Chapter 1073 - The Landscape Painting

As soon as Ye Zichen finished speaking, the temperature of the room seemed to drop all the way to zero.

Elegantly-dressed Cai Renfei’s expression shifted back and forth. Remember, in the Profound Great District, with the Cai Family’s support, he was like a tyrant. He’d never been insulted like this before.

He repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists. His entire body trembled slightly. It was obvious that he was on the brink of explosion.

“Young Mas-......”

The innkeeper cast aside his shame and tried to mediate, but to his surprise, after a few moments of hesitation, a smile blossomed across Cai Renfei’s face.

“Then we’ll do as you say, Senior.” He nodded, cupped his hands respectfully, then led his attendants down the hall. They gradually faded from view. After they exited the inn, they stood in front of the building for a long time.

One of Cai Renfei’s attendants, a peak human immortal, asked, “Young Master, are we really just going to let this go?” He’d followed this young master for so long. He knew his young master absolutely wasn’t this easy-going.

Cai Renfei’s expression was incomparably dark, as if it were about to burst. His arms trembled uncontrollably, as if he was struggling to contain his terrifying fury.

“What a bunch of trash.” He viciously cursed his attendants, who lowered their heads. They didn’t dare so much as breathe too loudly for fear of provoking their young master. Even those who’d suffered serious injuries refused to gasp or make any noises of distress despite the intense pain.

Cai Renfei coldly looked over his subordinates, then took out a few pills and tossed them to the injured. After the wounded men thanked him whole-heartedly, Cai Renfei spoke.

“As they say, a dragon can’t defeat a local serpent. That kid just now wasn't simple. Our Cai Family stands at the top of the Profound Great District, but this is Raging Flame City, not our home. Furthermore, our clan elders didn’t come here with me. It’s better to avoid trouble if I can. I’ll endure this grudge for now, but I, Cai Renfei, am not so easy to bully. Whatever you do, don’t let me see him in the Profound Great District. If I do, I’ll be sure to teach him a lesson.”

He glanced ominously at the Hundred Daybreaks Inn. He, Cai Renfei, would remember this insult forever.

When a gentleman gets revenge, ten years isn’t too late, but when a base person gets revenge, anything goes!

He’d avenge this insult sooner or later!

“Let’s go.”

When Cai Renfei left, Kong San couldn’t help but sigh in relief. Even so, based on his understanding of the young master, this matter absolutely wouldn’t end here.

Based on his behavior earlier, Young Master Cai was afraid of their current guest, but he wasn’t afraid of him, Kong San, was he?

As he considered the implications, Kong San felt a surge of terror. What if Cai Renfei decided to vent his fury on him instead? Left with little choice, he called a waiter and, suppressing his heartache, handed him a spatial ring and told him that, no matter what, he absolutely had to deliver it to Young Master Cai and apologize.

The waiter was inwardly unwilling, but he had no way to refuse. He could only steel himself and agree.

Kong San watched the waiter disappear into the distance, then looked at Ye Zichen.

All he saw was Ye Zichen kneeling beside the badly-beaten clerk. He drew his hand across the man’s face, and his swelling healed. Soon, the clerk’s face was as good as new.

“You got hurt because of me.” Ye Zichen patted the clerk’s shoulders and smiled bitterly. “I didn’t get revenge for you. As your bro, I’ve done you wrong. Please don’t blame me, though. That Cai Renfei is a young master of the Profound Great District. I don’t want to do anything too extreme until I know more about him.”

These words came from the bottom of Ye Zichen’s heart. His foundations were still too unstable. Earlier, when he was on his own, he had nothing to lose. He naturally wouldn’t fear some Cai Family.

But he’d just established Upheaval, and had numerous concerns holding him back. He had to think carefully before acting.

When the clerk heard this, he laughed foolishly and shook his head. He could understand Ye Zichen’s position.

“Here are fifty thousand spirit coins.” With that, Ye Zichen pulled a bag of coins from his spatial ring and slipped it into the clerk’s hands. “I heard you’re about to get married. Consider this a wedding present.”

“Sir….”

The clerk clenched the bag, visibly moved. He really was going to get married, but not for a while. Ye Zichen giving him this money now proved he felt guilty about the beating he’d endured and wanted to compensate him, but in truth, none of this was really Ye Zichen’s fault.

The waiter didn’t quite know what to say. He simply clenched the bag and thanked Ye Zichen repeatedly.

“Go on, then. Get back to your own affairs.”

“Hm.” The clerk nodded, then left the hallway.

Kong San had seen everything. He looked around, then respectfully cupped his hands at Ye Zichen. “I apologize for the trouble.”

He said this purely to be polite. In Kong San’s eyes, Ye Zichen was the real troublemaker. To his surprise, Ye Zichen nodded noncommittally and laughed, “So, you know you’ve made trouble for me? In that case, shouldn’t you compensate me for my losses?”

This wasn’t just Ye Zichen seizing the opportunity to extort him. For Ye Zichen, this really was trouble. That was the heir of a family clan from the Profound Great District! The two of them should never have crossed paths, but now they’d become enemies over a mere guest room.

Fortunately, this had happened to him. If it had been someone else, they might have gotten themselves killed.

Didn’t that count as “making trouble?”

Kong San didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He was just a minor merchant of Raging Flame City. He couldn’t afford to offend Cai Renfei, but he couldn’t afford to offend this distinguished guest either.

He steeled himself, then pulled a landscape painting from his spatial ring. He’d purchased it from the Skyspan Auction around ten years ago. They’d said it contained hints of the Grand Dao of the Five Elements.

The seventy-two districts were a world without rhyme or reason, where the strong ate the weak.

The bigger your first, the more respect you got. Kong San wanted to increase his strength, so he’d spent a hefty sum purchasing the painting, but he’d spent years scrutinizing it to no avail. He’d gleaned no enlightenment from it at all.

He naturally didn’t suspect the Skypan Trading Company of selling counterfeit goods to trick customers. If they said it contained the Dao of the Five Elements, it definitely did. If he hadn’t gleaned any enlightenment from the painting, he could only blame his own poor comprehension.

Holding onto the painting would be a waste. Better to use it to smooth things over.

“A landscape painting? How about you just discount my room by however much it cost instead?”

Landscape paintings were a luxury good for elders of major family clans, but he’d only just established Upheaval. He was short on money. Cold, hard cash was far more useful than a painting right now.

Kong San smiled bitterly. This distinguished guest really got straight to the point. He’d even asked for a discount! However, if Kong San really gave him one, he’d wind up in the red.

“Sir, this is no ordinary landscape painting. I purchased it from the Skyspan Trading Company around ten years ago. It’s said to contain hints of the five elements of heaven and earth, and, moreover, the trading company said it contains an enormous secret.”

“The five elements? A great secret? Can you let me take a look?”

Kong San didn’t hesitate. He passed it over. Ye Zichen glanced at it briefly, only to find he could no longer look away.