Making Trouble

Ordinary Tendon and Bone Strengthening Roots were rare and therefore valuable, but their prices were not outrageously high.

Those under a hundred years old generally cost anywhere from three thousand to a hundred thousand taels.

Wang Pan had taken three Tendon and Bone Strengthening Roots that were around twenty years old, and their effects had been quite good.

But once they exceeded a hundred years in age, the value of Tendon and Bone Strengthening Roots skyrocketed!

Just because Mu Rong had mentioned losing three hundred thousand taels of silver earlier, one should not think it sounded exaggerated but was not actually that expensive.

Those three hundred thousand taels were merely an extra. The truly valuable part was that batch of goods!

The cost of that shipment alone exceeded three million taels of silver!

Even for a wealthy household like the Wang family, that sum was enough to cause serious damage!

And that was only because the Wang family had long conducted business with this tribe, and because this batch of goods was prohibited from export by the Great Martial Empire, making them impossible for the tribe to purchase otherwise. Only then had they reluctantly agreed!

Do not think the tribe was simply demanding an exorbitant price. In truth, Tendon and Bone Strengthening Roots of this age were foundational treasures for any faction!

Such things would only be used when their younger generation was lacking talent. They could rapidly create an expert at the fifth martial stage, the Bone Forging Realm!

In order to trade for this three-hundred-and-eighty-year-old Tendon and Bone Strengthening Root for his son, Wang Ji had truly been audacious beyond measure.

If the Great Martial Empire discovered this, the entire family would undoubtedly be executed and their property confiscated!

Hearing this, Wang Pan felt a deep swell of emotion.

"Mother, I want to return to my room now and absorb its medicinal power."

Wang Pan was a little embarrassed.

"You, honestly. I knew there was not a single truthful word out of your mouth."

"Go on."

Mu Rong spoke softly, but still waved her hand and let the impatient Wang Pan leave.

"Thank you, Mother."

Holding the Tendon and Bone Strengthening Root, Wang Pan dashed off in the blink of an eye.

"Ah, the child has grown up."

Mu Rong let out a sigh.

She grew restless staying in the residence all day. Wang Ji was also frequently away from home, constantly traveling around to maintain relations with other merchants or visit influential figures.

Wang Pan could be said to be Mu Rong's emotional pillar, and she had devoted all her thoughts to him.

But ever since Wang Pan began practicing martial arts, the time mother and son spent together had gradually decreased.

When Wang Pan had first begun practicing martial arts, Mu Rong had considered making him give it up.

But once Wang Pan truly began his training, Mu Rong never brought it up again.

Instead, she silently supported him from behind.

After returning to his room, Wang Pan took several loud bites, chewed the Tendon and Bone Strengthening Root to pulp, and swallowed it.

Then he began circulating his cultivation technique, rapidly absorbing its medicinal power.

The surging medicinal power exploded within Wang Pan's body, strengthening his foundation while accelerating his cultivation in the Muscle and Tendon Changing Stage.

Tendons bulged across the surface of his body, writhing beneath his skin.

"I've reached major completion in Muscle and Tendon Changing!"

"I only need to nurture my tendons for another half month or so, and then I can naturally break through into the Blood Exchange Realm!"

Opening his eyes, Wang Pan moved his body through all kinds of bizarre poses, completely surpassing the limits of the human body.

He ordered the servants to prepare bathwater. A maidservant watched Wang Pan with shy, bashful curiosity, then came to her senses and served him as he bathed.

After his bath, he felt refreshed and invigorated, while his looks soared to new heights.

Calling over two lackeys, Wang Pan headed out.

"Brother Pan, why did you take so long?"

When he arrived at one of his family's restaurants, a round, amiable-looking youth hurried forward.

"Youcai, what was so urgent that you had to find me?"

Wang Pan followed the youth into an upstairs private room. After sitting down, he asked.

"Hasn't it been a long time since we all got together? I happened to hear that you were back.

"The day after tomorrow, we're going out of the city to hunt. They sent me to ask whether you wanted to come along."

