Geng Feng understood that Li Qiang wanted to save these ignorant guys, but he didn't know how he planned to do it.
Li Qiang laughed and said, "Master, please release me first, otherwise how can I deal with them?"
Qi Junsha chuckled and said, "I only just realized that my good disciple is actually a pushover. Do you want to save these fools?" Qi Junsha looked like a young man, but in fact, his experience and knowledge far surpassed Li Qiang's. He saw through Li Qiang's intentions at a glance.
The group was completely surrounded by Qi Junsha circle, unable to move despite trying to escape. More and more sailors, merchants, and other people gathered to watch, but it seemed as if an invisible circle was blocking their way, keeping them at a distance and preventing them from getting through.
The burly man and his men knew they had encountered a formidable opponent. The burly man, though outwardly fierce, roared, "Who are you people, daring to cause trouble on Black Islet Reef? Let me tell you, this is Boss Pasibo's territory!"
Qi Junsha flicked her fingers lightly, and Li Qiang and Geng Feng discovered that the blue light that had restricted their movements had vanished without a trace.
Li Qiang sighed inwardly, walked up to the burly man, and said calmly, "You bunch of idiots! Fools! Kneel down and beg for mercy!" He was truly at his wit's end.
The burly, dark-skinned man seemed to be missing a screw in his head. Although he knew these men were very powerful, he was still Qi Ingestion. He roared, "Die!" and pulled out a small crystal-bladed knife, plunging it straight into Li Qiang's chest.
The surrounding onlookers gasped in surprise, and Qi Junsha couldn't help but sneer. Li Qiang didn't move at all, letting the knife pierce his heart; his current skill level meant he was completely indifferent to such attacks.
The burly man suddenly realized something was terribly wrong; the crystal-bladed dagger in his hand couldn't penetrate it. Even ordinary armor couldn't withstand such a dagger, yet the person in front of him was looking at him nonchalantly, a cold glint in his eyes.
Li Qiang said, "There's no one who can save someone who wants to die." He grabbed the burly man's wrist and added, "Master, you've seen it yourself, let it go. They're not worth your time."
He flipped his wrist and lifted the burly man's arm, then swept his other hand across the back of his arm. A "crack" was heard, followed by the burly man's scream of agony, which echoed in all directions as his arm was broken.
Qi Junsha looked utterly bored and said, "Tell them all to get lost!" He turned and walked towards the shops by the dock.
Li Qiang felt a sudden sense of relief. He was genuinely afraid that Qi Junsha might not be able to resist taking action herself, which would have been disastrous for these people.
He released his grip and asked, "Who is Pasibo?" The burly black man collapsed limply to the ground, already unconscious from the pain. Li Qiang shook his head, grabbed at someone in mid-air, and slammed that person to the ground with screams.
Li Qiang asked, "You're that 'Bashaoyu? Tell me! Who is Pasibo?"
The Bashaoyu was terrified and stammered, "Big... big..."
Li Qiang said impatiently, "What do you mean by big or small? Just tell me!"
Bashaoyu puffed out its cheeks, pleading, "Sir... sir, it's not my fault... please spare me!"
Li Qiang was furious with him and cursed, "You guys only know how to bully the weak, damn it, a bunch of shameless bastards, get out!" He was too lazy to ask any more questions and turned to catch up with Qi Junsha.
The thugs, like stray dogs, stumbled and carried the burly man away. The onlookers murmured amongst themselves, and now no one dared to step forward and cause trouble.
Qi Junsha, seeing Li Qiang chasing after her, asked, "What's wrong?"
Li Qiang laughed and said, "It's nothing. When you get angry, it's really scary. It's such a contrast to your image as a master. Hehe, this disciple saw... hehe, hehehe."
Qi Junsha said irritably, "Little brat, do you really think this old man will kill them all? Hmph, you two are still too green."
Li Qiang looked at Qi Junsha with a wry smile. He realized that his master was indeed a bit strange. Could it be that his behavior just now was just for show for Geng Feng and him?
