Chapter 643: A Grand Master of One Generation

Zuo Zuo Wugang knelt by the pool, vomiting and retching, having washed himself with jasmine-scented foreign soap over ten times, yet still felt the stench clinging to him.

Tan Tan Jinxiao left, because Zuo Zuo Wugang refused to yield even under threat; this literary contest ended without resolution, and they agreed to meet again tomorrow.

Everyone ate their fill today—how can we continue the contest?

This isn't just about disgust—if Tan Tan Jinxiao truly meant to kill, one mouthful of phlegm could smother Zuo Zuo Wugang to death.

Bai Bai Shou Hong Lian urged: "Brother Zuo, don't get worked up—let's go find Seventh Master and discuss what to do."

Zuo Zuo Wugang sighed: "We signed the contract; Seventh Master gave us the land and property deeds—we're the owners now. Is it right to go to him?"

Bai Bai Shou Hong Lian asked: "What other choice do we have?"

Zuo Zuo Wugang walked from the front room to the back, then from the back to the kitchen.

Cao Cao Zhida snorted at Zhen Zhen Jincheng: "See? Brother Zuo's pacing again."

After all this time, Zuo Zuo Wugang still hadn't changed—he couldn't make a decision.

After much thought, Zuo Zuo Wugang gritted his teeth: "I'll go beg forgiveness from Seventh Master. You all stay behind and watch the shop."

Bai Bai Shou Hong Lian said: "Brother Zuo, I'll go with you."

"You stay. This isn't a good thing to involve yourself in—and besides, we can't do without our head chef." Zuo Zuo Wugang meant well—he feared Li Qi would blame Bai Bai Shou Hong Lian by association.

But Bai Bai Shou Hong Lian felt this wasn't Old Zuo's fault—they simply couldn't handle such a ruthless man. The matter had to be explained clearly to Seventh Master.

Li Li Banfeng was at the pharmacy, asking Juanzi about the overall layout of Santou Cha. He planned to travel farther; Qiu Qiu Zhiheng, Xiao Yeci, Lu Lu Yuanxin, and others were also present.

When Zuo Zuo Wugang saw Li Li Banfeng, he lowered his head, pulled out his knife, and placed it on the table.

"Seventh Master, I'm useless—the restaurant's in trouble. Tell me how to be punished!"

Li Li Banfeng frowned: "Put the knife away. Speak properly."

Zuo Zuo Wugang kept his head down: "I've been humiliated. A ruthless man came to the restaurant to cause trouble—he's a thug, and I couldn't handle him."

Qin Qin Xiaopang stood up: "What kind of thug? I'll deal with him."

Zuo Zuo Wugang recounted the entire incident, emphasizing how revolting every moment had been.

Bai Bai Shou Hong Lian added a few words, stressing that the opponent was a true expert.

Phlegm cultivator. Gold cultivator. Laughing cultivator.

Qin Xiaopang sat back down: "Seventh Brother, find someone else to handle him—I'm not the right person."

This man clearly suppresses Food cultivators.

After listening, Li Li Banfeng nodded slightly: "Old Zuo, don't rush. You agreed to meet again tomorrow—figure out how to win then."

With that, Li Li Banfeng stepped out with Juanzi and Xiao Yeci.

Liang Wu sighed: "How many people went out?"

Liang Cai thought a moment: "Three, probably?"

"How could it be three? Seventh Master, Miss Xiao, Miss Juanzi, Mengzi, and Xiao Shan—that's five."

"What if we went too?"

"Then it's seven."

Zuo Zuo Wugang couldn't count how many had left—he only knew one thing: Li Qi had abandoned him.

That made it even more humiliating.

"I'll go fight that Tan!" Zuo Zuo Wugang gritted his teeth at Bai Bai Shou Hong Lian. "Brother, tomorrow, collect my corpse and tell Seventh Master—I, Old Zuo, owe him an apology!"

As Zuo Zuo Wugang moved to leave, those around tried to stop him—but couldn't.

