The Azure Dragon Wept; the Calamity-Evading True Person (Part Two)

Even in human form, Old Ox's skin retained a greenish tinge that would not fade. Many great demons kept traces of their beastly bodies when they took human shape, and Old Ox was no exception.

He gripped a wine jar and hummed a tune, plainly enjoying himself far more than he had as a restaurant owner on Mystic Mountain.

"Another wanderer from the martial world? Where did you come from, blowing hot air just because you've got a little skill?"

Old Ox had his reasons for that attitude.

The Great River Alliance had been expanding steadily, and plenty of wanderers had come to fish in troubled waters. Their thinking was much the same as Su Che's.

As the saying went, "Better late XX than early XX; better back XX than late XX." These wanderers had decided to play the old "no friendship without a fight" game. Without a word, they would challenge the Great River Alliance's men and beat out a reputation for themselves.

And so, while Su Che stayed put in Ci Prefecture City, who knew how many fine fellows of the martial world came forward to fight the rebel army's leaders, great and small. Yuchen even suspected Su Che had used some trick to summon this lot and make trouble for him, but no matter how he investigated, he found no trace of one.

Quite a few of those fights had turned into genuine feuds. The wanderers forgot all about joining up and instead called on their friends to fight the Great River Alliance to the death.

For Su Che, that was an unexpected delight.

Old Ox had dealt with plenty of such wanderers lately. Fortunately, he was a thick-skinned great demon who had attained the Sixth Grade; otherwise, he might truly have come to harm.

Zhang San