Showing Weakness to the Enemy

"Brother Yezi, just spare them."

Yin Xiaojiu hid behind Ye Tong and tugged at the corner of his clothes with her little hand. She was kind by nature; even when she acted ruthlessly, it had only been for self-defense. She had never intended to take anyone's life.

Ye Tong turned his head, a trace of indulgence in his expression, and gently rubbed Yin Xiaojiu's soft hair before turning back and saying, "Illusionary Black Poison, one hundred taels of blue silver per pellet. Antidote pills, two hundred taels of blue silver per pellet. Pay the blue silver, and I'll save your wife and nephews."

Three hundred taels of blue silver?

Butcher Zhang's fury blazed sky-high. He wished he could skin this bastard brat alive, pull out his tendons, strip his bones, and carve off his flesh. Though he was a businessman who usually threw his weight around and bullied the market, earning quite a lot of money, three hundred taels of blue silver still amounted to nearly a year of his earnings!

"I'll pay."

Butcher Zhang gritted his teeth and pulled out a stack of silver notes. With immense reluctance, he drew out three and flung them at Ye Tong, roaring, "Now, you should give me the antidote, right?"

Ye Tong watched Yin Xiaojiu pick up the notes and glance over the denominations. He immediately shook his head. "Three people were poisoned, so you need three antidote pills. Could it be that you only want to save your wife, while watching your two nephews die of poison before your very eyes? They were helping your wife!"

"You deserve to die!"

Butcher Zhang pulled a sharp blade from behind his waist, pointing its tip at Ye Tong as he roared.

Ye Tong narrowed his eyes and said slowly, "After being cursed at by you again and again, I suddenly realized that anger had muddled my mind. The antidote pills are actually four hundred taels of blue silver each. If you want to kill me, then do it! With your wife accompanying you into the hell of the Yellow Springs, you won't be lonely."

The crowd surrounding the arena immediately erupted into an uproar. They had thought they would only be watching a contest between a boy and a girl today, yet they had never expected events to develop to this point.

Too wonderful!

Truly astonishing!

Especially that little act of raising the price on the spot—it was simply the finishing touch that brought the dragon to life, a stroke of divine inspiration.

This youth was absolutely a business genius!

A rough, deep voice rang out from the crowd. "You're Little Brother Ye, right? Once things are settled here, are you interested in joining my War Tiger Adventurer Team? I, Crazy War Heaven, think highly of you."

War Tiger Adventurer Team?

Crazy War Heaven?

The adventurers in the crowd, along with quite a few ordinary civilians, all revealed shocked expressions. The War Tiger Adventurer Team's great name was like thunder in their ears. They operated in the Golden Phoenix Mountain Range year-round, hunting vicious beasts, and possessed considerable strength. Crazy War Heaven was even the War Tiger Adventurer Team's second-in-command—a bold and forthright man with astonishing strength.

This youth had actually caught Crazy War Heaven's eye?

Following the voice, Ye Tong looked over and silently sized up the burly Crazy War Heaven for a few moments before smiling. "I'm grateful for Senior's kind regard, but I have been frail and sickly since childhood, with my life hanging by a thread from one day to the next. If I truly joined the War Tiger Adventurer Team, I fear I would only become a burden to you. So, my apologies."

Crazy War Heaven was stunned upon hearing this. He had also noticed that Ye Tong looked sickly, so he gave him an understanding look and did not invite him again.

He gave it up?

This youth had actually rejected Crazy War Heaven's goodwill?

Had a pig kicked him in the head?

Most of the spectators shook their heads with jealousy and regret, grumbling about Ye Tong inwardly.

The invitation from Crazy War Heaven extinguished Butcher Zhang's burning rage completely. Though he knew Ye Tong was raising the price on the spot and digging a pit for him to fall into, he had no choice. With his heart aching and his hands faintly trembling, he pulled out several more silver notes and handed them to Ye Tong. "Give me the antidote."

"A wise man submits to the circumstances."

Ye Tong gestured for Yin Xiaojiu to take the silver notes. After sighing, he took out a porcelain bottle from his robes, poured out three antidote pills, and handed them to Butcher Zhang. "It is better to resolve enmity than deepen it. Look how nice things are now. Everyone is happy and harmonious—no bloodshed, no lives lost."

"You..."

Butcher Zhang nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood eight zhang away.

The people around the arena all rolled their eyes, their gazes toward Ye Tong filled with contempt.

This youth!

He had gained an advantage and still acted innocent—shameless!

Seeing Butcher Zhang carry the three antidote pills toward his family, Ye Tong immediately smiled at Yin Xiaojiu. "It's settled, so let's go back! Since we got some blue silver, we can go to the butcher shop and buy some meat. That counts as indirectly returning the blue silver to them!"

"Mm-hmm!"

Yin Xiaojiu's admiration for Ye Tong had now reached its peak.

Butcher Zhang's body shuddered, and he nearly dropped the antidote pill he had brought to his wife's mouth. His hatred for Ye Tong rose several more levels. Thus, he hastened his movements. After feeding them the antidote pills, he looked at Ye Tong, who was about to step down from the arena, and shouted, "Come back! I challenge you."

Ye Tong stopped and turned around, staring strangely at Butcher Zhang. "I was just praising you for knowing the times, but I didn't expect you to turn around and do something stupid again. Aren't you afraid I'll scatter some poison and send you straight to hell?"

Butcher Zhang roared, "We are cultivators. We settle things with our fists on the arena. Poisoning and sneak attacks are the conduct of despicable villains."

