The narrow gaze twisted into one of the ugliest glares Chen Ren had ever seen. The young master’s nose flared, but he tried to lighten the mood by saying whatever useless thing he had to say and laughing it off with his lackeys. A group of five men, two as tall as the Tang manor’s ceilings and three of the same height as Cang Rui. All of them were well-groomed men who screamed wealth.

Cang Rui’s lips curled into a sneer as he leaned towards the men surrounding him and made them laugh. His voice loud enough to prick the attention of the gathering crowd.

They smirked at those who glanced their way, enjoying the whispers that had started to stir due to their presence. Clearly, they enjoyed the attention. Chen Ren remained passive, with his eyes locked onto Cang Rui without betraying any emotion he felt for the troupe.

They continued to walk towards him, and as they did, the crowd in the area shifted like wheat in the wind. People nudged one another, started whispering, and began to part, clearing a path for the approaching group. Some pointed toward Cang Rui, their eyes lighting up with recognition, while others simply stepped aside with wary glances. All the while, their murmurs grew louder and louder.

Not only Chen Ren’s face but also his stance didn’t change one bit. He stood calmly behind the stall, his gaze steady as it followed Cang Rui’s approach. He didn’t move, didn’t speak. His hands rested lightly on the counter, the faint aroma of freshly cooked noodles wafting from the steaming bowls beside him.

Cang Rui came to a stop a few paces away, his chest heaving as if the walk had fueled his anger further. But the previous laughter he’d feigned was nowhere to be seen. Without wasting a second, he jabbed a finger at Chen Ren.

“Chen Ren! There you are, you coward!”

The crowd stilled. Even the clinking of coins and the sizzling of nearby food stalls seemed to pause, leaving only the echo of his words hanging in the air. Chen Ren knew it was just his imagination since everything around him still operated as usual. But the feeling of impending danger, nonetheless, was there.

He tilted his head slightly.

“How exactly am I a coward?” he asked, his voice calm as if he were asking about the weather.

“You ran away from my challenge back at the city lord’s office!” Cang Rui snapped, his finger shaking with fury. “Only a coward would do that! You insulted me and now you fear my wrath!”

Chen Ren’s lips twitched, almost forming a smile, but he suppressed it. How dramatic. These young masters would make excellent actors, he thought, his mind briefly amused by the theatrics before returning to the present.

He straightened slightly and met Cang Rui’s furious glare. “Now, let’s not twist the story,” Chen Ren said evenly. “All I did was ask you to respect some boundaries and wait for your turn. You, on the other hand, couldn’t handle not getting your way and decided to lash out. Then you attacked me. You should count yourself lucky I didn’t take that personally.”

Chen Ren motioned toward his stall with a small shrug. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m busy here. Go yell at someone else.”

With that, Chen Ren pretended to turn, but he couldn’t help but wait for his response. The crowd, however, started whispering once again. Their attention was now fully locked on the exchange. Some chuckled under their breath, while others looked more invested than even the tournament which was about to begin. A man holding a bowl of noodles slurped loudly beside Chen Ren, the sound somehow adding even more… dramatic cue to the tension.

Cang Rui’s face darkened further, his hand clenching into a ball at his side. He opened his mouth, but no words came out at first. His eyes swept over the gathered crowd, their curious and entertained faces fueling the fire in his chest.

“You—!” He began again, his voice trembling with fury, but his words faltered as the crowd continued to watch, some even grinning as if they were watching a street play.

Finally, Cang Rui’s sneer sharpened. “Your words are as cloutless as your businesses, Chen Ren. You aren’t even in the qi refinement realm, yet you keep courting trouble as if you belong among us.”

Chen Ren met his glare without flinching. “Funny, considering you’re the one who came looking for me.”

For a moment, a flicker of energy danced on Cang Rui’s palm, the faint glow of a cultivator’s intent shimmering in the air between them. Chen Ren’s sharp gaze caught it, his body instinctively tensing for a split second. But before the energy could manifest into an attack, one of Cang Rui’s companions stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Young Master Cang,” the man said smoothly, “there’s no need to waste your energy on a battle of words with this fool. Everyone knows that you’ll hand over his ass back to him by the end of the tournament.”

The words that were said aloud replaced the fury on his face with a cruel smile. He nodded, seemingly placated by the words. Then, with a sharp glance back at Chen Ren, he spoke again, his voice raised to command the crowd’s attention.

“You heard him, Chen Ren. I’m here to publicly challenge you in the tournament. There will be no running, no excuses, and no backing down. I’ll show everyone my strength and make you kowtow before me an apology!”

The declaration was enough to send a ripple through the crowd. Murmurs buzzed like an unsettled hive as people exchanged glances and whispered among themselves. Some pointed at Chen Ren, while others glanced nervously at Cang Rui.

Chen Ren took a moment to scan the faces in the crowd. Old Man Tian stood a few paces away, his mouth hanging open as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Other stall owners mirrored his stunned expression, their eyes darting between Chen Ren and Cang Rui.

The children, who had paused their work at the stall, looked equally shaken. Their eyes showed fear, though none of them dared to speak. Tang Xiulan, however, stood with her arms crossed, her eyes calm, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. She knew this was all part of the plan.

