Chapter 642: A Master of a Generation

Zuo Wugang knelt by the sink, retching repeatedly. He had scrubbed himself over ten times with jasmine-scented soap, but still felt a lingering foul odor.

Tan Jinxiao had left. Since Zuo Wugang refused to yield even unto death, their verbal altercation today ended inconclusively. They agreed to continue their contest tomorrow.

They had both eaten their fill today; how could they possibly continue their contest tomorrow?

It wasn't just about the disgust; if Tan Jinxiao had truly intended harm, a single mouthful of his phlegm could have suffocated Zuo Wugang.

Bai Shoulian advised, "Master Zuo, calm down. Let's go consult Master Qi about what to do."

Zuo Wugang sighed. "We signed the contract, and Master Qi gave us the land and property deeds. Is it appropriate for us to go to him now?"

"What other choice do we have?" Bai Shoulian replied.

Zuo Wugang paced from outside into the house, then from the house to the back kitchen.

Cao Zhida snorted and remarked to Zhen Jincheng, "See? Master Zuo is pacing in circles again."

After all this time, Zuo Wugang's habit hadn't changed; he was still incapable of making decisions.

After much deliberation, Zuo Wugang grit his teeth and said, "I'll go apologize to Master Qi. The rest of you stay here and mind the business."

Bai Shoulian offered, "Master Zuo, I'll go with you."

"Don't go. This isn't good news, and besides, we can't run the restaurant without a head chef." Zuo Wugang meant well; he was afraid that if Li Qi assigned blame, Bai Shoulian would also get implicated.

However, Bai Shoulian felt this wasn't Zuo's fault. They truly couldn't handle such a ruthless opponent, and the situation needed to be explained clearly to Master Qi.

Li Banfeng was at the pharmacy, asking Juanzi about the overall layout of Three-Headed Fork. He planned to explore further afield. Qiu Zhiheng, Xiao Yeci, Lu Yuanxin, and others were also present.

Upon seeing Li Banfeng, Zuo Wugang lowered his head, pulled out the knife from his person, and placed it on the table.

"Master Qi, I'm useless. Something happened at the restaurant. Please tell me how you'll punish me!"

Li Banfeng frowned. "Put the knife away and speak properly."

Zuo Wugang, still with his head down, said, "I've disgraced myself. A ruthless ruffian caused trouble at the restaurant, and I simply couldn't handle him."

Qin Xiaopang stood up and said, "What kind of ruffian? I'll go deal with him."

Zuo Wugang recounted the entire incident, repeatedly emphasizing how disgusting the experience was.

Bai Shoulian added a few details, highlighting that the opponent was a master.

A phlegm master, a gold master, a laughter master.

Xiaopang sat back down. "Brother Qi, you should find someone else to deal with him. It's not suitable for me to go."

This person clearly countered food cultivators.

After listening, Li Banfeng nodded slightly. "Old Zuo, don't worry. Didn't you agree to fight again tomorrow? Find a way to win against him tomorrow."

With that, Li Banfeng, accompanied by Juanzi and Xiao Yeci, left.

Liangwu sighed softly, "How many of them went out?"

Liangcai pondered for a moment, "Should be three, right?"

"How could it be three? Young Master Qi, Miss Xiao, Miss Juanzi, Mengzi, and Xiaoshan, that's clearly five people in total."

"What if we went along too?"

"Then it would be seven."

Zuo Wugang couldn't figure out how many people there were; he only knew one thing: Li Qi had left him in the lurch.

This made it even more embarrassing.

"I'll go fight that Tan fellow to the death!" Zuo Wugang gritted his teeth and told Bai Shoulian, "Brother, tomorrow, please collect my body. And tell Master Qi that Old Zuo is truly sorry!"

Zuo Wugang was about to leave, and those around him tried to stop him, but couldn't.

"Old Zuo, stop!" Qiu Zhiheng shouted, and Zuo Wugang froze.

"Head Qiu." Zuo Wugang looked at Qiu Zhiheng. After so many years working for the Lu family, Qiu Zhiheng truly had a hold over him.

