Chapter 79: The Idler Courts Trouble

The others simply glanced at Hua Mingzhu and moved on. Although these youths appeared quite young, the weapons at their sides made it clear they were not to be trifled with. But every place has its own brand of fearless ruffians, a common trait found everywhere.

After wandering around for two or three hours, the group of five was ready to return to the inn when six or seven burly men swaggered over, grinning as they blocked the path. These men were bare-chested, the very picture of the local idlers. Before Yang Cheng could say a word, Tian Hu and Tian Biao stepped forward, standing protectively at the fore, their eyes blazing as they faced down the gang.

"Well, look at this! Two snot-nosed boys daring to act tough in front of us," the bearded leader sneered, turning to his companions, who erupted in laughter.

Yang Cheng's displeasure was evident. He asked, "Gentlemen, may I ask why you are blocking our way?"

A man with slanted eyes replied, "Can’t you see what’s what? Who’s blocking you? The men can go, just leave the little miss with us. She can join us for a drink."

The laughter grew louder. Someone else chimed in, "Go on, go on, don’t hold us up from our drinks!"

Hua Mingzhu’s face flushed with anger. Bai Zhuluo was about to comfort her when the slanted-eyed man pointed at him and jeered, "Hey, this pretty boy isn’t bad-looking either. Put him in a dress and he’d be quite a sight!" The laughter turned raucous, some even resorting to crude insults.

Yang Cheng was incensed and about to speak, but Bai Zhuluo, unused to such humiliation, let his temper flare. Without a word, he strode up and delivered a fierce kick to the slanted-eyed man’s stomach. Though the man was a cultivator and didn’t die on the spot, he was sent flying several meters, landing on the ground, barely breathing.

Yang Cheng shouted, "Tiger, Biao, teach them a lesson!"

Tian Hu and Tian Biao had been itching for a fight. There was no need to draw their swords against these thugs. Tian Hu slapped the bearded leader so hard he spun around, spitting out several teeth, his eyes dazed and confused.

"A pack of scoundrels daring to insult my senior sister?" Tian Hu cursed. "That filthy mouth of yours deserves a beating!"

The remaining ruffians were stunned by the sudden turn of events. How could these youngsters be even bolder than themselves? The bearded man, his speech slurred, managed to cry, "Get them! Hit them!"

A brawl ensued. Hua Mingzhu and Bai Zhuluo stayed out of it. Tian Hu and Tian Biao, though new to cultivation and not yet powerful, had been personally trained by Lu Baichuan. Dealing with this rabble was child’s play. Within moments, and without ever drawing their swords, the pair had knocked the rest to the ground. Yang Cheng even took the opportunity to kick a few himself.

The bearded leader, seeing his men sprawled around him, was both frightened and humiliated. Noticing the gathering crowd, he spat out blood and bellowed, "Do you know who my brother is? I am—"

A resounding slap from Tian Biao cut him off.

"I—I am—"

Another slap from Tian Biao silenced him for good. His mind was spinning. No one had ever dared act so brazenly.

Yang Cheng made no move to stop him, thinking, Who cares who he is? Tian Biao’s actions were quite satisfying.

With no one daring to block their way any further, the five returned directly to the inn. The moment they entered, the attendant brought tea. Just as they were about to drink, a limping man came in. He walked straight to their table and said to Yang Cheng, "You’re in trouble. It would be wise to leave town at once."

Yang Cheng was about to ask why when the man glanced nervously at the door, sighed, and said, "You beat up men belonging to Lord Tiger. He’ll be back for revenge."

Yang Cheng realized that the men who’d tried to extort them upon entering town, and those who accosted Mingzhu that afternoon, were all Lord Tiger’s men. It seemed there was no avoiding this local tyrant. He clasped his hands in thanks. "Thank you for the warning, brother. But who is this Lord Tiger?"

The man sighed again and recounted the story. This so-called Lord Tiger was Tian Yunhu, a native of the town. He had studied cultivation from a young age and, upon coming of age, became unrivaled in Shudong Town. If only he had used his strength to keep the peace, things might have been better. But he was arrogant and despotic, bullying the townsfolk and tyrannizing the market.

