Competition is heating up

Bao Congxin was so startled that he hurriedly bowed in respect.

Yet this gesture only terrified the Shopkeeper even more.

"Lord Bao, please spare me!"

The Shopkeeper was so frightened he nearly dropped to his knees.

And so, the two of them kept bowing lower and lower in a frantic back-and-forth.

Before long, the Shopkeeper’s hands were almost touching the ground!

Bao Congxin had never received such deference in his life.

Trembling, he reached out to steady the Shopkeeper and stammered, "Shopkeeper, what is this about? If I’ve offended you in any way, I beg your forgiveness, I truly do..."

To his shock, the Shopkeeper only trembled harder.

"L-Lord Bao Bao, I-I could never dare accept such courtesy from you! I was blind before, failing to recognize your greatness—please, show mercy!"

Bao Congxin’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

This Shopkeeper wasn’t particularly high in cultivation, but his connections were formidable. Rumor had it he was acquainted with many influential figures in the city, which was how he managed to run an inn in the West District, dealing with all sorts of shady characters.

For someone like that to act so obsequiously toward him?

This was downright absurd!

His mind in turmoil, Bao Congxin could only keep bowing and apologizing.

"Shopkeeper, please, you’re humiliating me! I’ll have this year’s rent ready soon—"

Before he could finish, the Shopkeeper’s face suddenly twisted into an ingratiating smile.

"Lord Bao, you jest! Having you stay at my humble inn is an honor. You may reside here as long as you wish—how could I ever accept rent from you?"

Bao Congxin had thought he was being submissive enough, but this man was even more groveling.

Was this really the same ruthless, cutthroat Shopkeeper he knew?

At a complete loss, Bao Congxin stood frozen.

Meanwhile, the Shopkeeper continued fawning.

"Lord Bao, what brings you here today?"

"You must take good care of the two Sect Leaders! The safety of this inn rests entirely in your hands. Please, be merciful and put in a good word for us. If there’s anything you need, just give the order—why trouble yourself to come personally?"

Sect Leaders?

So those two in the backyard weren’t frauds after all?

A chill ran down Bao Congxin’s spine.

When he looked at the Shopkeeper again, the man’s face was filled with such earnest reverence, as if the Sect Leaders’ presence was an undeniable fact!

Instantly, Bao Congxin’s confusion deepened.

Even if he cracked his skull open, he wouldn’t dare believe it—the legendary Sect Leaders had actually come to a place like this? And even shared a table with him?

If word got out, people would dismiss it as drunken rambling.

No one in their right mind would spin such an outrageous tale!

From the moment he first saw them, he’d pegged them as imposters.

Years of hard-earned experience had honed his judgment.

He prided himself on his sharp eyes—without them, an outsider like him would never have survived in the city, let alone made it this far alone.

But now, the Shopkeeper’s bizarre behavior shook his confidence.

His earlier certainty wavered.

Were those two really frauds?

Was the Shopkeeper genuinely terrified out of his wits, or was he in cahoots with them?

The conflicting possibilities tangled in his mind, leaving him utterly bewildered.

Gathering his courage, he decided to test the waters.

"I-It’s nothing much, really."

"Here are three Celestial Crystals—my benefactor just wants some wine."

The moment the words left his mouth, the Shopkeeper nodded eagerly.

"Of course! Right away!"

"How could we accept payment from you, my lord? I’ll have it delivered immediately!"

With that, the Shopkeeper urgently called out,

"Little Fang! Little Fang!"

"Hurry! Bring two large jars of wine—the best we have, the absolute finest!!"

His voice was restrained, as if afraid of disturbing others.

But to Bao Congxin, it only added to the storm of disbelief raging inside him.

No payment?

The notoriously stingy Shopkeeper was being this generous?

And it got even more ridiculous—

The Shopkeeper was offering their most premium wine, an exquisite brew that cost a staggering thousand Celestial Crystals per jar! That was enough to cover three years of his rent!

Had the man lost his mind?!

If this was some elaborate scam, the cost was absurdly high!

Unless...

Those two in the backyard really were the Sect Leaders?