Stop it, Taoist, Your Fight almost Ruins the DAO!

Yi Chen stepped into Wujang Prefecture, and in an instant a variety of scenes came flooding before his eyes.

The main street was paved with well-hewed, smooth granite slabs, broad enough to accommodate ten carriages abreast.

There were all sorts of peddlers, taverns, tea houses, and shops bustling with crowds.

Countless banners and shop signs fluttered on both sides of the street, while the cries of the hawkers were incessant.

In no time, Yi Chen even saw two low-grade dragon horses from the Town Peace Office, snorting loudly as they pulled a carriage as large as a house past him, a magnificent sight.

Many youngsters gathered at the city gate at this time, and seeing a wealthy guest come in, many rushed forward to volunteer as guides.

These youngsters, impoverished and often hungry, found in these services a way to supplement their family incomes.

After some thought, Yi Chen chose a slender youth as lean as a pole to be his guide, clearly suffering from malnutrition and unable to outcompete his peers. However, there was a stubbornness in the young man's eyes that Yi Chen found endearing.

"What's your name? Are the streets of Wujang Prefecture always this crowded?" Yi Chen asked languidly.

Along the way, Yi Chen saw far too many cultivators; even though Wujang Prefecture was the second largest city in the Jiangbei Circuit, there shouldn't be so many practitioners passing through.

It felt as if half the cultivators of the Jiangbei Circuit had come to Wujang Prefecture for a group building exercise.

"To reply to the esteemed one, my name is Thin Dog."

Yi Chen: "....."

With Thin Dog's introduction, Yi Chen finally understood why there were so many people in Wujang Prefecture.

Wujang Prefecture, also known as half city of horses, half city of blessings.

Nowadays, there are three grand events.

The first affair is the eldest son of the Ma family marrying the legitimate daughter of the Zhu family.

Reportedly, the Zhu family's daughter is a beauty of heavenly grace, while the eldest son of the Ma family looks like a wax gourd. Such a pairing, even as a political marriage, has quite a dramatic impact.

Without a footstool, can he even reach her…

The second affair involves Dao Baibi, ranked sixteenth on the Dragon Tiger List, challenging the eleventh-ranked Stopping Kill Sword Hut's contemporary roaming sword immortal above the waters of Wujang.

The third incident involves several counties near Wujang Prefecture confronting a series of unusual deaths, suspected to be the doing of Hell Demon Sect's first Saint Heir, Hu Bugui. This man's atrocities have stirred public outrage, and the roaming sword immortal intends to investigate upon accepting Dao Baibi's challenge.

Each of these events was newsworthy, crowding together, especially the second one, attracting many practitioners to come and witness.

"Quite interesting."

"But Thin Dog, which is the most renowned tavern in Wujang Prefecture? Lead me there swiftly." Yi Chen stroked his chin, deciding it was better to dazzle with dining first, and the Little Miao perched on his shoulder heartily agreed.

...

...

Longlou Inn.

This was the most famous inn within the inner city of Wujang Prefecture.

Yi Chen casually chose a seat by the window and sat down.

At this time, many people were already seated in the main hall, most of them cultivators—there were women practitioners with veiled faces, monks in pale blue robes, stunningly dressed ladies, white-haired old men, and richly attired young masters, among others.

Yi Chen glanced around the environment without much care. After resting for a day or two and witnessing the challenge for the eleventh place on the Dragon Tiger List, he planned to slip away.

He had somehow ended up being listed as ninety-eighth on the Dragon Tiger List, which left him a bit confused, uncertain whether Qian Yueru had covered up for him regarding the Ghostly Dark Heavenly Array affair; otherwise, he felt his ranking should have surged even higher.

After ordering dishes for two large tables and a pot of fine wine, and instructing the waiter to send a pig's hock to the meticulous dog waiting outside, Yi Chen was ready to begin his meal.

The meticulous dog didn't want to come in, saying there were rules to follow, so Yi Chen let him be.

What Yi Chen didn't know was that the meticulous dog, squatting in a corner nibbling on a dry and hard bun, watched the waiter bring out the pig's hock, and tears fell onto the bun, unable to be held back.

Just as Yi Chen and Little Miao were enjoying their feast, suddenly, a young man with white eyebrows entered from outside. This man had a proud look on his face and headed straight in the direction where Yi Chen was sitting.

"Is that Taoist Yi Chengzi himself?"

"I am Chen Liu, ranked one hundred and second on the Dragon Tiger List with my One Breath Sword Strike, and I think the Taoist must have heard of my name."

"My wife is the third young miss from the Chen Family of Longjiang Prefecture."

Yi Chen, with grease dripping from his mouth, lifted his hand and interrupted the young man with white eyebrows.

"Sorry, I truly haven't heard your name."

"It was Qian Yueru who plowed through the Chen Family of Longjiang Prefecture, so what business does a traveling son-in-law of the Chen Family have with me?"

"You!" The man with white eyebrows flushed red with anger, and he grabbed the handle of his sword that rested on his back, "Taoist from a tiny city, obscure and nameless, suddenly landed in the ninety-eighth spot on the Dragon Tiger List—I am not convinced and have come to learn a few moves from the Taoist."

Before Yi Chen could speak, many people in the hall had their eyes twinkling as they looked over, their expressions filled with anticipation for a good show, and their eyes revealed a keen eagerness as if they were all quite moved by the provocation.

At this moment, a young master at the neighboring table couldn't help but laugh scornfully, "Chen Liu, just say you dare not provoke Qian Yueru and want to pick on the Taoist as a stepping stone to join the main Chen Family in the capital."