Qiu Zhiheng asked, "You signed a contract with Old Qi before, and he gave you the land and property deeds. This business is yours now, isn't it?"

Zuo Wugang lowered his head in silence. Bai Shoulian explained, "We're just overseeing the stall. I still think this is Master Qi's business..."

Qiu Zhiheng frowned. "The business has been handed over to you. Is it appropriate for you to come to Old Qi whenever something happens?"

Zuo Wugang remained silent. Bai Shoulian chuckled, "Head Qiu, please don't be angry. I also signed the contract, so I share responsibility in this. We didn't mean to bother Master Qi; we truly encountered a ruthless individual this time."

Qiu Zhiheng stood up, picking up his coat. "I'll go with you to take a look."

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

Qiu Zhiheng asked Lu Yuanxin, "Yuanxin, do you have some time? Can you lend a hand?"

Lu Yuanxin immediately stood up. "Uncle Qiu has spoken, so I'll certainly follow your orders."

Qiu Zhiheng looked at the old scolding woman. "Old lady, we'll need your help too."

The old scolding woman said, "Helping is easy, but this matter is difficult. I've never heard of anyone from the Three Gates starting a business here. If we're talking about a head-on fight, I'm afraid we're no match."

Chi Liuhe timidly suggested, "Why don't we call Gengzi back? Let him have a direct confrontation with him."

Zuo Wugang said with a long face, "Then are we still running this restaurant business?"

The old scolding woman shook her head. "If Old Qi isn't calling Gengzi, it means Gengzi has other important matters. Building an empire isn't easy. Let's not trouble Old Qi with these petty affairs."

Qiu Zhiheng, now fully dressed, said, "Let's head to the restaurant first."

Zuo Wugang, blushing, said, "I asked them to clean up, but today's fight was too brutal. I estimate there's still a bit of a smell outside the door."

Qiu Zhiheng smiled. "No need to clean up. Aren't you continuing the fight tomorrow? The smell won't be subtle."

Caoye followed Qiu Zhiheng to gain experience. Along the road were many exotic flowers and plants, which Caoye stared at wide-eyed.

"Brother Qiu, these are good things, very valuable!"

Lu Yuanxin was displeased. "This child is disrespectful. Is 'Brother Qiu' a term she should be using?"

Qiu Zhiheng urged Caoye to walk faster. At Three-Headed Fork, the heavenly light was intense. Li Banfeng only had one bottle of "Snowflake Cream," which couldn't protect everyone. Qiu Zhiheng had his own methods of protection, but the safest was to minimize outdoor activity during ordinary times.

Caoye took a couple of steps, then was drawn to another medicinal herb.

Lu Yuanxin lowered his voice and asked, "Uncle Qiu, you brought this girl out. Does Aunt Zhuzi know about this?"

Qiu Zhiheng frowned. "Nonsense, what are you thinking? This girl is like my own child. I brought her here to learn some skills."

Lu Yuanxin chuckled. "Uncle Qiu, your cultivation path has no other way to progress. With Auntie not by your side, what can you do?"

Qiu Zhiheng said, "I've reached a critical juncture. At this point, my wife truly cannot be by my side."

Lu Yuanxin was startled. "What critical juncture? Uncle Qiu, are you advancing to the 'Cloud' level?"

Qiu Zhiheng smiled but said nothing. Lu Yuanxin followed behind him, constantly seeking advice on cultivation insights.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Qiu Zhiheng detected the smell.

Lu Yuanxin wasn't too bothered. He found some insects on the ground, a type that particularly liked the smell and squirmed about.

Qiu Zhiheng asked Lu Yuanxin, "Are there many of these insects?"

"Plenty," Lu Yuanxin replied. "They're everywhere, always more numerous than flies."

Qiu Zhiheng fell into thought.

Lu Yuanxin reminded him, "Uncle Qiu, don't even think about using these insects to deal with a Gold Cultivator. Let me put it this way: when have you ever seen an insect that could completely clean a latrine?"

Qiu Zhiheng shook his head. "They don't need to clean the latrine completely; they just need to eat a hole in it."

"What do you mean by 'eating a hole'?"

Qiu Zhiheng explained, "Eating a hole in his armor is the only way to truly wound him."

