Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Planning to Rob Blatantly _1
His last Magic Artifact had been personally destroyed by Ye Ming, and now seeing an even better one, he was determined to obtain it and would not let go easily.
Ye Ming sneered and asked, "Old Zhang, are you planning to rob me outright?"
"How could that be? I merely want to make a trade with you, your Jade Plate and the Seven Star Grass you snatched at the auction that day, these two items, for your life," Zhang Tianlai said seriously.
Ye Ming didn’t know where Zhang Tianlai’s confidence came from, only finding it somewhat amusing.
"Old man, do you really think I’m someone who lives off others? My life is in my own hands, how could it possibly be at your mercy?"
Zhang Tianlai huffed coldly and said, "Ignorant youth, it seems I was too lenient with you before. Now, I will show you my real skills and open your eyes!"
Ye Ming’s repeated provocations had completely exhausted Zhang Tianlai’s patience.
However, seeing his manner, Ye Ming’s curiosity only increased.
Could this old fellow still have something hidden? Had he not used his true abilities?
From their last encounter, Ye Ming was very curious about Zhang Tianlai’s capabilities.
He had previously witnessed Lin Bingqing’s physical skills, the abilities of worldly Martial Artists, but he did not have much understanding of Zhang Tian’s skills.
Zhang Tianlai looked around to make sure no one was passing by; then, his face turned cold as ice, and he pulled out a golden Protection Charm from his pocket.
He closed his eyes and recited an Incantation, after which his palms shone brightly.
A massive grudge emanated from Zhang Tianlai’s body, quickly enveloping Ye Ming entirely.
Unlike last time, the scale of the grudge was so large that Ye Ming had not anticipated it.
Possibly, last time he only intended to bind Le Le with the grudge to swindle some money, but this time, he sought to use it to harm someone.
"Ye Ming, I’ll give you one last chance, kneel down and call me ’grandfather’, and I might spare you!"
"At my age, having you call me ’grandpa’ isn’t taking advantage of you!"
Zhang Tianlai’s sinister voice echoed in Ye Ming’s ears.
Unfortunately, Ye Ming did not accept his suggestion and coldly replied, "I don’t have the habit of acknowledging someone else as my grandfather. Whatever moves you have, just bring them on."
"Foolish child, oblivious to your own doom!" Zhang Tianlai sneered and said, "I just didn’t want someone as young as you to die a premature death out of a sense of pity for the talented. But since you are so stubbornly misguided, don’t blame me for being heartless."
Zhang Tianlai shouted loudly, employing all his techniques to use the grudge to suppress Ye Ming.
"Absorbing so much grudge from dead people, I must say, you’ve been quite diligent," Ye Ming remarked with admiration.
Zhang Tianlai’s abilities, all stemmed from the grudge he extracted from the dying.
The process was surely long and arduous.
To have accumulated so much, Zhang Tianlai must have spent a considerable amount of time.
It’s a pity that now it all belonged to Ye Ming.
"You just need to die. Once you’re dead, I will absorb your grudge as well, and your death won’t be tied to me in the slightest. That’s the power of Feng Shui Technique, young man. Let you have an eye-opener before you die!"
Zhang Tianlai, seemingly confident in his victory, declared his victory unilaterally.
However, as he released more and more grudge, nearly draining himself, Ye Ming remained unaffected.
"Is this kid immune to all poisons? Without any taboos?" Zhang Tianlai was genuinely puzzled.
What shocked him more was that in the blink of an eye, the grudge he had released had disappeared without a trace, and it was too late to recover it.
Ye Ming, unopposed, gladly accepted all that was offered, pocketing the resentment that Zhang Tianlai had painstakingly accumulated. Instantly, he felt an invigorating sense of clarity and refreshment.
Zhang Tianlai paled in shock, realizing he was no match and completely losing his will to fight. He decided not to tangle with Ye Ming any longer.
Fortunately for him, he still had one move left that could enable him to escape.
"Shrinking Charm!" Zhang Tianlai pulled a charm from his pocket, muttered an incantation, and in the blink of an eye, vanished from the spot.
He sighed; in the mere span of a second, he had already reappeared at a street corner a kilometer away.
Zhang Tianlai secretly marveled, not expecting to be defeated so miserably, and at the same time, admired that he still had one last trick up his sleeve.
Had it not been for the presence of the Shrinking Charm, he would have been dealt with by Ye Ming.
"Ye Ming, this isn’t over between us, just you watch!" Zhang Tianlai muttered under his breath and bolted.
The recent battle had cost him dearly, as he had lost thoroughly. He planned to rest and recuperate for a while, to think over his strategy.
However, just as he had taken a few steps, Ye Ming’s voice suddenly reached his ears: "Half-immortal Zhang, you sure run fast."
Zhang Tianlai felt all the hairs on his body stand on end at once, and cold sweat soaked his back.
His mind went blank; only three words echoed in it: Impossible.
With a pat, Ye Ming laid a hand on Zhang Tianlai’s shoulder and said, "You’re a bit cunning, old fellow, but not cunning enough."
Zhang Tianlai’s face was ashen. He had used up all his tricks, and all had been effortlessly neutralized by Ye Ming, causing his composure to shatter completely.
In a low voice, he said, "Kill or maim as you please, I surrender."
Ye Ming couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Zhang Tianlai in that state.
"I don’t have the habit of killing people, and I like it even less."
"I can spare you, but you’ll have to share a little secret with me."
What Ye Ming was most interested in at the moment was the Shrinking Charm.
Had it not been for his ascension, which made his reflexes even sharper, he really wouldn’t have been able to catch Zhang Tianlai.
A thing that allowed instant distant escape greatly appealed to Ye Ming.
Zhang Tianlai’s eyes widened in surprise, asking, "You’re not planning to kill me?"
"Why would I lie to an old coot like you? I always keep my word, just bring me what I want," Ye Ming said indifferently.
Hearing Ye Ming’s words, Zhang Tianlai was flooded with emotions.
With a hint of shame, he said, "But I just tried to kill you. Aren’t you afraid that I might attack you in secret later on?"
"Wouldn’t it be much better to eradicate future troubles once and for all?"
Ye Ming, finding the old man rather talkative, simply said, "Half-immortal Zhang, no offense, but you really don’t have the ability to scheme against me. You need several more years of cultivation before you can even attempt it. You’re simply no match for me right now."
Zhang Tianlai felt as though a thorn had been driven harshly into his heart.
It was nothing less than a devastating blow to his spirit, but Zhang Tianlai dared not voice any objections.
He obediently fished out the remaining two charms from his pocket and handed them to Ye Ming.
Ye Ming held the charms in his hands, examined them carefully, and a smile crossed his face as he felt their wondrous nature, musing, "This thing is quite interesting!"
