Trouble

Li Zhi held the still-warm bear gallbladder and urged him, "Xiao Yuan, hurry! Eat it while it's warm. This stuff is incredibly nourishing!"

Li Yuan stared at the dark-brown organ, its rank stench filling his nose. He hesitated, then felt his stomach churn.

He'd never even eaten sashimi, let alone something like this.

While Li Yuan was still wrestling with himself, a voice suddenly rang out from the woods behind them.

"Hold it. Put down that bear gallbladder."

All three of them jumped and spun around.

A young man in a silk coat stepped out, a short saber at his waist and an arrogant look on his face.

Behind him followed two servants in matching clothes, each with a large Zhou character on the upper right corner.

The man was named Zhou Wu, a collateral member of one of the four great Zhou lineages in the county seat. He usually threw his weight around, relying on the Zhou family's power.

Not long ago, however, he had accidentally played a maid to death, so they had temporarily sent him away to let things cool down.

Zhou Wu had heard the commotion and made his way over as soon as the black bear roared. He had been hiding behind them, watching in secret the whole time.

When he saw Li Yuan foolishly trying to provoke the bear, he had laughed to himself.

Zhou Wu had planned to wait until the hunters killed the black bear, then reveal himself and intimidate them with the Zhou family's name.

That way, he could claim the valuable bear without lifting a finger, and at most offer them a little compensation.

He hadn't expected Li Yuan and the others to eat the most precious part—the bear gallbladder—right there on the spot. How could he stand for that?

So he had hurried out at once.

Zhou Wu fixed his eyes on Li Yuan, automatically ignoring the other two.

"Everything in these mountains belongs to the Zhou family, when you get down to it.

"Hunting here without the Zhou family's permission is a serious crime!

"But since you put in the effort, hand over the bear and the Zhou family will give you a little compensation."

"This black bear, and its gallbladder, belong to the Zhou family."

In just a few words, Zhou Wu claimed as his own the things Li Yuan had risked his life to obtain.

As if it were only natural.

When Li Zhi and Chen Quan heard that he was from the Zhou family, their faces went pale.

The four great lineages in the county seat were, in truth, the local emperors of Wuxi County.

How could ordinary folk like them afford to provoke such people?

Li Zhi and Chen Quan's lips twitched. They seemed to want to say something, but neither dared speak.

Li Yuan furrowed his brow and tightened his grip on the bear gallbladder.

Hunting without permission? Compensation? This was nothing but outright robbery!

"Brother Zhou." Li Yuan tamped down the anger rising in his chest and tried to keep his voice calm. "We killed this bear with our lives on the line. By the rules, this is the outer edge of the forest. It doesn't seem to belong to—"

With his current strength, Li Yuan didn't want to offend the great lineages just yet.

But he couldn't bring himself to hand over something he'd worked so hard to obtain to a complete stranger.

Not unless that person was vastly stronger than him and could kill him with a single move.

But Li Yuan knew that if Zhou Wu were truly powerful, he would have shown himself much earlier.

He wouldn't have waited until Li Yuan was about to eat the gallbladder before rushing out.

Judging by his unsteady steps, he probably had some martial training, but was a debauched wastrel.

"Rules?" Zhou Wu found that amusing. He exchanged a laugh with the two men beside him, then cut Li Yuan off.

"Brother, it looks like you still don't understand."

"Aren't we the ones who make the rules here?"

"On this turf, the Zhou family is the law!"

His gaze greedily fixed on the bear gallbladder in Li Yuan's hand.

"Especially that thing. Eating it would be a terrible waste. Hand it over!"

Once he ate the bear gallbladder, Zhou Wu's accumulated qi and blood would surely rise another level.

Then, when he returned to the family, who would dare accuse him of neglecting his duties and failing to train?

As time passed and the temperature dropped, the gallbladder that had been warm when it was first taken out began to cool.

The fresher it was, the more nourishing it was. The longer it sat, the weaker its effects would become.

As he spoke, Zhou Wu strode forward and reached for the gallbladder in Li Yuan's hand.

He wasn't afraid Li Yuan would fight back. A stinking hunter, not even as good as a farmer—so what if he was in the Ox Skin Realm? He had nothing but a little strength.

Among the Zhou family, he'd be no different from a sturdy dog.

Dare lay a hand on Zhou Wu? He'd be asking to die!

Just as Zhou Wu's hand was about to touch the gallbladder, a cold glint flashed in Li Yuan's eyes.

He'd risked his life and worked himself to the bone to claim this spoils of the hunt.

He'd rather feed it to a dog than to people like them.

Bullies who threw their weight around and still had the nerve to insult others!

In an instant, Li Yuan made up his mind.

Before Zhou Wu's hand could reach him, he shoved the bear gallbladder into his mouth.

The moment it entered, an indescribably foul, bitter taste exploded across his tongue and shot straight to his brain. He nearly vomited.

But he forced down his disgust, tipped back his head, and swallowed the slippery organ whole.

"You... you're asking for death!" Zhou Wu's hand froze in midair as he stared at Li Yuan, stunned, while he swallowed the gallbladder.

First Zhou Wu went blank; then fury overtook him. His hand trembled in midair, and his face twisted with rage.

He had already planned exactly what he would do with the gallbladder once he got it.

He had never imagined that this lowly hunter would dare defy him—and eat the most precious gallbladder!

"Good! Very good, you insolent commoner! You refused a toast only to drink a forfeit!" Zhou Wu shook with rage and jabbed a finger at Li Yuan's nose.

"You dared touch something that belongs to the Zhou family. You're finished, and so is your whole family!

"I'll make sure you learn what happens when you offend the Zhou family. And you two—" He pointed at Li Zhi and Chen Quan, who were both deathly pale with fear. "Not one of you is getting away!"

At first, the bear gallbladder dropped into Li Yuan's stomach with a cool, slippery sensation.

But after only a few breaths, a searing current surged up from his belly, sweeping through his whole body like a raging fire.

"Boom!"

Li Yuan felt his qi and blood surge through him. This wasn't just nourishing—it was far too nourishing.

Zhou Wu was still cursing and repeating his threats.

I want to kill this bastard. He's really getting on my nerves... Li Yuan thought, growing increasingly irritated.

His surging qi and blood intertwined with the murderous intent in his heart, whispering into his mind and goading him on.

They couldn't be allowed to live! Not one of them could be spared!

They'd seen everything. If he let them go home, his uncle and Uncle Chen would be dragged into it too!

"You fucking ate my—" Zhou Wu was still shouting, cursing like a fishwife.

Then he saw Li Yuan's eyes, and a chill rose in his heart.

Zhou Wu immediately retreated and reached for his saber, but it was already too late.

Li Yuan kicked off the ground. Snow burst beneath his feet, and he shot forward at astonishing speed.

The gallbladder had given his qi and blood a tremendous boost. Even with his technique helping him digest it, he couldn't possibly absorb it all at once.

Li Yuan needed to vent that force. He brought out Bear Form Fist, and his pounce landed with tremendous power.

Zhou Wu hadn't even managed to draw his saber all the way when Li Yuan's heavy, bear-paw-like hand came crashing toward his face, carrying the force of the air with it!