"Old Zuo, stop!" Qiu Qiu Zhiheng called out. Zuo Zuo Wugang halted.

"Chief Qiu." Zuo Zuo Wugang looked at Qiu Qiu Zhiheng—he'd served the Lu family for years, and Qiu Qiu Zhiheng was the only one who could truly hold him back.

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng asked: "You signed a contract with Seventh Master. He gave you the land and property deeds. Is this business yours now?"

Zuo Zuo Wugang stayed silent. Bai Bai Shou Hong Lian explained: "We're just caretakers—I think this is still Seventh Master's business…"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng frowned: "The business was handed to you. Now you face a problem and run straight to Seventh Master—is that proper?"

Zuo Zuo Wugang said nothing. Bai Bai Shou Hong Lian smiled: "Chief Qiu, don't be angry. I signed the contract too—I share responsibility. We didn't mean to trouble Seventh Master. This time, we truly met a ruthless man."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng stood, picked up his coat: "I'll go with you to see it."

Seeing Qiu Qiu Zhiheng willing to help, Zuo Zuo Wugang felt a glimmer of hope.

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng turned to Lu Lu Yuanxin: "Lu Yuanxin, you free? Can you lend a hand?"

Lu Lu Yuanxin rose quickly: "If Chief Qiu asks, I'll follow orders."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng glanced at the shrewish woman: "Old lady, we need your help too."

The shrewish woman replied: "Help? Easy. But this won't be simple—I've never heard of anyone opening the Three Gates. If we fight head-on, we're no match."

Eat. Challenge him to a direct clash.

Zuo Zuo Wugang looked gloomy: "Then what happens to the restaurant?"

The shrewish woman shook her head: "If Seventh Master hasn't sent Xiao Genzi, it means Xiao Genzi has other matters. Building an empire isn't easy—let's not burden Seventh Master with these sordid affairs."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng dressed fully: "Let's head to the restaurant first."

Zuo Zuo Wugang blushed: "I had them clean up, but today's fight was so brutal—I'm sure the front still stinks."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng smiled: "No need to clean. Tomorrow's fight's coming—this stench won't fade."

Mao Caoye followed Qiu Qiu Zhiheng to gain experience; along the road, many rare herbs and exotic plants caught her eye.

"Big Brother Qiu, this is valuable—very valuable!"

Lu Lu Yuanxin frowned: "This child has no manners. How dare she call you 'Big Brother Qiu'?"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng urged Mao Caoye to hurry—Santou Cha had dense heavenly light; Li Li Banfeng's jar of snow cream couldn't protect everyone. Qiu Qiu Zhiheng had his own protections, but the safest method was to minimize outdoor exposure.

Mao Caoye took two steps, then stopped again, drawn to another herb.

Lu Lu Yuanxin whispered: "Chief Qiu, you brought this girl out—does Zhu Zi's wife know?"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng frowned: "Ridiculous! What are you imagining? This girl is like my own child—I'm taking her to learn skills."

Lu Lu Yuanxin smiled: "Chief Qiu, your path has no other way to cultivate. If your wife isn't by your side, what can you do?"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng said: "I've reached a critical point. At this stage, my wife truly cannot be near me."

Lu Lu Yuanxin froze: "What critical point? Chief Qiu—are you ascending to the Clouds?"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng smiled but said nothing. Lu Lu Yuanxin followed behind, constantly asking about cultivation insights.

At the restaurant, Qiu Qiu Zhiheng smelled the odor.

Lu Lu Yuanxin wasn't overly concerned—he found some insects on the ground, creatures that thrived on this stench, wriggling and contracting.

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng asked Lu Lu Yuanxin: "Are these insects common?"

"Very. Wherever you go, they're everywhere—more numerous than flies."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng fell into thought.

Lu Lu Yuanxin reminded him: "Chief Qiu, don't count on these insects to fight the Gold cultivator. Let me say this plainly—have you ever seen an insect that cleans out a latrine?"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng shook his head: "No need to clean the latrine. Just eat through a hole."

