"Wait!" The woman's shout made Yinghua pause.
Tian Hazhen rubbed his ear. "You’ve got quite the voice."
The woman, who had abruptly stood up, now wore an icy expression. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Meaning of what?"
"What do you mean, 'what'?!"
"You can see for yourself what’s going on, you bandit wench."
"Hey, Third Young Master!"
"Hey, and just so you know, I’m genuinely asking—are you perhaps a disciple of the Sect Leader like me?"
Though Tian Hazhen’s question was sincere, it came off as mocking to the woman. Her face flushed red, unable to control her expression.
"No? Well, I thought so. But you’re quick to threaten and shout in my face."
"Listen here."
"Are you perhaps of higher status than me?"
Tian Hazhen turned to Yinghua. "Yinghua, is this woman above me in rank?"
"N-no, she’s not."
"Ah, I thought so. You’d know, wouldn’t you? Who is she?"
Yinghua glanced nervously at the guards.
Tian Hazhen’s eyes widened. "Why are you looking at these brutes? Answer me quickly!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
Yinghua gave a brief explanation. The woman’s name was Hong Yeorin. She was currently affiliated with the Joyful Court, a faction within the ongoing internal strife of the Divine Sect. She was a member of the Red Snake Family, one of the Seven Great Demonic Families. Despite her young age, she was known as a late-stage genius, highly skilled and recognized as a pillar of the demonic martial world. And crucially—
"Oh, so she’s the younger sister of a fellow disciple?"
"Y-yes, that’s correct."
"No wonder she’s barking so much. She’s got a reliable backer."
Hong Yeorin’s face twisted. A reliable backer? The Third Young Master was insulting her and her brother’s precarious relationship.
Tian Hazhen waved his hand dismissively, exuding laziness and annoyance. "Well, it’s a bit strange, but fine. Since you’re family of a fellow disciple, I’ll let it slide. I don’t want this to escalate."
"..."
"Get out. And don’t come back. Got it?"
Even if you do come back, I won’t be here. Tian Hazhen smirked darkly. The thought of finally escaping this place made his neck burn with excitement.
'This...!' Hong Yeorin’s cheeks trembled uncontrollably. The humiliation she had endured was already hard to bear, and now he was openly mocking her.
"...Fine."
Her face had gone expressionless. As her anger peaked, she became eerily calm, a cold wind swirling around her.
"Since the Third Young Master is being so generous, I suppose it’s for the best."
"Yeah, take care."
"Before I go, let me settle one last thing."
"What now?"
She pulled out two elegant pieces of paper from her robe. "These are contracts with our signatures."
Contracts?
"Remember? If either of us breaks the contract or creates a situation where it must be broken, the penalty is three times the original amount."
"Huh?"
"The medicinal pills and financial support I’ve invested in you amount to nearly a thousand gold taels. Including miscellaneous expenses, it’s over two thousand taels. But out of goodwill, I’ll waive the extra."
"...?!"
"Six thousand gold taels. Pay it now. If it’s too difficult, write a promissory note. Then I’ll leave quietly."
Medicinal pills? Financial support? Wait, as a disciple of the Sect Leader and a fellow candidate, you’ve been receiving support from her? What kind of nonsense is this?
'I’ve never heard of this.' Tian Hazhen glanced at Yinghua.
Yinghua shook her head frantically, her face frozen. She had no idea.
'Six thousand taels? Six thousand taels?!'
Six thousand gold taels. Converted to silver, that’s sixty thousand taels. An amount that could match the annual budget of a major sect. And she’s demanding it now? Or else write a promissory note?
What a joke!
"Fine, let’s write the note."
"...What?"
"You said if I can’t pay now, I should write a note, right? Yinghua! Prepare the writing tools."
His casual demeanor only flustered Hong Yeorin further.
"Y-you’re really going to write it? Seriously?"
"You said to write it, didn’t you, you wench?"
His tone was dripping with irritation. Hong Yeorin felt like she was losing her mind.
'He’s really going to write it?'
