Chapter 364: Exposure of the Relationship

After silently adding up the amounts reported by his subordinates and confirming they were correct, Zhang Daliang handed all the tickets to Lin Dong.
“There are sixty-nine tickets in total. As for the silver, you give me…” Suddenly recalling Lin Dong’s earlier shouts, Zhang Daliang thought for a moment before continuing, “One thousand six hundred twenty-two taels of silver. Let’s round it up to one thousand six hundred taels!”
Lin Dong smiled as he took the tickets from Zhang Daliang. After flipping through them, he found three consecutive tickets in the second row and pulled them out, handing them to Niu Hong beside him.
Niu Hong grinned and stuffed the tickets into his clothes.
“I didn’t expect you to have such connections,” Zhang Daliang glanced at Niu Hong sideways. In his view, Lin Dong was undoubtedly a guard sent by some wealthy family to buy tickets, while Niu Hong was on good terms with Lin Dong, so Lin Dong had given him three tickets secretly.
Although a guard from a wealthy family wasn’t as powerful as a head guard of a major clan, he still held considerable influence in Lingnan City. For a thug like him, having such connections meant having a backer.
“He’s no match for Boss Zhang,” Niu Hong said cheerfully.
Zhang Daliang had intended to say something harsh to intimidate Niu Hong, but remembering that Niu Hong had a backer right there, he wisely decided to swallow his words.
After waiting a while and seeing that Lin Dong was still arranging the remaining sixty-six tickets, Zhang Daliang couldn’t help but remind him, “Um… sir, how about paying the silver first?”
“Silver?” Lin Dong looked up at Zhang Daliang carefully, surprised. “Didn’t I give it to you? One silver note worth a thousand taels and six notes worth a hundred taels each.”
“Give it to me?” Zhang Daliang instinctively touched his clothes, raising his voice. “What are you joking about? You didn’t give me a single copper coin.”
“Check again. I remember giving it to you. If you don’t believe me, ask Niu Hong,” Lin Dong said seriously.
“That’s right. I saw it. I already gave it to him,” Niu Hong nodded, pulling Hua Wuqian closer. “If you don’t believe me, ask Wuqian.”
“One silver note worth a thousand taels and six notes worth a hundred taels each,” Hua Wuqian said dismissively. “Surely Boss Zhang isn’t thinking of asking for more just because the amount seems small. Sixty-nine tickets—even at your prices, it’s at most six or seven hundred taels of silver. He wants another thousand? Boss Zhang’s demands are really high.”
Zhang Daliang was stunned. Could it be he had made a mistake?

Hua Wuqian glared at him, while Zhang Dalang reached his right hand into his clothes, fumbled around for a moment, and pulled out several crumpled silver bills. Upon checking, they were all worth 100 taels each.
Zhang Dalang was slightly alarmed—had he encountered a master thief who had stolen them?
“Did you see him give you the silver bills?” Zhang Dalang asked his subordinates behind him, clearly unwilling to accept defeat.
The subordinates hesitated for a moment before shaking their heads one after another.
“Boss, I swear he definitely didn’t give you any silver bills.”
“Yeah, I didn’t see anything either.”
“He didn’t give them, yet he claims he did?” Zhang Dalang’s expression turned fierce as he glared at Lin Dong and said in a deep voice, “Are you guys working together with Niu Hong to play tricks on me?”
Lin Dong gave a thumbs up in approval. “Smart—truly worthy of being Boss Zhang!”
Niu Hong and the others were already laughing so hard it hurt their stomachs. Hearing this, they burst into even louder laughter, bending forward and backward like madmen.
Zhang Dalang’s expression changed rapidly. He no longer cared to ask Lin Dong which powerful family he served as a guard for. He said coldly, “It seems you haven’t found out who I am properly, have you?”
“Zhang Dalang—turns out you’re that notorious thug from the east of the city. Recently, you’ve allied with the Yang family and switched to running gambling dens and selling tickets,” Lin Dong said nonchalantly.
“Since you know my relationship with the Yang family, isn’t this kind of behavior a bit unfair?” Zhang Dalang stared straight at Lin Dong, feeling uneasy.
Lin Dong remained silent and looked at Niu Hong.
“Trying to be fair with you is like trying to reason with bandits!” Niu Hong suddenly threw a punch at Zhang Dalang’s face.
Bang!
Caught off guard, Zhang Dalang took the punch right in the face. With a muffled groan, he collapsed to the ground.
“Boss! Boss!”
Cries of alarm filled the air, but none of the subordinates dared step forward. Holding his rapidly swelling face, Zhang Dalang roared in fury, “Niu Hong, how dare you hit me?”
“Hitting you means I respect you.”
Niu Hong stepped forward quickly and kicked Zhang Dalang hard in the groin. Lin Dong watched this with approval.
Zhang Dalang might have been a notorious thug, but he wasn’t weak. Since he hadn’t expected Niu Hong’s sudden attack earlier, he was now on guard. With a distance of three or four meters between them, as Niu Hong kicked, he immediately lowered his arms to block it.
With a loud thud, Zhang Dalang staggered backward. Before he could steady himself, Hua Wuqian rushed out from behind Niu Hong and delivered a sweeping kick to Zhang Dalang’s leg, knocking him to the ground. The next moment, as if he had anticipated where Zhang Dalang would fall, Niu Hong kicked again with his right foot.

