This Senior Is Far Too Ruthless

Tang San swallowed the pill, sat cross-legged on the floor, and circulated the Mysterious Heaven Skill to recover from his injuries.

Only after confirming that Tang San was unharmed did Lin Mu look around.

Inside the inn, most of the tables and chairs had been crushed into splinters and dust, scattered everywhere. The walls bore charred black marks from the Phoenix Fireline, as well as cracks and dents caused by Gravity Compression.

Especially where Zhao Wuji had been standing moments ago—the floor there had completely shattered and collapsed, forming a conspicuous shallow pit.

The innkeeper and several attendants were hiding behind the counter, trembling. They ached over the losses but did not dare step forward to demand compensation.

Lin Mu's expression was calm, but a trace of cold severity showed in his eyes. His gaze swept over the ruins before finally settling on Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun.

The two were already terrified, afraid that this senior, who was likely a Titled Douluo, would set his sights on them.

Under Headmaster Flender's guidance, they had always kept the school rule "A Soul Master who doesn't dare cause trouble isn't a good Soul Master" firmly in mind. They had never expected to kick an iron plate today.

No, it should have been a diamond-steel plate.

On this continent, the strong were revered. Besides, they had been the ones to provoke him first. Even if this senior attacked them, it would only be natural.

"S-Senior..."

Dai Mubai's throat was dry as he spoke with difficulty, trying to preserve the last shred of dignity. Yet his voice could not stop trembling, exposing the fear in his heart.

Ma Hongjun, meanwhile, directly shrank his neck, wishing he could hide his fat body behind Dai Mubai.

Lin Mu slowly stepped forward and stopped before Dai Mubai. His voice was devoid of emotion. "Tell me, how should I deal with you two?"

At those words, Dai Mubai's heart nearly leaped into his throat. His mind raced, trying to find the perfect explanation.

Only now did he remember that all the Soul Masters they had encountered before had been weaker than them, so they had never needed to consider the consequences. They simply crushed their opponents with strength. He had never imagined things would turn out like this today.

Just as Dai Mubai's brain was about to start smoking from the strain, Ma Hongjun behind him spoke up.

"Senior, please be magnanimous and let us go like we're nothing but a fart."

Dai Mubai's eyes widened, and he felt the urge to curse. How had he ended up with such a pig of a teammate?

In their current situation, the best outcome would be to pay some price to calm this senior's anger.

Yet this idiot actually wanted to muddle through it. How could there be such a good deal in the world?

Now, any chance of reconciliation was probably gone.

"Did I permit you to speak?"

Lin Mu's eyes narrowed, and his aura surged in an instant, descending upon Ma Hongjun like Mount Tai pressing down. With a thud, his fat body slammed heavily onto the ground.

Ma Hongjun was merely a Soul Grandmaster. Under the pressure of a Soul Sage, he violently spat out a mouthful of blood, his face filled with terror.

"Spare my life, Senior! I know I was wrong!"

Seeing Ma Hongjun's miserable state, Dai Mubai inexplicably felt a hint of satisfaction. This idiot had completely brought it upon himself.

"Senior, we're willing to compensate you."

Dai Mubai did not dare slack off in the slightest, afraid of following in Ma Hongjun's footsteps. He hurriedly spoke.

"You attacked first. You will bear full responsibility for the inn's damages. As for the fright suffered by the owner, the two of you will compensate him as well—one thousand Gold Soul Coins."

Lin Mu spoke in a tone that allowed no argument.

When immortals fought, mortals suffered. The innkeeper had suffered this undeserved disaster and ought to be compensated.

But Lin Mu certainly would not be paying. Every debt had its debtor, and Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun should be the ones footing the bill.

"One thousand Gold Soul Coins?"

Ma Hongjun spat out another mouthful of blood. His once plump face had turned utterly pale, and he nearly fainted from heartache.

How many times could he visit the pleasure houses with one thousand Gold Soul Coins?

Dai Mubai's expression was equally ugly. Although he was the third prince of the Star Luo Empire, he had run away and did not have much money on him. One thousand Gold Soul Coins was already no small sum.

"Senior, isn't that a little too much? Even the entire inn isn't worth one thousand Gold Soul Coins."

"Is that so?"

Lin Mu's gaze turned slightly cold. He suddenly clenched his fist and said, "Then let's make it simple. As long as you take one punch from me, whether you live or die, the one thousand Gold Soul Coins will be waived."

Dai Mubai instantly shut his mouth, his face turning from white to green.

What a joke!

With this senior's ruthless methods, even Vice Headmaster Zhao Wuji, a Soul Sage powerhouse, had been sent flying by a single punch and was still lying in that pit.

With his frail Soul Elder body, forget surviving—he would probably be beaten into pulp on the spot.

"We'll pay. We're willing to pay."

Dai Mubai gritted his teeth. In this situation, he could only spend money to avert disaster.

He immediately took out a heavy money pouch from his Storage Soul Tool and handed it to Lin Mu.

Although Lin Mu had said the two of them would pay together, Ma Hongjun only had the Soul Master subsidy as his source of income. On top of that, he frequented pleasure houses, so how could he possibly have any money on him?

Lin Mu accepted the pouch but did not put it into his own Storage Bracelet. Instead, he tossed it to the innkeeper.

Seeing the money pouch flying toward him, the innkeeper was both shocked and delighted. He hurriedly caught it. Although the inn had been badly damaged, the losses would amount to at most three or four hundred Gold Soul Coins. This was more than double that amount.

"Thank you, thank you so much."

The innkeeper hurriedly thanked Lin Mu. Compared to those other overbearing soul masters, this Lord Soul Master was practically a saint.

Seeing this, Dai Mubai felt a sharp pain in his chest.

That money had obviously been paid by him, okay?

But none of that mattered. Getting away as quickly as possible was the priority; every extra moment he stayed meant extra danger.

"Senior, the money has been paid. Can we leave now?"

Dai Mubai asked tentatively.

Lin Mu pointed at Tang San behind him and said unpleasantly, "You want to leave before paying my disciple's medical expenses?"

At those words, Dai Mubai's heart sank. Sure enough, things were not that simple.

He had just taken out a thousand Gold Soul Coins, and now he had to pay medical expenses as well. Endless regret immediately welled up in his heart.

Had he known it would end like this, he would never have gone looking for trouble with strangers.

"Senior, how much will that be?"

"Not much. Ten times what you just paid will do."

"Ten times?"

Dai Mubai was completely dumbfounded. Ten times meant ten thousand Gold Soul Coins. Even if he emptied out all his savings, he could not come up with that much.

Besides, they were currently in the Star Dou Great Forest. Even if he wanted to ask the Star Luo Royal Family for money, it would be too late.

"Senior, I don't have that much money on me. Can I owe it for now?"

Dai Mubai had no other choice and could only say this.

"No money? Don't you know how to borrow some?"

Lin Mu frowned slightly and looked toward the three people standing by the door: Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing.

The three had shown no intention of helping from start to finish. Of course, they probably did not dare to help either.

Oscar and Ning Rongrong were both support-type soul masters. Lin Mu could send them flying with a single slap, and Zhu Zhuqing was not much better.