Volume Two: Bandits in This Place, Chapter 122: House Dogs and Wild Beasts

However, that spotlight did not last long...

Lin Changtian got a beating.

It was an old, weathered cane, dark and lustrous, gripped tightly in Liu Qingshan’s hand. It truly lived up to its reputation: wielded by a master of the Heavenly Realm, it whistled with such ferocious power that the very air seemed to recoil from its strike.

The expert who had been posturing on the mountainside finally lost his composure, struggling and scrambling to flee.

"Lin, boy, slow down! Slow down! This won't kill you."

Lin Changtian dared not stop, hopping away frantically while dragging a leg already swollen from the blows.

Seeing Liu Qingshan closing in with his internal energy surging, Lin Changtian had no choice but to sigh into the air: "Senior, can you please be reasonable? I haven't provoked you or offended you, so why the sudden violence?"

"Because... well, the spit from your jabbering splashed onto my face!"

Liu Qingshan caught up to Lin Changtian and rapped him on the skull with his cane. It clattered like hollow wood—evidently, his head was as empty as it sounded.

"Besides, you're so young, why are you getting into such schemes? Playing at being a master will only bring disaster upon your entire family!" The old man was furious, raising the cane to deliver several more heavy thumps.

Unable to bear the pain, Lin Changtian shrieked, "Liu Qingshan! If you have a problem, just say it! There’s no need to pin such a heavy label on me!"

"If I told you directly, would you change?" A flicker of expectation appeared in Liu Qingshan’s eyes.

"Of course not. If I changed just because you told me to, I’d lose all face." Lin Changtian blinked, and as if afraid Liu Qingshan wouldn't be angry enough, he "kindly" added: "Senior Liu, you shouldn't bottle things up. If you really can't take it... you could always jump off a cliff. If this life holds no hope, strive for a better reincarnation in the next. Oh, and remember to be a handsome man like me—someone who is a feast for the eyes and the envy of the heavens."

A moment later, someone was left hanging, and an old man, having removed his shoe, was busy delivering a relentless thrashing.

"Have you learned how to talk yet?" the old man, Liu Qingshan, asked huffily.

Lin Changtian dared not talk back. He replied honestly, "As the Master of Sishan, I realize my thoughtless remarks showed a lack of emotional intelligence. I will certainly not repeat them next time!"

"Then how should you speak?" Liu Qingshan’s gaze was firm—not because he believed Lin Changtian had truly repented, but simply out of... well, pure confidence in his own martial prowess.

No young pup could endure a beating from his shoe and remain defiant; if one could, he would simply do it again. After all, this was not just a physical attack; the scent alone carried magical damage.

So, Lin Changtian drooped his head, appearing to submit to Liu Qingshan’s overwhelming might.

"I should say it like this," he murmured, pursing his lips. "You still have hope in this life. The technology in the Central Plains is advanced; you could always get some plastic surgery..."

The two of them fell into a brief silence.

"Tell me how you’d like to die and settle your affairs. Today, this mountain is getting a new master." Liu Qingshan stroked his beard, speaking quite seriously, seemingly not joking.

"In ancient times, there was the Great椿 tree, which took eight thousand years for spring and eight thousand years for autumn... Could I die like it, lonely and solitary because of my great longevity? No other reason; I just want to experience how boring it is to live alone." Lin Changtian said with a straight face, genuinely looking forward to such a demise.

"As the saying goes, do half the job, and you’ll reap the consequences. I can help you by 'decommissioning' your little brother, so that you can die lonely and solitary from here on out," Liu Qingshan sneered, his cane moving to tap against Lin Changtian’s crotch.

The Master of Sishan was very serious. His expression vanished instantly, and he said with profound gravity: "I’m not exactly attached to the mundane world, but if I can no longer get 'excited' when listening to your lectures, the 'loss' would be devastating."

Liu Qingshan retracted his smile, pointed at the travelers below the mountain, and said, "Everyone else is riding horses; why must you insist on 'driving'?"

"When did I 'drive'? You’re just making things up, Senior... But if your mood has improved, could you put me down? We should sit and discuss business properly, shouldn't we?"

"Only this once, and never again. If you continue to act like this, I will surely pluck your hair and cut your length."

Lin Changtian nodded. He felt a chill in his groin and silently acknowledged the old man's expertise. As expected of the strategically gifted Senior Liu... he even understood the logic of plucking the chicken before slaughtering it.

Liu Qingshan let him down, tossed him aside, and tapped his cane on the ground in front of Lin Changtian. "In the future, stop imitating others and putting on that act. Who are you trying to impress with your 'expert' posturing?"

Lin Changtian agreed repeatedly, acting meek and submissive. After being tortured by Liu Qingshan all afternoon, no one would dare remain defiant.

One can withstand physical attacks, but the magical damage... that was truly life-threatening.

Someday, this man would surely ruin his carefully crafted persona as a profound, deep-thinking sage.

"The matter of establishing a city involves the destiny of Sishan; I’m afraid we must discuss it in detail."

Lin Changtian frowned, feeling impatient. "So, is this feasible or not? If it can be done, we start immediately. If not, I’ll think of other ways. At worst, I’ll just have to fight a few more hard battles against the local warlords."

"Changtian, curb your impulses. A master of a mountain must not act with such haste. Besides, there is a story from the Central Plains; would you like to hear it?"

Liu Qingshan stroked his beard as he spoke. Lin Changtian didn't want to listen, but when the old man let out a cold snort, he had no choice but to prick up his ears.

