CHAPTER 409: CHAPTER 0406: THE KINDNESS OF A MEAL

Inside the house!

It was very quiet, with only the sound of the little girl eating.

Lin Fan and the other two sat without expression, calm and composed, while the man and woman nearby were staring wide-eyed in disbelief.

"This girl can really eat."

The woman had been holding back for a long time before blurting that out. Watching the little girl wolf down her food so grease-covered, despite having had her own meal earlier, the woman couldn’t help but feel a bit hungry herself.

The little girl’s eating was simply too delicious-looking, too enticing.

"Apologies, my disciple here has quite an appetite," Lin Fan said awkwardly. The food meant for three people had been completely wiped out by the girl alone.

The man laughed and said, "A big appetite is a blessing. My little rascal is just the same—eats a lot and grows strong."

While the little girl was immersed in her meal, Lin Fan chatted casually with the man.

"Brother, you have a son? How old is he this year? I haven’t seen him around."

"He’s sixteen. A few days ago, he went into the city to sell wild game. By now, he should be returning soon."

Lin Fan’s tone was warm, and beside him, Qin Yang looked rather surprised. He hadn’t thought Brother Lin could converse so amicably with mere mortals, feeling that Lin’s demeanor was genuinely gentle.

It was all a facade, nothing but pretense.

The man noticed the little girl staring at the empty plate before her and instantly understood that she hadn’t had enough. He was shocked—he had never seen such appetite before—but being reasonably well-off, he didn’t mind. He promptly turned to his wife and said,

"Quickly bring some more roasted meat for the child!"

The woman snapped out of her daze and hurried into the kitchen.

"No need, no need. She’s almost had enough," Lin Fan said helplessly. The little girl’s martial arts cultivation required an immense amount of energy and blood, causing an exceptionally large appetite. Her eating habits were shocking people nearly to death.

The man smiled and said, "No worries. The girl is hungry, I can see that. These things are not worth much—what’s the big deal if it’s eaten up? Besides, we haven’t had guests in a long time, so we should host properly."

Faced with such warmth and enthusiasm, Lin Fan couldn’t bring himself to refuse. Good and kind-hearted people really abounded, especially in rural areas where folks were so pure and honest. When they left, he thought it might be proper to extend them some help—perhaps grant them longevity, immunity to illness.

With his current abilities, that would be no problem.

Xiang Fei rarely interacted with mortals as they existed in entirely different worlds. If forced into conversation with them, he could never replicate Lin Fan’s calmness and ease. Even if he restrained himself, his innate superiority would still faintly radiate, exuding an aloof pressure on others.

It was an instinctive suppression of weaker beings by the strong.

Some might even call it pity.

Yingtian City.

This locale was a territory governed by the Second Prince, Si Zhaoming, of the Dayuan Dynasty—a powerful force in the Immortal Realm, with a lengthy lineage.

Si Xian Pavilion.

The foremost spot in this city for pleasure and entertainment, though its standards were high and entry impossible for commoners. Ordinary people could only gaze from afar.

The backyard.

Two young men pushed a cart piled with wooden cages, each filled with wild game.

"Brother Er Hu, our luck is extraordinary! Who’d have thought Si Xian Pavilion would buy all the wild animals we brought? Saves us from having to sell them elsewhere!" one of the boys exclaimed with a cheerful grin.

He was genuinely delighted.

They had thought it would take ages to sell everything.

But fate had lent them a helping hand.

The leading man, middle-aged, instructed sternly, "Don’t look around. Don’t say anything rash. You have no business here—you’re lucky just to be allowed inside. Deliver the goods and leave immediately."

The two, though inexperienced in high society, were well-aware that this was no place for casual behavior.

They obediently nodded with reverence.

At this moment, Si Xian Pavilion was ablaze with light and brimming with festivity. Within the grand hall, a finely dressed man, flanked by beauties, laughed heartily—a playful smirk gracing his handsome face.

"My dear, you’re missing the mark again. That’s a dead target, still as stone, yet you can’t hit it? You deserve punishment, truly!"

This man was none other than the Second Prince, Si Zhaoming.

Immersed in indulgence, he believed life had never been better.

With his station, there was little to worry about—his days were filled with leisure and pleasure.

"Prince, if it were a living target, this humble maid would surely hit it," said the seductive woman leaning against him, her words dripping with charm that stirred primal desires in any man.

"Living target? Alright, then a living one," Si Zhaoming chuckled.

His gaze swept across the room, landing on his attendants, who had been jovially smiling moments ago. As soon as they felt the ominous shift in the Prince’s gaze, their hearts sank sharply.

This wasn’t good.

There was something wrong with the Prince’s expression.

Could he actually be considering turning them into targets?

Sick. Utterly sick.

"Prince, some wild animals have just arrived; perhaps they could serve as targets for your pleasure?" the madam of Si Xian Pavilion suggested dutifully.

Si Zhaoming scoffed, "Wild animals? How dare they enter this place? I think *you* would make a better choice. What do you say?"

The madam turned pale with terror.

She dropped to her knees, pleading for mercy.

"Please, Prince, spare me. I will find suitable candidates for you immediately."

With that, she scrambled off in a panic.

The backyard.

Er Hu and the other boy, feeling quite satisfied after selling their wild game, were preparing to buy supplies and head back to their village.

