Money-Making Underway

Green Willow Village.

Yang Heng tore off a strip of his sleeve, using it as a face covering. With his face masked, he swaggered into the village and headed for Wang Gui's home.

Along the way, he used his qi and blood to contract the essence throughout his body. In an instant, Yang Heng became much thinner, his eyes clouded and his complexion dull.

He looked utterly unremarkable.

People like that were everywhere these days.

Yang Heng did this to be safe, reducing the risk of exposure.

Having broken through to the stage of accumulating qi and blood, he had initially mastered control over it. He could make slight alterations to his body shape and appearance, equivalent to another kind of Disguise Technique.

This way, even acquaintances would not recognize him.

After a while.

Yang Heng arrived before Wang Gui's gate.

Wang Gui truly lived up to his name as the village's Great Landlord. By oppressing the common folk, he had earned no small amount of bloodstained money.

His residence was completely different from where the villagers lived—extravagant in the extreme.

Before Yang Heng stood a two-courtyard compound built of bluestone, with a stone lion placed on either side of the main gate.

The stone lions stood ten feet tall, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws, looking imposing and extraordinary.

The gate stood wide open. Looking inside, he saw exotic flowers and strange plants growing in the courtyard, all tended with meticulous care. A swarm of bees buzzed back and forth above the flowerpots.

An ancient tree stood in the center of the courtyard. Even from afar, its form seemed anything but ordinary.

Its branches and leaves were lush, its trunk ancient and vigorous. Rising straight from the earth, it displayed a majestic bearing that seemed to pierce the clouds.

Had Yang Heng not thoroughly investigated Wang Gui's character and confirmed the truth.

Who would have imagined, merely looking at this scene, that such a compound housed a tyrant who bullied merchants and terrorized the market?

Anyone who saw it would only think the master of the residence was a cultivated man of refined and noble character.

It could only be said that evil men often knew how to dress themselves up. Their outward appearance was splendid, while their hearts were filthy beyond measure.

Yang Heng shook his head, clasped his hands behind his back, and swaggered into the courtyard.

As he passed the stone lion, he suddenly lashed out with a kick.

With a thunderous boom, the towering stone lion crashed to the ground, sending up a great cloud of dust.

Hearing the commotion, a middle-aged man who looked like a steward soon emerged from the house. His face was cold, and the fury in his pupils could barely be restrained from spilling out.

Wang Er thought to himself, Let's see which servant caused such a huge commotion. I was gone for only a moment, and they already think they can turn the heavens upside down? It's time to loosen these servants' hides.

Wang Er entered the courtyard and noticed a stranger standing in its center, commenting critically on the ancient tree.

He was about to unleash a torrent of curses when the man turned around. His face was covered with cloth, and a fierce glint shone from his exposed eyes. Wang Er immediately swallowed the foul words that had reached his lips.

Wang Er's heart skipped a beat. This visitor had come with ill intent!

After all, what normal person covered his face in broad daylight?

This man definitely meant no good, and he might even be an acquaintance—at the very least, someone who had met them before. Otherwise, there would have been no need for him to hide his face.

Wang Er's mind raced. He forced a smile onto his face and deliberately raised his voice, using it to warn those inside that trouble had arrived. "Mighty warrior, may I ask why you have come here?"

Seeing how loudly he spoke, Yang Heng understood his intention. He broke into a smile, utterly unconcerned. Yang Heng said coldly, "I'm short of money, so I came to take some from you."

Take some money?

Do they think our home is a bank, where anyone can simply withdraw money? What an arrogant tone.

Wang Er was furious inside.

But he was no fool. He knew that since this man dared act so fearlessly, he must have something to rely on.

Before long, everyone in the house heard the commotion and rushed out.

There were five people in total, all men.

Four wore hempen clothes. Their faces were sallow and thin, their eyes dull and lifeless. Judging by their dress, they were either slaves or servants.

