Chapter 87: The Night They Came In

Blackstone stayed quiet the following day, though Lin Yuan didn’t trust the calm.

He opened the tavern at the usual time, helped Su Mei prepare breakfast, checked the supply ledger, and answered three separate questions about the rumored spiritual vein beneath his land. By noon, he was almost annoyed by how ordinary everything looked.

The Travelers’ Market operated as usual. Qiao Ren spent most of the morning arguing with a customer over the price of a minor healing pill, while Xiao Lan reorganized a stack of bowls that had already been organized once.

Neither the western boundary nor the restricted site showed any sign of trouble, but Lin Yuan kept his low-grade artifact close.

Yesterday, the people watching Blackstone had discovered that he understood how they were using the road. They might disappear now that their method had been exposed, or they might try something more serious. He had no way of knowing which.

Near midday, Qiao Ren entered the tavern carrying a small wrapped bundle. He placed it on the counter, drawing Lin Yuan’s attention.

"What now?"

"Food."

"That’s unusually normal."

"I thought so too."

Qiao Ren unwrapped two steamed buns and took one. Lin Yuan eyed the remaining bun.

"You brought me lunch?"

"I brought myself lunch. There happened to be two."

"Very generous."

Ignoring the remark, Qiao Ren glanced toward the entrance.

"You think tonight?"

"I don’t know."

"You’ve been looking at the road every few minutes."

Lin Yuan picked up the second bun. "That doesn’t mean tonight."

"It means you think soon."

That was harder to deny.

Qiao Ren lowered his voice. "My stock can be replaced."

Lin Yuan glanced at him.

"If something happens, don’t get yourself killed protecting pills."

"I know."

"Do you?"

Qiao Ren bit into his bun. "I like my pills. I like being alive more."

At least they agreed on that.

If trouble came, Qiao Ren would help keep people away from the market and tavern. He would defend himself if necessary, but nobody was going to die over a shelf of cultivation supplies.

Su Mei and Xiao Lan had their own instructions. After closing, the tavern doors would remain locked, and any guests already inside would stay upstairs if possible. Travelers sleeping outside could use the rear entrance for shelter, but only after Lin Yuan or Qiao Ren confirmed who they were.

It wasn’t a perfect plan. Blackstone had no guards, defensive walls, or trained soldiers. Its protection consisted of a tavern owner, a merchant, two staff members, a warning formation, and buildings that had never been designed for fighting.

They would have to make do.

The afternoon passed without trouble. A westbound caravan stopped for water but continued before sunset, and two merchants rented rooms upstairs. Later, a pair of cultivators ate dinner while arguing over whether Blackstone’s buried structure was an ancient sect ruin or the remains of a city.

Lin Yuan stopped correcting people after his third attempt.

By the time darkness settled over the wasteland, the tavern had six overnight guests. Only one caravan camp remained outside, belonging to seven traders who had arrived shortly before dinner.

Lin Yuan watched them more closely than he normally would, though they had done nothing suspicious. Having unfamiliar people sleeping outside after dark made it harder to tell who belonged in Blackstone. Fortunately, he recognized the caravan leader from an earlier visit.

Once the last dinner customers finished eating, Su Mei cleared the tables while Xiao Lan carried dishes into the kitchen.

Lin Yuan stepped outside for a final look at the road. Two fires burned near the caravan, Qiao Ren’s shop had already gone dark, and the market stalls were empty. Beyond the settlement lanterns, the western wasteland disappeared into darkness.

Nothing seemed out of place, so he returned inside and closed the tavern doors.

Less than an hour later, the warning sounded.

A metallic chime rang from the receiving plate behind the counter. Lin Yuan rose from his chair while Su Mei stopped near the kitchen entrance. Xiao Lan set down the bowl she was carrying.

Nobody spoke. They had heard that sound enough times to know what it meant.

Lin Yuan listened for another warning from the restricted site to the north, but none came. The western boundary was the likely source.

He remained where he was, refusing to rush outside simply because someone had crossed the formation.

Several breaths later, another chime sounded.

Two crossings so close together were unlikely to be accidental. Whoever was outside seemed determined to draw his attention west.

Lin Yuan looked toward Su Mei.

"Lock it."

She nodded and moved toward the front door.

He was heading for the rear exit when a third sound cut through the night. This chime was fainter and came from farther away.

The secondary plate near the restricted site.

Lin Yuan stopped, and Xiao Lan stared at him.

"That one was north."

"Yes."

Two warnings along the western boundary and one at the restricted site, all within a short period. Someone was creating trouble in more than one place.

Lin Yuan opened the rear door.

"Stay inside."

Cold night air greeted him as he stepped out. Almost immediately, Qiao Ren appeared from between two buildings with his short blade already in hand.

"You heard all three?"

"Yes."

"Which one first?"

"West."

Qiao Ren looked toward the restricted site. Before he could speak again, another faint metallic note rang from that direction.

Someone had triggered the formation near the restricted site again.

Lin Yuan considered the warnings, then turned to Qiao Ren.