Cries of pain followed as the kick landed precisely on Zhang Daliang’s groin as he fell to the ground. The thugs were stunned; one after another, they shouted at Zhang Daliang out of concern. Glancing at Zhang Daliang, who was rolling on the ground in pain, Niu Hong turned to look at Hua Wufenqian, nodded, and the two rushed forward together at the seven thugs. At this critical moment, even though the thugs no longer wanted to fight, they had no choice but to confront them bravely. Soon, shouts, curses, and screams filled the air. Niu Hong and his partner were clearly skilled fighters, striking at their opponents’ vital points with every punch and kick. One was strong and robust, the other agile like a rabbit, and they coordinated well in both offense and defense. Thus, despite being seven people younger and outnumbered, they were far from being at a disadvantage. Shadows moved swiftly around them. Over by the side, Lin Dong watched with great interest; the scene evoked a sense of familiarity in him, even making him almost unable to resist rolling up his sleeves and joining the fight. “Wait, you all wait for me…” The battle quickly decided its outcome. Niu Hong and his partner were bruised and swollen, but their punches and kicks remained fierce. Zhang Daliang, having regained some mobility, spat out a fierce threat before fleeing in disarray. The seven thugs, already beaten and scrambling to escape, hurried after him. Two against eight—a classic street fight against the odds. “Tch! You’re still too green to fight against the twin heroes of Wanma Street,” Niu Hong spat at Zhang Daliang and the others as they walked away. He reached into his clothes, took out three tickets, checked that they were only slightly wrinkled and not damaged, and happily put them back. Not far away, Liang Ru rushed over, carrying bandages and pain-relieving medicine in her hands. Her quick actions in treating their wounds left Lin Dong in awe, making him realize that Liang Ru was not only the strategist of the trio but also a capable logistics expert. “Um…” Niu Hong, who had his wounds treated first, looked at Lin Dong, wanting to say something but unable to find the words. “It should be time to enter. I’ll go in first. As for Zhang Daliang…” Lin Dong smiled. “They won’t be a problem by tomorrow.” Niu Hong nodded firmly, fully trusting Lin Dong’s words. Lin Dong strode into the crowd heading toward Linji Gymnasium. After entering the outermost store, he went to the ticket counter. “Owner!” Two employees noticed Lin Dong immediately. One of them quickly handed over a ticket that had been reserved in advance.

Taking the tickets handed over by the guy, Lin Dong took out the 66 tickets he had obtained, briefly explained their origin, and instructed the two of them to sell them at the original price. Then he strode to the entrance and entered the Lin’s Gymnasium after checking his ticket.

A buzzing sound came towards him as ticket checks began. In just a short while, over 30% of the seats were already occupied. Everywhere, people were moving around, creating a bustling atmosphere.

Glancing at the tickets in his hand, Lin Dong went to the fifth seat in the first row on the east side and sat down. Leaning slightly back in the chair, he closed his eyes and waited for the match to start.

The noisy buzzing grew louder until it reached its peak, after which it suddenly faded rapidly. A loud voice then rang out in the arena: “Distinguished fellow villagers, brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunts, the third round of the Lin’s Gymnasium Fighting Summer Tournament is now beginning. Let’s welcome the first pair of competitors, Wang Shifeng and Jiang Lei!”

