Realm-Hopping Martial Master

If he guessed correctly, the one tossing stones into his little courtyard should have been Han Dali.

In Jiang Shu's three days of observation,

Han Dali had clearly been two different people before and after leaving the Zhou Family restaurant.

In front of others, he seemed to blend in completely, becoming a part of the Zhou Family restaurant.

In private, though, he practiced martial arts with even more desperation.

*Someone who had a shot at becoming a Martial Artist, how could he resign himself to being bound by a contract and trapped in a restaurant his whole life?*

*If it were me, and I wanted out, what else could I do but wait for the Zhou Family restaurant to collapse on its own?*

*Before, maybe that chance never existed.*

But now,

Jiang Shu narrowed his eyes.

Clearly, over this period, Han Dali had grown a lot.

Throwing stones at his courtyard, signaling him to be careful.

If he picked up on it, the Zhou Family restaurant would naturally keep sinking day by day.

If he took the note to ask Zhou Yang, Zhou Yang still wouldn't be able to deduce who sent it just from the paper slip.

As for Han Dali, he would stay safe and sound within the restaurant.

At the very least, he would never have to worry about food and drink again, so much better than commoners could ever hope for.

*That's kind of interesting.*

*Too bad he figured it out too late.*

*If only he'd wised up earlier, his fate wouldn't have turned out like this.*

A martial school needed money—he could've borrowed it.

Once he became a Martial Artist, wouldn't paying back a few dozen taels of silver be easy?

Jiang Shu never had any intention of interacting with Han Dali.

He waited, crouched like a hungry tiger in its den, calmly biding his time.

*Either don't act, or go all the way—clean and thorough.*

Not only would every problem get erased,

he intended to make quite a profit from it all.

*His time, after all, was worth money.*

Standing still, breathing steadily,

at last, one night,

Zhou Yang, dressed up like a rich young lord, went to Skylark Square, where he met Yao Wenbai at the entrance.

The two chatted,

clearly not for the first time.

Countless candles lit up behind gauzy windows in the high towers, silhouettes of beautiful women flitting by, dreamy as twigs and willows swaying in spring.

Even before going in, the scent hit the guests like a physical force.

Skylark Square.

The most illustrious spot inside Pingling County's inner city.

No telling how many commoners dreamed of entering, just to glimpse the legendary beauties within.

Too bad the prices were sky-high. Only the rich sons, wealthy merchants, and Martial Artists could truly afford it.

Even families considered well-off would hesitate and wrestle with the decision a long time before coming here just once.

Using Xia Country makeup skills, he transformed his face into something utterly forgettable.

Jiang Shu tossed a tael of silver into the madam's greedy palm, acting the seasoned patron, while casually glancing sidelong to spot which room Yao Wenbai went into upstairs. Then he said,

"First, set a proper table for me. In half an hour, send a well-shaped, pretty girl to my room."

"Oh my, sir, what are you talking about, every girl in our Skylark Square is as beautiful as a flower! Each has her own charm, just wait and see."

"I guarantee it; come here once, you'll want to come again. Your spear skills—only getting better!"

As the old madam bragged, Jiang Shu smiled faintly and walked upstairs, passing by the room Yao Wenbai had just entered, and heading into the one next door.

When he sat down,

Zhou Yang's fawning tone rang out crystal clear through the wall.

"Young Master Yao, we already talked about this. As soon as Jiang Shu returns, he'll tell me how to make the salt, the seasoning powder, and the spices. Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it."

"It's just, about Jiang Shu and that Elder Qiu…"

"Ha, another fool who trained so much he fried his brain. But you—at least you've got some wits. You know what happened to Luo Family's pharmacy, right? If they'd surrendered their Blood-Nourishing Medicinal Delicacy early on, nothing would've happened. And now look?"

It sounded like Yao Wenbai took a sip of wine and smacked his lips.

The Blood-Nourishing Medicinal Delicacy really had given him a taste of the best.

Before, he'd only been favored by the Family Head because of his mother, not because of any ability of his own.

Now, thanks to opening the Yao Family restaurant, he was raking in a lot of money.

If he could win control of the seasoning powder and the spices, the Yao Family restaurant could become the biggest in the entire inner city of Pingling County, and then—he could even partner with Skylark Square.

*That would be a real cash cow.*

"That old geezer at Hungry Tiger Martial School, what's he got left? All this time and he hasn't lifted a finger—his bones are probably rotten. When the time comes, our Yao Family restaurant will just use the seasoning powder and spices, give him a stack of cash, and what's he going to do? He won't dare say a word."

"After all, this salt, the powder, the spices—they're not even his. He's just a figurehead. As long as we pay, who cares? Why stick your neck out for what doesn't concern you? He's just a minor disciple. So what if he studies at the Martial School—you really think that means anything?"

"As for that Jiang Shu, sure, he's got some talent. Let him join up with our Yao Family, become a retainer. Sit around the restaurant every day. If he minds his manners, maybe we'll even give him a few extra pounds of exotic beast meat every month."

"Be a good dog, you get to eat meat. Really think breaking into the Skin Grinding Realm makes you someone important? Brain-dead. You want meat, catch it yourself up in the mountains. This time, don't end up dead on the mountain, brat."

"And you're an idiot too. Can't you get him to teach you everything before you go?"

Yao Wenbai's tone shifted from disdainful to irritated.

"Young Master Yao… please calm down, there was nothing I could do. Jiang Shu doesn't listen to me at all. If he promised to come back and teach me, that's already pretty good. Last time he came back from the mountain, so he should manage again, right?"

Zhou Yang's voice was shaking.

Beside them, a girl cooed, "Young Master Yao, why won't you look at me tonight, why such a foul temper? You're here at Skylark Square, so relax! Let me play you a tune on my flute and blow all that anger away."

With that, a sweet giggle sounded, words muffled—who knew what she might be eating.

Jiang Shu picked up his chopsticks.

The feast was set in the room.

He ate as he listened.

Zhou Yang fawned endlessly, eager to join the Yao Family and have a slice of their world.

Yao Wenbai just hummed along, high as a cloud.

*Who knew if he was high from the flattery,*

*or just from something else.*

After a quarter of an hour,

Zhou Yang seemed to realize he shouldn't interrupt Yao Wenbai's fun any longer and muttered something before heading for the door.

But just as he opened the door, a hand struck out of nowhere,

clamping around his throat and wrenching hard.

He didn't even see who it was—

dead before he could glimpse a thing.

Inside the room,

a thin veil hung over the Skylark Square girl's shoulders, baring pale, slippery skin.

Below her shoulders, her waist was slim enough for a palm to encircle.

Kneeling on the floor, her small chest lent an odd allure.

Before her, Yao Wenbai sat with his eyes closed, blissfully lost.

No one noticed someone had entered.

Jiang Shu now gripped Zhou Yang's corpse with one hand.

Striking from behind, he chopped the Skylark Square girl unconscious with a single blow.

Then, cool as anything, he sat himself across from the not-yet-alert Yao Wenbai—face masked, voice low and calm—as he said,

"Name your own price. Your life as the Yao Family's young lord."

"How much is it worth?"