If it weren't for the three-hundred-year-old Fire Ganoderma, Lin Tang would have fled long ago. With it, however, he became very cooperative.
At this, Mo Pinglan was very displeased. He's so fond of taking medicine. He must either be very weak, have some serious illness, or his martial arts training went awry and he suffered a cultivation deviation. How dare someone like that challenge a god of slaughter like Yan Renjie? He's simply courting death. The Master must have misjudged this time.
Lin Tang couldn't care less what she thought. Out of boredom, he simply went to sleep.
When he awoke, a hidden manor came into view.
Upon entering—holy cow. It felt like he'd walked into the Kingdom of Women. It was filled with beautiful girls.
In the manor's backyard, pavilions, gazebos, rockeries, and fountains were arranged with exquisite taste. A mature woman in a qipao with dangerously high slits that revealed a pair of long, slender, fair legs was playing the zither. The melodious music was pleasing to the ear, lending her an air of profound elegance.
Lin Tang, however, didn't have an artistic bone in his body, nor did he know anything about the zither. What he noticed most was her figure.
Holy crap, those are huge! I thought my wife was already... well-endowed. But compared to this woman, she's like a small fry next to a leviathan. Thankfully, my wife still wins when it comes to looks.
Hearing Lin Tang's muttering, Mo Pinglan's face darkened. Since they were on her turf, she decided to drop the act and show her true colors. Her tone became chilling, a stark contrast to her previous gentle, sweet voice.
"Keep staring and I'll gouge your eyes out!"
"I don't believe you," Lin Tang replied.
"You!" Mo Pinglan hissed, like an angry cat about to unfurl its claws.
"Pinglan, stand down." The woman in the qipao, Zhu Yingning, waved a dismissive hand. She sized Lin Tang up and down and gave a slight smile. "Lin Tang, early Innate Stage, master of the Qiankun Qi-controlling Needle technique. You saved the life of the True Martial Association's vice president and, with him, repelled Yan Renjie's top disciple, Hou Baoshu. Among the young men I've met, you are truly outstanding."
Lin Tang raised an eyebrow but didn't correct the mistakes in her statement. He just asked, "Why did you invite me here? Just say it."
"I admire you, and I want you to submit to me... Don't be so quick to refuse. First, hear my offer." Zhu Yingning stood and slowly walked before Lin Tang. Though she was shorter than him, her gaze was condescending.
She continued, "First, I can protect you. I'll ensure you won't be crushed by Yan Renjie, giving you enough time to grow.
"Second, you need centennial elixirs like the Fire Ganoderma, don't you? I can provide you with one every year.
"Third, I will permit you to call me 'sister' instead of 'Master'. In the Green Leaf Society, which I founded, your status will be second only to mine.
"If you like money, the assets of the Green Leaf Society are yours for the taking. If you desire beautiful women, you may choose from any of them at will.
"I can give you anything you want. You need only do one thing: pledge your loyalty."
Before Lin Tang could respond, she produced a pill. Confident he wouldn't refuse such favorable terms, she said in a commanding tone, "Alright, you can take this mind-controlling pill now. As long as you don't betray me, its poison will never activate."
"Master..." Mo Pinglan started to say. I really want to offer some unwelcome advice—he's not worthy! I never imagined the Master would offer such generous terms. Making him second-in-command? Doesn't that mean I'd have to obey his orders too? What if he tells me to warm his bed? That would be horrible!
Zhu Yingning shot Mo Pinglan a mild glance, showing no emotion. Mo Pinglan trembled, lowering her head in trepidation, not daring to speak.
With a soft laugh, Zhu Yingning pushed the pill toward Lin Tang's lips. She believed he would obediently swallow it like a begging puppy.
Lin Tang, however, took a step back, a similar smile on his face. "Sorry, I refuse."
"Hmm?" Zhu Yingning's smile stiffened, and her expression immediately turned cold. "Are you sure?"
"Of course. I don't enjoy being beneath others. I much prefer being on top," Lin Tang said with a wink.
"Insolent! How dare you flirt with our Master?" Mo Pinglan was both relieved and enraged. With a wave of her hand, dozens of women charged forward, each holding a sharp dagger, their eyes filled with murderous intent.
Zhu Yingning's expression was cold as she stared directly into Lin Tang's eyes. "That joke wasn't funny. I'll give you one more chance. Submit to me! Otherwise, even if I let you leave, you'll be dead by Yan Renjie's sword within days."
"Whether I live or die is none of your business," Lin Tang said with a yawn, lazily starting to walk away.
"What do you think this place is, that you can come and go as you please?"
"Ungrateful creature!"
"You think you can get a three-hundred-year-old Fire Ganoderma just by showing your face? You wish!"
"Courting death!"
