Making Trouble

"Refund the money! You have to refund the money! What kind of goddamn martial hall is this? Fine, you won't teach us any real skills, but you're even scamming people everywhere!"

Before the gates of True Intent Martial Hall, a sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked man with a face full of pockmarks was shouting indignantly.

Behind him stood a vast crowd of spectators, who occasionally pointed at the boy guarding the martial hall's entrance. He looked to be around twelve.

"That kid looks honest enough. Who knew he was rotten too?"

"Bet he was fooled by the master of True Intent Martial Hall as well."

"I say everyone in this martial hall is cut from the same cloth!..."

"Junior Brother Sun, h-how can you talk nonsense? Last month, you were the one who said practicing martial arts was too bitter and exhausting. You told us not to bother with you anymore. You even said you could come and go as you pleased, and that not even Master could control you."

Sweat covered the boy's head as he looked at the great mass of people before him, utterly at a loss.

"Pah! You think you're worthy of calling me Junior Brother Sun? Li Kuai, let me make this clear: I came today to withdraw from True Intent Martial Hall. You people promised that I'd definitely enter the Skin-Flesh Realm once I completed my studies. Yet I've trained for over a month and haven't even touched the edge of the Skin-Flesh Realm. If that isn't deception, what is? Refund the money, now! Otherwise, I'll smash this goddamn True Intent Martial Hall today!"

Having said that, Pockmarked Sun widened his eyes and rolled up his sleeves, showing Li Kuai his scrawny arms.

Just then, laughter came from the crowd. "Hahaha! Pockmarked Sun, are you talking in your sleep? With your sorry state, you want to enter the Skin-Flesh Realm in a month? Ordinary people need more than a year just to touch its edge. You must be dreaming of eating farts!"

A flicker of awkwardness crossed Pockmarked Sun's face. Then he turned around, his face red as he shouted at the crowd.

"Who? Who's talking cold nonsense behind my back? If you've got the guts, stand before your Grandpa Sun and try me!"

Heads shifted through the crowd as a broad-shouldered, thick-waisted man wearing a stained apron stepped out.

"What, Pockmarked Sun? You want to have a clash with me? I may not have entered a realm yet, but I've practiced for several years. You're no half-baked fool who can come knocking against me."

Pockmarked Sun looked up and saw the man sneering as he repeatedly crooked a finger at him in provocation.

In front of such a large crowd, Pockmarked Sun was no easy person to deal with. How could he tolerate such provocation? Anger surged from his heart, and he was about to lash out and hurt someone.

He immediately wanted to clench his fists and charge forward, but his legs suddenly went weak.

Right—he remembered that he had been putting the Demon-Subduing Staff Technique into practical use at a brothel last night. He had come here to make trouble early this morning without eating anything. Where would he find the spare strength to fight someone?

Pockmarked Sun's eyes rolled, and he immediately spotted a figure in the crowd.

That person gave Pockmarked Sun a slight nod. At once, his back stopped aching and his legs stopped trembling. Without another moment's hesitation, he stepped forward to challenge the man.

"Pah! Butcher Hu, why aren't you properly selling your meat? What are you doing here, sticking your nose into this mess?"

"I only spoke a few fair words. Who doesn't know what kind of scoundrel you are? Every day, you do nothing but sneak around stealing chickens and dogs."

"Butcher Hu, stop slandering me! Though I, Pockmarked Sun, may not have the best character, I don't engage in cheating and swindling! Everyone here knows you're close to True Intent Martial Hall. You're defending it so fiercely—could it be that you've got some shameful dealings with it?"

As though he had truly acted himself into genuine emotion, Pockmarked Sun reddened and roared at Butcher Hu.

The surrounding people did not care who was right or wrong. Instead, accustomed to watching which way the wind blew, they began pointing at Butcher Hu.

Butcher Hu was an honest man who was poor with words. How could he endure such slander in front of everyone?

"Hey, you scoundrel! You still dare throw mud around? Let me smash that mouth of yours!"

Butcher Hu crossed three steps in two, grabbed Pockmarked Sun—who had gone limp on the ground from fear of his imposing manner—and lifted him up. One hand rose high, ready to strike.

Yet another thick, powerful arm reached out from the crowd and clamped down tightly on Butcher Hu, preventing him from bringing his hand down.

"Hu Rong, it isn't your place to discipline my little brother."

With a casual motion, Jackal pushed Hu Rong aside, then glanced at Pockmarked Sun, who lay sprawled on the ground with a face full of relief at having survived disaster.

"Go disperse the people."

"O-okay, Brother Jackal."

Upon hearing this, Pockmarked Sun immediately got to his feet. Turning around, he put on a vicious expression and began driving the crowd away.

