Chapter 7: Enemies Meet on a Narrow Path

In this Lin Mansion, strength is the prerequisite that determines one's status. Without strength, even though Chu Fengmian once held the position of Chief Steward of the Outer Mansion, not a single ordinary disciple of the Lin Mansion ever cared about him.

Only now, having displayed his strength, does he truly possess status and standing.

And this time, no disciple of the Lin Mansion dared to block Chu Fengmian’s path; they all took the initiative to clear a way, allowing him to walk inside.

"Hand over this month's stipend."

The person distributing stipends at the Spirit Medicine Hall was merely an ordinary outer mansion disciple of the Lin Mansion.

Seeing Chu Fengmian walk in, his expression turned extremely flustered. Upon hearing Chu Fengmian’s inquiry, he stammered for a long time before finally speaking.

"Chief Steward Chu, your stipend for this month has already been collected by someone else on your behalf."

"Collected on my behalf?"

A chill appeared in Chu Fengmian’s eyes.

In this Lin Mansion, there had never been any such thing as collecting a stipend on someone else's behalf. Previously, it was only because Chu Fengmian lacked the strength that his stipend was taken by others.

Yet this time, someone actually dared to come and collect it.

"Chief Steward, please forgive me, it was this small one's fault..."

The outer mansion disciple hurriedly lowered his head to admit his mistake.

He had never truly considered Chu Fengmian to be a Chief Steward of the Outer Mansion. When people came to collect Chu Fengmian’s stipend earlier, he naturally gave it to them, as Chu Fengmian had never pursued the matter before.

But this time, Chu Fengmian had come in person.

The disciple had witnessed Chu Fengmian teaching Lin Gou a lesson just moments ago, and he understood that the current Chu Fengmian was no longer the Chu Fengmian of the past.

He did not want to end up like Lin Gou, with his limbs crushed, so he could only obediently admit his fault.

"Speak, who took it?"

Chu Fengmian glanced at the outer mansion disciple and said coldly.

"It was Lin Mo and Lin Ye."

The outer mansion disciple replied respectfully.

"As I thought."

Hearing these two names, a hint of killing intent appeared in Chu Fengmian’s eyes.

The former Chu Fengmian had been beaten to death by these two. It seemed that this time, it was time for Chu Fengmian to seek justice.

"Hand over Lin Gou’s stipend."

Chu Fengmian looked at the outer mansion disciple and said coldly.

"This..."

Hearing Chu Fengmian’s words, the outer mansion disciple looked troubled. But when he saw Chu Fengmian’s icy gaze, he did not hesitate to take out a bottle of pills and hand it to him.

Lin Gou was now a cripple; even if he wanted revenge, it would take months. But if he offended the current Chu Fengmian, he feared he would end up in the same state as Lin Gou.

"This is Lin Gou’s stipend for this month."

"From now on, every month's stipend is to be delivered to me personally. If even a fraction is missing, you will end up just like Lin Gou."

Chu Fengmian glanced at the outer mansion disciple, his tone icy.

"Yes, yes."

The outer mansion disciple nodded hurriedly. Chu Fengmian took the jade bottle and strode out of the Spirit Medicine Hall.

Only after Chu Fengmian had left did the outer mansion disciple finally heave a sigh of relief.

"How could this Chu Fengmian have such strength? No, I must go and report this to the Deputy Chief Steward."

The outer mansion disciple muttered to himself, then found someone else to take over the distribution of stipends and left on his own.

In a spacious courtyard within the Lin Mansion’s outer grounds, two burly men were sitting at a stone table, with several jade bottles placed before them.

Inside each jade bottle were countless spirit pills.

"Lin Ye, how do you think this Chu Fengmian managed to return to the Lin Mansion?"

Lin Mo looked at Lin Ye before him, speaking with some confusion.

"And I heard he has already condensed a spirit vein, become a martial artist, and even defeated Cao Dahai?"

"It seems this brat has a tough life; he didn't die even after that."

Lin Ye sneered from the side.

"But so what if he became a martial artist? He’s just a piece of trash with one spirit vein. In two days, we’ll send him some stipend and see if he’s human or ghost."

"This Chu Fengmian’s stipend is truly shockingly high—one hundred Bone-Tempering Pills and ten Body-Forging Pills a month."

Lin Mo looked at the pills on the stone table, a look of greed appearing on his face.

Such a stipend was enough to last them half a year.

"These stipends will belong to the two of us from now on. Giving them to that piece of trash Chu Fengmian is a waste. Come to think of it, we should thank that trash; otherwise, how could our cultivation levels have progressed so quickly?"

Lin Ye laughed loudly.

The two of them had broken through to the fifth level of the Bone-Tempering Realm precisely because they had been seizing Chu Fengmian’s stipends, and they were now considered notable figures in the Lin Mansion’s outer grounds.

"Bang!"

Just as the two were laughing, a loud crash suddenly came from outside the courtyard.

Lin Mo and Lin Ye hurriedly ran out, only to see the wooden gate of the courtyard kicked open by someone.

"Who is it?"

"Which blind fool dares to come here and act presumptuously!"

Lin Mo and Lin Ye roared in unison.

In the outer grounds of the Lin Mansion, few dared to oppose them.

"Chu Fengmian?"

Seeing the figure walking in from outside, a look of surprise appeared on Lin Mo’s face, followed by a sneer.

"Chu Fengmian, I didn't expect you to be able to return to the Lin Mansion alive. Your life is truly tough."

Seeing Chu Fengmian, Lin Mo mocked him without reservation.

"We were just thinking about checking whether you were human or ghost, and here you are, delivering yourself to our doorstep."

"I heard you’ve opened your spirit vein and become a martial artist? But trash is trash after all. A piece of trash with one spirit vein is nothing more than a slave in this Lin Mansion."

Lin Ye also spoke with a sinister tone, his eyes filled with contempt.

In their view, even if Chu Fengmian had successfully condensed a spirit vein and become a martial artist, so what? Strength could not be grown in a single day. To them, a newly broken-through martial artist was no different from an ant.

Chu Fengmian did not waste words, simply stating coldly

"Hand over this month's stipend."

"Stipend?"

Hearing Chu Fengmian’s words, Lin Mo and Lin Ye both burst into laughter.

"Chu Fengmian, it seems your brain was damaged in the fall, daring to come and ask us for a stipend."

Lin Mo wore a mocking smile.

"We said that your monthly stipend belongs to us from now on. It seems the lesson we gave you wasn't enough, is that it?"

"Lin Mo, let me deal with him!"

Lin Ye stepped forward, speaking with a sinister air.

"This brat knocked out a few of my teeth last time; today, I’m going to smash all of his teeth out!"