"In the Central Plains of the past, there was a strange occurrence. There was a courtesan who entertained countless guests throughout her life. At the age of one hundred, she still had to struggle day and night for survival. She happened to meet a man of similar advanced age. He was... unique in his lower regions, having only one of his two 'spheres' left, yet he was unusually vigorous. After they spent the night together... both dropped dead on the spot."

Lin Changtian’s expression became peculiar. He looked displeased and gritted his teeth. "You are truly improper. You don't say what you should, but you ramble on about all sorts of nonsense. Where did the middle part go? I just want to witness a physiological miracle of humanity."

Ignoring him, Liu Qingshan continued, "Do you know the lesson behind this?"

"A man must protect his own body, otherwise, even the act of paying for pleasure in old age becomes a form of suffering." Lin Changtian became interested and spoke very seriously, showing no signs of stopping. If Liu Qingshan hadn't glared at him, he would have started reciting prescriptions for kidney tonification from Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The old man tapped his skull with the cane and stroked his beard. "This is called, 'A Century-Long Plan (妓/Prostitute), Ruined in an Instant (蛋/Egg).' So... do you understand? Sishan cannot withstand such turmoil! Acting on whims will lead to disaster."

Lin Changtian stifled a laugh and nodded, indicating his complete agreement with the venerable senior's view.

"Don't laugh. This is no mere investment in the stock market of the Central Plains. If you win, there are no fancy clubs or models, but if you lose, your home is destroyed and your family perishes!"

"That is typical conservative opportunism. You’re just waiting to pick a blue-chip stock and ride the tailwind. If it succeeds, fine; if it fails, you find someone else to take the blame. Senior, don't forget! Everyone who has gained a foothold in the Northern Territory started from nothing and fought their way up!" Lin Changtian was unimpressed and even put on an air of superiority to criticize Liu Qingshan’s "shortsightedness."

Liu Qingshan’s expression was odd. He pulled his sleeves together; this kid’s brain had likely been ruined by reading too many "rise to power" stories.

"Changtian, you might have misunderstood something." Liu Qingshan pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and then spoke: "Those people are descendants of the Seven Ancient Clans. They have the capital to withstand setbacks! Lin Yuan started with a city. As for Cheng Yu... he had one hundred thousand iron-clad cavalry under his command; if not for running into Chu Ji, no one could have broken his reputation for invincibility."

Lin Changtian curled his lip and retorted, "So what? Was Chu Ji one of the Seven Ancient Clans? What capital did Ma Hui have? Didn't he still sweep across the Northern Territory and establish Anma City at the pinnacle of this land?"

"Childish sentiment! Lin Cheng’s foundation could withstand being squandered. Besides, Anma City already existed; he just renamed it, which hardly counts as establishing a city. And... Ma Hui may have started with nothing but a bowl, but do you know who his mother’s ancestors were?" Liu Qingshan said softly.

"Started with a bowl... I think I can guess." Lin Changtian’s face grew solemn; he was speechless for a long time.

Liu Qingshan stroked his beard and smiled. "That man was surnamed Zhu. You have to admit, the talent in his bloodline is undeniable."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Changtian slowly squatted down. He mimicked Liu Qingshan, folding his arms into his sleeves, and stared toward the north with a melancholy look in his eyes.

What happened to the "going it alone to conquer the world" narrative? It turns out that, besides himself... everyone else was just a scion of a noble family out enjoying life?

"Senior Liu, is your background in the Central Plains strong?" He looked at Liu Qingshan and asked slowly.

The old man was stunned by the question. After a moment of thought, he shook his head.

"Then I’m relieved! Did you also start from zero to conquer the world?" Lin Changtian suddenly lifted his head, his eyes firm and resolute.

"No," Liu Qingshan waved a finger in front of his face and said with a hint of... shame, "I didn't have much capital. But you know, I stayed in the Central Plains because of a young lady, and her family is rather powerful..."

Before he could finish, Lin Changtian turned his back on him. Refusing to look at him, he muttered, "Then why were you shaking your head? You must have had a very rich 'nightlife' back in the Central Plains."

"Well, what I meant was..." Liu Qingshan spread his hands, trying to look "helpless." "The Central Plains has five borders—East, West, South, North, and the Wenyuan in the center. Her family is in the West. As for their strength... let’s just say they can do whatever they want."

Lin Changtian’s eyes widened suddenly, a cold smirk on his face. Why would he care about such power?

"Senior Liu... do you still need an heir? I don't mean anything else; I have always respected my elders. At your age, you surely need a son or grandson to serve by your side."

"My health is perfectly fine; I’m afraid I don't need..."

Liu Qingshan didn't finish. He looked at Lin Changtian with surprise, because the look on this fellow’s face right now... was like a lapdog looking at its own father.

"Father, you truly have such noble character!" Lin Changtian praised, his face not changing in the slightest.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Their family rule is that a daughter who marries follows her husband; outsiders get no benefits."

Lin Changtian retracted his smile, slowly straightened up, and sneered, "Old man Liu, are we even that close? That was just a test. The Master of Sishan called you 'father,' and you actually dared to accept!"

Well, this lapdog seemed a bit unruly, but Liu Qingshan had a way of training dogs. He picked up his cane and delivered a fierce beating. After a while, the dog dared not bare its teeth again.

He even became somewhat sycophantic, clutching his swollen face and forcing a smile: "Why must you be like this? I just felt the atmosphere was tense and wanted to crack a joke to liven the mood."

"I wouldn't dare mess around with the Master of Sishan!" Liu Qingshan snorted, then continued: "Since you want to establish a city, go ahead and do it. I’ve realized you were right—this Northern Territory doesn't need house dogs; only the predators survive."

Lin Changtian frowned, appearing somewhat incredulous. "Really?"

"Could this be fake? Besides, it’s not me who’s going to get killed!"