CHAPTER 36: CHAPTER 36: TAKING ACTION

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sound of fists hitting flesh echoed through the tavern.

Xing Jinglong and Jia Yanrong were both big guys, their fighting style identical — reckless and fierce.

In their eyes, fighting meant offense, with almost no defense.

Their intense and fiery demeanor made the spectators’ blood boil.

"Jia Yanrong always fights this recklessly?"

Lin Zheyu glanced at the other members of the Wuding Gang and asked in a low voice.

"Yes."

Xie Jiang nodded.

The brothers from Feihong Gang kept their eyes on the Wuding Gang members, preventing any foul play.

"It’s a miracle he’s still alive." Lin Zheyu remarked.

The two in the ring were locked in a fierce battle, unable to determine a winner in a short time.

However, it was clear that Xing Jinglong had the upper hand.

After all, he hailed from the Xing family, even though he was of a side branch, it was a wealthy family with ample herbal resources since childhood.

His strength exceeded Jia Yanrong significantly, estimated to be at the Mid-Stage or possibly Late Stage of the Bone Forging Realm.

Yet, in terms of fierceness and combat experience, Jia Yanrong had the edge.

Both fought without skill, fists hitting flesh.

At this moment.

A sturdy man from Wuding Gang reached into his waist pouch with his right hand, pulling out several thin needles, aiming at Jia Yanrong, ready to throw them.

"What are you doing?"

Lin Zheyu’s sharp eyes caught him, he stepped out and grabbed the man’s right hand.

"Isn’t this the storyteller from Bidan Tea House? How come he’s with the Feihong Gang?"

"Move aside wisely, or you’ll have no place to listen to stories if you get hurt." The man said dismissively, clearly recognizing Lin Zheyu, but not taking the storyteller seriously.

"Hmph."

Lin Zheyu was amused by the belittlement and didn’t waste words.

He suddenly exerted force, twisting the man’s arm behind his back, and delivered a fierce knee strike to his abdomen.

"Ah!"

The man screamed miserably, eyes wide, clutching his belly, collapsed, curled up in a ball.

He never anticipated that this storyteller would strike first, and was caught off guard, quickly subdued by Lin Zheyu.

"Damn!"

"Damn it, daring to strike first."

"You’re seeking death!"

Lin Zheyu’s action was like stirring a hornet’s nest, the Wuding Gang members began attacking.

"Get him!"

Xie Jiang shouted and rushed towards the Wuding Gang members.

The opponent, including Xing Jinglong, came with three Martial Artists of the Bone Forging Realm, but one was already handled unexpectedly by Lin Zheyu, so they had a slight advantage.

The remaining Martial Artist of Bone Forging Realm was marked by Xie Jiang, while Lin Zheyu faced ordinary weaklings.

He glanced around indifferently, unleashing Golden Swan Skill, swiftly moving among the Wuding Gang members, cries of misery filled the air.

In just a few breaths, four members of the Wuding Gang were sent flying, screaming.

The scene instantly fell silent.

Even Xing Jinglong and Jia Yanrong turned to look.

"Impressive!"

Xie Jiang grinned, gave a thumbs up to Lin Zheyu.

"Mr. Lin is amazing!"

Jia Yanrong took a few steps back, gazing at the groaning Wuding Gang members on the ground, admiring.

If he had acted, he wouldn’t have been able to handle them so easily.

"Fatty Xing, still want to fight?"

He chuckled at Xing Jinglong, whose face was dark, filled with smugness.

Lin Zheyu and Xie Jiang stepped forward, standing beside Jia Yanrong.

"Kid, I’ve marked you!"

"You’ve got some skills, much stronger than Jia Yanrong the useless."

Xing Jinglong sized up Lin Zheyu, eyes cautious.

Being able to easily deal with his brothers, his strength couldn’t be underestimated.

"Hmph!"

"Let’s go."

Xing Jinglong snorted coldly, tossed a silver tael, and left with his brothers.

"Just letting him leave like this?" Lin Zheyu asked.

"What else to do?"

"This guy’s a young master from the Xing family, even though a side branch, still a Xing family member."

"Here, this is his compensation."

Xie Jiang picked up the silver on the ground, laughing.

"Nowadays in the city, we can’t be too excessive, but in an isolated place outside the city, even if he’s a direct descendant of the Xing family, I’d dare to kill him."

Jia Yanrong sneered, spoke fiercely.

"Talk big when you can’t even win a fight." Xie Jiang said disdainfully.

"Damn, Xie Jiang, do you want to fight too? Just now with Fat Xing, I haven’t had enough!" Jia Yanrong was displeased hearing this.

"Bring it on, whoever backs down is a dog!"

"I’m not afraid..."

Lin Zheyu ignored their bickering, he was used to it.

These two always quarreled when they met, though they disliked each other, they oddly liked to hang out together.

...

"Where did that kid come from, haven’t seen him before?"

Xing Jinglong asked his sidekick.

He disliked reading, rarely went to tea houses for storytelling, mostly spent his time in taverns, Baihua Tower, and casinos, hence he didn’t recognize Lin Zheyu.

"He’s a famous storyteller from Bidan Tea House, but somehow joined the Feihong Gang." The man next to him said.

He was sent flying by Lin Zheyu’s kick, broke his arm, face extremely pale.

"Even storytellers are this strong now?"

Xing Jinglong widened his eyes, surprised at the storyteller’s strength.

"I don’t know, two months ago he looked weak, maybe he earned money and found someone to teach him martial arts."

The man shook his head, equally astonished.

"Two months to become this strong?" Xing Jinglong was surprised.

He had been learning martial arts from his father since childhood, now at fifteen, barely reached the Mid-Stage of Bone Forging Realm.

"Did he really only train for two months?" Xing Jinglong asked incredulously.

"Yes, yes."

"Initially, he was like a skinny monkey, scrawny."

"Later, gradually, he became more robust."

A familiar sidekick said, many who listened to stories knew a lot about Lin Zheyu.

"If he truly reached this level in two months, his martial arts talent is terrifying."

Xing Jinglong murmured, "If we could draw him to the Xing family and cultivate him for a few years, he’d be a good hand!"

...

The few returned to Bidan Tea House.

Someone was already storytelling inside.

Lin Zheyu listened backstage for a while, realizing the storytelling was quite good, much more flavorful than his.

"Let’s leave the storytelling to this storyteller from now on." Lin Zheyu thought to himself.

He found Mr. Wo, and mentioned this, Mr. Wo agreed readily.

They discussed the pay, each story would cost 400 coins, about 100 less than when Lin Zheyu did it himself with wages and tips.

Leaving the tea house.

Lin Zheyu headed straight to the pharmacy in Songyi City.

He planned to exchange all his silver taels, totaling over a hundred thirty, for Blood-Nourishing and Bone-Strengthening Soup herbs.

With prices soaring, silver reduced in value with time.

After visiting pharmacies throughout the city, Lin Zheyu spent 128 silver taels, buying twelve sets of Blood-Nourishing and Bone-Strengthening Soup.

"Doesn’t last long."

Lin Zheyu sighed, the silver was spent again.

After handing over the storytelling work, he only had the Feihong Gang’s job left.

The work with Feihong Gang was leisurely, with hardly any tasks.

Lin Zheyu’s life became much more relaxed.

...