Did You Take the Kickback for Compensation?

After Li Ye left, Pan Zhengyang sat back down on the stone stool, facing Xu Yanwu. Looking at the table covered in empty plates and scraps, he smiled. "No food left."

"We can still drink."

Xu Yanwu picked up the wine bottle, poured Pan Zhengyang a cup, then poured one for himself.

"You can handle it?" Pan Zhengyang asked in surprise. "With your body, you can't hold much liquor, can you? You've already had some today."

Xu Yanwu raised his cup and drained it in one gulp. "A man about to die doesn't care."

Pan Zhengyang's hand paused as he lifted his cup. Then he tipped back his head and drank it dry.

"How much longer?"

"One month."

Xu Yanwu filled his cup again. "I don't think I'll last that long. Luckily, I found a successor. For that, I have to thank you."

Pan Zhengyang sighed softly. "Old Xu, if it's only about finding a successor, you know this—you could hand it over to the higher-ups. There will definitely be suitable people who can cultivate it."

Xu Yanwu drank another cup, staring hard at Pan Zhengyang. "This martial art has been passed down through my family since the Ming Dynasty. I have the right to choose whether to hand it over or not. If you want me to hand it over, why don't you make those Noble Families hand theirs over?"

Pan Zhengyang's expression turned grave. "You know I hate the Noble Families even more than you do, but some things can't be beaten to death with one stick. The Noble Families have their merits too. After what happened to you back then, Divine Land dealt with Noble Families across the entire country severely. Wasn't that revenge enough for you?"

"I never said Divine Land was bad."

Xu Yanwu shook his head. "Divine Land is very good. People live and work in peace, demons and monsters are watched like hawks, and it's far better than overseas. But I'm just unhappy! Thirty years, and I've been unhappy the whole time!"

He looked at Pan Zhengyang. "You're at the third realm now, right?"

Pan Zhengyang nodded.

"Thirty years ago, you were at Nine Dragon Gate. What about me?"

Xu Yanwu pointed at himself and repeated, "Tell me, what about me?"

Pan Zhengyang let out a sigh. "You were also at Nine Dragon Gate, but you could hang me up and beat me senseless. And you were about to break through the third gate. If nothing had happened to you, your future would have been limitless."

"Exactly. That's why I'm personally very unhappy. Look at me now—my face is paralyzed. I can't even make expressions. I can't even be a normal person."

Xu Yanwu drank another cup. "Divine Land didn't mistreat me, but I personally can't accept it. And look at things now—have those people really not risen from the ashes? So I won't hand it over. But the grudges end with me. If Li Ye learns it and wants to hand it over, then he can. Once I'm dead, I won't be able to see it anyway!"

"Fine, fine, I talked too much. It's been so many years, yet a dying ordinary commoner still has so many complaints."

Pan Zhengyang snatched the bottle away and poured him another cup, cursing, "You don't even have a woman, so what's the use of drinking this stuff? It won't nourish you back to life!"

That afternoon, Li Ye became a street loafer again, wandering all over town in search of demons and monsters.

The rice would not arrive until tomorrow. Other than hunting demons and monsters, he had nothing else to do. Although he had memorized the circulation method for Dragon Gate, he planned to wait until the rice arrived, then eat and practice at the same time.

But demons and monsters did not appear every moment of every day. The pest-control app on his phone had only flagged a few suspicious points that could not be confirmed. He checked some that were closer to him, found nothing wrong, and then found a café to rest in.

By coincidence, Deng Hao sent him a message as well.

Deng Hao: "Brother Ye, getting a foot massage tonight? That Dragon Gate Realm technician I told you about last time has an opening tonight."

Li Ye: "Why do you always get massages at night?"

Deng Hao: "Don't mention it. I'm exhausted to death during the day. The master I hired is simply inhuman. My build hasn't changed, but I've gained ten pounds. Every day, I practice right after eating. He doesn't even give me a chance to digest."

Li Ye: "There are no shortcuts in martial arts. Fine, go by yourself. But let me make this clear first—I've already broken through Dragon Gate. If you still haven't done it by the end of summer break, we won't be in the same class when school starts."

Deng Hao: "Fuck! Really? No, you wouldn't joke about something like that. Congratulations, Brother Ye. You actually broke through that quickly. All right, no more talking. I'm going to work harder at martial arts!"

Li Ye smiled, put his phone away, finished his coffee, pushed open the door, and rode off on his little electric scooter.

