Treasurer Meng had a nickname that everyone in
High Heaven Pavilion
called him—
Bully Meng
. Despite holding the
treasurer
position, he was
notorious for extorting contribution points
from disciples.
Take the
blood clotting cream
, for example. Normally,
two bottles cost twenty contribution points
, but Meng
sold three bottles for the price of four
—and worse, he
split the contents of two bottles into three.
"His reasoning?
Simple:
"Buy it or scram!"
Of course, Meng wasn't
stupid enough to rob everyone blind.
He
only targeted the rich disciples
, the ones who
had no choice but to buy from him.
As for
poor, struggling disciples
like Yang Kai?
Meng didn't even bother.
Still,
contribution points were hard-earned
, and many disciples had
reported him to the sect council
in frustration. But Meng was like a
greasy loach
, impossible to catch.
The council needed him
, and no one else could take over his role.
Thus,
every disciple despised him
—except one.
The One Exception: Yang Kai
Meng was
ruthless to everyone
, but
he never dared to cross Yang Kai.
Why?
Because once, Meng had been
caught red-handed
peeking at
female disciples bathing.
What a scandal!
Yang Kai had
witnessed it all
, and ever since then,
Meng lowered his head whenever he saw him.
The lecherous old man, thick-skinned as ever quickly adjusted his attitude and said: "Same as always?"
Yang Kai shook his head.
"No. How many contribution points do I have now?"
Meng
rolled his eyes, already flipping through the records.
"Twelve. What, you want to exchange them for a bottle of blood clotting cream?"
Yang Kai tapped the counter thoughtfully.
"Twelve points… that's 120 silver if I cash out, right?"
Meng
froze for a moment
, then
narrowed his eyes.
"You're thinking of cashing out? You idiot, what can you even buy with that?"
Yang Kai leaned in slightly.
"Oh? Afraid I might spend it on something better than your overpriced stock?"
Meng
clicked his tongue
, then suddenly
lowered his voice.
"Little Yang Kai, don't tell me…weren't you're trying to save up for the Tempered Essence Pellet?"
Yang Kai's fingers
tapped against the wooden counter rhythmically.
He had
one thing in mind.
Gambling.
The Idea of Gambling
For the first time since arriving in this world,
Yang Kai considered it.
With
his Earthly knowledge
, he knew how
odds worked.
If there was
a gambling den
in Black Plum Village, he could
turn 120 silver into 1,200.
If he was
smart and cautious
, he could
multiply his money rapidly.
Of course,
the risk was high.
Was it worth it?
Seeing Yang Kai
lost in thought
, Meng's
brows furrowed.
"What are you scheming now?"
Yang Kai
snapped out of his thoughts and shrugged.
"Nothing important."
Meng
wasn't convinced.
His expression
turned slightly serious.
"Brat, I heard you got beaten up yesterday."
Yang Kai
froze for a split second
, then
turned around to leave.
Meng
called after him, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Oi, don't run away! I'm just asking!"
But
inside, he was laughing.
Meng had
seen many reckless disciples before.
They
got crushed, fell behind, or left the sect in disgrace.
Yang Kai?
No different.
"Little Yang Kai!"
Meng finally shouted.
"You should hurry up and leave. High Heaven isn't a place for the weak. Sooner or later, you'll get yourself killed!"
Yang Kai
paused for a moment, but didn't turn back.
Meng
watched him go, gripping his teacup.
Yang Kai
returned to his hut, then briskly walked out.
He was
heading to Black Plum Village
, like every month, to
buy food with his silver.
But
this time,
something felt
different.
His body
felt lighter, stronger.
The Golden Skeleton's effects?
A smile
crept onto his face.
This world's rules were
becoming clearer to him.
.........
Black Plum Village – A Bustling Town
Black Plum Village was
always lively.
It was
located between High Heaven Pavilion and Storm Manor Sect
, the
two strongest sects in the area.
The relationship between the two sects wasn't hostile, but they were still rivals. The smaller sects in the region didn't even own land, making them insignificant in comparison.
Because of them,
weapons, herbs, and rare materials
filled the market,
creating an environment like an ancient Han Dynasty capital.
Yang Kai
walked through the streets, heading toward a familiar shop.
A
rice shop
owned by
a man named He
, a
fair merchant
who treated all customers equally.
Just as he was about to enter,
he noticed something.
A
group of people stood in an alleyway nearby.
Something about them
felt off.
Their
gazes locked onto him, filled with malice.
Yang Kai
chuckled lightly.
'If they don't mess with me, I won't mess with them.'
He
ignored them
But he noticed something strange.
Among the three men,
one wore robes similar to his.
A fellow disciple?
Yang Kai's
eyes narrowed.
What was a High Heaven disciple
doing with these people?
Was this a coincidence?
Or was it
something more?
Well Not my concern.