"Stay near the tavern."

"You’re going north?"

"No."

Qiao Ren looked surprised, but Lin Yuan pointed toward the market.

"If they want us chasing warnings, we stop chasing warnings."

Understanding dawned on Qiao Ren’s face.

They separated, with Lin Yuan slipping through the darker space behind the market stalls while keeping the road entrance in view.

The caravan fires still burned. Two traders had awakened after hearing the chimes, and one was getting to his feet. Lin Yuan raised a hand toward him.

"Stay by your wagons."

The man hesitated before nodding.

Lin Yuan continued toward his hiding place as another warning sounded from the western boundary. Silence followed, leaving him watching an empty road while the people outside made enough noise to draw attention away from it.

Nearly a minute passed.

Then three figures appeared.

They entered through the marked road at an ordinary walking pace, all dressed in dark clothing with their faces covered.

Lin Yuan felt his stomach tighten.

The first carried a short saber, while the second held a narrow sword. The third had empty hands, though a heavy club hung from his belt.

Once past the unfinished entrance frame, they separated without hesitation. One moved toward the market, another headed for Qiao Ren’s shop, and the third continued toward the tavern.

Lin Yuan stepped into the road.

"That’s far enough."

All three stopped. The man carrying the saber turned toward him, and for a moment, neither side moved.

Another warning sounded from the western boundary, but none of the strangers looked in its direction.

They clearly knew what was happening out there.

The saber wielder adjusted his stance.

"You should’ve stayed inside."

Lin Yuan recognized the voice. It belonged to the masked man who had entered Blackstone the previous night.

"Wrong road again?"

The man’s eyes narrowed above the cloth covering his face. This time, he offered no excuse. Spiritual Qi began rising around him instead.

The pressure was strong, but it still belonged to Qi Refining. At least Lin Yuan wasn’t facing a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The second intruder started moving toward Qiao Ren’s shop again. Lin Yuan stepped forward to intercept him, but before he could reach the man, a saber flashed toward his chest.

He barely raised his artifact in time. Metal struck metal, sending a painful jolt through his arm and forcing him back two steps.

The masked man followed immediately with a low slash. Lin Yuan twisted aside, feeling the blade pass close enough to tug at his robe. Before he could regain his balance, a kick struck his forearm and sent him stumbling sideways.

Pain traveled up to his shoulder.

Their cultivation levels might have been similar, but their fighting experience certainly wasn’t. The attacker knew exactly how close to stand and how to follow one strike with another, never giving Lin Yuan enough time to recover.

Lin Yuan, on the other hand, knew how to cook for forty customers.

At that particular moment, the comparison felt unfair.

When the saber came again, he forced Qi through his legs and retreated instead of trying to block. The blade cut through empty air, finally giving him enough space to breathe.

Across the courtyard, Qiao Ren had intercepted the swordsman heading toward his shop. Their weapons clashed before both men pulled apart.

Meanwhile, the third intruder was already closing in on the tavern.

"Qiao Ren!"

"I see him!"

Neither of them could break away from their opponents.

The saber wielder smiled behind his mask. Lin Yuan realized the man wasn’t trying to defeat him quickly. He only needed to keep Lin Yuan occupied while his companion reached the tavern.

The third attacker crossed the courtyard and kicked the reinforced door. The wood shook but held, and someone shouted from inside. He drew back his foot and kicked it again.

Lin Yuan moved at once, but the saber wielder cut across his path.

Instead of retreating, Lin Yuan stepped toward the incoming blade.

It was risky, but the attacker had expected him to move backward. The saber tore through his outer robe as he closed the distance, missing his flesh when he stepped inside the swing.

Lin Yuan drove his shoulder into the man’s chest, sending both of them stumbling. Before his opponent recovered, he struck with the low-grade artifact. The man managed to block, but the impact forced him backward for the first time.

Rather than press the advantage, Lin Yuan turned and ran toward the tavern.

"Stop him!"

Footsteps sounded behind him as the masked man recovered. Ahead, the third attacker kicked the door again, cracking the wood near the latch.

Lin Yuan reached the courtyard just as the man drew the heavy club from his belt.

The weapon swung toward him before he could adjust his stance. He raised his artifact just in time, but the impact sent pain through his wrist and nearly broke his grip.

The attacker stepped forward to strike again.

Then a wooden pole shot through the narrow opening beside the damaged door and struck him squarely in the shoulder.

As the man stumbled sideways, Lin Yuan glanced toward the door in disbelief.

"It was nearby!" Xiao Lan called from inside.

Of course it was. There was no time to argue.

Taking advantage of the opening, Lin Yuan kicked the man’s knee. The attacker grunted and dropped lower, giving Lin Yuan room to drive the hilt of his artifact into the side of his face.

The cloth covering the man’s mouth shifted, briefly exposing part of his jaw.

Before Lin Yuan could follow up, the saber wielder reached him.

He turned just in time to block a downward strike with both hands. The force drove him backward into the tavern wall, sending another wave of pain through his injured wrist.

