Giving a Step

When Sun Zhicheng heard this, he quickly turned his head and saw Meng Luohai walking out from the backyard.

Meng Luohai and the high-ranking members of the Meng Family took turns guarding the Xinghua Meng Pavilion in Qingyang County Town. Sun Zhicheng, being a rogue cultivator and a regular customer of the Xinghua Meng Pavilion, was somewhat familiar with Meng Luohai's face.

"Meng... Pavilion Master Meng, hello!" Sun Zhicheng cupped his fists in greeting.

Meng Luohai, with a dark expression, walked into the front hall. After scanning the area, he looked at Sun Zhicheng and asked again, "Sun Zhicheng, are you sure you want to return the talismans of my Meng Family?"

Although Sun Zhicheng was intimidated by Meng Luohai's cultivation at this moment, the hundred Spirit Stones seemed to be floating before his eyes.

The duck was almost cooked and about to be in his mouth; could he really let it fly away?

Sun Zhicheng hardened his heart and replied with great conviction, "Pavilion Master Meng, I am sure I want to return your Meng Family's defensive talismans!"

"Are you blind? If you had come to our Xinghua Meng Pavilion three days ago to request a return, we would have agreed. If our Xinghua Meng Pavilion's actions today do not satisfy you, then you, Sun Zhicheng, can indeed return our Meng Family's defensive talismans!"

Meng Luohai raised his voice, "But now, our Meng Family has developed a new defensive talisman, the Spirit Taming Talisman. Besides you, everyone else, including the onlookers outside, has said that our Meng Family's Spirit Taming Talisman is superior to the Lin Family's Five Elements Defensive Talisman. Sun Zhicheng, you are simply being unreasonable!"

After speaking, Meng Luohai stared into Sun Zhicheng's eyes and let out a cold snort.

Frightened, Sun Zhicheng secretly swallowed a mouthful of saliva and replied in a low voice, "But whether it's satisfactory or not is still up to me, isn't it? The agreement from three days ago was made between me and the Meng Family's young man; it has nothing to do with what others say!"

Meng Luohai extended his large hand and heavily patted Sun Zhicheng's right shoulder, startling the latter and almost causing his internal Spirit Energy to leak out!

"It has nothing to do with what others say? Sun Zhicheng, don't forget that when you and Meng Haoran made the agreement three days ago, you had those onlookers act as witnesses. Now, you say it has nothing to do with these bystanders, so fine. In the name of the Xinghua Meng Pavilion, I can cancel the verbal agreement between you two. That would not be going too far, would it?"

Then, Meng Luohai leaned close to Sun Zhicheng's ear and said softly, "You can go and cause a scene on the street. I'm not afraid. Anyway, our Meng Family has already developed a new defensive talisman and doesn't worry about not having business in the future. It's just a pity for you, Sun Zhicheng!"

Sun Zhicheng looked up at Meng Luohai and quickly asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Meng Luohai did not answer but instead asked, "Sun Zhicheng, let me ask you, were you instructed by someone behind the scenes to return the defensive talismans to our Xinghua Meng Pavilion?"

Sun Zhicheng hesitated for a few breaths and replied, "Yes. After I bought your Meng Family's defensive talismans that day, someone found me and said that if we returned the defensive talismans to the Xinghua Meng Pavilion, they would give us some of the Lin Family's Five Elements Defensive Talismans for free. I thought it was a matter of putting in effort without spending money, so a few of us came to your place."

"Alright, Sun Zhicheng, let me answer why it would be a pity for you. Today, you've seen the effectiveness of my Meng Family's Spirit Taming Talisman. I'm sure it will gain a reputation among your rogue cultivator circles within an hour."

Meng Luohai nodded slightly upon hearing this. "By then, the Lin Family's Five Elements Defensive Talisman will be left with no one to ask for it. When you want to enter the Tianyang Mountain Range to gather Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in the future, will you still buy such a low-quality defensive talisman from the Lin Family? If you continue to act shamelessly in the Xinghua Meng Pavilion today, will I still sell you my Meng Family's Spirit Taming Talisman in the future?"

Hearing this, Sun Zhicheng finally realized.

He slapped his thigh and said in a low voice, "Alas! I was blind and was tricked by the Lin Family!"

Seeing that the time was right, Meng Luohai gently patted Sun Zhicheng's shoulder again and smiled, "The sages once said that it is never too late to mend one's ways. Fellow Daoist Sun, it's not too late for you."

Sun Zhicheng looked at Meng Luohai's half-smiling face and asked, "Pavilion Master Meng, how can you help me?"

"If you and I both give each other a way down, that's equivalent to me helping you!" Meng Luohai replied.

Sun Zhicheng scratched his head and asked, "What way down?"

Meng Luohai pointed to his chest and smiled, "Publicly acknowledge that my Meng Family's new Spirit Taming Talisman is far superior to the Lin Family's Five Elements Defensive Talisman!"

Sun Zhicheng looked troubled and said, "This..."

Just then, a voice suddenly came from the crowd outside the door.

"Hey! Sun Zhicheng, what are you doing? Dawdling!"

Hearing this, Sun Zhicheng gritted his teeth and turned to shout at the crowd outside, "I was mistaken just now. The Meng Family's latest Spirit Taming Talisman is indeed superior to the Lin Family's Five Elements Defensive Talisman!"

After speaking, Sun Zhicheng also bowed slightly to Meng Haoran beside him, "The Meng Family's talisman-making craftsmanship is indeed exquisite!"

Meng Haoran also returned the bow slightly.

Seeing this scene, the crowd outside was confused.

Meng Luohai seized the opportunity, walked up to them, and shouted loudly, "Today, our Xinghua Meng Pavilion is officially launching sales of our latest defensive talisman, the Spirit Taming Talisman!"

Meng Xiaoran, disguised among the crowd, asked, "Pavilion Master Meng, what is the price of the new Spirit Taming Talisman?"

Meng Luohai looked at the crowd attracted by his words and shouted, "One Spirit Taming Talisman is only priced at five Spirit Stones!"

At this moment, Meng Haoran walked to his side and added, "With just five Spirit Stones, you can ensure your safety and life in extremely dangerous moments!"

The "Five Elements Defensive Talisman" developed by the Lin Family was also sold for five Spirit Stones.

With the same price of five Spirit Stones, the rogue cultivators would naturally buy the more valuable defensive talisman.

"I want to buy one!"

"I want three Spirit Taming Talismans too!"

"Don't push! I'm about to go to the Tianyang Mountain Range, let me buy first!"

Seeing this scene, Meng Haoran and Meng Luohai quickly took a few steps back, clearing a purchasing channel for the crowd.

Meng Luohai walked to Sun Zhicheng's side and whispered, "Fellow Daoist Sun, our Xinghua Meng Pavilion does business without letting you suffer losses. Since you've given my Meng Family a way down, I will definitely help you."

He then turned to Meng Haoran and said, "Haoran, go to the storeroom and bring out ten Spirit Taming Talismans. Consider it a reward for Sun Zhicheng's promotion of our Spirit Taming Talisman!"

Upon hearing this, Meng Haoran took his orders and left.

Sun Zhicheng clasped his hands in thanks repeatedly.

Although he had missed out on the hundred Spirit Stones, receiving ten Spirit Taming Talismans for free was also a very good outcome.

As the Xinghua Meng Pavilion was bustling with activity, under a large locust tree by the roadside outside the pavilion, someone was gritting his teeth.

"Damn it! This Sun Zhicheng couldn't even handle such a simple matter!"

If Meng Haoran were present, he would have recognized this person immediately.

This person was Lin Jiangye's father, Lin Qingbai!