The madam eyed the two, recognizing their simple garb indicative of common folk. After a brief inquiry, she learned they were villagers and immediately hatched a plan. With no protection, status, or strength, they were easy pickings.

"Wait up, boys," the madam stopped them and turned to Er Hu. "In the future, feel free to sell your wild animals here. But for now, you must come with me—someone important wishes to see you."

"As for you, just wait outside."

The madam needed only one of them, and between the two, Er Hu’s appearance was passable enough to draw no objections from the Prince.

"Brother Er Hu..."

"You wait for me outside. I’ll be quick," Er Hu assured.

The madam prayed silently.

Young man...

Don’t blame me.

Blame your unlucky fate. Without connections and status, if you die, no one will seek justice. I will ensure proper burial, of course. But then again, you may not die—just sustain some injuries.

Er Hu stepped into the grand hall, where an entirely new world greeted his eyes. Everything was dazzling, opulent, a feast for the senses.

Spotting the scantily clad women, he averted his gaze shyly, unfamiliar with such a scene.

The madam approached Si Zhaoming in haste. "Prince, I’ve brought the person. Do you find him satisfactory?"

The Prince chuckled, drawing closer to the woman beside him, resting his hand on hers. "Here, take aim. Let’s see if you can hit him. Miss again, and you’ll be punished even more."

"Don’t worry, Prince. I can do it," the woman replied.

Whoosh!

An arrow flew, aiming straight at Er Hu.

Though Er Hu had never trained in martial arts, his frequent hunting in the forests had made him agile. As the arrow sped toward him, he dodged to the side, his face pale with fear. "What are you trying to do?"

The madam scowled, "What are you dodging for? Stand still! Let the Prince have his fun, and you’ll be allowed to leave."

She hadn’t expected this young man would dare resist.

Did he not grasp the situation?

Would getting shot at kill him?

That... wasn’t exactly guaranteed.

But angering the Prince would surely result in death.

The deal had been made—Si Xian Pavilion would buy all his wild game. What harm could there be in sacrificing a little?

"I came here to sell wild game, not to be shot at! I’m leaving!" Er Hu, sensing danger, turned and bolted toward the exit.

At that moment—

A cold voice rang out, "This Prince commands you to stand still! Will you defy me?"

"I don’t belong to you! I only came to sell my game. Find someone else—I am leaving!" Er Hu retorted.

Everyone knew things had taken a turn for the worse.

Look!

The Second Prince’s face was contorted with rage.

In an instant—

A streak of light flashed before their eyes. With a flick of his sleeve, Si Zhaoming sent an arrow tearing through the air. It struck Er Hu, piercing his body.

With a thunderous crash—

Er Hu collapsed to the ground, blood pooling beneath him.

"Hang him outside," the Prince commanded.

The surrounding guests trembled in silence, too frightened to speak.

Outside Si Xian Pavilion.

"Why hasn’t Brother Er Hu come out yet?"

Then, in that instant—

He stared in horror, seeing a lifeless body hung at the entrance.

"Brother Er Hu..."

The townsfolk gathered round in shock, their faces painted with fear and disbelief, unable to comprehend such cruelty.

...

Morning.

The air outside was bustling with commotion—urgent voices rang out.

"Uncle Hu, Aunt Hu, something’s happened!"

Lin Fan opened his eyes, frowning in puzzlement. A small village like this... how could trouble arise? Rising to his feet, he pushed open the door and saw a disheveled young boy sprinting from afar.

"Xiao Wu, where’s your Brother Er Hu?" Aunt Hu asked.

Gasping for breath, Xiao Wu cried, "Brother Er Hu... He was killed in the city. Someone murdered him."

Uproar.

Like a crashing thunderstorm, Aunt Hu staggered backward, her body swaying as though she might collapse at any moment.

Uncle Hu shook his head in disbelief, shouting, "Impossible! I’m going to the city to see for myself."

Xiao Wu protested, "No! You can’t go! I heard it was the Second Prince of the Dayuan Dynasty, Si Zhaoming, who did it. If you go, you’ll die too!"

"They’re nobles!"

"They’re immortals!"

"We’re just ordinary folks—we can’t oppose them!"

Xiang Fei approached Lin Fan and spoke in a low voice, "You want to go take a look?"

"Yes, I need to see," Lin Fan replied.

Xiang Fei said solemnly, "If this had nothing to do with us, I’d pretend not to see it. Provoking a dynasty with an ancient lineage over a mortal isn’t wise. But I know your nature, and these two were kind to us. I agree with your decision. Only... death is irreversible. This will be a devastating blow to them."

Lin Fan walked over to Xiao Wu. "Did you see him die with your own eyes?"

"I saw it with my own eyes," Xiao Wu answered.

"Did you touch his body and confirm he’d stopped breathing?"

"I... didn’t."

"Don’t worry, I’ll go check for you. Perhaps he only fainted. He may not be dead. Stay here and wait—soon we’ll return," Lin Fan reassured them.

"Young man, they are immortals and nobility. You can’t stand against them," Uncle Hu told him, old age casting his voice in despair. Though grief-stricken, he knew some matters were beyond their power.

"Wait for our return."

Lin Fan led them away, headed toward Yingtian City.

"Little girl."

"A drop of kindness deserves a fountain of reciprocity. A single meal may seem insignificant, but it weighs heavily in the heart," he said.