Invincible Little School Doctor Chapter 2003: 2003: Money Makes You a Guest

Chapter 2003: Wealth Makes You a Welcome Guest

Ye Haochuan never anticipated that his efforts to protect himself would be mistaken by the formidable figure as a benevolent act. Nevertheless, a sense of relief washed over him as the powerful individual showed no signs of hostile intentions.

However, he was disinclined to relinquish the Halberd of Heaven and Earth. This weapon was his primary means of combat, and the thought of the imposing man developing avarice and refusing to return it filled him with trepidation.

“Say, esteemed sir, are your extraordinary abilities known to your family?” Ye Haochuan inquired with a touch of jest, carefully placing the Halberd of Heaven and Earth and the Divine Concealment Sword back into his interspatial ring.

“I am not ‘esteemed sir.’ My name is Niu Yibi. You may simply address me as Yibi!” the brawny man replied with a hearty laugh.

Pu~

Ye Haochuan nearly erupted with laughter, barely suppressing a mouthful of accumulated saliva.

Niu Yibi? What an astonishingly peculiar name!

“Pray tell, who bestowed such a name upon you?” Ye Haochuan asked, his expression a mixture of amusement and bewilderment.

“Aunt Wang from next door christened me. She proclaimed that whenever I intervene, calamity is sure to follow, hence ‘Niu Yibi’!” the robust man explained gleefully. “So, what do you think? Does my moniker suit me?”

“It’s… incredibly fitting! Utterly fitting!” Ye Haochuan responded with a strained smile.

Indeed, it was fitting. Beyond describing his astounding combat prowess, what other term could adequately capture his essence?

“By the way, my good benefactor, do you reside in this vicinity? Wild beasts frequently roam these parts, making it an unsafe environment!” the burly man observed, gesturing towards the tent nearby.

“I am merely a traveler passing through. As dusk has settled, I intended to make camp here for the night and will depart at first light tomorrow!” Ye Haochuan stated truthfully.

Upon hearing this, the large man’s demeanor shifted to one of immediate enthusiasm. “It is hardly ideal to remain here. You might be disturbed by beasts throughout the night, preventing you from resting peacefully. Why not accompany me to my dwelling? It’s not far from this spot!”

“Is there a settlement close by?” Ye Haochuan inquired with curiosity.

“Naturally, just beyond this mountain!” the hefty man declared with obvious delight. “Come along, benefactor. Though my home is modest, it offers far superior safety compared to this exposed location!”

Ye Haochuan considered the proposition for a moment. Residing within a village undoubtedly presented a greater level of security than remaining exposed in the wilderness. Thus, he gave his assent.

The large man beamed with satisfaction, hoisted the carcass of the White Tiger onto his shoulder, and commenced the ascent up the hill, leading the way.

The colossal tiger, weighing approximately a metric ton, appeared as light as a bundle of cotton on the strong man’s shoulder. He scaled the incline effortlessly, not a bead of perspiration betraying the exertion.

Before long, Ye Haochuan perceived faint glimmers of firelight in the distance.

With his acute vision, he could rapidly discern the scene illuminated by the flames.

It was a small hamlet, nestled snugly within a mountain ravine, comprising no more than some twenty households. Judging by the pelts of demonic beasts displayed for drying outside their dwellings, their livelihood seemed to stem from hunting.

Ye Haochuan’s intrigue was piqued, and he began to scrutinize the villagers with careful attention.

To his knowledge, the demonic beasts inhabiting the secluded depths of the Immortal Realm’s forests were formidable adversaries. Even the less potent among them exhibited formidable pack tactics and exceptional combat prowess. Consequently, those who dared to hunt in these mountains and establish settlements at their foothills were undoubtedly individuals of extraordinary caliber.

However, a perplexing observation arose: every inhabitant of this village had attained the Nascent Soul stage of Cultivation, with the most powerful among them being at the Nascent Soul Late Stage. In the broader context of the Immortal Realm, individuals of this cultivation level were considered mere commoners and would be wholly incapable of confronting the ferocious beasts indigenous to these mountains.

“Hmm? What is this… a Defensive Array?”

Ye Haochuan’s eyes instantly brightened as he directed his gaze towards several stone steles positioned outside the village perimeter.

