"Dad, let's just leave."

In the hotel room, Liang Shanshan felt that something was increasingly amiss. It's dangerous to stay here. We'd be better off leaving. She simply couldn't believe that Lin Mu was capable of taking on so many people. Although leaving now might be somewhat unfair to him, it was their first meeting, and they hardly knew each other. As for the people outside, she and her father could easily handle them; they couldn't possibly stop them.

"Absolutely not!" Liang Sheng rejected the idea outright. "Mr. Lin hasn't returned yet. We can't leave!"

Her head starting to ache, Liang Shanshan said, "Dad, why do you respect that guy so much, always 'Mr. Lin' this and 'Mr. Lin' that? You're not usually like this." With a touch of defiance, she added, "It feels like you treat him better than you would your own son!"

"Shut up!" Liang Sheng snapped, furious. "Shanshan, I tolerate your usual nonsense, but how could you say something like that?"

"What did I do? Was I wrong?"

Liang Sheng sighed heavily. "Do you have any idea who Mr. Lin is? He's far more formidable than you can imagine!"

"More formidable than you?" Liang Shanshan said disdainfully. "I don't believe it!"

Liang Sheng asked, "What do you think of my strength?"

"You're amazing!" Liang Shanshan said proudly. "Dad, you're the top expert in our Liang Family!"

Liang Sheng gave a bitter smile. "Yes, and this 'top expert' of the Liang Family? In front of Mr. Lin, I'm not even worth a damn." As if recalling that dazzlingly brilliant figure from the River City Martial Meeting, Liang Sheng's expression grew solemn. "If Mr. Lin wished, he could crush me with a single finger."

"How is that possible?" Liang Shanshan's beautiful eyes widened as she pressed her palm against her father's forehead. "Dad, are you delusional?"

He slapped his daughter's hand away and said earnestly, "Daughter, do you remember when I participated in the River City Martial Meeting?"

"Uh-huh, I remember!" Liang Shanshan nodded hastily. "I remember Uncle saying that you represented our Liang Family and were being defeated by Yun Xu's disciple, Zhang Yan. If a Martial Way master hadn't intervened to save you, you would have been seriously injured."

It seemed the Liang family talked about this often, because at the mention of that Martial Way master, Liang Shanshan's eyes sparkled.

Liang Sheng said with deep emotion, "That's right. If it weren't for Mr. Lin, I might not be alive today."

"Right, right, so our Liang Family owes Mr. Lin—Wait, who? Mr. Lin?" As she spoke, Liang Shanshan realized something was wrong.

Liang Sheng nodded gravely. "Yes. It was Mr. Lin!"

Liang Shanshan's eyes shot wide open, her mouth agape in a look that was surprisingly adorable. Her head spun; she thought she must have misheard.

"Dad, are you talking about the same person?" she asked, still finding it hard to believe.

Liang Sheng raised his voice. "This is a serious matter. Why would I lie to you about it?" He took his daughter by the shoulders, looked her in the eyes, and said with grave sincerity, "I'm telling you this because I want you to show Mr. Lin more respect in the future. Don't be so arrogant just because your father is the family's top expert! In the eyes of a true master like Mr. Lin, I am nothing!"

Sensing the desolation in her father's tone, Liang Shanshan took his hand. "Dad, don't be so hard on yourself. That Lin-whatever might be powerful, but you have an adorable, precious daughter!"

Liang Shanshan was beginning to believe some of what her dad said, but she remained deeply skeptical. Lin Mu just seemed so ordinary, nothing like a Martial Way master at all. In her eyes, he was more like an uneducated, good-for-nothing bum. If it weren't for her father, she would find it annoying to even glance at such a person.

But as she mulled over her father's words, her curiosity about Lin Mu grew. That annoying guy... is he really a Martial Way master? And he saved my dad? This world is insane!

Liang Sheng said, "Anyway, it boils down to one thing: when you see Mr. Lin from now on, be as respectful as you possibly can."

"Fine, fine! Geez, you're so annoying!" Overwhelmed, Liang Shanshan couldn't help but grab a pillow and bury her head under it.

「The Dog-Fighting Ring」

Daoist Master Qing Yu was covered in blood. The ground around him was littered with bodies.

"Master, I will make sure Ma Liu gives you a proper explanation for this!" he declared.

Huang Da and his entire crew had been wiped out, along with every last gambler. None were left alive. They were conscienceless scum who took pleasure in man-versus-dog fights to make a profit. They deserved to die. This was merely a light punishment to serve as a stark warning. If Ma Liu doesn't give a proper explanation for offending the Master, then he can atone with his life!

"Handle it as you see fit," Lin Mu replied, completely unconcerned.

If Huang Da was like this, then Ma Liu, the man backing him, was certainly no better. Killing such people had no effect on Lin Mu whatsoever.

Hearing this, Daoist Master Qing Yu breathed an inward sigh of relief. He had been terrified that his Master, in a fit of rage, would wipe out all the factions in Southern Sky. If that happened, the Martial Alliance would definitely start paying attention to them. Besides, the Southern Sky region had its share of formidable experts. His Master was naturally fearless, but if this incident gave him the impression that Qing Yu was incompetent, his future would be grim. Though he knew little of his Master's methods, the small part he had witnessed had already left him with lifelong trauma.

Looking at the corpses and blood staining the ground, the sound of frenzied barking still echoing in his ears, Lin Mu turned to leave.

"Burn this place down."

A place like this had no right to exist.

"What about these dogs..." Daoist Master Qing Yu hesitated.

"They're just beasts that have tasted human flesh. Let them meet their end in a sea of flames," Lin Mu's voice drifted back on the wind, sending an involuntary shiver down Qing Yu's spine.

But since his Master had spoken, Qing Yu naturally obeyed. Before long, a great blaze lit up the night sky of Kai City, shocking everyone who saw it.

「Back at the Hotel」

When Lin Mu returned, the expressions of the ruffians posted at the door changed instantly.

"Why are you back?" the leader asked. Seeing not only Lin Mu but also a one-armed old Daoist with him, he had a very bad feeling.

Lin Mu smiled. "The business is finished, so naturally, I came back."

"What?" The ruffian was startled. Then his eyes fell on the bloodstains covering Qing Yu, and his heart sank. Could it be...

"Master, we've already killed so many," Qing Yu said suddenly, his words making the ruffians' legs go weak. "A few more wouldn't matter, right?"

So it's true!

THUD. The ruffians all dropped to their knees at once. "Spare us! Please, spare our lives! We were just following orders! It had nothing to do with us!"

Lin Mu said indifferently, "Relax, I won't kill you. But I do have an errand for you." He spoke with cold apathy. "Go back and tell that Ma Liu, or whatever his name is, to watch himself. Otherwise, I will personally come to take his head."

"Now, get lost!"

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