Chapter 101: Pulling a Tiger's Tooth

Lu Yan had originally been full of confidence. Carrying two hundred catties of shellfish, he had felt assured of a top-two finish. But now, he felt it was no longer a certainty.

Of the Four Great Grandmaster Clans, the Zheng clan was already ruined. Even if they bought shellfish at high prices, they were no longer a threat.

However, the other three Grandmaster Clans had already gathered a significant amount. If they also began buying at high prices, it would not be difficult for them to surpass two hundred catties.

The Gao clan only cared about the final result; they did not care about the process.

"It seems I can only return to the city first and think of another way."

Lu Yan's face was clouded with worry.

Following their example and buying at high prices himself was unrealistic. If he did so, he would likely be targeted by the Grandmaster Clans immediately.

He did not fear a First-stage Martial Marquis, but what about the Second or Third-stage ones?

This method was only suitable for Grandmaster Clans, not for anyone else.

"Thank you, everyone."

Lu Yan cupped his fists, then circled far around the area marked by the Qiu clan's banners, taking a small path back toward the city.

"Brother, wait a moment."

A voice called out from the side, and several figures walked over.

They were a mix of men and women, and judging by their attire, they were members of the Qiu clan.

Lu Yan frowned slightly, then turned and offered a smile. "What can I do for you, everyone?"

"Brother, we are of the Da'an Qiu clan. We are currently purchasing shellfish at a high price, thirty percent higher than the Zheng clan's offer—one hundred and thirty taels of silver per catty. I see you are carrying bamboo baskets, so you must have some shellfish. Why not sell them to us?"

A plump, middle-aged man spoke with a beaming smile, looking wealthy and prosperous.

"I'm truly sorry, everyone. I barely found any shellfish at all. Even if I wanted to sell, I have nothing to offer," Lu Yan said, looking frustrated.

His blood qi was robust and his strength immense, so carrying two hundred catties of shellfish felt as light as a feather.

"You didn't find any shellfish, yet you're carrying two bamboo baskets?"

The fat man narrowed his eyes, clearly skeptical.

Lu Yan scratched his head and smiled awkwardly. "I heard shellfish were going for a hundred taels of silver a catty and thought it was my chance to strike it rich. I was worried one basket wouldn't be enough, so I brought two to scoop up the money. I didn't expect... haha, I've made a fool of myself."

He looked thoroughly embarrassed, as if wishing the ground would swallow him whole.

The fat man and his companions believed him a little more, but they were still unwilling to give up. "My nose is very sharp, and I can smell the faint fragrance of shellfish. You must have a little. Keeping it is useless to you, so why not sell it to us?"

The Martial Marquis had commanded them to purchase as much shellfish as possible, promising rewards for those who brought in the most.

"I really only have a few pieces. They won't fetch much money, so I plan to keep them as souvenirs," Lu Yan said.

"Why don't you open your baskets and let us check? If it's really just a few pieces, we'll let it go," the fat man said.

"Exactly, open them up and let me check."

A beautiful woman in her twenties, nearly one hundred and eighty centimeters tall with a voluptuous figure, walked over and reached to lift the lid of a basket.

"Sigh, why do you have to force me?"

Lu Yan sighed in his heart.

*Bang!*

With a single palm strike, Lu Yan shattered the beautiful woman's chest. Her body flew back over a dozen meters, crashing into a boulder, her breath entirely gone.

Then, he threw a punch straight at the fat man's forehead. The forehead caved in instantly, the round head completely deformed like a ball of dough struck by a massive iron sledgehammer.

"You—"

The remaining two were about to scream, but Lu Yan struck each of them in the waist with a punch. Four severed halves of their bodies flew dozens of meters away.

There was no time to dispose of the corpses; the main force of the Qiu clan was not far away. Clutching the bamboo baskets to his chest, Lu Yan rushed into the area where the sea winds howled.

More than a day later, Lu Yan returned to his inn in Nanyi City.

At this point, there were still five days left before the deadline to hand over the shellfish.

Not long after Lu Yan's return, the various clans also began returning to Nanyi City one after another.

