Chapter Thirty-Four: Iron Tyrant Li Jiankui

Chapter Thirty-Four: Iron Tyrant Li Jiankui

“Ye Rulong?!” Li Yue’e and her husband cried out in unison, “You know him?”

His second uncle also looked at Shi Bai with astonishment. Who was Ye Rulong? If Li Jiankui dominated a corner of the ancient city, then Ye Rulong lorded over the entire realm. Had he not been injured, the martial prowess of the Ye family would never have waned, and even the Pine Sword Manor would not claim supremacy so easily.

No one expected this ordinary-looking youth before them to have any connection to the Ye family, let alone speak Ye Rulong’s name so casually.

Shi Bai slipped his hands into his pockets and smiled faintly, “Of course I know him.”

“What is your relationship with him?” Li Yue’e’s brow furrowed, her expression growing increasingly strained.

Shi Bai smiled again, “How should I put it? He’s… probably my disciple.”

“Disciple?!” The whole crowd changed color.

Ye Rulong, the undisputed overlord within and beyond the ancient city, and a mere boy dares to claim him as his disciple?!

Li Yue’e burst out laughing, “Boy, you’ve taken lying too far. Don’t think that just because you’ve heard Elder Ye’s name, you can spout nonsense here. Who is Elder Ye—how could he possibly apprentice himself to you?!”

“Exactly!” her husband stepped forward, “You dare pretend to be Elder Ye’s master? You must have nerves of steel. If he finds out, he’ll break your legs for sure!”

Her second uncle shook his head, disappointment clouding his face. Ye Rulong—let alone the ancient city—even across the country, few would dare claim to be his master. Shi Bai’s lie was absurdly arrogant.

Faced with their skepticism, Shi Bai shook his head helplessly and drew a golden card from his pocket. “Do you recognize this?”

Li Yue’e and her husband turned pale instantly. “That! That’s Ye Rulong’s gold card!”

“It’s said that in the ancient city, seeing this card is as good as seeing the Ye family patriarch!” Li Yue’e’s husband exclaimed. “It seems he really does have deep ties to the Ye family.”

Li Yue’e was torn between doubt and astonishment, and his second uncle could hardly believe his eyes.

“This boy… is he truly Ye Rulong’s master?” If so, they were in serious trouble.

But just then, a commotion erupted outside the door. A thunderous voice boomed, “Who’s bullying my daughter?”

Everyone looked up to see seven or eight men in smart suits enter, led by a towering middle-aged man. He wore a brown Tang suit and stood like an iron pillar, his face showing the marks of fifty or sixty years, but his hair remained thick and jet black, radiating a formidable aura.

“Father!” Li Yue’e cried sweetly, rushing to the man. The crowd suddenly realized this was the infamous Iron Tyrant, Li Jiankui.

“Father, why are you here?” Li Yue’e clung to Li Jiankui’s arm, acting coquettishly.

Li Jiankui smiled gently, indulgence in his eyes as he patted her head. “I heard you were in trouble, so I came to see which fool dared provoke my daughter.” He glanced at Shi Bai and the others, but his gaze settled at last on her second uncle.

“So, you’re the one bullying my daughter?”

Her second uncle began to panic, his legs trembling. He was about to explain when Li Yue’e shook her head and glared at Shi Bai. “No, it’s that brat!”

Li Jiankui’s eyes grew cold as he glared at Shi Bai and suddenly barked, “Someone! Waste this boy for me!”

His men were about to respond when Li Yue’e stopped them, whispering in Li Jiankui’s ear, “Father, he claims to be Elder Ye’s master!”

Li Jiankui was stunned. “Elder Ye?”

Li Yue’e hurriedly explained, “The one from Baywater Manor, Ye Rulong.”

“What?” Even the worldly Li Jiankui’s face changed dramatically at this. “Ye Rulong’s master!”

He turned to scrutinize Shi Bai.

Again, that familiar sensation—Shi Bai sensed a probing energy directed at him.

“Nonsense!” Li Jiankui suddenly burst out laughing. “He hasn’t a trace of inner strength. How could he be Ye Rulong’s master? Yue’e, use your head before you act. He’s just a child—what ability could he possibly have to take on disciples?”

“But he has the Ye family’s gold card!” Li Yue’e pouted.

“Gold card?” Li Jiankui was taken aback. “The Ye family doesn’t hand those out lightly… Could it be… Impossible!”

“Boss.” At that moment, a long-faced young man stepped forward, pointing at Shi Bai with certainty. “Boss, he absolutely cannot be Elder Ye’s master, because I know him.”

The whole room fell silent. The biggest issue had been that no one recognized Shi Bai—now someone did, and the truth would come out.

Shi Bai was surprised as well; he recognized the young man—his name was Ah Qing.

About a year ago, Ah Qing had stayed in Little Village for a while, and his lodgings had been just upstairs from Shi Bai’s home.

So he knew all about Shi Bai’s background.

The young man explained, “A year ago, I was on assignment in Little Village, renting the place just above this kid’s home. I don’t know much else, but I know his family inside out—they sell fruit at a stall by the village road!”

“What?!”

The whole room erupted.

“I knew it! Look at the way he dresses—how could he possibly be rich? And talking about buying a house, it’s all a joke!”

“I say he’s just a nutcase!”

“Damn! He wasted so much of my time!”

...

Zhang Kangkang and his second uncle were equally incredulous. Zhang Kangkang’s eyes widened. “Brother, you’ve got guts! To impersonate someone like that—and you claim you want to buy a house! Was it all a lie?”

Shi Bai was about to speak when Li Yue’e’s husband walked over, pointing at Shi Bai’s nose and gritting his teeth.

“I really have to hand it to you, kid—a damn fruit seller daring to show off here! Buying a house? Ye Rulong’s master? Ha! I almost believed you, you know!”

Li Jiankui rolled his eyes impatiently. “Enough. Since this kid’s a fraud, it’s easy—break his arms and legs and send him to the Ye family manor. The rest is up to you.” With that, he glanced at Shi Bai and was about to leave.

“Wait!”

But Shi Bai called out to him, hands still in his pockets, utterly nonchalant.

“Li Jiankui, is it? Who do you think you are, daring to threaten my limbs?”

The entire room was stunned.

Everyone stared at Shi Bai as if he were insane.

Who was Li Jiankui? Not just a business magnate, not just the ancient city’s big boss, not just a martial master—his immense physique alone could crush Shi Bai with ease.

And yet, a humble fruit vendor dared speak to him like this!

“Do you have a death wish?!”

Before Li Jiankui could respond, his men lunged at Shi Bai like thrown daggers.

“Stop!” Just then, commotion erupted at the door. Everyone turned to see over a dozen strong men in fitted attire rush to Shi Bai’s side, forming a protective circle around him.

An elderly man with silver hair slicked back, dressed in a dragon-embroidered Tang suit, strode in slowly. “I’d like to see who dares lay a finger on the young master!”

Li Jiankui turned, stunned.

“Ye Rulong!”