Calamity of Blood Light

Ye Tong stared directly at Tong Kaishan, his expression outwardly calm, but inwardly, murderous intent surged.

A hundred years on Earth, he had shed all pretense. Yet, in this vast and cruel world, the young Medicine Boy had been ravaged, barely surviving through torment. The collision and fusion of these two souls were like splashing ink, coloring the origin soul.

"Four times? Are you sure?"

Ye Tong suddenly smiled, his lips red and teeth white, giving off a feeling of warmth. His slender fingers gently brushed through Yin Xiaojiu's soft, long hair, and he chuckled, "If Young Master Tong is satisfied, what's four times?"

"Heh heh, smart kid."

Tong Kaishan's eyes held a strange glint as he watched Ye Tong and Yin Xiaojiu leave. Only after their figures disappeared outside did the smile on his face recede like a tide. With a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes, he turned to Chang Wu, who was smiling obsequiously, and asked in a low voice, "That kid surnamed Ye, how much Blue Silver did he spend here?"

Chang Wu quickly replied, "Seven hundred and twenty taels."

Tong Kaishan raised an eyebrow and said thoughtfully, "When he left, how much silver did he still have on him?"

Chang Wu hesitated, "Around a thousand taels, I think."

Tong Kaishan said strangely, "He only won fourteen hundred taels on the stage, but his total silver is much more than that. Interesting."

Chang Wu said, "Young Master Tong, you don't know, but that kid surnamed Yang recently latched onto a powerful patron, a distinguished guest from the county city. Their casual tips are no small amount."

Tong Kaishan asked, "Do you know their identity?"

Chang Wu shook his head, "No, they looked completely unfamiliar. I've never seen them before."

"Trash."

Tong Kaishan snorted coldly and turned to leave.

Seeing this, Chang Wu immediately followed, saying, "Young Master Tong, aren't you going to buy those two medicinal ingredients? I've already sent someone to pack them. Don't rush off!"

"Bang..."

Tong Kaishan turned around and punched Chang Wu's nose. He looked at Chang Wu, who had fallen to the ground and was wiping his bloody nose, and cursed angrily, "If I want to buy, I buy. If I don't, I don't. Are you trying to force me to buy? What bad luck, to run into me when I'm short on money and looking for trouble."

With that, he strode away.

Chang Wu's eyes blazed with anger as he watched the spot where Tong Kaishan had disappeared. He struggled to get up from the ground, then spat fiercely at his side, muttering, "Damn pig, you're just relying on the Tong family's backing! Without the Tong family, you're worse than a pig. Just you wait, one day, I'll kill you."

After venting his anger, Chang Wu wiped the blood from his hands.

However.

When he took out his handkerchief to wipe the blood from his hands, his expression suddenly froze.

"Calamity of blood light?"

"You have a calamity of blood light today, and you'll have one tomorrow too."

"Take care of yourself!"

Ye Tong's previous words echoed in Chang Wu's mind. His pupils contracted, and his body trembled violently. Before, he had thought Ye Tong was cursing him, spouting nonsense, but now... he was actually bleeding!

Fear surged through him like a tide. Chang Wu felt a chill crawl up from his tailbone, instantly making him cold all over.

Was he telling the truth?

He had already had a calamity of blood light today, would he have another tomorrow...

Chang Wu swallowed hard, then scrambled out the door, vaguely remembering the direction Ye Tong had left. He chased after him with all his might.

On the bustling street, Ye Tong walked leisurely, strolling forward. Yin Xiaojiu, who was beside him, thought Ye Tong would be disappointed because he couldn't afford the two medicinal ingredients, so she tugged on Ye Tong's sleeve to comfort him.

"Young Master Ye, please wait, please wait."

Chang Wu chased several hundred meters and saw Ye Tong's back again. His face lit up with joy. Being a greedy and cowardly person, he believed it was better to be safe than sorry. He quickly caught up, his face full of apologies, and said, "Brother Ye, I was blinded by greed and was afraid of that Tong fellow, so I didn't give you face. Please don't hold it against me. A magnanimous person can overlook minor offenses. Let's talk about those two medicinal ingredients."

"Talk about it?"

Ye Tong looked at the un-wiped bloodstains on Chang Wu's face and sneered inwardly. When he first saw Chang Wu today, he had observed his physiognomy and predicted a calamity of blood light for him today. As for tomorrow, that was just something he said casually. Furthermore, Ye Tong had also seen from Chang Wu's physiognomy that he would experience financial loss soon.

However.

Where this financial loss would occur, he hadn't calculated closely.

And now, it seemed he didn't need to.

Ye Tong understood the character of people like Chang Wu. They were inherently servile, bullying the weak and fearing the strong, full of filth. If he showed them kindness now, they would become suspicious, doubting his previous prophecy.

Therefore.

Ye Tong sneered, "Is my memory bad? Or are you, Manager Chang, fickle? If I recall correctly, before that Tong fellow arrived, you said, 'Our friendship is our friendship, and business is business, they shouldn't be mixed.' Since you've said it to that extent, what face is there for us to talk about?"

"Slap..."

Chang Wu slapped himself on the mouth. He used his strength skillfully; the sound was loud, but it didn't hurt much. Chang Wu forced a smile and said, "All my fault, every bit of it. I didn't express myself clearly. I wouldn't give face to anyone else, but to you, Brother Ye, I absolutely must! In my heart, you are a revered God of Wealth."

