After pleading for a long time, Bian Weikang, who was prostrating and weeping on the ground, had already lost his voice from shouting. From time to time, he swung his fists and pounded the ground, an endless expression of regret and an intense self-loathing, resenting that he couldn't even protect the woman he loved. His fists were bloodied from the beating.

In the past, as the young master of Wukang Mountain, he probably never imagined that one day he would be stumped by fifty thousand gold, a lesson likely to be remembered for the rest of his life.

The onlooking crowd showed no sympathy for him, with most reactions being ones of mockery and disdain.

Someone even whispered to a companion, "A big man can let go of his dignity, what is he afraid of? If it really comes to it, just rob!"

But it's not happening to them; who knows whether they would dare to take the risk and resort to robbery if it did.

In any case, to outsiders, Bian Weikang's actions were nothing but a huge joke, losing all face for Wukang Mountain over a brothel woman.

One group of onlookers left, and another arrived.

"The madam of Cloud Building is coming," someone noted.

People began to look toward the entrance of Cloud Building, and saw madam Feng Chi, with a handkerchief clutched between her fingers, sashaying down the steps. The people immediately scattered to the sides to make way for her.

As Feng Chi stepped down, Bian Weikang, who had turned at the sound, crawled and knelt to her feet. He first kowtowed several times before looking up and pleading, "Madam, I'm just fifty thousand short, only fifty thousand. Please let Laner go first. I will definitely pay you back, with double, no, tenfold of what I owe."

Feng Chi gazed down dismissively, "Tenfold? If you were still the young master of Wukang Mountain, I would believe that. But what do you have to pay with now?"

Bian Weikang, with a forehead red from bleeding, spoke in agony, "I understand, I know, just give me more time. I just got the news; where can I find so much money at once? Just give me two more days, no, just one more day."

Feng Chi couldn't help but laugh, this sudden event was designed to catch you off guard, else a starving camel remains bigger than a horse—after all, you once were the young master of Wukang Mountain, and who's to say you couldn't find connections and borrow the money.

She covered her mouth with a handkerchief to mask her laughter, then sighed with a hint of emotion, "Bian Weikang, I've given you chances. I said, if you could produce an equal sum of money first, for Laner's sake, I was willing to swallow my pride and endure the embarrassment that Mr. Lv offered me.

After all, she's been calling me 'Mother' all these years. I'm willing to suffer a bit for my daughter's wish and see this affectionate matter through.

But you can't come up with the money, and you won't let me send her over tonight. Aren't you forcing me to terribly offend Mr. Lv? Does Cloud Building still want to do business in Zhaotian City after this?

Bian Weikang, you can't be so selfish. Laner can indulge in your deep affection and spoil you, but not everyone else will.

What use are you, tell me? You don't have money or capability; all this time it's Laner who has been supporting you. She earned that money by selling her talents and putting on a smile to please others. How can you as a man be at peace spending it? That naive girl even gave you all her savings to let you redeem her.

Now that she's penniless, and you both have nothing, she's accustomed to luxury, what will she live on then? Expecting her to keep supporting you? Or forcing her to sell herself again? She's foolish, not understanding the hardships of this world. What's wrong with Mr. Lv, in my view, he's a hundred, a thousand times better than you. I really don't know why she's so devoted to you. Bian Weikang, if you truly care about Laner, let her go."

The speech left many in the crowd sighing and shaking their heads.

Tears streaming down his face, Bian Weikang shook his head, "Don't worry, I will never let her suffer, I'll take her back to Wukang Mountain."

Upon hearing this, a flicker of interest sparked in Feng Chi's eyes; she had been waiting for that very statement from him.

Teacher Shi Chun, who had pushed his way back into the crowd, was not pleased when he heard this. It was proper for you to return to Wukang Mountain, but what did it mean to bring a brothel woman with you? Has the Bian family no shame? Where would Wukang Mountain put its face? They would never accept you back in Wukang Mountain so easily.

To Teacher Shi Chun, Bian Weikang was already someone who had been expelled from the Sect. Bringing the top courtesan of Cloud Building back to Wukang Mountain would only make Bian Weikang's return to the mountain even more difficult, and he himself would struggle to get a foothold there as well, making all his efforts in vain.

Indeed, this only solidified his resolve to sell off this top courtesan of Cloud Building!

Just right, he was short on money. What good were a few thousand gold?

Cultivation required a vast amount of resources. By just working odd jobs and earning a few hundred gold a month, when would he get ahead? He harbored aspirations of rising above others, determined to keep striving forward. Since he'd run into this affair with the top courtesan of Cloud Building, he might as well make a tidy profit from it.

