On the Sun Disc above.
Ma Pei reeled back his divine sense and chortled. "Hohoho! Old Thief, don't say I didn't warn you. That new hunting hound you've pulled into your clan is just asking for it!"
The scarecrow-thin elder Tai Yinjun's face soured and he snapped back.
"Old Fart, don't laugh too early! It's just a fluke that dollie of yours survived. You won't be so lucky this round!"
"Hoh? That so?" Ma Pei mockingly sneered. "Then do you dare to bet on it?"
"Gah! Who is afraid of who!" Tai Yinjun bared his yellowing teeth. "I'll bet my share of the spirit stone harvest at the Taimo Scorching Mirage Vein! Do you dare?!"
"Hooh? So confident?" Ma Pei's eyes crinkled. "Sounds like this hunting hound of yours dug up something special from the secret realm?"
"Aye, maybe he did. Maybe he didn't. Who knows..."
The scarecrow cracked a creepy smile. "But what's the matter? Getting nervous? Too afraid to bet, Old Fart? Just admit it, and I'll let you off this time! Gawahaha!"
Ma Pei scoffed. "Stinky Old Thief, you don't need to goad me. Do you think I can't afford a little bet? I'm just afraid you'll chicken out and renege on your bet!"
"Gah! As if! Come on then! Let's seal the deal!"
Together, the two age-old rivals gazed back toward the king sitting on the throne above them all.
"May we request your majesty to bear witness for this wager?"
There wasn't even a single fluctuation from the royal statue, but a majestic voice rung in their ears.
"...Permitted."
"Thank you your honor."
The eyes of the two old geezers then clashed once more and both scowled.
"Gawahaha! No backing out now, Stinky Old Fart!"
"Stinky Old Thief, it's too early to say who'll have the last laugh!"
"Gah! Squawking the same words like a parrot won't help you win!"
"Hah! Better that somebody who hasn't even seen a victory!"
"You Old Fart, you're just asking for—"
"Alright, alright, quiet down you two." The Grand Elder shot them a pointed look. "Really, We are so old already. Quit acting like children."
"Humph!" The two centuries-years-old children turned away from each other.
The elders finally got peace, at least on the surface…
Unseen to the naked eye, various undercurrents got passed around.
A divine sense spiraled down to pinpoint the underground lounge and a message got transmitted to the ears of a chess piece.
"Cheap brat, I wagered a spirit mine on you! You better not screw this up just because your waist goes soft from overuse!"
Hearing the roar in his ears, Bubai's lip twitched and gazed down at that beautiful, flushed face.
Worried about his waist screwing up?
Not in a million years. He can make those rosy-red lips beg for mercy for ten lifetimes and still be fine!
But seriously though, it's too hard to control himself because… Merlin's beard, she's too good.
What's more? Just the thought that this haughty redhead's former master saw what he was doing to her…
Merlin, above, how can he bear this?!
Everything, that should happened in the full version, happened.
After a short few hundred omitted words came the fierce, disdainful glare.
"Tch. Always the same rough script. Is this all you ever enjoy?"
Bubai grinned, very much unapologetic. "Time is short. This is the quickest and cleanest way to hit the finish line."
Miss Hong rolled her eyes and grumbled, "Like your dirty thing can ever last long anywhere else…"
Woah. Woah. Woah! How dare she question his ability! How can any man tolerate this!
But before he could take any action to teach her a lesson, the thorny rose took the initiative to bow her head and started cleaning up.
Ugh. This vixen… since she knows her place so well, he'll let her off this time.
Standing there, Bubai let his eyes drift up to the ceiling and sighed.
Ah… this life. Things really can't get any better than this, huh?
Rap. Rap. Knocks came from the door.
Miss Hong cast him a glance and she disengaged.
Like a well-trained handmaiden, she re-sheathed the clean sword and briskly covered up everything.
The hot attendant then got up. With her spiritual sense gushing out to play interference, she strutted over to get the door.
Shhk—As soon as the door cracked open wide enough, a head poked in and a familiar monkey-face grinned at him.
"Ouuu! Brother Bai, hope I'm not interrupting?"
Bubai smiled. "Not at all."
