Ye Tiancheng had made good plans. The胖子 (Pang Zi) hadn't woken up yet, likely exhausted. Ye Tiancheng decided to buy some breakfast, which would also solve the胖子's breakfast problem and give his good brother more time to rest.
However, as soon as he opened the hotel door and took a few steps, he was blocked in the alley.
"I heard three rich people came to this town. Lend me some money to spend. My hands are tied, brother. I'll pay you back when I'm better off."
Ye Tiancheng didn't react at first, tilting his head and looking at the man with dyed yellow hair with a confused gaze. The man was scrawny and looked malnourished, making him unlikely to be mistaken for a robber. Ye Tiancheng felt the yellow-haired man was somewhat unworthy.
"What do you mean?"
The man clearly had no patience and directly pulled out the knife hidden at his waist. The glinting dagger indeed sent a chill down Ye Tiancheng's spine.
"I don't want to waste words with you. Just hand over the money. I know you're rich, and I hate rich people the most, especially those who like to show off."
The man displayed a clear hatred for the wealthy, which Ye Tiancheng found a bit strange. Wherever Ye Tiancheng went, people would usually call him a poor farmer and say he was uncouth. Few would rob him for being wealthy.
"Did you mistake me for someone else? I don't have much money. You don't need to make such a big fuss. I'll give you some."
"I heard that after you came to the restaurant today, the three of you ordered more than a dozen dishes. Isn't that showing off wealth? You deserve to be robbed; you brought it upon yourself."
Ye Tiancheng really didn't know how to explain. It wasn't his fault; it was because the胖子 ate too much. The胖子 eating so much at once gave others the impression that they were rich, but it was just because their team had a big eater. This was a complete misunderstanding.
"Brother, it's really not like that. I only have 200 yuan in my pocket, and I still need to go out and buy breakfast. You leave me 50 yuan, and I can give you the remaining 150 yuan."
Ye Tiancheng was very practical and honest as he negotiated with the robber. For Ye Tiancheng, this small amount of money was nothing, and there was no need to make a big fuss. Giving it to him was just like sending away a beggar. Arguing with him would be a complete waste of his time.
They had to leave immediately after finishing their meal. It was pointless to get into a prolonged argument with this robber. However, as Ye Tiancheng said this and was about to give the robber 150 yuan, he suddenly felt a blow to his head.
This was unacceptable. Hitting someone on the head was extremely impolite. In that instant, Ye Tiancheng felt that his legal rights had been violated.
"If you have something to say, say it properly. Don't lay a hand on me. I have a bad temper. If you hit me, I might hit back, and much harder than you."
The thug had seen all sorts of people. He had a knife in his hand and had some connections in the town, so he wasn't afraid that anyone would dare to do anything to him. That's why he was so arrogant, not putting anyone in his eyes and daring to provoke trouble.
As soon as Ye Tiancheng finished speaking, he was hit on the neck again. The whole person felt jolted, and it wasn't good.
Ye Tiancheng was furious. He sent out a surge of true qi, and the man suddenly knelt on the ground, his legs as weak as a soft-shelled turtle, completely devoid of strength. The sound of bones cracking crisply could be heard.
"Help! It hurts so much! My leg seems to be broken! Someone come and save me!"
Only then did the man realize the seriousness of the situation. Ye Tiancheng had broken his bones with his true qi. The little thug was now suffering from a fracture, and it was normal to feel pain; it would be strange if he didn't.
"I told you, I have a bad temper. You didn't want 150 yuan, and now this is all your own doing."
The man suddenly realized something. Ye Tiancheng was not an ordinary person at all. He had been committing crimes for a long time. Although he hadn't committed any major offenses, he frequently engaged in minor criminal acts. As the saying goes, "If you walk by the roadside often, you're bound to get your shoes wet." It seemed he had truly gotten himself into big trouble this time.
"Master, can you spare my life? I know I was wrong. I will never do such evil deeds again. Can you help me? Give me a chance to reform."
People who are thoroughly wicked don't have much of a conscience, so whatever they say is easy for them to utter, as it doesn't cost anything. Speaking smoothly is their most basic skill.
"I don't believe you. Don't worry, I won't paralyze you. At most, there will be some lingering effects, and you'll probably walk with a limp. This is considered a lesson for you."
Ye Tiancheng pondered that if he walked with a limp, he wouldn't be able to rob others. He had never seen a disabled person robbing someone. In a way, this was more effective than his verbal promise.
"But I don't want to become disabled. It was all my fault before, and now I have thoroughly realized the seriousness of the problem. Just give me one chance. Even if I make the same mistake again in the future, you can take my life, and I won't complain."
It was uncertain whether the robber was telling the truth or not, but regardless of how much truth there was, Ye Tiancheng really couldn't bear to see someone become disabled for life. Such a situation was too cruel for anyone.
