In the dim room, more than a dozen people gathered around a round table. A thick, oversized candle burned in the center, and beside it sat an adorable Little Dragon Girl.
Little Dragon Girl sat beside the candle with her two short legs spread out, blinking at the dancing flame. A chubby little tail swayed back and forth across the tabletop.
Perhaps she had grown tired of watching it. Little Dragon Girl sucked on her finger and thought for a moment. Then, as a lightbulb seemed to go off beside her little head, she took the candle flame into her hands and tried to give it to her papa. Her papa merely patted her head and told her to put it back.
Papa wouldn't play with her...
Little Niannian sat on the table with her head drooping, feeling rather aggrieved.
But when Jiang Lin placed a pile of snacks in front of Little Niannian, Papa became the best papa in the world again.
"Brother Jiang, is what you said true?"
The dim candlelight reflected off the faces of nearly ten people.
Jiang Lin narrowed his eyes. "Of course it's true!"
"But Brother Jiang, it's not that we don't believe you. This deal is just a little... huge." A giant eagle demon stretched out a claw to stroke his sharp chin, sinking into thought.
"Brother Eagle, not to put too fine a point on it, but the Villain Market isn't doing well these days. If we don't make a big score now, when will we? Besides, don't you like that owl from the neighboring Spirit Bird Peak? Once we pull this off, you'll have money! With money, you'll have more confidence to be a bootlicking bird!"
"What bootlicking bird?! If I didn't truly like her, who would want to be a bootlicking bird?!"
"All right, all right, Little Eagle, don't get worked up. Brother Jiang does have a point." A burly man with eight-pack abs pressed his wing down. "It's just that, Brother Jiang, your plan is certainly tempting. It's not that we don't believe you, but although you entered the Sea Gazing Realm at eighteen, you're still only in the Sea Gazing Realm."
"To be frank, crossing realms to kill enemies has always been what I, Jiang Lin, excel at."
A bald fellow rolled his eyes at Jiang Lin. "Do you think this is one of those storybooks written by Novel Family cultivators?"
"Aiya, in the end, are we doing it or not? Just say the word." Jiang Lin's tone suddenly turned solemn. "I only invited you all because we've been partners for so many years. If you won't even make money when it's right in front of you, you'll be disgracing yourselves as members of the Demon Sect! And once this is done, whenever anyone here buys a dudou, I, Jiang Lin, will pay for it and give everyone twenty percent off!"
"All right! Let's do it! I believe Brother Jiang won't cheat me!" Fang Chaoqun slapped the table hard. Little Dragon Girl's little bottom was jolted off the tabletop, then dropped back down.
"I'm in too!"
"Let's do it if we're going to do it!"
"Do it!"
"Do it!"
"Do it!"
Suddenly, the group around the round table began slapping it and shouting, "Do it!" With every rise and fall, Little Dragon Girl happily squinted her eyes into two crescent moons.
This is so much fun...
"Do what, do what? Can't you see there's a child here? Be civilized! Watch your manners! You're all cultured members of the Demon Sect." Jiang Lin lifted Little Niannian into his arms. "All right, just follow the plan. I'm going to rest up first. I'll leave the rest to you."
"Don't worry. Leave it to us."
"If things really go as Brother Jiang says, then go ahead and make your grand appearance before everyone tomorrow. We'll all be there with you."
"Mm, good. Since that's settled, farewell, everyone." After placing Little Dragon Girl on his head, Jiang Lin cupped his hands in farewell and left the dim room first. "Oh, right. Don't skimp on candles in the future. Light a few more... It's bad for your eyes when it's too dark."
"Papa, why did all those uncles look so excited? What does 'do it' mean?"
On the way back to Twin Pearl Peak, Little Niannian, sprawled across Jiang Lin's head, asked in confusion.
"Well... Little Niannian doesn't need to understand. Come on, let's go home and eat."
He increased his Sword Flight speed and soon returned to Twin Pearl Peak. After lunch, because Little Niannian loved Jiang Lin's Natal Flying Sword, Jiang Lin sealed the blade of First Snow before handing it to Niannian, letting her go play with it.
Jiang Lin sat at the stone table and began calculating how many spirit stones he could earn from this deal, using a brush made from feathers he had picked up from the neighboring Spirit Bird Peak.
As he calculated, Jiang Lin wiped his mouth. His eyes had twisted into a comical shape.
Nearby, Little Niannian blinked as she watched the insects on a tree branch. After watching for a while, she opened her chubby mouth and swallowed one in a single bite, then turned to look at her papa...
For some reason, Papa sometimes seemed so sleazy...
"Hey, have you heard? The Six Major Sects are coming to besiege our Sun Moon Sect!"
"Huh? Aren't they only looking for Brother Jiang?"
"It's fine. People come seeking revenge all the time. Just stay inside and don't go out. It's not like they can charge in, right?"
"Speaking of which, Brother Jiang really is something. His master is so beautiful. How did he end up becoming a Flower-Picking Thief?"
"Lao Qu, you just don't understand. How can a homegrown flower compare to the fragrance of wildflowers?"
"No! Aiya, listen to me! Brother Jiang is going to face the enemy alone tomorrow!"
"What?!"
"Come, come, shopkeepers, bring everyone here a bowl of Yangchun Noodles. Put it on my tab—Diao Da's tab!"
"Oh, Diao Da, did you win that owl over? You're actually being this generous?"
"Hahaha, I haven't won Xiao Hua over yet, but my brother Jiang Lin is going to fight the Six Major Sects alone tomorrow!"
"What? Is that Jiang Xiaozi crazy? His master didn't run off with another man, did she? Why would he do something so foolish?"
"To celebrate in advance Jiang Lin of our Sun Moon Sect's victory tomorrow, I announce that Spring Breeze Pavilion's all-in-one service will be twenty percent off today!"
"The shopkeeper is mighty!"
"The shopkeeper is awesome!"
"Shopkeeper, should we have Miss Wu Die perform a dance to celebrate?"
"No problem. Today, Wu Die will dance for everyone!"
"Shopkeeper..." A girl gently tugged at her sleeve from behind.
"Wu Die, it's fine. Just dance once."
"No..." The girl named Wu Die lightly bit her lip. "Young Master Jiang... is he really a Flower-Picking Thief?"
In less than an hour and a half, all the gambling houses and taverns in the Sun Moon Sect had opened their betting pools.
"The betting is open! Place your bets and keep your hands off afterward! Bet here if you think Jiang Lin will win every fight, here if you think he'll lose every fight, and come over here if you want to bet on the score!"
"That Jiang Lin kid has such courage! And he's one of our Demon Sect members, too. I've decided—ten Mid-Grade Spirit Stones on Jiang Lin losing every fight!"
"I support Jiang Lin! I'll bet twenty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones on Jiang Lin winning one!"
"They don't believe in you, Brother Jiang, but I do! I'll bet on Jiang Lin winning two! By the way, buddy, how many fights are there tomorrow?"
"Didn't I just say? Brother Jiang is fighting all of them alone."
"Oh..."
"What is it?"
"Not that, Shopkeeper. Look, can I open a bet on 'Will Jiang Lin make it back alive?'"
"Huh?! I think that'll work!"
In less than an afternoon of hype and buildup, everyone in the sect knew about Jiang Lin fighting the Six Major Sects alone. The taverns and shops throughout the Sun Moon Sect were festooned with lanterns and streamers, offering discounts to celebrate.
It was... like New Year's...
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