Finally, Chen Ren’s gaze landed on the beggar girl, Anji. Unlike everyone else, she seemed entirely unaffected by the tension crackling in the air. She stirred a pot of noodles, her back partially turned to the unfolding drama. She didn’t even glance at him or Cang Rui, her focus fixed entirely on her task.

“Alright, I accept your challenge. Let’s see who makes who kowtow,” Chen Ren said with his hands waving dismissively in the air.

Cang Rui laughed maniacally. “You’re confident now, Chen Ren, but you won’t be once I’m done with you.”

He turned to leave, his companions following close behind, their smug chuckles cutting through the crowd. But just as Cang Rui was about to step away, a voice rang out from the throng, cutting through every other whisper that had started to spread.

“What if he gets defeated before he even faces you in the tournament?”

The crowd stilled, heads swivelling toward the source of the voice. “Wait, who was it?” someone asked loudly. And that was the same question that rang in everyone’s minds.

At the sudden interruption, Cang Rui snapped his head toward the crowd, his sharp gaze scanning for the voice that had dared to speak. Yet, no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t locate the source. Frustration flickered across his face before one of his young master companions stepped forward with a smug grin.

“Yeah, that’s true,” the companion said, loudly enough for the surrounding crowd to hear. “What if this so-called lowly cultivator can’t even make it through the battle royale? It’d be a waste of your time, Young Master Cang.”

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

Another chimed in, his tone dripping with mockery. “Exactly. That man isn’t a cultivator; he’s just a glorified merchant pretending to be one. I doubt he’ll even last a minute in the tournament. Most likely, he’ll run off before it even ends.”

A third added, his laugh cutting through the murmurs. “I heard he lost to Li Xuan in less than a minute during the Soaring Sword Sect entrance exams. A talentless hack like him wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Cang Rui’s confident smirk faltered as he processed their words. His expression shifted through a kaleidoscope of emotions—anger, doubt, and then a calculating gleam in his eyes as he glanced at Chen Ren.

“You’re right. This bastard is too weak to make it to the sparring rounds where I can face him properly.” He turned toward the crowd, lifting his chin high. “Hence, I declare here and now: I, Cang Rui, will make him kowtow before me in the tournament!” His declaration silenced the crowd, all ears hanging on his next words. “And if anyone dares touch him before I’ve had my chance, they will be my enemy. Spread the word—Chen Ren is my prey, and no one else has the right to interfere!”

As he finished, he turned to glare at Chen Ren. Yet Chen Ren remained unmoved, his expression blank save for the faintest curve of a smile. It was a subtle gesture, but one that made Cang Rui’s frown deepen.

With a final, pointed finger, Cang Rui spat, “Know this, Chen Ren: I’ll teach you a lesson in the tournament, and there will be no excuse for you to run away this time!”

Without waiting for a response, he spun on his heel and stalked away, his entourage following close behind. Some were bumping fists at what had happened, while others simply followed. Chen Ren saw how the crowd parted for him once more, but this time, their whispers were twice as much. Many turned their gazes back to Chen Ren, their expressions ranging from pity to outright dismissal, as though he were already a dead man walking.

Chen Ren, however, paid them no mind. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction, his plan working exactly as he’d hoped. He allowed himself a moment to savour the win before a small voice tugged at his attention.

From the edge of the crowd, one of the street kids emerged. It was Chun, his eyes squinted up as the glaring sun bowed upon them, but he had a big smile on his face. “I did well, right?”

Chen Ren smiled back, pulling a small copper wen from his pouch and flicking it to the boy. The child caught it mid-air, grinning ear to ear.

“You did great,” Chen Ren said, watching as the boy scurried off, pocketing his reward.

The faintest chuckle escaped his lips as he turned back toward his stall.

Now, let’s see how the rest of this plan unfolds.

As the crowd slowly dispersed, Tang Xiulan stepped closer. She had a sly smile on her face. “Young Master Chen, you’re really quite the schemer, aren’t you?”

Chen Ren shrugged. “Not my fault these young masters are so sheltered they don’t even recognize obvious schemes. Cang Rui’s arrogance makes him an easy target.” He glanced in the direction the young master had stormed off. “Thankfully, his proclamation will spread like wildfire. Most participants won’t risk crossing him, so I should have a safer path through the tournament.”

Xiulan chuckled softly, folding her arms. “You make it sound so simple.”

Outwardly, Chen Ren smiled with confidence, but internally, his thoughts weren’t so assured. The plan worked for now, but it’s riddled with holes, he admitted to himself. If Cang Rui and I end up in the same bracket during the battle royale, things could go south quickly. And then there’s always the chance that someone from outside the city won’t care about Cang Rui’s threat and decide to attack me anyway.

Still, he allowed himself a small moment of relief. At least for now, I have some measure of protection. It might be just enough to conserve my strength for the later stages of the tournament.

He looked around, seeing the amount of people that had gathered. His first plan had worked, but if he wanted to win the tournament and get all those sweet rewards and the money from the betting markets, he would have to make sure none of his plans falter.