Geng Feng sighed and said, "So, the senior was retaliating against us for laughing at him. Alas... we've been tricked." He realized what had happened.
Qi Junsha burst into laughter. "Haha, would an old man like me get angry over such things? Haha... My good disciple, let's see if you dare to laugh at an old man like me again."
Li Qiang thought about it and realized it made sense. Qi Junsha's cultivation level was many times higher than his own; how could his realm be lower than his? He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "He actually tricked us... Outrageous! Hmph."
Qi Junsha sneered, "You're not Qi Ingestion? You want to fight with an old man like me?"
Li Qiang, with a bitter face, walked into a restaurant by the dock without saying a word, and Geng Feng followed closely behind.
Qi Junsha stood outside the door and whispered, "Hey, my good disciple is angry, hey... wait for me, you two impolite little brats." He then rushed into the shop.
This was a restaurant run by people from the Western Continent. The restaurant was full of customers, mostly merchants and sailors who had just landed. When they saw the three of them walk in, they all stood up, hurriedly paid their bills and left, leaving the large restaurant feeling empty.
The shop owner and his staff were so anxious their faces turned pale. The owner whispered a few words to one of the staff members, who timidly walked to Li Qiang's side and said in a low voice, "Sir, please find another restaurant. Our small shop can't afford to serve you all."
Geng Feng, standing nearby, was instantly enraged. He shouted, "This is strange! When did the people of Black Islet Reef become so bullying of outsiders? This Old Madman is going to find out today, damn it!" He grabbed the shop assistant by the collar, his large head almost touching his nose, and said with a ferocious expression, "Tell me! Why did you tell us to leave!"
With a strange "poof... smack," a foul stench wafted out, and the shop assistant cried out, "Waaah... help!"
Li Qiang said calmly, "Let the Fengzi go. Hey, go change your pants."
Geng Feng suddenly realized what he had done, loosened his grip, and said, "You're such a coward! I only said one sentence... Damn it, you're so spineless! Nobody offered us a seat."
The shop assistant scrambled and stumbled towards the back room, crying as he ran. The shop owner, having probably realized by then, knew that his life was more important and dared not say another word.
Qi Junsha patted Geng Feng on the shoulder and said with a grin, "As expected of Fengzi, he can scare people so badly they'll poop out of their pants, amazing!" Geng Feng immediately understood that he was mocking him for bullying ordinary people.
The three sat down, Li Qiang noticed that two other people were still sitting not far away, with their backs to them. One of the figures looked familiar; the man had a shaved Baldy, which was a rare Baldy in this kind of place.
Li Qiang suddenly remembered someone and shouted at him, "Oh, it's Kong Hou! What a coincidence!" He stood up and added, "Hehe, Kong Hou isn't pretending not to see us, is he?"
The man slowly turned around and said, "Although I know Kong Hou, I am not Kong Hou."
Li Qiang was slightly startled. He saw that the man was indeed not Kong Hou. He was also Baldy, but this man had a full beard and a red dot on his forehead, which made him look very special. He was also holding a string of brown beads in his hand, and his eyes seemed very calm.
Li Qiang laughed and said, "Sorry, hehe, you guys are all bald, it's really true."
Qi Junsha's gaze was anything but friendly. He coldly asked, "Are you a disciple of the Buddha Sect?"
Both Li Qiang and Geng Feng remembered that Qi Junsha was imprisoned by the Buddha Sect sect. Li Qiang quickly changed the subject, saying, "Are you Kong Hou's friend? My surname is Li, Li Qiang."
The man was taken aback and said, "You're Li Qiang? I've heard so much about you. I'm Kudu."
Qi Junsha's expression grew even colder as she said, "It seems you haven't answered my question yet."
Kudu found it very strange; this handsome young man seemed to dislike him quite a bit. He said, " The Buddha Sect has long since vanished; I am merely someone who yearns for the Buddha Sect world."
