Continuous Malice

Zhang You, of course, didn't notice Shopkeeper Li's little maneuver and continued on his way towards the west of the city.

"Widow Wang isn't out with her stall today either."

"Morning, Shopkeeper Wu! It's still early for blacksmithing, aren't you going to sleep in a bit longer with your wife?"

"Oh, Old Zhou, are you off hunting? Be careful out there. I heard a Wild Boar Demon appeared in the forest outside the city!"

He swept away his usual gloom, looking left and right as he went, greeting acquaintances he met along the way.

Half an hour later, he arrived at the west of the city.

Due to the unsolved cases from the previous two days, soldiers were patrolling everywhere. People coming and going hurried along, and the atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

Zhang You shook his head and headed towards the Huashang Bookstore.

He had been there a few times before, so he knew the way.

The bookstore was already open. Perhaps because it was still too early, there were no customers.

Just as he reached the entrance, a wisp of blue-white energy flew out and was absorbed by Zhang You!

This was the second time he had absorbed blue-white energy from the bookstore owner.

Zhang You pondered this.

"Hey, isn't this Little Hegemon? You look... quite energetic!"

The owner's name was Zhao Fa. He was a middle-aged man in his early forties, slightly plump, dressed in relatively high-end clothing, and wore three large jade thumb rings on his hands.

Upon seeing Zhang You, he first showed surprise, then a smile as he stepped forward to greet him.

As for calling him "Little Hegemon," it was naturally because he was the first person in Xiaolin City brave enough to dine and dash on the territory of the stingy Shopkeeper Li.

Zhang You withdrew his thoughts, tugged at the corner of his mouth, and didn't show Zhao Fa much warmth.

This profiteer had scammed him out of a large sum of money, and he still had a mini scarecrow at home.

"Right, I forgot to administer the needles yesterday. I have to make up for it doubly today!"

He suddenly remembered that he had forgotten his daily routine last night.

Not wanting to appear rude to someone being friendly, Zhang You immediately put on a smile and said pleasantly, "Shopkeeper Li asked me to come pick something up from you."

"Oh, that's what this is about. Wait a moment, I'll get it for you!"

Zhao Fa gave Zhang You a meaningful glance before heading to the back.

"What the hell! Bad omen!"

Zhang You was annoyed by Zhao Fa's stare.

Shaking his head, he began looking around the store.

After browsing for a while, he didn't find any books that caught his eye.

"Little Hegemon, here it is. Take it!"

A quarter of an hour later, Zhao Fa came out, holding a brocade box.

Zhang You took it and placed it on the counter, very curious about what was inside.

"This isn't something you can read! Besides, you wouldn't be able to open it anyway!"

Zhao Fa said casually while standing to the side.

"How could that be? Am I the kind of person who sneaks around?"

Whether or not Zhao Fa said this intentionally, Zhang You, who was already very curious, suddenly felt a pang of itching. He felt like he would be missing out if he didn't open it to take a look.

"If you're done, get lost! Don't keep your boss waiting!"

Zhao Fa narrowed his eyes, grinning at Zhang You, and ushered him out.

"By the way, do you have any newly acquired antique goods here?"

Zhang You snorted and ignored Zhao Fa, finding him increasingly irritating.

"Coincidentally, I just got two books back a few days ago. Absolutely authentic!"

"Let me see. I hope you can recommend something useful this time!"

He hadn't held out much hope, but he was surprised to hear the words "absolutely authentic."

However, upon hearing those four words, his mood soured again.

"One moment!"

Zhao Fa hummed a tune and returned to the back room.

Zhang You stared at the brocade box for a long time but ultimately didn't touch it.

Meanwhile, Zhao Fa peeked through the crack in the back room door, grinning, exposing his yellowed teeth.

Seeing that Zhang You hadn't acted, he stopped peeking, grabbed the two books, and came out of the back room.

"Two ancient books!"

Zhao Fa said, tossing the two books in front of Zhang You.

These were also two yellowed books, one titled "Four Symbols Hegemon Body" and the other "Old Wang of Guangling's Mountain Climbing Record."

Staring at the first book, his heartbeat almost skipped a beat.

If it was the real deal, this should be a martial arts cultivation manual.

As for the second book, it was a travelogue, likely documenting the outside world.

Zhang You feigned composure, casually flipped through the two books, and decided to buy them.

He could do without "Old Wang of Guangling's Mountain Climbing Record," but he absolutely had to get "Four Symbols Hegemon Body."

"Name your price!"

Zhang You said nonchalantly.

"500 copper coins, honest dealing!"

In this world, one copper coin was equivalent to one of the old world's dimes, but its purchasing power was much greater.

"Cheaper, 100 coins!"

"They offer to meet halfway, and you want to cut it all the way off! 500 coins, no negotiation!"

"You..."

"Once this village is gone, this shop won't be here either! Little kid, you better think carefully!"

"Fine, you win, I'll buy it. But you have to give me another book for free! I'll pick it myself!"

Zhang You took two deep breaths, preparing to go back and use acupuncture to double his gain.

"Dream on, there are a few books here you can choose from."

Zhao Fa said, tossing out five or six books.

"Seeing as you're not that young anymore, I have the newly arrived 'Golden Edition of a Water Lily,' and also 'The Scripture of the Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers'... perhaps to relieve your loneliness when you get back?"

"..."

"Alright, alright! Here's one more book, take it or leave it!"

Seeing Zhang You's expression darken, Zhao Fa smiled and tossed out another book.

"This is an ancient text too!"

Zhang You peered at it and exclaimed, "Holy cow!"

"How the Great Muscle Man Was Forged!"

Before Zhang You could even react, Zhao Fa walked over, stuffed the books into his arms, and kicked him out of the bookstore.

"Bang!"

The bookstore door slammed shut!

"What the f***!"

Zhang You was furious, but he quickly calmed down, grumbling as he left.

Zhao Fa peeked through the door crack as Zhang You walked away and let out a sinister laugh.

"Heh heh heh..."

He stared at Zhang You's retreating back, seemingly thinking of something very amusing.

"How about I add a little something to it?"

He crushed a jade pendant in his hand into powder.

At that moment, a wisp of black energy suddenly emanated from "How the Great Muscle Man Was Forged" in Zhang You's hands, and soon, it traveled up his arm and burrowed into his body.

"Huh?" Zhang You seemed to feel a surge of malice. He looked down at himself, then scanned his surroundings.

"Make way, make way!"

Just then, a group of people rushed past him, interrupting his thoughts.

Along with them, a stream of blue and white energy burrowed into his body.

It turned out to be the Demon Suppression Guard and some government officials. They had clearly discovered something and were in a hurry.

But he still managed to snag some benefit.

"Maybe I'm overthinking it!"

Zhang You was in a good mood and no longer paid attention to the strange feeling.

Suddenly, another wisp of blue and white energy burrowed into his body, but this time he didn't notice its source!

"Hmm? This person's vitality is abundant, quite an excellent ingredient for alchemy!" A bald old man by the roadside stared at Zhang You's retreating figure thoughtfully. "I'll mark him and take him in a couple of days!"

At this moment, an old man muttered to himself, then formed a hand seal. A red light shot out, instantly landing on Zhang You and disappearing.

"Let's get out of here!"

He suddenly seemed to sense something, his figure flickered, and he immediately vanished into the crowd.

"Huh? What the hell, again?"

A feeling of malice rose again in Zhang You's heart.

He no longer thought this was a coincidence; he had obviously stumbled into big trouble!