Chapter 836: Local Snake

“Kid, you’re not from around here, are you? It’s fine if you want to earn money here, but you’d better pay something before leaving.” A Stage 9 martial artist and a Chi Gathering Peak martial artist blocked Ye Mo. They’d witnessed his quick profit of several hundred spirit stones, blinding them with greed. Furthermore, they recognized him as an outsider without a stall permit.

Several hundred spirit stones represented a vast fortune for Chi Gathering cultivators; most possessed barely tens, quickly spending them on pills.

Elsewhere, Ye Mo would have already killed them. However, recognizing the Miao Mountain Market as someone else's territory—a place ruled by a Golden Core state master—he knew discretion was the better part of valor.

Though unrelated to the stall, he offered them twenty stones. “Consider this a fee for using the space.”

One cultivator, seeing only twenty stones, pushed them away, clearly displeased.

Ye Mo, perceiving their desire for more, pocketed the stones. The cultivator, realizing his mistake, flared, ready to attack, but the other Stage 9 cultivator restrained him. “Wait, Martial Brother Ming.”

The cultivator then addressed Ye Mo coldly. “I’m Cai Jing, this is my Martial Brother Ming Fawu. You’re new to the market, so you may not know the rules. This market belongs to the Zheng Yuan Sword Sect; everyone pays a stall fee. Non-payment warrants our intervention.”

Ye Mo sneered, sensing Cai Jing’s charade. Stall fees existed, but he’d only been there an hour; the demanded sum was excessive, and these men were clearly not market officials. They were attempting extortion.

However, aiming to join the sect, he chose not to offend them prematurely.

“How much is the fee?” Ye Mo asked.

“You earned five hundred spirit stones; a small portion is all we ask. Two hundred and forty, and we’ll be friends. We'll even protect your stall in the future.” Cai Jing immediately seized upon the opportunity, emboldened by his colleague’s mention of the sect.

Ming Fawu, dissatisfied, felt they could easily extort four hundred from this obvious outsider, who wouldn’t dare complain.

Ye Mo, hearing this, remained calm. Their audacity removed any need for respect. He wasn’t convinced the Zheng Yuan Sword Sect held a monopoly on the region.

Cai Jing, realizing he’d under-asked, regretted his offer but couldn’t retract it. “Yes, two hundred and forty. We’re being lenient.”

“Get lost!” Ye Mo yelled.

Ming Fawu, stunned momentarily, roared, pointing at Ye Mo, “You trash! What did you say?!” Unable to contain himself, he lunged. While fighting was forbidden, as an outer sect member, he wouldn't tolerate such insolence.

Before he could strike, Ye Mo slapped him twice, sending him ten meters, crashing into another stall’s barrier and rebounding. Silence fell as onlookers witnessed the foreigner’s blatant disregard.

“You’re asking for death!” Ming Fawu, bleeding and toothless, wiped his mouth.

Cai Jing reacted, launching his flying sword.

“What’s happening here?” Two law enforcers arrived.

At the sight of the cultivators, Cai Jing hesitated, but Ming Fawu again charged.

Ye Mo, with a sneer, sealed Ming Fawu’s cultivation chi and kicked him into the street. Ming Fawu finally understood the vast disparity in their strength.

The law enforcers, seeing Ye Mo fight back, sneered, surprising him; their cultivation essence surpassed his—likely Foundation Establishment state.

His spirit sense revealed one at the primary and the other at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment.

“Peng-Qianbei, this man is causing trouble. He attacked me and Martial Brother Ming,” Cai Jing claimed.

“Who says you can start trouble here?” the primary-stage master coldly addressed Ye Mo, uncaring. Though aware of Cai Jing and Ming Fawu’s scam, he wouldn’t intervene; Cai Jing would pay tribute later.

Ye Mo realized their collusion. Elsewhere, he could kill the primary-stage cultivator, but the middle-stage presence negated his chances.

He attempted to explain but was interrupted by the middle-stage master. “Enough! We saw you attack. Come with us.”

Ye Mo knew this was dire. Alone, he could escape, but Song Yangzhu and Ye Ling were with him.

A crowd gathered, including Song Yangzhu, Ye Ling, and the Xia siblings.

“Brother, what’s happening?” Ye Ling clung to Ye Mo, having heard the law enforcers were Foundation Establishment Qianbei.

Ye Mo pulled Song Yangzhu, intending to flee, even if it failed.

“Hahaha! If a Stage 8 Chi Gathering cultivator can escape me, Gong Ling need not live!” The primary-stage cultivator laughed, his power pushing back surrounding Chi Gathering cultivators.

Ye Mo protected Ye Ling and Song Yangzhu. A powerful spirit sense, stronger than Foundation Establishment—at least Golden Core middle stage—swept over them, startling him.

Gong Lin instantly subdued his power and retreated.

A man and woman appeared. The woman, appearing in her forties, seized Ye Ling's wrist.

Ye Mo was powerless to stop her.

A moment later, she gasped, “A three-element full spirit root? Impossible?!”