Qi Junsha sarcastically remarked, "What's so great about the Buddha Sect? It's a lousy place full of rotten stuff. Heh heh, in my old man's opinion, the demise of the Buddha Sect was only a matter of time. It's a pity I won't be able to witness it with my own eyes."
Kudu stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "I don't know what the Buddha Sect has done to offend you, but please don't insult the Buddha Sect, otherwise, don't blame me for Kudu."
Li Qiang was alarmed. This Kudu was utterly ignorant of his own limitations; he clearly didn't know who Qi Junsha was. Before Qi Junsha could speak, Li Qiang said, "Master, didn't you want to know about the Buddha Sect sect? May I ask you?"
Geng Feng said, "You guys chat for a bit, Fengzi's going to find something good to eat." He got up to go find the shop owner.
Qi Junsha glanced at Kudu, feeling a little hesitant. He felt a bit embarrassed to bully such a minor character. His enemies in the Buddha Sect were the most famous Buddha Sect masters at the time, but now he didn't know where they were.
He sighed and said, "My dear disciple, go ahead and tell me. Oh, Fengzi, I'll go with you." He then went into the inner room to bother the shop owner.
Kudu was greatly surprised. He knew Li Qiang's strength, and his master should be far more powerful. Moreover, he had heard that Li Qiang was a master of the Chongxuan Sect and one of its core members, but he had never heard of core members of the Chongxuan Sect having a master-disciple relationship. He asked in surprise, "He's your master?"
Li Qiang transmitted his voice, "You should leave. My master is Loose Immortal, and he dislikes people from the Buddha Sect. Don't provoke him with your words, or I won't be able to save you."
Kudu, of course, knew the strength of Loose Immortal, and felt a surge of gratitude towards Li Qiang, saying, "Thank you, we'll be going now."
He also transmitted his voice, saying, "I have some news for you. Something big is happening in the Wild Plains, but I don't know what it is. I only know that everyone who has heard the news is rushing to the Wild Plains, including cultivators from the Cultivation Realm." He stood up, gave a slight bow, and left the small shop with another person.
Li Qiang fell into deep thought. What major event could happen in the Wild Plains? Strange.
After Kudu and his companion quietly left, Li Qiang heard the shopkeeper's voice from the inner room. "Gentlemen, my humble shop really doesn't have any Emerald Green Crisps, and we don't have any dishes from the Tanbang Continent. Ah... I'm from the Western Continent Western Continent, and all the dishes here are specialties from there..."
Li Qiang slipped into the inner room and saw Geng Feng and Qi Junsha gesturing wildly and arguing with the shop owner.
Li Qiang said with a grin, "I want a sweet toothpick, do you have a 'smack' sound?"
Geng Feng yelled, " Little Madman, you dare to eat that 'smack'? I'm truly Old Madman!"
The shop owner was on the verge of tears, saying, "I really don't have the dishes you're looking for. My shop only has dishes from the Western Continent..."
Qi Junsha chuckled, "My good disciple's joined in the fun too. Alright, boss, just make us some specialties from the Western Continent."
The shop owner nodded vigorously, his face contorted with worry, and invited the three men into the innermost room to sit down. He instructed his waiter to quickly go outside and attract more customers, while he himself went to the kitchen to discuss with the head chef what dishes to prepare. He was inwardly groaning; these three customers were like plagues, having driven away all the other customers. He didn't know how much money he was going to lose.
Li Qiang said, "Why are we acting like thugs? The shop owner's business is finished today."
Geng Feng glanced at Qi Junsha and laughed, "This isn't my fault, hehe."
Qi Junsha said lazily, "You Fengzi, are you blaming this old man?"
Geng Feng repeatedly said, "Hehe, I wouldn't dare! Who would dare complain about you, sir?"
Qi Junsha asked sharply, "What did that person say just now? I heard him transmit his voice to you."
Li Qiang was startled. Even that could be heard? He scratched his head and chuckled, "You heard it all, why are you asking me?"
