166: Cake

“If I were given these conditions, I would definitely agree…”

“With that shoehorn face of yours, full of pockmarks, do you have such a beautiful younger sister?”

“Tch…”

The other Martial Artists in the room discussed in low voices. Their expressions showed urgency, complexity, sighs, but more than anything, envy. If they were offered such conditions, they would probably even sell their asses without hesitation.

“I…”

Han Yi was silent for a long while, then squeezed out a single word.

“A wise man submits to circumstances. Since brother has decided to join our Huang Family, then please sign this contract first!”

Before Han Yi could finish speaking, Huang Zi'ang’s smile grew even wider as he said, beaming.

He eagerly pulled out a contract from hisArms, seeing Han Yi’s thoughtful expression, he was completely confident in his method.

Indeed, everything was as his Master had said.

All Martial Artists in the world come for profit.

For these Martial Artists who urgently need Cultivation resources, emotions are ultimately external. When weighing gains and losses, Cultivation benefits are the most important in the long run.

Is this the so-called subduing the enemy without fighting…

In his heart, he couldn't help but marvel at his own quick wit, gaining a Lian Xue martial artist as a subordinate without any effort or a single drop of blood.

The most important thing is that there might be other gains…

Huang Zi'ang secretly glanced at Qian Xue.

“Hey, Yi Gege… you won’t…”

Qian Xue looked anxious, pulling at Han Yi, who was deep in thought.

“Ah, sorry… I was a bit lost in thought just now.”

Han Yi smiled at Qian Xue, revealing his teeth, and said in a low voice.

“I’ve thought about it, and if I were to join the Huang Family like this, after listening to your words, I wouldn’t feel right about it…”

Then, Han Yi, with an apologetic expression, turned to Huang Zi'ang and said.

“It’s alright, even if you have family and friends, they will understand you… Water flows to lower places, and people strive for higher places… No need to worry!”

Indeed, there’s nothing that money can’t solve!

Huang Zi'ang smiled as brightly as a flower, trying to keep his expression natural and not too ostentatious.

He thought Han Yi had other forces behind him and was worried about suddenly joining the Huang Family, which might cause trouble. He then proudly said, “Our Huang Family is one of the four major powers in An Yan City. No ordinary force dares to provoke us. You can rest assured that if anyone comes to trouble you, I will naturally resolve it for you!”

“Oh, that’s not it, mainly…”

Han Yi suddenly covered his mouth and nose with his hand, retreating a few steps away from Huang Zi'ang as if in disgust.

“Mainly, Young Master Huang, you have bad breath. I thought about it, and I still can’t get too close to you. If I were to catch bad breath from you, I wouldn’t feel right!”

At this point, Han Yi finally released his hand from his mouth and nose, taking deep breaths of fresh air and speaking in a relaxed manner.

Huang Zi'ang’s smile instantly froze.

What? Bad breath? This ignorant fool actually said I have bad breath?!!!

He looked at Han Yi, his muscles trembling, his face alternating between green and white, and his folding fan fell to the ground with a “snap.” He seemed to want to say something, but his teeth chattered, and he couldn’t say anything.

Bad breath?

If you don’t want to join, just say so. What kind of ridiculous reason is this?

The Martial Artists behind Huang Zi'ang looked torn between laughter and tears, their faces flushed, wanting to laugh but unable to, forced to maintain a serious expression.

After all, they took money from others to resolve their troubles. As members of the Huang Family, this was a crucial moment to show their loyalty, and they couldn’t mess it up!

“Bad breath? Hahahaha… Yi Gege, really? Then I should stay far away from him too!”

Qian Xue was slightly stunned upon hearing this, then, disregarding her lady-like image, she burst into hearty laughter and scurried over to Han Yi’s side, keeping a wide distance from Huang Zi'ang.

She already had a poor impression of this fellow who, from the start, spoke with the air of a Young Master from a prominent family. Now, she was filled with even more disgust.

“Damn it! You! Go! Take this guy down!”

Upon hearing Qian Xue’s laughter, Huang Zi'ang almost lost his composure. He cursed loudly, shouting at his subordinates to advance together, wanting to attack Han Yi.

But he shouted for a long time, only to find no movement behind him. Han Yi still looked at him calmly.

Huang Zi'ang looked back and saw his family’s Martial Artists.

One by one, they looked at each other, exchanged glances, and started deferring to each other, all asking the other to go first, without any of the eagerness they had shown earlier to help Tao Gu.