Inside the restaurant, Qiu Zhiheng, along with Zuo Wugang, Lu Yuanxin, the old scolding woman, and Bai Shoulian, reconstructed the previous fierce battle.

The old scolding woman said, "I think the most difficult thing to deal with wasn't the 'gold juice,' but that old phlegm. The moment that old fellow spits, he can trap people. After that, it's hard for us to make a move against him."

Qiu Zhiheng shook his head slightly.

Bai Shoulian said, "I think the old lady is right."

Lu Yuanxin also nodded. "The old lady does have a point. I really do have insects that can eat phlegm, but as I said, we can't expect them to eat all of it."

Qiu Zhiheng continued to shake his head. "You're missing the point. I once heard a master say that to cultivate three paths simultaneously, one's cultivation must be at the 'Cloud' level. If a Cloud-level master were to attack with full power, Old Zuo would likely be dead already.

The reason Old Zuo is still alive is because this Cloud-level master adheres to rules. That's the crux of the matter: why would a Cloud-level master follow the rules of a ruffian? Is there something significant about that?"

The old scolding woman was very old. Although her cultivation wasn't particularly high, she had considerable knowledge. "Years ago, I also heard similar rumors. There are skilled Cloud-level practitioners who specifically engage in disreputable acts; they cannot progress otherwise. It seems they rely on such methods for their cultivation."

Qiu Zhiheng nodded. "I've heard of that too. If Tan Jinxiao acts like a ruffian for cultivation purposes, then we indeed still have a chance of winning.

Everyone, I'm not the oldest here, nor can I claim to be the most skilled. However, I have a few more years of experience in the jianghu, so I'll take charge of this matter. What do you say?"

"Alright!" the others responded readily.

Qiu Zhiheng took out paper and a pen. "Time is short, so I won't explain everything. Just follow the plan. I'll write down all the key points here."

The next day at noon, Tan Jinxiao arrived, still pushing his large cart with several burly men lying on it. He stopped the cart at the entrance. Seeing the restaurant's doors closed, Tan Jinxiao shouted:

"A man's word is his bond! A hero's spit is a nail! We agreed to meet today. Are you going to fight or reconcile? Give me a straight answer! What's the meaning of hiding inside and not coming out?"

He certainly knew how to pick his moments, specifically arriving when there were many passersby. Before long, a crowd gathered to watch. Tan Jinxiao yelled at the top of his lungs:

"Ladies and gentlemen, look here! My brothers here died from eating at this restaurant! Strong men just collapsed like this! They have elderly parents and young children; dozens of people in several families will now be left without support!

I've brought my brothers' bodies here to demand an explanation. I'll let them hit me or kick me, I just want one answer from them: Did this come from their establishment?

Do you admit responsibility or not? Give me a clear answer! Tell me if you'll compensate, and how much! What's the meaning of hiding behind your doors?

I'm risking my life here today! I refuse to believe I won't get justice! I'll show you something fierce today. Let's see if honest people are easy to bully! Watch closely!"

Tan Jinxiao turned around and picked up a knife from the cart.

This was about to get bloody.

If Zuo Wugang came out now, he would have to gamble with knives against Tan Jinxiao, where both stood firm and each took a stab at the other.

More and more onlookers gathered, all staring at the entrance, eager to see if the restaurant owners dared to come out.

Qiu Zhiheng stood on the second floor, peeking out through a window crack. He whispered, "Indeed, it's a cultivation method. He's using this trick to gain popularity."

Zuo Wugang was startled. "Gain popularity? What do you mean?"

Qiu Zhiheng explained, "This Tan Jinxiao is indeed a Cloud-level cultivator. He likely belongs to the 'Ruffian' sect, which used to be quite numerous in Puro Province years ago. They gain popularity by attracting onlookers.

These onlookers are highly curious, and they carry substantial 'popularity energy'. To gain this energy, ruffians must master two key points: first, articulate their reasoning, and second, act decisively. If they achieve both, their cultivation will advance."

Zuo Wugang had genuinely never heard of such a thing. "What if he can't articulate his reasoning, or if he can't act decisively?"

