Chapter 26: I'll Teach You a Principle

Inside the shop.

Song Ling looked at Lin Bai's back and said timidly, "Father, I feel like Brother Lin is so despicable!"

"Indeed, the person is despicable, the mouth is despicable, and the Martial Art is also despicable," Wu Xiuxiu chimed in, feeling the same way.

"Evil is overcome by evil; there is truth in that, indeed. Before, I didn't think much of the shopkeeper, but now I feel there is nothing he cannot handle," Song Jinnan said. "He clearly possesses such excellent martial arts, yet yesterday he tricked Longxi into coming here to die. He is capable, cautious, thick-skinned, and has backing. With him protecting us, the Daoist who wants to harm us will certainly be no match."

"But since he is so capable, why would he protect us?" Song Ling raised her head and asked her father, "Are we of any use to him?"

A sense of crisis struck their hearts, and Song Jinnan and Wu Xiuxiu both fell into silence.

He looked at Lin Bai, who was still in a standoff with the Daoist, then looked down at the chaotic shop: "A-Xiu, Xiao Ling, don't just stand there. Help the shopkeeper clean up. That Daoist is no match for the shopkeeper..."

The Nine Days True Scripture (Fragment) circulated slowly, and the consumed Internal Energy recovered bit by bit. Lin Bai estimated that it would take at least half an hour to fully recover.

Meanwhile, the Daoist hiding inside the protective barrier had taken some healing medicine, and the look of pain on his face had clearly lessened. It was hard to tell how effective that medicine was.

Lin Bai had no idea who would recover faster, so he had to find a way to resolve the problem.

The Daoist had produced a Shield Armor Talisman; who knew if he had any offensive talismans?

He had taken advantage of striking first just now, and Lin Bai did not know whether his true ability was higher or lower than the Daoist's.

What bothered him most was the possibility that the Nine Days True Scripture (Fragment) might fail him again.

That would be a huge embarrassment.

Furthermore, the Daoist had the backing of True Person Qingxu of Huilong Temple, while he himself had absolutely nothing.

If you beat the small one, the big one comes; that was also a troublesome matter...

Faced with pressure, Lin Bai's brain turned rapidly. He turned his head and saw Deng Li Buduo standing still: "Xiao Deng, didn't I tell you to go fetch firewood? Why are you spacing out? Don't you see the Daoist is shivering from the cold?"

Isn't he shivering because you angered him?

Deng Li Buduo asked blankly: "Really fetch it?"

"Nonsense, he and I have already crossed swords; it's either him or me. Do you think I'm joking?" Lin Bai said angrily.

Him dying and you living—that is one scenario! Deng Li Buduo muttered to himself.

Lin Bai glanced at the Daoist: "Xiao Deng, let me tell you a principle: if you want to survive well in the pugilistic world, you must be good at calculation. There are two possibilities in the current situation. One is that I beat him to death, and his master comes seeking revenge. This would branch into several outcomes:

One, he dies, and his master doesn't know;

Two, his master knows he died but has no desire to avenge him;

Three, his master knows he died, but by the time he finds out, it's too late, and he can't be bothered to avenge him;

Four, his master knows he died but cannot find the culprit;

Five, his master knows he died and finds the culprit, but for various reasons, cannot kill the culprit;

Six, which is the best scenario for him: his master knows he died, is willing to avenge him, finds the culprit, and kills the culprit.

But what use is that?

He is dead after all; at best, he dies with a smile on his face.

For us, the worst scenario is that we soften our hearts and let him go, only for him to return with his whole family...

Which one do you think is more favorable for us?"

Daoist Qingfeng was drenched in sweat. He followed Lin Bai's train of thought, and the more he thought, the more his heart sank...

Deng Li Buduo opened his mouth: "Naturally, the first one."

"Exactly. Statistically speaking, the probability of us being unscathed if we kill him is as high as eighty percent!" Lin Bai smiled. "So, why aren't you going to fetch firewood?"

"Understood." Deng Li Buduo wore an expression of having been taught a lesson and turned to enter the shop.

Upon entering, he saw three ghosts cleaning up. He couldn't help but be stunned, and his impression of the Daoist plummeted to the lowest point.

What a diligent family; how could anyone say they are fierce ghosts who harm people?

If I had such free laborers, I wouldn't be willing to give them up either!

"Big Brother, the firewood was prepared for you long ago." Song Ling squeezed out a sweet smile at Deng Li Buduo and pointed to a large pile of firewood stacked at the entrance.

"..." Deng Li Buduo's mouth twitched. They really were sweet and sensible!

Seeing Deng Li Buduo actually pile a large amount of firewood outside the Shield Armor Talisman, the Daoist behind the protective barrier was about to go insane.