"What do you mean—eat through a hole?"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng said: "Eat a hole through his armor—that's how you truly injure him."

Inside the restaurant, Qiu Qiu Zhiheng, Zuo Zuo Wugang, Lu Lu Yuanxin, the shrewish woman, and Bai Bai Shou Hong Lian reconstructed the previous battle.

The shrewish woman said: "The hardest part isn't the gold fluid—it's that old phlegm. When he spits, he traps you. After that, we can't strike back."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng shook his head slightly.

Bai Bai Shou Hong Lian said: "I agree with the old lady."

Lu Lu Yuanxin nodded too: "The elder's right. I've seen insects that eat phlegm—but again, we can't expect them to consume all of it."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng still shook his head: "We're missing the point. I once heard a master say: to cultivate three paths simultaneously, one must reach the Clouds. If a Cloud-level expert unleashed full power, Old Zuo would be dead already."

"Old Zuo is alive because this Cloud-level expert follows rules. The key lies here: why would a Cloud-level expert abide by a thug's rules? What's the meaning behind it?"

The shrewish woman, though low in cultivation, had seen much: "Long ago, I heard rumors—some Cloud-level experts specialized in vile acts, forced to do them, as if their cultivation depended on it."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng nodded: "I've heard this too. If Tan Tan Jinxiao is acting as a thug to cultivate, then we still have a chance."

"Gentlemen, I'm not the oldest here, nor the strongest—but I've walked the world longer. Let me take charge. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes!" Everyone answered sharply.

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng pulled out paper and pen: "Time is short—I won't explain everything. Just follow the plan. I've written down the essentials."

…

The next noon, Tan Tan Jinxiao arrived, pushing his large cart again, on which lay several large men. He parked it at the door, saw the restaurant closed, and shouted:

"Real men keep their word. True heroes' spittle is a nail! We agreed to meet today—say plainly: fight or make peace? Hiding inside—is that your answer?"

He chose his moment perfectly—arriving when crowds were thick. Soon, onlookers gathered. Tan Tan Jinxiao bellowed:

"Everyone, look! My brothers died eating here! Iron-hard men collapsed right here! They have elderly parents and young children—dozens of lives now without support!"

"I've come with their corpses to demand justice. Beat me, kick me—I only want one answer: did this happen because of your restaurant?"

"Admit it or deny it—give me a clear answer. How much to pay? Say it plainly. Why hide behind your door?"

"I'm risking my life today—I won't leave until I get justice! I'll show you how far a decent man can be pushed. Watch closely."

Tan Tan Jinxiao turned, grabbed a knife from his cart.

Blood was coming.

If Zuo Zuo Wugang stepped out now, he'd have to duel Tan Tan Jinxiao—each man would slash the other once.

The crowd grew larger, all eyes fixed on the door, waiting to see if the owner would appear.

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng stood on the second floor, peering through the window slit, whispering: "It's cultivation—he's using this to gain public favor."

Zuo Zuo Wugang blinked: "What do you mean—gain public favor?"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng said: "Tan Tan Jinxiao is indeed a cultivator from Yunshang; he belongs to the riffraff school. In earlier days, the riffraff school had many practitioners in Pulu Province, surviving by drawing crowds with spectacle.

These onlookers are intensely curious, and their qi is exceptionally abundant. For riffraff to harvest this qi, they must master two essentials: first, they must articulate a plausible justification; second, they must be willing to act. If they achieve both, their cultivation advances.

Zuo Zuo Wugang had never heard of such a thing: "Then what if he can't articulate a justification, or can't bring himself to act?"

"Then he loses his qi, and his cultivation base suffers damage. This cultivation method is so peculiar—no wonder this fellow is so rigid about rules."