Most businesses in town had to pay him monthly protection money. Not content with this, he even set up tolls at the town gates, extorting passing merchants and usurping official duties. Worse, his band of idle henchmen did nothing but harass and oppress, turning Shudong Town into a den of vice. Locals referred to him privately as the "Evil Tiger of Shudong."

The informant’s name was Wang Xiang. He could no longer bear Tian Yunhu’s ways. Secretly, he collected evidence of his crimes and submitted it to the local authorities, hoping they would act. Instead, the very day he handed in his petition, Tian Yunhu showed up at his home with a mob, looking for trouble. Only then did Wang Xiang realize he’d been naive—officials and local tyrants were always in collusion. It was Tian Yunhu’s men who crippled his leg.

Seeing these young strangers unknowingly provoke the tyrant, Wang Xiang had followed them to warn them out of compassion.

Yang Cheng thanked Wang Xiang and tried to offer him some money, but Wang declined, urging them to leave town quickly before hurrying out of the inn himself.

Watching Wang Xiang’s limping figure fade into the dusk, Yang Cheng couldn’t help but sigh. In every era, good men like Wang Xiang are never in short supply. Unfortunately, such people often fail to realize that the reason evil runs rampant is because it is shielded from above; complaints fall on deaf ears.

The five sat a while longer before Li Tianxing and Mei Yuchen returned. They had been out gathering information and quickly shared what they’d learned about Tian Yunhu.

Shudong Town was sparsely populated and had few skilled cultivators. This allowed Tian Yunhu, recently returned from his training, to dominate the area with his advanced cultivation—already in the Fusion stage. His underlings, though numerous, were just idle men who had barely learned the basics of cultivation from him and posed little threat. However, Tian Yunhu himself was stronger than any of the seven; he would not be easy to deal with.

After hearing this, Bai Zhuluo, Tian Hu, and Tian Biao all began recounting the incident where Hua Mingzhu had been harassed by Tian Yunhu’s men. Li Tianxing and Mei Yuchen were so enraged they slammed their fists on the table, cursing Tian Yunhu’s arrogance and vowing to confront him immediately, swords in hand.

Yang Cheng stopped them and thought it through. This was not something they could avoid, nor could they run to Wuzhou City seeking Master Luo’s help now—it would be too cowardly, even for someone as cautious as Yang Cheng. Besides, he needed to stand up for Hua Mingzhu.

Mei Yuchen, however, was excited. He and Bai Zhuluo were both in the Foundation Establishment stage—one approaching the late stage, the other just beginning. Mei Yuchen was eager to test himself against a true master, having often sparred with Fusion-stage experts like Yan Shuihan back in Nanqiu.

When Yang Cheng asked Bai Zhuluo, she replied proudly that she had often been tested by Fusion-stage masters in her own family. The others, though newer to cultivation, could at least provide support. All things considered, they stood a fighting chance.

The injured thugs would certainly run to Tian Yunhu for help. It was already growing late; by morning at the latest, someone would be searching for them and seeking revenge. Rather than wait to be ambushed, it was better to strike first.

According to Li Tianxing’s information, Tian Yunhu was a man of indulgence, having built a grand mansion atop the most auspicious mountain around Shudong Town. With so few cultivators in the area, he didn’t bother to post many guards.

The group made their plan: after dinner and a short rest, they would ascend the mountain under cover of darkness. Mei Yuchen and Bai Zhuluo would occupy Tian Yunhu, while the others swiftly dealt with his henchmen. Then, all together, they would confront the tyrant.

It was a dangerous mission, with no guarantee of victory. If things went awry, retreat was always an option. Fortunately, aside from Bai Zhuluo, everyone was exceptionally swift. Even Bai Zhuluo could be carried away if necessary. The mansion’s remote location made it unlikely Tian Yunhu would dare pursue them deep into the night.

With their plan settled, the seven ate dinner and retired to their rooms, each preparing themselves for the coming battle.