Chapter 166

Chapter 166: The Boundless Tavern!

Seeing the fortune-teller man about to run, Ao Qianqian threw caution to the wind and drew on her cultivation, charging in a single step to block the fortune-teller’s path. “Master of the Dao Brush, wait.”

　　This fortune-teller was none other than the Master of the Dao Brush!

　　Upon seeing Ao Qianqian, the Master of the Dao Brush immediately gave a bitter smile. “Miss Qianqian, you… what are you doing?”

　　Ao Qianqian pulled Ye Tianming over and said sincerely, “Senior, please help him.”

　　The moment the Master of the Dao Brush laid eyes on Ye Tianming, the corner of his mouth began to twitch.

　　Ao Qianqian quickly said, “Tianming, hurry up and pay your respects to the senior.”

　　Ye Tianming quickly bowed, but the Master of the Dao Brush hurriedly stepped two paces to the side, waving his hands repeatedly. “No no, I can’t accept this, I really can’t……”

　　Ye Tianming: “…….”

　　Ao Qianqian said in a solemn tone, “Senior, this child has suffered so much, it hasn’t been easy for him at all. Please……”

　　”Ah!”

　　A sigh from the Master of the Dao Brush cut Ao Qianqian off. “Miss Qianqian, you know I stand with the Yang family.”

　　Ao Qianqian said, “His identity…….”

　　After a brief moment of thought, the Master of the Dao Brush suddenly looked toward Ye Tianming and smiled. “Why don’t you go sit in that tavern across the way, alright?”

　　Ye Tianming glanced at him and nodded. “Sure.”

　　With that, he turned and walked toward the other side. Not far across the way, there was a door with a sign hanging above it bearing four large characters: Boundless Tavern.

　　As he stepped through the door, the space and time before him suddenly shifted, and in an instant he found himself inside a lavish bar.

　　The walls of the bar were lined with all manner of liquors. There weren’t many people inside — only three. In the corner to the right sat a woman dressed in a white knit sweater on top and light blue jeans below. Even seated, it was clear she had a remarkably fine figure.

　　The woman was quite beautiful, her long hair draped casually behind her, giving her a quiet and elegant air. On the table before her sat a bottle of foreign liquor and a glass, the glass filled to the brim and chilled with ice.

　　At that moment, the woman’s cheeks were faintly flushed — she was already slightly tipsy.

　　In a corner to the left sat a young man dressed in a long robe, a broadsword strapped to his back and a wine gourd hanging at his waist. A bottle of baijiu sat on the table in front of him.

　　Behind the counter stood a middle-aged man with long hair flowing over his shoulders, wild in appearance, currently mixing a drink.

　　Seeing Ye Tianming walk in, the middle-aged man suddenly broke into a smile. “Welcome, what can I get you?”

　　Ye Tianming said, “The senior across the way told me to come here…….”

　　The middle-aged man was briefly taken aback, then looked Ye Tianming over. “So it’s you.”

　　Ye Tianming said, “Does senior know me?”

　　The middle-aged man smiled. “Your name is Ye Tianming?”

　　Ye Tianming nodded.

　　The middle-aged man looked Ye Tianming over once more, then smiled. “Come sit down, let me buy you a drink.”

　　Ye Tianming walked over and sat down in front of the middle-aged man, who mixed a drink and slid it across to him with a smile. “You can call me Wubian.”

　　Ye Tianming said, “Senior Wubian, is it expensive here?”

　　Wubian smiled. “It’s on me.”

　　Ye Tianming said, “Thank you.”

　　Wubian said, “I heard you’ve beaten Yang Jia twice.”

　　Yang Jia!

　　The moment Wubian’s words fell, the woman nearby and the sword-carrying man both turned their heads simultaneously to look at Ye Tianming.

　　Ye Tianming nodded. “Yeah.”

　　Seeing Ye Tianming confirm it, a flash of surprise crossed the woman’s eyes, while the sword-carrying man’s eyes filled with fighting spirit.

　　Wubian smiled. “Impressive, very impressive.”

　　As he said this, he paused, then asked with a puzzled look, “Something seems off about your condition right now… this is karmic backlash from your fortune, isn’t it? What happened?”

　　Ye Tianming explained, “My original fortune is gone, so it’s backlashing. Sister Qianqian brought me here this time to find that fortune-telling senior — she said he might have a way to help me.”

　　After a brief moment of thought, Wubian said, “Sit tight for now, I’ll go take a look. Feel free to drink whatever you like here, as much as you want, and you can treat others too — just don’t try to take any away…….”

　　Ye Tianming was a little surprised. “Take it away?”

　　Wubian laughed heartily. “Sorry about that, I mistook you for that shameless one from before.”

　　With that, he gave Ye Tianming a meaningful look, then turned and left.

　　Ye Tianming: “…….”

　　After Wubian left, the sword-carrying man walked over to Ye Tianming. He looked him over and said, “You beat Yang Jia?”

　　Ye Tianming picked up the glass in front of him and took a light sip, then nodded. “Yeah.”

　　The sword-carrying man looked at Ye Tianming. “My name is Li Daoxiu.”

　　Ye Tianming said, “Nice to meet you.”

　　The sword-carrying man frowned. “You haven’t heard of me?”

　　Ye Tianming looked at him and answered honestly, “No.”

　　The sword-carrying man’s expression immediately darkened. “I’m so well-known and you haven’t heard of me?”

　　Ye Tianming stared at him. “Are you trying to get a drink?”

　　The sword-carrying man was briefly taken aback, then said, “How did you know?”

