In the store.
Song Ling watched Lin Bai's retreating figure and timidly said, "Dad, I feel like Brother Lin is really despicable!"
"Yes, he's despicable, has a despicable mouth, and even his martial arts are underhanded," Sera Wade echoed in agreement.
"It takes one evil to counter another; that's certainly true. Initially, I didn't think much of the Shopkeeper, but now I feel there's nothing he can't handle," Jimmy Navada said. "He obviously has such great skills; he even deceived Dragon Breath into coming here to die yesterday. He's very skillful and cautious, thick-skinned, and also has backing. With him protecting us, the Taoist who wishes us harm will surely be no match for him."
"But with all his capabilities, why would he protect us?" Song Ling lifted her head and looked at her father. "Are we of any use to him?"
A sense of crisis washed over Jimmy Navada and Sera Wade, and they both fell into silence.
He glanced at Lin Bai, who was still confronting the Taoist, then looked down at the messy shop. "Sera, Little Bell, don't just stand there. Help the Shopkeeper clean up. That Taoist is no match for the Shopkeeper..."
***
The *Nine-Days True Scripture - Defective* slowly circulated, and his consumed Inner Strength was gradually recovering. Lin Bai estimated it would take at least an hour to fully recover.
And the Taoist hiding inside the protective shield looked to be in less pain after taking some healing medicine. Who knew how effective that medicine truly was?
Lin Bai wasn't sure who would recover faster. He had to find a way to resolve this.
The Taoist had used a Shield Armor Talisman; Who knew if he had any offensive talismans as well?
He had taken advantage by striking first. Lin Bai wasn't sure who was truly stronger if they had a proper fight.
His biggest worry was the possibility of the defective *Nine-Days True Scripture* failing him at a critical moment again.
That would be utterly humiliating.
Furthermore, this Taoist had someone like True Master Qingxu of Return to Dragon View behind him, while Lin Bai had no backing whatsoever.
Dealing with the junior only to have the senior show up was always a troublesome affair...
Under pressure, Lin Bai's mind raced. He turned to the stunned Dumbelldore. "Little Deng, didn't I tell you to get firewood? What are you gawking at? Can't you see the Daoist Priest is shivering from the cold?"
Isn't he shivering because you angered him? Dumbelldore asked blankly, "Really get it?"
"Of course! We've already come to blows; it's either his death or my survival. You think this can be faked?" Lin Bai said angrily.
His death and your survival, that's just one possible outcome of 'either his death or my survival'! Dumbelldore thought with a mental eye-roll.
Lin Bai glanced at the Taoist. "Little Deng, let me tell you something: if you want to make it in the Jianghu, you must learn Technomancy well. Right now, there are two main possibilities. One, I kill him, and his master comes for revenge. This, in turn, leads to several branches:
"One: He dies, and his master never finds out.
"Two: His master finds out he's dead but doesn't want to avenge him.
"Three: His master finds out he's dead, but by the time he does, it's too late, and he can't be bothered to avenge him.
"Four: His master finds out he's dead but can't find the killer.
"Five: His master finds out he's dead, finds the killer, but for various reasons, can't kill the killer.
"Six: This is the best-case scenario for *him*. His master finds out he's dead, is willing to avenge him, finds the killer, and kills the killer.
"But what good does that do him? He's still dead. At best, he gets to rest in peace with a smile.
"For *us*, however, the worst-case scenario is being soft-hearted, letting him go, and then he returns with his entire clan...
"So, which option do you think is more beneficial for us?"
Daoist Priest Qingfeng was sweating profusely. As he followed Lin Bai's train of thought, the more he considered it, the more terrified he became...
Dumbelldore opened his mouth. "Obviously, the first one."
"Exactly! Statistically speaking, if we kill him, there's an eighty percent chance we'll come out unscathed!" Lin Bai grinned. "So, aren't you going to get the firewood?"
"Understood." Dumbelldore, looking as if he'd been enlightened, turned and entered the shop.
The moment he stepped inside, he saw the three ghosts tidying up. He couldn't help but freeze, and his opinion of the Taoist plummeted.
Such a hardworking family, and he actually calls them fierce ghosts who will harm people? Free labor like this? If it were me, I wouldn't give them up either!
"Big Brother, the firewood was prepared for you long ago." Song Ling gave Dumbelldore a sweet smile and pointed to a large pile of firewood stacked by the door.
... Dumbelldore's mouth twitched. She really is a well-behaved and sensible girl!
When the Taoist behind the protective shield saw Dumbelldore actually piling a large heap of firewood outside his Shield Armor Talisman, he felt like he was going to lose his mind.
What kind of lunatic is this?! Don't most people in the Jianghu just try to smash a Shield Armor Talisman with brute force? Who the hell thinks of roasting it with fire?!
