Chapter 087
Chapter 87: Completely Drained
“Zhang Fu, hurry back here!”
The young master shrank his neck, quickly turning his head and whispering urgently toward the middle-aged man in the green robe.
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man in green observed everything quietly. He lowered his gaze to the candle flame on the table in front of him, still burning steadily. Suddenly, he looked up sharply toward Li Mu Sheng seated opposite, feeling a sudden chill down his spine.
If he still hadn’t understood the situation by now, he truly would have been too foolish.
The middle-aged man in green watched Li Mu Sheng, who sat calmly and confidently, and instantly became nervous.
Though no Qi could be sensed from this young man, everything that had just occurred—the continuously burning candle flame on his wooden boat, and the extinguished candle flame on their own boat—was obviously linked to this mysterious young master.
“How much longer do you plan to stay on my boat?”
At this moment, Li Mu Sheng glanced at him with a slight frown.
At those words, the middle-aged man was momentarily stunned, then quickly realized his meaning. Drawing a deep breath, he cupped his fists and respectfully bowed, saying:
“Young master, earlier we failed to recognize your greatness and unintentionally offended you. Please forgive our ignorance.”
Hearing this, Li Mu Sheng waved his hand casually, shifting his gaze toward the darkness ahead and saying calmly:
“Go now, and don’t come back again.”
The middle-aged man in green felt instantly relieved, as though he had received a great pardon. Without another word, he pushed off swiftly and jumped back to the wooden boat where his young master waited.
Seeing the middle-aged man finally returning after dawdling so long, the young master was obviously annoyed and about to scold him. But after the middle-aged man quietly transmitted an explanation using Qi, the young master’s expression shifted dramatically. He cast a wary glance toward Li Mu Sheng’s boat, quickly withdrawing his gaze. Without further ado, he hastily ordered the middle-aged man to leave at once, clearly as cowardly as Li Yuan Ling when facing someone stronger.
Meanwhile, Li Mu Sheng saw Li Yuan Ling’s figure swiftly leaping from the distant shadows toward his boat. When she approached, seeing her tightly drawn expression and crestfallen look, Li Mu Sheng almost laughed out loud.
Earlier, she had departed so spiritedly, yet now she returned looking thoroughly deflated, just like a rooster defeated in battle.
As Li Yuan Ling landed on the wooden boat, Li Mu Sheng asked curiously:
“My dear sworn younger sister, did you lose all the jade tokens?”
Hearing his words, Li Yuan Ling glared at him in anger, her delicate face puffed up like a balloon. But she could only silently fume. Turning her head, she sat sulkily on the cushioned bench across from him, not saying a word.
Seeing this, Li Mu Sheng chuckled lightly:
“Looks like you enjoyed the game, though the outcome wasn’t very satisfying.”
Hearing his words, Li Yuan Ling turned around, recalling what he had said earlier, and pouted unhappily:
“So, this is what you meant by ‘game experience’.”
Then, as if resigned, she mimicked Li Mu Sheng’s gesture, spreading her hands helplessly and sighing:
“I admit it was my mistake. I misjudged the strength of that group. In the end, all my jade tokens were taken.”
Li Mu Sheng nodded and gave her a thumbs-up:
“Only you could send us back to square one in less time than it takes for a stick of incense to burn.”
Li Yuan Ling bit her lip. Though she didn’t understand what “back to square one” meant, his mocking gaze was clear enough. It surely wasn’t a compliment. Thinking quickly, she placed her hands on her hips defiantly, turning the blame back on him:
“And you call yourself my sworn elder brother! It’s bad enough you let your sworn younger sister rush out alone. Now, just because I lost some jade tokens, you mock me like this. Truly heartbreaking!”
Hearing this, Li Mu Sheng’s eyelids twitched slightly:
“Don’t blame me falsely. Clearly, you told me to watch the candle flame, then rushed off with the jade tokens yourself. Now you’re blaming me?”
Pointing at the candle flame on the table, he continued:
“Tell me yourself, isn’t the candle flame on our boat still burning steadily? Didn’t I do a good job watching it?”
This left Li Yuan Ling speechless. She muttered under her breath and complained quietly:
“I was only doing it for your sake.”
Lowering her voice secretively, she whispered:
“I heard there’s a divine object in Floating Boat City that can boost martial dao cultivation. If we could win first place or even break the record, perhaps we’d earn it. Once you consume it, your martial dao cultivation would soar rapidly.”
Hearing this, Li Mu Sheng raised an eyebrow suspiciously:
“What kind of divine object? Is it trustworthy? Can it boost any level of cultivation?”
Li Yuan Ling nodded firmly, her expression serious:
“I don’t know exactly what it is, but my information is definitely reliable. Floating Boat City certainly has something that can enhance martial dao cultivation.”
“Really?”
Li Mu Sheng rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment before nodding decisively:
“In that case, we absolutely must secure first place.”
Initially, Li Mu Sheng didn’t care much about this game in Floating Boat City, indifferent about entering the top ten. Even Li Yuan Ling losing all the jade tokens hadn’t mattered to him. He had merely teased her to amuse himself. Now, though, his interest was piqued.
Though his sworn younger sister Li Yuan Ling wasn’t entirely reliable, since they were already here, there was no harm in looking around. What if the divine object was real and beneficial to him?
He held little hope but felt no harm in trying.
Hearing Li Mu Sheng’s confident declaration, Li Yuan Ling shook her head and sighed deeply:
“I don’t dare hope for first place anymore. Right now, I’d be grateful just to retrieve the jade tokens I lost.”
Hearing her words, Li Mu Sheng lazily glanced at her:
“What good is hoping? You have to act.”
Li Yuan Ling rolled her eyes at him and said irritably:
“That’s easy for you to say! I couldn’t even beat them. Those three women looked gentle, like refined young misses. Yet, as soon as they attacked, they pinned me to the boat and took all my jade tokens. I couldn’t even fight back.”
At this, Li Mu Sheng chuckled softly and said:
“Who ever said you must defeat someone to reclaim your jade tokens?”