Chapter 31: Not a First Meeting

The originally bustling main hall was now eerily silent.

Those Jianghu folk who could walk through that bronze door were no obscure nobodies.

Just as Lan Shi had said, one either possessed ability or connections, so among the Jianghu folk present, there could not be too many true fools.

With such a face, Chen Ye holding a long banner and carrying a sword case on his back, he was certainly no ordinary person.

Add to that the killing intent in his question, and any sensible person should know Chen Ye had come to cause trouble.

Except for those who were drunk.

This Bone-Crushing Mad Eagle did not know how much he had drunk; his steps were already unsteady, swaying and staggering before Chen Ye, shouting: "I have broken countless legs, how would I know whom you are asking about?! You dare impersonate my Young Master's name; are you seeking death?"

Chen Ye frowned at the stench of alcohol, scanned the room, and quickly locked onto several Jianghu folk near this Bone-Crushing Mad Eagle.

Indeed, they all looked like utterly vicious ruffians; would this group truly go to save those boys and girls?

Chen Ye had little patience left and asked again: "I ask once more: who injured the Shopkeeper and the assistants of the Hundred-Leaf Tea House?"

Upon hearing these words, the Bone-Crushing Mad Eagle's companions also reacted, each picking up their weapons.

Chen Ye smiled and asked the shocked young Miss Lan Shi: "Did you not say the Hengdao Inn forbids drawing blades?"

The young Miss seemed not yet to have recovered from the surprise and chaos; hearing Chen Ye's question, she only nodded instinctively: "Indeed, using force is forbidden... Ah, be careful!"

Amidst Lan Shi's cry, a gust of force surged toward Chen Ye's lower body.

It was that drunk Bone-Crushing Mad Eagle, disregarding the Hengdao Inn's rules, who had drawn the polished copper short staff from his waist and struck at Chen Ye.

Chen Ye was completely unprepared; he had not expected this drunkard to suddenly attack.

It seemed he had still underestimated the ruthlessness of Jianghu folk.

What "Hengdao Inn forbids using force"? Those who follow rules would not mix in the Jianghu.

But even with no preparation, Chen Ye's reaction was far faster than this man's. The Ten Thousand Souls Banner shifted sideways by several inches, blocking the polished copper staff.

Only a tremendous boom was heard as this one-legged copper figure smashed heavily onto the long pole.

The long pole, merely two fingers thick, should have snapped, but what was knocked flying by the collision was that polished copper short staff.

The Bone-Crushing Mad Eagle had used too much force; the tiger's mouth of his hand split open, and blood splattered out along with the polished copper short staff.

But this minor injury was not enough to pay the price.

What he had struck was the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.

A cold wind rose, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner fluttered and crackled, and suddenly the Bone-Crushing Mad Eagle toppled to the ground; with a thud, his entire head smashed into the wooden floor.

Wood chips and blood splattered in all directions; had the floor not been wooden, this blow would have burst his brains.

Mortals could not see the resentful souls and knew not what had happened; only Chen Ye could see the hideous evil ghost pressing down upon the Bone-Crushing Mad Eagle.

Yang Chongguang roared: "Vile villain, how dare you harm my benefactor!"

"Benefactor, seal him into the Ten Thousand Souls Banner; this old man will make him unable to even cry!"

Chen Ye shook his head and said to Yang Chongguang: "Do not act yet; let me ask for clarity first."

Chen Ye was speaking to Yang Chongguang, but mortals could not see, so they merely thought Chen Ye was saying "do not act yet" to the head-cracked Bone-Crushing Mad Eagle.

Clearly he had made no move; how had this eight-foot-tall Bone-Crushing Mad Eagle fallen?

Could this youth's Wu Gong be so high that others could not even see his shadow?

The crowd was both shocked and terrified; the Bone-Crushing Mad Eagle's several companions were even paler than iron, and although they still gripped their weapons, their palms trembled slightly.

With such Wu Gong, high and unfathomable as ghosts and gods, they were absolutely no match.

Sensing Chen Ye's gaze sweep over, one of these Jianghu folk immediately shouted: "Friend, the Hengdao Inn forbids using force; do you intend to break Jianghu rules?!"

These words were not spoken to Chen Ye, but to the person behind the Hengdao Inn.

With such a huge commotion, the summoned assistants had surrounded them. These assistants were all agile Jianghu experts, and one fat man resembling a Shopkeeper parted the crowd and came before Chen Ye.

Seeing Chen Ye's face, this fat man still paused for a moment, but since he had come with anger, he quickly recovered, clasped his hands toward Chen Ye, and said: "Friend, whatever grudge you have, resolve it outside the inn; the rules of the Hengdao Inn, I trust you know well."

Chen Ye smiled and asked: "Are you the owner of the Hengdao Inn?"

This fat Shopkeeper said: "No, no, no; the master is not here today. I am merely a Shopkeeper; Jianghu friends flatter me by calling me..."

Chen Ye impatiently waved his hand; he truly did not wish to hear those clichéd Jianghu nicknames again.

