Rise of the Sword Son-in-Law

Chapter 144: Heaven Won’t Allow It

"Young Master, we have arrived at Tianlong City,"

Before long, the voice of the Fu Family elder sounded from outside the carriage.

During this day and night, the Fu Family elder had not disturbed Xu Ping’an and the others.

This also gave Xu Ping’an and his companions enough time.

"Grandfather Fu, let’s rest in Tianlong City for two days before we leave," Fu Wen’s voice rose.

"Alright!" the Fu Family elder agreed.

He then instructed the caravan to find accommodation.

After more than ten days of continuous long-distance travel, everyone in the caravan was tired.

At this moment, hearing they would rest for two days, they were all overjoyed.

Eventually, the caravan rented a large residence as a temporary place to stay.

The residence was spacious enough to accommodate two hundred people and was entirely sufficient for the caravan’s rest.

However, apart from Fu Wen and a few other important figures in the caravan who got rooms, the rest had to squeeze into the main hall.

Xu Ping’an declined Fu Wen’s invitation to rest in a room and instead went to look for the old coachman.

Now that Fu Wen’s matter had been resolved, there was no point in sticking around him. It would be better to return to the old coachman’s side to enjoy some freedom.

However, upon arriving at the main hall, Xu Ping’an did not see the old coachman.

Upon asking, he learned that the old coachman had an old friend in Tianlong City and had gone to his place to mooch some wine.

"This old drunkard," Xu Ping’an said with a smile of resignation.

He then went to a deserted corner of the courtyard to continue the tempering of his left leg bone.

After a night of tempering, Xu Ping’an finally completed the full tempering of his left leg bone, reaching the Fourth Rank First Layer Realm.

"Boom!"

Inside Xu Ping’an, a muted thunder seemed to rumble, as his bones emitted a faint metallic luster that subtly shone through his body.

The limbs’ bones, tempered by the Thunder Sword Qi, possessed tremendous strength.

Just one session of tempering was comparable to the effect of a normal Fourth Rank’s fourfold tempering.

Therefore, even those at the Fourth Layer Realm were no match for Xu Ping’an.

"I’ve finally broken through to the Fourth Rank, but my cultivation speed is still a bit slow," Xu Ping’an muttered to himself.

At this moment, twenty-five days had passed since he had left the Beichen Sword Sect.

In other words, there was only two months and five days left until the Immortal Dynasty’s trial.

In such a short period of time, advancing to the Fifth Rank was almost an extremely difficult task.

However, Xu Ping’an did not think so. In his view, even if he couldn’t break through to the Fifth Rank in a little over two months, his strength could definitely reach the Fifth Rank level.

"Eh, this old drunkard hasn’t come back yet. He couldn’t have gotten drunk and passed out on the streets, could he?" Xu Ping’an got up and still did not see the old coachman in the main hall, which gave him a bad premonition.

"Not good, Xu Feng, Old Wan has been severely injured, he’s in a bad way," just then, a young man rushed in and said.

His name was Chen Tai, and he was also a coachman.

Over the past days, apart from the old coachman, he was the person most familiar with Xu Ping’an.

Knowing the relationship between Xu Ping’an and the old coachman, Chen Tai came to notify Xu Ping’an first upon receiving the news.

"What happened?" Xu Ping’an frowned and asked.

"Last night, Old Wan went to his friend’s house to drink, only to find out that his friend had been crippled, his legs broken, by someone. Old Wan learned that the young master of the Tianlong Commerce Guild had taken a fancy to his friend’s daughter and forcibly took her away. When his friend tried to stop them, his legs were broken,"

"After hearing this, Old Wan could not accept it and decided to help his friend rescue his daughter, so he went to find a Cultivator he knew in Tianlong City," Chen Tai explained hastily.

"And then this Cultivator not only didn’t help Old Wan but also gave him a beating?" Xu Ping’an asked.

"How did you know?" Chen Tai appeared surprised.

Xu Ping’an snorted coldly.

It was the inevitable outcome.

A mere mortal like Old Wan, trying to rely on some supposedly significant connection, assumed he could get a Cultivator to help him against the so-called Tianlong Commerce Guild.

How was that possible?

He also had heard of this Tianlong Commerce Guild, considered the premier commerce guild in Tianlong County.

The person at the helm was none other than the younger sister of the Commandery Prince of Tianlong County.