Zuo Zuo Wugang grew more confused: "Riffraff act like thugs—how can they harvest qi? I heard from Fifth Master that cultivators on Yunshang gather qi only through territorial control."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng said: "There are thousands of ways to harvest qi. Territorial control is just one method. The riffraff's approach is another. Becoming a deity incarnate is yet another.

But once you adopt the riffraff's method, you're locked into it for life. Switching to another path becomes nearly impossible."

Zuo Zuo Wugang felt Qiu Qiu Zhiheng had changed: "Chief Qiu, where did you learn all this? Did Lu Lu Dongliang teach you?"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng said nothing. He knew these things certainly weren't taught by Lu Lu Dongliang. Even Lu Lu Dongliang himself had to figure out Yunshang matters on his own—how could he have passed down so much to Qiu Qiu Zhiheng?

Xu Han taught him these things. Qiu Qiu Zhiheng had given Xu Lao ample support, so Xu Lao naturally didn't let him down.

Tan Tan Jinxiao waved his knife around, his voice growing louder. Zuo Zuo Wugang rolled up his sleeves: "I still don't believe it—he's a cultivator from Yunshang, but he's still flesh and blood. Let me strike first—I'll kill him with one slash!"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng glared at Zuo Zuo Wugang: "What did I tell you? Stick to the plan."

Zuo Zuo Wugang rubbed his hands anxiously: "I didn't say I'm going to cut him now—I just don't understand what's going on here."

"Then do you understand why, after kicking him twenty times, you still haven't hurt him?"

Zuo Zuo Wugang raised his eyebrows: "My fists and feet might be weak, but with a weapon…"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng said: "In Jin Xiu techniques, there's a move called Golden Armor and Silver Mail. He wears a layer of golden armor. You slash him, you won't wound him. He slashes you, you're nine out of ten dead."

"Golden armor?" Zuo Zuo Wugang gasped. "What's it made of?"

"What do you think?"

"Just Jin Xiu armor?" Zuo Zuo Wugang shuddered violently, scraping his shoe soles hard against the ground.

Tan Tan Jinxiao raised his knife and shouted: "If you don't come out today, I'll take my knife inside and seize this shop—it'll be mine from now on! Let everyone here bear witness! Whoever objects, face this blade!"

Thud!

An old woman suddenly collapsed before Tan Tan Jinxiao.

Tan Tan Jinxiao froze.

The old woman clutched her belly and wailed: "Damned beast! Why are you slashing me with a knife?"

"Hey, don't make false accusations!" Tan Tan Jinxiao said, looking at the woman. "You suddenly lunged at me—my knife was eight feet away. I didn't even touch you!"

Tan Tan Jinxiao wouldn't fall for this trick. He was an expert at swindling—he wouldn't let himself be swindled. His knife was clearly visible: he hadn't touched her, period.

But the onlookers had all been watching the restaurant and hadn't noticed the knife. Now this bloodied old woman suddenly appeared, and no one knew what had happened—they only felt sorry for her.

Tan Tan Jinxiao sensed the qi shifting. If he lost the moral high ground, his cultivation would suffer.

Yet he remained calm, speaking gently to the woman: "Madam, let's talk this through calmly. I have no grudge against you. Why would I slash you?"

The old woman ignored him. She turned to the cart, hugged a man on it, and cried: "My son! How could you leave me?"

"Son?" Tan Tan Jinxiao was stunned. All those men on the cart were his own men—how could they be this woman's son?

"Madam, you've mistaken him—he's my brother!"

The woman pointed at the man: "That's my son."

"He's truly my brother!"

"He's my son—ask him yourself!"

"I'll ask—"

He couldn't ask. Those men were playing dead—they couldn't speak.

Better not ask at all. No matter who this woman was, they'd play along.

"Everyone here saw it—my brother's mother has come! An old parent burying her child! Zuo Zuo Wugang, you're a man—come out and take a look!"

The woman wailed: "You killed my son, then hired a beast to slash me! That beast will suffer a terrible fate!"

