A Small Gift

"Senior Brother Zhou really does have a good memory..."

Lu Meng forced a smile, suppressing the twitch in his eyelid.

After returning from Clear Water County to Black Stone County, he had immediately asked around about Zhou Yun's recent developments.

Zhou Yun had become an Inner Courtyard disciple before Lu Meng had even left. Just two days ago, he had also defeated the closed-door disciple of the Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall's master at the White Phoenix Martial Hall, completely wrecking the Tianhai Shen Family's plans to win over the White Phoenix Martial Hall.

Thinking of how he had once made an enemy of Zhou Yun and kept making him wash his clothes, Lu Meng felt a cold sweat break out across his back.

If the Tiger-Wolf Gang hadn't vanished unexpectedly, he wouldn't have followed his big brother back to Black Stone County. More than that, he wouldn't have had to run into the one person he least wanted to see.

He had now left the Black Stone Martial Hall. Though his big brother had asked him to seek out the senior brothers and sisters from the Inner Courtyard, most of them were only interested because the Sea Whale Gang was about to become a gang supported by Master Liang. Lu Meng's status as a former Inner Courtyard disciple was just an excuse...

"Senior Brother Zhou and Junior Brother Lu have known each other for a long time? What a coincidence."

Liang Chengshi smiled. "Junior Brother Lu and I had a bit of a misunderstanding before. Senior Sister Shen told me his Black Ape Movement Technique had reached minor mastery, so I wanted to try my hand against him..."

"Little Meng, Young Master Liang... This must be Brother Zhou Yun, right?"

Lu Tianxiong walked over from the crowd, holding a bowl of wine. He smiled and said, "Brother Zhou Yun, my younger brother and I offended you before... From now on, the Sea Whale Gang will waive all the water-lamp fees for your family. And if there's anything our gang can do, just say the word, Brother Zhou."

"Also, I've prepared a separate apology gift for you at today's banquet. I hope you'll accept it."

With that, the gang leader drained his wine, then clapped his hands.

A graceful beauty walked over from the side and smiled faintly at Zhou Yun as she lifted the lid of the black sandalwood box on her tray.

Inside was a large ginseng root, pure white all over, like mutton-fat jade, with a faintly crystalline sheen.

"White Jade Ginseng? Judging by its age, it must be at least a fifty-year-old ginseng king. That's a rare treasure for us martial artists."

Liang Chengshi smacked his lips and said to Zhou Yun, "Senior Brother Zhou, a treasure like this would sell for at least fifty silver taels. For every additional year, the price goes up by another tael..."

"Not only can it treat some hidden injuries caused by stagnant qi and blood, it can also nourish the dantian and speed up the production of qi and blood within the body..."

Zhou Yun was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected martial artists to have so many strange and wondrous treasures. It had certainly broadened his horizons.

It seemed that, besides pills, martial artists traded in treasured armor and medicines... as well as the treasured fish and all manner of rare beasts he hadn't tried yet.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Seeing that Lu Tianxiong was a gang leader, and that the Sea Whale Gang was a faction Master Liang would support in the future, Zhou Yun accepted the precious medicine as a sufficiently sincere gesture. Burying the hatchet wasn't a bad choice.

After Zhou Yun accepted the sandalwood box, the gang leader smiled again. "Brother Zhou, this beauty is also part of my small gift..."

"I'll have to decline your kind offer, Gang Leader Lu. I happen to be at a crucial point in my breakthrough..."

Zhou Yun hadn't expected city folk to be so debauched, and immediately turned him down.

He could accept gifts of objects, but accepting a person was out of the question. Otherwise, it could become a handle for others to use against him, ready to bite him back at any moment.

As if he had expected this, Lu Tianxiong said, "In that case, I won't press you, Brother Zhou... Later, please apologize to Miss Ning Yue on my behalf. I was too forward before.

"The banquet has begun. You two brothers are welcome to enjoy the rare beasts and delicacies our gang has provided. Some of them are great tonics that can benefit martial artists..."

Zhou Yun looked toward the banquet. Many tables were laden with delicacies he had never seen before.

The fragrant meat dishes alone made his qi and blood surge at the mere smell of them, filling him with the urge to feast.

"Senior Brother Zhou, shall we take our seats?"

Liang Chengshi rubbed his hands together. "Sparring with you has given me quite an appetite. The food here is every bit as good as the nourishing dishes on the second floor of our Inner Courtyard dining hall..."

"After you, Brother Liang."

Zhou Yun gestured for him to go ahead. Then he followed Liang Chengshi to the Black Stone Martial Hall's table, sat down, and began eating.

"Senior Brother Zhou, this is the finest Black Mountain Boar meat. They feed them aged mountain ginseng and mountain lingzhi, and they're constantly chased all over the mountain. An ordinary person could eat just one bite and go a whole day without feeling hungry..."

Liang Chengshi kept eating as he explained. "And this Dragon Sun Fish is a specialty of Clear Water County. Only the fish in Clear Water Lake, after eating all kinds of rare herbs at the bottom, can grow this plump.

"The flesh is tender, and it can also boost a martial artist's qi and blood. Whether steamed or braised, it's delicious..."

Zhou Yun wholeheartedly agreed. He picked up several more pieces of fish, finding it incomparably delicious.

Just as the two of them were feasting, a familiar face with an urbane, easygoing air walked over and took a seat. "Junior Brother Zhou, Junior Brother Liang... What a coincidence today."

"Senior Brother Chen, I didn't expect you to come to the Sea Whale Gang's banquet too."

Liang Chengshi mumbled around a mouthful of Black Mountain Boar meat.

"Senior Brother Chen."

Zhou Yun set down his chopsticks and greeted him. After a whirlwind of eating, his qi and blood were already abundant, so he could take his time savoring the food.

"Junior Brother Zhou, you helped our Chen Family win that fight last time, and I never properly thanked you."

Chen Jingping smiled warmly. "This banquet is actually a small auction. You probably already know what the star lot is... a beautiful woman of the Demon-Human Race."

"If you're interested, Junior Brother Zhou, I can help you bid for her at this banquet. As long as the price doesn't go too far over my budget, I can take her home..."

Liang Chengshi's expression shifted. He leaned close to Chen Jingping and whispered, "Senior Brother Chen, Senior Brother Zhou just turned down a charming beauty offered by the Sea Whale Gang's leader. Why not give me this chance...?"

Others might not know, but Liang Chengshi knew just how wealthy this senior brother was. As a member of the Iron-Forging Clan in Xiang City, one of the Twelve Main Cities, he probably had enough money in his pocket to buy the whole Sea Whale Gang.

Maybe even more. The Xiang City Chen Family supplied weapons and armor to all the powers of Great Jing. Their profits couldn't be measured by the standards of an ordinary family. They were rich enough to rival a nation.

"Forget it. If I really bought that Demon-Human woman for you, who knows what Master Liang would say to me?"

Chen Jingping smiled calmly, then added, "You spend plenty every month at the flower houses around Black Stone County. If you saved up for a year or two, buying this Demon-Human woman wouldn't put a dent in your finances..."

"Hey, I'm just young and full of vigor... A man can't hang himself from a single tree..."

Liang Chengshi scratched his head, then abruptly pointed toward the center of the banquet.

"Look, they're bringing out that Demon-Human woman!"