The women immediately formed an array, coordinating their attack to overwhelm him. But to Lin Tang, they were nothing. He dodged their attacks with ease.
"Heh..." Zhu Yingning scoffed, looking as if she held all the cards. "Lin Tang, you're still too naive. Did you know that you were poisoned the moment you set foot in here? For every minute you remain, another poison enters your system. Each has a different composition and ratio. To create the antidote, you must neutralize them one by one, using the exact corresponding type and ratio. A single mistake, and you will die instantly.
"Only I know the exact compositions and ratios. How can you possibly escape my grasp?"
Lin Tang remained perfectly calm. He continued to evade, never striking back. Was it because he couldn't bear to strike beautiful women? Of course not. It was because there was simply no need.
After their vigorous movements, the women collapsed, one by one.
"This is...?" Zhu Yingning's expression changed. She felt her entire body go limp and weak. Mo Pinglan was staggering as well.
"Oh no, we've been poisoned!"
"When did it start?"
THUD!
THUD!
In the blink of an eye, everyone except Lin Tang had slumped to the ground, gasping for air.
"You dared to poison us?"
"How despicable!" they accused angrily.
Lin Tang let out a choked laugh. "Your master is the one using poison. If anyone's despicable, it's her. I merely... adjusted her formula a bit."
"That's impossible!" Zhu Yingning cried, unable to accept it. If he had used his own poison, that would be one thing. But to forcibly alter a poison I've already administered? Even if his skills with poison were twice as potent as mine, that would be impossible! Could he be several times stronger?
Lin Tang walked over and stepped on her beautiful face. Her hairpin came loose, her hair tumbling into disarray as a button on her collar popped open. The accidental exposure was one thing, but the sheer humiliation was another.
"AAAAAAGH!!!" Zhu Yingning shrieked, trying to struggle, but she couldn't even lift a hand. "No one has ever dared to humiliate me like this! Lin Tang, you're the first! I will poison you to death, I swear I will!"
Lin Tang squatted, grabbing a handful of her hair and yanking her head up, forcing her onto her hands and knees. The stunning curve of her body strained against the fabric of her qipao.
"Still threatening me?" Lin Tang sneered. He raised his hand and brought it down hard on her backside!
"AAAH—"
Zhu Yingning's face flushed crimson, as if it might start bleeding. Her body trembled uncontrollably. Lin Tang slapped her dozens more times, enraging her so much she felt like her insides were on fire, on the verge of exploding.
"You should be grateful you were only bluffing, using muscle relaxants instead of a truly lethal poison," Lin Tang said. "Otherwise, all of you would be dead right now."
He rubbed his palm, which was slightly numb from the startling recoil, and stood up again, looking as if he hadn't had his fill yet. He took out the Fire Ganoderma and tossed it lightly in his hand.
"One shouldn't bite the hand that feeds. For the sake of this herb you've given me, I'll spare you this time. Don't let it happen again."
WHOOSH!
He vanished in a flash.
"Hey! Hey!" shouted Mo Pinglan, who had been playing dead nearby, afraid she'd get spanked too. "You could at least cure us of the drug first!"
That bastard just left? Isn't he afraid someone will barge in and take advantage of us?
The other women were speechless, but also secretly relieved.
"Although that guy is despicable and shameless, he didn't try to violate us. At least he has some principles."
"You don't think he's... impotent, do you? Or maybe he's just not interested in women?"
"What he did to the Master... does that count as a violation?"
"Well..."
"Spanking probably doesn't count, right?"
Zhu Yingning curled into a ball, silent and still as if she were dead. But her skin was the color of a boiled lobster, and the sheer force of her rage made it look like smoke was rising from her head, proving she was very much alive.
Lin Tang! Lin Tang! Just you wait! If you're lucky enough to not die at Yan Renjie's hands, I will make you my slave, and you will never escape!
Lin Tang wasn't concerned with her future plans. In fact, he was rather looking forward to her coming after him again. That would give him another reason to collect more spoils from her.
He used his Qinggong to run all the way back to Jiangbei City. After finding a place to rest for a moment, he prepared to enter the city proper.
He had only taken a few steps when he sensed something.
"Hmm?"
Lin Tang looked toward a fisherman standing by the water. The man looked back at him and smiled.
"Young man, could you come over for a chat?"
Despite the friendly invitation, Lin Tang's face fell in annoyance. I was just a little impressive, that's all. Why do these people keep popping up one after another, all trying to recruit me? I need to keep a lower profile from now on, especially since I'm not strong enough to get my revenge yet. If I stand out too much and my enemies discover me before I'm ready, that would be a complete joke.
"Tell your hidden men to come out," Lin Tang said coldly. "You can all attack me together. I'm in a hurry."
The fisherman, Huangfu Zhan, was perplexed.