"Losing is expected, but winning would be considered regaining some face for the Chen Family of Longjiang Prefecture. You, Chen Liu, sure know how to play a good game."

"Taoist, would you like to accept his challenge? It would be a good warm-up for this afternoon's big battle with the Sword Immortal Heir."

The young master had an attitude as if he wouldn't mind watching a funeral on a grand scale, holding an iron fan in his hand, with mana faintly emanating from him—he was likely also someone on the Dragon Tiger List.

Facing the young master's mockery, the white-eyebrowed young man Chen Liu did not dare to retort but instead stepped forward and unleashed a Sword Qi, cutting Yi Chen's table and the lamb leg in his hand in two.

"The Taoist isn't scared, is he? I've heard of a place as inconsequential as Fengyun County, where I've never heard dragons could be raised. I heard the Taoist has several junior brothers; perhaps the Taoist thinks I am too insignificant and wishes for me to travel to Fengyun County to first challenge those junior brothers?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Chen Liu was aggressive and threatening in his words.

Yi Chen put down the half-eaten lamb leg in his hand and looked at the man, noting although the man's expression was haughty and scornful, his breath and actions were quite careful, clearly not someone impulsive.

It was even possible that his provocation was nothing more than a task assigned by his master.

Yi Chen laughed, laughed brilliantly, as if he hadn't understood the threat in Chen Qi's words at all.

"Well then, since Chen Dao-friend has cordially invited me to demonstrate my skills, I shall spar with Dao-friend," he said.

"However, in a contest, accidents are inevitable, and life and death are left to fate. What does Chen Dao-friend think?"

"Good!" Chen Liu nodded in agreement.

The prospect of two individuals from the Dragon-Tiger List dueling ahead of time to warm up the crowd before the Sword Immortal's arrival sparked interest among everyone in the hall.

The aristocratic young man who had spoken earlier even offered with a laugh, "There is a large training ground in the inner city that is perfect for dueling. I can show the way for the Taoist."

"There's no need." Yi Chen turned his head and smiled at Chen Liu. "It's just a matter of one punch, why bother making such a fuss and rallying the troops."

"Supreme Yang Blazing Fury!"

Upon hearing a light rebuke in his ear, Chen Liu felt his hair stand on end, as if he had been targeted by a top predator. He wanted to flee, the power in his feet surged as he frantically channeled all his mana, attempting to dodge.

But it was too late.

A gigantic hand came at him with unstoppable speed and force.

Boom!

Darkness fell before Chen Liu's eyes!

"Screwed, completely screwed," he thought.

A giant hole had formed on the floor of the Denglou Building.

Yi Chen's fist, large as a sandpot, was still in the hole.

Inside the hole was Chen Liu's head.

Assuming that could still be called a head.

A headless corpse lay twitching on the ground.

Yi Chen fiddled with Chen Liu's headless body, squatting beside it and giving it a shake.

"Chen Dao-friend, are you okay?"

"Chen Dao-friend, did you wish to die or did you not care for living?"

"Chen Dao-friend, say something, will you? Are we still fighting? If not, I'm going to grab some food."

Yi Chen's soliloquy bewildered all the diners in the Denglou Building.

For a moment, the previously bustling and noisy hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Where did this harbinger of death come from?

A single punch blew open a head, smashing the man into the granite.

So this was the 'life and death left to fate' that was agreed upon beforehand.

This was no pushover; this was solid granite itself.

"Is there anyone else who wants to spar with me?"

Yi Chen looked around the room, his gaze finally resting on the head of the fun-loving young aristocrat.

"This young master, Chen Dao-friend seems to have stopped moving. As you are acquainted with him, I'm afraid it's up to you to send him back," Yi Chen's haunting voice floated over.

Not knowing the origins of this person who went back and forth with Chen Liu, as if eager to test his limits, then Yi Chen also wanted to give him a taste of his displeasure.

Yi Chen liked to watch drama unfold, but he didn't want to become the drama himself.

Regardless of whether Chen Liu was simply trying to step on him to climb higher, since he was a son-in-law of the Chen Family and had threatened to trouble his disciples, his fate was already sealed.

The blood from Chen Liu's exploding head splattered onto the embroidered shoes of the young aristocrat.

"Young master, can you give a straightforward answer?" Yi Chen said, wiping his left fist that he used to hit on the clothing of Chen Liu's corpse.

The young aristocrat sat on a chair made of yellow pear wood, gripping the armrests so tight that his knuckles whitened. The smile on his face had frozen instantly, rigid.

He wiped the cold sweat on his forehead and said with a forced laugh, "Don't worry, Taoist, I'll have someone clean this up right away."

A single punch was all it took to avoid a hundred more.

Since someone had run into Yi Chen's line of fire, they could hardly blame him.

Yi Chen returned to his seat, ignoring the onlookers stunned as wooden chickens, and continued his luxurious meal. Experience new tales on empire

This meal cost a fortune; he had to eat his money's worth.

Moreover, having killed Chen Liu with a single punch, who knew how high he would rise on the next Dragon-Tiger List.

While enjoying the delicacies, Yi Chen's mind was already churning with ideas.

Suddenly, he thought of a way to make money, which if handled well, could turn a hefty profit.

Since to others the ranking on the Dragon-Tiger List was highly coveted, but to him, it was worthless, it made sense for Taoist Yi Chengzi to take money for throwing matches to supplement his household, right?

Win your way up, then send a wave out.

After a couple of these maneuvers, he'd be rolling in it.

There were indeed quite a few rich big shots on the Dragon-Tiger List.

As Yi Chen was refining the details of his grand moneymaking scheme, a monk wearing a moon-white robe sat down opposite him.