A promissory note was not something to be taken lightly. The higher one’s social status, the more cautious one had to be. It wasn’t just about fulfilling the promise—the mere existence of such a note could cause controversy.
If word got out that Hong Yeorin had a promissory note from the Third Young Master, public attention would inevitably focus on him. Public scrutiny was a double-edged sword. If it was just curiosity, it was fine, but if it turned into suspicion, the target would be trapped in an invisible cage.
For someone of the Third Young Master’s stature, that cage would be an immense pressure.
'Is he serious?'
Though not particularly clever, Tian Hazhen was someone who understood the situation and could read the flow of events. Naturally, he wouldn’t write such a note. That’s why Hong Yeorin had proposed it—it was the best way to pressure him and gain the upper hand.
But he agreed. And with such a nonchalant expression.
"Are you really going to write it?"
"Are you deaf?"
"You’re really going to write it?"
"Want me to punch you?"
Her nose twitched uncontrollably.
Tian Hazhen inwardly sneered. 'It’s not like I can’t write it.'
With over thirty years of experience in the martial world, he wasn’t fooled by this little bandit girl’s shallow scheme.
So what? What’s she going to do?
Once I’m out of here, the note will vanish into thin air. He was a thorough individualist, with no interest in fame or power. Besides, the original owner of this body was a cruel man who killed subordinates at the slightest provocation. He couldn’t care less about that guy’s reputation.
"Young Master, the writing tools are ready."
"Ah, good job."
Tian Hazhen ground the ink and asked, "How about I write that I’ll pay it back in three or four months?"
"..."
"Why aren’t you answering? Is that too long? Even so, six thousand gold taels is a lot. Isn’t it fair to give me that much time?"
Life is unpredictable. Three or four months was the minimum insurance against unforeseen events.
Hong Yeorin’s expression changed several times. But only for a moment.
"...Fine. Write it."
"Alright."
Tian Hazhen hummed as he wielded the brush.
Hong Yeorin, who had been staring at the note in confusion, suddenly widened her eyes.
"What are you doing now?"
"Writing the note."
"..."
"Don’t interrupt. I’m busy."
Hong Yeorin was speechless.
"Do you think changing your handwriting will make it invalid?"
Handwriting? Ah!
'Right.'
His handwriting and that of the original owner, Su Liang, couldn’t possibly be the same. But what did that matter?
"I’ll stamp it with my seal anyway. Don’t nitpick over trivial things."
"..."
"Let’s see, since the Spring Festival is in four months, I’ll write that I’ll pay by the end of the year. That should do, right?"
"No."
"Three months then? Fine by me."
"Whether it’s three or four months doesn’t matter. That’s not the point."
"Damn it, if you’ve got something to say, spit it out. What are you trying to do, testing the waters since earlier?"
His tone was filled with irritation, showing no consideration for her. Hong Yeorin took a deep breath.
Calm down. Losing your temper here means losing.
"I need to adjust the amount."
"Lower it? Thanks."
"Raise it to ten thousand taels."
The brush stopped.
"Ten thousand?"
"Yes, ten thousand."
"Are you kidding? Why did six thousand suddenly become ten thousand?"
"I need compensation for emotional damages."
Tian Hazhen frowned.
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
"Twelve thousand."
"What?"
"The contract is only fully terminated when the payment is complete. Until then, as a contractor, you must maintain your dignity."
"Dignity, my foot. How can you raise it by five thousand taels over a few words?"
"I have to."
Hong Yeorin’s eyes were now filled with clear hostility.
"The insults you’ve hurled at me are insults to the Red Snake Family. You’ve treated me, a daughter of the Red Snake Family, a branch of the Divine Sect, like a bandit and even cursed me to my face. What do you think will happen if that gets out?"
She had turned her personal humiliation into an insult to her family. In other words, she was escalating the issue from a personal matter to a conflict between factions, effectively drawing a line on their secret contract.
From now on, it wasn’t just about money or a better future. It was a battle of pride.
"What do you think will happen? Well, I don’t know."
"There will be many consequences, but one thing is certain—you’ll have unnecessary troubles in the future. When the scent of blood is in the air, hungry wolves will gather."