Qi Junsha stood up, walked to the door, and said, "I know you're communicating telepathically, but I can't hear what you're saying... Hey, shop owner, hurry up!" He wondered to himself why the owner of this small shop was so slow.
Li Qiang pondered for a moment and said, "He didn't say anything, only that something big had happened in Wild Plains, but he didn't know the specifics."
Qi Junsha said, " Fengzi, are you familiar with the Wild Plains?"
Geng Feng slowly shook his head. "I'm not very familiar with it, but I've heard quite a bit about it. Legend has it that it was originally an important Buddhist site, but it was abandoned during the later conflict between the Buddha Sect and Buddhism. I heard that after it was sealed by a strange restriction, it became a paradise for monsters. Cultivators there can't even unleash half their strength. There are many strange and bizarre things in the Wild Plains. Our predecessors from Heavenly Melody City have also gone to explore it, but none of them have returned. Therefore, we can only find out what truly terrifying things there are once we go inside."
Qi Junsha immediately became very interested and laughed, "This is very interesting! My good disciple, hurry up and find your friend. This old man can't wait to see what this Wild Plains is really like."
As they were talking, the shop owner and his waiter came in carrying two large trays. The shop owner said, "This is a specialty of the Western Continent —roasted Hairy Earth Beast, and a plate of meat from the Blue-haired Fox from the Sea of Wronged Souls."
The three looked at each other, none of them eating meat. It wasn't that they couldn't eat it, but they simply didn't like the taste of meat.
The plate of roasted meat from the Hairy Earth Beast was golden brown, sprinkled with seasonings, and had a strong, pungent smell. The blue-haired raccoon, on the other hand, was extremely fishy and smelly.
Li Qiang waved his hands repeatedly and shouted, "What is this garbage? Take it away! Can you even eat this stuff?"
The shop owner grinned and said, "This is the best dish in our shop. There's nothing better. Don't you gentlemen like it?"
Qi Junsha squinted, holding his breath and remaining silent, afraid of inhaling even a trace of that unpleasant smell. Although Geng Feng was unkempt, he also couldn't stand the strange odor.
Li Qiang said, "Take it! Take it!"
The shop owner seemed aggrieved, saying, "This is our only stock; the shop relies on this to make a living." His lips twitched, and he trembled all over, looking like he was about to cry. But to Li Qiang, the guy looked like he was smiling. He suddenly realized that the shop owner was taking revenge!
Li Qiang smiled slightly, took out a wad of cash and casually tossed it on the table, saying, "How much are these two dishes?"
The shop owner and his assistant's eyes lit up immediately. The shop owner stared at the amount of money and said, "Two plates for a total of one hundred and twenty-seven coins, sir. You know, things from Black Islet Reef are a bit more expensive than elsewhere, hehe, hehehe." He bowed and smiled obsequiously.
Qi Junsha and Geng Feng had no idea what Li Qiang was up to, so they both held their breath and watched the show.
Li Qiang nodded, counted out 130 coins from the pile, and said, "What a pity. I heard that the food in the Western Continent was delicious, so I specially brought my friends to try it. If my friends said it was good, all these coins would be yours. But now... hehe, there's nothing I can do about it." He slowly sorted the coins on the table, categorizing them into different types.
The shop owner glanced over and saw seven or eight black money cards alone—that was a thousand-yuan money card! There were also many other colored money cards. He immediately felt extremely disappointed.
The shop owner and his assistant walked out of the room dejectedly carrying large platters. Qi Junsha sneered, "Kid, what are you doing? Trying to outdo each other in wealth, trying to intimidate people with money?"
Li Qiang said with a grin, "Don't worry about it, old man, just watch me."
Geng Feng huffed, "Damn it, I've never seen such smelly food before. It's disgusting!"
They could hear the shop owner talking outside. Although he had lowered his voice, the three men were all skilled and heard him clearly. The shop owner was cursing his employee. "You headless bastard! Who told you to come up with such a terrible idea, serving rotten meat to a customer? Now look what's happened! The old man won't pay even if he wants to. You're the one who shits his pants, who's to blame? Damn it, you're going to make me so angry! What are we going to do now?"
