Chapter 142: Conflict

The Turtle Spirit Caravan actually featured a tavern, a tavern specifically open to outside guests.

This was a square, flat-roofed building right in the center of the city. In the front courtyard, a beast pit had been dug, flanked by beast pens on both sides. Guests enjoying their wine could spend a few coins to select two or more ferocious beasts to fight in the pit for entertainment.

Inside the building, there were around a hundred square tables made of raw timber, with maidservants at beck and call. Fine wine, delicious dishes, and even companion maids for the night were provided. Behind a corridor that wrapped around the perimeter of the building were dozens of separate private rooms, intended for wealthy patrons who preferred quiet and could afford the expense.

Ji Hao and Si Wenming sat at a square table near the edge of the main hall, each hauling a jar of potent liquor. Ignoring the frequent flirtatious glances cast by two scantily clad maidservants nearby, they drank in large gulps, occasionally grabbing the salted stewed meat from the plates to devour voraciously.

Both the wine and the meat were quite expensive. The wine cost one jade coin per jin, which, according to Si Wenming, could support an ordinary family in Puban for three months. The meat cost five jade coins per platter, heaped high on a three-foot-wide large plate, making it truly not cheap.

However, expensive as the wine and meat were, there was good reason for it.

The wine was a spiritual spring mixed with earth-vein marrow nectar, brewed from spiritual fruits gathered in the mountains and forests; long-term consumption could strengthen bones and muscles. The meat was taken from ferocious beasts that had just broken through the Greater Witch realm, offering tangible benefits especially to Ji Hao.

While the two men ate and drank heartily, Si Wenming continuously instructed Ji Hao on various matters to watch out for during the journey.

Manman squatted beside the beast pit, two large hammers leaning diagonally against her shoulders on the left and right. Throughout the entire tavern, only her clamoring voice could be heard: "Bite it, grab it, spit your venom, you idiot! Lost again! Someone come here, strip its hide, roast it, and send it over to Uncle and Big Brother!"

Several caravan servants, whose eyes were squinted into slits with smiles, hurriedly grabbed iron hooks to haul a blood-soaked, copper-scaled giant lizard out of the beast pit. Several men hoisted the three-to-five-zhang-long monster and carried it away to the back kitchen for processing.

Manman pulled out a few flawless jade blocks the size of infant heads and tossed them casually to the maidservant standing nearby. Frowning in thought for a moment, she pointed at a tusked mountain macaque in the beast pen on the left: "That's the one, let it out. I refuse to believe none of the treasures I pick can beat this beast!"

In the beast pit, a bipedal, fiery-eyed bear was pounding its chest frantically, roaring loudly at Manman while large sparks continuously spewed from its mouth.

Manman narrowed her eyes and stood up as well. Mimicking a frenzied ape, she beat her own chest fiercely, then opened her mouth, unleashing a crimson dragon of fire that slammed heavily into the ground beside the bear.

The metal-cast floor of the beast pit gave a loud crunch as a crater dozens of zhang wide was burned open. Countless dense runes flickered at the edge of the crater, continuously shooting out massive sparks.

The fiery-eyed bear trembled all over with fright. As a fire-attribute ferocious beast, it sensed the terrifying coercion emanating from Manman's God of Fire bloodline, and it no longer dared to act presumptuously or roar at her.

Manman threw her head back and laughed heartily, calling out triumphantly: "Hurry up and let that four-legged snake out. This time it will definitely win."

The elusive Old Man Gui emerged from behind Manman with a look of utter helplessness, gently tugging at her sleeve: "Now, little girl, for the sake of durability, our caravan invited renowned forging masters to build this beast pit..."

Before Old Man Gui could finish, Manman casually pulled out a fire-red gemstone the size of a fist and tossed it into his arms.

Old Man Gui flashed an almost seductive smile, clutched the gemstone tightly, and turned to leave. After taking barely two steps, he suddenly turned back and bowed deeply and earnestly to Manman: "Lady Manman, our Turtle Spirit Caravan is planning to expand this city... Whenever you're in a good mood next, feel free to tear the whole city down!"

