Chapter 612 - 593: Half-Believing, Half-Doubting

Wang Meng took a drink. The wine was good, and the man was interesting, too. "You don’t strike me as a regular here."

Fatty Bai’s chopsticks paused for a moment. A brilliant smile then spread across his chubby face. "Eldest Young Master Wang, you’re not quite what the rumors say, are you?"

Wang Meng blinked. "Everyone has a few little secrets, don’t they?"

The two exchanged a smile. "Drink up! Let’s not go home until we’re smashed."

The two listened to the music and drank with gusto, oblivious to everyone around them. The performance on stage was truly excellent. As for the wine and meat passing through him, Wang Meng’s approach to Cultivation had always been carefree, unconcerned with trivialities.

Any other Cultivator of the same level would have lost their temper or been unable to cope with this situation long ago, but Wang Meng adapted and blended in quickly.

This formidable adaptability of his was what made him truly terrifying.

No matter what the Celestial Dao threw at him, it couldn’t touch Wang Meng. He could always find something to enjoy.

Besides, to Wang Meng, this was a trial at best.

The fatty seemed determined to drink himself into oblivion, downing cup after cup while rambling nonstop. The Bai Family was one of the older families in Wang City, but it had fallen into decline in recent years. This was especially true after their Patriarch was ambushed and killed on a business trip, a tragedy that directly led to their downfall. The concurrent rise of the Kun Family only made matters worse.

The fatty was a lazy man by nature, but now he had no choice but to shoulder the family’s affairs. He was completely unable to reverse the Bai Family’s predicament. The servants had either left of their own accord or been dismissed.

Sometimes, Wang Meng was an excellent listener. ’Every life is an experience, a trial of its own,’ he thought. ’It’s hard to say what effect that has on one’s Cultivation.’

When Fatty Bai looked at Wang Meng, he just felt they were both rather pitiful. One had been abandoned by his family, while the other was about to lose his family entirely.

He felt a sense of camaraderie with Wang Meng, like they were kindred spirits in misery. After chatting for a while, he realized Wang Meng was nothing like the arrogant, manic, good-for-nothing from the rumors. ’He’s probably a ’broken man’ himself. I heard he has several extraordinary brothers; this man must have his own story to tell. These days, how many rumors are actually true? The bigger the family, the bigger the mess.’

After a few drinks, the fatty started rambling, occasionally asking Wang Meng a question or two. It was true what they say: drinking to drown your sorrows only makes them worse.

Wang Meng, however, had no sorrows to speak of. ’Wang Rencai got exactly what he deserved.’ As for the difficulties he encountered in his Cultivation, Wang Meng never worried. This was a state of mind he had achieved. Back when he was trapped in the Small Thousand Realm for over thirty years, he had been the strongest, yet the last to ascend. Even then, Master Wang had been exceedingly patient. Upon finally learning the way out, he had simply thrown his head back and laughed at the heavens.

The performance on stage was magnificent, but down below, the fatty was bawling his eyes out.

Meanwhile, a handsome young man in the corner was watching Wang Meng and Fatty Bai. He couldn’t help but chuckle. ’Two grown men coming to the Celestial Fragrance Tower just to talk?’

They might have been there to talk, but others weren’t. The fatty’s weeping, in particular, was ruining the mood for some. In truth, he wasn’t being that loud, but someone decided they’d had enough.

"Hey, you damn fatty, crying like a baby! A shrimp like you comes to the Celestial Fragrance Tower? What’d you come here to do, lick the floor?"

The crowd roared with laughter.

The fatty lifted his head and stared coldly at the man. "I admit, I’m short. But if you mock me for it, I’ll chop off your head and close the distance between us!"

The Cultivators at the next table stood up. Judging by their attire, they were also in Wang City on True Essence Beast business. Men like that were always rough.

"Well now, look what we have here. Someone with a death wish. Brothers, let’s wipe out his entire family!"

Like an enraged bull, Fatty Bai shot to his feet. "My whole family is already dead!"

