At the sound of Fatty Tian’s faint, cold laugh.
The other Fierce Wolves in the room turned to look at him, their eyes filled with ridicule.
For a Mid-stage Qi Cultivator to stoop so low and attack some nameless fox was shameful enough.
What was even more laughable was that not only had the fox emerged unscathed, but he was now sitting at this very table.
If Tian Jingyuan didn’t find a way to save face, this was going to be one hell of a show.
"Looks like just about everyone’s here. Let’s get you all acquainted."
At the head of the table, Master Mo leaned back lazily in his chair.
This was just the small matter of admitting a young wolf into the hall; there was no need to make a city-wide spectacle of it.
That’s why only the hall members from the nearby streets had come. The main purpose was for them to get familiar with this new wolf, which would make things easier for everyone down the line.
"I’ve called you all here for a little get-together today, and to find a post for the lad."
A flicker of weariness crossed Master Mo’s eyes; he clearly wasn’t very interested in the matter.
He pondered for a moment before making a decision. "It seems there are no open territories on the streets. I hear you’re from Cyan Willow Lane, so why don’t you just stay in your old stomping grounds."
At these words, no one’s expression changed much.
It was a standard assignment—no special treatment, but not an outright snub either.
When Tian Jingyuan was a young wolf, for example, he was also assigned a Brothel. It didn’t bring in much silver, but the hall didn’t take a cut. It was purely a way to sustain him.
If his Cultivation advanced, new arrangements would naturally follow.
If it didn’t, the hall couldn’t be accused of mistreating him. When real trouble came, he would still have to pull his weight.
But a single, lowly Brothel was certainly not enough to sate a young wolf’s appetite.
If he wanted more, he’d have to earn it himself.
Sure enough, Master Mo soon looked toward the young man at the far end of the table. "You’re a wolf now, so you’re no longer under the Cunning Fox Hall’s jurisdiction... Since you’ll be in Cyan Willow Lane, you’ll follow Yin Ling. Take your orders from him; you’ll be able to earn some extra bread."
The moment he said that.
The Fierce Wolves froze for a second, their expressions turning strange.
On the surface, there was nothing wrong with his words. Cyan Willow Lane was under Yin Ling’s jurisdiction, so it was only natural for the young wolf to report to him.
The problem was, Yin Ling had just joined forces with Tian Jingyuan to devour the juicy prize that was the Hongyun Martial Arts Hall. The two were close, and this young wolf had already made an enemy of Tian.
’Making Lin Shu take orders from Yin Ling... How is that any different from handing him directly to Fatty Tian?’
’Master Mo really is getting old, completely clueless about what’s going on.’
’If he’d caught even the slightest wind of it, he’d never have made such a foolish decision.’
"We’ll do as Master Mo arranges."
A smile spread across Yin Ling’s face.
’This isn’t some young wolf being delivered to me; it’s a hefty sum of silver.’
’As for its exact value... that will depend on how much Fatty Tian is willing to bleed for it.’
Tian Jingyuan let out a breath.
His face had been burning under the crowd’s mocking stares, and he had been keeping his eyes shut, feigning composure.
Now, the fat man finally opened his eyes. He slowly and deliberately pulled the Cyan Jade Pipe from his sleeve and began to polish it carefully with the fabric.
’He hadn’t expected an opportunity to come so quickly.’
’You could only say that scum get what they deserve.’
The mere thought of how he would torture the young man sent a wave of inexplicable pleasure through Tian Jingyuan.
"Tsk, tsk."
Seeing this, the hall members lost interest and looked away. With this arrangement, what show was left to watch?
No one was interested in something with a foregone conclusion.
Yan Jin’s gaze turned cold, and she moved as if to stand up.
’She’d never intended to be Lin Shu’s patron, but she had brought him into the hall—not to send him to his death.’
"We’ll handle this later!"
Seeing her expression, Bai Feng hurriedly blocked her with his elbow.
Master Mo was proud and stubborn, always relying on his seniority. He hated losing face.
Now that he had spoken, he would never admit to making an improper arrangement, even if he knew he had.
And Yan Jin wasn’t one to mince words. If she were to speak up, things would only get more complicated.
