Chapter 23 Enemies in the narrow road

Chapter 23

As the tip of the sword approaches, Albert Zok's mind actually turned blank. He knows that the blade will skewer him no matter what he will do, so he just closed his eyes with resignation. But before the sword can penetrate Albert's robe, a stone flew out with a speed not visible to the naked eye and deflected the incoming sword.

The sword in Mouyun Li's hand was deflected, which causes the later to stagger. Then Albert upon hearing the metallic noise, immediately grab the opportunity and throw a quick jab on Mouyon Li's face followed by a charged punch that pulsates with power towards the stomach. When the punch connects, a very strong force threw Mouyun Li crashing through the wall and he fainted immediately.

"What a weak guy, he's always all talk I guess."

Shin Jiao muttered to himself as he walks away. Albert Zok looked at Shin Jiao's back with a thankful eyes. The old man then walks besides him looking at Shin Jiao's disappearing back.

"Young master I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop that. But that young man helped you this time. I guess he's not just a mere mortal."

"Yeah, I just don't know what he did. It's like some kind of energy projectile?"

"No young master. He just picked a stone and flicked it. But I didn't think that that casual flick can deflect the sword of a peak level core forming stage cultivator. That strength is like coming from a golden core realm."

"I guess you're right. Maybe that's the reason why we cannot detect his cultivation."

As Shin Jiao was walking, he suddenly found himself in front of a merchant's store. Then he curiously peek inside and saw not too many customers. But there are attendants wearing white aprons. One of the store attendants approaches upon seeing him.

"May I help you dear customer?" The man asked Shin Jiao politely.

"Ah, yes… Umn… Do you buy demon beast hide or core in this place?"

Shin Jiao asked with a little hesitation. He is thinking of selling some of the demon beast that he got so that he can get more spirit stones. His purpose for going here is to experience trading and earn more spirit stones so that he can buy some precious herbs to advance his concocting skills.

"Ah, yes of course we accept those."

"Great, can I talk to your manager then?"

"Yes sir, wait a minute please."

After saying that the attendant left and walked toward the inner part of the store.

It didn't take too long for the attendant to come back and a small fat man followed him behind. The man upon seeing Shin Jiao had a feeling of doubt, but still showed a smiling face.

"Hello, I'm Mr. Klem the manager of this store. I heard that you want to sell some demon beast materials?"

Shin Jiao was about to reply, when he was interrupted by an angry voice. Turning his head he immediately recognize the fat youth. He was one of the youth from the Li clan that he knocked out in the forest.

"It's him! That's the person that Brother Li wanted to get his revenge on."

"Let's get him now!"

The fat youth with two other young men quickly surrounds Shin Jiao inside the merchant store. The manager upon seeing this was a little worried, so he step forward to prevent the conflict.

"Please young ones. This is the Green merchant store, I advice you not to fight here."

Upon hearing the manager's words, the three youth look at him in disdain.

"We are members of the Li clan. And we have to catch this person, if you get in our way don't blame us for what would happen next."

When the manager heard that the Li clan is involve, he had a little hesitation. Then the Li clan members took this opportunity and suddenly made their move against Shin Jiao.

Shin Jiao was a little taken aback at the audacity of the three youth. They didn't show any respect and just attacked him. But because he is afraid to involve the store in this fight he quickly dashed outside, leaving the three confused as he suddenly disappear.

"Hey! Let's fight here! This is a good place. Come! Come!"

Now standing in the middle of the road, Shin Jiao with a nonchalant look taunted the three as he gestured at them using his index finger.

"You're just a mortal thrash. I don't know how you manage to sneak attack me in the forest. But I'll show you my true abilities."

Shin Jiao has a smile on his face, but in his mind he is scolding the fat young man for being too shameless.

The fat youth angrily walks towards Shin Jiao as he gathered his spiritual energy on his hands making it glow red. Then he immediately dashed toward Shin Jiao.

"Take my fire tiger fist! Die!"

Seeing the fat youth charging towards him, Shin Jiao waited for the right timing. When the glowing fist came closer. He just shifted his body and quickly grabbed the fat youth's arm then directed the flow of the attacks towards the ground which causes a loud boom. But before the fat youth can recover, he suddenly deliver a fast roundhouse kick hitting the back of the fat youth's head and smashing his face to the stony floor. The speed and precision of his movement made the other two youths dumbfounded.