"What are you all still staring at? Get lost, get lost! Hurry up and get lost! Otherwise, don't blame Grandpa Sun for being rude!"

"And whose kid is that? What the hell are you still standing there for? Get back home and find your mother!"

Under Pockmarked Sun's curses and shouts, the crowd indeed scattered quickly.

Only Hu Rong remained sprawled where he was. His face twisted in pain as he clutched the arm Jackal had grabbed earlier. It was visibly red and swollen.

"Y-you entered the Skin-Flesh Realm?"

Jackal looked at Hu Rong with a smile that was not quite a smile, making Hu Rong's skin crawl beneath his gaze.

"I say, Hu Rong, instead of properly selling your meat, you insisted on coming here to join the fun. Then I can only give you a little lesson."

"For your father Hu Yong's sake, I'll spare you this once. But if you delay any longer with that arm of yours, I'm afraid it won't be saved."

Hu Rong endured the pain and forced himself to stand. Clenching his teeth, he seemed to reach some decision and looked toward Li Kuai.

"Brother Kuai, be careful. If it really comes down to it, call the master of the martial hall out."

Conflict flashed in Hu Rong's eyes, then he quickly headed off in one direction. Even as he left, he did not forget to turn back and look this way.

"Little Brother Li, my brother caused a disturbance before your hall because I, as his elder brother, failed to discipline him properly. I offer you my apologies."

"However, it is not false that my brother suffered grievances in your hall. As his elder brother, I naturally must seek justice for him. Otherwise, how will others view me, Jackal, in the future? How could I, Jackal, continue to stand firm in Kaiyang City?"

"Therefore, I ask that you return every last expense my brother spent in your hall. Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite! Or, little brother, you may call your martial hall master out to discuss this with me personally."

Jackal paid no attention to Hu Rong's departure. He merely kept smiling at Li Kuai, as though letting Hu Rong go was no more significant than a trivial matter.

Jackal's gaze was like a thorn, making people's scalps prickle. Li Kuai was already somewhat timid and afraid, and now he dared not meet Jackal's eyes at all. He stammered, unable to make his next move for a long while.

Li Kuai had originally been a nominal disciple whom Wu Yi had kindly taken into the martial hall several years ago. Over these past years, he had only done odd jobs in the hall and did not have a single coin to his name. How could he possibly compensate Pockmarked Sun for his expenses at the martial hall?

Not to mention that this was an utterly unreasonable demand to begin with.

As for finding Wu Yi? That was even more impossible.

Though the martial hall had separate rooms, Wu Yi never spent the night there.

At this hour in the past, Wu Yi would never appear at the martial hall. Usually, one might only happen to see Wu Yi near dusk, half drunk, and even then, he would merely take a glance or two before leaving.

Watching Li Kuai's face gradually turn pale, Jackal secretly rejoiced.

Even if you wait a lifetime, your hall master will never return. This martial hall will sooner or later become meat in the Wild Wolf Gang's mouth.

"How about this, Little Brother Li? I'm not an unreasonable or heartless person. Move aside, and I'll go in myself to speak with the martial hall master face-to-face."

Li Kuai was blocking the martial hall entrance and refusing to let anyone in for no reason other than to preserve the last shred of True Intent Martial Hall's dignity.

If there were not so many eyes and ears on the street, making it inconvenient to act, Jackal would have wanted to make a move long ago.

Once they entered the martial hall and shut the doors, a dignified Skin-Flesh Realm Martial Artist would have no trouble handling an ordinary person. Lure him inside, then kill him!

With this plan in mind, Jackal showed Li Kuai what he believed was a kindly smile.

Little did he know that, to Li Kuai, Jackal looked like a cunning hungry wolf. How could Li Kuai agree to Jackal's request?

Seeing that Li Kuai did not know what was good for him, Jackal's anger rose from his heart.

I've given you too many smiles!

"Sigh, Little Brother Li, one does not strike a smiling face. I only want to go in and take a look. If your hall master truly isn't there, I'll come visit another day."

Jackal's smile did not reach his eyes. Though he said this, he stepped forward, intending to force his way inside.

Li Kuai grew even more anxious. He wanted to stop him, but could not. With a casual shove from Jackal, he was knocked to the ground.

How could an ordinary person like him possibly stop a Skin-Flesh Realm Martial Artist?

Jackal's smile became ever more unrestrained. Just as he was about to push open the martial hall gates, they burst open from within with a bang.

Jackal was immediately confused. Before he could clearly see the newcomer's face, a Shadowless Kick sent him flying more than ten meters away.

Amid the billowing dust, an unquestionable voice came from within the hall.

"Forcefully entering a martial hall warrants punishment!"