Since there was nothing else to do, he might as well return to the Pest Control Bureau and study more demon-and-monster materials.

The afternoon streets were even more scorching. Apart from the stream of cars, there were barely any pedestrians. Li Ye had not been riding for ten minutes when a car came up from behind. He did not pay it any mind, but the vehicle kept pace beside him. When they reached an intersection, it suddenly turned ahead and blocked his way.

It was a four-seat luxury car, like one of those big Rolls-Royces from his previous life, the kind worth six or seven million. An old driver sat in the driver's seat. Whether he was experienced or not was unclear, but he was certainly old—probably in his sixties.

The rear door opened, and a youth about Li Ye's age stepped out, dressed extravagantly and carrying himself with domineering arrogance.

His stance was steady, his limbs powerful, and his Essence Qi was vigorous. He was probably a martial artist who had broken through Dragon Gate.

The youth smiled at him. "My name is Ren Xu. Ren, as in the Ren Family."

It seemed he had come specifically for him.

Li Ye looked at him for a while before saying, "Li Ye. Li, as in the Li Family."

That made him pause slightly, though his expression quickly returned to normal.

"I'll keep it short. I'm interested in the Magic Treasure in your hands. Can we talk now?"

He was the person who had called that morning.

"Not for sale."

Li Ye turned his scooter around and prepared to ride away.

"Two million isn't enough? Then I'll add another two million. Four million for the Five Flavors Chopsticks."

Ren Xu stepped forward. There had clearly still been some distance between them, yet that single step blocked Li Ye's path. Only when he got closer did surprise appear in his eyes as he looked at Li Ye.

"You've broken through Dragon Gate? Looks like you've had good luck. But that must be thanks to the Five Flavors Chopsticks too. This Magic Treasure itself can improve the quality of ingredients."

Ren Xu said, "But your family is just an ordinary one. Your parents only work at a chain supermarket. They can't support your martial path from here on out."

Li Ye's face darkened. "You investigated me?"

"Just a basic background check. I don't mean any harm."

Ren Xu smiled. "Learning martial arts is not only bitter and exhausting; the resources have to keep up too. Even if you enter the martial arts track later, what then? No. 14 Middle School is only an ordinary high school. Even with the Five Flavors Chopsticks, you still won't be able to afford it."

"You came out of preparatory school and trained at a martial arts academy. You understand what that means better than I do. If you really had the aptitude for martial arts, there would have been no need for preparatory school. You learn martial arts only to get a good job and earn some money."

"Why not exchange it for money now? You can't hold on to that treasure, and you don't have enough money to buy ingredients. Why not trade it for cash now and improve your life a little? What do you say?"

Ren Xu stared at him. "You may not know the Ren Family, but in Ningjiang, our family still carries a great deal of weight. If you're willing, you can come work at my company after graduation. Thirty thousand a month—I'll hire you as a Security Consultant. This offer is already very—"

"What the fuck are you yapping about?"

Li Ye cut him off and cursed outright. "You're just spouting endless bullshit. Bringing along some old driver and talking about your broken family—what, do you think you're role-playing an old servant and young master? The Qing Dynasty has been dead for how many years? This is Divine Land now!"

"And do I look like an idiot to you? The Five Flavors Chopsticks can sell for ten million, and you offer me four million? Did you take the kickback for compensation? And you're asking whether I know the Ren Family? Do you know the Pest Control Bureau? You investigated my background—you're tired of living. Get lost!"

With that, Li Ye twisted the handle. His electric scooter hummed and shot forward.

The sudden acceleration made Ren Xu dodge aside instinctively, allowing Li Ye to leave.

He turned his head. The cultivated smile he had maintained vanished completely from his face, leaving behind a terrifying gloom.

"I tried to discuss this with you properly, but you insist on courting death."

He snorted coldly, got back into the car, and the door automatically shut behind him.

"Find someone. Teach him a lesson and take the Five Flavors Chopsticks from him."

"Young master."

The old driver in the front seat spoke then. "He has joined the Pest Control Bureau as a part-timer, and Director Pan seems to think highly of him too. There could be danger if we do this."

"What danger could there be? He's just an ordinary man with no family background. We're not taking his life, only teaching him a lesson. Once we get the item, we'll give him the money. Pan Zhengyang won't turn against us over something this minor. When he sealed our family's businesses last time, he was already in the wrong."

"Understood. I'll contact someone right away."

"Mm."

Ren Xu leaned back against the rear seat and closed his eyes slightly. "Remember, make it clean."