　　Ye Tianming said, “Your bottle is empty and your glass is empty, but you haven’t left — so you must still want to drink.”

　　The sword-carrying man looked at him and said nothing.

　　Ye Tianming added, “Are you hoping I’ll buy you a drink?”

　　The sword-carrying man said calmly, “Those are your words, not mine. Of course, if you want to treat me, I won’t refuse — I can give you that face.”

　　Ye Tianming asked, “Is the liquor here expensive?”

　　The sword-carrying man said in a low voice, “The cheapest is a hundred star-core crystals per glass.”

　　What the hell?

　　Ye Tianming froze.

　　Damn!

　　A hundred star-core crystals per glass here?

　　At that moment, Xiao Hun suddenly said, “Wubian is such a crook.”

　　Ye Tianming thought back, “How so?”

　　Xiao Hun said, “This liquor costs a few thousand yuan at most in the Milky Way galaxy, and he’s charging a hundred star-core crystals a glass……. blacker than charcoal!”

　　Ye Tianming: “…….”

　　The sword-carrying man suddenly said, “Are you buying me a drink or not?”

　　Ye Tianming shook his head. “I don’t have money.”

　　The sword-carrying man said, “He just said the drinks here are on you, whatever you want.”

　　Ye Tianming glanced at the sword on the man’s back and said nothing.

　　The sword-carrying man’s expression darkened. “I just want a drink — you’re not seriously eyeing my sword, are you?”

　　Ye Tianming glanced at the liquor cabinet, then said, “Which one do you want?”

　　The sword-carrying man’s eyes lit up. He reached out and pointed at a bottle not far away. “That one — thousand-year Maozi.”

　　Ye Tianming said, “Go ahead.”

　　Without another word, the sword-carrying man scrambled over, grabbed a bottle of Maozi, cracked it open, and poured it straight into his mouth, as if afraid Ye Tianming would change his mind.

　　After drinking, his face was full of greedy satisfaction. “Damn, that’s good! So good! Holy shit…….”

　　Ye Tianming said, “Could you let me have a look at the cultivation technique and sword art you practice?”

　　The sword-carrying man’s expression froze. He looked at Ye Tianming. “Brother, that’s not really appropriate, is it?”

　　Ye Tianming nodded. “Forget it if you don’t want to.”

　　Li Daoxiu felt a wave of relief — good thing this guy wasn’t going to push it. But just then, Ye Tianming suddenly walked over and picked up two bottles of thousand-year Maozi, then turned and walked back to Li Daoxiu, placing both bottles directly into his hands. “Brother Li, these two are for you as well.”

　　Li Daoxiu was stunned. “You… what are you doing?”

　　Ye Tianming said, “I’m not sure why, but I just get the feeling you’re a decent person, Brother Li. I’d like to be friends.”

　　”This……”

　　Li Daoxiu stared at the two bottles of thousand-year Maozi, momentarily at a loss for words.

　　How could this guy be so straightforward?

　　After a moment of silence, Li Daoxiu said, “I’m not one to owe people favors.”

　　With that, he opened his palm, and a scroll slowly drifted over to Ye Tianming. “This is the ‘Ancient Blade Sutra’ I cultivate. Take it.”

　　With that, he picked up his liquor and turned to leave.

　　Ye Tianming suddenly said, “Wait.”

　　With that, he opened his own palm, and a scroll drifted over to Li Daoxiu. “This is the cultivation technique I practice. Perhaps it will be of use to you as well.”

　　Li Daoxiu glanced at him, took the scroll, and turned to leave.

　　At that moment, the woman drinking nearby suddenly said, “You can’t even see through such a cheap trick?”

　　Li Daoxiu stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the woman. The woman said calmly, “He was just using moral leverage to trick you out of your ‘Ancient Blade Sutra’.”

　　Li Daoxiu smiled. “I just can’t say no to a good drink. Nothing I can do.”

　　Clearly, he had seen through Ye Tianming’s approach all along — he simply couldn’t resist the thousand-year Maozi.

　　Just as Li Daoxiu was about to leave, something seemed to occur to him. He looked down at the scroll in his hand, and when he saw its contents, he was briefly taken aback. The next moment, he turned to look at Ye Tianming not far away. “This cultivation technique of yours…….”

　　Ye Tianming said calmly, “I hope it’s useful to you.”

　　Li Daoxiu gave Ye Tianming a long, deep look. “I thought you were playing me. Turns out I’m the idiot.”

　　The cultivation technique Ye Tianming had given him was no inferior to his own “Ancient Blade Sutra” — the guy had never intended to take advantage of him at all. He had judged a gentleman by his own petty standards.

　　Li Daoxiu added, “I owe you one.”

　　With that, he turned and left.

　　After Li Daoxiu was gone, only Ye Tianming and the woman remained. Ye Tianming said nothing, simply taking out the Ancient Blade Sutra and beginning to read.

　　At that moment, the woman suddenly said, “What cultivation technique did you give him?”

　　Ye Tianming didn’t answer.

　　The woman’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. “I’m talking to you — are you deaf?”

　　Ye Tianming set down the Ancient Blade Sutra and looked over at the woman. “Aren’t you so clever? Guess.”

　　The woman smiled. “A man being this petty?”

　　Ye Tianming went back to reading the Ancient Blade Sutra. “I’m not petty — I just have no reason to be generous with you.”

　　The woman suddenly stood up and walked over to Ye Tianming. She looked at him and said, “No one has ever dared speak to me like that. Even Yang Jia wouldn’t dare in front of me.”

　　Ye Tianming looked up at the woman. “Yang Jia is nothing!”

　　Xiao Hun: “…….”