"Today, We Settle Our Grudges"

Lin Hai was starting to feel uneasy under the many pairs of eyes fixed on him. He gave a dry chuckle and fished a yellowed slip of paper out of his sleeve, holding it up for everyone to see:

"This is the gambling debt Qin owes our gambling house. He ran it up over a year ago: forty taels of silver. It's in black and white, with his signature and thumbprint. Clear as day."

The courtyard erupted in an uproar.

"A gambling debt?"

"From over a year ago? Why are they only asking for it now?"

"Forty taels? Back then, Meng's family couldn't even afford to put food on the table. Where would he have gotten the money to gamble?"

Qin Lai came back to life at once and shrilled, "Debts must be repaid! Shopkeeper Lin showed you kindness by not coming to collect all this time, and now you're acting like you're in the right?"

Lin Hai waved a hand, still smiling amiably. "I didn't come to collect before out of consideration for Brother Qin Lai. But now..."

He glanced at Qin Meng. "I heard Brother Qin has come into money lately. I figured it was time to collect on this little debt of ours."

He paused, his voice as mild as ever. "According to the gambling house's rules, if a debt goes unpaid for a year, the interest compounds. Principal and interest together... Let's make it a round number: one hundred taels."

"One hundred taels?"

Li Gensheng couldn't hold back any longer. He shouldered his way out, carrying a massive iron hammer, his muscles bulging as the aura of a Body Forging Realm martial artist burst forth.

"Lin! Your gambling house never came to collect before, but now that Meng's got money, you're here to extort him? You think Luming Fort has no one to stand up for him?"

"That's right! You're bullying him!"

"You let the debt sit for over a year, then demand a hundred taels? That's robbery!"

The crowd caught fire, angry glares shooting at Lin Hai like arrows.

Lin Hai's smile didn't waver. His little eyes darted about, then he sighed. "How about this? I, Lin Hai, am not an unreasonable man.

"Since everyone feels so strongly... let's say ninety-nine taels. It's a lucky number."

He looked at Qin Meng. "The debt note is genuine, Brother Qin. Ninety-nine taels, settled today, and we're even. How does that sound?"

Everyone turned to look at Qin Meng.

Shen Qiuyue could barely stay on her feet. Leaning against the doorframe, she had tears welling in her eyes.

Qin Tianbao gritted his teeth. "Meng, don't be afraid. We'll all chip in at the fort!"

"Right, we'll pool our money."

"We can't let them bully you like this."

Qin Meng remained silent, his head lowered as his fingers lightly brushed the hilt of his ring-pommel saber. Sunlight fell across his profile, but his expression was impossible to read.

After a long while, Qin Meng raised his head.

"Fine." His voice was frighteningly calm.

He took two banknotes from his clothes, one worth fifty taels, then pulled out a few pieces of silver to make up the ninety-nine and handed them to Lin Hai.

"Debts must be repaid. That's only right," Qin Meng said. "Ninety-nine taels. Count it carefully."

Lin Hai took the banknotes, rubbing them between his fingers. His smile finally grew a little more sincere. "You're a straightforward man, Brother Qin!"

He shot Qin Lai a helpless look. The message in his eyes was unmistakable: I did what I could. Bian Fort is too tough. We can't crack it.

Then Lin Hai turned and left with his men.

Qin Meng watched him go, his eyes narrowing.

Hongyun Gambling House. Lin Hai. Exorbitant compound interest. He'd remember them.

Two debts had been settled.

But there was a third—and it mattered most of all.

With the two clan elders as witnesses, Qin Meng took out fifty taels of silver.

"Qin Lai, this is the money Qiuyue borrowed from you a few days ago."

The neat silver ingots gleamed invitingly in the sunlight. Greed and envy flashed in the eyes of many watching.

But Qin Lai was stunned. He'd assumed that after the taxes and the gambling house's demand, Qin Meng wouldn't have enough to pay him, and he'd still be able to take her away.

Now the smile on his face had frozen. He stared at the silver, unwillingness flashing in his eyes. "You... How did you get so much money?"

"That's none of your concern." Qin Meng gave him a cold smile and held out his hand. "Thanks for helping us out. Now that I've paid you back, where's the IOU?"

The two clan elders and the gathered villagers all looked over.

Under the pressure, Qin Lai reluctantly fished a crumpled piece of paper from his clothes.

Qin Meng took it and examined it carefully. It was indeed Shen Qiuyue's handwriting, complete with her signature and thumbprint. In full view of everyone, he tore the note in half, then tore it again and again until only scraps remained, scattering them to the wind.

