A Fierce Fight!

"When did such a powerful Martial Artist come to Yellow Maple Town?"

Black Wolf struggled to his feet. A sharp pain shot through his chest, and a coppery sweetness rose in his throat. He nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

He was certain that if they kept fighting, he would be no match for the man in black before him.

Even though he still had a trump card up his sleeve, he could tell that his opponent had not used his full strength either.

Taking a deep breath, Black Wolf said quickly, "Who exactly are you? What have you come here for? If there's no grudge between us that demands a fight to the death, we can sit down and talk things through!"

Seemingly afraid that Mo Yun would deliver a killing blow, he hurriedly added, "If I've offended you, or if our Sky Wolf Gang has offended you, I'm willing to compensate you!"

"Please stop, or I'll have to call for help! Our Sky Wolf Gang has hundreds of members, while you're alone. Two fists can't beat four hands, after all. Please think twice!"

Hearing this, Mo Yun stopped.

He had finished his test. Black Wolf, who was at late bright strength, was no match for him. Given a little more time, he could kill the man.

But Mo Yun had not come to fight the Sky Wolf Gang to the death.

Seeing Mo Yun stop, Black Wolf finally breathed a sigh of relief.

If they fought much longer, he feared that even his toughened body would not hold up. He would be beaten to death!

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, straightened up, and cupped his hands. "Your skills are impressive. You have my admiration! May I ask your name? What brings you here so late at night?"

Mo Yun got straight to the point, explaining that Zhao Si had forcibly seized his shop. With no other recourse, he had come to the Sky Wolf Gang to demand an explanation.

Black Wolf was dumbfounded.

"Zhao Si? That idiot again?!"

Black Wolf's face instantly turned livid, and the veins on his forehead throbbed.

He had long known that Zhao Si was unreliable and often ran wild behind his back, but he had never imagined that the man would land them in such a huge mess this time!

"That moron Zhao Si has brought a god of slaughter down on my head!"

Black Wolf took a deep breath, struggling to calm himself. Then he cupped his fists, his face full of apology. "Please calm your anger. That bastard Zhao Si is indeed a member of our Sky Wolf Gang, but I truly knew nothing about what he did!"

He paused, his tone sincere. "But since a member of our Sky Wolf Gang caused this trouble, I, Black Wolf, will take responsibility! Name your price. Our Sky Wolf Gang is willing to compensate you and punish Zhao Si severely!"

Mo Yun said evenly, "You can pay me now. As for Zhao Si, he's already dead."

Black Wolf froze. "What?"

"Dead?" Black Wolf's eyes widened. For a moment, he could not process it.

"Dead," Mo Yun repeated, his voice calm and unruffled.

Black Wolf fell silent for a moment, then let out a long, heavy breath.

He felt little over Zhao Si's death, and had no intention of avenging him.

In truth, he had never much liked Zhao Si either. If the man had not been among the first brothers to follow him, he would have beaten the bastard to death long ago.

They had agreed that they needed to follow the rules in everything they did if they wanted to survive safely in this world. Yet that fellow had repeatedly run wild behind his back, bringing them no end of trouble.

He knew that if he let Zhao Si carry on like this, disaster would strike the Sky Wolf Gang sooner or later.

And now, sure enough, he had provoked someone they should never have crossed.

As these thoughts ran through his mind, Black Wolf clapped in approval. "Good riddance! Good riddance indeed! Thank you for rooting this parasite out of our Sky Wolf Gang!"

Mo Yun: "..."

After a moment's thought, Mo Yun said coldly, "The matter of Zhao Si is settled. Now let's discuss compensation."

"Of course, of course!" Black Wolf nodded hastily, his face wreathed in smiles. "Please, name your terms. If it's within my power, I won't refuse!"

Mo Yun held up one finger.

Black Wolf blinked. "Ten taels?"

Mo Yun shook his head. "A hundred taels."

"A hundred taels?" Black Wolf froze. Though the cost plainly pained him, he still put on an air of generosity. "No problem! A hundred taels it is! You're a fair and honorable man!"

A hundred taels was no small sum to him.

Although he usually earned a fair amount of silver, practicing martial arts was expensive. After all, advancing further along the martial path required all sorts of resources.

Otherwise, he would never have founded the Sky Wolf Gang.

Mo Yun glanced at him and said evenly, "The hundred taels is compensation. Besides that, I have two conditions."

