Making a Move

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sound of fists striking flesh echoed through the Wine House.

Xing Jinglong and Jia Yanyong were both hulking men, and their fighting styles were exactly alike—reckless and savage.

In their eyes, fighting meant nothing but offense, with almost no defense at all.

The fierce, hot-blooded spectacle had the surrounding crowd's blood boiling.

"Has Jia Yanyong always fought this recklessly?"

Lin Zheyu kept his eyes on the other Unfixed Gang members as he asked in a low voice.

"Mm."

Xie Jiang nodded.

The Flying Rainbow Gang brothers they had brought each kept their eyes on the Unfixed Gang members, guarding against any dirty tricks.

"The fact that he's lived this long is a miracle," Lin Zheyu remarked.

The two men in the center were tangled in battle, and no victor could be decided anytime soon.

However, it was clear that Xing Jinglong held the upper hand.

He had come from the Xing Family. Though he was only from a branch family, he had still grown up in a wealthy household, with ample medicinal resources from childhood.

His strength surpassed Jia Yanyong's by quite a bit. He was likely at the middle or late stage of the Bone Forging Realm.

But in terms of savagery and combat experience, Jia Yanyong was a cut above.

Their fists landed against flesh, and their fighting was broad and open, utterly devoid of technique.

Just then.

A burly Unfixed Gang man slipped his right hand into the leather pouch at his waist, drew several fine needles, and took aim at Jia Yanyong, preparing to fling them.

"What are you doing?"

Lin Zheyu spotted it sharply. He stepped forward and seized the man's right hand.

"Isn't this the Storyteller from Bi Dan Teahouse? You joined the Flying Rainbow Gang too?"

"Get out of the way if you know what's good for you. Otherwise, if you get hurt, there won't be anywhere for you to tell stories." The man spoke with some disdain. He clearly recognized Lin Zheyu and did not take a mere Storyteller seriously.

"Hmph."

Lin Zheyu was happy to be underestimated and did not waste words with him.

He suddenly exerted force, wrenching the man's arm behind his back, then drove a knee viciously into his abdomen.

"Ah!"

The man screamed miserably, his eyes flying wide open. Clutching his stomach with both hands, he collapsed to the ground, curling into a ball.

He had never expected the Storyteller to strike first. Caught off guard, he was easily brought down by Lin Zheyu.

"Fuck!"

"Damn it, you actually dared to strike first!"

"You're courting death!"

Lin Zheyu's action was like poking a hornet's nest. The Unfixed Gang members all made their moves.

"Get them!"

Xie Jiang shouted and charged toward the Unfixed Gang members.

This time, including Xing Jinglong, the other side had brought three Bone Forging Realm martial artists in total—the same as them.

But one had just been taken down by Lin Zheyu in a surprise attack, so Lin Zheyu's side held a slight advantage.

Xie Jiang had locked onto the remaining Bone Forging Realm martial artist, leaving Lin Zheyu to deal with a group of fairly ordinary lackeys.

He calmly swept his gaze around. Activating the Golden Goose Skill, he darted swiftly among the Unfixed Gang members, and cries of pain erupted all around.

Within a few breaths, four Unfixed Gang members had been sent flying with miserable cries.

The entire room suddenly fell silent.

Even Xing Jinglong and Jia Yanyong turned to look over.

"Awesome!"

Xie Jiang grinned and gave Lin Zheyu a thumbs-up.

"Brother Lin, you're incredible!"

Jia Yanyong retreated several steps. Looking at the Unfixed Gang members crying out on the floor, he praised him in admiration.

If he had made a move himself, he would not have been able to deal with those people so easily.

"Fatty Xing, still want to fight?"

He looked at Xing Jinglong's ashen face and chuckled, his own face brimming with pride.

Lin Zheyu and Xie Jiang stepped forward, standing beside Jia Yanyong.

"Kid, I'll remember you!"

"You've got some skills. You're far better than that useless Jia Yanyong."

Xing Jinglong looked Lin Zheyu up and down, his gaze growing somewhat grave.

Anyone who could deal with several of his brothers so easily was not to be underestimated.

