Braised Beef in Clay Pots

The snack street was not particularly close to Eastsea Academy. The three of them walked for a full half hour before arriving.

Shops lined both sides of the fairly narrow street.

"Let's eat there. Their braised beef in clay pots is delicious," Xie Xie said, pointing at a shop.

The others had no objections.

The shop was small, with the stove outside. Nearly a hundred small burners covered its surface, each holding a clay pot of stewing beef.

There were only five small tables inside, and half of them were already occupied.

Seeing this, Gu Yue glanced at Xie Xie in surprise. "I never thought a young master from a wealthy family could eat at a roadside shop."

This time, Xie Xie did not argue with her. "My mom used to love the braised beef here. I come here every so often." As he spoke, he walked in and found a table to sit at.

The others followed him inside.

"Oh, Xie Xie, you're here. You even brought friends. The usual?" the owner asked with a smile.

"Mm. Thank you, Uncle Li." Xie Xie smiled back.

Before long, four servings of braised beef in clay pots, four bowls of white rice, and two plates of side dishes were brought over.

"It's your first time bringing friends here, so the side dishes are on the house." Uncle Li smiled and rubbed Xie Xie's head as though he were his own child.

This sight surprised the other two, aside from Xiling. It was their first time seeing Xie Xie like this.

"What are you all staring at? Eat." Xie Xie lifted the lid as he spoke and started eating.

Xiling took a bite, narrowing his eyes slightly. "It really does taste great."

Hearing that, Xie Xie lifted his chin. "Of course." Anyone who did not know better might have thought Xiling was praising him.

Seeing everyone eating with such enjoyment, Xie Xie smiled and waved at the owner. "Uncle Li, bring ten more servings."

As his roommate, he knew a certain someone's appetite far too well.

Tang Wulin scratched his head awkwardly. "Xie Xie."

"What?" Xie Xie looked up at him.

Tang Wulin looked helpless. "Your name really is poorly chosen. I meant thank you."

Xie Xie suddenly gave a bitter smile, his eyes reddening. "My mother gave me this name. She chose it because she was grateful for that encounter."

"She said that the happiest thing in her life was meeting my father..." His face turned somewhat pale as he spoke.

"Your mother, she...?" Tang Wulin asked hesitantly.

Xie Xie turned his head slightly. "My father was busy with all sorts of things every day. Even when my mother was seriously ill, he was still running around outside."

"Before my mother died, her final wish was to see him one last time. But he still came back too late."

"I'll never forget that night. My mother let go of my hand with tears in her eyes, her gaze full of regret. I hate him. I hate him! I hate my own name too. If there had never been that encounter, maybe Mom wouldn't have..."

At that, he suddenly collapsed onto the table.

Here, it seemed he had shed his disguise. This was also the first time he had opened his heart to anyone.

At that moment, Uncle Li came over carrying freshly stewed braised beef in clay pots. He gently set the clay pots on the table and sighed. "This child has had it hard. His mother used to love bringing him here."

"After his mother passed away, he started coming by himself. Every time, he remembers her. Please be understanding with him."

"It's rare to see him bring friends here. I'm happy for him. He may be young, but he carries a lot on his mind. Please help him out."

Tang Wulin gently patted Xie Xie's back, unsure what he could say to comfort him.

Gu Yue sat there, watching the crying Xie Xie, seemingly lost in thought.

The silent Xiling spoke at last. "Xie Xie, stop crying."

"I'll go easier on you in training from now on. I'll beat you up a couple fewer times. That should make you happier, right?"

That lighthearted tease instantly diluted the sorrowful atmosphere.

Xie Xie's body stiffened slightly. He sniffed, his nose red. "...W-Who's crying?"

He did not dare talk back to Xiling. Otherwise, training would truly become unbearable for him.

After the four left the braised beef shop, they went to eat other things as well. Well... Tang Wulin was the only one eating.

Just as they were about to head back, they saw a crowd gathered in front of the braised beef shop.

"You can't do this! You can't! This is how I make my living!" A grief-stricken voice came from within the crowd.

The stove in front of the braised beef shop had been overturned, and clay pots lay shattered everywhere. The scene was a complete mess.

Uncle Li lay on the ground, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, with numerous injuries across his body.

Three burly men stood at the entrance. The leader was bald, with dragon tattoos covering both arms.

"Li, let me tell you this: no one on this street dares refuse to pay protection money. You keep putting me off every day. Do you think I, Guang Long, am some beggar?"

"Do you think I come here every day just to ask you for a little cash? If your braised beef wasn't actually pretty good, I'd have crippled you long ago."

"Enough nonsense. If you can't pay today, you can forget about opening this shop again," Guang Long said coldly. Though many people had gathered around, not a single one dared make a sound.

"Brother Guang Long, it's not that I refuse to pay the protection fee. It's just that my wife is seriously ill. Every bit of money I earn from working day and night goes toward her treatment."

"You can't smash up my business! If you do, my wife won't survive, and neither will I."

"Do you think I give a damn about your worthless life?" Guang Long snorted disdainfully. "Without you, I can just replace you with someone else."

"If you can't pay, then get lost. Don't take up this spot."

As he spoke, he stepped forward to kick him. But before his foot could land, his entire body froze, unable to move.

A white-haired figure had appeared behind them at some unknown moment.

"Since the strong can freely bully the weak, then... the despair of the weak will be repaid by those who inflict it." Xiling stretched out a hand and lightly tapped Guang Long's abdomen.

"Crack."

Guang Long's pupils shrank sharply. The arrogance on his face completely froze, replaced by extreme pain and terror.

The channels through which Soul Power flowed in his body shattered inch by inch, while the vortex in his dantian collapsed with a bang and dispersed completely!

The foundation of a Soul Master was destroyed in an instant.

"Ahhh—!!"

A heart-rending scream tore from his throat. Guang Long, who had been so arrogant moments ago, had his legs give out beneath him and crashed to his knees.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, his entire body convulsing violently. Cold sweat instantly soaked his clothes as the Soul Power in his dantian rapidly dissipated, leaving him utterly crippled.

Xiling's indifferent gaze swept over the other two lackeys, who were already trembling all over in terror. Two muffled groans rang out at once.

Before the two lackeys could even react, their Dantians were likewise pierced through by invisible spatial power. Their Martial Souls shattered, and all their cultivation was crippled.

Even if their injuries healed in the future, they would never be able to cultivate again in this lifetime.

The bystanders around them fell completely silent. Everyone stared in stunned disbelief, even unconsciously quieting their breathing.

Seeing Xiling like this, Tang Wulin and Xie Xie both shuddered instinctively. "Brother Ling, that was too ruthless!"