The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

According to their cultivation levels, Chen Dong was publicly at the Foundation Establishment Stage, the same Realm as her. But this woman was a Direct Disciple of a Nascent Soul expert, making Chen Dong automatically a generation her junior. He was supposed to call her Martial Uncle.

But Chen Dong disliked the feeling of being automatically a generation junior to someone who looked about his age. Zisang Jin was the exception; he would call him "Senior" with sincere respect, and wouldn't even mind if he was asked to call him Martial Grand-Uncle or Martial Ancestor.

But right now, Chen Dong really didn't feel like calling her Martial Uncle, especially not after being stopped and glared at so coldly.

Meng Yingluo seemed to notice Chen Dong's reluctance. She raised her chin and demanded, "Which Sword Peak are you from? You have no manners!"

Chen Dong sighed inwardly in resignation. He bowed slightly once more in salute. "Junior Chen Dong pays his respects to Martial Uncle Meng!"

Meng Yingluo huffed. "A little late for that now! Your Martial Uncle is very displeased. You must offer up some Spirit Stones as compensation!"

Chen Dong was completely dumbfounded. 'What is this? I've been robbed, I've been blackmailed, but I've never seen anyone demand Spirit Stones with such shameless panache!'

Chen Dong hastily shook his head. "I don't have any Spirit Stones!"

Meng Yingluo's eyes narrowed. "No Spirit Stones? Who are you trying to fool! I did my research. You're renting a Heaven-grade mansion! Now hand some over, or I'll just check your ring myself!"

'So that's what this is about,' Chen Dong realized. 'The whole "Martial Uncle" act is a lie. This woman is just here for my Spirit Stones. She was probably waiting here to ambush me. Calling her Martial Uncle was useless. Hell, she probably considers it a crime for me to even look at her!'

'But then again,' he thought, 'it makes sense. A cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Stage renting a Heaven-grade mansion is way too conspicuous. If not for my status as a disciple of the Cyan Sky Sect, someone would have probably come looking for trouble that very night.'

But even so, wanting his Spirit Stones was no different than wanting his life!

Chen Dong declared righteously, "Martial Uncle Meng, we are at the gates of the City Lord's Mansion!"

Meng Yingluo shot Chen Dong a disdainful look, her tone dripping with arrogance. "You know this is the City Lord's Mansion, so you should hurry up and hand over the Spirit Stones. I'll have you know, this is my territory!"

Chen Dong was reeling. At first glance, with her white dress and cold, proud expression, Meng Yingluo had seemed every bit the part of a noble young lady. But her behavior now was more like that of a bandit king holding up a traveler on the road. The only thing she was missing was a giant, mountain-cleaving cleaver.

But this was a matter of Spirit Stones. It didn't matter how menacing Meng Yingluo tried to be.

Chen Dong's brow hardened. "No!"

Meng Yingluo's shapely brows rose. "Well, well. You're one of those who won't shed a tear until you see the coffin. Allow your Martial Uncle to give you some pointers on your Sword Technique!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she formed a sword with two fingers and thrust them toward Chen Dong.

The attack was both swift and sharp, placing her firmly among the experts of the Foundation Establishment Stage. She was several tiers stronger than that Wind Spirit Root user from the competition at the Military Suppression Department's main camp. But that was all. To the current Chen Dong, even if he stood still and let her strike, she couldn't possibly break through his Protective Spiritual Qi.

However, Chen Dong had no intention of revealing his true cultivation level. With a quick grappling move that let him strike second but land first, he easily caught Meng Yingluo's wrist.

Meng Yingluo was stunned. "What Sword Technique is that?" she asked quickly.

Chen Dong smiled faintly. "A martial art."

Looking utterly humiliated, Meng Yingluo said angrily, "How dare you use a mortal's martial art to fight me!" With that, the Spiritual Qi around her body flared.

Not wanting to expose his cultivation level, Chen Dong had no choice but to release her. Besides, his Divine Sense was already picking up on numerous other Divine Senses observing him.

'Fine, I'll pay to make this problem go away,' he thought. He then asked, "Martial Uncle Meng, how many Spirit Stones will it take to appease you?"

Meng Yingluo, who had been preparing to attack again, stopped her Sword Technique at his words. She coldly held up three fingers. "This many!"

Chen Dong felt a figurative toothache. 'How many is that? Three hundred? Three thousand?' Then, remembering that she was, after all, the Direct Disciple of a Nascent Soul expert, he took out three Top-Grade Spirit Stones and tossed them over.

"Martial Uncle Meng, is your anger appeased now?"

Meng Yingluo snatched them from the air, her expression growing even more furious. "You think three measly..."

She cut herself off as she suddenly realized the size of the Spirit Stones and the richness of the Spiritual Qi they emanated weren't right. A quick glance down left her completely stunned. They were Top-Grade Spirit Stones! Th-th-th-this... this was equivalent to thirty thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones!

Her expression changed in a flash. She cleared her throat, feigning composure. "Ahem, this is... acceptable. Seeing your sincere attitude, I'll begrudgingly let my anger subside! You can go. You should come visit the City Lord's Mansion more often when you're free!"

Chen Dong felt his figurative toothache worsen. 'She's gotten addicted to extortion and is inviting me back for more?' He couldn't be bothered to spare the female bandit another glance and promptly turned and left.

'If it weren't for all the prying eyes,' Chen Dong thought viciously, 'and if she didn't have a Nascent Soul master backing her, I'd show her what a real bandit acts like!'

After Chen Dong left, Meng Yingluo clutched the three Top-Grade Spirit Stones tightly.

She was absolutely ecstatic. 'Top-Grade Spirit Stones! Even Master has never gifted me such a treasure! Now I have another huge contribution toward the forging of my Lifebound Spirit Sword.'

A greedy trickle of drool escaped the corner of her mouth, and her eyes curved into happy crescents. 'Chen Dong! You must come back often! Your Martial Uncle will take very good care of you!'

Still simmering with mild anger, Chen Dong wandered about aimlessly until he found himself near the city gate. There, his gaze landed on a small girl in ragged clothes with a grimy, disheveled appearance. She was tightly clutching the body of a dead, wolf-like beast cub, weeping silently.

A few burly men at the Qi Cultivation Stage, holding wooden clubs, were pointing at the little girl and speaking viciously. "Hey, kid, hand that wolf cub over to us!"