With a loud noise, the gradually quieting audience erupted into bursts of uproar, like thunderous booms.

Lin Dong opened his eyes and saw a burly man standing in the center of the arena, introducing the two competitors’ details. His loud voice dominated the entire venue—clearly, he was an experienced fighter. On either side of the arena, the two competitors stepped forward with confident strides.

At the burly man’s command, acting as both host and referee, the two competitors roared and threw punches at each other under the gaze of thousands.

Punches and kicks filled the arena as the two competitors fought fiercely. In the audience, as the battle intensified, the atmosphere gradually became more lively, even though it wasn’t the main purpose of their visit.

A winner was determined before the allotted time ended. When one of the competitors knocked the other to the ground with a punch and roared in triumph, the entire gymnasium echoed with thunderous cheers.

The second pair of competitors quickly took the stage, followed by the third, fourth, fifth… Finally, amid cheers that seemed to shake the entire gymnasium, Li Dafeng and Wang Liang stepped into the arena, one on each side.

One was strong and muscular, his dark skin seeming to contain incredible energy. The other had a carefree demeanor, his face showing arrogance toward all opponents.

The moment the match started, these two opponents with vastly different styles rushed at each other, and intense fighting ensued.

Living up to the audience’s expectations and enthusiasm, the duel between the two was intense and rapid. One was fierce and brutal, the other swift and agile. Among the three thousand spectators present, none dared to take their eyes off them, for the outcome could very well be decided in just an instant.
“Time’s up!”
With a loud shout, the referee, possessing the strength of the Fourth Stage of the Spirit Phase, suddenly stepped into the midst of their fight.
Half an hour of fierce combat left both of them gasping for breath, exhausted, yet they continued to stare at each other, refusing to sit down.
“Li Dafeng: 6 kicks and 35 punches to the opponent. Among these, 6 kicks and 6 punches for each step back, 11 kicks and 2 punches for each step back of two, 17 kicks and 3 punches for each step back of three, and 1 punch for each step back of six. Total: 140 points. Wang Liang: 67 kicks and 3 punches to the opponent. Among these, 26 kicks without stepping back, 6 kicks for each step back…”
Under the watchful eyes of three thousand people, the referee announced loudly, “The result is that Wang Liang wins half the match by two more points after using up all the time allotted, gaining three extra points in the Summer Tournament total. Li Dafeng loses half the match, losing three points from his total score in the Summer Tournament.”
Euphoric cheers mixed with waves of frustration and sighs swept through the gymnasium. It didn’t stop even when the eighth and final pair of competitors took the stage.
Lin Dong glanced around the bustling gymnasium, a relaxed smile on his face, before getting up and leaving.
The outcome of this match wasn’t important to him; what mattered was its impact. The result matched his expectations perfectly. Lin Dong believed that both the excitement of the match and the fact that the two fighters fell several times before rising again through perseverance would leave a deep impression on everyone.
Without further ado, Lin Dong personally favored Li Dafeng, who had lost in such a regrettable way. Given his own strength and the purpose of attending the match, the fact that he could feel such sympathy for either fighter showed just how compelling Li Dafeng and his opponent were in this battle.
After leaving the gymnasium, Lin Dong saw Liu An in the shop, arranging for staff to clean up. He informed Liu An about the decision regarding scalpers and asked him to handle it with Wang Liuzhi before rushing back to the inn.
His good mood vanished the moment he saw Ma Chun, drenched in sweat with a swollen, bruised face.
“Boss, something serious happened! Jiang Kui and the others were all seriously injured by the people from the Tianjian Sect.”
Lin Dong was shocked, but he tried to stay calm. As he rushed to the front yard, he asked, “Take your time! How did this happen?”

“Not long ago, people from the Tianjian Sect suddenly showed up, including the second and third elders, who are second only to the sect leader. How could I dare neglect them? I hurriedly invited them to the front yard. They wanted to see where Miss Yun refined spiritual weapons. Although the owner had forbidden outsiders from entering the back yard, I still took them there.” Ma Chun said resentfully, “I didn’t expect them to pressure me about the relationship between the owner and Miss Yun.”