Black Wolf's heart lurched, but he steeled himself and said, "Please go ahead."

"First, starting today, your Sky Wolf Gang will protect my sister's shops in Yellow Maple Town."

Mo Yun's expression darkened slightly. "Whether it's your own men or another faction, if anyone dares touch those shops or my sister, I'll hold you accountable."

Black Wolf nodded hastily. "Of course, of course! Zhao Si caused this trouble, so our Sky Wolf Gang will take full responsibility! Rest assured, from today onward, Boss Mo's shops are under our protection. If anyone dares touch them, I, Black Wolf, will be the first to stand against them!"

"Second," Mo Yun continued, "send people to protect my sister in secret. If anything happens to her, you know the consequences."

Black Wolf hurriedly assured him, "Brother Mo, don't worry. I may not claim much else, but every word I spit out is a nail driven home. Once I give my word, I'll see it through! Unless I die, I won't let Boss Mo suffer any harm!"

Mo Yun nodded, looking Black Wolf in the eye. "Good. I hope you keep your word."

His tone was calm, but Black Wolf sensed a chilling murderous intent beneath that calm.

Black Wolf shuddered and nodded repeatedly. "Absolutely! Absolutely!"

Mo Yun asked, "What do you want in return?"

Mo Yun knew that since the man had agreed so readily, he must want something.

There was no free lunch in this world. He understood that principle.

Black Wolf gave an awkward smile. "I hope that if our Sky Wolf Gang encounters a crisis we can't resolve, Brother Mo will lend us a hand once..."

Seemingly afraid that Mo Yun would refuse, Black Wolf hurriedly added, "If that day really comes, help our Sky Wolf Gang only if you feel you can handle it. If it's beyond your abilities, forget it. I won't blame you!"

Mo Yun nodded. "All right."

That condition was not unreasonable.

With the Sky Wolf Gang protecting his sister and her shops, he would owe them a favor. Helping them once in the future, within his abilities, was a fair exchange.

Having reached an agreement, Mo Yun took his leave of Black Wolf and vanished into the night.

Black Wolf stood in the courtyard, staring in the direction Mo Yun had disappeared, and did not move for a long time.

Only when he heard a commotion and saw the hastily dressed Sky Wolf Gang members finally rushing over did he come to his senses.

"Nothing happened. I just came out for a little exercise. Go back to sleep. Oh, and tighten security from now on!" Black Wolf waved them away.

Moonlight spilled over his ferocious face, which was now filled with complicated emotions.

"So young, yet he's already stronger than me. That boy is truly a monstrous talent..."

He gazed in the direction Mo Yun had left and murmured to himself, deep wariness flashing in his eyes, mingled with a measure of relief.

What made him wary was that such a monstrous talent had appeared in Yellow Maple Town. The boy looked no older than fifteen or sixteen. His future achievements were beyond imagining.

What relieved him was that he had not acted rashly today, but had chosen to negotiate.

Otherwise, with that boy's strength and his ruthless, decisive nature, the Sky Wolf Gang would likely have suffered dearly.

"Zhao Si, oh, Zhao Si. Your death really couldn't have come at a better time..."

Black Wolf shook his head and turned back toward his room.

Passing the rockery, he glanced at the shattered stones, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

The power of that punch still left him shaken.

"Pass down my orders!" Black Wolf reached the doorway and spoke gravely to the gang members on watch. "Starting tomorrow, those shops belonging to the Mo Lineage are to receive the Sky Wolf Gang's highest protection. If anyone dares cause trouble there, I'll skin him alive!"

"And send men to keep a secret watch over Boss Mo's safety. Report to me immediately at the slightest rustle of wind or grass!"

The two guards exchanged bewildered looks, unsure why their leader had suddenly issued such orders, but hurriedly answered, "Yes!"

Black Wolf waved his hand, entered his room, and shut the door.

He sat in his chair, silent for a moment, then suddenly picked up the poetry collection on the table and opened it to the page he had been reading earlier.

This time, however, he could not take in a single word.

His mind was filled with the image of that young man and the terrifying power of those punches.

"Judging by his aura, he seemed to be only at mid bright strength, yet he could completely overpower me at late bright strength..."

"What kind of monster is that boy?"

Black Wolf shook his head, sighed, set down the poetry collection, and blew out the oil lamp.

"It's late. Time to sleep."