With that, he lunged. The Celestial Fragrance Tower instantly erupted into chaos. To everyone’s surprise, Fatty Bai actually possessed the strength of the Profound Wheel Realm’s Fifth Layer. However, his opponents were numerous and not weak themselves. More importantly, the fatty was drunk and fighting without any technique. He was quickly knocked to the ground and pinned down.

"You damn fatty, there’s no point in you being the only one left alive. I’ll do you a favor and send you to meet your maker!"

He swung his sword down, but the blade was stopped.

Wang Meng’s hand was wrapped around the tip of the blade. "A drunken brawl between men is a small matter. There’s no need to take a life."

"And who the hell are you? We’ll just kill you too!"

Seeing how weak Wang Meng’s True Essence was, the Cultivators paid him no mind. Wang Meng felt a twinge of regret. ’I shouldn’t have given that rabbit away,’ he thought. ’I could have used it right about now.’

A chaotic brawl erupted. Master Wang unleashed the street-fighting skills of his youth, and it was a grueling fight. With an ally by his side, Fatty Bai also exploded with Divine Power. Perhaps the beating had sobered him up. His strength was considerable, and soon, all of the opposing Cultivators were laid out flat.

The two of them walked down the street, arms slung over each other’s shoulders. Such is the friendship between men. They had already done two things together.

It didn’t matter who won or lost. What mattered was the exhilarating release. It vented Fatty Bai’s frustrations, and even Wang Meng let off some steam.

At the street corner, the two staggered their separate ways. But Wang Meng had finally made a friend in Wang City.

As he watched Wang Meng’s retreating figure, the surprise in the handsome young man’s eyes deepened, tinged with a hint of pity. ’It seems the rumors are a mix of truth and lies. He’s not as lecherous as they say, but the Five Elements Wasted Body is real.’

’What a pity. Whether you’re a Spirit-Controlling Master or an Artifact Refiner, reaching the top requires you to be a top-tier expert in your own right. Powerful True Essence is essential. No matter how talented Wang Meng is, he can never reach the pinnacle. His potential is completely stifled.’

But the image of Wang Meng grabbing the sword with his bare hand remained in Muhe Xiaoyu’s mind. Blood had dripped from his palm, yet Wang Meng’s expression had been so calm, so commanding.

’It was as if he felt no pain. That’s not something a young man should possess. He was more like a battle-hardened king.’

’What a strange man.’

By the time he returned to the Jiang Family estate, it was already late. Still, Wang Meng could feel that the way people looked at him had changed.

Wang Meng paid them no mind. Returning to his room, he began to think about his next steps.

The situation in the Jiang Family was clearly no longer suitable for him. Besides, the original karmic tie wasn’t a good fit for him either. Now that he’d found a method for Borrowing Spirit, it was time to leave.

If he had any attachment to the Jiang Family, it was only because of Wan’Er. But for her sake, it was better that she remained with the Jiang Family.

The brawl had been a chaotic, artless affair. Wang Meng hadn’t used any proper techniques either. It was a different kind of fight, one where both sides were simply letting off steam. Men sometimes need such outlets to get back to normal.

The bleeding had already stopped. The conditioning Wang Meng had been doing recently was clearly paying off.

If he was going to leave, Wang Meng needed to find a job. Even a hero can be felled by a lack of funds, and he couldn’t just sit around and squander his savings.

Fortunately, Wang Meng had skills. Both the Divine Artifact Pavilion and the Spirit Control Association should be hiring. It would be a perfect opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of this world.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Wang Meng understood this well.

After finishing his Cultivation Technique, Wang Meng fell into a deeply satisfying sleep.

But without a doubt, Jiang Biyao’s birthday banquet had not been perfect. It should have been, but Wang Meng had shown up and spoiled everything. Could a dead fish really come back to life and fly away like a duck?

This was precisely the feeling one got when looking at Wang Rencai, or rather, the current Wang Meng.

How had this piece of trash from Haojing suddenly turned into a genius?

Those in the know were skeptical, even a little bewildered. ’Who is pulling the strings behind the scenes?’

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