The fat youth lay on the ground face down and was unconscious. Shin Jiao looked at the remaining two and smiled.

"So, who's next?"

Fear can now be seen on the faces of the 2 Li clan youths. But one of them mustered his courage and shouted a threat.

"You dare offend the Li clan, we'll get back at you. Just you wait."

After spouting those words the two quickly escaped leaving the fat youth.

Shin Jiao didn't chase after them. He just shook his head and enter the store again. The manager was a little shocked after seeing the fight on the street. The things he saw are almost impossible as the youth in front of him is clearly a mortal. He himself is a peak stage core forming cultivator, but he can't do what the youth just did. But he still felt sorry for the youth because he has offended the Li clan.

"Young man, you just got yourself in trouble." The fat manager said as while shaking his head.

"Let me give you a piece of advice, go out of town. It would be safer for you outside."

"Thanks for the advice good sir. We'll anyway, let's get back to business…"

Shin Jiao is a little happy for the manager's gesture of kindness. But he just waved it off.

"Oh, okay follow me." The manager said as he led Shin Jiao through the inner part of the store.

Then, they entered a big room, Shin Jiao immediately noticed the circular table in the middle surrounded by 5 chairs with exquisite craftsmanship, and fat manager gestured him to sit as he prepare some tea.

While seated Shin Jiao thought of what spirit beast he wanted to sell, as he had a lot of them in the mansion space. Since he can't use them all, he decided to dispose a random one which he hadn't dismantled yet.

"Well, I have in my hands a level 5 spirit python."

Hearing this the manager's eyes went wide and he almost drop the tea cup he was about to serve.

"A… a… level 5 spirit python? If I may ask good sir… Is the core included?"

"Umn… yes…"

"We'll buy it for 10k mid-grade spirit stone."

The fat manager immediately made his offer.

"Hah? Are you sure?… Okay… Deal…"

Shin Jiao was a little taken aback from the sudden offer. As he didn't spend too much effort to grab the spirit python. He knows that the value of the demon cores increases from level 3 and above. And 10k would be the lowest offer for the level 5 core. But since Shin Jiao did not concern himself with money, for now, so he just accepted the offer.

The manager gave Shin Jiao a spatial ring, but then got conflicted. In his mind he is asking as to how can this youth can use a spatial ring?... But still he handed him the ring.

"So young lad where did you leave the carcass of the demon beast, I'll ask my men to pick it up."

"Oh, no need I have it here with me, in my spatial ring."

The manager looked at Shin Jiao's ring that looks too ordinary. The ring is really just an ordinary ring that he had bought from the market to act as a spatial storage thingy.

"I'll take the carcass out in the courtyard, would that be okay?"

"Ah… yes, yes, Let's go, this way please."

When they arrived at the courtyard, Shin Jiao pretend to take out the demon beast from his ring. The manager upon seeing the perfect condition of the spirit python almost couldn't believe his eyes. The only wound is a hole on its head the size of a chicken egg. Although the spirit python is a common level 5 demon beast, but its meat is one of the delicacies for cultivators and the level 5 demon core.

"Thank you, manager Klem. I'll be going now."

After finishing the trade, Shin Jiao turn around and left.

"Wait young man, here take this. This is a VIP card for our Auction hall located near the south gate of the town. If you have time you can visit us there."

In Shin Jiao's hand now lays a black card with some marking in it and the name "Green merchant group" is written embossed.

"Okay thank you."

After the pleasantries, Shin Jiao went out the Green merchant store.

But not long after he left, he noticed some people following him. He wanted to lose them but then, when he turned to a corner he saw 5 young men in front of him. It was Mouyun Li and his group among them is a fat young cultivator with his face in black and blue.

"Ha ha ha, you dare offend our Li clan. Let's see where you can escape now…"

Mouyun Li, clenched his fist. His anger have not yet been quenched after he got beaten by Albert Zok. So now he's going to release his fury to this annoying mortal in front of him.

Shin Jiao now found himself surrounded by more than 20 cultivators and all of them are in the peak of core forming stage.