Chapter Nineteen: Wang Yong Is Beaten

In Wang Yong’s eyes, Ling Tian was nothing more than a skilled fighter, but when it came to connections and influence, he paled in comparison. This made Wang Yong both fearful and contemptuous of Ling Tian.

“Come with me,” Wang Yong said offhandedly as he put away the documents, then strode out of the office with several subordinates in tow.

They made their way to the parking lot, boarded a black Dongfeng business van, and drove toward the Le Nest Bar.

Despite its name, Le Nest Bar was far more expansive than a typical bar, covering at least twice the usual area. Besides running bar operations, it hosted banquets and had the feel of an entertainment complex.

The van pulled up in front of the bar. Wang Yong swaggered out, standing at the entrance, and addressed his men, “I come here often. Every time I drink, they don’t dare charge me. Oh, and later I’ll introduce you to some girls. The ladies here are absolute beauties.”

“All thanks to you, boss,” his subordinates replied, grinning obsequiously. They believed that as long as they followed Wang Yong, he would feast, and they’d at least get the scraps. Now, they were about to enjoy free drinks and attractive company.

Their flattery made Wang Yong even more pleased with himself.

What a fool! If Wang Yong were really as powerful as he claimed, he would only need to make a phone call for the money to be delivered obediently—no need for all this trouble.

“Little Ling! Last time, we became acquainted through a fight. Let’s count that as making friends. Later, I’ll toast you,” Wang Yong said, basking in their praise, forgetting entirely that it was Ling Tian who had beaten him into submission before, leaving him no chance to fight back, and yet here he was, shamelessly claiming they met through a scuffle.

Ling Tian frowned, shooting Wang Yong a sharp glare.

The fierce look, like a blade, pierced Wang Yong’s eyes. He recoiled instinctively, not daring to continue, but he muttered inwardly: Kid, you’ll soon see what I’m capable of.

At this hour, the bar hadn’t opened yet. Inside, it was empty, with a few staff busy tidying up, wiping tables, setting out glasses, and organizing the liquor shelves. One saw Wang Yong enter and hurried over with a broad smile. “Ah, Brother Wang, it’s been a while since you visited. Please, have a seat. What would you like to drink?”

Wang Yong snorted, his tone mocking, “The usual, of course. Bring a bottle of Cuban rum for each of us. And get your manager—I have some business to discuss.” He glanced at Ling Tian, as if to say: See that? I may not be as tough as you, but I’m certainly more impressive.

Ling Tian couldn’t be bothered with Wang Yong’s petty arrogance.

The staff quickly arranged for the drinks, then apologized, “Brother Wang, I’m really sorry. Our manager only comes in the evenings. Why don’t you enjoy some drinks and wait? Once the manager arrives, you can talk.”

Since they were so polite, Wang Yong didn’t press further. “It’s still early, so open a private room for us. Bring out the best food and drinks.”

Wang Yong’s reputation worked wonders. Within a minute, the private room was ready, the table set with several cold dishes and a dozen bottles of rum.

“Brother Wang, please enjoy. The rest of the dishes will be out soon, and when the girls start their shift tonight, I’ll arrange a few for you,” the staff said with a lewd grin.

“Cut the crap and get the food out fast,” Wang Yong ordered, taking the main seat. The others gathered around, digging in greedily. Ling Tian had no interest in mingling with this crowd of trash, so he took a bottle of rum and sat alone on the sofa, sipping slowly.

Ling Tian was beginning to understand why the old man had chosen to send him back to Yunhai City and arrange blind dates for him.

In just a few days since his return, so much had happened. First, the old man wanted Ling Tian to protect the Mu family. Second, he hoped Ling Tian would be tempered by life in the mortal world, believing that only through such experiences could Ling Tian grow stronger. As the old man said, every truly enlightened monk achieved awakening amid worldly affairs before transcending them.

The chaos of the mortal world was the best training for the mind.

Suddenly, Ling Tian seemed to sense something—elusive yet real. He tried to grasp it, but it remained just out of reach…

When Ling Tian finally emerged from this state of clarity, it was already seven in the evening. Though he hadn’t fully caught hold of the sensation, he could clearly feel his spiritual awareness had grown; where before it covered a meter, now it extended to a meter and a half. This delighted him.

Wang Yong and the others were still drinking, the floor littered with bottles.

“Ling Tian, what happened to you just now? You were sitting there without moving,” Wang Yong asked, slurring his words.

“I was resting my eyes,” Ling Tian replied calmly.

Just then, four provocatively dressed women burst into the room, one for each man. Wang Yong, drunk and eager, grabbed a voluptuous girl, pawing and kissing her on the sofa as she moaned seductively. The other two men pounced like cats on fish.

“Hey, handsome,” the remaining girl approached Ling Tian, hugging his arm, her soft chest pressing and rubbing against him.

Ling Tian, young and full of vigor, reacted instinctively, but immediately channeled his inner energy to quell the fire in his abdomen.

“Stay away from me,” he said coldly. Having met many beautiful women, Ling Tian’s standards had risen, and ordinary beauty no longer impressed him.

“Hmph! Why are you pretending to be so high and mighty here?” the girl snapped, storming out of the room.

Ling Tian took a swig of rum and retreated to a corner, unwilling to witness such animalistic displays firsthand.

Wang Yong was thoroughly enjoying himself, having found a busty girl. As he was busy, the private room door was kicked open.

“Who’s got the guts to steal my woman?” A bare-chested, muscular brute stormed in with four subordinates. Seeing his favorite girl pinned under Wang Yong, he howled with rage.

Enraged, Wang Yong shouted, “Who the hell dares interrupt me?”

But as Wang Yong lifted his head and recognized the newcomer, he was instantly terrified, his earlier bravado evaporating.

“Wang Yong? Didn’t you know I booked that girl today? Also, I heard you’re here to collect debts?” the brute bellowed at Wang Yong.

This time, Wang Yong’s arrogance vanished. He forced a smile. “Brother, I think this is just a misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding my ass,” the brute snarled, grabbing Wang Yong by the collar and slapping him hard enough to draw blood from the corner of his mouth.