How could that Cultivator possibly offend the Tianlong Commerce Guild just for the sake of Old Man Wan, the drunkard?

"Where is Old Wan now?" Xu Ping’an asked.

"He’s hanging at the entrance of the Tianlong Commerce Guild. The Cultivator not only severely injured Old Man Wan but also threw him at the doorstep of the Tianlong Commerce Guild, intending to ingratiate himself with them," Chen Tai said with a face full of indignation.

"Take me to the Tianlong Commerce Guild," Xu Ping’an’s face showed no significant changes, but a trace of frost flickered in his eyes.

"Feng Zi, don’t be impulsive…" Chen Tai hurriedly tried to persuade him.

"Don’t worry, I’m not that foolish," Xu Ping’an said with a smile.

Seeing this, Chen Tai didn’t say more.

And he led Xu Ping’an towards the Tianlong Commerce Guild.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the Tianlong Commerce Guild, Xu Ping’an saw Old Man Wan hanging there.

The old man’s hands were tied, hung in mid-air by iron chains, exposed to the scorching sun.

His body was covered in wounds, with multiple fractures in his bones, his blood flowing freely; even his internal organs were ruptured, leaving him with just a last breath.

Xu Ping’an’s brows furrowed to the extreme in an instant.

Such injuries were beyond recovery for an ordinary person.

Even for him, even wanting to save the man was now out of his power.

Seemingly noticing Xu Ping’an’s approach, Old Man Wan struggled to open his eyes, actually managing to squeeze out a smile on his face.

"You can still smile?" Xu Ping’an said, unamused.

"Before I die, being able to see you… I am… content," Old Man Wan said with a smile.

"Why did you have to meddle in matters that weren’t your business? See what’s happened now, even I can’t save you," Xu Ping’an said, extremely frustrated.

After speaking, he waved his hand, and a streak of Sword Qi instantly severed the chains, as Old Man Wan fell, caught by Xu Ping’an’s arms.

He then stuffed a Fourth Rank Superior Grade Body Protection Pill into Old Man Wan’s mouth.

The pill could not save Old Man Wan’s life, it would only temporarily sustain him.

"You young fellow… are indeed a Cultivator," Old Man Wan seemed to regain some vitality after ingesting the Elixir, his eyes brightening as he spoke.

"Knowing I am a Cultivator, why didn’t you come find me instead of seeking help from those unrelated people?" Xu Ping’an was not surprised that Old Man Wan had guessed his identity as a Cultivator.

In the past ten days or so, he hadn’t bothered to conceal his attitude toward Cultivators.

With Old Man Wan’s shrewd gaze, it wasn’t strange that he had figured out something.

"Although I knew you were a Cultivator, I’m well aware of how formidable the Tianlong Commerce Guild is, so I couldn’t drag you into this… cough cough!" Old Man Wan coughed violently, yet still kept smiling.

Xu Ping’an was incredibly exasperated.

This old fool, who understood life better than anyone else, why was he being so muddle-headed about this?

"Was it worth it?" Xu Ping’an asked.

"Worth it, my life was retrieved from bandits by my good friend, so no matter what, I had to repay him," Old Man Wan replied cheerfully.

Xu Ping’an said nothing.

This old coachman, how could he be so foolish?

He had previously advised Xu Ping’an to keep away from Cultivators upon arriving in the County City, yet here he was, knowing he was courting death and still rushing headlong towards it.

"Young Feng Zi, go on your way. I’m the one in debt; you don’t need to get involved. Old-timer like me having you as a friend is enough satisfaction," the old drunkard said, looking content.

Xu Ping’an rolled his eyes at him.

"Who beat you?" Xu Ping’an countered.

"Young Feng Zi, don’t you dare. That bastard is very powerful. You really shouldn’t lose your life over me, a dying man," the old drunkard exclaimed in alarm upon seeing Xu Ping’an still intent on intervening.

"Lose my life? Those who can kill me don’t exist yet. I wanted to keep a low profile, but it seems the heavens just won’t allow it. Just watch from the side and let this old drunkard see just how formidable the strongest Cultivator you know really is," Xu Ping’an said with a smile.

After speaking, he gestured to Chen Tai to assist the old drunkard to one side.

The old drunkard wanted to say more, but in the next moment, Xu Ping’an’s eyes turned sharp instantly.

A loud shout erupting: "Come out here!"

His voice thundered like a peal of sky-clearing thunder, shaking the heavens and the earth.