Tan Tan Jinxiao lowered his head: "Madam, let's be clear—I wasn't hired by them."

"If you weren't hired, why are you holding a knife?"

"I'm holding it to fight for your justice!"

"If you're fighting for my justice, why did you slash me?"

"I already said—I didn't slash you."

"Then who slashed me?"

"How would I know…" Tan Tan Jinxiao felt things slipping. The more he spoke, the more tangled it became.

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng said to Lu Lu Yuanxin: "Release the first wave of insects."

Lu Lu Yuanxin released the first wave—mostly flies, and immature ones.

The flies swarmed Tan Tan Jinxiao. He ignored them. Jin Xiu cultivators didn't care about flies, especially with matters so urgent.

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng held a portrait, marked by Lu Lu Yuanxin, and told Zuo Zuo Wugang: "Old Zuo, it's your turn. Remember—aim for the center of the back. Don't miss!"

"Don't worry. This much I won't botch."

Zuo Zuo Wugang descended the stairs and stepped outside: "Tan! Why are you tormenting this old woman?"

Tan Tan Jinxiao turned: "She's my brother's mother—she's here to settle accounts with you!"

Zuo Zuo Wugang asked: "Why did you slash your brother's mother?"

Tan Tan Jinxiao snapped: "Stop stirring up trouble! I didn't slash her!"

The woman wailed: "You're all in cahoots! You killed my son, now you're trying to kill me!"

The onlookers stood gaping, speechless—this spectacle was too overwhelming.

On the second floor of the restaurant, Lu Lu Yuanxin said to Qiu Qiu Zhiheng: "Uncle Qiu, the insects are in position."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng's veins bulged, his pupils bloodshot, eyes locked on Tan Tan Jinxiao.

Far apart as they were, Qiu Qiu Zhiheng forced his technique—tiny beads of blood trickled from his corners.

At this distance, using Da Huan Xiu techniques on Tan Tan Jinxiao directly was futile.

But using them on the insects? It worked.

A swarm of flies grew excited, clinging to Tan Tan Jinxiao's back and sucking fiercely.

The immature flies swelled visibly, gnawing greedily on his back.

Tan Tan Jinxiao felt a tingling on his back. He was about to check his golden armor when the shouting woman seized him: "Damned scoundrel, struck by lightning and thunder! Cut to pieces, beast! You killed my son and now you've harmed me! When you reach the Underworld, you'll boil in oil for ten thousand years—never to be reborn!"

Tan Tan Jinxiao was still arguing when Lu Lu Yuanxin whistled. Zuo Zuo Wugang plunged his blade into Tan Tan Jinxiao's lower back.

The blade sank in. Blood flowed.

"Ouch!" Tan Tan Jinxiao cried. "Why did you attack me?"

Zuo Zuo Wugang said: "Didn't you say yourself? Let's settle it with blades. Whoever groans loses. You just yelled—you lost!"

Tan Tan Jinxiao roared: "You struck without warning—that's breaking the rules!"

Zuo Zuo Wugang said: "Everyone heard clearly—the rules were yours to set. If you can't bear them, who else can you blame?"

As they argued, Qiu Qiu Zhiheng said to Lu Lu Yuanxin: "Release the second wave."

Lu Lu Yuanxin released the second wave—not flies, but scorpions, meticulously bred and lethally venomous.

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng's veins bulged again as he channeled Da Huan Xiu techniques toward the scorpions.

The scorpions, infused with the technique, scuttled like lightning.

They didn't rush Tan Tan Jinxiao—they charged the men on the cart.

Enraged, the scorpions tore and bit, injecting venom. Within a minute, the men couldn't hold out.

The shouting woman still wailed: "My son! My son! My son—how did you…? How are you awake?"

The ruse was exposed. The men scrambled up, rolling and crawling, fleeing in all directions.

The "corpses" were gone—everything was exposed.

Tan Tan Jinxiao gave a slight nod: "Alright. I'm beaten. I accept it."

Without another word, Tan Tan Jinxiao left.

