Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Zhao Hu crossed his arms, his triangular eyes scanning Shen Mo and the other two before finally settling on Shen Mo's face. He said with a forced smile:

"Sect Leader Shen, impressive! I didn't realize you had a knack for business. You've made a hundred or so spirit stones in such a short time, haven't you? How's it going? Can you pay off your debts now?"

Shen Mo's mind raced; he knew that a direct confrontation was the worst possible strategy. Each of the three opponents possessed an aura at least equal to, or even stronger than, Shi Tie's, indicating they were at least at the second or third level of Qi Refining.

On his side, Shi Tie hadn't even entered the basics of body tempering, Su Xiao was at the first level of Qi Refining, and he himself was just a shell (a weak first level of Qi Refining). If they really fought, he would be finished in an instant.

He forced himself to calm down, and instead of showing any panic on his face, he revealed a just-right amount of fatigue and displeasure, as if he was angry at being disturbed.

He slowly stood up, even brushing off non-existent dust from his Taoist robe.

"Who do you think it is? It's Fellow Daoist Zhao."

Shen Mo's tone was flat, carrying a hint of detachment, "What, didn't Steward Wang tell you that the debt was granted a one-month grace period? Or is it that Black Wind Stronghold now operates without regard for rules, saying one thing to your face and another behind your back?"

He spoke softly, but deliberately made sure everyone around him could hear him, first labeling him as "unruly" and occupying the moral high ground.

Zhao Hu's face stiffened. He hadn't expected Shen Mo to be so calm and to turn the tables on him.

He was indeed somewhat in the wrong; Steward Wang's promise to grant a one-month extension was a fact witnessed by everyone. However, relying on the prestige of Black Wind Stronghold, he was used to running rampant within a radius of more than ten miles. How could he be captured by a single sentence from the other party?

"Hmph!" Zhao Hu sneered. "Giving you a month's grace is because Steward Wang is kind-hearted! But who knows if you'll take the spirit stones and run away with your deadbeat master?"

"Hand over the spirit stones first, and Black Wind Stronghold will hold them for you. When the time comes, we will clear your name!"

This was blatant robbery! Shi Tie was so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged, and Su Xiao also bit her lip.

Shen Mo laughed, a light laugh tinged with mockery: "Heh, keep it safe? Fellow Daoist Zhao, do you think my Qingyun Sect is easy to bully, or do you think this Qingtai Market has no rules?"

"Spirit stones are the fruits of our hard work. How we dispose of them is naturally an internal matter for our Qingyun Sect. Aren't Black Wind Stronghold overstepping their bounds a bit?"

As he spoke, he casually put his hands behind his back, subtly signaling to Su Xiao and Shi Tie to "stay calm and watch my eyes."

"Shut the fuck up!" Zhao Hu was enraged by Shen Mo's attitude. He stepped forward, his aura as a third-level Qi Refining cultivator subtly emanating as he pressed towards Shen Mo. "You'll pay these spirit stones today, whether you like it or not! Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"

The atmosphere instantly became tense!

Shi Tie's muscles tensed, ready to charge forward recklessly. Su Xiao also quietly reached for a low-quality fireball talisman in her bosom, her last resort for survival.

At this critical moment, Shen Mo not only did not retreat, but instead took a small step forward in the face of Zhao Hu's oppressive aura!

His gaze suddenly sharpened, fixing on Zhao Hu's eyes. His voice rose abruptly, carrying an undeniable air of authority as he rebuked:

"Zhao Hu! Do you really think my Qingyun Sect is made of clay?! Take a look at this!"

As he spoke, Shen Mo suddenly pulled out the dull-colored jade pendant belonging to the sect leader from his robes! He frantically poured the meager spiritual energy within him into it, while simultaneously shouting in his mind:

"System! Help me, add some special effects to this jade pendant! Use all the remaining energy!"

[Command received! Consume remaining energy to apply a 'Faint Daoist Aura' effect to the target item! Duration: Ten breaths!]

In an instant, the originally dull gray jade pendant actually shone brightly, emitting an extremely faint yet ancient and desolate aura!