"Did anyone see you being insulted?"
"Yes. Those two."
She was referring to the martial artists she had brought.
Hong Yeorin pressed further.
"Or perhaps everyone in my family saw it."
"You’re talking nonsense."
"I’ll raise it to twelve thousand taels. And it’s best if you don’t ignore my words. If my family decides to spread rumors, it won’t be difficult."
"Do you have the ability to turn lies into truth?"
"More accurately, it’s about giving truth some weight. A little lie might be mixed in, but that’s up to us."
Hong Yeorin smiled. Though her eyes were filled with killing intent, her expression was relaxed.
"If you don’t like it, change it to twelve thousand and stamp it. Let me make it clear—there will be no further concessions."
"..."
"What are you doing? Hurry up and stamp it. Didn’t you say you had somewhere to be? You seemed in a hurry earlier."
Tian Hazhen silently glared at Hong Yeorin.
Her smile deepened.
'How dare this useless fool!'
The medicinal pills and financial support she had given him were meant to turn him into a warhorse. She was inferior to her brother in martial talent, rank, and age. But her ambition far surpassed his.
As a woman, she couldn’t become the Sect Leader due to her innate limitations and lack of talent. But she wanted to rise to at least the position of second-in-command, below one but above ten thousand.
She had once considered a political marriage with the Third Young Master, but that was no longer an option. A warhorse that couldn’t run, having lost even the minimum dignity, was useless.
It was a pity, but she had no choice but to multiply her investment and find another warhorse.
Hong Yeorin, now full of confidence, and Tian Hazhen, glaring at her.
Hong Yeorin thought Tian Hazhen was flustered, but he was lost in entirely different thoughts.
'...That’s right.'
Escape this hellish demonic sect. Build my own peaceful life.
That was his plan.
But he had just realized something. Or rather, he had remembered something he had forgotten.
'Life is about equivalent exchange.'
Escaping the demonic sect was no easy task. But he had underestimated it. He thought it would be simple—just put in a little effort, and he could escape easily.
He was wrong. That was just optimistic thinking.
'That won’t do.'
Three or four months of insurance? It’ll work out somehow?
This was the most dangerous place in the martial world, the headquarters of the demonic sects. Even with endless caution, it wasn’t enough. He had taken the situation too lightly.
'Crucially, I’m still living in the martial world.'
And in the martial world, you couldn’t achieve your desires without risking your life.
Scratch, scratch, scratch.
Tian Hazhen changed the amount on the note to twelve thousand taels.
Hong Yeorin chuckled.
"Give it to me."
"No."
"...What did you say?"
Tian Hazhen slowly rolled up the paper.
Hong Yeorin frowned.
"Hey, Third Young Master."
"Yinghua."
"Yes, Young Master!"
"Go call the captain of the guards."
Yinghua didn’t answer or question him. She hurried out, tense from the suffocating atmosphere.
A moment later, the captain of the guards entered.
"May the Divine Sect be undefeated, and may all demons prosper. Greetings, Third Young Master. What brings you to summon this humble one?"
"Prepare a carriage. I have somewhere to go."
"Young Master, with all due respect, your current condition..."
"I’m going to the Sect Leader’s residence."
"...What?!"
"Prepare the carriage and inform the Sect Leader’s residence. Tell them the third disciple wishes to see his master."
The atmosphere in the room turned icy.
"Calling mommy and daddy? Good for you. I don’t have parents, so I’ll call my master. After all, the master is like a parent."
Three months was already unbearably long. He wouldn’t wait any longer. He would enter the heart of this hellish demonic sect and stake everything on a final negotiation.
He wasn’t even annoyed with Hong Yeorin anymore. In fact, he was grateful. Thanks to this bandit wench, he had fully realized just how dangerous this place was.
To reclaim my freedom, I’ll stake the necessary chips. I’ll reclaim my rights before the most powerful person here.
"What are you doing? Inform the Red Snake Family too. Let’s see who has the louder voice in the Sect Leader’s residence."
Hong Yeorin’s face turned deathly pale.