The onlookers slowly realized: Tan Tan Jinxiao had no moral ground. The longer he stayed, the more his cultivation would erode.

The shouting woman clutched her wound and cried: "My son!"

Zuo Zuo Wugang helped her up: "Madam, don't grieve. Come rest at my restaurant—I'll find a physician to treat your wound!"

…

Back in the restaurant, Zuo Zuo Wugang exhaled: "That's over at last. I should've stabbed him more times. One stab was too kind."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng wiped the blood from his eyes: "It's useless. Yunshang lives are tough. More slashes won't seriously wound him.

This isn't over. Riffraff aren't easily driven off—especially Yunshang riffraff. You'll be dealing with him for a long time."

Zuo Zuo Wugang sighed: "You rarely see riffraff like this in Lüshui City."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng nodded: "Not just Lüshui City—rare in Pulu Province too. This place, Santou Cha, is truly different."

The group tidied up the restaurant, preparing to reopen tomorrow. Tang Yuan rushed in, breathless: "Big Brother Qiu, something happened at the quarry. I went to the pharmacy but couldn't find Seventh Master—I came here instead…"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng said: "First, what happened?"

"Two constables came to the quarry and demanded we shut down."

Zuo Zuo Wugang said: "Don't panic—I'll go check it out."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng stopped him: "Isn't You Tao at the quarry? What did she say?"

"She said she's unfamiliar with the place and it's better to let Seventh Master handle it."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng's face darkened: "Nonsense! You Tao has traveled the world and served under He He Jiaqing's sister for years. She's seen plenty. Two constables in Santou Cha can't handle her?"

Tang Yuan didn't know how to explain: "Big Brother Qiu, You Tao says the constables in Santou Cha are different."

"Since you know it's different, find a different way to handle it—if all else fails, go all out, and only come to me when you're truly out of options!"

After seeing off Tang Yuan, Xiao Chuanzi arrived again: "Qiu Ye, the pawnshop in Dongshi Village was robbed—over a dozen thugs stole a lot of goods, worth more than ten thousand silver dollars."

Zuo Zuo Wugang was about to head to the pawnshop when Qiu Qiu Zhiheng stopped him—the pawnshop was Xiao Chuanzi's own business.

"Go straight and invite Kui Guan Bafang and Qin Qin Tianjiu. Kui Guan Bafang is skilled at tracking people, and Qin Qin Tianjiu has survived the Three Heroes Gate—he knows how to deal with robbers."

"But remember this: even though they're our own people, don't shortchange them on payment."

After seeing off Xiao Chuanzi, Zuo Zuo Wugang said: "Qiu Tou, you're being heartless. Li Qi isn't here, and these people are coming to us for help—we should at least go take a look."

"Take a look?" Qiu Qiu Zhiheng laughed. "You can't even protect your own business—do you still have the energy to care for others?"

"Why bother with that? We're all one family. They come here because of Li Qi."

"They don't come here for Old Qi—they come to benefit us," Qiu Qiu Zhiheng said, standing on the second floor of the restaurant, gazing into the distance. "Old Zuo, do you know how hard it was for the Lu family to establish a business at San Tou Cha? To own even a sliver of property there was no small feat."

"Old Qi planted the tree, and now we've come to pick the fruit. But if you can't hold onto the fruit, and every little problem sends you running to Old Qi, how will he ever get his own affairs done?"

Zuo Zuo Wugang understood the logic, but after a lifetime of being a subordinate, he still lacked confidence when acting on his own: "Qiu Tou, if we truly can't handle something, we still can't go to Li Qi?"

"If something is truly beyond our control, Old Qi will have made arrangements. First, we must prepare for Tan Tan Jinxiao—he's the one who's hard to deal with."

The restaurant reopened, and after three days of waiting, Tan Tan Jinxiao hadn't shown up—but a middle-aged man arrived.

