Silence draped the surroundings as the men fixated on the apparently ordinary bat nestled in Han Rui's hand. Sun Wei, however, remained oblivious to the unfolding events. He only registered a thunderous bang, accompanied by tumultuous winds. Yet, what caught his attention more was the abrupt hush that befell the raucous robbers. Puzzled, he wondered about the sudden change.

What happened to the thieves? And where did that gust of wind come from earlier? It nearly knocked me off my feet, Sun Wei pondered, clutching his coin sacs tightly.

Simultaneously, the Po brothers, once solemn and composed, dropped to their knees, discarding their weapons by the wayside. Before Han Rui could voice his confusion, the trio prostrated themselves, foreheads pressed firmly against the dusty road.

“Great sir, we seek your forgiveness,” Po Ming spoke, counting his words. “Our eyes failed to perceive your greatness. Please forgive us mere mortals, great sir,” he pleaded, squirming in a humble display of contrition.

Han Rui sighed softly, shaking his head as he eased the tension in his brows and took a step closer to the brothers.

“Raise your heads,” he instructed, and the trio promptly complied.

Han Rui tilted his head, contemplating the situation. “So, you wish for me to spare your lives,” he remarked.

The fat men nodded vigorously, a glimmer of hope flickering in their quivering eyes. Han Rui, understanding their plea, nodded gently, returning the bat to his inner robes.

“I can do that. But why should I? You've already wasted my time and interrupted my business. The fact that you planned to rob both me and my esteemed customer is even more irksome,” Han Rui spoke calmly, shifting his gaze toward the shattered mountain in the distance. “And you've witnessed something you shouldn't have. So, I'm not entirely sure.”

Po Ming's younger brothers suppressed silent tremors, restraining the urge to lament. However, the seasoned thief's eyes gleamed with a hint of cunning. “Sir, we're not asking for our lives without offering something in return. We would gladly offer our life savings as compensation... I mean, a token of appreciation for inconveniencing your valuable time.”

The sly man turned slowly toward the fractured mountain in the distance. “The weather these days is quite capricious. Who could have anticipated that lightning would spontaneously shatter the mountain?” He then swiveled to his brothers in quick succession, nudging them with his arms. “You witnessed the lightning, right?”

“Y-Yes, it was definitely lightning,” Po Wei stammered, accompanied by a nervous chuckle. Simultaneously, Po Yan, the youngest of the trio, vigorously nodded in agreement with Po Ming’s words.

A fleeting smile played at the corner of Han Rui’s lips, though it vanished swiftly. “Look at these scoundrels. Do you think I'm some common thief who would seize others' possessions?”

“N-No, sir, we didn't mean it that way,” Po Ming hurriedly clarified. “What I meant was that we're willing to invest all our possessions into your business.”

“Oh, you're investors, huh?” Han Rui remarked with a gentle smile.

“Yes!” the three men exclaimed in unison.

“That's fantastic. I don't mind having a couple of generous investors. Wait here; I'll be with you shortly. I still have business to conclude over there,” Han Rui said, gesturing towards the oblivious Sun Wei.

The men nodded meekly, observing as Han Rui approached Sun Wei. Not once did the thought of fleeing cross their minds, even with Han Rui's back turned.

“Ha, my good friend. Where were we?” Han Rui greeted, stopping a few feet away from Sun Wei.

“What was that noise earlier? There was also a strong wind. What about the thieves? Did they leave?” Sun Wei inquired in quick succession.

“Don't worry about that. Let's finish what we were discussing earlier,” Han Rui suggested as he retrieved the jar once more. Just as he prepared to unseal it, a distant scream echoed.

“How dare you!”

Han Rui's features soured as he turned. However, confusion replaced the annoyance when a group of three teenage girls and a young boy charged toward him with a somewhat malicious intent. At the rear, an older young man lingered, watching the group's approach.

Han Rui cast a sideways glance toward the Po brothers, seemingly seeking confirmation if they were associated with the new arrivals, but the men simply shook their heads.

“Hua'er?!” Sun Wei exclaimed suddenly, tilting his head from side to side.

“Elder brother, I'm here,” the leader of the juvenile group said, coming to a halt a few meters from where the Po brothers prostrated.

“Who are you, and what are you doing to my elder brother?” Sun Hua roared; her fiery red eyes fixed on Han Rui. Despite her worn garbs and dirt-smeared face, she exuded an otherworldly beauty. Her inky black hair cascaded freely over her shoulders as she clenched her fists.

