The training chamber, the most valuable room in the martial arts hall, had its entire wall crumbled by Qian Ye’s single punch. The ruckus caused a stir in half the hall, and although no one knew what happened, it was evident that a huge problem was at hand—whether a guest suffered an internal injury during cultivation or the facility malfunctioned.
Upon entering, several disciples of the hall froze in their tracks, gazing upon a sight from the backyard garden, momentarily convinced they were experiencing a delusion.
Unable to easily explain the situation, Qian Ye simply took out a square black crystal, about half a foot on each side, and thrust it into a disciple’s hands, saying “This is for the damage,” before hastening his leave.
A whole, uncut piece of primary energy black crystal was more than enough compensation for the damaged training chamber. The disciples, still in shock, forgot to stop Qian Ye from departing.
However, the disciple holding the black crystal suddenly felt perplexed; the guest hadn’t seemed to be carrying a bag, so where could he have possibly pulled such a large box from? Gazing between the crystal in his arms and the lush backyard garden, he felt his mind falter.
Only after Qian Ye left did a female disciple exclaim, pulling a thick steel plate from the rubble. A gaping hole pierced its center, fragments of torn rubber still clinging to the edges.
After examining it multiple times, she finally stammered, “This… this is the steel mannequin? How could it end up like this?”
The disciples, after much scrutiny, confirmed that the deformed steel sheet was indeed the combat practice dummy. However, it looked as though a convoy of heavy trucks had repeatedly run over it rather than it being shattered by human force.
The disciples glanced between the now wall-less training chamber and the ruined steel dummy, feeling that their eyes were deceiving them.
Qian Ye hadn’t anticipated causing such a commotion with a single punch, but at least he had made a quick escape, sparing himself the trouble of explanation. With his shopping mood dampened, he returned straight to the inn.
As night fell, Wang Youyuan stood reverently before a middle-aged man.
With a refined face and long, slender eyes, the man exuded an amiable air, yet Wang Youyuan hardly dared to breathe before him.
The middle-aged man mused silently, tapping his knuckles gently on the table, before speaking, “The rules of my Zhao family are well-known, aren’t they, Wang Youyuan?”
Wang Youyuan bowed, responding, “Lord Zhao, certainly, within the family, these rules must be strictly observed, but when outside, perhaps a little flexibility can be allowed.”
The man merely grunted, showing no reaction.
Wang Youyuan bent even lower, lowering his voice, “My lord, consider this—it’s mithril! Your Excellency would find nothing else satisfactory. Now, the City Lord… In the future, you will be relying on you, won’t you?”
The man glanced at Wang Youyuan, showing a hint of softening.
Seizing the opportunity, Wang Youyuan continued, “My lord, the family is in dire need of mithril for the ongoing war; not only does it equate to a substantial amount of gold, but it also merits recognition. And if the young man could easily produce mithril worth 30,000 gold coins, who knows what else he might be holding?”
The man, deep in thought, asked, “Who is he?”
“An outsider, new to Lihen, and without any guarantor.”
Wang Youyuan wasn’t merely probing; typically, for large transactions exceeding ten thousand gold, both parties would require guarantors, unless they were well-acquainted. Barter trades especially needed careful handling to avoid counterfeit or stolen goods.
Though a store under the Zhao banner might deal in dubious items, it never occurred overtly. Legal and illegal procedures varied widely, and having spent years in the Evernight Continent, Qian Ye lacked such experience.
Wang Youyuan had quickly deduced that Qian Ye was no legitimate merchant. Cash transactions were less concerning, but solid, high-purity mithril in a hunter’s possession was undoubtedly questionable, making it a potential windfall in Wang Youyuan’s eyes.
The middle-aged man, Zhao Yaping, deliberated for a moment before nodding, “Do as you see fit. Make sure everything is clean. I’ll provide some men to watch over it.”
Wang Youyuan’s face bloomed with joy, assuring, “Rest assured, My Lord, I’ll handle this flawlessly! As it happens, Ma Sandao has also arrived in Lihen. He’s been stuck at the Warlord rank for years. I can persuade him, making this a sure bet.”