Manman froze, then let out a disgruntled huff.

Ji Hao and Si Wenming simultaneously covered their faces and grabbed their wine jars, taking a fierce gulp of the potent liquor.

"Fortunately, she's not my daughter!" Si Wenming laughed gloatingly. "Her dad is filthy rich and can afford her!"

"Do you have children?" Ji Hao asked playfully, looking at Si Wenming. "Uncle Wenming, you're always running around everywhere—do you have any kids?"

Si Wenming froze, then smiled and shook his head, puffing out his chest proudly. "Kids... will come sooner or later! Well, I need to find a wife first, haha! Haha, hahahaha!"

Ji Hao's face drooped. This Si Wenming!

Just as they were laughing and joking, an extremely malicious gaze gave Ji Hao a sudden chill, and he immediately turned to look.

The five men who had joined the caravan not long ago and were assigned to live in the small building next to Ji Hao and the others walked over in uniform synchronization, strolling leisurely into the tavern. That pitch-black little monkey was staring fiercely at Ji Hao. Seeing Ji Hao look over, the little monkey actually grabbed a tiny wild fruit and viciously crushed it into pulp.

*Gaga,* the pitch-black little monkey bared its teeth and flashed a vicious snarl at Ji Hao.

Standing on the table, its head buried in a large soup bowl as it gulped down wine, Crow Grandpa raised its head, its crimson eyes locked fiercely onto the little monkey.

The two divine fire snakes that had been hanging and playing on Ji Hao's ears simultaneously released their grip, coiled around Ji Hao's shoulders, and stared fiercely at the monkey with their tiny, vicious eyes.

Upon seeing Crow Grandpa and the two divine fire snakes, the three-eyed little monkey let out a greedy, cackling laugh, a streak of drool suddenly dripping from the corner of its mouth. Clearly, the monkey had already regarded Crow Grandpa and the divine fire snakes as prey.

Ferocious beasts devouring each other's blood essence could greatly increase their own bloodline potential and strengthen their foundation. Ji Hao frowned; he had thought this arrogant little monkey had taken a fancy to the blood essence of Crow Grandpa and the divine fire snakes!

"You guys, keep your lapdog on a leash," Ji Hao put down his wine jar and said coldly. "Don't bring trouble upon yourselves."

With a *hum*, the hidden Golden Crow Armor on Ji Hao's chest trembled, the Fire Feather Boots closely hugging his calves fluttered slightly, and the Fire-Crow Spear concealed in his right arm throbbed violently. A scalding hot current spewed out, scorching Ji Hao's entire right arm into a dazzling red glow.

The bald man with the small monkey on his shoulder let out a strange laugh and shouted harshly, "What? Can't even look? What kind of thing do you think you are?"

Ji Hao abruptly stood up, but before he could speak, Si Wenming leaped up, charging forward like a crazed tiger, and dealt a fierce slap across the bald man's face.

Ji Hao could not gauge how much force Si Wenming used in that strike, but he clearly saw half of the man's face completely cave in. The man spun in the air, vomiting blood and a mouthful of teeth as he flew backwards dozens of zhang.

Si Wenming, who had always been as broad, steady, and unmoving as a great mountain, and whose aura had never once carried any sharp edge, was at this moment like a frenzied, angry dragon, radiating an invisible light from his entire body that people could not bear to look at.

He hunched his waist slightly, lowering his body into a lunging and pouncing posture, and shouted sternly, "And what kind of things do you think you are? When traveling outside, think carefully about the aging fathers and mothers waiting at home for you to support them, think about the wives and relatives hoping for your safe return, and don't bring disaster and trouble upon yourselves... People die!"

Ji Hao and Manman were deeply moved and simultaneously began clapping and shouting:

"Uncle... is mighty!" (To be continued.)