Xun Youcai spoke with a sway of his head, his eyes full of anticipation.

The Xun Family was also in business and had a good relationship with the Wang family.

Because Wang Pan had displayed composure far beyond his peers from a young age, along with a record of defeating every child his age, a group of peers had gathered around him.

The older generation was happy to see the younger generation getting along, since it also helped maintain ties between their families.

"I'll go. Why wouldn't I?"

Although Wang Pan had no interest in hunting, he still agreed.

These children came from either wealthy or powerful families.

Once they grew up, they would become his best support.

"Great! I'll go tell them when I get back."

Xun Youcai had originally thought Wang Pan would refuse, but unexpectedly, he had agreed.

A broad smile spread across Xun Youcai's face, making the fat all over his body tremble.

Who knew why a child was this fat? Wang Pan suspected there was something wrong with Xun Youcai's body.

Downstairs, several burly men had ordered a table full of dishes and cleaned every plate.

Only one dish, called Wealth and Status Cake, had remained untouched.

"Waiter, call your manager over!"

The leader of the group was a minor boss from the Black Tiger Gang in the city. Now that he was full and satisfied, he began making trouble!

"Gentlemen, what can I do for you?"

The waiter hurried over, bowing and scraping as he asked.

Slap!

"Ah! Why did you hit me?!"

Without another word, Zhou Hui slapped the waiter to the ground.

Then he cursed, "Hit you? You deserved it! I told you to get the manager, and you stood here yammering at me!"

"Gentlemen, was there anything lacking in our service?"

Hearing the commotion, the manager also came over.

"Try this dish yourself. The cake is hard enough to beat someone to death! If we'd known your cakes were this hard, why would our gang spend money forging weapons? We could just buy cakes from your restaurant!"

Zhou Hui pointed furiously at the untouched Wealth and Status Cake on the table.

Zhou Hui's booming voice drew the attention of the other diners. Realizing there was a show to watch, not only were they unafraid, they even called the waiter over and ordered peanuts and sunflower seeds.

"There's no problem with it. We've been in business for generations. Look, I'm already fifty-three, and even though my teeth are practically falling out, I can still eat this cake.

"Besides, both the flavor and ingredients are the very best. There isn't the slightest flaw!"

The manager tasted it. It was soft and delicious; there was nothing wrong with it.

"I say it's hard, so it's hard!

"A long-established restaurant? You think you can bully customers because your shop is big? Then I'm not paying for this meal today!"

"You came here looking for trouble on purpose, didn't you?"

"Do you even know whose business this is?"

The manager was no fool. He understood that these men had come to cause trouble.

"Hmph, I don't care whose business this is. If you won't let me enjoy my meal, I'll smash your restaurant!"

Zhou Hui sneered and ordered his subordinates.

"Smash it!"

At his command, the lackeys behind him grabbed tables, chairs, and benches and began smashing everything around them.

The customers who had been cracking sunflower seeds, peeling peanuts, and enjoying the show suffered miserably.

Several people failed to dodge in time and were struck by flying tables and chairs, their heads split open and bloodied.

Only then did the rest of the spectators realize what was happening. They scrambled and crawled their way out.

Once outside, they felt safe, yet none of them left. Instead, they gathered in small groups around the restaurant, craning their necks to peer inside.

"Good brother, share a handful of sunflower seeds with me."

"Friend, enjoying alone is no match for enjoying together. Share some peanuts with me."

Those approached were not stingy and generously shared with the others.

"I know that man. He's a minor boss from the Black Tiger Gang in the city."

"But has the Black Tiger Gang become this bold now?"

"This is the Wang family's business. They dare make trouble here?"

Someone was full of confusion.

"Heh, if it were only the Black Tiger Gang, they definitely wouldn't have the guts."

"These gangs only act mighty before Ordinary People. In front of the great families in the city, they are nothing but dogs wagging their tails and begging for mercy."

"They know better than anyone whom they can offend and which shops they can collect protection money from."

A clever person explained it to those around him.