Chapter 25: Three Pints of Blood Spilled

Isn’t Chu Yu a spiritual cultivator? How could he lose to someone considered useless?
All eyes were now fixed on Ji Yin, faces filled with disbelief.
Ji Yin stared at her own hands, looking even more astonished and incredulous than those around her. “Heavens! Did I… did I just awaken? Why am I suddenly so strong?”
Chu Yu clutched his chest and struggled to stand. Chu Ming immediately rushed to his side to help him up.
“No need!” Chu Yu shoved Chu Ming aside, glaring furiously at Ji Yin.
Ji Yin, having just displayed surprising violence, suddenly changed demeanor. She walked over to Chu Yu and grasped his hand excitedly. “Young Master Chu, if you hadn’t just tried to kill me, I wouldn’t have been forced into such a corner, and without that, I never would have awakened! Really, I should thank you!”
Chu Yu spat another mouthful of blood.
Not only had he failed to kill Ji Yin, but his actions had inadvertently brought her good fortune. How could he possibly swallow such humiliation?
“Young Master Chu, you’re a rare spiritual cultivator and have even broken into the third rank. How did you end up on the ground with a single punch from me? Is your strength perhaps… a little exaggerated? No matter, now that we’re both awakened, there will be plenty of chances for us to spar in the future!”
Chu Yu tasted blood in his mouth again, but this time he forced it down, swallowing his humiliation.
“Today it was Chu Ming who provoked things first. All damages here will be compensated by Chu Ming. After all, Young Master Chu is wealthy; I’m sure a little money means nothing to you,” Ji Yin said, turning to the attendant and pointing at Chu Ming.

A little money? Chu Ming’s face twitched.
Who didn’t know that every table and chair in Hundred Flavors Pavilion was crafted from the finest golden nanmu wood? Just this furniture alone was worth a small fortune. The last time he’d tried to outdo the Flower Queen, Ji Yin’s fifth brother, Ji Shaohua, had already taken note and reported the matter to the Ji family.
In front of court officials, he questioned how the Chu family managed to fund such extravagance for Chu Ming. This put Chu Shenghong on edge in the imperial court, his nerves nearly shattered!
Chu Shenghong had knelt before Lord Beimingyu, tearfully recounting how many fields, cloth shops, and businesses the family possessed, explaining in detail how every coin was earned and that there was no corruption involved. Only then did the ordeal pass, but afterwards, Chu Shenghong was so enraged he couldn’t eat for days!
Because of this, Chu Ming had taken a beating and was still traumatized.
His spending had since been severely curtailed, and now this compensation would amount to at least several thousand taels!
“Why should we pay? You’re the one who broke the things! My brother’s been hurt by you, and we haven’t even asked you for his medical expenses!” Chu Ming shot back angrily.
“I’d be happy to cover your brother’s medical bills,” Ji Yin replied with a smile.
Could there be anything more humiliating?
A so-called useless one, newly awakened—no one even knew if it was a spiritual awakening or just a soul awakening—had managed to injure a third-rank spiritual cultivator!
Did the Chu family really have the face to demand compensation for medical expenses?

Chu Yu choked again and shot a glare at the useless Chu Ming.
“The damage here—you must pay for it!” Chu Ming insisted.
The attendant looked helplessly at the two arguing parties. Still, someone had to pay for the damages.
Suddenly, a figure in dark robes appeared at the head of the stairs. The pallor of his face was accentuated, giving him a frail and sickly air, yet there was something almost heart-rending about his presence—more captivating than any woman.
He was the owner of Hundred Flavors Pavilion, Mo Chuan.
The attendant immediately approached him respectfully and bowed. “Young Master Mo, I was just discussing compensation with the two gentlemen, but it seems neither is willing…”
“No need to discuss further,” Mo Chuan said. “I’ll prepare a list of damages and send it to the Chu Residence.”
“What?” Chu Ming exploded. “Why? Ji Yin was the one who broke everything—the Ji family should compensate!”