"Then he'll lose popularity, and his cultivation will suffer a setback. This cultivation method is precisely that strange. No wonder this fellow is so particular about rules."

Zuo Wugang became more confused the more he listened. "Ruffians acting like ruffians can still gain popularity? I heard from Master Wu before that Cloud-level cultivators gain popularity primarily through their territory?"

Qiu Zhiheng said, "There are thousands of ways to gain popularity. Relying on territory is just one type. Ruffian tactics are another. Manifesting as a deity is yet another.

However, once you use ruffian tactics, it's for life. It becomes very difficult to switch to other paths later."

Zuo Wugang felt that Qiu Zhiheng was different from before. "Head Qiu, where did you learn all this? Did Lu Dongliang teach you back then?"

Qiu Zhiheng didn't answer. These things were certainly not taught by Lu Dongliang; Lu Dongliang himself had to figure out matters of the Cloud level, so he wouldn't have had much to teach Qiu Zhiheng.

These were taught to him by Xu Han. Qiu Zhiheng had provided considerable assistance to Old Xu, so Old Xu naturally wouldn't treat him poorly.

Tan Jinxiao gestured with the knife, his voice growing louder. Zuo Wugang rolled up his sleeves. "I truly don't believe it. A Cloud-level cultivator, isn't he made of flesh? As long as I get to make the first move, I can finish him with one strike!"

Qiu Zhiheng glared at Zuo Wugang. "What did I tell you? Things must be done according to the plan."

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

"Then do you understand why you kicked him a full twenty times and still couldn't injure him?"

Zuo Wugang shrugged his eyebrows. "My unarmed combat might be lacking, but with a weapon..."

Qiu Zhiheng said, "Among Gold Cultivation techniques, there's a move called 'Golden Helmet, Silver Armor'. He has a layer of golden armor on him. Even if you strike him with a knife, you still won't harm him. If he strikes you with a knife, you're ninety-nine percent certain to lose your life."

"Golden armor?" Zuo Wugang was startled. "What kind of armor is that made of?"

"What do you think?"

"It's Gold Cultivator's armor?" Zuo Wugang shivered all over, vigorously scraping the soles of his shoes on the ground.

Tan Jinxiao, holding the knife, shouted sternly, "If you don't come out today, I'll go in with this knife and take over your shop! This shop will be mine from now on! Ladies and gentlemen, bear witness! If anyone objects, let's talk to this knife!"

Thud!

An old woman suddenly collapsed in front of Tan Jinxiao.

Tan Jinxiao was stunned.

The old woman clutched her stomach and cried out, "You murderous beast! Why did you stab me with a knife?"

"Hey, you can't just make up things like that!" Tan Jinxiao said, looking at the old woman. "You suddenly lunged at me. My knife was eight feet away from you! I didn't even touch you!"

Tan Jinxiao wasn't about to take this loss. He was a master of extortion; how could he let someone extort him? The knife in his hand was clearly accounted for: if it didn't touch her, it didn't touch her.

However, the onlookers had been watching the restaurant earlier, and no one had paid attention to the knife. Now, an old woman suddenly appeared, covered in blood. The crowd didn't know what was happening, but they felt the old woman was quite pitiable.

Tan Jinxiao sensed his 'popularity energy' was shifting, and the tide was turning. If he wasn't in the right, his cultivation would truly suffer.

But he wasn't flustered at all. He calmly reasoned with the old woman, "Old lady, let's talk this through properly if there's an issue. I have no grudge against you, why would I stab you?"

The old woman didn't argue with Tan Jinxiao. She turned to the cart, embraced one of the men on it, and cried, "My son, my son, how could you leave your mother and go!"

"Son?" Tan Jinxiao was stunned. These were all his subordinates on the cart; how had one become the old woman's son?

"Old lady, you've got the wrong person! This is my brother!"

The old woman pointed at the man and said, "This is my son."

"He's truly my brother!"

"This is truly my son! If you don't believe me, ask him!"

"I'll ask..."

But he couldn't ask. These men were feigning death; they couldn't speak even if asked.