"Shopkeeper, the Hengdao Inn forbids using force; just now he used force—did you not see? Even if you did not see, surely everyone present saw clearly."

Having his words interrupted by Chen Ye, this fat Shopkeeper's face turned somewhat ugly.

Having walked the Jianghu for many years, relying on the Hengdao Inn's reputation, no one had dared to be so rude to him; this youth was indeed good-looking, but did he truly think walking the Jianghu relied only on a face?

Since Chen Ye gave no face, this fat Shopkeeper would not be polite either; he said in a deep voice: "I do not care what grievances you have; rules are rules. Besides, he was already drunk, lost control, and acted foolishly; now that he has been severely injured by you, consider it punishment. But you, friend, have broken my inn's rules and smashed our floor; how do you say this account should be settled?"

"Being drunk counts as an excuse? In that case..."

Chen Ye swept his long banner horizontally, lifted a jar of unopened yellow wine, took a huge gulp, and then said to this fat Shopkeeper: "Now I am drunk too; can the Shopkeeper be lenient?"

The fat Shopkeeper narrowed his eyes and sneered: "Very well; when your head is also stuffed into the floor, I can also make an exception!"

Hearing these words, Chen Ye felt somewhat disheartened.

"I originally thought the Jianghu had some interest; in the end, it is still that righteousness cannot outweigh human feelings, and human feelings cannot outweigh fists; truly uninteresting."

The fat Shopkeeper did not care what Chen Ye said; he slowly raised his right hand, and the assistants beside him, in tacit understanding, shifted their steps to surround Chen Ye completely.

Strange sounds came from the staircases around the main hall; the killing intent hidden in the darkness had already enveloped Chen Ye.

For so many years, they had not failed to see those who relied on Wu Gong to cause trouble in the inn.

The inn assistants were all Jianghu experts; hidden around here were also trap mechanisms and concealed weapons; no matter how high your Wu Gong, causing trouble here is seeking death!

Yet, Chen Ye made no move; he merely gave the Ten Thousand Souls Banner a slight shake.

From within the black banner came a series of shrill wails, frightening everyone's faces to change drastically.

Dozens of resentful souls flew out from it, pouncing upon everyone present.

All those who bore hostility and killing intent toward Chen Ye, just like that Bone-Crushing Mad Eagle, were heavily pressed to the ground, their heads smashed deeply into the floor.

Jianghu folk use physical strength; cultivators use spiritual energy.

A cultivator at the Spirit Awakening stage could only perceive spiritual qi, with little difference from ordinary mortals; back then, Chen Ye still needed to borrow a zombie to hunt, daring not to act personally.

But the Qi Sea stage was another matter entirely; the Qi Sea absorbed the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, enabling the casting of spells and the use of magical treasures. The gap between mortals and cultivators was as vast as heaven and earth.

One by one, their heads thumped against the ground, as if kowtowing to Chen Ye. This scene terrified the others, turning their faces pale; they fled in haste.

Chen Ye paid no heed to where these irrelevant people went. Instead, he turned around and looked at Lan Shi, who was shuffling her feet toward the exit.

This young girl seemed equally terrified, her face drained of color, and was fleeing outward along with the crowd.

But Chen Ye spoke up and called her to a halt.

"Miss Lan, please wait a moment."

How dared Lan Shi linger? She was about to unleash her lightness skill when she found her body stiff and rigid, as if weighed down by a thousand pounds.

Panicked, Lan Shi hurriedly said to Chen Ye, "Young Master, I know nothing at all! I merely mistook your identity. Please be lenient, please be lenient, and spare my life!"

Chen Ye walked up to Lan Shi and smiled: "At this point, you are still acting. You are far more dedicated than I expected. However, let us both save some time."

"Miss Lan, you knew long ago that I am not that Young Master Jiang, didn't you? You deliberately mistook my identity, brought me here, and then loudly shouted that Young Master Jiang's name. Your true purpose was to provoke a fight between me and them. Before I entered the Hengdao Inn, you were already waiting here."

Lan Shi hurriedly said, "Young Master, you misunderstand. This is our first meeting since before the Bronze Gate. I truly did not..."

Chen Ye said nothing, staring only into the young girl's eyes.

At first, Chen Ye had not noticed anything amiss, but just now, when the portly Shopkeeper locked eyes with him, he had also been stunned for quite a while.

Even a man reacted that way. How could it be that when Lan Shi first met him, she merely widened her eyes and immediately spoke to greet him?

The reason was simple: this young girl was not seeing him for the first time.

The enchantment Mo Ci referred to was merely the shock mortals feel upon first encountering a deity. Perhaps they were indeed awestruck at first, but they would soon calm down.

She had been watching him long ago. The encounter at the Bronze Gate was merely a play she staged; that is why her reaction showed a flaw.

Was the young girl's so-called plan to save boys and girls true or false? How did she know this matter would catch his attention?

Chen Ye had lost interest in the childish games of the Jianghu; then let us lay everything out and speak plainly.