They weren't fools. Most of them, except for Huang An, were at the Late Stage of Refining Bone. Even if they all rushed forward, how could they defeat Han Yi?

Furthermore, throughout this journey, Huang Zi'ang had been bossy and arrogant every day, even in the wilderness, putting on airs like a Young Master. Moreover, when they were in Fu City, Huang Zi'ang’s behavior had caused trouble once, otherwise, they would have already returned to their comfortable homes for the New Year.

Now, they were truly fed up with cleaning up Huang Zi'ang’s messes!

“What are you all doing?!”

At this moment, a loud shout came, and Huang An walked in from the kitchen, seeing the tense situation in the room.

“Zi'ang, didn’t I tell you to behave for a few days? Are you trying to cause trouble again? Do I have to go back and report you to your father?”

Huang An, being over fifty years old, was extremely experienced. With a glance, he saw Huang Zi'ang standing in front with a displeased expression and knew that Huang Zi'ang must be trying to cause trouble again.

“No, Uncle An, I kindly spent a lot of money to hire him, but he said I… No, it’s not my fault, he first…”

Huang Zi'ang shrank his neck, pointing at Han Yi and gesticulating wildly.

He originally wanted to mention Han Yi calling him out for bad breath, but then he thought that such a thing would be too embarrassing to say, so he prepared to rephrase it. Who knew, perhaps because he was too excited, the more he spoke, the more muddled he became, speaking incoherently, making it impossible for others to understand him.

“Stop, stop!”

Watching Huang Zi'ang speak more and more excessively, saying things like his father being a Tongmai Martial Master, and how he could destroy An Yan City with a wave of his hand… Huang An quickly stopped his Heaven-Defying remarks.

“Zi'ang, we are in the wilderness now, not in the city. I already probed earlier, that old man is also a Lian Xue martial artist…”

Huang An reminded him in a low voice.

“This…”

Huang Zi'ang looked up, seeing Han Yi and Bai Sanren on the opposite side watching them with interest, whispering to each other, seemingly discussing something.

Although he was an inexperienced novice who idled away his days at home, he was still a Refining Bone Martial Artist. He had some sense of the destructive power of two hostile Lian Xue martial artists.

In addition, during this period, he had been constantly messing around in the wild. Although he didn’t study diligently, he had absorbed enough by osmosis to understand that in this desolate place, if a fight broke out and someone died, digging a pit and burying them would leave no trace, even if the Dao came looking!

Huang Zi'ang immediately stopped mumbling and calmed down.

“Besides, if you want revenge, after we return to An Yan City and find out these people’s whereabouts, won’t they be at your mercy…”

Huang An saw that Huang Zi'ang was still a bit angry. He cupped his hand to Huang Zi'ang’s ear and said darkly.

That’s right…

Once I return to the city and bring out my family’s influence, if you’re a Dragon, you’ll have to coil for me; if you’re a tiger, you’ll have to crouch for me. The softness or hardness of the persimmon is all up to me!

Thinking of this, Huang Zi'ang brightened up. He bent down, picked up his fan, and once again resumed the calm Young Master demeanor he had upon entering the door. He ignored Han Yi and the others and chatted and laughed with Huang An.

‘This guy, to be able to endure such humiliation… It seems he’s not a complete prodigal son or a brainless fool after all, much stronger than ordinary Young Masters…’

‘Forget it, let him live a little longer first!’

Han Yi raised an eyebrow and sneered inwardly. The more Huang Zi'ang acted this way, the more cautious he became.

Today, when he, Qian Xue, and Bai Sanren came out, they didn’t use the Yan Shen Technique to change their appearance. If this Young Master truly held a grudge and came to cause trouble after returning to the Huang Family, it would be troublesome…

After all, Han Yi was still a bit apprehensive about the deterrent power of a Tongmai Stage Martial Master.

.....

“Come, come, everyone, don’t just stand there, let’s eat!”

At this moment, Tao Gu entered the main house, carrying a plate full of meat pies.

The palm-sized meat pies were puffed and round from the oven fire, with slightly charred edges, but most of the surface was golden and crispy, dotted with sesame seeds. The oil from the cooked meat filling flowed along the cracks, coating the sesame seeds with a glossy sheen, making them look incredibly appetizing.

“Da Mao, slow down, can you carry that much at once?!”