What kind of person is this!

Don't ordinary pugilists just use brute force to smash a Shield Armor Talisman?

Who the hell uses fire to roast it!

"Shopkeeper Lin, I think we can talk." Seeing the firewood outside the protective barrier growing, Daoist Qingfeng said, a plan forming in his desperation, "I... I am willing to pay a ransom."

"Whose life are you buying?" Lin Bai asked with a smile.

"Naturally, I am buying my own life," Daoist Qingfeng said eagerly.

"How much is the Daoist willing to pay for his own life?" Lin Bai asked. "My daily rate is already fifty taels. The Daoist looks at most thirty. Let's calculate conservatively: if you live to eighty, you have fifty years left. That's eighteen thousand taels a year, so fifty years is..."

Damn it!

Just a moment ago you said this old Daoist was over forty; how did I get younger when you started calculating money?!

You scoundrel!

Daoist Qingfeng hurriedly interrupted Lin Bai to correct him: "Shopkeeper Lin, I am already forty-five."

Lin Bai glanced at him and laughed: "Fine, let's say forty-five. The Daoist looks well-maintained; you can at least live to be a hundred. By that calculation, you have fifty-five years left..."

Son of a bitch!

The Daoist had the urge to vomit blood again. He forced a smile, took a bamboo tube from his robes, pulled off the wax seal, and poured out a roll of banknotes. He unfolded them to show Lin Bai: "Shopkeeper Lin, please don't make fun of me anymore. My life is naturally not as precious as yours. Over the years, I have saved nearly three thousand taels of silver. I will simply give it all to you as ransom!"

"Daoist, if I take your ransom and you go back to call your family, wouldn't that be cheating me?" Lin Bai looked at the banknotes, a look of struggle flashing across his face. Finally, he sighed, "For a mere three thousand taels, to bring a whole body of trouble upon myself—it's not worth it. Xiao Deng, light the fire! If we smoke the Daoist to death in a while, the banknotes will still be ours..."

"Shopkeeper Lin, I can swear—swear in the name of the Daoist Venerable—that if I pay the ransom, I will not seek revenge on you afterward. If I do, may I be struck by lightning and die without a burial place," Daoist Qingfeng said hurriedly. "You... if you light the fire, I will risk my life to throw the banknotes into the fire, so you won't get anything."

As soon as these words were spoken.

Lin Bai knew the matter was settled.

It was not because of his oath.

A normal person facing death should be fighting him with their life, preferably ending in mutual destruction.

This guy risked his life just to throw the banknotes into the fire...

His heart was already in chaos.

"Daoist, you underestimate Lin's breadth of mind; how could I not trust you!" Lin Bai smiled brightly, "Just now I was joking with you, what 'life-buying money' or not—when one is in the pugilistic world, having one more friend means having one more path. How about this: three thousand taels, I will convert it into a ten percent equity stake for you."

It is not that I look down on you, Daoist, but to have only saved up three thousand taels at over forty years old is truly a bit embarrassing to bring up.

Our little shop's business is so booming that in a few years, you will have recouped your investment, and you will even get annual dividends. Isn't that good?"

The life-buying money turned into shares?

This counts as a good thing, right?

But why does it feel like something is still not quite right!

That's it!

I am here to drive them away and seal the shop, damn it!

How did it end up becoming buying into the business?

Daoist Qingfeng's head was buzzing, but seeing Lin Bai's smiling face, he still nodded blankly.

"Shopkeeper, should I still light the fire?" Deng Li Buduo asked.

"Light what fire? Daoist Qingfeng is our shareholder now; what if he burns to death? Go see what food and wine are left in the shop, set them out, and I will have a drink with the Daoist." Lin Bai turned his head and sternly scolded Deng Li Buduo, "Little Deng, let me tell you another principle: the pugilistic world is never just about fighting and killing, but about human relationships and worldly wisdom. Only thinking about hitting and killing people is, in the end, a lower path."

"..." Deng Li Buduo stood there in a daze, completely bewildered; this was different from the principle just now!

"Shopkeeper Lin knows me?" Daoist Qingfeng widened his eyes.

"What a thing to say; if I didn't know you, I would have burned you to death long ago—how would I dare to pull you in as a shareholder?" Lin Bai smiled, delivering the final blow to Qingfeng, "When Lin came out for his trial, my sect had already scouted out every large and small sect within a thousand miles. To tell you the truth, the first time I saw you, I recognized you, Daoist. Compared to you, I am the true darling of my sect!"

Holy crap!

A true, hidden major NPC!

Deng Li Buduo had no more doubts and kowtowed with a thud: "Shopkeeper, please take me as your disciple."

(End of this chapter)