Becoming evil makes you ten times stronger, but becoming a demon gives you hundredfold strength

"Thank you, thank you."

Meng Yu shook the man's hand, and the middle-aged man across from him shook Meng Yu's hand with the same sincerity to express his thanks.

Today was another sparring session. This man was Meng Yu's third sparring partner and the one who had won a move against Meng Yu before. Meng Yu told him to wait another month, and they'd have another free match!

Look how generous Meng Yu is!

Martial arts practice is inherently expensive, with all kinds of Spirit Pills and elixirs being used. Earning money is far less than those involved in Alchemy, Smithing, Spirit Beasts, etc., who often have to go to dangerous and difficult places.

Hearing that Meng Yu was offering a free match, this man did not hesitate, and after waiting for a month, he came specially through the interstellar expressway for a second match with Meng Yu.

This time, Meng Yu won.

The opponent, although he lost, was not angry at all but instead was very happy to shake hands with Meng Yu, chatted for a long time before leaving.

"Ah, I really don't have to pay?"

From a distance, Zhuge Caihua blinked, then blinked again.

Although her best friend wanted Zhuge Caihua to see Meng Yu being embarrassed, Zhuge Caihua kept her distance, far away.

Did she still hate Meng Yu?

She only remembered that recently she read a romance novel, in which a good girl was attracted to a bad boy, a street thug, and kept being deceived over and over again. The plot was so absurd it was off the charts, but why was the girl attracted to the bad boy?

She could not figure it out and decided not to think about it anymore.

When a man is down on his luck, it's best for a woman not to appear, so Zhuge Caihua and her best friend just watched from a distance, watching Meng Yu entertain clients.

"Meng Yu's slogan is, 'Win against me, and the match is free'. It's funny, why doesn't he raise the price?"

Her best friend was also a bit puzzled. Although she despised Meng Yu for cutting off the head of a cute little sister, this guy indeed had real combat power. Why not do something better and earn easy money instead of this hard-earned money?

This was not just hard-earned money; it was money earned by risking one's life!

Just then, the man wanted to pay Meng Yu, but Meng Yu refused.

"I am short of money, but not that desperately. I'm still young and want to encounter masters of the world. Finding an evenly matched opponent makes me happy. The 500,000 is just a gimmick, don't take it seriously. Thank you for the wine you gave me, it tasted good."

Over fifty years old, having achieved success with his Foundation Establishment, Meng Yu, who was not even half his age, stood in front of him with ease, with a loyal posture as straight as a rod.

"Then, thank you. Until we meet again as Golden Cores!"

They chatted amiably, with a bold and hearty demeanor. In the end, Meng Yu still did not accept the money but made the other man admire his radiance.

"Hmph, so full of himself," Caihua, what's the use of talent? I can summon a hundred people and use Spiritual Artifacts, brute force, or even hire more powerful people to deal with him!"

Although her best friend said that, she kept her gaze fixed on Meng Yu.

Travel thousands of miles, read thousands of books, and one will have talent deep inside. The man's head was still glistening with sweat, the skin that had seen battle was brimming with health, not to mention the grace with which he interacted with those people, it was indeed drool-worthy.

Zhuge Caihua's heart was tumbling with confusion.

After the rescue mission ended, she decided to relax, flew her starship, rented a planet, called friends over, and they indulged in food and drinks, shopping, and just doing whatever was comfortable. Meanwhile, he had returned from Changdong Minor World and was back to the grind, working hard to make money.

She could spend millions on a robe, tens of millions on a Storage Bag, while he toiled laboriously, earning money by risking his neck—fighting Foundation Establishment cultivators was very dangerous, one wrong move could be disastrous, and he had to please the clients as the service provider!

It was only at that moment that she truly understood the reason Meng Yu advertised for money that day to his classmates. It was not a joke; he really wanted to make money.

But he was so stubborn, too.

