Chapter 21 - Son of Local Governor Arrested for Adultery and Attempted Murder; Victim Gets Dinner Voucher as Apology
SWUA
Fu Tong could feel the sensation of a cold blade stroking his back. However, its sharp edge failed to cut through his skin. He looked back and pursed his lips, anger brewing in his mind.
'Patience. Patience. I'm a better man. Do not respond to the trolls.'
Taking a deep breath, Fu Tong suppressed his anger and the urge to rip Ji Ziyan to shreds. Attempting to be a better man and defying tropes, he warned the guard without looking back.
"Apprehend your young master before someone gets hurt. He's lucky that it's me he's offending. If he attacked the others, he would have died on the spot."
The guards came back to their senses and disarmed Ji Ziyan. They dragged him away from Fu Tong.
"Young master, please stop!"
"SOMEBODY HELP! YOUNG MASTER ZI IS ATTACKING THE GUEST!"
More palace guards and servants of the clan surrounded Ji Ziyan at lightning speed. One of the elders chopped the back of Ji Ziyan's neck, knocking him unconscious.
The elders saw the cut on Fu Tong's back and realized the gravity of the situation. First, Fu Tong was unharmed after the attack. And secondly, Fu Tong's demeanor was different from average men, which reeked of suspicion.
As Fu Tong tagged along with a group of quasi-immortals, they came to the conclusion that Fu Tong might be someone from a higher cultivation realm in disguise.
Afraid of the dire consequences, an elder repeatedly bowed.
"Please forgive us, young sir! Our young master is illiterate and naive! Please give us face and show him mercy!"
Fu Tong let out a long sigh of relief. At least, the elders of the Ji Clan were not unreasonable like their young master. Had they ignored the situation, Fu Tong would have razed this place to the ground and plunder everything.
"It's just a misunderstanding. It's fine. Also, could I ask you to bring me a new set of clothes? I can't enjoy my food or return to my elders like this."
"Of course, young sir!"
The guards and the elders were overjoyed. They escorted Fu Tong back to the guest house and brought him a chest full of premium clothes.
In addition, they also brought over more premium wine and fresh food, hoping to appease Fu Tong's anger. Two of the clan elders stood guard at the doors instead of the golden core cultivator guards earlier, preventing Ji Ziyan from causing another mishap.
The chain of endless conflicts was thwarted. Fu Tong got back to the table and resumed eating. However, while Fu Tong pondered about Ji Ziyan's role in the game, he also recalled another important NPC.
The Ji Clan didn't only produce a 3rd-rated villain like Ji Ziyan, but they also created a late-game villainess, who possessed a system. Unlike the characters that Fu Tong had met so far, she would make her first appearance in chapter 8 as the player's rival, and her cultivation base would grow exponentially every year. If players left her alone for 10 years, she would become so overpowered that her strength surpassed other main characters in the later chapters.
Thinking of the villainess with a nemesis system, Fu Tong counted his fingers, calculating the age of the character at this time. A few seconds later, he let out a long sigh of relief.
'She shouldn't have been born yet. She might even still be a jelly right now. I think her mother is Ji Ziyan's sister or something, and she married someone from the immortal realm? I forgot about their family background. Who was the character's father again?'
Unable to recall the lore, he shook his head and emptied the soup bowl. After filling his stomach, his eyelids started to get heavy. He cleaned his throat with freshwater and called the elders to clear the table. He climbed on the bed and sat cross-legged.
The servants rushed in and cleaned the table. After everybody had left, Fu Tong stopped pretending and lay on the bed, taking a nap.
—
Two elders in front of the guest room sensed the changes in Fu Tong's breath. They peeked inside with their Qi and noticed that Fu Tong was sleeping. The two men looked at each other, for both of them suddenly came up with an idea.
They exchanged words using a voice transmission technique.
"Did you see it when that idiot attacked the guest?"
"Yeah, I was watching. Ziyan might be an idiot, but he's still a nascent soul cultivator. No one under the soul amalgamation stage can receive that attack without a scratch."
"The patriarch has ordered us to tempt the young man and win his favor. I think he knew."
"I admit the patriarch might be cowardly, but his vision and prediction is never wrong. Come to think of it, the guest has a cool head. He didn't hesitate to give up the room earlier, and he knows a mysterious technique that can hide his real cultivation base. I don't think someone with this character can easily be swayed by women."
"Cannot be swayed by AVERAGE women, you mean."
"…Oh?"
Both elders got an inspiration. They nodded. Then, one of them vanished, rushing into the banquet hall to consult with Ji Guoli.
Minutes later, the previous elder returned with a bright smile on his face.
"He's approved."
Both elders grinned.
—
The negotiation was concluded, and both sides agreed on exchange terms.
Sea Watcher Fortress would provide 100,000 stones of vegetables and grains in exchange for one karma coin. Livestock, spices, and grain pills were more expensive, costing 20,000 stones per coin. Furniture, paints, and decorative goods were varied in price.
Although Huli Jiubai brought over 100,000 karma coins for trading, they only spent less than 10 coins to get what they needed, as the fortress didn't have enough resources or supplies to sell. They also needed a week to gather and transport all agreed-upon items to the fortress.
Huli Jiubai stored the leftover coins in his storage ring and promised to return in six months, giving the fortress enough time to resupply and reproduce food resources. They would also wait in the city for a week to oversee the first batch of goods.
After the deal was settled, they enjoyed the party for the entire night.
On the next day, the Ji Clan mobilized their men, transporting food from nearby provinces and regions to fulfill the promised quota. Huli Jiubai's men toured the city and enjoyed a brief holiday.
As for Fu Tong, Ji Guoli summoned him in the early morning.
Fu Tong entered the main meeting hall as summoned, but he found nobody but the fat patriarch, the two elders who guarded the front door yesterday, and a maiden behind them.
When Fu Tong arrived, Ji Guoli laughed and clapped his hands, striding toward him.
"Welcome! Welcome, Young Master Fu. I heard a lot about you last night!"