He felt that his cultivation had been stagnant for quite a while now; no matter how he practiced, there was no progress, which was rather peculiar. He suspected it might be due to the scarcity of cultivation resources in the Land of Exile. As soon as he got his hands on the money, he planned to buy some cultivation resources and give it a try.

Feng Chi, who inwardly rejoiced, put on a cold face and sneered, "Return to Wukang Mountain? What nonsense, since kind words don't work on you, then don't block my door with your sobbing and hinder my business. Come, someone, fork him out for me—fork him far away."

With these words, two rows of people immediately scurried down the steps behind.

Inside a small side chamber, Xiang Laner, who had been listening intently, also raised her hand to undo her cloak, casually pulled it off, and tossed it aside. She quickly stepped towards the door, ready to rush out.

But suddenly, a fierce shout rang out, "I'd like to see who dares, stop right there!"

A shout filled with courage; everyone in the building heard it loud and clear.

Xiang Laner was startled, her heart tightened as she intuitively felt something was amiss; she immediately retreated to the colored glass window, poked out her head to sneak a peek outside.

Not just her—those who had just stirred up excitement at the scene also fell silent in an instant.

Two men, who were in charge of watching over the place, had already hoisted Bian Weikang's arms, left and right, and instinctively paused at the sound.

A group of men who had charged in like wolves also gradually came to a halt.

Driven to desperation, Bian Weikang had clenched his fists tightly; his eyes were instantly filled with bloodshot veins, evidently harboring murderous intent. The sudden shout also made him look back in astonishment.

Old Dong and Da Shitou, who had followed him inside, turned their heads in unison to look at those around them; the person who had shouted was none other than Shi Chun beside them. Both were taken aback, wondering what the Master was up to.

Che Si, who had also entered with them, turned around blankly to look at Shi Chun, thinking to himself, what is this guy trying to do?

He had just returned from the Land of Exile, was completely unaware of what was happening here, and had squeezed in to check the situation—assuming Shi Chun merely wanted to watch the excitement. Unexpectedly, this man had directly thrown himself into the fray, leaving Che Si with a ridiculous sense of bewilderment.

Everyone at the scene turned their gaze towards Shi Chun.

Seeing him dressed in ragged clothes and bearing obvious signs of a beating, looking both black and bedraggled, among Cloud Building's enforcers, someone immediately snorted contemptuously, "Who's this riffraff daring to play the master here? If you don't want to leave lying down, then get lost quietly!"

As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, the warning was quite clear.

Shi Chun calmly said, "Jinliang, if anyone wants to cause trouble, smack him dead!"

His bold words were backed up by the fact that he had three people from the Bowan Building with him, and the huge sum of tens of thousands had just been given to him; surely Che Si wouldn't just stand by idly.

If need be, calling a halt later wouldn't be too late. He displayed the attitude of standing up for Bian Weikang first; it was better to put it out there rather than let the old madam look down upon him and make it difficult to speak.

Having mixed in the Land of Exile for years, he knew one principle very well; fulfilling someone's conditions is one thing, whether they're willing to accept it is another—it all comes down to how easy you are to bully. Once it's known you can be bullied, it's not like there's no possibility of a last-minute price increase, and he could not come up with a large sum of money on the spot.

He had often been involved in similar last-minute price hikes himself.

"Alright." Wu Jinliang immediately elbowed his way to the front, swinging the big fellow that had been pulled out, dazzling everyone's eyes.

Wow, what a large knife!

When the sleeve-rolling enforcer caught sight of the giant blade, he was dumbfounded on the spot, somewhat intimidated. Anyone with eyes could see that such a big knife, especially with that rough design, was not meant for ordinary use—which meant that those who had arrived were extraordinary indeed.

Bian Weikang, upon seeing the extraordinary knife, also had a glimmer of hope flash in his eyes.

Old Dong and Da Shitou were full of suspicion; they knew Wu Jinliang too well after many years together. They had just found the Master's actions inexplicable, but now, seeing Wu Jinliang's excited and hungry, ferocious smile, they realized this was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, and there must be some significant underlying reason.

Che Si then turned his head to whisper unclearly to Shi Chun, "Don't make trouble."

The group of enforcers all turned back to look at their madam.

Feng Chi's gaze lingered on the large knife for a moment, then she saw the people dressed from the Bowan Building whispering to that man, and immediately put aside her previous arrogance upon seeing Shi Chun's two tattered figures, putting on a full-faced smile and cautiously inquired, "May I know which esteemed guests from what prestigious place grace us with their presence?"

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