Free Web NovelChapter 431: Chapter 414: A Shocking Move
For example, take the City Lord of Demon Blade City. If the Immortal Commerce hadn’t lent him the money, how would he have bought the City Defense Energy Crystal Stones from the Star Alliance? Of course, not even the Sect Leader of the Puppet Sect could pay back such a colossal sum of Spirit Stones. He could only trade away power within Demon Blade City. This also caused the Puppet Sect’s ranking to drop to seventeenth, even below Celestial Rainbow City. It’s said that Li Gui, the Sect Master, was so furious he nearly coughed up blood. For him, it was a truly humiliating disgrace.
But no matter what, the Immortal Commerce was his last chance. At least he had saved Demon Blade City.
The Immortal Commerce only did business; it didn’t participate in city battles.
But in reality, who would dare to offend them?
As the Chief Shopkeeper of Snow Moon City, Zhang Mang naturally wouldn’t let this go. He immediately spotted his subordinate, frozen into an ice sculpture. Beside him, the half-dead Hex Dong pointed at Wang Meng. "Chief Shopkeeper, it’s him! It’s this brat who dared to disrespect our Commerce and spout such arrogant nonsense! That woman was part of it too!"
Surrounded by so many Cultivators, yet the other party remained so calm. Having become the head of the Commerce in a city, Zhang Mang was no fool. He immediately calmed himself.
"Sirs, our Commerce has always done business fairly. You’ve injured my men without any cause. Shouldn’t you provide an explanation?"
Zhang Mang said coolly.
Wang Meng couldn’t help but laugh. "Brother Xu, why do you think bastards these days are like this? When you try to reason with them, they insist on fighting. But now, they come running over to reason with us."
"They only care about their own reasoning," Xu Huang said. He wasn’t afraid of anything. Since things had come to this, there was no reason to back down.
Wang Meng stood up and looked at Zhang Mang. "I’m not going to reason with you today. Are you going to get out on your own, or should I see you out?"
Zhang Mang nearly choked. "Brat, state your name, so you don’t die an unknown ghost!"
"Wang Meng. The ’Meng’ from ’ferocious.’ Report my name when you get to hell!" Wang Meng pointed at everyone imperiously.
Zhang Mang was taken aback. ’Wang Meng? Why does that name sound so familiar?’
"You are... the newly promoted Star Alliance Envoy from the Holy Hall, Wang Meng?" As a Chief Shopkeeper, Zhang Mang’s intelligence network was excellent. The name Wang Meng might not mean much to the average person, but to him, it was famous. One was Mingren; his Holy Light Demon Collapse Body made him a star figure known to all. The other was Wang Meng. Although not as famous, he was promoted in the same batch as Mingren. Anyone who could be promoted unconventionally alongside someone with a Holy Light Demon Collapse Body, even if not his equal, couldn’t be far behind.
’This kind of young talent will be a core figure in the future. He’s exactly the kind of person I should be building a good relationship with. That idiot, Hex Dong! Even provoking someone at Great Perfection wouldn’t be this troublesome!’
Seeing the change in the other’s expression, Wang Meng knew a fight was unlikely. "That’s right. I am Wang Meng of the Holy Hall."
Zhang Mang’s expression grew solemn, and the atmosphere became tense. Murmurs filled the tavern. As members of the Slaughter Space, everyone knew exactly what being a Star Alliance Envoy meant. It was a status they all dreamed of obtaining. But unless one was at Great Perfection, it was basically a hopeless dream.
The young man before them was at Minor Perfection at most, yet he was already a Star Alliance Envoy.
Xu Huang was also stunned. ’It’s only been a few years! Even reaching Minor Perfection with Wang Meng’s talent is an incredible feat, but he even became a Star Alliance Envoy... The Star Alliance isn’t some roadside stall you can just walk into.’
He knew about Mingren’s situation and could only sigh with emotion. Possessing a Holy Light Demon Collapse Body was like a pie falling from the sky. Even if one’s strength was lacking, the innate talent was there. Even the Pure Land was interested. What could you do about that?
