90: Wolf cubs in the slums and "life-saving" pills

Tianxing City, Lower District.

This was the shadow behind the prosperity, a gathering place for the lowest-level Loose Cultivators who couldn't afford the two-thousand Spirit Stone deposit and could only trade their labor or dignity for the right to survive.

The air was thick with a mixture of cheap cosmetics, sweat, and the smell of blood.

Zhou Wannian wore the Thousand-Illusion Mask, disguised as a sinister-looking middle-aged black-robed Cultivator. Like a scavenging vulture, he wandered through the most chaotic 'Black Fist Street' of the Lower District.

"Kill him! Kill him!"

From an underground colosseum ahead came a tidal wave of shouting.

Zhou Wannian pushed through the crowd and stood at the edge of the iron cage, looking down.

Inside the cage, there were no Yao Beasts, only two people.

A muscular man at the sixth layer of Qi Refining was mounted on top of a thin youth, his fists falling like rain.

The youth appeared to be only at the fourth layer of Qi Refining. He was covered in blood, and his left arm was already broken, twisted at an eerie angle.

"This kid is dead for sure."

A gambler nearby spat, "Daring to challenge 'Iron Hand' without knowing his own limits."

However, Zhou Wannian's gaze was fixed intently on the youth.

Even though he was being beaten without the strength to fight back, even though blood had blurred his eyes, the youth's gaze... held no fear, no despair.

There was only a heart-palpitating calmness and ruthlessness, like a hungry wolf. He was waiting.

"Ah!"

The muscular man suddenly let out a scream of agony.

Just as he swung a fist at the youth's throat, the youth, who had seemingly lost consciousness, suddenly opened his mouth and bit down hard on the man's carotid artery!

It wasn't an ordinary bite; it was a tearing bite empowered by some kind of Blood-Burning Secret Technique!

Squelch—!

Blood sprayed wildly.

The youth ignored the man's frantic punching. Even as his ribs were broken one by one, he refused to let go. He even used his intact right hand to slide a sharpened beast bone from his sleeve and plunged it deep into the man's soft ribs under the armpit.

Puchi.

The man's massive body crashed to the ground, twitched a few times, and then went still.

The youth spat out a piece of bloody flesh and struggled to stand up. He was wobbling, yet he stood as straight as a spear.

The entire arena fell silent.

"He... he won?!"

The corner of Zhou Wannian's mouth curled into a satisfied arc.

"Ruthless enough, patient enough, and desperate enough."

"He's good material."

...Half an hour later.

In a dead-end alley in the Lower District.

The youth dragged his broken body, walking back with difficulty. He had won the match and received a fifty Spirit Stone bounty, but he knew this small amount wasn't enough to heal his injuries, let alone buy the Medicinal Pill that could save his sister's life.

Suddenly, a dark shadow blocked his path.

The youth snapped his head up, the blood-stained beast bone sliding into his right hand again, his eyes as fierce as a wolf's.

"Don't be nervous."

Zhou Wannian stood in the shadows, his voice raspy. "I'm not here to steal your money. Fifty Spirit Stones aren't worth my notice."

"Who are you?" the youth's voice was hoarse.

"I'm here to make a deal with you."

With a wave of Zhou Wannian's hand, a jade bottle flew over.

The youth caught it instinctively. Upon opening it, his pupils constricted.

"Second-Tier... Rejuvenation Pill?!"

This was a sacred healing medicine; a single one cost a hundred Spirit Stones!

"It's yours," Zhou Wannian said calmly.

"Why?" The youth didn't eat it; instead, he became even more vigilant. "What do you want me to do? Kill someone? Or sell my life?"

"Smart."

Zhou Wannian nodded approvingly. "I like talking to smart people. I do indeed need you to sell your life, but not now. Right now, you are too weak."

He approached step by step, his Foundation Establishment Stage pressure released without reservation.

The youth groaned, forced to his knees by the pressure, but he still stubbornly held his head high, staring fixedly at Zhou Wannian.

"I've taken a liking to your ruthlessness."

