Chapter 70: Enough Entertainment for a Whole Year

As Miss Lian Fengying and Lin Zhan lifted their heads to look upward, the man renowned for his Lion’s Roar martial arts happened to pause for a rest. In the moonlight, that black-clad youth with a scruffy beard and an air of utter desolation paid no heed to the bustling marketplace below, not sparing it so much as a glance. He shifted from his one-legged stance and seated himself cross-legged upon a narrow wooden post, just barely wide enough to accommodate him.

He swept his gaze around, seemingly searching for something, his eyes profound and distant, revealing a boundless weariness with the world. This man, presumably called the Golden Lion, who had fled his family, took out a wine flask and, beneath the moonlight, began to drink alone.

In the blink of an eye, he adjusted his position, turning his back to Lin Zhan and Lian Fengying, leaving them with nothing but a solitary, black silhouette.

That lonely figure atop the moonlit platform stood in stark contrast to the noisy, bustling scene below, filled with haggling and shouts of vendors and buyers. The mere sight of that back moved one to inexplicable melancholy.

“My goodness, what an act! This is the ultimate form of showing off, invisible yet overwhelming!” Lin Zhan shouted inwardly.

Even a man like Lin Zhan found resonance in that silhouette; how much more so would the gentle-hearted Miss Lian Meifeng? All at once, Lian Fengying, flustered and breathless, whispered urgently, “Cuicui, quick, hold me!”

“What’s wrong, miss? Why do you feel so weak?” Cuicui hurried to steady her, but she too seemed unsteady—both women swayed before finally regaining their balance.

Lian Fengying, still shaken, stammered, “Was that really the Golden Lion?”

“Indeed, miss,” Cuicui clung tightly to her mistress’s arm. “Seeing that silhouette, I’m more certain than ever. He is the young master of the Dao Robe family of Jiangnan, the Golden Lion!”

“How can you be so certain just from his back?”

“That back is just like the legendary Lone Drunk Lion, famed across the Misty Snow Plains. It’s said that once, before a duel, the Golden Lion assumed exactly that posture. The ten female cultivators facing him all lost their composure, fell from mid-air, and fled in panic. That incident made the Lone Drunk Lion a household name.”

Lian Fengying asked, “But why was he dueling ten female cultivators at once?”

Cuicui coughed. “Miss, how would I know? And besides, is that really the important part? Shouldn’t you be interested in his famous Lone Drunk Lion posture?”

The pair of young ladies were so absorbed in their conversation that they failed to notice they’d reached the front of the line.

“Ladies, are you buying or not? Please don’t hold up our desperate clearance sale!” a shop assistant called out, snapping them back to reality.

“Yes, of course we’re buying!” Lin Zhan had already picked out over a dozen sets of martial robes and was paying; seeing the two women’s adorable confusion, he chuckled inwardly. He figured the young lady had probably been utterly captivated by the image of the Lone Drunk Lion—perhaps even love at first sight.

Amusing as it was, Lin Zhan had to admit that the Golden Lion was quite a character—business-savvy and a master of dramatic flair.

Just as Lin Zhan was gathering his purchases and preparing to leave, a surge in the crowd pushed him aside. Several people squeezed past, heading straight for the two women and their servant.

“Who are these rude people? Oh, of course—it’s them!” Lin Zhan recognized the newcomers as the group from Fuyang Inn, led by the white-robed youth with a feather fan.

“Ouch, young lady, you’ve stepped on my foot!” the white-robed youth suddenly cried out, exaggerating his pain and drawing the attention of everyone nearby.

The bustling market fell silent for a moment.

“Forgive me, I didn’t notice in the crowd. If I stepped on you, I apologize!” Lian Meifeng quickly offered an apology.

Cuicui, however, felt wronged—she had been right beside her mistress, neither of them had moved. How could she have stepped on anyone?

“Miss, why apologize? You didn’t step on him at all.”

Lian Meifeng merely smiled. Whether she had or not didn’t matter. She’d noticed these white-robed men seemed ill-intentioned and wanted to keep things quiet, hoping to leave quickly and avoid trouble. Better to keep things simple.

“Heh, so a single apology is enough? My shoes are no ordinary footwear. Now that you’ve dirtied them, what do you intend to do about it?” The youth fanned himself, his eyes gleaming as he brazenly ogled Lian Meifeng, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

Lin Zhan’s keen senses picked up a whispered exchange nearby.

“She’s got a stunning figure, but what if she takes off her veil and turns out to be ugly? Wouldn’t you be disappointed, Brother Ji?”

The white-robed youth smirked. “You don’t understand. With a body like that, there’s no way her face could be that bad. Besides, if she was ugly, would she bother wearing a veil? And honestly, even if she is, keeping her veiled means I could still enjoy her figure for a whole year, ha!”

His companion gave a thumbs-up. “Brother Ji, you’re truly an expert!”

Lian Meifeng did not answer Ji’s shameless demands. Such unreasonable, blatant lies left her, inexperienced in worldly matters and innately kind-hearted, utterly at a loss.

“Miss, let’s go. Don’t pay them any mind!” Cuicui, more assertive, tried to shield her mistress and pull her away.

But as the two turned to leave, they found themselves blocked.

Ji took a step forward and seized Lian Meifeng’s delicate hand, pulling her toward him.

“What are you doing?” Lian Meifeng cried out in alarm.

“Scoundrel, let go of my lady!” Cuicui rushed forward to protect her mistress, but Ji’s companions each grabbed one of her arms, restraining her as tears welled up in her eyes.

“My lady, I don’t wish to make things difficult for you. All I require is a sincere apology. Apologizing behind a veil simply won’t do,” Ji sneered inwardly as he gripped her hand. “Heh, no woman the heartless Ji desires has ever escaped.”

Lian Meifeng, panic-stricken, was too frightened to protest.

“If you won’t apologize sincerely, then you’ll have to come with me. I’ll teach you myself what it means to be truly polite.” Seeing her helplessness, Ji was ready to drag her away.

Though the crowd included ordinary folk and some cultivators—disciples out training or preparing for the upcoming grand competition—this part of Fuyang City was a lawless zone. Not a single person dared intervene or speak up against such injustice.

Lin Zhan was just about to step forward to stop this shameless bullying when a thunderous voice boomed from above: “You’ve got a death wish, haven’t you? How dare you make trouble at my desperate clearance sale after all my hard work?”

Lin Zhan quickly focused his energy to shield his ears—the Lion’s Roar was a sonic attack that spared no one!