Zhao Yaping’s brows furrowed, “Ma Sandao? I’ve heard he leads a bandit gang outside the city; not someone easy to work with. Involving him may complicate things.”
Wang Youyuan chuckled, “I know Ma Sandao; he’s greedy but reliable. If paid enough, he’ll cooperate. Plus, his nephew works for our firm. With these connections, there shouldn’t be any issues.”
Zhao Yaping, still pondering, listened as Wang Youyuan added, “Even if he has other plans, once this deal is done, you’ll likely be the City Lord. If he remains compliant, all is well. If not, don’t blame us for taking drastic measures.”
Zhao Yaping nodded, “Alright, proceed. I’ll assign a squad of city guards to assist you, just in case.”
“Wait for the good news, My Lord!” Wang Youyuan, stepping out, felt notably lighter on his feet.
A woman’s laughter rang from the room, “This old coot, surnamed differently, yet quite clever, already presenting his credentials.” The pretty young woman behind Zhao Yaping finally spoke.
Wang Youyuan’s proposal was not just for a share of the spoils; it was risky. Not for burying an outsider but because if Zhao Yaping turned, the enforcement squad would take action. Seeing the current City Lord’s waning influence, he sought to ingratiate himself with the likely successor, Zhao Yaping.
“Check it out. If Wang Youyuan is correct, inform Li Liu to coordinate,” Zhao Yaping, still calm, found Wang Youyuan’s gesture agreeable.
Contemplating the City Lord position, Zhao Yaping felt uneasy. The Chen family’s grip tightened, leaving fewer perks for the Zhao branch. A share of 10,000-20,000 gold would help, offsetting many expenses.
The woman, seeing Zhao Yaping lost in thought, quietly retreated.
The next day, Qian Ye concluded his morning exercises and continued his stroll through the city, hoping to find more treasures, like deer bone powder.
While deer bone powder from cloud-scent deer wasn’t rare at the source, it became a regulated item in the Evernight Continent. Medicines like Zhiyuan incense, which aided cultivation, were monopolized by the expeditionary forces.
This monopoly, while unofficial, held sway in the Evernight Continent. With supply controlled, prices soared, and availability limited. Blackflow City’s strained relationship with the expeditionary headquarters suggested potential shortages.
Thus, importing deer bone powder was beneficial, whether for sale or personal use.
Walking, Qian Ye considered additional purchases. Post-mithril trade, he’d have around 10,000 gold, setting his budget.
During the altar incident, he lacked An’draya’s spatial pocket, restricting his carry to rare materials. While mithril was common, other items were nearly impossible to source. He didn’t intend to sell the unique minerals lightly.
Turning into an alley, Qian Ye encountered a sprinting youth.
The youth, seemingly in a rush, stumbled near Qian Ye, veering directly into him.
Qian Ye, raised in the scrapyard, saw through the act. The youth, despite feigned clumsiness, moved steadily. Sidestepping, Qian Ye grabbed the youth’s wrist.
The youth, surprisingly dexterous, had half-slipped his hand into Qian Ye’s pocket.
Struggling, the youth couldn’t break Qian Ye’s iron grip.
“Let go of me!” the youth screamed.
Qian Ye calmly held his gaze, unmoving.
“Help! The outsider is robbing and killing!” the youth shouted loudly.
Footsteps echoed, and thugs blocked the alley’s ends.
Seeing the approaching mob, the youth produced a dagger, aiming a fatal strike at Qian Ye’s waist.
Still shouting, the youth stabbed, but the blade, sharp as an unpowered weapon, pierced only Qian Ye’s jacket, missing his armor, barely indenting his flesh.
No blood appeared.
The youth, feeling as if striking stone, winced, nearly dropping the dagger.
Qian Ye, applying slight pressure, crushed the youth’s wrist bones. Before he could scream, Qian Ye snapped the bones in his dagger-wielding hand as well.
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