Although the light flashed by so quickly that it seemed like an illusion, the unique Daoist aura made Zhao Hu, who was standing right next to him, tremble all over!

"This is...?" Zhao Hu's pupils contracted as he sensed a faint but overwhelming pressure that far exceeded his comprehension!

Though faint, it pierced straight to the heart! Could this broken jade pendant really be a treasure? Were the ancestors of the Qingyun Sect truly wealthy?

Shen Mo had been waiting for this moment of hesitation! He pressed his advantage, his tone condescending as he rebuked:

"This is the token of our Qingyun Sect's leader! It contains the divine power of our patriarch! Yesterday, Steward Wang, with his shallow knowledge, even retreated in the face of difficulty!"

"Who do you think you are, Zhao Hu, to dare bark like that? Do you perhaps want to test whether you can withstand a blow from the founder of my Qingyun Sect?!"

His words were pure bluff; he was betting that Zhao Hu, a low-level leader, was limited in his knowledge, valued his life, and was suspicious!

Sure enough, Zhao Hu was immediately taken aback by Shen Mo's sudden outburst and the strange aura emanating from the jade pendant! In particular, Shen Mo's mention of Steward Wang's "retreat in the face of difficulty" yesterday struck a chord with him.

Indeed, after returning home, Steward Wang was vague about the stone lion incident, only instructing them not to provoke it for the time being.

Could it be... that there's something strange about the Qingyun Sect?

His two subordinates behind him were even less capable, both intimidated by Shen Mo's imposing aura and subconsciously took a half step back.

The surrounding crowd of onlookers held their breath and whispered among themselves.

"Wow, this is going to be interesting! It seems the Qingyun Sect leader has some hidden cards up his sleeve!"

"Didn't that jade pendant flash briefly? It felt quite unusual!"

"Has Black Wind Stronghold really bitten off more than they can chew this time?"

Zhao Hu's expression shifted uncertainly. If he fought, he feared the other party might be suspicious and his life would be in danger; if he didn't fight, where would he put his face in front of everyone?

Shen Mo took in his expression and knew that the time was right. He suddenly withdrew his imposing aura and returned to his calm and collected demeanor, even coughing lightly twice, as if the outburst had exhausted him.

"Fine." Shen Mo waved his hand, as if to say, "I won't stoop to your level. Considering you were just following orders, I will not pursue this matter further. As for the spirit stones, my Qingyun Sect has its own uses for them, so there's no need for you to worry about them."

"Go back and tell Steward Wang that I will keep the one-month deadline in mind and will give him an explanation when the time comes. Now, please step aside, we are going back to the mountain."

His words were perfectly worded, demonstrating his strength while giving the other party a way out.

Zhao Hu was immediately caught in a dilemma, his face turning pale and then red. He wasn't confident he could fight; he was unwilling to release the man. He stared intently at Shen Mo, trying to find a flaw in his expression.

Shen Mo was extremely nervous, his back was soaked with cold sweat, but his face remained as calm as a rock, and he even gave Zhao Hu a mysterious smile.

The stalemate lasted for more than ten breaths, and the hustle and bustle of the market seemed to have disappeared from this corner.

In the end, Zhao Hu spat fiercely, but still didn't dare to make the move: "Pah! You win! Shen Mo, I'll remember you! One month! Just one month! If you can't come up with eight hundred spirit stones by then, I'll personally break your bones!"

After saying that, he waved his hand dismissively, and with his two men, they squeezed through the crowd, looking disheveled.

Only after their figures disappeared did Shen Mo secretly breathe a sigh of relief, feeling his legs go weak.

"Sect Leader... Sect Leader, are you alright?" Su Xiao quickly stepped forward to support him, her voice still trembling slightly.

Shi Tie was so excited his face turned red, and his eyes were filled with fervent admiration as he looked at Shen Mo: "Sect Leader! You're amazing! You scared that villain away with just a few words! That jade pendant... was it really the Ancestral Master's intervention?"

Shen Mo waved his hand to indicate that he was alright, and whispered, "This place is not safe to stay any longer, let's go!"

The three of them immediately packed their things and left the market almost as if they were fleeing.