The several Grandmaster Clans had not given up on purchasing shellfish. They continued to send people to find those who had been to Linchuan Cliff, offering high prices that were even fifty percent higher than the Gao clan's valuation.

Soon after, a piece of news swept through Nanyi City like a hurricane.

The Grandmaster Zheng clan had suffered a devastating loss at Linchuan Cliff. Dozens of their limit-breaking martial artists had died, and even a Martial Marquis had been killed, with all their shellfish plundered.

Many were astonished. Who could be so bold as to slaughter a Grandmaster Clan?

In the end, everyone suspected the other three Grandmaster Clans.

After all, only a Grandmaster Clan would have such audacity.

However, they soon realized something was amiss. The Zheng clan was searching the entire city for the killer, but their targets were not the other three Grandmaster Clans.

This made the matter even more mysterious, sparking endless rumors.

Meanwhile, the protagonist of this incident was contemplating how to obtain more shellfish to secure the right to purchase the Jade-Bone Tiger.

But now, most of the shellfish had fallen into the hands of the Grandmaster Clans. To obtain more, he would have to pull teeth from a tiger's mouth.

Lu Yan summoned Li Quan.

"Li Quan, can you find out how many Martial Marquises from the Qiu, Ouyang, and Li clans have come to Nanyi City, as well as their specific cultivation realms?" Lu Yan asked.

Li Quan thought for a moment and said, "A large number of people from the three Grandmaster Clans have come here. With so many people, things are bound to get chaotic, and chaos breeds opportunities. It should be possible."

"Good. Find out as quickly as possible," Lu Yan ordered.

Li Quan took his orders and withdrew.

The next day, Li Quan delivered the intelligence to Lu Yan.

Each of the three Grandmaster Clans had sent three Martial Marquises. The Ouyang clan was the strongest, with one of their Marquises suspected to be at the Fourth-stage, which was considered the deeper realm of a Martial Marquis.

The other two were a Second-stage and a First-stage Martial Marquis.

The Li and Qiu clans were similar, each having one First-stage, one Second-stage, and one Third-stage Martial Marquis.

"Then I will choose the Li clan first," Lu Yan murmured.

For no other reason than that the courtyard rented by the Li clan was the closest to him.

As night fell, Lu Yan disguised his appearance and walked toward the Li clan's courtyard.

"Halt! What are you doing here?"

At the main gate, Lu Yan was stopped.

"Please pass a message to Li Wenjie. Tell him I have shellfish to sell, over a hundred catties."

Pausing, Lu Yan added, "I will only meet with Li Wenjie. If you pass this to the other two Martial Marquises, I will leave immediately."

"Over a hundred catties of shellfish?"

The guard at the gate was startled.

He knew very well that the Martial Marquises had been searching everywhere for shellfish recently. Not daring to delay, he said, "Wait here for a moment. I will go report this immediately."

Lu Yan backed away a hundred meters and waited quietly.

Li Wenjie was the weakest of the three Martial Marquises the Li clan had sent, being only at the First-stage.

To be safe, Lu Yan kept his distance. If either of the other two Martial Marquises emerged, he would turn and leave.

Soon, Li Wenjie received the message.

"Over a hundred catties of shellfish? And he specifically asked to see only me?"

Li Wenjie fell into thought. He immediately went to find the other two Martial Marquises, Li Wenlong and Li Wenyan.

"Currently, anyone possessing over a hundred catties of shellfish, besides the three Grandmaster Clans, can only mean one thing," Li Wenlong said, lightly tapping his finger on the table.

"You mean the mysterious person who slaughtered the Zheng clan?" Li Wenjie guessed.

"Exactly," Li Wenlong nodded.

"This person specifically asked to meet me. I wonder why?" Li Wenjie said.

"It is nothing more than caution. He is afraid we might join forces to capture him. Go ahead. Since he is just outside the gate, we can support you at any moment if anything goes wrong," Li Wenlong said.

"Alright, I'll go test the waters. If he really has over a hundred catties of shellfish and we buy it all, the Jade-Bone Tiger is as good as ours."

Li Wenjie stood up and strode outside. Upon reaching the gate, he was taken aback. Why had Lu Yan gone so far away?