***

As the day progressed, Chen Ren’s noodle stall still flourished, with an increasing number of customers eager to sample their wares. Tang Xiulan and the children bustled around, serving bowls of steaming noodles to the growing crowd.

Although when they tried to move inside the arena with their handcarts bearing ice cream and chips, they faced a challenge. A challenge in the form of stubborn guards.

They blocked them from entering the arena, talking about some laws that obviously didn't exist.

However, Tang Xiulan took care of the “situation”. She slipped the guard a discreet bribe and soon enough, the handcarts were allowed through, and they began peddling ice cream and snacks to the hungry spectators inside. The extra income from this arrangement made Xiulan grin with satisfaction, and Chen Ren decided to leave her in charge of managing the logistics.

His focus shifted to the tournament.

Chen Ren slipped away from the marketplace and into one of the corridors that led into the heart of the arena. The stone walls echoed with murmurs and cheers from the crowd above, growing louder as he approached the open grounds.

His round was scheduled earlier than expected, a fact that initially made him uneasy. As he stepped onto the packed soil of the arena floor, he scanned the gathered competitors. Roughly fifty participants stood in clusters. To his relief, there was no sign of Cang Rui among them. He let out a quiet sigh, his shoulders loosening ever so slightly.

The arena itself was a spectacle. Surrounding the open field, rows of tiered seats overflowed with spectators, many pointing excitedly at the competitors below. Voices called out names, some cheering for their favourites, others placing bets on potential winners. It was… a lot. He’d never experienced one of these arenas, and it starkly reminded him of the Gladiator movie that he had loved.

His eyes scanned across the competitors, searching for familiar faces, but none appeared. He adjusted the hem of his robe, reminding himself to stay focused.

He had come here to win, not to be distracted by what he couldn’t control.

The announcer’s booming voice interrupted his thoughts, calling for the competitors to assemble near the central platform. Chen Ren joined the group, blending into the sea of cultivators.

As Chen Ren moved through the crowd toward the competitor’s platform, his eyes caught a glimpse of Tang Xiulan and one of the street kids, a boy named Jian, selling chips and ice cream to a bunch of girls who were seated. Xiulan handed a bag of chips to a man while the little guy offered a scoop to one of the girls. The sight made Chen Ren smile faintly. They were thriving out there—at least something was going smoothly today.

His attention snapped back to the arena as a tall official, clad in dark green robes embroidered with the city emblem, stepped onto a raised platform. His voice immediately drew all the eyes onto him.

“You all know the basic rules! This is the first round, so no killing is allowed. If you are thrown off the platform, you are disqualified. If you cannot fight any longer, you are disqualified. No pills, no demonic techniques, and no outside interference. You will begin when I give the signal.” He swept his hand toward the massive stone stage. “Now, get on the platform.”

One by one, the competitors climbed onto the raised battlefield. Chen Ren waited until the crowd thinned before stepping up. As he ascended, he kept his eyes on the other participants, studying their movements. Many returned his gaze, their expressions ranging from curiosity to disdain.

A few even pointed at him and whispered. Chen Ren didn’t need to hear the words to know the content—Cang Rui’s declaration had undoubtedly spread like wildfire. He could almost feel the weight of their assumptions. Good, he thought, the more they stay away from me, the better.

The official raised a hand, signalling for silence, and the murmurs in the stands faded. His voice boomed across the arena as he addressed the audience.

“Honored spectators, today marks the beginning of this year’s tournament, hosted graciously by the City Lord’s Estate and with the blessing of the Soaring Sword Sect!” He paused, allowing the crowd to erupt in cheers. “Let this battle royale showcase the strength, determination, and skill of our participants. May the best rise above all others! Competitors begin!”

The moment the words left his mouth, chaos erupted.

Chen Ren stood still as the arena turned into a frenzy. Fighters charged at each other, fists, swords, and techniques flying as alliances crumbled and rivalries ignited. The crowd roared with excitement as competitors clashed, some thrown off the platform within moments.

He watched everything happen while standing steps away from the corner, a smile threatening to break on his face, the wild melee reminding him of the wrestling matches he’d watched as a kid. Adults, fighting as if their life depended on it. Some more desperate than others.

Just as he had hoped, no one made a move toward him. Cang Rui’s warning had done its job, and his unassuming behaviour worked in his favour. As the number of competitors dwindled, Chen Ren allowed himself a small, satisfied smile.

But his moment of calm didn’t last.

A loud voice rang out from his left. “I don’t care who Cang Rui thinks he is! He doesn’t decide what I can or can’t do!”

Chen Ren turned to see a hot-blooded youth, his face flushed with righteous fury, pointing directly at him.

“I, Mi Fung from Red Willow Village, will defeat you and him! I’ll win this tournament and prove my strength to everyone!”

Before Chen Ren could react, the youth charged toward him. So much for flying under the radar, Chen Ren thought, his smile vanishing as he shifted his stance, readying himself for the fight.

***

A/N - You can read 30 chapters (15 Magus Reborn and 15 Dao of money) on my patreon. Annual subscription is now on too.