But a Five Elements Body couldn’t compare to that kind of Holy Statue.
Only Linglong acted as if nothing was wrong. ’Humans are always making a fuss over such useless little things.’
"Ahem, King’s Envoy, a misunderstanding, this is all a misunderstanding! Hex Dong!" Zhang Mang’s sharp shout made Hex Dong jump, nearly causing his injuries to relapse.
Hex Dong hadn’t expected it either. How on earth did the person in front of him suddenly turn into a Star Alliance Envoy???
"Chief Shopkeeper, it’s like this... Xu Huang owes us money..." Hex Dong said, aggrieved.
A slight smile touched Zhang Mang’s lips. ’Good, at least the kid isn’t completely in the wrong.’ Merchants were like that; they appeared humble on the surface, prioritizing their overall interests, but it didn’t mean he was truly afraid of Wang Meng.
"King’s Envoy, you see, it’s only natural to repay one’s debts."
Zhang Mang said with a troubled expression, "Although I’m the Chief Shopkeeper, I can’t break the rules. How about this, I’ll pay the debt myself. Let’s make a friend. Hex Dong, how much is it?"
"One thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones," Hex Dong said. "Chief Shopkeeper, that’s a huge sum."
Zhang Mang sighed. "Wealth is merely an external possession. Making friends is what’s most important."
He was playing the magnanimous card. One thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones was certainly not a small sum, but if he could get on Wang Meng’s good side, it would be worth it. Besides, it was also a way to save face for the Commerce. Otherwise, it wouldn’t look good if word of this got out.
"We’ll settle our accounts one by one. There are still three days left for this debt. We will pay it back on time!" Wang Meng said coldly. This kind of evasive tactic wouldn’t work on him.
Linglong stood up. "Are these things worth one thousand Top-Grade Spirit Stones?"
Instantly, a pile of gleaming objects appeared on the table. Every Cultivator in the tavern was petrified.
This was more effective than any magic, its destructive power infinite!
Spirit Stones!
A pile... of Spirit Stones. The entire tavern was filled with the pure, warm Elemental Power emanating from them.
Zhang Mang was dumbfounded. He had thought Wang Meng was the Venerable God in this group, but he never expected the frosty woman beside him to be even more terrifying. ’Someone who can casually toss out a handful of Spirit Stones... Could she be from the Pure Land?’
Wang Meng, of course, knew the value of these things. ’Brother Tu Mu really came through, giving his daughter some spending money for her trip.’
Wang Meng picked out the smallest of the Spirit Stones. "This one alone is more than enough." With a flick of his finger, he tossed it to Zhang Mang. "Linglong, you can put the rest away."
With a wave of Linglong’s hand, the table full of Spirit Stones vanished. A look of loss instantly appeared in the eyes of the onlookers. Anyone who saw so many Spirit Stones would feel as if their soul was being snatched away.
Holding the Spirit Stone, Zhang Mang broke into a brilliant smile. "It’s enough, of course it’s enough."
Master Wang also smiled brilliantly. "Good that it’s enough. Now that the debt is cleared, we need to settle the next account!"
"Account? What other account is there?"
"One of your Immortal Commerce men was overcome with lust and disrespected my friend. How do you propose we settle that account?"
Wang Meng said with a smile.
Zhang Mang had a look of "sudden realization." "Hex Dong, what are you waiting for? Apologize to our three honored guests!"
Seeing the situation was not in his favor, Hex Dong could only lower his head. He grunted unwillingly, "Sorry."
Wang Meng waved his hand. "If I chopped off your head, would saying ’sorry’ be of any use?"
Zhang Mang laughed heartily. "King’s Envoy, you have a great sense of humor. It’s not a big deal. I say we just let it go."
"Let it go? Who do you think you are to say let it go? Is the dignity of the Star Alliance something you can casually offend? Who gave your Immortal Commerce so much power that a mere Steward dares to do as he pleases? Do you think you own Snow Moon City?!"
