The abandoned cannon fodder girl's path to immortality

Chapter 243 Unwelcome Guest
Two days later.

The haze over the waste dump seemed thicker than usual, pressing heavily on the simple roof of the Rock Residence, making the air so sticky that it was hard to breathe.

For some reason, the shady tit paced uneasily on the window frame, its little head turning warily from time to time.

In a daze, a series of heavy and rapid footsteps approached from afar, heading towards Rock Residence.

Hearing this commotion, Chen Jinshu felt a sense of unease.

The footsteps were chaotic, indicating more than one person, carrying an undisguised aggressive aura.

Boom!Boom!Boom!
Instead of knocking, they banged on the door violently.

"Chen Jinshu! Open the door! Open the door now!"

A loud and arrogant middle-aged male voice pierced through the barrier and boomed in the stone chamber, carrying an intimidating tone full of official jargon.

"Elder Zhou, the guardian of Medicine King Valley Market, is here! Quickly open the restrictions and submit to inspection! Don't make a mistake!"

With a sharp cry, the Yinshan Sparrow transformed into a streak of blue and red arrow and hurtled toward the crack in the door.

However, in the end, she didn't act rashly and flew to Chen Jinshu's shoulder.

Chen Jinshu sat firmly on the stone couch, not moving an inch, and said coldly:

"Elder Zhou? What brings you to such a commotion, breaking down the door to interrogate me, a mere renter?"

"Humph!"

Elder Zhou's voice was filled with impatience.

"What is it? You know it in your heart! Someone reported you for stealing their treasured third-tier spiritual plant, 'Qingfuzi,' from the market two days ago!"
This is a grave crime!

Those who know what's good for them will open the door immediately, hand over the stolen goods, and come with this elder back to the garrison headquarters to await their fate!
Otherwise, it will be treated as resisting law enforcement!

As soon as he finished speaking, the already simple barrier light screen of the Rock Abode began to flicker and fluctuate violently under the impact of several powerful spiritual forces outside the door.

It looked like it was about to collapse.

Then a figure in moon-white robes stood not far from Elder Zhou.

The resentment on Lin Xiao's face had vanished without a trace, replaced by anxiety at the loss of the treasure.

He stepped forward and feigned a bow to Elder Zhou, who was dressed in the robes of a Medicine King Valley elder, had a puffy face, heavy eye bags, and exuded a strong aura of medicinal pills. His voice was earnest:

"Elder Zhou, please calm down! Please calm down!"
Fellow Daoist Chen was new here, or perhaps he was confused for a moment and made a mistake.

"Considering we are both from the same lineage of alchemy, I beg the elder to show mercy and not harm her..."

Elder Zhou, who clearly had a tacit understanding with Lin Xiao, snorted coldly upon hearing this.

The fat fingers formed hand seals more rapidly, and a thick, earth-yellow beam of spiritual energy slammed into the barrier:
"Master Lin, there's no need to plead for this thief! Medicine King Valley has its own rules! Break them!"

hum!
In an instant, the barrier emitted a piercing wail, and cracks spread like a spider web.

Upon seeing this, Chen Jinshu did not hesitate to take out the communication jade talisman that Liu Qingchen had given him that day from his storage bag.

The jade talisman shattered silently between her fingers, and a faint yet extremely pure wave of divine thought instantly pierced through the crumbling restrictions of the Rock Residence, through the foul miasma above the wasteland, and sped off towards a certain direction within the Medicine King Valley.

"Boom!"

Just then, the restrictions of the Rock Abode finally gave way and shattered completely under Elder Zhou's powerful attack, dissipating into countless firefly-like specks of light.

The heavy stone door was suddenly pushed open by a tremendous force, slamming against the stone wall with a deafening roar.

Boom!

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, Elder Zhou's obese and bloated figure stepped in first. Behind him followed two imposing late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators dressed in law enforcement uniforms.

Lin Xiao followed closely behind, a triumphant smile playing on his lips. His gaze greedily swept over Chen Jinshu, who sat upright in the room, as if he could already see her pathetic state as she surrendered.