Tao Gu turned around, scolding him with a hint of doting.

“Mom, I’m an adult now, no problem!”

Da Mao chuckled, also carrying a plate of meat pies and trotting in.

As the aroma spread, gradually, a unique meaty scent mixed with the baked wheat aroma of the flatbread and the toasted aroma of sesame seeds filled everyone’s nostrils.

Grumble grumble

Someone’s stomach let out a beast-like growl.

Everyone looked over and saw Huang Zi'ang’s stomach rumbling uncontrollably.

“No, you can’t blame me, I’ve been hungry all day…”

His old face turned red, and he quickly explained.

But then, everyone was no longer surprised, because one after another, several people’s stomachs started rumbling.

“Don’t rush, there’s another plate!”

At this moment, Tao Wu brought in a third plate of meat pies.

The aroma in the house grew stronger, and everyone looked at the meat pies on the table with watering mouths.

“Hehe, everyone, eat to your heart’s content. If it’s not enough, we’ll make more…”

After Tao Wu put down the plate, seeing everyone’s eager expressions, he said with a chuckle.

“Thank you, Village Chief Tao, for preparing such tempting food after a busy night…”

Huang An wiped his saliva and said reservedly.

“All who come are guests, and besides, you’ve given us so much silver, so we naturally have to treat you well.”

Tao An smiled, picked up a meat pie himself, and ate it heartily.

“Fragrant, truly fragrant! This pie must be eaten while hot to be fragrant!”

Seeing Tao Wu’s enticing way of gulping down the meat pies, everyone felt at ease. Letting the host eat first was both a custom and a precaution.

“Xiao Liu, didn’t you just eat dry rations…”

“Can that dry, ice-like stuff even be called food? This is a proper meal!”

“Yes, yes, these meat pies are so fragrant. I didn’t realize Tao Gu is not only beautiful but also cooks so well. I even want to stay in Peach Blossom Village and not leave…”

“Tch, with your looks, they’d reject you even if you married into the family!”

As the meat pies went down, the Martial Artists present began to chat and brag lively.

And Huang Zi'ang, who was usually active and talkative, also lost his Young Master airs. He shoved meat pies into his mouth with his left hand and reached for more from the plate with his right, eating with oil all over his mouth.

“Wow, so fragrant…”

Qian Xue also held a meat pie in her hand, her eyes filled with love for the food.

“Tao Gu’s cooking skills are indeed excellent, comparable to my own…”

Bai Sanren also sighed, truly not knowing if he was praising himself or Tao Gu.

“Hey, Han Boy, why aren’t you eating…”

Bai Sanren looked at Han Yi, who held a meat pie but wasn’t eating it, and asked in confusion.

“It’s nothing, I’m just not very hungry…”

Han Yi frowned slightly, not directly stating the reason.

Ever since the new characteristic of Dual Blade Sword Kill, ‘Concentration,’ appeared, his sixth sense had become extremely acute, far surpassing ordinary people.

From the moment he entered Peach Blossom Village, he had a faint feeling that something was wrong, as if a small figure was shouting in his ear.

And now, this feeling of unease had reached its peak, as if something horrifying was about to happen!

But along the way, he hadn’t found any abnormalities!

Including now!

By the table, Tao Wu watched everyone eat with a smile, tearing his meat pie into small pieces and putting them into his mouth one by one, swallowing them.

Next to Tao Wu, Tao Gu’s vermilion lips were slightly parted, and she was chewing in small bites, appearing gentle, reserved, and utterly ladylike. She also occasionally gently patted the wolfing-down Da Mao, preventing him from choking.

Even the Martial Artists from the Huang Family caravan, who should have been guarding the goods, ran over, drawn by the aroma. It didn’t matter if there were no stools; they simply held their meat pies and squatted in twos and threes to the side, chewing heartily and exclaiming.

“This pie is so delicious, the meat is so fresh, it’s the first time I’ve had such a delicious meat pie!”

The Martial Artists devoured the food like a whirlwind, whether from extreme hunger or because the meat pies were truly delicious!

The three large plates of meat pies on the table were snatched clean by the swarming Martial Artists in just a moment, who picked up the pies and ate them with great relish!

Tao Gu’s gaze swept across the room, seeing everyone eating with gusto. She nodded secretly, very satisfied, but then, her gaze sharpened.

“Young Master, why aren’t you eating?” Tao Gu walked gracefully to Han Yi, smiling sweetly.