Better not to ask. Regardless of the old woman's background, he decided to play along.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you've all seen it! My brother's mother is here! A white-haired person sending off a black-haired one! Zuo Wugang, if you're a real man, come out and take a look!"

The old woman cried, "You harmed my son, and then hired a beast to stab me! May this beast die a terrible death!"

Tan Jinxiao lowered his head and said, "Old lady, let's be clear. I was not hired by them."

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

"I'm holding this knife to fight for justice for you!"

"You're fighting for justice for me, so why did you stab me?"

"I already told you, I didn't stab you."

"Then who stabbed me with this knife?"

"How would I know..." Tan Jinxiao sensed something was wrong; the more he spoke, the more confused he became.

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

Lu Yuanxin released the first wave of insects, which were mainly adult flies and immature flies.

The flies swarmed towards Tan Jinxiao. He paid them no mind; Gold Cultivators didn't care about flies, especially with the current tricky situation.

Qiu Zhiheng held a portrait, on which Lu Yuanxin had made a mark. He said to Zuo Wugang, "Old Zuo, it's your turn. Remember, don't miss this spot on his back!"

"Don't worry, I won't mess this up."

Zuo Wugang went downstairs, stepped out, and shouted, "You Tan fellow, why are you bullying this old lady?"

Tan Jinxiao turned around and said, "This is my brother's mother. She's here to settle scores with you today!"

Zuo Wugang asked, "Why did you stab your brother's mother?"

Tan Jinxiao angrily retorted, "Stop stirring up trouble! I didn't stab this person!"

The old woman cried, "You're all in cahoots! You harmed my son, and now you want to harm me too!"

The onlookers' mouths were agape, unable to utter a word, for the spectacle was simply too captivating.

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

Qiu Zhiheng's veins bulged, and his pupils were bloodshot as he stared intently at Tan Jinxiao.

Though far apart, Qiu Zhiheng forcefully cast his technique, and tiny drops of blood trickled from the corners of his eyes.

At such a distance, attempting to use his Joy Cultivation technique directly on Tan Jinxiao would be futile.

However, using the Joy Cultivation technique on the insects proved effective.

A swarm of flies became agitated, landing on Tan Jinxiao's back and vigorously sucking.

The immature flies instantly grew thicker, clinging to Tan Jinxiao's back and gnawing fiercely.

Tan Jinxiao sensed something was wrong; his back felt itchy. Just as he was about to check his golden armor, the old scolding woman grabbed him, shouting, "You thunder-struck dog! You beast who deserves a thousand cuts! You harmed my son and then harmed me! When you reach the Hall of Yama, you'll be boiled in oil for ten thousand years, never to be reborn!"

While Tan Jinxiao was still arguing, Lu Yuanxin whistled, and Zuo Wugang plunged his knife into Tan Jinxiao's back.

The knife sank in, and blood flowed out.

"Ouch!" Tan Jinxiao cried out, "What gives you the right to attack?"

Zuo Wugang said, "Didn't you say it? You told me to come out and gamble with knives, and whoever uttered a sound would lose. You just let out a cry, so you lose!"

Tan Jinxiao retorted angrily, "You struck without warning. That's you not playing by the rules!"

Zuo Wugang said, "Ladies and gentlemen, listen carefully! You set the rules. If you can't uphold them yourself, who can you blame?"

While the two were arguing, Qiu Zhiheng told Lu Yuanxin, "Release the second wave of insects."

Lu Yuanxin released the second wave of insects. This time, they weren't flies, but scorpions—highly venomous scorpions carefully bred by Lu Yuanxin.

Qiu Zhiheng's veins bulged again, and he cast his Joy Cultivation technique towards the scorpions.

Under the influence of the technique, the scorpions scattered with lightning speed.

They didn't rush towards Tan Jinxiao; instead, they swarmed the burly men on the cart.

The enraged scorpions tore and bit, also injecting their venom. In less than a minute, the burly men couldn't endure it anymore.

The old scolding woman was still crying, "My son, my son, how could you... how did you wake up?"

The charade was exposed. The burly men scrambled to their feet from the cart and scattered, fleeing in all directions.

With the "corpses" running off, the entire deception was thoroughly exposed.