Seeing she was dead set on interfering, Bai Feng sighed inwardly. He lowered his voice and said through gritted teeth, "I’ll handle it, alright? Don’t you trust me?"
’Worst case, I’ll have to bleed a little silver to get a new post arranged for Lin!’
Yan Jin fell silent for a moment, then finally relaxed and stopped trying to get up.
"Alright, if there are no other issues, let’s have the Shopkeeper bring in the food."
Master Mo listlessly swept his gaze over the table. Seeing no one else had anything to say, he was about to call for the Shopkeeper waiting outside the room.
Just then, an arm slowly rose from the long table.
"I have a question."
As he spoke, all eyes turned to the end of the table, focusing on the fair, handsome young man.
Master Mo frowned. Clearly finding the young man troublesome, he said impatiently, "Speak."
Under everyone’s watchful gaze.
Lin Shu stood up and asked with an air of curiosity, "You say there are no open territories, but things look pretty empty to me. If people just shifted over a bit, or even squeezed together, couldn’t some room be made?"
At his words, the hall members exchanged glances.
’This young wolf clearly knows he’s in a perilous situation and is trying to salvage it.’
’But watching a show is one thing. They were neither friends nor family, and Tian Jingyuan, for all his faults, was still a Fierce Wolf. Who would risk angering the fatty for this kid?’
’He was being far too naive.’
’Bai Feng was also a bit speechless. He had thought Lin might have another way out of this, one that could save him a bit of silver.’
’If trouble could be solved with a few simple words, what was the point of all their Cultivation?’
"Do you see anyone willing to make room for you?"
Master Mo glanced at the others, his voice now tinged with displeasure at this young wolf who didn’t know the rules.
Lin Shu left his seat and began to walk slowly around the table.
Yan Jin considered for a moment and gave the young man a nod, but he walked right past her.
The sight left her momentarily stunned.
"Tch."
Seeing that no one could be bothered to acknowledge the kid, Tian Jingyuan couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
’People always cling to life. Still putting up a desperate struggle at a time like this.’
But before the smile could leave his face, he caught sight of a tall, slender figure in his periphery. It had slowly approached and stopped just behind him.
The next moment, a casual voice sounded beside his ear.
"I hear you’ve been selling my life out there, made a pretty penny in silver. I’ll take one of your streets for it. That’s not too much to ask, is it?"
The fat on Tian Jingyuan’s face trembled. Overcoming his initial surge of rage, his first instinct was to deny it.
’He knew full well that even if he was in the wrong, no one would stand up for this kid.’
’But selling out a fellow hall member... that kind of talk was ugly, no matter what.’
However, just as the words reached his lips, the fat man sensed a change in the atmosphere.
The entire room had fallen deathly silent.
Those stares that had made his face burn with shame just moments before were now quietly gathering on him once again.
Tian Jingyuan froze for a second, only then realizing that Lin Shu was literally looking down on him with a condescending air.
’Which meant...’
’This was no longer a debate over facts, but a challenge from a young wolf to the authority of a Fierce Wolf!’
’He had only just climbed to his current rank; his position was far from stable.’
’Any sign of weakness would be met with more than just mockery—it would invite others to covet his territory.’
"So what if I did? And so what if I didn’t?"
Tian Jingyuan forced down the surging rage in his chest, struggling to keep his expression calm.
He glanced sideways, his hoarse voice gradually laced with killing intent. "You want my street? Why don’t you consider taking my head first?"
Territory was a Fierce Wolf’s lifeblood and bottom line. Anyone who wanted to touch it would have to step over his dead body.
That sentence wasn’t just for this damned fox; it was for everyone else in the room, too.
Hearing this.
Lin Shu nodded lightly, as if pleased with the response.
"Don’t let your hand tremble. You don’t need to worry about them."
He placed a hand on Fatty Tian’s shoulder, then slowly slid the Cyan Jade Pipe from the man’s grasp and tossed it casually onto the table.
Beneath his slightly messy hair, a faint smile quietly appeared on his fair, handsome face.
The young man licked his lips, his clear eyes looking utterly sincere.
"Your head, and your street... I’ll be taking them both."

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