"Alright, I won't waste any more words with you. I will place a curse on you. If you don't commit any evil deeds for three years, the curse on your body will disappear, and your body will recover. If you offend again, it will be much more than just a limp."
Ye Tiancheng had already been exceptionally lenient. The man dared not say anything more, thinking that if he angered Ye Tiancheng further, he might not even get this good outcome.
"I understand. It's settled then. Thank you, immortal, for sparing my life. I will definitely turn over a new leaf and start anew, and I will absolutely not cause trouble anymore."
The robber stood up, but he walked with a limp. After glancing at Ye Tiancheng, he bowed his head humbly and then fled.
Watching the man's hurried escape, Ye Tiancheng felt that being powerful was indeed necessary. The feeling of controlling everything was truly good. Not being bullied was excellent, at least having decision-making power in many matters, which was very important for maintaining one's dignity.
Ye Tiancheng's 200 yuan were all safe, so he bought a few more steamed buns for breakfast, which was normal. Otherwise, if they had been robbed, he would have had nothing.
He passed by a pastry shop. They were already making pastries early in the morning. The aroma of baked bread was simply too enticing. Ye Tiancheng was deeply attracted just by passing by, and he bought a large bag of cakes.
Strolling and browsing along the way, it truly felt like there was a touch of worldly charm. Ye Tiancheng finally felt alive. When he carried the breakfast back, the胖子 was just washing up.
"Brother Ye, our brotherhood is truly telepathic. I knew you were going to buy breakfast. I didn't contact you; I just waited obediently at home for you to feed me."
Ye Tiancheng chatted with the胖子 for a while and told him about being robbed. Even the胖子 found it incredible that someone would rob in broad daylight. He wondered how difficult life must be now that even a small-time robber was so proactive and diligent, making him feel too decadent.
"Who is it that he chose to rob? He had to provoke you. This person really kicked a steel plate this time. No matter what, he deserved it. Brother Ye, you were already quite merciful. If it were someone else, I reckon they might have beaten him to death, as such people are just a waste of air."
The胖子 didn't have much sympathy. When Ye Tiancheng lived at the bottom, he at least worked in the fields and encountered simple farmers. Even if there were some sarcastic remarks, they wouldn't be too severe. However, the胖子 dropped out of junior high and wandered the streets, having seen all sorts of human warmth and coldness.
He knew that those who bully the weak were truly wicked. Such people were not worth pitying. If you pity them, they will turn around and bully the honest people to vent their anger.
"Alright, let's not talk about that guy anymore. I guess he's limping now and will surely be more honest, unable to do anything disgusting. The most important thing is for us brothers to eat our meal peacefully."
The胖子 didn't eat much less this meal. Now he felt his appetite was growing larger and larger. Perhaps it was related to his mood. Ever since he came back from the dead, his mindset had improved considerably. Things that used to trouble him no longer did.
"It's so good. I'm full and don't even want to move. But we have to drive later. This town is really nice; I'm a bit reluctant to leave."
Thinking about it, he felt a sense of reluctance. Although the scenery along the way was beautiful, it would ultimately only become a part of his memories.
After the胖子 sighed for a while, he and Ye Tiancheng set off together. Lin Xue was still in her ethereal state. This morning, she only drank a few sips of soup and didn't eat any steamed buns.
"Miss Xue'er, other girls are always clamoring to lose weight every day. You must not follow suit. You are already thin enough; don't learn from them. Those girls are obsessed."
"I'm not dieting. My cultivation method mainly absorbs the essence and spiritual energy of heaven and earth, so I don't need to eat so much grain. Knowing too much would affect my cultivation progress."
As Lin Xue spoke, she was holding the phoenix, which had transformed into a little yellow chicken. The phoenix had been lazy lately and liked to transform into a little yellow chicken. This state could be considered dormant, making it easier for the entire body to become stronger.
"Alright, that's true. The food here is too coarse. When we go back, I'll cook some delicious meals for Miss Xue'er."
As they were chatting, Ye Tiancheng, who had been closing his eyes, suddenly opened them because he sensed a strong aura of dark energy.
"What's wrong?"
Ye Tiancheng suddenly became scared because this strong dark energy was definitely not something ordinary demons or monsters could emit. This could very well be a king of dark energy. Only creatures at the peak of evil could emit such potent dark energy. There must be something strange about this.
"It's nothing to worry about. You don't need to worry anymore. It's likely Ouyang Xuxu's true form has appeared. This person has revived from the dead. He must be hiding somewhere not far from us, which is why such strong dark energy is being emitted."
Lin Xue said there was no need to worry, but her words made Ye Tiancheng even more worried. It was a truly terrifying matter.