The More Famous You Are, the More Trouble You Attract (Whether We Can Take First Place in Today's PK Round Depends on You Guys, the Old Hands, Orz)

Chen Tianren was displeased when he heard that. He simply slammed down his bowl and chopsticks, then headed straight upstairs.

The scene played out before the people who had been enjoying a harmonious meal just moments ago. It was as good as a declaration: Chen Manqing would agree to this marriage, whether she liked it or not.

Chen Mansheng continued eating in silence, though her thoughts were in turmoil. Her elder sister had gone a little too far. Their father hadn't consulted them beforehand, but a major matter like this concerned the Chen Family's future, after all.

In this Demon Martial Chaos Era, with warlords locked in battle and Western ironclads carving up the seas and ruling their own territories, it was already no easy feat to live in peace under the protection and patronage of a lineage...

Chen Mansheng pictured Luo Bin's handsome, valiant face. She recalled their father praising his extraordinary talent, his compassionate gaze at the River God Festival, and how he had stepped forward to defend her, killing Duan Gong in a fit of fury.

Then she thought of the terrible things Chen Manqing had said about him... For a moment, she felt that her elder sister had studied abroad until she'd gone stupid.

Seeing that the mood had turned sour, Chen Jing did a rare bit of housework and helped the servants clear the dishes, making his escape to the kitchen. That left only Chen Mansheng and Ji Xuan, who were on good terms, staring at each other...

Luo Bin told the rickshaw driver to take a turn and bring him to a teahouse belonging to the Black Sheath Hall. Upstairs, he found Hu Junzhi and Zhang Huai already seated and drinking tea. When they saw him, smiles appeared on their faces.

"Brother Luo, you finally made it."

Zhang Huai poured Luo Bin a cup of tea and gave Hu Junzhi a look, signaling him to report. The latter understood and said:

"Brother Luo, we've already had a specialist process the Water Mountain Ghoul's corpse. Just let us know when you need it, and we'll deliver it to you."

Luo Bin took a sip of tea and patted Hu Junzhi on the shoulder. "Thanks for the effort, you two. The head of the family and the others didn't find out, did they? If word gets out, it'll be difficult for the second young lady and the second young master to go anywhere from now on..."

Zhang Huai thumped his chest in assurance. "Don't worry, Brother Luo. We know what we're doing. No problem."

Only then did Luo Bin feel a little more at ease. According to the two men, Water Mountain Ghoul meat was cold in nature, but exceptionally nourishing and gentle. Its scales were as hard as metal or stone, and even its claws and organs could be ground into powder and used as medicine.

In short, every part of it was a treasure.

That was the biggest difference between demons and specters. Demons had physical bodies, with tough and precious flesh, while specters existed in spiritual form... They were almost useless to him; the only thing they did for Luo Bin was increase his modification value.

At that thought, Luo Bin's mind stirred.

[Modification Value: 12]

[White Ape Through-Arm Fist]

His White Ape Through-Arm Fist was already strong enough; there was no need to push it any further. The Primordial Stance also needed to lie dormant for a while. After all, the Chen Family had Jiang Ling, a top-level expert. If he progressed too quickly, he would inevitably arouse suspicion.

It was time to start learning a new martial art or cultivation method...

Although the two techniques he had now were of fairly high quality, they made his fighting style seem a little one-dimensional, lacking in variety. They said that having too many skills never hurt, and with Crimson at his disposal, he didn't need to worry about biting off more than he could chew.

Luo Bin collected his thoughts and looked at Hu Junzhi. "Save the scales for me. I'll find someone to make two sets of soft armor for the second young lady and the second young master. As for the claws and organs, dry them and grind them into medicinal powder for me. I have a use for them...

"We'll split the meat three ways."

"Th-this can't be right, Brother Luo. We can't take any of it. After skinning the Water Mountain Ghoul, removing its claws and organs, there'll still be at least two hundred pounds. Split three ways... that's seventy or eighty pounds each..." Hu Junzhi was somewhat overwhelmed by the unexpected generosity.

Zhang Huai quickly did the math and also thought it was improper. "That's too much. I didn't help much at Moon Mantle the other day, and we didn't do much at the River God Festival last night either..."