“My relationship with Yun Lan?” Lin Dong was shocked. Only Mo Jianchen and Xue Qinghong knew about this. No one would deliberately spread such news, but undoubtedly, one of them must have accidentally let it slip.

“Hmm, I heard the owner mention the rules of the major sects, so I didn’t dare admit it.” Ma Chun touched his swollen face and explained, “After suffering some punishment, they made me go and bring the owner over. I met Qiao Tianhao in the front yard, who was taking a break. He insisted on fighting for me. Since I couldn’t stop him, I went to the kitchen to ask Cheng Bao and the others for help. Later, when I saw they were all subdued, I came out to find the owner and ran into him at the door.”

“Are Cheng Bao and the others seriously injured?” Lin Dong pressed.

“The external injuries don’t seem severe. They’re all subdued. Judging from their expressions, they must have internal injuries.”

Upon entering the back yard, Lin Dong stopped in his tracks and ordered, “I can go alone. Stay in the main hall to take care of the guests. Temporarily stop serving high-grade spiritual beasts, spiritual materials, and signature dishes. Say the ingredients are soaked and might cause stomach problems or something similar. Try to delay closing as long as possible. If it’s impossible, you can close early too.”

Ma Chun nodded. Just as he turned around, he suddenly remembered something and said, “Owner, there were five people in total. Mo Jianchen, the one we met in Qiufeng City, was among them. Besides the two elders, there was also a strange man chained up, and another person whom Mo Jianchen called the eldest senior brother. Qiao Tianhao and the others were all injured by this person.”

“I understand. Go now!”

Lin Dong nodded and strode into the back yard. As he moved forward, several figures appeared near the stone table.

At the stone table, two of the three elders sitting with their eyes closed suddenly opened them. One of them had a pale face, no beard, a cold expression, and piercing eyes. His entire presence exuded a chilling aura that made people feel intimidated at first glance.

The other was in his sixties, with white hair and beard, appearing even older. His temperament was completely different—his gentle gaze was like a spring breeze, and his serene aura made him seem like an immortal who had descended to earth, inspiring people to feel reverence.

The last old man, with his eyes tightly closed, messy hair, and tattered clothes, had dark, unknown metal chains tied around his hands on the table and his legs below. It seemed he was chewing on something with relish, completely unaware of his surroundings. Behind the first old man stood a handsome young man in his early twenties, wearing a look of cold disdain as he watched Lin Dong approach. “Sis… Brother Lin!” Mo Jianchen looked embarrassed upon seeing Lin Dong and managed to stop himself from calling him “brother-in-law” in time. “Boss, save me! These scumbags broke my hand… Boss, you must avenge me! If I don’t break their limbs, I’m not Qiao Tianhao!” Lying on the ground, Qiao Tianhao cried out like he’d found a savior upon seeing Lin Dong. His shrill screams made Cheng Bao and the others, who were also badly injured, want to stay away from him. “Are you Lin Dong?” the aged man with an ethereal appearance suddenly spoke. Lin Dong frowned slightly but ignored him, going over to Cheng Bao and the others to check their injuries. “Are you all okay?” he asked. Aside from Qiao Tianhao’s continuous cries of pain, Jiang Kui and the others shook their heads slowly. Their injuries were neither severe nor minor. The worst-off was Cheng Bao, with several bones broken and his internal organs and dantian significantly damaged. Without spiritual pills, not only would his strength be greatly reduced, but he would also suffer lifelong complications. The least injured was Yu Linglong, who had only minor external injuries and slight damage to her dantian. “Five against one?” Lin Dong quickly treated the five people’s injuries. Yu Linglong shook her head. “It was our carelessness. Even if Hua Wuyue didn’t fight, if the four of us united and used our respective strengths, we might not have lost to him.” Lin Dong nodded. With Jiang Kui’s Lion Roar, Yu Linglong’s speed, Cheng Bao’s defense, and Qiao Tianhao’s quick strikes, if they worked together and grew more coordinated, their combined power would far exceed the sum of their individual strengths. At their current level, they could withstand any opponent below the Ninth Level of the Mental State phase. Although they hadn’t lost together, Yu Linglong wasn’t confident enough that they would definitely win, which meant the young man behind the first old man must be at the Ninth Level of the Mental State phase.