Goodbye Master Black

"Twenty taels for a manual of Yellow Wind Hand? You're selling a fake for that much? Why don't you just go out and rob someone instead?"

Xiang Geng had a sharp eye; one glance was enough to identify the forgery. He set the ancient book down and turned to leave.

"Let's go, let's check another stall."

If women could get scammed buying rouge, then this kind of passing off fakes as genuine goods was simply the norm in the martial artist market.

Some stalls even had books labeled "Mountain Shaking Art" or "Great Peak Art," but when opened, they were completely blank—not even a single stroke of ink inside.

After passing several stalls, the two of them had nothing to show for their efforts.

Xiang Geng had taken a liking to a copy of Wind Chasing Step, but the seller's asking price was far too high.

He rejected it, then turned to console Feng Xiu, "Young Master, money shouldn't be spent like that."

"Fifty taels is enough to buy a man's life. It's clear he's trying to fleece us; we can't just take that kind of insult."

Do you know that the entire financial power of the Feng Clan is held in my hands?

I, for one, am perfectly happy to take the insult.

Xiang Geng's words were sincere and earnest, forcing Feng Xiu to compose his expression. "Go back and ask him if he'll sell that Wind Chasing Step."

"Fifty taels it is."

Suddenly, Xiang Geng seemed to realize he had overstepped his bounds.

"Understood." Xiang Geng cupped his hands, feeling a pang of regret in his heart.

Xiang Geng was a cadre cultivated by the clan, receiving a monthly stipend of only fifteen taels. Encountering a predatory merchant, he had naturally projected his own perspective onto the situation.

After turning away, he returned in a hurry a short while later.

Upon arriving back at the spot, he couldn't find Feng Xiu.

After scanning his surroundings, he discovered him squatting in front of a stall displaying various small trinkets.

He was fiddling with two jade-glazed walnut ornaments in his hands.

"How much for these?"

"Oh, you have an eye for quality, sir! These are Bedrock Glazed Dragon Beads. Look, there are three dragons carved inside each one."

Although Feng Xiu possessed the traits of a martial artist, his easygoing demeanor led the stall owner to believe he was a fat sheep, and he introduced the items with a beaming smile.

Feng Xiu frowned and cut him off directly.

"Name your price. Five taels. If that's acceptable, I'll pay right now."

Ever since he had transmigrated, Feng Xiu had developed a fondness for handling trinkets. Compared to the walnuts he used to play with in his past life, nothing beat the feel of jade.

However, he had been bogged down by affairs, and his cultivation had consumed so much time that he hadn't played with anything in quite a while.

These two Bedrock Glazed Dragon Beads really did look quite excellent.

"Sir, you can't haggle like that! My cost price alone was two taels. If you say five, what am I supposed to eat?"

The young stall owner complained, his expression pained.

"Who are you trying to fool? This thing is worth nine taels of silver at most," Xiang Geng said, walking over with a cold sneer.

"You can't say it like that. It cost me money to transport these here, too! Ten taels, I really can't go any lower." The stall owner argued righteously, then shifted his gaze back to Feng Xiu. "Young Master, I'm the only one who has these. If you want them, I'll wrap them up for you right now."

The stall owner had realized that Feng Xiu was the one in charge, and his words were filled with sycophantic smiles.

"Fine, wrap them up for—"

Feng Xiu wasn't one to dwell on such trivial matters, but before he could finish his sentence, a sudden argument erupted behind him.

"You bastard, you tired of living? You dare sell me a fake!"

A rough, booming voice roared, followed by the sound of shoving.

Feng Xiu frowned and looked toward the source of the noise.

A crowd had gathered in a circle. In the center stood a burly man with a face full of flesh, grabbing someone by the collar and cursing loudly.

The man being grabbed wore dusty, grey clothes and had a slightly stout build.

He was nodding and bowing with a fawning smile, inadvertently revealing a few gold-capped teeth.

Why does that guy look so familiar?

"Master Black?" Feng Xiu's expression was one of shock.

The man turned his head abruptly, revealing a slick, oily face.

"Hey, hey, hey, sir, don't go!"

Setting down the items in his hand, Feng Xiu walked toward Master Black, while the vendor behind him called out in a panic.

"Scoundrel!"

Xiang Geng stopped him, shot the vendor a look of disgust, and then, with a pained expression, pulled out a bank note.

"Take it."

The vendor's eyes lit up; he picked up the Bedrock Glazed Dragon Beads to hand them over, while his other hand swiftly snatched the banknotes.

Xiang Geng didn't even look back, hurrying to keep pace with Feng Xiu.

On the other side.

After Feng Xiu pushed slightly through the crowd, he found Master Black begging for mercy; the moment Master Black saw Feng Xiu, his eyes instantly brightened.

It was as if he had seen a lifeline.

"Young Master Feng, Young Master Feng, you've come just in time!" He shook off the man's hand and scrambled over, crawling and stumbling.