"Qiuyue put herself up as collateral so she could borrow fifty taels to buy medicine and save my life. It was due in seven days. Everyone here can witness that she's paid her creditor back."

"From this day on," Qin Meng said, raising his voice so everyone could hear, "Qin Lai and I owe each other nothing. I've turned over a new leaf. I'll earn money to support my family, and I won't associate with this fort's hooligans and scoundrels again."

He paused, not caring one bit about Qin Lai's livid face. "Since everyone's here, let me make this clear: if anyone goes out of their way to cause trouble and harm me again, don't blame me, Qin Meng, for being ruthless and forgetting we're from the same fort."

He spoke calmly, but his words pierced Qin Lai like knives. Qin Lai's lips trembled as he tried to protest. He opened his mouth several times, but couldn't find a single thing to say.

Qin Lai bundled up the silver and slunk away.

Li Gensheng planted his iron hammer on the ground. "Meng, remember this next time. That Lin fellow is no good! Keep your distance from people like him!"

The two clan elders also stepped forward and patted Qin Meng's arm with their aged hands. "Child, money can always be earned again. Don't go doing anything foolish."

Qin Meng turned to everyone and bowed deeply.

"Thank you all for standing by us. I, Qin Meng, will remember your kindness for the rest of my life."

With the matter settled and no more excitement to watch, the crowd gradually dispersed.

The courtyard gate closed.

Shen Qiuyue rushed over and threw herself into Qin Meng's arms. Watching their money disappear had finally brought the tears spilling down her cheeks. "Meng... Our money..."

"We can earn more," Qin Meng said steadily, holding her close. "But today, we've gained a good name, cleared our name, and won... the people's hearts."

He looked at the woman crying in his arms, then at Little Fox, who was peeking curiously from inside the house.

Then he lifted his head and gazed over the earthen wall in the direction of Linshan Town.

The gambling house, Lin Hai, Qin Lai...

They wouldn't get their hands on his money so easily. He'd keep track of every debt, one by one.

The family still had a little over a hundred taels of silver left. Qin Meng and Shen Qiuyue discussed it and decided to hire someone to repair the house and buy some more furniture.

He also needed to visit Old Hunter Wang and buy a bow.

Before that, Qin Meng stuck to his plans and comforted Shen Qiuyue. He went into the courtyard, took off his outer garment, and bared his lean, powerful upper body.

After breaking through to the Dengtang Realm yesterday, his body had adapted to the Black Dragon Eighteen Hands noticeably faster, but it still wasn't enough.

He took up his stance.

Black Dragon Emerges from Cave, Black Dragon Probes Claws, Black Dragon Swings Tail...

The sound of fists and feet cutting through the air echoed across the courtyard. Sweat soon trickled from his temples, ran along the lines of his neck, and glimmered in the sunlight.

He repeated the movements again and again.

As his muscles contracted and relaxed, they memorized the angles of each strike. As his tendons and bones twisted and shifted, they adapted to the changes in each move.

With Wild Instinct fully active, every sound and movement within thirty yards was reflected in his mind. And the intuition granted by Weakness Detection gave him a clearer sense of where each blow should land.

He practiced until several lines of small text appeared before his eyes:

[Black Dragon Eighteen Hands - Proficient (9/500)]

[Special Effects: Killing Intent Suppression, Weakness Detection, Black Dragon Slaughter]

[Special State: Grappling (Emerging)]

Black Dragon Slaughter: Actively consume qi and blood to greatly enhance the power of killing moves such as Black Dragon Emerges from Cave, Poison Dragon Swings Tail, and Black Dragon Turns Over.

A deeper understanding surged into his mind.

It wasn't just a matter of executing the moves. It was a kind of "momentum"—Black Dragon Slaughter meant holding nothing back once he struck, using offense as defense and killing to stop killing. Qin Meng clenched his fist, feeling the surging strength within him.

With the Martial Skill reaching proficiency, both its special effects and special state had improved.

Special State - Grappling: In night battles or enclosed spaces, combat strength increases by 40%. Against nonhuman or unorthodox martial artists, damage increases by 30%.

The special effects "Killing Intent Suppression" and "Weakness Detection" had also improved by a percentage.

Qin Meng wiped away the sweat, put his outer garment back on, and went into the kitchen. He placed twenty pounds of venison and half a deer antler in a bamboo basket. After telling Shen Qiuyue where he was going, he left for Old Hunter Wang's home at the southern end of the fort.