Chapter 92: This Young Master Has Bad Reflexes

Chapter 92: This Young Master Has Bad Reflexes

A wooden ladle slammed onto Wang Xiaos head. Not in my house, you wont, the old woman said.

Wang Xiao clicked his tongue but reined in his anger after a warning look from his senior brother.

The old woman placed bowls of steaming pork broth in front of them. In the center of the table, she laid out a massive platter of noodles, small cuts of meat, leafy greens, and thin-sliced mushrooms.Follow current novels on novelb((in).(com)

Thank you for the meal, Chen Haoran said.

Jiang Lei clasped his hands and gave his own thanks. Wang Xiao remained stubbornly silent.

The old woman waved them off and seated herself. Eat.

Jiang Lei caught Chen Haorans eye and graciously nodded his head toward the platter. Left with no other choice, Chen Haoran awkwardly used his chopsticks to fill his bowl and eat.

His first bite was one of surprise. His second was one of need. Such were the laws of unexpectedly good food. The pork broth was full of flavor, and the noodles absorbed every bit of that flavor in a combination that punched him in the mouth like the wild pigs of the Clearsprings Mountains. It was by far the best meal hed had since entering Zumulu.

Its delicious, he said.

Agreed. Jiang Lei echoed the sentiment. You used a milder flavor this time, Elder.

The old woman paid their compliments no mind and deftly picked out a mushroom from the platter. The foreigner cant handle real heat.

Chen Haoran frowned. How did you know I dont like spicy food? I never mentioned that.

He flinched when the woman unerringly locked a blind eye on him. I can see the weakness in your soul, she intoned.

Chen Haoran likened his current feeling to that of a deer caught in headlights. Youre talking about spice, he hesitantly said. right?

She pointed her chopsticks at his bowl, and part of his mind went wild trying to figure out how she did. Eat.

Chen Haoaran didnt. He placed his chopsticks down. I dont believe I ever learned your name, maam.

Come now, Junior Brother, he said as he stuffed Wang Xiaos mouth with another slice of meat. I have to agree with Elder Jiang. He looked over his shoulder at Chen Haoran and winked.

Taking the help for what it was, Chen Haoran quickly fled out the door and escaped. Leaving Jiang Leis laughter, Granny Jiangs scolding, and Wang Xiaos muffled shouting far behind him.

The next time he met any of them would be too soon.

As he raced back home, Chen Haoran only had one thought in his mind.

He had to start getting his banknotes in smaller denominations.

While it was not quite yet curfew, it was close enough that Chen Haoran ran into more than one infuriating patrolling team of guards who decided to be an asshole about it. Thankfully his cultivation was high enough that he wasnt so easy to bully. Even luckier was that money seemed to be a universal weakness among the guards who felt his cultivation and still came to press their luck.

Unfortunately, he seemed to run into a Catch-22. Hed get stopped and waste his time speaking with and paying off the guards before he could continue on his way, only to then get stopped by another team of guards much later into curfew and repeat the process. It was clearly a racket, but he couldnt be sure if it were deliberately arranged by the security forces of the city to extort as much money as they could or if he was just unlucky.

There was only so much he could do to avoid them without looking like he was deliberately hiding from the guards. Being accused of being a thief or a sneak would open up an entirely different can of worms that hed rather not deal with. He was thus left with relying on his sense and sight and hoping he got lucky enough to turn onto a different path before running into a guard team. He was met with varying levels of success. If he could see the guards, then they were just as likely to spot him as well. His sense wasnt yet powerful enough to outdistance sight.

It was a time like this when he missed Lan Fens, more accurately, the White Tyrants, sensing ability. How convenient she had it to have all the goings-on of an area basically at her fingertips. Having to deal with the White Tyrants personality would have been worth it for that alone.

He sighed. I shouldve had Song Yuelin teach me a stealth technique. Having something thatd let him hide and avoid a cultivators sense would be incredibly convenient right about now.

Chen Haorans skin prickled, and he laid his hand on the hilt of his scimitar for reassurance.

How many times had Song Yuelin observed him with him none the wiser? How many times did the White Tyrant? They were both so far above him, not just in realm but in skill. How could an ant realize it was being stared at by something far larger than it in scope?

When it was being obvious.

Chen Haoran drew his scimitar and slashed behind him. White light flashed and cut away the night. Long marks were scored into the stone bricks beneath him. His sword was stopped, but the image of a split sky continued on.

Peach-colored liquid qi covered the street and buildings and shielded them from the effects of the White Tyrants Harmonization. Jiang Lei, having failed in sneaking up on Chen Haoran, caught his scimitar with his hands. Liquid qi battled with the white cutting energy, and blood leaked freely from Jiang Leis hands.

Well, Jiang Lei said with no small shock. Thats twice today Ive been surprised.