The waiter muttered to himself, "Boss... is this my fault? Didn't you agree? You even said they looked like they were just there to freeload... and now you're blaming me..."
A loud "smack" rang out, and the shop owner's voice rose. "You headless wretch, still arguing with me! Hurry up and prepare, bring out the best stuff in the shop! Didn't that gentleman say that if his friend says it's good, he'll give us that whole pile of money? Go now!"
Qi Junsha chuckled, "My good disciple is truly amazing. This is so much fun! It's been a long time since I've been to an environment like this; I'm really not used to it."
Li Qiang laughed and said, "I'm not here for the food. I'll ask him about the situation when he arrives, and I guarantee he'll tell me everything."
Geng Feng, "If I had asked him just now, would he have refused to tell me?"
Li Qiang laughed and said, "He'll definitely say it, and I'm sure he'll lie. He's just hoping for a chance to fool us."
Qi Junsha shook his head and said, "You little rascal, I never would have guessed you were full of tricks."
This time, the shop owner and his assistant didn't keep Li Qiang and his companions waiting long. After only a short while, the assistant brought out a large platter of various fruits and said ingratiatingly, "Gentlemen, please try some of the fruits our shop brought from the Western Continent."
Geng Feng grabbed one and ate it, saying, "Hmm, it's quite fresh, good!"
Li Qiang nodded and casually tossed a black money card to his employee.
The waiter's hands were trembling. He hesitated and asked, "Sir, we'll pay after we finish our meal..." but one hand was tightly gripping the money card.
Li Qiang nodded and said, "Here you go. My friend said 'good,' didn't you hear him?"
The waiter was immediately bewildered, stammering, "I heard! I heard the gentleman say it's alright, thank you for the reward!" He turned and rushed out. The three of them then heard a sharp "crack... bang!" outside the door, followed by the waiter's voice. "Ouch!" Then came the waiter's voice. "Boss... why are you hiding outside the door... it hurts so much..."
Geng Feng said, "I didn't expect the Little Madman to be so adept at social skills. The Old Madman is completely outmatched, haha."
Li Qiang called out, "Boss, come in. I have something to ask you."
The shop owner was extremely obedient now. He rubbed his head, respectfully ran into the house, and asked solicitously, "Sir, what can I do for you? Just tell me, and the shop will certainly meet your requirements, hehe, hehehe."
Qi Junsha pursed his lips and didn't say anything. He really didn't think much of it. It was just a pile of money on the table. It was strange that he was so greedy.
Li Qiang asked with a grin, "Boss, your shop is right by the dock. Have you seen any slingshot ships docked there recently?" He said this while fiddling with the money on the table.
The shop owner's eyes never left Li Qiang's hands. He swallowed hard and said, "Sir, two grappling hook ships did dock here a few days ago, but they've both left. I don't know which ship you're asking about."
"Two grappling hook ships?" Li Qiang hesitated, unsure if Zhao Hao's ship was among them. He thought for a moment and then asked, "Do we need to register the boats docked here?"
The shop owner shook his head and said, "No, this is a free dock; anyone can dock here." Li Qiang was now in a bind. He stood up and paced back and forth.
Qi Junsha chuckled and said, "Wait a minute, go out and ask. Maybe your friend hasn't arrived yet."
Geng Feng also said, "Take it slow. As long as we find their whereabouts, with your skill level, catching up with them shouldn't be difficult. If all else fails, we can wait at the dock on the Western Continent."
Li Qiang scratched his head and said, "I'm just worried about them in the Sea of Wronged Souls... Hmm..." He glanced at Qi Junsha and suddenly smiled.
Qi Junsha said, "What mischief are you up to now, you little rascal?"
Li Qiang's face hardened as he said, "No, no, who would dare?" But the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl upwards.