"What difference does it make whether we can control him or not?"
Bai Feng withdrew his gaze. He didn’t really have strong feelings about Lin Shu.
After all, before today, the two had only met once.
The other man was relying on a remnant of Immortal Fate to stay alive, and he’d used it to kill three opera troupe ruffians.
He had a bit of power, but not much, and it wasn’t sustainable. He was also just a country bumpkin from the South Suburbs, so both his background and future were utterly bleak.
Bai Feng found it hard to muster any interest in such an unprofitable nobody.
Even now that the situation had changed.
The man had somehow gotten his hands on an Inner Technique and successfully begun his Cultivation, but it wasn’t enough to change Bai Feng’s attitude by much.
The reason wasn’t complicated.
Perhaps Yan Jin was unhappy that Tian Jingyuan had been asking around and learned of her assessment of Lin Shu, so she was now stirring things up behind the scenes.
So this time, when she brought Lin Shu into the Fierce Wolf Hall, she didn’t inform the Hall of the specific grade of Inner Technique he had comprehended.
But even so, how could she hide it from a slippery character like Bai Feng?
Any Inner Technique from the upper-Middle Third Grade, the kind that could turn someone into a future pillar of the hall, had to be reported to the Hall Master in advance.
Lin clearly wasn’t one of them.
"You managed to hang onto your life by a thread. You should know to cherish that, right?"
Bai Feng taunted with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, "This is the Fierce Wolf Hall. We don’t raise milk-fed puppies. If you casually provoke people you can’t afford to offend, no one is going to stick their neck out for you."
His words seemed to be directed at Lin Shu, but in reality, he was subtly reminding Yan Jin to mind her own business.
If it were anyone else, it would have been fine. They’d at least be a young wolf. Regardless of their future, becoming friendly with them might make them a future asset.
But this kid was different.
To put it bluntly, just to guard the insignificant Magpie’s Nest for a measly twenty-odd taels of silver a month, the man dared to take Zhang Zhongping’s life.
If he really got control of a street, would he even dare to storm the Government Office?!
Yan Jin stopped in her tracks and shot him a cold look.
She had spoken up because Lin Shu, who was ordered to guard Magpie’s Nest, had truly prevented any harm from befalling the Brothel Madams inside.
That was true even when a Grand Martial Artist came looking for trouble, a situation far beyond what a fox like him was expected to handle.
This matter didn’t need to escalate so much.
It was all because of their previous negligence, which led to Lin Shu being unable to contact his fellow Fierce Wolves, so no one showed up to mediate.
Why should the same problem happen again?
"What, did I say something wrong?"
Facing Yan Jin’s cold stare, the usually slippery Bai Feng, for once, didn’t look away.
’He’d always believed that investing effort in someone who was both worthless and a troublemaker would only bring them more problems.’
’Tian Jingyuan isn’t hard to deal with. With our status, a single word would be enough to make that damn fatty behave.’
’But if we set this precedent, in everyone else’s eyes, Yan Jin would become Lin Shu’s backer.’
’Who could guarantee that after getting a taste of this, the kid wouldn’t use her as a shield to stir up even bigger trouble?’
’When that time comes, it won’t be so easy to sever ties!’
As their gazes met, a hint of sharp confrontation arose between them.
"Can’t afford to offend... Is he very strong?"
Lin Shu’s seemingly curious and casual question finally broke the stalemate.
"Heh."
Bai Feng suddenly exhaled sharply.
There was no provocative tone in Lin Shu’s voice.
But the other man’s casual, understated manner still sparked a flicker of annoyance in Bai Feng’s heart.
’Great. We’re in the middle of an argument... and this young wolf being targeted by Fatty Tian is acting like it has nothing to do with him.’
"’Strong?’ Well, that depends."
Bai Feng raised an eyebrow, suppressed his displeasure, and said faintly, "It depends on who you’re comparing him to."
"A Sixth-Grade Inner Technique, just broke through to Mid-stage Qi Cultivation, at most he can manage fifty or sixty wisps of Qi Absorption. He hasn’t been a Fierce Wolf for long, so he probably hasn’t had the chance to collect any Immortal Relics to round out his abilities."