He wore a down jacket and looked like an outsider from another province, yet his speech carried a strong Like Puluozhou accent: "May I ask who is Qiu Ye?"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng nodded: "Who are you?"

The man said: "I'm Tang Tang Changfa. Li Qi said troublemakers had surfaced here, so he sent me to lend a hand."

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng immediately invited Tang Tang Changfa upstairs and told Zuo Zuo Wugang to arrange his lodging and meals.

During casual conversation, when asked about his background, Tang Tang Changfa refused to speak; when asked about his abilities, he remained silent.

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng knew cultivation levels and Dao sects couldn't be casually inquired about—but if Tang Tang Changfa said nothing at all, how would they handle Tan Tan Jinxiao when he arrived?

He told Tang Tang Changfa the general details about Tan Tan Jinxiao.

Tang Tang Changfa thought for a moment: "This man is from the Clouds—I can't defeat him. But since he's a thug, he must follow thug rules—I can certainly pin him down. Whether I can truly subdue him depends on your abilities."

He couldn't defeat him—but could pin him down? What kind of logic was that?

Two more days passed, and Tan Tan Jinxiao returned.

This time he didn't push his cart or bring his men—he carried a knife, ready to resort to brute force.

"Zuo Zuo Wugang, get your ass out here! Today, your old man's playing for real—we stand firm, and we fight with knives!"

Qiu Qiu Zhiheng knew he'd come again and had prepared in advance—but unfortunately, business had just started to pick up, and all these customers had to be cleared out.

Zuo Zuo Wugang was about to shoo them away when Tang Tang Changfa stopped him: "Why chase them off? Keep doing business properly!"

Before Zuo Zuo Wugang could explain, Tang Tang Changfa stepped outside and walked straight toward Tan Tan Jinxiao: "You want to fight with knives?"

Tan Tan Jinxiao looked at Tang Tang Changfa—he'd never seen this man before: "Who the hell are you? I'm looking for Zuo Zuo Wugang, the restaurant owner. What's it to you?"

Tang Tang Changfa said: "Don't care whether it's your business or not—just answer: are you going to fight with knives?"

A crowd gathered to watch. Tan Tan Jinxiao nodded: "You want to draw first? Fine—I'll show you how it's done."

"Don't show me how—it's the guest's turn to lead. I'll show you first!" Tang Tang Changfa picked up the knife, slashed with a *puff*, cut off his own ear, put it in his mouth, and chewed it with a crunching sound.

Throughout the entire act, Tang Tang Changfa's face showed no expression.

*Gulping! *

Tang Tang Changfa swallowed, and the crowd shuddered.

When he'd finished eating the ear, Tang Tang Changfa handed the knife to Tan Tan Jinxiao: "Your turn."

Tan Tan Jinxiao trembled, nearly dropping his knife.

He'd been a thug his whole life—he'd seen this before—but for some reason, today he felt terrifying fear!

"Dare or not? Come on!"

"Come!" Tan Tan Jinxiao grabbed his own ear with one hand, knife in the other, preparing to act.

But his hand shook uncontrollably—the knife wouldn't stay steady.

Foolish cultivation technique: challenge issued.

Tan Tan Jinxiao was affected—he saw Tang Tang Changfa as towering over ten zhang tall. What Tang Tang Changfa could do, he felt he could never accomplish.

But if he couldn't do it, he'd lose face—and his cultivation base would suffer.

While Tan Tan Jinxiao hesitated, Qiu Qiu Zhiheng passed by him silently.

Cao Cao Zhida, pretending to be a spectator in the crowd, shouted loudly with the others: "Afraid? Then bow down and kiss his feet—get out of here!"

The crowd's pressure, Tan Tan Jinxiao's inner turmoil—his forehead veins bulged.

As Qiu Qiu Zhiheng walked past, he quietly used the Joyful Cultivation Technique. Tan Tan Jinxiao shuddered—his blood vessels burst, and he collapsed to the ground.

PS: Today, he was just unlucky—he ran into a Thug Grandmaster.