The two stared each other down, and the atmosphere in the medicine shop grew taut to the breaking point. If a Martial Artist at the Fourth Layer of the Opening Realm really started a fight in here, the shop would likely be destroyed.
"Eldest Young Master Guan, this is a place of business. If we're going to fight, let's take it outside." After saying this to Guan Renjie, Lin Yun turned and walked out of the medicine shop.
Seeing this, Guan Renjie followed close behind. They walked out of the medicine shop one after the other and stood facing each other on the street just outside.
Both of them were well-known figures in Iron Gate Pass, and soon a crowd of over a hundred people had gathered around them. They were all there to watch the spectacle, chattering amongst themselves.
"Why are Lin Yun and Guan Renjie fighting again?"
"You haven't heard? Apparently, Guan Renjie deliberately picked a fight and snatched two stalks of Spirit Grass from Lin Yun. That's why they agreed to this duel."
"I'd say it's eighty percent likely Guan Renjie is doing this over Lu Bingning. Who in all of Iron Gate Pass doesn't know that when it comes to her, he's…"
As the crowd chattered on, little did they know that just outside the throng, a beautiful young woman was frowning slightly. She immediately pushed her way through the people and walked toward Lin Yun and Guan Renjie.
"Guan Renjie. Lin Yun." The young woman called out as she arrived in front of them.
At the sound of her voice, both Lin Yun and Guan Renjie turned to look at her. In an instant, Guan Renjie's murderous expression vanished, replaced by a broad smile. He took two steps to stand before her and grinned.
"Bingning, what are you doing here?"
Lu Bingning looked at Guan Renjie's smiling face with indifference and said coolly, "Guan Renjie, why did you steal Lin Yun's Spirit Grass?"
From the edge of the crowd, Lu Bingning had already pieced together the gist of what happened. Now, she confronted Guan Renjie directly, not mincing her words.
Hearing this, Guan Renjie laughed awkwardly. "Bingning, who told you I stole his Spirit Grass? Am I that kind of person? I bought those two stalks of Spirit Grass with Gold Coins. If you don't believe me, you can ask the Shopkeeper."
As he spoke, Guan Renjie shot a vicious glare at the Shopkeeper standing off to the side.
"Guan Renjie, I don't care if you stole them or not. Leave right now and let Lin Yun have the Spirit Grass. Those two Sensing Flowers are useless to you anyway," Lu Bingning said, giving him no room to argue.
In Lu Bingning's presence, Guan Renjie was the epitome of hypocrisy. Hearing her words, he forcibly suppressed his rage and gave her a fake smile. He no longer pestered Lin Yun, though he shot Lin Yun one last vicious glare before leaving.
The meaning was clear. 'You got lucky today, kid.'
The confrontation ended with Guan Renjie's swift retreat, all thanks to Lu Bingning's arrival.
After paying one hundred Gold Coins, Lin Yun got the two Sensing Flowers from the Shopkeeper. But he felt no joy.
'Guan Renjie has gone too far. I can imagine that sooner or later, we're bound to have a showdown. But I'm not worried at all. Once I break through to the Opening Realm, dealing with someone like Guan Renjie will be a piece of cake.'
Stepping out of the medicine shop, Lin Yun saw Lu Bingning standing there gracefully. He sighed and muttered with a wry smile, "Sigh… trouble always follows a pretty face."
However, the words had barely left his lips when Lu Bingning snapped, "Who are you calling trouble?"
"I wasn't talking about you. But… thanks for your help today."
"Thanks? You think a simple 'thank you' is enough?" Hearing Lin Yun's words of gratitude, Lu Bingning's eyes twinkled as she smiled.
"Then what do you want?" Lin Yun asked.
"The least you could do is treat me to a meal, right?"
"A meal?" Lin Yun didn't understand what Lu Bingning was thinking. 'But if it's just a meal, I suppose it's not a big deal.'
"Alright. What do you want to eat?" Lin Yun agreed without hesitation.
"Hmm… let me think…" Hearing this, Lu Bingning pretended to ponder the question, though in reality, she already knew what she wanted.
After a moment, Lu Bingning looked at Lin Yun with a sly smile. "I've decided. But you have to promise me you won't refuse, no matter what I want to eat."
Hearing this, Lin Yun felt exasperated. 'This girl usually acts so cold and noble, but now she's full of mischievous ideas. I have no idea which one is the real her.'
"Are you serious?" Lin Yun laughed. "What if you wanted to eat dragon meat? I couldn't refuse that either?"
"I'm not going to ask for dragon meat. What I want is definitely within your means. But you have to promise me first."
"Fine. As long as it's within my means, I promise. I'll treat you to whatever you want," Lin Yun replied. 'This version of Lu Bingning is actually growing on me. She's a really cute girl.'
Hearing Lin Yun agree, Lu Bingning's smile grew even wider, her expression that of someone whose scheme had just succeeded.
But Lu Bingning's next words nearly made Lin Yun stumble. He heard her say with a light laugh, "Then let's eat at your place. I've never been to the Lin Family estate."
'What the hell? My place?' Lin Yun had no idea what this girl was scheming, but he did not want to invite trouble by bringing her home.
"No. Anywhere but my place. You can eat whatever else you want," Lin Yun refused without a second thought.
"No, I want to eat at the Lin Family estate. Don't forget, you just promised me. Are you, a grown man, going to go back on your word?" Lu Bingning's lips instantly formed a pout, and she put on her best angry face.
Through a combination of pestering and his own prior promise, Lin Yun finally, helplessly, agreed. 'I don't know why Lu Bingning is so insistent on eating at my house, but it's just one meal. It should be fine,' he thought.
The two of them set off together in the direction of the Lin Family estate. Although many people whispered about them along the way, neither of them paid any mind.
As they walked and talked, Lin Yun gradually discovered that Lu Bingning had a really great personality. Being with her made him happy, and slowly, they found they could talk about anything and everything.
They even chatted without inhibition about what kind of husband Lu Bingning wanted to find in the future.
"Me? Well, since I was a little girl, the husband I've dreamed of has always been a great hero. Someone who can give me anything I want, who can protect me so no one can bully me…"
Lu Bingning went on and on, finally asking Lin Yun, "So? Do you think I'm being too greedy?"
"Not at all. On the contrary, I think you're being honest. It's common for women to be attracted to the strong," Lin Yun replied with a small smile.
Hearing his words, Lu Bingning blushed faintly. "Hee hee," she giggled, looking at him. "Actually, you're very strong, too. Your Realm is just a little low." The small dimples that appeared on her cheeks were incredibly cute.