When they withdrew from Changdong Minor World, the customs inspection revealed nothing extra in his Storage Bag, and all his earnings were donated to the penniless refugees of Changdong Star (he had already taken too much and felt somewhat embarrassed).

He didn't even publicize it, so she only saw it recently in an internal report.

Mock Meng Yu?

Her face burned like a monkey's rear end!

...

He chatted with a few Foundation Establishment cultivators, drinking and discussing various anecdotes, and then they parted ways.

In the distance was a pedestrian street, and someone suggested he should take a stroll there. Why not? It would be good to scope out the place in advance and have a laugh if the opportunity ever arose.

Clad in ordinary clothes, he wandered with some unremarkable cultivators along the busiest, most fantastical pedestrian street on the planet.

The display windows shone with multicolored lights, and charming waitstaff showcased their most delightful smiles—all reminders that indeed, money was a splendid thing.

Meng Yu didn't enter any shops but stood before a display window, eyeing the multicolored, dazzling projections of Second-Order Treasure Swords, like a child longing for the colorful fruit candies in a store, imagining their sweetness.

Sometimes, it's enough just to look.

Below the projection was the price of the Second-Order Blazing Wind Mystical Bird Sword—twenty-three million. If paying with Spirit Stones, three hundred.

He looked for a long time, plans surfacing in his mind: if he were to rob this street, where should he start, how to sweep it all in one go...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

In the desolate wind, he appeared thin and frail.

"Hello, sir."

A shop attendant came out, smiling at Meng Yu.

"Sir, our store is having a lucky draw event. You could try your luck; if fortune smiles on you, you might get it for free."

Unfortunately, Meng Yu shook his head.

"No thanks, I'm just looking. My luck has always been particularly bad."

He walked away, leaving the attendant puzzled. She had just received a message through her earpiece, instructing her to find a way to give this sword to the man before her.

"Sir, the draw is free; you don't have to buy anything to participate. You can just give it a try."

She hurried after him, but Meng Yu still shook his head.

The attendant's earpiece used bone conduction, transmitting signals through vibration, but Meng Yu had long since realized he was being followed. Using the slight reflection from the glass, he could see Zhuge Caihua.

"No need, but thank you again."

Meng Yu smiled, walked out of the shop, and then gestured to someone not too far away.

"Ah, you noticed me?"

Zhuge Caihua stepped out from the shadows, a bit embarrassed.

Especially with the bags in her hands, the clothes she wore, she felt like... she would rather throw all these things away!

Showing off in front of Meng Yu, don't you feel ashamed?

She suddenly remembered the incident from years ago when Meng Yu had killed for a Third-Grade Marrow-Cleansing Pill worth a million.

"That sword..."

"Thank you, but I cannot accept it. Also, we'd better keep our distance."

Meng Yu smiled and walked with the girl to the pedestrian street, to the grassy area beside the road.

"Don't help me; you'll get into trouble."

"Ah?"

The girl paused, not understanding the trouble in gifting presents between friends.

That's right, only recently through her best friend, did she get wind of some news—Meng Yu had offended someone at the Enforcement Hall and was now being targeted.

"Tell me, let me help you, all right?"

The girl blinked, and then blinked again.

Meng Yu was skilled in martial arts and intelligent, but as for emotional intelligence... let's just say he lacked considerably in social graces.

"I've offended Hall Master Zhao, the Hall Master of the Enforcement Hall. He wanted to impart the Pure Yang Technique to me and bestowed a Nine Yang Pill upon me, but I refused."

Meng Yu said softly, causing Zhuge Caihua to freeze in surprise.

"Ah? The Pure Yang Technique suits you well. It's a natural progression from the Shaoyang Mysterious Skill to cultivate the Pure Yang Technique. Furthermore, the Pure Yang cultivation technique, from Foundation Establishment to Nascent Soul, and even Divinity Transformation, has clear pathways for success. Why would you..."

The two had walked from the grassy area into a small grove of trees; by now, night had fallen, and distant high-rises sparkled with flowing lights.

Here we go again.