Her younger siblings, equally striking as Sun Wei, stood shoulder to shoulder, glaring at Han Rui.

“You know these people?” Han Rui whispered.

“That's my younger sister, and by the look of things, it seems my other siblings are here too,” Sun Wei confessed with a bashful smile. “Let me talk to them, okay?”

“Sure, I'll be here waiting for you. As a seasoned businessman, I've got plenty of patience,” Han Rui declared with a confident smile.

Sun Wei chuckled nervously, awkwardly approaching his siblings after Han Rui pointed out their general direction.

Taking a closer look at these brats, why do they all look like supermodels? Han Rui thought to himself as he cast another glance at the group. Not bad; they're already in the Qi Condensation stage. No wonder he’s desperate to send them to a good sect.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

[Do you intend to turn them into customers as well?]

“It depends. Once their big brother experiences the free sample, they'll naturally discover the amazing qualities of my product. Whether they can track me down afterward, I can't guarantee,” Han Rui remarked, observing the siblings engrossed in their discussion.

[I'm not referring to them; I'm talking about the brothers!]

“Oh?” Han Rui turned his attention to the timid bandits. “Hmm... why not? I don't discriminate.”

[Are you certain that's a wise decision?]

“What do you mean?” Han Rui inquired.

[Granting power to someone with malicious intentions will inevitably result in the accumulation of negative karma.]

“I understand your concerns, but if you think about it carefully, does it truly matter?” Han Rui replied, averting his gaze from the siblings. He silently circled within a three-meter radius as he continued his conversation with the system. “I have no intention of selling my products to inherently evil individuals, but it's impossible to predict how someone might change when given power. A sage could transform into a bloodthirsty villain, and redemption is a possibility for those with blood on their hands. People are capable of change.”

Han Rui shifted his attention back to the siblings, his gaze drawn to the adolescent boy who was energetically pointing in his direction under the watchful eyes of his elder siblings.

A sense of unease crept over Han Rui. Why are they staring at me like that? he wondered, forcing a smile, and waving at the group. To his surprise, they quickly averted their gaze.

An unsettling feeling settled in Han Rui's gut. This doesn't feel right. I hope they're not trying to persuade him to change his mind.

[Are you ready to bear the consequences of empowering others?]

The system's notification interrupted Han Rui's thoughts, and he stared at it in silence. A minute passed, and still, he remained quiet.

He broke the silence with a measured resolve. “Should the day arrive when someone I've empowered turns against the innocent, I'll exhaust every effort to retract the power I bestowed upon them. That's the sincerest commitment I can make. Why else do you think I've been diligently seeking powerful subordinates?”

[Your response has been recorded!]

“Why? Was that some kind of test or something?” Han Rui inquired, but his question was met with a wall of silence.

“Now you don't want to talk, huh? Fine. Be that way,” Han Rui muttered, shifting his focus to the Po brothers who remained motionless.

These guys are compliant. Well, witnessing a mountain vanish before their eyes would make anyone obedient.

Han Rui couldn't help but wear a wry smile as he turned towards the shattered mountain.

The weakest weapon in my inventory right now is the silver bat. What would have happened if I had taken out the... Han Rui paused, shaking his head mid-thought, as if trying to dispel the idea. The immortals and gods would probably descend if I brandished them.

“Sir, I apologize for taking up too much of your time,” Sun Wei said softly, approaching Han Rui with hurried steps.

Han Rui cocked his head backward, puzzled. Sir? Why is this punk suddenly being respectful?

His brows creased slightly as he observed Sun Wei and Sun Hua approaching. The young lady maintained her somewhat fierce gaze, but a hint of respect clouded her eyes.

“You're here for the sample, right?” Han Rui inquired, reaching into his robes to retrieve the jar.

Sun Wei shook his head instantly. “I've changed my mind, sir. I'll prefer the other option now.”

Han Rui froze for a moment, studying the handsome young man closely. Weird. Why did he suddenly change his mind? Is that why their discussion took so long? Well, it doesn't matter. Either option is fine by me, Han Rui mused.

"So, how much exactly are you willing to hand over for my supplements? They're quite...” Han Rui began, but before he could finish, Sun Wei retrieved all his coin sacks and presented them to Han Rui.

“Please take everything, sir,” Sun Wei said.