As he spoke.

He looked toward Tong Kaishan beneath the arena and said loudly, "Young Master Tong, please serve as witness and preside over our match."

Tong Kaishan looked at the somewhat ferocious expression on Butcher Zhang's face and understood that, after losing face and money today, Butcher Zhang's heart had to be filled with resentment and hatred. He had not helped him earlier because Ye Tong could bring him benefits. But if he stood by with folded arms again now, Butcher Zhang might develop a grudge against him and stop paying him tribute in the future.

Therefore.

He glanced at the silent Crazy War Heaven within the crowd, then leaped onto the arena and laughed brightly. "A challenge is open and aboveboard, so poison naturally has no place in it. I, Tong Kaishan, on behalf of the Tong Family, agree to preside over this match. However, I have one condition."

Butcher Zhang revealed a wildly delighted expression and asked urgently, "What condition do you have?"

Tong Kaishan said, "In an arena match, life and death are left to fate. But Little Master Ye still owes me something, so you cannot kill him. You must spare his life."

"This..."

Butcher Zhang hesitated briefly, then hardened his heart. Fine, he would not kill him. But this damned bastard had turned him into a laughingstock and swindled so much blue silver from him. He had to beat him crippled and broken, making him suffer every torment.

And...

Butcher Zhang glanced at Ye Tong's chest. The silver notes he had handed over were now inside those clothes. Since he was going to take revenge, he had to make this damned bastard spit back out what he had swallowed.

"I agree. But a match without stakes is far too dull. Ye, I'll put up another seven hundred taels of blue silver as a wager. Do you dare match me?" Butcher Zhang shouted sternly.

"Bet with him!"

"That seven hundred taels of blue silver was obtained for nothing anyway. It won't hurt even if you lose it. Bet!"

"Exactly! What's the point of a match without stakes?"

"Today's show is really wonderful! Bet with him! You lose nothing if you lose, but if you win, that's one thousand four hundred taels of blue silver."

"..."

Around the arena, the spectators waved their arms and raised their fists as they shouted, the very picture of people who loved watching a commotion and feared nothing growing too big.

Ye Tong did not know Butcher Zhang's strength, but as a butcher, he could not be all that formidable. Though Ye Tong himself was only at the Qi Refining Third Level, with his former combat strength and experience, even if his opponent was at the Qi Refining Fourth Level, he could still fight him.

Ye Tong immediately smiled at his opponent and said, "I haven't even agreed yet, and you're already in such a hurry to add stakes?"

Butcher Zhang's expression changed as he snapped, "Think carefully. If you refuse my challenge, you will lose all face. In the future, there will be no place for you in Cold Mountain City."

Ye Tong asked bluntly, "Butcher Zhang, you truly have no shame. At your age, you're challenging a frail and sickly youth like me. Aren't you afraid people will laugh their teeth out?"

Butcher Zhang indeed felt somewhat ashamed upon hearing that, and he knew the other party was right. His own son was not much younger than Ye Tong, yet he was challenging him. Even if he won, it would not earn him any good reputation.

But!

He could not care about that anymore!

He had already lost enough face today. Even if he gained no reputation, as long as he could humiliate and take revenge on this brat, while retrieving his blue silver along the way, it would be worth it.

Butcher Zhang looked toward Tong Kaishan with an expression that said, Please decide for me.

"Ahem..."

Tong Kaishan coughed lightly a few times, then looked at Ye Tong and smiled. "Little Master Ye, you offended him. If you do not dare accept his challenge, then you must kneel and kowtow to apologize, just as you humiliated him. I think you should accept the challenge. A scholar may be killed, but not humiliated! Besides, he has already guaranteed me that he will spare your life. Just treat it as gaining some practical combat experience!"

A chill flashed in Ye Tong's eyes as he marked Tong Kaishan down in his mind.

Then.

He deliberately revealed a timid expression and said, "Are you sure you want to challenge me? I may be frail and sickly, with little strength, but I am also an expert at the Qi Refining First Level—a true cultivator."

Qi Refining First Level?

Butcher Zhang could not help letting out a sinister grin. "I'm sure."

He was at the Qi Refining Third Level, and after all these years of swinging a cleaver to chop meat, his physical condition was excellent. Against this underage weakling at the Qi Refining First Level, he was utterly certain he could make Ye Tong wish he were dead.

Within the crowd.

Several powerful experts who had broken into the Innate Realm revealed strange expressions. They were highly sensitive to the aura of cultivators, and earlier, they had sharply caught the aura Ye Tong had leaked. That was absolutely not something a Qi Refining First Level cultivator could possess.

This fellow was showing weakness to the enemy.

How crafty!

The few of them sighed inwardly.

Ye Tong hesitated again for a while before finally seeming to gather his courage and grit his teeth. "I accept your challenge. But we must keep our word and not take anyone's life."

"When this master speaks, every drop of spit is a nail. I definitely won't kill you."

Butcher Zhang slapped his broad fan-like hand against his chest with loud smacks, yet the killing intent in his eyes grew even stronger than before.

In an instant.

The crowd fell silent. The hundreds of spectators all looked at Butcher Zhang with particularly strange expressions.

Every drop of spit is a nail?

What familiar words!

Before competing with that little girl, Butcher Zhang's son seemed to have also pounded his chest and made the same guarantee that every drop of spit was a nail. Yet in the end, he had been beaten like a dead dog.

"Like father, like son."

The old saying truly made sense.