Luo Bin smiled faintly. "Everyone who's here gets a share... We're all close, familiar faces, so of course everyone here gets a share. The others aren't our concern."

Zhang Huai's breath caught. A trace of bitterness welled up in his heart. He had fought for the Chen Family for years and taken part in the hunts of plenty of demons, yet he could count on one hand the number of times he'd gained something as easily and generously as he had today.

The two men bowed deeply to Luo Bin. Hu Junzhi wasn't good with words, but he still tried to find the right ones. "Thank you, Brother Luo. Water Mountain Ghoul meat is very nourishing, especially for the lungs. If I take some home for my mother, it might cure her old winter cough.

"I've heard it's good for the brain, too. My little sister is still studying at school, so maybe eating some will make her smarter..."

Luo Bin smiled slightly and said nothing more. The three of them said their goodbyes.

Zhang Huai and Hu Junzhi had always been the most unruly sorts. They were more restrained while serving the Chen Family, and even after all the ups and downs they'd been through, they still couldn't resist Luo Bin's way of winning people over.

There was no helping it. Great Xin had been a society built on personal ties since ancient times.

A favor repaid, a kindness remembered... They understood it all.

Luo Bin hailed another rickshaw at the roadside. Seeing his thin white silk shirt, thick black hair, and handsome, rosy face, the driver decided he must be a young master from a wealthy family.

"Where to, young master?"

"The Pei Family Manor, beside Stone Slab Alley."

The driver wiped his sweat with a yellowed towel and asked, "What are you going to the Pei Family Manor for, young master? Wasn't the Pei Family driven out of Ping City by several great families? There's nothing left but old people, women, and children."

Luo Bin smiled slightly. "I'm going to visit some friends and family."

The driver set off, but furrowed his brow as they went. Then, recalling Luo Bin's dashing outfit, he suddenly cried out, "Y-you're that Young Master Luo from the Ping City Evening News?"

Luo Bin wondered how a rickshaw driver knew who he was, then asked, "You know me, uncle? What's the Ping City Evening News?"

The old driver pulled a newspaper, damp with sweat, from his trouser pocket and handed it to Luo Bin. His expression unchanged, Luo Bin took it and unfolded it:

"Young Man Crushes a Strange Specter Bare-Handed; Chen Family Treats Him as a Son-in-Law"

"Breaks Through Golden Skin in One Night, Fists Shake Moon Veil Pavilion—Ping City's New Martial Arts Star Luo Bin Bursts Onto the Scene!"

Whoa!

The newspaper had caught Luo Bin completely off guard. Its claims weren't baseless, either; there was even a black-and-white photograph in the middle.

It was a candid shot of Luo Bin walking down the stairs after killing the qipao-clad female ghost at Moon Veil Nightclub. Bare-chested, he silently displayed the extreme beauty of his powerful physique to everyone...

At first glance, it made him look like the villain in a story...

Looking at the photo, Luo Bin even sensed something of the Agence France-Presse's style of photography from his previous life.

He savored the thrill for a moment, then politely returned the newspaper to the old driver.

"Young man, you're something else now. The teahouses and taverns all say you used to be a bodyguard and servant for the Pei Family, but they cast you aside. And yet you relied on sheer guts to make your way first to the Green Bamboo Gang, then to the Chen Family."

"Although the Chen Family's prestige has fallen far from what it once was, they're still on a level those of us who grub for food in the mud wouldn't even dare dream of reaching."

Luo Bin fell silent for a moment, unsure what to say. Without the martial arts experience and improved physique he'd gained from using Crimson to modify his White Ape Through-Arm Fist...

He would probably still be nothing more than a particularly vicious gang member.

Before long, the old driver brought Luo Bin to the gates of the Pei Family Manor. Luo Bin paid him a silver coin and walked through the gates beneath the old man's admiring gaze.

After reading the newspaper, Luo Bin had been thinking about one thing: people feared becoming famous, just as pigs feared growing fat.

In the eyes of Ping City's powerful families, he was tied to the Chen Family, whose fortunes were now in decline. Trouble was probably on its way...

Tomorrow, he would return to the Chen Family and cultivate hard. He'd pester Elder Jiang some more and see what else he could squeeze out of him... what other martial arts he could learn.

He wouldn't leave the house until he reached the middle or late stages of Golden Skin!