Wang Meng said coldly. These guys were used to bullying people, thinking they could dismiss even the gravest matters with a single sentence. If he and his friends weren’t strong enough, who knows what would have happened to Linglong by now.
Hex Dong had been suppressing his anger. He was used to running rampant in Snow Moon City. It was always him bullying others, when had he ever been bullied?
"What bullshit envoy! You’re just a little brat from the Holy Hall! I’ll fucking kill you!"
He suddenly swung an axe at Wang Meng. It happened at close range and with great speed. Hex Dong was a Body Cultivator, and at the Minor Perfection level at that. His strike truly had an earth-shattering aura. He was already filled with rage from nearly being killed by Wang Meng’s Life Artifact, and this was his moment for revenge.
The attack was so sudden that no one reacted in time. Zhang Mang, however, remained silent, as if he had expected this to happen.
SHING...
A giant lock appeared in mid-air, instantly freezing Hex Dong in place. The massive shackle snapped shut, and Hex Dong’s face changed drastically.
Wang Meng smiled faintly. "The first time, we could call it ignorance. But now, he’s just adding to his crimes."
Hex Dong fell from the air. He had been on guard against Wang Meng’s Spirit Rhinoceros Finger, but he never expected Wang Meng to have another Life Artifact.
Heart Bewitching Lock!
This was Junior Brother Jii Wanli’s Life Artifact. Wang Meng’s imitation was about seventy to eighty percent accurate.
This type of ability-based Life Artifact was harder to replicate than a purely offensive one like the Spirit Rhinoceros Finger, but it was more than enough to deal with trash like Hex Dong.
"Wang Meng, what do you want!?"
"I’m going to teach him a lesson. Or do you think I shouldn’t?"
Wang Meng stared at Zhang Mang, his eyes filled with killing intent. Only then did the other man truly realize he was facing a Star Alliance Envoy, not just some young Cultivator.
Zhang Mang gritted his teeth. "We’re leaving!"
The Cultivators behind him immediately picked up Hex Dong and the ice sculpture, and the group scurried away in disgrace.
"You should have killed them," Linglong said unexpectedly.
Wang Meng broke out in a cold sweat. ’This is Snow Moon City, after all, and the Immortal Commerce is a formidable power. Teaching them a lesson is good enough. If I’d really killed them all, it would cause a huge incident.’
With things having escalated to this point, they couldn’t continue drinking. The three of them paid the bill and left. Wang Meng finally learned the full story: one of Xu Huang’s comrades-in-arms had been seriously injured and urgently needed a certain Pill. The materials were expensive, and left with no other choice, Xu Huang went to borrow money. The issue was that the Immortal Commerce loan was high-interest—the five hundred Spirit Stones had doubled in less than half a year.
If Wang Meng hadn’t come, Xu Huang had been planning to gamble on a "nine deaths, one life" mission.
Upon hearing this, Linglong immediately tried to give all the Spirit Stones to Xu Huang, but he refused to accept them no matter what. His departing figure looked somewhat desolate.
In Snow Moon City, Xu Huang had a new circle and new friends. It was completely different from his time in the Holy Hall. It could be said that he could no longer go back; the days in the Holy Hall were now only a memory.
On the way back, Linglong was a bit unhappy. "He clearly needs it, so why didn’t he take it? Why did he get angry?"
Wang Meng glanced at Linglong, his expression incredibly serious. "Thank you for helping Xu Huang pay off his debt. I will pay you back for that Spirit Stone. But please remember, we humans have our dignity. We don’t need charity!"
After saying this, Wang Meng couldn’t be bothered to speak to Linglong anymore. The Dragon Princess was clever, yes, but sometimes she was too naive. His own constant progress had already put a lot of pressure on Xu Huang, and Linglong’s actions were tantamount to driving Xu Huang away. Friendship and memories couldn’t be measured in money.
(Asking for monthly tickets, asking for monthly tickets!!!) (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
