Chapter 2  Swindling Lee ChengFeng

The duo hid behind the bush and waited in anxiety, after the green light emitted and Lee ChengFeng can no longer feel the searching sight from the monk, only they dare to check out the road condition. Finally they confirmed there's no one on the road, only they sighed in relief: "Let's go! That freaked me out!"

The fear was still lingering on Zhao XiaoBao: "Shouldn't have talked bad about anyone behind them!"

Lee ChengFeng went blank: "What did you say just now?"

Zhao XiaoBao quickly diverge the topic: "Young master, how could we get back to Cheng An with all these stuff?"

Lee ChengFeng peered at the money on the carriage not far away from them, groaned: "We can't bring all these! They are too big!" Come, let's hide the money in the cave and get them back after this critical period."

Zhao XiaoBao quickly got onto his feet and helped Lee ChengFeng to hide the money in the secluded cave. Then, they moved the rocks to block the cave entrance, covered it up using rattans and weed; they removed the long robe, burnt and buried the ashes. They finally relieved after got into their new set of clothes.

Lee ChengFeng pat away the soil on his hands, said: "Done! After this transaction, we're finally a little well-off."

Zhao XiaoBao listened and looked at Lee ChengFeng in resentment but Lee ChengFeng was as if he didn't see it—he clapped and said: "Let's go; now n.o.body can find the evidence!"

Zhao XiaoBao swept away the trails on the ground using a tree branch and then threw it afar. Depressed, he said: "Young master, let's hurried back."

Lee ChengFeng nodded; the two hopped on the carriage and drove towards Cheng An City.

After seventy to eighty Li of journey, the day turned dark. Lee ChengFeng pointed to the front, said: "Shall we stop at the tavern in front?"

Zhao XiaoBao said: "Young master, not traveling overnight?"

Lee ChengFeng slapped the back of his head: "Nonsense, who travels overnight with an empty carriage? That conspicuousness would expose us!"

Zhao XiaoBao finally understood his young master's motive. He drove the carriage towards the Yue Lai Tavern where the "liquor" flag hung high; Lee ChengFeng hopped off the carriage and strutted into the tavern, followed by Zhao XiaoBao who just tied the reins.

The two found a table in the inner part of the tavern, Lee ChengFeng shouted to order a Jin of beef, half jin of sorghum liquor and a plate of peanuts in old vinegar.

In a short while, the waiter served the food—it became very crowded in the tavern at the moment, all the tables were occupied; after the waiter served all the food on the table, he smiled: "Bon appét.i.t! Just call me if you need anything."

Lee ChengFeng tossed 2 coins over; the waiter caught it, thanked him in a big grin and left.

Seeing Lee ChengFeng giving the two coins without a second thought, Zhao XiaoBao pouted, feeling unfair.

After counting the coins, the waiter started to walk out but he b.u.mped into a person at the entrance—this man appeared suddenly out of nowhere that the waiter didn't get to steer away in time.

The man stretched his arms and caught the waiter. The waiter settled his sight on him—the man was short but he had a sharp, mean gaze, what's more terrifying is, he was wearing a grey long robe with three embroidered yellow line at the sleeves—the monk suit of Mount Sacred Clan.

The monk scanned the tavern with his relentless gaze, and then he took out a drawing, said: "Have these two people came here before?"

The waiter looked at the drawing—an old man with long beard and a boor with stubble on the whole face. He recalled and shook his head.

The monk stared at him fiercely, ensuring he didn't lie. Then he released him and said: "Give me two jin of yellow wine and three jin of beef!"

The waiter was terrified and went away hastily. The monk then started to ask table by table; Lee ChengFeng and Zhao XiaoBao were so frightened that they curled their bodies up into b.a.l.l.s; they dare not look up, keeping their heads down like quails hiding in their nests.

When the monk arrived at their table, he became skeptical seeing their behavior. He slammed the drawing on the table and ordered: "Look up!"

Lee ChengFeng kept his head down, m.u.f.fled: "I'm afraid my horrid appearance will scare you, great master!"

The monk was furious: "Nonsense, look up!"

Lee ChengFeng slowly raised his head up; the monk got startled—Lee ChengFeng's face was full of pockmark, cross-eyed and two dashes of beard at his lips like a rat— as wretched as you could imagine.

The monk froze, but then shouted at Zhao XiaoBao: "You! Raise your head!"

Zhao XiaoBao looked up, what the monk saw was a pair of squinting eyes and buckteeth—totally unbearably ugly.

The monk wasn't skeptical of them anymore, but he had done surveying the whole tavern so he took a seat at Lee ChengFeng's table.

Lee ChengFeng and Zhao XiaoBao secretly looked at each other, both crying bitterly within and looked down again.

Soon, the waiter served the food for the monk; the table was full—the monk started digging in with bare hands.

Lee ChengFeng and Zhao XiaoBao covered their face, gobbled up the liquor and meat on the table. As they finished eating, they looked at each other and stood up at once, ready to leave.

Just as they move, the monk stood up with a full stomach and said: "Where's the toilet? Bring me there!"

Lee ChengFeng froze, just as he was about to s.h.i.+rk, the monk put his hand on his shoulder, appearing drunk. Lee ChengFeng couldn't help but to signal Zhao XiaoBao and brought the monk out, leading him towards the toilet at the back of the tavern.