The remaining man wore the robes of a wealthy gentleman. His face was rosy, two wisps of rat whiskers hung beside his mouth, and his eyes rolled constantly in their sockets, making him look exceedingly shrewd.

Without question, this man was the master here—Wang Gui, the Great Landlord!

Seeing Yang Heng masked in broad daylight, Wang Gui understood that he had not come with good intentions. Yet he showed no sign of panic.

After listening to Wang Er's explanation, Wang Gui chuckled. "Mighty warrior, your purse has been a little tight lately, and you came to borrow some money to spend? Of course, that's no problem."

"I, Wang Gui, have always loved making friends with heroes. Since you are in trouble and have come to my door, I will certainly lend you a hand."

After a pause, Wang Gui turned to Wang Er and said, "Wang Er, fetch ten taels of silver and give them to this mighty warrior."

Wang Er looked troubled. "This..."

Seeing Wang Er dawdling, Wang Gui shouted, "Didn't you understand what I said? Hurry up and go!"

Wang Er then entered the inner room to fetch the money.

Soon, Wang Er came before Yang Heng holding ten gleaming taels of silver and offered them to him.

Yang Heng sneered. "Ten taels? I'm afraid that isn't enough!"

At those words, Wang Gui's expression instantly turned cold. He thought this man truly did not know what was good for him.

He had originally planned to use ten taels of silver to swiftly resolve this danger, since he had other important matters to handle.

Who could have expected Yang Heng's greed to know no bounds? Then they could only resort to force.

Ten taels of silver were no small sum these days. It could buy ten adult slaves, or support a family of three for an entire year.

Wang Gui signaled to the servants and shouted sternly, "Get him!"

The four servants heard Wang Gui's command and did not dare disobey. They still had to earn their living under him.

If they refused, not only would they lose their jobs, they would also be beaten savagely.

They grabbed the tools they used for work and rushed forward in a swarm, quickly reaching Yang Heng.

Seeing them charge at him with brooms and wooden sticks, their attack a disorderly mess, their legs weak enough that they were already panting after only a few steps, Yang Heng could not help but snort with laughter. He did not take them seriously in the slightest.

He sidestepped the incoming wooden stick, then looked coldly at his attacker and lightly pressed his right hand against the man's chest.

A tremendous force surged forth. The man felt as if he had been rammed by a crazed water buffalo. Pain tore through his chest, and his body flew backward.

He flew fifteen feet before smashing heavily into the doorframe with a deafening crash.

Everyone looked over and saw the man sprawled limply on the ground, his legs splayed apart as he spat mouthful after mouthful of blood. He looked as though he were on his last breath.

Seeing their companion's miserable state, the others hurriedly threw down their weapons and fled through the gate in a panic.

They earned so little in a month—why risk their lives for it?

Only after they had run out through the gate and vanished from sight did Wang Gui come back to his senses. He began cursing loudly, "A pack of ungrateful wolf cubs! They eat my food and live under my roof, yet at the critical moment, they abandoned me and ran! They're truly good-for-nothing!"

Yang Heng laughed disdainfully at those words, gaining an even deeper understanding of Wang Gui's hypocrisy.

"Eat your food? Live under your roof?"

"They're all sallow and skinny, with weak legs. One look tells me they don't eat well. Why should they risk their lives for you?"

"You..."

Wang Gui's face turned livid. His finger trembled as he pointed at Yang Heng, too enraged to speak.

Wang Er looked anxious. He leaned close to Wang Gui's ear and whispered, "Master, this man is extremely strong. We can't stop him. It seems we'll have to ask that distinguished guest to make a move."

Wang Gui nodded. He cupped his hands toward the inner room and said respectfully, "My lord, I ask that you lend us your aid. I will surely reward you handsomely afterward."

A voice came from the inner room. "All right."

Before the words had even faded, a man in black darted out of the house like a ghost. With one flash, he arrived before Yang Heng and fixed him with an icy gaze.

That gaze was utterly cold, as though he were looking at a dead man!