"Ouuahahaha…" Qian Bage chuckled and slipped into room with gossip-hungry eyes, earning a glare from the redhead.
"Tch. Why are you back?"
Qian Bage thumped his own chest. "Ouu, us brothers originally wanted to send over some healing tonics, but…"
He winked at Bubai. "Turns out, our good brother got locked away by one of those shadow dancers from the Enforcement Hall before we could! And now…"
"It looks like we're a step too late, ou!"
Miss Hong rolled her eyes. "That all? If you've got any more fart, let it out quickly. Otherwise, don't get in the way!"
"Haha…" Qian Bage awkwardly rubbed his hands together.
Before he can say anything else, a bold voice full of burning righteousness galloped in from outside.
"Xiao Ba! There's less than an incense's time left! Just tell sister-in-law not to worry and let me, Lao Si, take care of everything!"
"And we won't ask for a single thing in return! We simply just can't watch a brother of ours get bullied and do nothing!"
"…" Two pairs of eyes fell on the shorty, making him feel so embarrassed that he want to find a crack in the ground to hide in.
Looks like this money bag hired the wrong background actor. But Bubai could still guess the script.
Thinking he was still critically injured, these Qian brothers probably wanted to stage the classic "gifting charcoal in the snow".
But the script didn't play out as they planned.
It wasn't winter here, but spring. Quite obvious once anyone stepped inside, but for those blind-sided fellas outside...
Well, as they say, to fool the enemy, one must fool your allies.
Still, there was no need to leave this "brother" of his in a tough spot.
So Bubai put on a warm and easy smile.
"Bubai appreciates Brother Ba's support. If ever the day comes where I am needed, Bubai shall not forget this kindness."
Qian Bage hurried wave his hand in denial.
"Ouuu, no, no—what kindness?! Brother Bai is being too serious! We haven't done much yet anyways!"
Bubai walked up and patted the shorty's shoulder.
"Whether needed or not, it's the thought that counts. That's what good brothers are for, right?"
Qian Bage beamed. "Ouuu! That's right! That's right! That's what good brothers are for!"
Laughing cheerfully, he slung an arm over Bubai's shoulder.
"Alright, alright, I won't delay my good brother any longer. That Ge something nobody already passed by. Let's go! Show them all what you're made of and shock them all!"
The door yanked wide open and the two walked out arm-in-arm, earning a jaw drop from the stocky Fourth Brother guarding the door.
The pack of hyenas chilling in the lounge also looked over in shock.
"What?! How is he all healed?!"
"Heavens! Did he consume some heavenly elixir! What a waste!"
"Bah! It must be all just a bluff! No way he could afford to heal up that fast! I just don't buy it!"
"Bluffing or not, won't we know once that surnamed Ge tests the water? Heh."
Bubai was completely unfazed by those comments and didn't even bother sparing the noisy crowd a glance.
But the loot-bearing peacock trailing behind him did, and that sneer of hers certainly got prouder.
In front of them, the honest-faced Qian Zhongta finally picked up his jaws and scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin.
"Ah, looks like I'm not needed here, hahaha... Guess I'll head back up."
He gave a brief cupped-fist salute. "Brother Bai, we all look forward to watching you mop the floor with that newcomer!"
Bubai mirrored the gesture. "Brother Zhongta, I won't see you off."
The man grinned and then looked at his younger brother, who lazily waved back.
"Ou, I'll wait here. Catch you upstairs later, Lao Si."
Qian Zhongta nodded and turned to leave.
Qian Bage watched him go, then let go of his buddy and slapped his back.
"Brother Ba, go! Show em' all that you're a real tiger that nobody should mess with!"
"I will." Bubai grinned and walked forward confidently to meet his fate.
Just when he was about to pass by the room to his left, the door yanked open.
His gaze darted over, locking eyes with the defeated challenger who now had both arms attached.
Well. Well. Well. Enemies really do meet on a narrow road.
Wu Dawei's pale face scrunched up at the sight of him and his eyes were seething like a dam about to burst.
But in the end, he stormed off without saying anything, leaving behind a wide-open door.
Inside, Bubai saw two mummified husks discarded like trash.
Another tragedy. Another glimpse into the darkness behind the scenes.