“Huh? Are you sure?” Han Rui asked, unable to hide his confusion. “Didn't you say you needed them to pay some enrollment fees or something?”

“Honestly, I did, but fortunately, a noble patron seems to have taken pity on us. There won't be any need for it anymore,” Sun Wei explained.

“Oh? I see,” Han Rui responded, nodding slowly. “If I may ask, which noble patron are you talking about?”

“Young miss Han Shuyi,” Sun Hua replied before Sun Wei could.

Han Rui's eyes lit up. “Are you talking about the eighth young miss of the Han clan?”

Both siblings nodded simultaneously.

“I've only heard positive things about her. I understand now,” Han Rui remarked, reaching for the coin sacks. In one swift motion, he gathered them before handing the jar over to Sun Hua.

“As promised, all five of them are there for you to use as you please,” Han Rui said with a smile. He closed the gap even further, whispering, “I'd advise against taking the supplements where others can see. However, you're free to do as you wish. You don't have to take my word for it.”

Wearing a teasing smile, Han Rui turned around to leave. Yet, Sun Wei's voice reached his ears once more. “Sir, may I please know your name?”

Han Rui chuckled softly. “You can call me the wandering peddler. We may cross paths again if fate permits. Remember what I said, okay?”

Wasting no time, Han Rui gestured to the corpulent men, and they promptly rose, escorting him away under the curious gazes of the Sun siblings. As Han Rui departed, the young man who had lingered at the periphery of the area swiftly approached the siblings.

“Sun Wei are you okay?” he called out.

“Laoshu, thank you for coming to rescue me,” Sun Wei replied, wearing a rare smile.

The buck-toothed young man abruptly halted, his rat-like eyes fixating on the small jar Sun Hua held in his possession. “There's no way I was going to abandon you. The boys were all talking about Boss Hu and his gang escorting you to some remote place. I'm sorry it took so long to get here. The sudden disappearance of Mount Kai turned the streets upside down. For a moment, we thought some immortal was descending,” Laoshu explained, and his features paled as he recalled the earlier explosion.

“Thankfully, nothing happened,” Sun Wei said, a gentle smile on his face.

“So, what's the deal with those pills?” Laoshu inquired, pointing at the jar. “And who was that guy and those fatsos?”

Sun Hua quietly pocketed the jar before walking toward her other siblings. “I'll leave you two to catch up,” she said without turning.

“He claimed to be a wandering peddler, and those pills are the only reason he agreed to leave quietly,” Sun Wei explained.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Laoshu asked, unable to hide his confusion. Earlier, it seemed like Sun Wei and Han Rui were concluding a simple business deal. “Wait, are you saying that guy forced you to buy those pills?”

Sun Wei sighed, massaging his temples. “Brother, I'd rather not dwell on depressing matters right now. I should be thankful that I'm alive. Let's go home,” he suggested.

“Yeah, you're right,” Laoshu said, his expression brightening. “It's not every day someone from the Han clan takes an interest in people like us. If things work out well, you guys will be set for life. I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't envious. Congratulations again,” Laoshu added, offering a courteous bow.

Sun Wei chuckled softly. “You're talking as if I'd forget about my roots. I'll do everything in my power to ensure you and others are taken care of too. There's no way I'd abandon my brothers and sisters.”

“Brother, we need to leave immediately. There are rumors of livestock bandits roaming these parts,” Sun Hua shouted from a distance as she guided her younger siblings toward the town.

“Let's go, brother. We can discuss this further once we're home,” Sun Wei urged, extending his hand.

“Yeah, we should get out of here.” Laoshu placed the young man's hand on his shoulder, acting as his guide as they quickly left the area.

If what Jie’er said about the peddler is true, those pills could potentially cause a bloodbath if their true value is revealed. That man undoubtedly understands their worth, so why would he sell them for a low price and to someone like me? Sun Wei pondered silently; his hair thrashing according to the whims of the gentle winds.

“Brother, about those pills earlier, do you mind if I help you sell them? I could use them to make a few bucks in the red-light district,” Laoshu whispered.

Sun Wei chuckled softly. “You're still not tired after the beating you got the last time? Hua'er has taken a liking to them. It's out of my hands now.”

“Oh, I see. Knowing her, she's probably keeping it to take revenge someday,” Laoshu remarked.

“Exactly. I don't know where she got her vindictive nature from,” Sun Wei chuckled.