"Brother, are you the one who wants to sell shellfish?"

Li Wenjie walked over, approaching Lu Yan.

Li Quan had previously described the physical features of the various clans' Martial Marquises to Lu Yan.

Lu Yan sized him up, and once he confirmed it was Li Wenjie, he stood still.

"Yes," Lu Yan nodded.

"How much do you have?"

"One hundred and fifty catties."

Hearing this, Li Wenjie's pupils contracted. With such a large amount, their victory would be assured.

"It seems the one who plundered the Zheng clan was indeed you," Li Wenjie said.

Lu Yan remained silent.

*This man isn't very clever,* Lu Yan thought. *Doesn't he know to keep his observations to himself?*

"How do I know if you are telling the truth?" Li Wenjie added.

"Do you want to test me?" Lu Yan said.

Li Wenjie's blood qi surged, and bone force spread throughout his body. "Would you care to exchange a few moves?"

"Of course. After you."

Lu Yan gestured with his hand.

*Whoosh!*

Li Wenjie lunged at Lu Yan like a cheetah, delivering five consecutive palm strikes, each faster than the last.

Calm and unhurried, Lu Yan met the attack with his own palms. In an instant, the two exchanged five blows and retreated.

"Excellent skills, sir. Your strength is truly profound."

Li Wenjie praised, his expression grave.

After this brief exchange, he could not gauge the depth of Lu Yan's power at all. In fact, he had not even felt any bone force from Lu Yan.

"I only have two catties of shellfish on me. Take this first."

Lu Yan pulled a package from his robes and tossed it to Li Wenjie.

Li Wenjie opened it and saw that it was indeed shellfish.

Lu Yan did this to gain the other's trust and increase the success rate of his plan.

"I do not have the rest of the shellfish with me. We will trade at the third quarter of the Ox hour in Huanlang Alley. One hundred and thirty taels per catty. What do you say?" Lu Yan said.

"Agreed. Will it still be me meeting you?" Li Wenjie asked.

"As you wish."

With that, Lu Yan turned, leaped, and vanished into the night.

Li Wenjie returned to discuss the matter with Li Wenlong and Li Wenyan.

"You say he has no bone force, only blood qi? Could he still be a limit-breaking martial artist?" Li Wenyan asked in surprise.

"Impossible. A limit-breaking martial artist cannot possess such strength. This person has likely cultivated some special martial art that hides his bone force, which is why I couldn't sense it during our exchange," Li Wenjie said.

Li Wenlong nodded, agreeing with Li Wenjie's assessment.

How could a limit-breaking martial artist rival a Martial Marquis?

Even an Innate Martial Constitution with five or six times the usual blood qi could not achieve this.

Could someone at the fifth limit-break actually cultivate a first-rate martial art to the realm of the Unity of Man and Martial Arts?

What a joke.

"Who will go to the trade at the third quarter of the Ox hour?" Li Wenjie asked.

"According to you, the opponent's strength is unpredictable. Since you are only a First-stage Martial Marquis, it would be unsafe for you to go. It is better if I handle it," Li Wenlong said.

Shortly after leaving, Lu Yan doubled back and hid in the shadows, keeping a close eye on the Li clan's courtyard.

Soon, the Ox hour drew near.

A figure emerged from the courtyard and headed toward Huanlang Alley.

"Only one person, and it is Li Wenlong. The plan failed," Lu Yan shook his head inwardly.

His plan was to lure both Li Wenlong and Li Wenyan away, then infiltrate the Li clan's courtyard to seize their shellfish.

According to his calculations, by displaying unfathomable strength, the other party would surely send their strongest member to trade with him to avoid being swindled.

However, he had never been very confident in luring both of them away.

It was only natural that the plan failed.

"I can only target the Qiu clan tomorrow," Lu Yan thought.

He waited a little longer. Seeing that Li Wenyan did not come out, he quietly slipped away and returned to the inn.

Li Wenlong waited in Huanlang Alley until almost dawn, but no one ever showed up. Realizing he had been played, he returned to the courtyard with a grim expression.