"Hmph!"

"Let's go."

Xing Jinglong snorted coldly, tossed down a tael or two of silver, and left with several of his brothers.

"We're just letting him go?" Lin Zheyu asked.

"What else could we do?"

"That guy is a Young Master of the Xing Family. Though he's from a branch family, he's still a Xing."

"There, that's his compensation."

Xie Jiang picked up the silver on the ground and said with a smile.

"Right now, in the city, we don't dare go too far. But somewhere outside the city where no one is around, even if he were from the Xing Family's main line, I'd still dare to beat him to death."

Jia Yanyong curled his lip and said viciously.

"You couldn't even beat him, and you're still talking big." Xie Jiang said disdainfully.

"Fuck, Xie Jiang, do you want a fight too? I haven't had enough fighting that Fatty Xing yet!" Jia Yanyong said unhappily.

"Bring it on! Whoever's scared is a dog!"

"As if I'd be afraid of you..."

Lin Zheyu ignored the two bickering men. He was used to it.

Whenever these two met, they would trade barbs. They disliked the sight of each other, yet somehow loved hanging around together.

"What's that kid's background? Why haven't I seen him before?"

Xing Jinglong asked one of the lackeys beside him.

He disliked reading and almost never went to Tea Houses to hear stories. Whenever he had free time, he would soak himself in Wine Houses, Hundred Flowers Pavilion, and gambling dens, so he did not know Lin Zheyu.

"He's the Storyteller from Bi Dan Teahouse. He's quite famous, but for some reason, he joined the Flying Rainbow Gang," the man beside him said.

He had been sent flying by one of Lin Zheyu's Whip Kicks. His arm was fractured, and his face was deathly pale.

"Storytellers are this formidable now?"

Xing Jinglong's eyes widened. A mere storyteller possessed such powerful strength.

"I don't know either. More than two months ago, he still looked so frail that a gust of wind could knock him over. He probably earned some money and found someone to teach him martial arts."

The man shook his head. He was also extremely astonished.

"He got this strong in just over two months?" Xing Jinglong was somewhat surprised.

He had practiced martial arts under his father's guidance since childhood. This year, at fifteen, he had only barely reached the middle stage of the Bone Forging Realm.

"Did he really train for only two months?" Xing Jinglong asked skeptically.

"Mm-hm."

"At first, that guy was like a Skinny Monkey, all skin and bones."

"Then, little by little, he became more and more solidly built."

One of the more familiar lackeys spoke up. Many people who enjoyed listening to stories knew a great deal about Lin Zheyu.

"If he truly reached this level in two months, then his talent for martial arts is truly terrifying."

Xing Jinglong muttered, "If we brought this guy into the Xing Family and trained him for a few years, he'd become a fine hand!"

The group returned to Bi Dan Teahouse.

Someone was already telling stories in the Tea House.

Lin Zheyu listened backstage for a while and found that the man was quite good, with far more charm than his own storytelling.

From now on, I'll leave all the storytelling to this Storyteller, Lin Zheyu said to himself.

He found Steward Wu and discussed the matter with him. Steward Wu readily agreed.

After settling the price, each storytelling session would cost four hundred copper coins, around one hundred copper coins less than what Lin Zheyu had earned from wages and tips when telling stories himself.

After leaving the Tea House.

Lin Zheyu headed straight for the Medicine Shops in Songyi City.

He planned to exchange all the one hundred and thirty-odd taels of silver in his hands for ingredients for Blood Enriching Bone Strengthening Soup.

Prices were soaring by the day. As time passed, silver kept in hand would only become worth less.

After visiting every Medicine Shop in the city, Lin Zheyu ultimately spent one hundred and twenty-eight taels of silver to buy twelve batches of Blood Enriching Bone Strengthening Soup.

"It really doesn't last."

Lin Zheyu sighed. His silver had run out again.

Having handed off the storytelling work as well, he was left with only his work for the Flying Rainbow Gang.

The Flying Rainbow Gang's work was very leisurely, with almost nothing to do.

Lin Zheyu's days became much more relaxed.