Tan Jinxiao nodded slightly. "Alright, I've stumbled. I admit defeat."

Without another word, Tan Jinxiao left.

The onlookers slowly realized what had happened. Tan Jinxiao was in the wrong, and every moment he stayed would mean further loss of his cultivation.

The old scolding woman clutched the wound on her stomach and wailed, "My son!"

Zuo Wugang helped the old scolding woman. "Old lady, don't be sad. Please come to my restaurant to rest, and I'll find a doctor to treat your injury!"

Back inside the restaurant, Zuo Wugang breathed a long sigh of relief. "This matter is finally over. I should have stabbed him a few more times. Letting him off with just that one blow was too easy on him."

Qiu Zhiheng wiped the blood beads from the corners of his eyes. "It wouldn't have done much. Cloud-level cultivators are tough to kill. A few more stabs wouldn't have counted as severe injury.

This isn't over yet. Ruffians aren't easily dismissed, and Cloud-level ruffians are even harder to get rid of. You'll be dealing with him for a long time!"

Zuo Wugang sighed, "Such ruffians are rarely seen in Greenwater City anymore."

Qiu Zhiheng nodded. "They're not just rare in Greenwater City; they're scarce throughout Puro Province. This place, Three-Headed Fork, truly is different."

Everyone tidied up the restaurant, preparing to open for business tomorrow. Tangyuan rushed to the restaurant in a panic. "Brother Qiu, something happened at the stone quarry! I just went to the pharmacy and couldn't find Master Qi, so I had to come here to find you..."

Qiu Zhiheng asked, "First, tell me what happened."

"Two constables came to the stone quarry and insisted that we cease operations."

Zuo Wugang said, "Don't rush. I'll go take a look."

Qiu Zhiheng stopped Zuo Wugang. "Isn't Youtao at the stone quarry? What did she say?"

"She said she's unfamiliar with the place and that it would be better for Master Qi to handle it."

Qiu Zhiheng's face darkened. "Nonsense! Youtao has traveled the jianghu and spent a good deal of time with Big Sister He. She's experienced quite a bit. How could she not handle two constables in Three-Headed Fork?"

Tangyuan didn't know how to explain. "Brother Qiu, Youtao said the constables in Three-Headed Fork are different."

"If you know they're different, then find a different way to deal with them. If all else fails, use lethal force. Only come to me when you've truly run out of options!"

After sending off Tangyuan, Chuanzi arrived. "Master Qiu, the pawn shop in Dongshi Village was robbed. Around ten thugs made off with a lot of goods, valued at over ten thousand silver dollars."

Zuo Wugang was about to head to the pawn shop, but Qiu Zhiheng stopped him again. The pawn shop was Chuanzi's own business.

"Go directly and invite Kui Bafang and Qin Tianjiu. Kui Bafang is skilled at finding people, and Qin Tianjiu has been through the Three Heroes Gate. Both of them know how to deal with robbers.

Just remember, even though they're our own people, you absolutely must not skimp on their compensation."

After seeing Chuanzi off, Zuo Wugang said, "Head Qiu, you're being a bit unfeeling. Master Qi isn't here, and these people came to us for help. We should at least go take a look."

"Take a look?" Qiu Zhiheng chuckled. "You can barely manage your own business, and you still have the mind to help others?"

"Why bother with that? We're all on the same side. Didn't we all come here for Master Qi?"

"We didn't come here for Old Qi; we came to fulfill ourselves," Qiu Zhiheng said, standing on the restaurant's second floor and looking into the distance. "Old Zuo, do you know how difficult it was for the Lu family to establish a business in Three-Headed Fork back then?

Old Qi planted the tree, and we came directly to pick the fruit. If you can't even hold onto the fruit once it's in your hands, and you run to Old Qi every time something happens, how is Old Qi supposed to handle his own affairs?"

It wasn't that Zuo Wugang didn't understand the reasoning, but he had been a subordinate his entire life. When it came to doing things himself, he always felt unsure. "Head Qiu, if we encounter something truly impossible to handle, we still can't go to Master Qi?"

