quite interesting. Usually, children of this age would have been completely flustered in such a situation, but he was still able to remain so composed and steady. No wonder he came from a prestigious family.

With a smile, Chen Xuan said with great interest, "You little rascal, you've got some skills. What do you want to say? Tell me."

Lacking any decorum and speaking frivolously, he seemed utterly useless. Perhaps he could be of some use, the little boy thought to himself with a hint of displeasure. If he weren't currently in dire straits, this kind of person wouldn't even have the right to meet or speak with him.

Just as he was quickly thinking of what to say, the highest-ranking commander among the Chrysanthemum Guards surrounding them recognized Chen Xuan and immediately felt a chill run down his spine. He thought to himself, "This is troublesome. I hope nothing unexpected happens." He immediately stepped forward, still keeping a considerable distance, and respectfully bowed, saying, "Greetings, Mr. Chen. We are on duty, and any disturbance we may have caused is unintentional. Please forgive us."

As he spoke, a sense of unease began to creep into his heart. If this man were to interfere, things would become complicated. Not only would he fail to complete the mission, but the escape of the Qin family remnants would be a different story. How he would explain this upon returning home was secondary; a conflict could potentially be a major disaster for the entire country. This man truly had the ability to casually stroll through the palace. In the past few days, he had learned that even the princess couldn't withstand a single move from him. He was simply not someone to be trifled with.

Since everyone else was being respectful, Chen Xuan was equally courteous, smiling and waving in greeting, "We meet again. You're all busy, don't worry, I won't meddle. I'll just take a moment to say a few words."

"Mr. Chen, please," the Chrysanthemum Guard commander gestured and nodded, his eyes warning his subordinates not to do anything that would mislead Chen Xuan, and to keep an eye on the remnants of the Qin family.

The Qin family members were no pushovers either. The white-bearded old man's heart tightened upon seeing this, and he was somewhat surprised. Who was this young man? Why was the Chrysanthemum Guard Commander, whose cultivation was on par with his own, so respectful and dared not act rashly in his presence, just like when he saw the emperor? No, he was even more respectful than when he saw the emperor!

He genuinely didn't know Chen Xuan, had never even heard of him, otherwise he wouldn't have had that attitude before; he probably would have tried every means to curry favor with him to escape his predicament.

Just as he was filled with doubt and uncertainty, the little boy maintained his proper demeanor and smiled at Chen Xuan, saying, "What you asked earlier is indeed true, but it's just a thought. I know it's too offensive, but it's a last resort. In the face of disaster, any means are for survival. I think you can understand that, right?"

'Judging from Chrysanthemum Guard's attitude, this person must be someone of great importance. It's good that we can communicate with him, and there's still room for negotiation. He's also patient in speaking, so he must be a person of great magnanimity. If I act more openly towards such a person, I might be able to make use of him.' The little boy's mind was racing. He was small but not stupid, and he didn't easily reveal his identity to avoid making things worse.

"You actually admitted it?" Chen Xuan was secretly speechless. He had to admit, this was quite a character. He said with interest, "Since you harbored evil intentions, kid, you actually dared to admit it?"

"We had no choice but to do this, and we haven't even taken any action yet, so it's understandable. I apologize to you, and to express my remorse, I will present you with a generous gift later," the little boy said, bowing again with a sincere attitude.

The two little ones beside Chen Xuan remained silent. To them, it was undeniable that the little boy's attitude was impeccable, but they just felt that something was off. They couldn't quite put their finger on it, and they couldn't feel any goodwill towards him.

Chen Xuan immediately laughed and chuckled, "Kid, you're too green. Although my brain isn't the sharpest, I can still see that you're trying to use me. Tsk tsk, you're practically throwing abacus beads at my face. What's with this 'I'll apologize later with a big gift'? You think you can use me to get out of trouble? Otherwise, you won't get your apology, huh? You're dreaming. Based on your disgusting thoughts just now, I could slap you all to death. What good stuff you have would be mine anyway."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the three people, including the little boy, changed slightly. However, the little boy still gestured to the other two to calm down. He forced himself to remain calm and looked at Chen Xuan with a smile, saying, "It's understandable that you were angry because of my words earlier. We are facing a great calamity and a critical situation. We hope you can help us. To show our sincerity, if you help us overcome this difficulty, please accept this Overlord Three Lights Fist, a rare and invaluable skill even if cultivated to the Tribulation Transcending Realm."

This guy's mind works really fast. He doesn't deny his offense, but decisively offers a real benefit. It's a martial arts masterpiece that anyone would be tempted by. He's already offered such a good thing. Judging from the attitude of the Chrysanthemum Guard, he can probably get through this with just one sentence. It's an easy thing, so why would he be indifferent?

Oh, so all of Qin Yan's terrible cultivation techniques are on him. He's actually willing to take them out. It seems like he has some really good stuff on him. I reckon if he can escape and focus on cultivation with his talent and aptitude, he might be able to make a real comeback.

However, Chen Xuan just shrugged and remained unmoved, saying, "Kid, I told you, you're still too green. You lack experience. Your eagerness to take advantage of me is too obvious. Also, you may not know a principle: possessing a treasure is a crime. Even the best things are tempting, but even if you were beaten to death, they wouldn't be mine."

Upon hearing this, the group was greatly alarmed.

Before they could react, Chen Xuan, too lazy to waste words, shook his head and said, "To be honest, I've never considered myself a good person, and I'm flexible with my moral bottom line. But you, at such a young age, possess such a vicious nature that I admit I'm ashamed of myself. It's understandable to use anything to survive; it's better for others to die than for yourself. But you shouldn't indiscriminately kill innocent people. Fine, I'm not qualified to stand on moral high ground and point fingers, but you're wrong to project such malicious thoughts onto us. You're still young, so I won't personally bully you. Next time we meet, things won't be so easy. As for whether you live or die, that depends on their mood. You'll fall into their hands, kid. Good luck. And to the brothers of the Extra Chrysanthemum Guard, they're yours to handle."

After saying that, Chen Xuan turned and left without any hesitation.

Completely unexpected by everyone, leaving everyone stunned, their divine skills remained unmoved, and they simply let it go without making a fuss.

Since Chen Xuan and the others were no longer concerned, the Chrysanthemum Guards were not to be outdone. Duty called, they immediately decided to kill them. After all, capturing them alive was too difficult, and to avoid further casualties, it was better to kill them side by side. This was a strategy they had agreed upon beforehand.

However, at this moment, the white-bearded old man next to the little boy's eyes flickered. Looking at Chen Xuan and the others' backs, he thought to himself that this was a good opportunity. Since the Chrysanthemum Guards were so respectful to them, kidnapping them would surely allow him to escape easily and even turn the tables on them!

Turning around, Chen Xuan felt the malice emanating from behind him. A smile played on his lips as he thought to himself, "Giving you a chance is useless, aren't you? Didn't you realize I was setting a trap? You've all had malicious intentions towards my wife and the others, how can I let this go so easily? We should at least have some sense of reason. Verbal offenses don't warrant murder, but if you don't make a move, how can I make the first one?"

Just as the white-bearded old man seized the opportunity to rush forward and attempt to kidnap him, Chen Xuan suddenly turned around and laughed, "Isn't this the kid we met last time? You're actually here again, yay!"

The white-bearded old man, who had already pressed forward, froze, clearly unable to stop himself. Chen Xuan didn't even look at him, and slapped him across the face... (End of Chapter)