"Lin, the Storekeeper, I think we can talk," Daoist Priest Qingfeng said, a desperate idea striking him as he watched the firewood pile grow higher. "I... I'm willing to pay a ransom for my life."
"Whose life are you ransoming?" Lin Bai asked with a smile.
"My own, of course!" Daoist Priest Qingfeng replied urgently.
"How much is your life worth to you, Daoist Priest?" Lin Bai asked. "My 'appearance fee' is already fifty taels a day. You look thirty at most. Let's be conservative and say you live to eighty—that's another fifty years. At eighteen thousand taels a year, fifty years would be..."
Damn it! You just said this old Taoist was over forty! How come I get younger when it's about money?! You inhuman bastard!
Daoist Priest Qingfeng hastily interrupted Lin Bai, correcting, "Lin, the Storekeeper, this humble Taoist is already forty-five."
Lin Bai glanced at him and chuckled. "Alright, even if you're forty-five. You seem to maintain yourself well, Daoist Priest; you could easily live to a hundred. By that count, you still have fifty-five years left…"
Son of a bitch! The Taoist felt the urge to cough up blood again. Forcing a smile, he took out a bamboo tube from his robes, broke the wax seal, and tipped out a roll of silver notes. He unrolled them and showed them to Lin Bai. "Lin, the Storekeeper, please stop joking with this humble Taoist. My life is certainly not as valuable as yours. Over the years, this humble Taoist has managed to save nearly three thousand taels of silver. Please, take it all as the ransom for my life!"
"Daoist Priest, if I take your ransom, and you then go running to your backers, wouldn't I be the one getting screwed?" Lin Bai looked at the silver notes, his face a mask of conflict, before finally sighing. "To invite a mountain of trouble for a mere three thousand taels... it's not worth it. Little Deng, light the fire! Once we've smoked the Daoist Priest to death, these silver notes will still be ours..."
"Lin, the Storekeeper, I can swear! I swear on the name of the Dao Sovereign that if I pay this ransom and then seek revenge on you, may I be struck by five heavenly thunderbolts and die without a burial place!" Daoist Priest Qingfeng said frantically. "If you... if you light that fire, I'll throw these silver notes into the flames even if it's the last thing I do! You won't get a single coin!"
The moment he said that, Lin Bai knew the matter was settled. It wasn't because of the oath. A normal person on the brink of death would try to fight to the bitter end, hoping to take their enemy down with them. This fellow, however, was staking his life on throwing the silver notes into the fire... His spirit is broken.
"Daoist Priest, you underestimate Lin Bai's magnanimity. Of course, I trust you!" Lin Bai's face broke into a smile. "I was just teasing you about the ransom. What ransom? In the Jianghu, it's always better to have more friends; more friends mean more paths. How about this: for these three thousand taels, I'll give you a ten percent stake in my shop.
"It's not that I look down on you, Daoist Priest, but being over forty and having only saved three thousand taels... it's truly a bit underwhelming. Our little shop's business is booming. It won't take more than a few years for you to recoup your investment, and you'll receive dividends annually after that. How does that sound?"
The ransom money has turned into shares? That should be a good thing, right? But why do I still feel like something is off?! That's it! I bloody came here to drive them out and shut down this shop! How on earth did I end up investing in it?!
Daoist Priest Qingfeng's head was buzzing, but seeing Lin Bai's beaming smile, he nodded in a daze.
"Shopkeeper, are we still lighting the fire?" Dumbelldore asked.
"Light what fire? Daoist Priest Qingfeng is one of our shareholders now! What if he gets burned? Go see what food and wine we have left in the shop, bring it out. I want to share a drink with the Daoist Priest." Lin Bai turned, his expression stern as he admonished Dumbelldore, "Little Deng, let me tell you another truth. The Jianghu is never just about fighting and killing; it's about human connections and worldly wisdom. Those who only think of violence and murder will always be on an inferior path."
"..." Dumbelldore stood there, utterly bewildered. This is completely different from what you said just now!
"Lin, the Storekeeper... you know me?" Daoist Priest Qingfeng asked, his eyes wide with astonishment.
"What are you saying? If I didn't recognize you, I would have burned you alive long ago. How would I dare invite you to become a shareholder?" Lin Bai chuckled, delivering the final, crushing blow. "When I, Lin Bai, came out for my experiential training, my Sect had already thoroughly investigated all the major and minor sects within a thousand-li radius. To tell you the truth, Daoist Priest, I recognized you the moment I saw you. Compared to you, I am the true favored disciple of my Sect!"
Holy crap! He's a genuine hidden super NPC!
All doubts erased, Dumbelldore dropped to his knees with a thud, kowtowing. "Shopkeeper, please accept me as your disciple!"