"If something is truly impossible to handle, Old Qi will make arrangements. For now, let's focus on guarding against Tan Jinxiao. He's not easy to deal with."

The restaurant reopened. After three days, Tan Jinxiao hadn't returned, but a middle-aged man arrived.

He wore a down jacket and looked like an outsider, but his speech carried a Puro Province accent. "May I ask who is Master Qiu?"

Qiu Zhiheng nodded. "And you are?"

The man replied, "My name is Tang Changfa. Master Qi said there was a ruffian causing trouble here and asked me to lend a hand."

Qiu Zhiheng quickly invited Tang Changfa up to the second floor and asked Zuo Wugang to arrange his food and lodging.

During their casual conversation, when asked about his identity, Tang Changfa remained silent. When asked about his methods, he also wouldn't elaborate.

Qiu Zhiheng knew that one shouldn't casually inquire about cultivation levels or cultivation paths. But if Tang Changfa said nothing at all, how would they deal with Tan Jinxiao when he arrived?

He informed Tang Changfa of Tan Jinxiao's general situation.

Tang Changfa thought for a moment. "This person is of the Cloud level; I definitely can't defeat him. However, since he's a ruffian and must follow ruffian rules, I can certainly restrain him. As for whether we can truly finish him, that depends on your abilities."

Cannot defeat, but can restrain? What kind of logic was this?

Two more days passed, and Tan Jinxiao returned.

This time, he didn't push a large cart or bring his subordinates. He brought a knife, intending to get straight to violence.

"Zuo Wugang, you bastard, get out here! Your daddy is getting serious today! We'll stand our ground and fight with knives!"

Qiu Zhiheng knew he would return and had made arrangements beforehand. Unfortunately, business had just started to pick up today, and all the current customers would have to be driven away.

Zuo Wugang was about to shoo people away when Tang Changfa stopped him. "Why send people away? Let's just run the business as usual!"

Without waiting for Zuo Wugang to explain, Tang Changfa went outside and walked directly toward Tan Jinxiao. "You want to duel with knives?"

Tan Jinxiao looked at Tang Changfa; he hadn't seen this person before. "Who are you? I'm looking for Zuo Wugang, the restaurant owner. What does this have to do with you?"

Tang Changfa said, "Don't worry about the connection. Just tell me, are you dueling with knives or not?"

The onlookers gathered around. Tan Jinxiao nodded. "You want to challenge? Fine, I'll show you how it's done first."

"Don't you set an example! When at someone's place, follow the host's lead. I'll set an example for you first!" Tang Changfa picked up the knife, and with a thwip, he sliced off his own ear, put it in his mouth, and crunched it down, chewing and eating it.

Throughout the entire process, Tang Changfa's face remained devoid of any superfluous expression.

Gulp!

Tang Changfa swallowed, and the onlookers shivered.

After finishing his ear, Tang Changfa handed the knife to Tan Jinxiao. "Here, your turn!"

Tan Jinxiao trembled, nearly dropping the knife in his hand.

He had been a ruffian his entire life and had seen such sights before, but for some reason, he felt particularly terrified today!

"Dare you or not? Come on!"

"Alright!" Tan Jinxiao grabbed his own ear with one hand and held the knife with the other, preparing to act.

But his hand was trembling, and he couldn't hold the knife steady.

Foolish Cultivation technique: "Dare to Challenge."

Tan Jinxiao had fallen victim to the technique. In his eyes, Tang Changfa seemed dozens of feet tall. Tan Jinxiao felt that what Tang Changfa could do, he simply could not!

But if he couldn't do it, if he couldn't bring himself to act, his 'popularity energy' would be lost, and his cultivation would suffer.

While Tan Jinxiao was still hesitating, Qiu Zhiheng subtly walked past him.

Cao Zhida, blending into the crowd as an onlooker, led the others in shouting, "Can't do it, huh? If you can't, then kowtow to him and get lost!"

Provoked by the crowd, Tan Jinxiao became conflicted, and veins pulsed on his forehead.

As he passed by, Qiu Zhiheng seized the opportunity to use his Joy Cultivation technique. Tan Jinxiao shivered, his blood vessels burst, and his body slumped to the ground.