Chapter 77: Tavern Taunts

"Heh~ Just a little mouse. Look at how you all are fawning over it! What's so fun about playing with a mouse? Why not come over and have some real fun with us?"

As Xie Lin and Su Ying were happily playing with Tangyuan, a mocking voice suddenly rang out from a nearby table.

The voice drew everyone's attention. Led by Shi Yue, even He Feng and the others immediately rose from their seats, casting dark looks toward the source of the taunt. Lin Ye also stood up, his gaze following theirs.

Not far away, a previously empty table was now occupied by five men, all watching with smug expressions. One of them, a skinny, sharp-faced man, was sneering at them with a lewd grin.

"Violent Tiger, are you looking for a fight?" Shi Yue growled, glaring at a burly, scarred bald man among the five.

"Hmph, Savage Bear, we're all members of Soul Hunting groups here. We take risks in the Evernight Forest and come back to drink. Isn't it normal to say a few things after a drink?" the bald man, Violent Tiger, retorted, putting down his drink and meeting Shi Yue's gaze coldly.

"Tch!"

He Feng scoffed, unable to hold back his disdain.

"So, just because you're back from a hunt and had a drink, you think you can say whatever you want? We just got back from the forest, too. And we've been drinking. So here's one for you, Violent Tiger: go f*** yourself!"

The bald man's face turned dark, his eyes flashing with cold fury as he clenched his drink tightly, standing abruptly. "Shi Yue, control your man, or I will!"

"Control my man? Why don't you control yours first?" Shi Yue shot back with a cold smile. "So it's fine for you to talk trash, but not us? Trust me, even if He Feng hadn't said it, I would have had a few choice words for you myself."

As the tension between Shi Yue and Violent Tiger mounted, the entire tavern fell silent, with onlookers turning to watch. None of the patrons intervened; instead, they seemed intrigued, almost eager for a brawl.

This was typical of the Blood Rose Tavern, a place frequented by Soul Masters, most of whom were members of various hunting groups in Evernight City. Living on the edge of life and death, hunting soul beasts daily, they sought ways to unwind. Some chased women, others drank to excess, and naturally, conflicts often erupted when these Soul Masters were drunk.

But this confrontation was different. The other patrons could tell that neither Shi Yue nor Violent Tiger was drunk. A sober conflict had a whole new layer of intrigue…

And while it seemed things could escalate at any moment, none of the patrons were too worried. This was, after all, the Blood Rose Tavern.

…

"So, you want to take this outside, Savage Bear?" Violent Tiger sneered, crushing his cup in his hand, shards scattering across the table.

"If it comes to that, I'm game. I never back down from a fight. But let's get one thing clear—your men started this. So if anyone's looking for trouble, it's you."

Just as the two were on the verge of clashing, a cold, commanding voice echoed from across the tavern.

"What's with all the noise? Anyone who's looking to start a fight in my Blood Rose Tavern better be prepared to leave an arm behind!"

Shi Yue and Violent Tiger immediately froze, their fierce expressions softening. Shi Yue even let out a sheepish chuckle, while Violent Tiger quickly adopted an innocent look.

"Miss Blood Rose, we wouldn't dare!" Shi Yue scratched his head awkwardly as a woman approached. She wore a striking red dress that hugged her figure, her long legs striding across the room. Her face was beautiful, yet fierce, marked by a distinct scar.

"Hmph! You better not."

Blood Rose, as the woman was known, let out a cold snort. "Now, what exactly is going on here?"

"Miss Blood Rose, it really wasn't our fault," Shi Yue explained, slamming his fist on the table in frustration. "Violent Tiger's man was harassing Xie Lin, saying she should go sit with them. We couldn't just sit back and take that!"

"Oh, is that so?" Blood Rose's gaze turned icy as she looked over at Violent Tiger.

"Miss Blood Rose, it's a misunderstanding!" Violent Tiger protested, his face full of grievance as he pointed at his skinny teammate, the sharp-faced man named Skinny Monkey. "Skinny Monkey here got a little tipsy and started spouting nonsense."

At this, Skinny Monkey, who indeed looked red-faced and unsteady, nodded along, feigning a drunken stupor.

"This guy wasn't drunk at all earlier…" Lin Ye frowned. He distinctly remembered Skinny Monkey looking sober when he'd first taunted them. But he couldn't prove it, and it was possible that the effects of the alcohol had just kicked in.

Letting the matter drop, Lin Ye's attention shifted to Blood Rose. Who exactly was she, and why did Shi Yue and Violent Tiger fear her so much?

Curious, Lin Ye subtly leaned closer to Xie Lin.

"Sister Xie Lin, who is Miss Blood Rose? Why are Shi Yue and Violent Tiger so wary of her?"

"Miss Blood Rose used to lead a Soul Hunting group in Evernight City years ago. When her team disbanded, she stayed here and opened this tavern," Xie Lin whispered back. "There's not much to say about her past, but her strength is another matter. She's one of the city's top Soul Masters, a Soul Sage!"

"A Soul Sage!" Lin Ye's eyes widened in understanding.

No wonder Shi Yue and Violent Tiger were treading so carefully around her! A Soul Sage was an elite power even within the entire Heaven Dou Empire. Who wouldn't fear her?

"Well," Blood Rose said, glancing between Shi Yue and Violent Tiger, "your little quarrel is tricky to judge. Both of you are convinced you're in the right. So, as usual, you have two options: either step back and make peace or follow our house rules. I'll suggest a method for you to settle this fairly. The choice is yours."

"Option two!" Shi Yue and Violent Tiger declared simultaneously.

Neither was willing to back down here. Retreating would mean losing face, and they would never be able to hold their heads high in this tavern again.

"Very well. As always, arm wrestling it is," Blood Rose said with a nod.

"Fine by me!"

Both Shi Yue and Violent Tiger agreed readily.

"Miss Blood Rose," Violent Tiger added, a glint of malice in his eye, "while arm wrestling is a fair way to settle things, wouldn't it be more interesting with a little wager involved?"

"A wager?"

The entire tavern fell silent, patrons' gazes sharpening as they anticipated the turn of events. Even Lin Ye's eyes narrowed in intrigue.

A wager?

Now things were getting interesting…

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