The club wielder recovered and moved beside his companion.

Two against one.

Qiao Ren was still occupied near the market, and another warning had just sounded from the western boundary. Lin Yuan had no idea how many more people were waiting outside.

The saber wielder advanced.

"Move aside."

Lin Yuan tightened his grip on the artifact. He wasn’t moving.

The man attacked, forcing Lin Yuan to dodge toward the wall. The saber struck the spot where his shoulder had been a moment earlier, while the club wielder swung at his head from the opposite side.

Lin Yuan ducked. The club missed him and smashed into the wooden frame beside the door, forcing the two attackers to adjust their positions.

For the first time, they had gotten in each other’s way.

Lin Yuan backed toward the narrow passage beside the tavern instead of retreating into the open courtyard. The saber wielder followed, but there wasn’t enough room for the club wielder to move alongside him.

He had to fall behind.

If Lin Yuan couldn’t beat two people in open ground, he could at least prevent them from attacking together.

The saber wielder seemed to recognize the tactic. His eyes hardened, and he adjusted his grip.

Before he could advance, a shout came from the caravan camp.

One trader had drawn a weapon, and another stood beside him. They weren’t rushing into the fight, but the noise had awakened the others. More lamps appeared in the tavern’s upstairs windows as people gathered to see what was happening.

The attackers were no longer fighting in the dark with only Blackstone’s few defenders watching. The caravan traders could see them now, and several were armed.

The saber wielder glanced toward the camp.

Lin Yuan struck during that brief distraction. His artifact caught the man’s forearm, drawing a sharp hiss of pain. He followed with a kick to the abdomen that landed awkwardly but still sent the attacker stumbling two steps backward.

For a moment, Lin Yuan thought he had finally gained the advantage.

Then the club struck him in the side.

He crashed against the tavern wall, the impact driving the air from his lungs. Pain spread across his ribs, and his knees nearly buckled.

The club wielder raised his weapon for another blow, but a flash of steel intercepted it.

Qiao Ren had managed to break away from his opponent long enough to knock the club aside with his short blade. The swordsman followed several steps behind him, blood running down one arm, but hesitated when he noticed more caravan traders drawing their weapons.

"Move away from the tavern," Qiao Ren warned.

The club wielder looked between him and Lin Yuan while the saber wielder straightened and surveyed the courtyard.

With the caravan awake and armed cultivators gathering near the wagons, continuing the attack was becoming increasingly dangerous.

Then a sharp whistle sounded from somewhere beyond the western boundary.

The swordsman immediately began retreating, and after a brief hesitation, the club wielder followed.

Lin Yuan pushed himself away from the wall, struggling to keep his breathing steady.

The saber wielder remained where he was.

His cloth mask had loosened during the fighting, leaving one side hanging lower than before. As he turned toward the road, moonlight fell across his exposed face.

Lin Yuan froze.

He had seen that face before.

The man had sat inside Wandering Cloud Tavern, eating steamed buns and complaining about their size.

He was the oldest of the five travelers.

For a moment, they stared at each other. The man’s expression changed just enough to show that he knew he had been recognized.

Lin Yuan tightened his grip on the artifact.

"So it was you."

Without answering, the man pulled his mask back into place. His companions were already retreating toward the road when another whistle came from the darkness outside Blackstone.

The saber wielder took a step backward.

"This isn’t finished."

Lin Yuan said nothing.

The man turned and followed the others through the entrance. Qiao Ren started after them, but Lin Yuan caught his arm.

"Don’t."

Qiao Ren looked at him.

"There are more outside."

That stopped him. Together, they watched the three figures disappear into the darkness beyond the entrance.

A final warning rang as someone farther out crossed the monitored line. Then the wasteland fell silent.

For several breaths, neither man moved.

Lin Yuan’s side throbbed, and his wrist hurt even more. His outer robe was torn, the tavern door had cracked near the latch, and a fresh saber mark scarred part of the wall.

Beside him, Qiao Ren’s sleeve was torn, with blood running down his forearm. Neither of them looked particularly good, but they were still standing.

The damaged tavern door opened carefully behind them. Xiao Lan appeared first, still holding the wooden pole, while Su Mei stood just behind her.

Both women looked from Lin Yuan to Qiao Ren before turning toward the empty road.

Xiao Lan’s eyes widened.

"They left?"

"For now."

The caravan traders remained beside their wagons, talking quietly among themselves. Nobody seemed eager to return to sleep after witnessing the attack, and Lin Yuan couldn’t blame them.

He looked west, where the three intruders had disappeared.

At least one more person had remained outside, triggering the formation while the others entered through the road. There could easily have been more hidden beyond the settlement lights.

Whatever the group wanted, they had been willing to attack the tavern to reach it, retreating only when the caravan traders began getting involved.

Lin Yuan glanced at the cracked door and the saber mark on the wall.

Tonight, Blackstone had been fortunate. Next time, it might not have a caravan full of witnesses to discourage the attackers.

He looked toward the dark road once more.

If those people came back, Blackstone would have to be ready.