Zhou Wannian looked down at him. "I know you lack money, lack resources, and even lack a life. As long as you're willing to be my dog, all of these... I can give to you."

As he spoke, he pulled another jade box from his Storage Pouch.

He opened a crack.

A medicinal fragrance so rich it made the Soul tremble wafted out.

Inside lay a Medicinal Pill emitting three cloud patterns.

"Foun... foundation establishment pill?!"

The youth was completely stunned, his breathing as rapid as a bellows.

He had heard of this legendary pill in the black market. It was the key to another world, a divine object that countless Loose Cultivators didn't even dare to dream of!

"Do you want it?"

Zhou Wannian shook the box, then snapped it shut with a 'clack' and tucked it back into his robes.

"Right now, you aren't worthy of eating it."

"Giving this to you would only make you die faster."

Seeing the longing in the youth's eyes, Zhou Wannian said coldly, "But as long as you are obedient, on the day your cultivation reaches Qi Refining Perfection, this pill... will be your reward."

Painting a grand vision—this was the basic cultivation of a capitalist.

"This is the deposit."

Zhou Wannian threw another bottle. "Inside are ten 'Top-Grade yellow dragon pills,' enough for you to quickly Breakthrough to Late Stage Qi Refining."

The youth's hands trembled as he caught the bottle.

For the current him, this was the most practical thing.

"What... do you actually want me to do?"

"It's simple."

Zhou Wannian crouched down, looking directly into the youth's eyes. "I want you to establish a Gang in this Lower District. The name will be... 'Tingfeng Tower'."

"I want you to become the king of this Lower District, to collect intelligence for me and handle some dirty work that is inconvenient for me to do personally."

"Of course, giving benefits alone isn't enough; there must be rules."

Zhou Wannian extended a finger and lightly tapped the youth's forehead.

"Don't move."

A deep blue cloud-seal rune flowed from his fingertip into the youth's Sea of Consciousness, turning into a complex Restriction.

"This is the 'Life-Death Seal.' It triggers once a year. Without my antidote, your Meridians will shatter, and you will die after wailing for seven days and seven nights."

"This is very fair, right?"

The youth's body shook, but he quickly regained his composure and kowtowed heavily. "Fair! This subordinate... Li Feiyu, is willing to die for the Lord!"

"Very good."

Zhou Wannian stood up and threw down a Storage Pouch.

"This is the startup capital. Within three months, I want to see the prototype of Tingfeng Tower."

"Also, a Certificate of Loyalty."

Zhou Wannian pointed to the still-noisy underground colosseum not far away.

"Tonight, I don't want to see the owner of that black boxing arena alive to see tomorrow's sun."

The youth gripped the beast bone in his hand, killing intent boiling in his eyes. "Understood."

...Back at Qingshi Alley.

Zhou Wannian took off the mask, returning to his appearance as the worldly Old Man Han.

"The first chess piece has been placed."

He wasn't worried the youth would betray him. Poison, a Restriction, and that distant yet reachable 'foundation establishment pill' carrot were enough to leash this hungry wolf.

Just as he was about to close the door and rest.

Buzz.

A Sound-Transmitting Talisman in his robes suddenly vibrated.

This was the emergency contact talisman he had left for Li Feiyu.

"News so soon?"

Zhou Wannian was somewhat surprised and injected spiritual power.

Li Feiyu's raspy and urgent voice came through:

"Lord, I've just received news! The Jinguang Sect is offering a bounty in the black market for an old man selling 'Paper Formation Plates'! It's said that the old man stole their business and injured their Young Lord."

"The bounty order has already reached the Lower District. The reward is three thousand Spirit Stones, dead or alive!"

After listening, Zhou Wannian's gaze instantly turned cold.

"Jinguang Sect..."

"It seems the lesson I gave at the Ghost Market that day wasn't enough."

He looked out at the pitch-black night outside the window, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold arc.

"Want to catch me?"

"Then let's see who catches whom."

In Tianxing City's night, the wind began to blow.