These steles, though appearing mundane, served as the foundational anchors for the formation. The area encompassed by these steles was enveloped in the protective embrace of the Defensive Array.

Ye Haochuan finally grasped the reason behind the villagers’ audacity in settling here, despite their seemingly moderate strength; their security was evidently guaranteed by the array’s formidable power.

The large man approached the edge of the array, produced a spherical object, and made a deliberate gesture upon the Formation Barrier before guiding Ye Haochuan inside. He explained as they proceeded, “There exists an invisible aperture here; without this key, entry is impossible!”

Ye Haochuan offered a noncommittal acknowledgement and lapsed into contemplation.

If his conjecture held true, the bead possessed by the burly man was likely a Barrier Penetrating Bead, an artifact he had encountered previously within the Secret Realm.

Furthermore, this array bore a striking resemblance to the Formation Barriers safeguarding the thirty-six cities of the Secret Realm.

The sole query that eluded Ye Haochuan was the purpose of this particular array. The formations in the Secret Realm’s thirty-six cities were established to subjugate the Fog Shells and various other monstrous entities; what objective did this array serve in this remote locale?

Could it be that something of significance was also being suppressed beneath the earth?

As this thought crossed his mind, Ye Haochuan found himself drawn to gaze downwards, towards the depths beneath the ground.

To his surprise, this focused observation yielded a significant discovery. Concealed underground, precisely at the formation’s nexus, lay a treasure chest. While Ye Haochuan could not discern its exact contents, the imposing formation acting as its guardian strongly suggested that it held an item of considerable value.

Ye Haochuan’s curiosity was naturally piqued; he hadn't anticipated such an event merely by deciding to spend a night outdoors.

“Yibi has returned!” As the robust man and Ye Haochuan stepped into the village, several house doors swung open, and a few middle-aged women promptly converged on them.

“Auntie Wang, Eldest Auntie Zhu… you two are still awake?” The large man chuckled, addressing the women.

“Oh, listen to you! How could we possibly sleep soundly until we knew you were back safe and sound!” Auntie Wang replied with a smile, her gaze inevitably drawn to the massive White Tiger the man was carrying.

“Heavens above, this White Tiger is enormous! Yibi, you’ve truly become more formidable!” Eldest Auntie Zhu chimed in with admiration.

“It’s all thanks to this benefactor here; without him, there’s no way I could have vanquished this beast!” The strong man gestured towards Ye Haochuan standing beside him.

The assembled middle-aged women turned their attention to Ye Haochuan, a hint of displeasure in their voices: “Yibi, why did you bring a stranger into our village? What if he turns out to be a wicked person?”

“No, no, the benefactor is a good man!” the strong man quickly reassured them.

Auntie Wang let out a soft snort, “You can recognize a person’s face, but you can’t discern their heart. Who knows if he’s truly good or bad? It would be best to send him away before any trouble brews!”

“Esteemed Ladies and Aunties, I assure you, I am not a bad person…” Ye Haochuan responded with a genial smile.

He felt no anger toward them for their misunderstanding, recognizing it stemmed from their protective instincts for the village. It was, after all, sensible to be cautious of unfamiliar individuals appearing suddenly.

“Just because you say so doesn't make it true. Evil people don’t have ‘bad guy’ emblazoned on their foreheads!” Auntie Wang countered stubbornly.

Ye Haochuan’s brow furrowed slightly. He then said, “I am merely passing through and have no place to rest for the night. I was hoping to borrow a spot to stay. If you feel it would be an inconvenience, I am willing to offer some red crystals as compensation!”

The instant the words “red crystals” were uttered, the eyes of all the aunties and ladies present lit up with interest.

Sensing an opportunity, Ye Haochuan produced a hundred red crystals and presented them to Auntie Wang.

Auntie Wang’s demeanor shifted instantaneously. With a warm smile, she addressed Ye Haochuan, “Whatever are you saying, young man? A guest is always most welcome here; you may stay for as long as you desire!”

*My word, as soon as money enters the picture, I’m suddenly a welcome guest! How incredibly mercenary these women are!*

Ye Haochuan mused inwardly, his estimation of these women plummeting to an all-time low.