The trio exited the tavern. The monk was so drunk that he looked and scolded at the direction where the carriage was: "I can smell the horse s.h.i.+t in the breeze, b.a.s.t.a.r.d!" simultaneously, he kicked up a stone and hit the horse's head, the horse wailed and fell to the ground.

Zhao XiaoBao was raging, but Lee ChengFeng secretly kicked him to pull him out of anger. Immediately he looked back down to hide his rage.

After killing Lee ChengFeng's horse with the rock, the monk followed Lee ChengFeng to the toilet at the back shakily.

There are male and female toilets, the female's are twenty meters to the right while the male's are basically open-air with planks on top of the three stool pits; the stench gushed towards whoever who approached.

Lee ChengFeng lowered his voice and said: "Great master, here's the toilet. If there's nothing else, please excuse me."

The monk squeezed Lee ChengFeng's shoulder and grinned: "You drank a lot too, don't you feel like going to toilet?"

Lee ChengFeng smiled back: "Not at the moment."

The monk smiled again: "Ah, I have a question for you, you can leave after you answer."

Lee ChengFeng stared blankly for a moment, then smiled: "Please ask, great master."

The monk grinned and said: "The stench is so bad here, but why can't it cover up the smell phosphorous powder on both of you?"

The question struck the hearts of Lee ChengFeng and Zhao XiaoBao like a thunder, the duo's face changed immediately.

Without delaying, the monk stuck two charms from his hand on Lee ChengFeng and Zhao XiaoBao's chests like lightning, the duo's body emitted a layer of pale, light waves, grounding and immobilizing them.

The monk burst into laughter, grinding his teeth: "You two daring thieves! How dare you to disguise as one of ours! You must have got tired of living!"

Lee ChengFeng and Zhao XiaoBao was grounded, both staring with terror.

The monk gritted his teeth and said: "You dare to trick me, I'm Sun BoRen! I knew it when I test you at the entrance! You thought I can't recognize your carriage? Hmmph! Where's the donation! Give it to me now…"

Sun BoRen turned and looked at the stool pool, smirked: "or, I'll dump you upside-down into the stool pool, let you try the best taste in the world, let you remember the karma of taking advantage on Mount Sacred Clan! Now, speak, where is…"

Before he could finish his words, a breeze came from the back followed by pain, as he went blackout, plop! He fell into the stool pit!

A thought flashed across Sun BoRen's mind: this is impossible! Why is my charm not working!

There are Nine Stages of Practicing, each stage is a phase of ability, while every clan has their own way of categorizing their skill sets into different stages according to this Nine Stages of Practicing, Mount Sacred Clan staged their skill according to "seven colors of red orange yellow green blue purple plus black and white" which formed the nine stages, each stage are further divided to three levels—top, middle and bottom. Three lines indicate top level, which stands a chance to advance into the next stage, whereas one line indicates bottom level, which would be probable to degrade to a lower stage.

Sun BoRen was wearing a three lined yellow monk suit, which corresponds to the stage that just started to know about spells, the monk in this stage is just only slightly stronger than a normal warrior. He would still be dead if he receives critical damage.

Lee ChengFeng learnt how to fight since he was a child, he used his full strength this time, plus it was the back of the head that he hit, of course Sun BoRen collapsed.

Lee ChengFeng removed the charm on his body, staring at Sun BoRen who was now struggling in the stool pool, choking in the liquid stool. He almost vomited looking at him, after puking drily for several rounds, he shouted: "What's so amazing with Mount Sacred Clan! Do you know who am I? Quick, tell him who your young master is!" speaking, he shouted at Zhao XiaoBao, only to realize XiaoBao was still immobilized by the charm.

Lee ChengFeng went blank, then tore the charm from Zhao XiaoBao. The green glow on his body disappeared instantly; he sighed in relief and hooted at the monk in the stool pool: "Dare to disturb my young master, you are the one who is tired of living! Let me tell you, listen carefully, my young master is……"

Lee ChengFeng had hold it back for quite some time, now he felt great, he intercepted Zhao XiaoBao and said arrogantly: "Young master me is the head of Mountain Sea Clan from Ning Dong!"

Zhao XiaoBao bewildered, but quickly responded, correspond to what Lee ChengFeng said: "Ah? Ah! Yes! Have you heard that!"

Lee ChengFeng added: "People gave the t.i.tle Little White Dragon, powerful and handsome!"

Zhao XiaoBao: "Indeed! You hear that! Inexperienced thing! Remember, don't let my young master see you again, else we'll beat you whenever we see you!"

Sun BoRen's hindbrain ached– the disgusting liquid went into the cavities around his eyes, mouth, ears and nose, so miserable and shameful that he would rather die. He was still struggling, shrieked: "I dare you to mention your name!"

Lee ChengFeng laughed out loud: "Why not!"

Zhao XiaoBao complied: "Listen carefully!"

Lee ChengFeng said: "Young master me is…"

Zhao XiaoBao put his hands at him waist, ordered: "Remember it!"

Lee ChengFeng said, in arrogance and awe-inspiring righteousness: "… is, Zhao XiaoBao!"

Zhao XiaoBao: "Huh!?"