The inn outside was harsh with the northern wind, and big snowflakes were flying.
Inside the inn, various dried fish were gathering in threes and fives, drinking light wine, eating mutton in hot pot, and passionately discussing the affairs of the world.
"Hasn’t anyone noticed that there’s something off about how the Five Poisons Cult is fighting?"
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"What’s off about it?"
"Think about it, with the strength of the Five Poisons Cult, able to fight a war on all fronts and still be as steady as an old dog, if they had focused on attacking the White Lotus Sect or the Ming Sect alone, they could have established their own faction and achieved fame and success by now. But no, they insist on harassing the White Lotus Sect in the south, pulling at the Ming Sect in the east, and even dragging the Quanzhen Sect in the northwest into the mess... What exactly are they trying to do?"
"According to what you’re saying, do you mean to say that if the Five Poisons Cult had focused their fight on the Ming Sect or just pulled at the White Lotus Sect, the other wouldn’t just stand there watching with their arms folded? The Peacock Holy Mother and the Grand Buddha are what kind of people? They are the mighty heroes of our time! Even pulling out one of their hairs would be hollow, let alone the simple concept of mutual dependence. We can all see that clearly, wouldn’t they understand? Also, the Quanzhen and Shaolin, who hold the power in the martial arts world, could they just watch as the Five Poisons Cult grows strong in the southern martial arts world and then move north to fight them to the death? Brother, this is all about strategy!"
"That’s true, but if the Five Poisons Cult really had the intention of making distant friends and close attacks, couldn’t this matter be postponed? It seems like it would be more prudent than starting a war on all fronts right off the bat, right?"
"This is exactly why those individuals are second to none, and above tens of thousands, while you and I, sorry brothers, can only squat here drinking and farting away! The Five Poisons Cult may indeed have profound strength, but are the Ming Sect and White Lotus Sect really so fragile? When it comes down to it, doesn’t each have a century-old legacy? If they were so easily shaken by a few moves and fell apart, would it be the Five Poisons Cult’s turn to make a move? Instead of scrimping and scraping, exhausting their reserves until no one ends up better off, wouldn’t it be better to play a bigger game, displaying the determination to risk everything, to beat back, hurt, and strike fear into the hearts of each family in one go, making them hesitate to move forward? Once the Five Poisons Cult stands firm, naturally everything will fall into place!"
"Xiao, your insight is impressive!"
"An obvious truth!"
"Cheers..."
The dried fishes raised their bowls and shouted as they drank.
Behind the counter, Yang Ge ate sunflower seeds with his drink, munching on melon seeds with great gusto.
And truth be told, these dried fishes, who have rolled through the ups and downs of life, indeed had deep insights into the affairs of the martial arts world. After their chatter, many of the things Yang Ge had previously seen as unclear all of a sudden became transparent.
"Hiss hiss hiss..."
A pig’s head popped up next to him, clinging to his arm and sniffing all the way up.
"Yuck..."
Yang Ge disdainfully pushed her forehead with a finger to nudge her away: "What are you doing? Haven’t you heard of the rule that men and women should not touch each other casually?"
Zhao Cha clung to his arm without letting go, with a blissful look on her face as if a cat sniffing catnip: "Brother, you smell so good!"
Yang Ge asked in surprise, "What smells good?"
Zhao Cha murmured softly, "I don’t know exactly how to describe it, it’s a bit like the fresh scent of flowers and grass sprouting in the spring, and also a bit like the subtle fragrance of flowers wafted by a summer breeze... Ah, it smells so good."
Yang Ge looked at her in surprise. Since he had reached the Grandmaster Realm, his breath had become concealed, and integrated into one, so much so that even the relatively skilled dried fishes in the inn couldn’t detect anything unusual about him, but this creature had somehow... one could say smelled it out!
He felt astonished inwardly but pushed her approaching pig’s head away with continued disdain on his face: "I can tell, you’re just drooling over my body, you lowly one!"
Zhao Cha’s cheeks turned visibly red at a speed that could be seen by the naked eye, and it seemed as if two puffs of steam were coming out of her red-hot ears: "Hmph, frivolous, I won’t talk to you anymore!"
She let go of Yang Ge’s arm and ran away, covering her face, toward the back yard.
"Ha..."
The dried fishes in the main hall, who were holding their breath and eating their melon seeds, burst out laughing together.
Yang Ge frowned and then loudly addressed the counter, "What’s so funny, hurry up and finish eating, then let’s play mahjong... and you, stop looking around, I’m talking to you, Xiao Baoqi, didn’t I hear you just now, implying that the cheap wine from our small number has insulted your, Xiao’s, venerable taste buds? From today onwards, your drink costs are doubled, take it or leave it!"
Upon hearing this, the dried fishes suddenly realized, ’Yeah, what’s wrong with squatting here drinking and farting? Isn’t he doing the same? Heroes aren’t judged by their origins, and dried fishes aren’t judged by their age, there’s no need to undervalue ourselves like this!’
The laughter of the dried fishes grew even louder.
This made Xiao Baoqi’s howls all the more miserable: "No, Second Master, I just misspoke in the moment, I truly had no intention of looking down on our inn!"
Yang Ge grinned and gave him a thumbs-up from a distance: "You misspoke well; if you hadn’t, I wouldn’t have known just how much you looked down on our inn."
"Oh please, Second Master, doubling the drink cost, that’s practically taking my life!"
Xiao Baoqi howled even louder.
The dried fishes laughed so hard they could barely breathe.
Right then, a towering Great Han in a thick fur coat walked in, his waist hung with a gold saber and surrounded by several followers similarly dressed in furs and carrying curved swords, as he lifted the thick wind curtain hanging above the inn’s door and stepped inside.
The towering Great Han stepped into the inn, his glance swept over the seemingly unorganized inn’s patrons who were standing and sitting without any semblance of propriety, almost imperceptibly frowning. However, when his eyes turned to Yang Ge behind the counter, his face instantly broke into a slightly respectful and gentle smile and he spoke in a pure Heluo dialect: "Shopkeeper, do you still have any rooms available?"