"Compared to the other Fierce Wolves, he’s naturally a cut below."
"But if we’re comparing him to you..."
Bai Feng didn’t finish his sentence, merely letting out a soft chuckle. Then he flicked his sleeves, walked past the two of them, and went straight ahead to lead the way.
"Pay him no mind."
Yan Jin’s voice was indifferent as she started walking again. "Black Water City isn’t like the outside. We’re not at a point where we can talk about talent. The level of one’s Cultivation depends more on luck. As long as you’re alive, there’s always a chance to surpass others."
Having gotten the information he wanted, Lin Shu raised his eyes slightly to look at the long street ahead.
His mind clearly wasn’t on the two of them.
’Fifty or sixty wisps of absorbed Qi?’
’Earning this Sin Coin doesn’t seem as hard as I thought.’
「Fuman Restaurant.」
It was almost noon, but this relatively upscale establishment had already ordered its staff to clear the premises.
The Shopkeeper was waiting personally at the entrance.
More than ten people entered one after another, and he had to greet each one with bows and scrapes.
"Yo! Master Tian, congratulations on your promotion!"
The old Shopkeeper hadn’t even had time to straighten his back when he looked up and saw a mountain of flesh blocking his view.
"Get in there. What are you standing around for?"
Yin Ling slowly ambled over and casually teased Tian Jingyuan, "What’s wrong? Something bothering you?"
The two had devoured most of the fortune saved up by the Hongyun Martial Arts Hall together, so their relationship had become quite familiar.
"A little."
Tian Jingyuan hid the coldness in his eyes and didn’t deny it.
He really hadn’t expected that damned fox to survive his encounter with Zhang Zhongping.
He had even climbed over that old bastard’s corpse to successfully join the Fierce Wolf Hall.
This made Tian Jingyuan vaguely uneasy... and even chagrined.
Because he hadn’t paid Lin Shu any mind at all before, he hadn’t deliberately hidden what he was doing when he was helping Zhang Zhongping make arrangements.
Which led to the current, widely known outcome.
"What’s the rush? He’s just a wolf cub. It’s not like he can flip the heavens over. You’re not scared, are you? Let’s just see how things play out first."
Yin Ling patted the fatty’s shoulder and offered a smiling consolation.
The two walked into the restaurant, passed through the front hall, and arrived at the spacious private room the Shopkeeper had specially prepared for the Fierce Wolf Hall.
The first thing that met their eyes was a thick, long table made entirely of ironwood, a full three zhang long, polished to a brilliant shine, and glinting with a faint gray light.
In the host’s seat was an old man in a blue jacket with somewhat cloudy eyes, known as Master Mo.
This old wolf had been in the hall for a long time and had deep seniority. He was the one hosting today’s banquet.
The next seats belonged to Yan Jin and Bai Feng.
Further down, a few other Fierce Wolves were seated sporadically. Regardless of their height or build, whether they were chatting and laughing or not, they all shared the same indelible, baleful aura.
As for the young wolves they had brought with them, they sat obediently by their sides.
As a newly promoted Fierce Wolf, Tian Jingyuan’s seat was naturally further down the table.
He walked to his seat and pulled out the heavy, wide ironwood chair. At the same time, his peripheral vision drifted to the far end of the long table, where the handsome young man sitting quietly happened to look over as well.
Lin Shu’s gaze was indifferent. It held no enmity, as if he didn’t even recognize the fatty.
But this direct stare was enough to make rage flare up in Tian Jingyuan’s heart once again.
’It had been the same way back at Magpie’s Nest.’
’This guy... what right did he have to look at me like that?’
’When there’s a clear gap in status and strength, for the inferior party to show no fear is, in itself, an offense!’
"Hah."
Tian Jingyuan retracted his gaze and sank his corpulent body into the chair.
He closed his eyes, dispelling his earlier frustration.
’Just as Yin Ling said, there’s no need to rush. There will be other chances.’
’When the time is right, a single slap will be enough to crush this damned fox until not even his bones are left!’

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