"You must stand up for me, old Black!"

The burly man chased after him, reaching out to grab him again, but Master Black nimbly ducked behind Feng Xiu.

"Young Master Feng, look at this..."

Feng Xiu looked him up and down with a helpless expression, then turned his gaze toward the man.

"What's going on?"

Seeing Feng Xiu's fine attire, the man's momentum weakened by three parts.

Yet, his mouth remained sharp, "This young master, do you know this grandson?"

"I do." Feng Xiu nodded, "What's wrong with him?"

The man pulled a tattered booklet from his bosom and thrust it in front of Feng Xiu.

"Take a look. I spent seventy taels to buy his Blazing Blade manual, but when I went back to practice, I realized the blade techniques were all fake. If I followed them, I'd cripple myself!"

"He even had the nerve to say he drew the damn thing himself, damn it!"

Feng Xiu took the booklet and flipped through it; it was indeed a fake.

The blade techniques were a chaotic mess, lacking any flow, and the methods for exerting force were entirely wrong.

He looked at Master Black.

Master Black gave a sheepish laugh, "Young Master Feng, this, this... your humble servant was confused for a moment, just confused~"

Feng Xiu sighed.

You really do dare to earn any kind of money.

Master Black had connections that reached the heavens in this city, capable of navigating both the underworld and the establishment; it was unexpected that he would stoop to such swindling.

However, Feng Xiu didn't think much of it; it was just a common ailment among the ruffians of the marketplace.

He returned the booklet to the man and pulled a banknote from his own robes, handing it over.

"One hundred taels. I'll compensate you on his behalf, and let's call this matter settled."

The man took the banknote, the thick flesh on his face relaxing, though he still wouldn't let it go.

"Settled? He swindled me and it's just settled? I've been roaming this Wild Market for so many years, and this is the first time I've been played like this!"

Feng Xiu frowned slightly, "How much do you want?"

"Two hundred taels, and I'll leave right now!" The man's tone was firm and decisive.

"Take it."

Feng Xiu didn't hesitate, handing over another banknote.

The man was stunned; he had intended to extort him, but he hadn't expected this person to be so generous.

He looked down at the two banknotes in his hand and finally nodded.

"Fine, for the sake of this young master, I'll let it go." He glared fiercely at Master Black, "Grandson, don't let me see you again!"

With that, he turned and left.

Master Black let out a long sigh of relief, emerging from behind Feng Xiu with a beaming face.

"Young Master Feng, you really are, you really are a living Bodhisattva who saves the suffering; from now on, this life of old Black belongs to you!"

Feng Xiu waved his hand, "Alright, alright, enough with the flattery."

Master Black chuckled, leaning in to lower his voice: "Young Master Feng, why have you come here, and with Master Xiang as well?"

Xiang Geng stood to the side with a calm expression; a person like Master Black was well-known in the city.

He was essentially a public tool for various underworld factions, and Xiang Geng couldn't say he liked him.

"Let's go, we'll talk when we get back."

The three of them left the Wild Market, retrieved their horses, and headed back along the path they had come.

After walking for a while, Feng Xiu asked, "What has Master Black been busy with lately?"

Master Black gave a sheepish laugh and rubbed his hands together.

"Young Master Feng, since you ask, your humble servant will tell the truth—please don't be angry."

"Speak."

Master Black coughed dryly, "That... the money you gave me earlier, the money for repairing the Daoist temple for Daoist Yellow Dragon, I took half of it."

Feng Xiu was taken aback, then shook his head, speechless.

"What about the other half?"

"Lost it all." Master Black was quite frank, spreading his chubby hands.

"My luck was bad. I rolled around the Profit Field twice, and it was all gone."

Feng Xiu laughed in exasperation.

He truly didn't know what to say; this Master Black really hadn't changed a bit.

"Have you been to Yulin Prefecture lately? Has Daoist Yellow Dragon returned?"

"Nope, I haven't seen that old man and his son."

"Hey, it's normal not to see them. Just think about it: an old priest from a run-down temple suddenly becomes the biggest celebrity in the city, with people begging for children or rain until they trample his threshold flat. If it were me, I'd run too. Whoever wants that kind of 'blessing' can have it."

Master Black sighed dismissively.

Feng Xiu nodded; what Master Black said made sense, so he changed the subject.

"Fine, since you say so, do you know someone named Su Wantang?"

Master Black paused. "Su Wantang? I know her."

"You do?"

Master Black puffed out his chest, boasting grandly, "Of course! Don't you know who I am? There isn't a thing in all of Green Rock City that I don't know, and nothing I can't get done!"

Feng Xiu didn't refute him; that was actually true.

Regardless of Master Black's character, his professional competence was beyond reproach.

His own reputation as a "great philanthropist" existed only in a formal, superficial sense.

But Master Black was different; as long as you paid him, he would get the job done for you.