"Chen Jinshu! The evidence of stealing spiritual plants is irrefutable! Surrender now..."

Elder Zhou, in a menacing manner, pointed his fat finger at Chen Jinshu's nose and began to curse him, spitting as he did so.

Elder Zhou!

The voice fell before the person arrived.

A streak of azure light, like a shooting star chasing the moon, suddenly landed in the center of the small courtyard of the Rock Residence.

The blue light faded, revealing Liu Qingchen's figure.

He was still dressed in the dark blue robes of a Medicine King Valley elder, with a fair complexion and three long wisps of beard, but his face was no longer as gentle as before, and his brows were furrowed.

He first glanced disapprovingly at the forcibly broken stone door and the dissipating residual light of the restriction, then his cold gaze fell directly on Elder Zhou and Lin Xiao, who were frozen at the doorway.

The powerful aura of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator spread out without reservation, instantly overwhelming Elder Zhou's weak aura, and causing Lin Xiao's face to turn pale, subconsciously taking half a step back.

"Elder Liu... Elder Liu?" Elder Zhou's arrogance froze instantly, turning into astonishment. He panicked, and his obese body seemed to stiffen for a moment.

"You...how did you get here?"

He clearly hadn't expected Liu Qingchen to appear in this secluded corner.

Liu Qingchen completely ignored Elder Zhou's question. He stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the messy doorway and Chen Jinshu sitting calmly inside, his expression serene. Finally, his gaze settled on Elder Zhou's sweat-drenched face, his tone cold and accusatory:

"Elder Zhou, what are you doing? You've led your disciples to forcibly enter the secluded retreat of my distinguished guest, Liu Qingchen, breaking down the door and shouting threats of violence?"

"This...this..."

Elder Zhou was intimidated by Liu Qingchen's imposing aura. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he stammered, his gaze involuntarily glancing at Lin Xiao beside him.

Lin Xiao sensed something was wrong, but forced himself to remain calm. He quickly stepped forward, put on a respectful smile, and bowed deeply to Liu Qingchen.
"Elder Liu, please forgive me! It's not that Elder Zhou wants to make things difficult for Fellow Daoist Chen. It's just that someone witnessed Fellow Daoist Chen stealing my precious third-grade 'Azure Cicada' from the market two days ago!"
This item is a birthday gift that I intend to present to a senior martial uncle in the valley; it is of great importance.

Elder Zhou was simply fulfilling his duty and had no choice but to investigate! We implore Elder Liu to consider this matter carefully!

He spoke with absolute certainty, as if he had suffered a tremendous injustice.

"Oh? Stealing the green cicada?"

Liu Qingchen raised an eyebrow, turned his gaze to Chen Jinshu, and his tone was unreadable.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, is this true?"

Chen Jinshu slowly rose, gave Liu Qingchen a slight bow, and spoke in a calm and clear voice:

"Elder Liu, please be wise. What Fellow Daoist Lin said is pure slander and framing. Two days ago, he did indeed place this item outside my door, claiming that the treasure was for me to take."

However, I had no intention of possessing this item, nor did I pick it up or touch it. I simply ignored it at the time.

Liu Qingchen's gaze followed Chen Jinshu's direction, his eyes flickering slightly.

He was incredibly shrewd; considering Lin Xiao's reputation and Elder Zhou's despicable deeds, he already knew the truth.

He looked at Elder Zhou again, his tone suddenly becoming stern:

"Elder Zhou! As the ward chief, you have the power to enforce the law. You should be impartial, just, and discerning!"

How can you rely solely on one side of the story, without distinguishing truth from falsehood, and arbitrarily resort to violence to force your way into the residence of the guest I introduced?

With the Valley Master's 800th birthday approaching and preparations for the Five Continents Pill Gathering in full swing, countless eyes are watching Medicine King Valley!
"Do you think the laws of this valley are a joke, or do you think you can trample on my, Liu Qingchen's, reputation like this?"