These businessmen...

Although Ye Tong looked down on them somewhat, he had to admit that their ability to make big business, their glib tongues, and their eloquent words were truly impressive. Most importantly, their thick skin was undeniable. Thinking of his father on Earth, if he had Chang Wu's thick skin and eloquent skills, he probably wouldn't have been so different from his mother, right?

"Alright!"

Ye Tong put on a magnanimous demeanor, but he also frankly spread his hands and said, "The price of those two medicinal ingredients is too high. I can't afford them now."

Chang Wu quickly said, "It's okay if you can't afford it now. Pay as much as you have, and the rest... you can owe it. It's not too late to pay when you make money later."

Ye Tong shook his head and said, "I don't like owing debts. So... let's forget it!"

"This..."

Chang Wu felt a headache coming on. If it weren't for the impending calamity of blood light tomorrow, he would have turned and left. Helpless, Chang Wu gritted his teeth and said, "For these two medicinal ingredients, I'll charge you one thousand taels. I'm just trying to cover my costs."

One thousand taels?

Ye Tong gave him a thumbs-up, exclaiming, "Manager Chang, you're truly generous! You've directly reduced the price by two hundred and twenty taels. If I could actually afford one thousand taels, I'd buy it right now. Alas, what a shame."

Chang Wu asked, "How much do you have left?"

Ye Tong thought for a moment and replied, "Six hundred and sixty-six taels. A very auspicious number."

Chang Wu exclaimed in disbelief, "Impossible! I clearly saw you earlier..."

His words cut off abruptly.

At this point, even a fool could understand that Ye Tong was punishing him. Seizing the opportunity after offending him, Ye Tong intended to drive the price down severely.

This scoundrel!

Chang Wu clenched his fists within his sleeves, his anger mixed with a bitter regret. How could he have been so foolish as to offend this petty and vindictive young man!

"Farewell."

Ye Tong cupped his fists, took Yin Xiaojiu's hand, and turned as if to leave.

Chang Wu panicked and quickly called out, "Young Master Ye, just as you said, six hundred and sixty-six taels. That's for two stalks of each of those two medicinal ingredients. Come back with me, pay, and take them."

Ye Tong chuckled inwardly but feigned hesitation on the outside, asking, "But wouldn't you be losing money? That doesn't seem right."

A sense of powerlessness welled up in Chang Wu. Facing this fellow who acted modest after getting the better deal, he felt utterly exasperated. He resolved to be wary of this young man from now on, vowing to avoid him if at all possible.

"Let's go!"

Half an hour later.

Ye Tong and Yin Xiaojiu followed Chang Wu back into Warm Medicine Hall. The shop assistants who had witnessed Ye Tong's departure earlier exchanged bewildered glances, finding the situation utterly absurd. That fellow surnamed Ye, who couldn't afford the medicinal ingredients and had left dejectedly, how was he now being brought back by Manager Chang?

Could it be...

Manager Chang actually believed that "calamity of blood light" lie?

Chang Wu forced a smile when facing Ye Tong, but he wasn't so pleasant to the shop assistants. He berated them loudly, "What are you all standing around for? Am I feeding you for free? Go, bring me two stalks of Blood Refining Grass and two stalks of Hundred Poisons Mushroom. If you make Young Master Ye wait too long, I'll skin you alive."

Immediately.

Two shop assistants scurried towards the back room.

While Chang Wu was scolding the assistants, Ye Tong quietly asked Yin Xiaojiu for one tael of Blue Silver. He then took out six hundred and sixty-five taels in silver notes and handed them to Chang Wu, smiling, "I trust Manager Chang's integrity. Although I haven't received the two medicinal ingredients yet, you can have the Blue Silver first."

In the past, Chang Wu would always beam with joy when receiving payment. This time, however, he felt so dejected he wanted to spit blood. The total value of two stalks of Blood Refining Grass and two stalks of Hundred Poisons Mushroom, even at their wholesale cost, was close to a thousand taels of Blue Silver. Selling them now for six hundred and sixty-six taels of Blue Silver meant a loss of several hundred taels. Being someone who cherished money above all else, his heart ached, and he shivered inwardly.

Soon.

The two medicinal ingredients were handed over to Ye Tong.

Despite Ye Tong's words of trust towards Chang Wu, he examined the ingredients with extreme care. Only after confirming their authenticity and age did he contentedly take out a jade pendant and slip it into Manager Chang's hand, saying, "This jade pendant has the effect of warding off evil and averting disaster, turning misfortune into good fortune. Wear it on your person, and it will protect you from tomorrow's calamity of blood light."

Chang Wu's eyes lit up as he clearly saw the jade pendant. Although he dealt in medicinal ingredients, it didn't affect his discerning eye for other items. He didn't recognize the beast carved on the jade pendant, but the exquisite craftsmanship was rare. The beast was lifelike and vivid, as if imbued with a spirit.

A good item!

Chang Wu's dejected mood finally began to ease.

"Young Master Ye, thank you."

Ye Tong raised his arm, rubbing his fingers together, his gaze fixed on Chang Wu, and nodded with a smile, "You're welcome."