Chapter 206: Zhaowen, the judge.

Chapter 206: 206: Zhaowen, the judge.

Lin Zhaowen was the third child of the Lin Family to enter the Golden Core Realm before the age of fifteen.

According to the records of the Lin Family, this generation of children could very well have been remembered as the family’s golden generation.

Unfortunately for Zhaowen, his breakthrough had come at an inconvenient time.

His advancement to the Golden Core Realm had stolen almost all the attention from Elder Qinglan.

The two had revealed their breakthroughs on the exact same day.

While Qinglan’s achievement was astonishing, she had remained stuck at the peak of the Qi Refinement Realm for many years.

Zhaowen, on the other hand, had only been cultivating for three years.

So when news spread that both a young member of the Lin Family and Elder Qinglan had broken through to the Golden Core Realm on the same day, the attention immediately shifted toward Zhaowen.

For Qinglan, it was simply unfortunate timing.

However, that was not how some of the family elders saw it.

Su Qinglan was the rightful elder who held considerable authority over the Lin Family’s treasury. Now that she had entered the Golden Core Realm, those elders believed that getting on her good side was the politically correct choice.

That was precisely why Zhaowen had been immediately sent to this backwater village for his first mission.

He stared at Peng Yucheng and could not help but frown.

Why is this idiot so prideful despite being only at the First Layer of the Qi Refinement Realm?

That was the first question that came to Zhaowen’s mind.

Then, another realization suddenly struck him.

Oh my god. Was that how I looked when I went around proudly announcing that I had broken through to the Golden Core Realm?

Zhaowen’s face immediately turned red.

He suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of shame and covered his face with one palm.

Meanwhile, Peng Yucheng and Xu Liang stared at the young boy in horror.

Golden Core Realm? But he’s just a kid!

The same thought appeared in both of their minds.

Their hearts began beating faster as Zhaowen stood there with his palm covering his face.

He looks disappointed in us, doesn’t he?

Xu Liang swallowed nervously.

Meanwhile, Peng Yucheng’s legs suddenly went weak and only a moment later, he wet himself.

Lin Zhaowen slowly regained his composure.

He lowered his hand from his face and looked toward Peng Yucheng again.

The moment he saw the young master’s tearful face, however, the embarrassment from earlier immediately came rushing back.

Zhaowen’s expression twitched.

He silently turned his head away.

He really could not bear looking at him anymore.

Peng Yucheng, however, completely misunderstood his reaction.

He immediately dropped to his knees and began sobbing.

"Please spare me, Senior! I want to live! I really want to live!"

The sight left the surrounding villagers stunned.

They had grown up with the belief that elders and powerful cultivators deserved respect. Even when cultivators visited their village, the villagers would lower their heads and speak carefully.

Yet now, they were witnessing something completely different.

An adult cultivator was kneeling before a child and begging for his life.

The absurdity of the scene left many of them unable to look away.

Zhaowen’s eyebrows twitched when he saw Peng Yucheng kneeling again.

He immediately circulated his spiritual qi and gently forced Peng Yucheng back.

"Don’t come any closer!"

His voice carried a hint of panic.

He really could not handle this anymore.

I definitely have to change my ways. I absolutely will not grow up like this.

Zhaowen winced as he looked at Peng Yucheng’s terrified expression.

Then he took a deep breath and turned toward Xu Liang.

Now that he thought about it, why were all of them standing here in the first place?

Zhaowen straightened his clothes and tried his best to compose himself.

He had seen Zhaoyue speak countless times with that calm, mature expression, and he had always thought she looked incredibly reliable.

That was the image he wanted to imitate now.

He raised his chin slightly and spoke in what he believed was the most mature voice he could manage.

"What happened here? Tell me about the situation."

Xu Liang stared at him for a moment.

He had never seen a Golden Core cultivator this young before.

Yet somehow, despite possessing cultivation that should have been impossible for his age, the young child standing before him seemed strangely... embarrassed.

Still, cultivators were known to have their own strange habits.

If Xu Liang wanted to stay alive, he decided that telling the truth was the safest choice.

He bowed respectfully and began recounting everything that had happened.

Zhaowen listened quietly as Xu Liang explained the situation from the beginning.

After hearing the gist of it, Zhaowen’s brows immediately furrowed.

He turned toward Peng Yucheng.

"Pàng Yucheng, do you know what crimes you have committed?"

Peng Yucheng’s eyes widened.

He immediately looked up.

Did he just call me fat?

<anno data-annotation-id="438c0d8c-4e56-4168-a20d-01c8002df402" data-title="He had clearly heard the young expert called him fat yucheng but he did not dare question him.">He had clearly heard the young expert called him fat yucheng but he did not dare question him.¹</anno>

Instead, Peng Yucheng immediately pressed his forehead against the ground and began pleading.

"Senior, they were mere mortals who dared to charge this young master money. I had to teach them how the world works!"

Zhaowen stared at him in silence and began discussing to himself.

Hmm, I’m nothing like him. At least I’m not that arrogant.

He gave a small, satisfied nod.

Young Miss has already whipped me into shape.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

Then he suddenly frowned.

Why did I just praise myself for that?

Shaking his head, Zhaowen cleared his thoughts and looked at Peng Yucheng.

"Look here, the problem is that you messed with the Lin Family."

Peng Yucheng’s body stiffened.

Zhaowen continued, his tone becoming more serious.

"Did you even stop to check which family Hollowshade Village is loyal to? Not only that, did you ever bother to find out what family name the inn owner carries?"

He glanced toward the inn behind them.

"The owner is Lin Qingshan."

Zhaowen’s expression darkened slightly.

"You came to a village under the Lin Family’s protection, entered an inn owned by someone from the Lin Family, and then caused trouble for its people."

He shook his head again.

"Do you really think you can behave however you want just because your father is the Peng Clan Patriarch?"