Chapter 110: Fawning and Flattery

“Wait!”

Before the man in the black robe could finish speaking, Tian Ming stepped forward, blocking his path with an aura that radiated the majesty of heaven and earth.

“...Who are you?” The black-robed man looked at the young man in the elegant embroidered robe with a hint of shock. Yet, his hand remained cautiously on the sword hilt, as if facing a formidable enemy.

“For the sake of my dear little sister, I’ve come to help you,” Tian Ming said calmly.

Hearing this, Tian Ming smiled faintly as he glanced at the black-robed man’s apprehensive demeanor. Then he turned and beckoned to a girl behind him named Xiao Ying. She hurried over joyfully, greeting him warmly. Without any hesitation about others’ gazes, she clung tightly to Tian Ming’s arm, showing their close bond.

“Thank you!” The black-robed man bowed slightly in gratitude. Though he suspected Tian Ming wasn’t telling the truth, he still showed a trace of appreciation.

“Hmph!”

“You’re meddling without asking my opinion, boy,” a burly man who had broken out in cold sweat shouted, quickly recovering and stepping forward.

Tian Ming glanced back at the burly man with mild surprise but realized he was only at the Foundation Establishment stage—a relatively low level. He wondered where the man’s confidence came from. If Tian Ming hadn’t intervened just now, a bloody confrontation might have erupted here instantly.

“So, what does the shopkeeper want to make you stop?” Tian Ming sneered, furrowing his brows.

“Alright, alright. At least... ten thousand gold coins. But if you, young master, choose to back down, I’ll pretend I never said that. By the way, a word of advice: it’s best not to get involved in thankless matters like this in the future. Otherwise, trouble will come knocking!”

The burly man’s tone shifted from anger to servility upon seeing the finely dressed youth. His face broke into a flattering smile as he gave Tian Ming a pointed warning.

“Hey! Isn’t that the eldest young master of the Chu family?”

“Yes, it really is! I can’t understand why Chu Yun would help someone with such a mysterious identity.”

“Maybe he’s just got too much money and nowhere to spend it!”

...

Not only did the burly man recognize his status, but the onlookers also began whispering among themselves—some envious, some jealous, some admiring. Wearing such silken robes was exceedingly rare in Blackwater Town; such attire was typically reserved for those with noble status.

---

“Ten thousand gold coins? Haha, shopkeeper, you really think I, Chu Yun, am an easy mark. Enough with the nonsense. You can either fight me or pay up to settle this. You have three seconds to decide,” Tian Ming said coldly, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

“So, you insist on helping this unknown person? Young man, don’t you think you should weigh your own strength before saying such things?” The burly man’s face darkened, his tone no longer polite as he glared at Tian Ming.

“Exactly! You’ve eaten here for free and now want to start a fight, acting as if nothing happened. Who’s to say you two aren’t in cahoots?” a frail young waiter chimed in, supporting the burly man’s accusation.

“Interesting!” The black-robed man murmured under his breath, folding his arms, then silently stepped back a few paces.

Seeing the black-robed man seemingly about to flee, the burly man decided to ignore Tian Ming and quickly moved to his side, gathering his energy to seize the black-robed man.

“Regrettably, shopkeeper, your choice is most unwise.”

Shaking his head slowly, Tian Ming’s body suddenly radiated the overwhelming might of heaven and earth. A surge of primal energy swept out in all directions. The onlookers, save for a few, turned pale and collapsed to the ground.

With a sharp crack!

A sword energy crackling with lightning, fueled by the fierce primal energy, instantly carved a chasm between the burly man and the black-robed man. The burly man was blasted away by the shockwave.

“...Don’t be afraid, little one. I’m here to protect you!” Tian Ming said softly as he looked down at the trembling Xiao Ying in his arms, soothing her.

Warmth chased away her fear, and the smile returned to her face. When she looked up and saw how close she was to Tian Ming’s resolute expression, her heart fluttered uncontrollably. She quickly lowered her head and whispered softly.

Void Spirit Realm?

Aside from the black-robed man, the moment the powerful aura burst forth, everyone present was shaken. None had expected that the Chu family’s young master had already reached the Void Spirit Realm—a pinnacle of power in Blackwater Town. It was they who had been ignorant all along. Only a few prodigious talents or those of noble birth could attain such a realm.

“...Impossible! This is a lie. How could a worthless person possess the strength of the Void Spirit Realm!” The burly man, covered in dust and dirt, scrambled up, clutching his head and screaming as he fled the crowd.

“He...”

Those who had been pushed aside quickly realized the truth. Seeing the disgraced shopkeeper running wild, none could believe that mere aura alone had driven him mad...

Indeed, the Chu family’s young master was terrifying beyond measure.

---

Those who had been coldly watching now showed a hint of caution in their eyes. The few with comparable strength made up their minds, seemingly plotting how best to curry favor with the Chu family young master.

“It’s over...”

The frail young waiter sat dumbfounded, stammering as he watched the unfolding events. The shopkeeper had lost his mind, and now he had offended the Chu family’s young master—there was no escape this time.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Listen! We’ve long despised this shopkeeper for arbitrarily raising prices. Today, thanks to young master Chu Yun’s justice, it’s a great blessing for Blackwater Town. We should celebrate by smashing this shop down...”

At that moment, a tall young man stepped forward from the crowd. His narrowed eyes gleamed sharply as he surveyed the gathering, his face alight with excitement. He emanated an aura of the Spirit Void Realm.

“Yes, yes! This is a shady establishment!”

“Shady shop! Shady shop!”

“Thank you, young master Chu Yun, for eradicating a great scourge from Blackwater Town.”

...

With the tall young man’s fervent words, the crowd erupted. Although some voices dissented, they were quickly drowned out.

“Heh... such a bunch of petty sycophants,” Tian Ming sneered, glancing at the bustling crowd behind him. Then, taking Xiao Ying’s hand, he approached the frail waiter. Producing a golden note from his hand, he said, “Brother, find your shopkeeper and tell him the shop is now leased by the Chu family. The rent is over ten thousand gold.”

Tian Ming knew the shopkeeper wasn’t truly mad—he just couldn’t find a better way to deal with the situation and was pretending to be insane.

“Thank you! Thank you, young master Chu...” The frail waiter knelt, bowing repeatedly in gratitude.

Meanwhile, Xiao Ying looked at Chu Yun with growing sweetness, clutching his arm even tighter as if afraid to lose him.

“Remember never to be so harsh again. It’s best to spare others when possible; everyone has their moments of hardship.”

With that, Tian Ming ignored the young waiter and strode toward the black-robed man.

“What a good man...!”

Watching the tall youth’s resolute figure, the frail waiter felt a subtle emotion stirring deep within, as if a seed of admiration had just sprouted.