Chapter 54

The man, clearly recalling the events of that day, a lecherous smile spread across his face. He continued to talk incessantly, while Bai Tong beside him showed signs of impatience.

"Alright, don't think too much about it. Focus on what's in front of you. That girl, whoever wants her can take her!" Bai Tong said in a deep voice, securing the horses one by one before walking back.

However, halfway through, he paused, lowered his voice, and said again, "Pick the flower for me!"

After saying that, Bai Tong, ignoring the clearly surprised group, quickly entered the tavern.

Seeing the nearly empty table because the dishes hadn't been served yet, Bai Tong reached out and grabbed a large wine jar, immediately opening the lid.

"Come, come, come, what are you all looking at? Let's drink first. We're about to enter the Yangyuan Mountain, how can we not drink? Of course, don't get drunk."

As he spoke, Bai Tong carried the wine jar to Lin Yiming.

"Master Lin, once we enter the Yangyuan Mountain, we'll rely on your appraisal skills. Let me fill your cup first." Saying this, Bai Tong was about to pour wine into Lin Yiming's cup.

"Wait..." Lin Yiming raised his hand to stop Bai Tong, glanced around, and in a voice only a few nearby could hear, said softly, "We should drink, but since we're traveling, we need to be careful. Let me appraise the wine first to make sure it's safe, then we'll drink."

Lin Yiming smiled and placed the wine jar in front of him. In his previous life, he had seen many movies where people were poisoned in such remote taverns. Sitting there, he couldn't help but think of those scenes. Without appraising it, he couldn't feel at ease.

Looking at the wine jar, Lin Yiming's mental energy quickly entered it. In his mind, scenes appeared of the wine being brewed, then placed in the jar, and finally brought here.

Everything was fine.

"The wine is safe," Lin Yiming nodded at everyone.

Bai Tong's eyes subtly narrowed. This Lin Yiming was so cautious, even using his appraisal skills to check for poison. If it were someone else, they might just use a silver needle. But he couldn't appraise everything, and once he let his guard down, it would be his chance to poison them.

"By the way, Master Lin, your appraisal skills are so impressive. Don't you have any powerful friends who invite you to explore together? With your skills, you must know many powerful friends," Bai Tong said casually, filling his cup with wine and drinking while talking to Lin Yiming.

"Powerful friends..." Lin Yiming immediately thought of Zhao Yongli's mature face. Thinking of his appearance and age, he couldn't help but smile. "If you're talking about powerful friends, there is one. His name is Zhao Yongli. He hasn't invited me to explore, but he has helped me in fights."

"Zhao Yongli..." Bai Tong's face showed admiration. "So Master Lin knows Zhao Yongli. I've heard of the famous wanderer Zhao Yongli many times, but I've never had the chance to meet him. I didn't expect that Master Lin and he are friends."

While saying this, Bai Tong realized why Liu Yuliang wanted him to trick Lin Yiming out and take action. It was because Lin Yiming knew Zhao Yongli.

Zhao Yongli was a famous wanderer in the entire county, known for his sense of justice and his unfathomable strength. No one knew how powerful he truly was.

Lin Yiming knew Zhao Yongli, and from the sound of it, they had a good relationship. This time, he had to make sure his attack was fatal, and he couldn't let Lin Yiming escape. Otherwise, if Zhao Yongli came after him, he wouldn't be able to avoid it.

As Bai Tong was thinking, the diligent waiter brought a dish of top-grade Jinling beef.

"Freshly cut top-grade Jinling beef, please enjoy, honored guests." The waiter placed the beef and immediately left.

Seeing the beef, Xiao Guoguo, who seemed to be starving, didn't even pick up her chopsticks and reached out to grab it. But before her hand reached the dish, Lin Yiming's hand caught it.

"Wait, let me appraise it first, then you can eat." Lin Yiming used his appraisal skills again.

Bai Tong frowned slightly, appraising this too? Fine, I don't believe you can appraise everything. I'll wait until you get tired, then I'll poison you.

Bai Tong began to wait. As he watched, he noticed that Lin Yiming appraised every dish that came. Gradually, he became more and more impatient and frustrated.

This Lin Yiming was too cautious, actually appraising every dish. It was incredibly wasteful. Appraisal skills consumed a lot of mental energy, and only a great appraiser like Lin Yiming could afford to be so extravagant.

But at least the little girl was still eating.

Seeing the little girl asking for more steamed buns, Bai Tong couldn't understand how such a small girl could eat so much. She was eating as much as five or six grown men.

Where did Lin Yiming find such a strange girl who could eat so much? How did he manage it?

Eat, eat more, the more the better. I don't believe that even a great appraiser like Lin Yiming can keep appraising forever.

Bai Tong waved his hand happily. "Eat as much as you want. Since we invited you to help, we'll make sure you're full."

As dishes and rice were brought one by one, Bai Tong's smile grew wider, but Lin Yiming continued to appraise. Even when Xiao Guoguo patted her belly and said she was full, Lin Yiming showed no signs of fatigue.

"Xiao Guoguo, are you really full? Don't be shy. If you're not full, just say so. Uncle has money, don't worry about eating too much." Bai Tong persisted in asking Xiao Guoguo.

"Um? Sure, Xiao Guoguo isn't full yet. Xiao Guoguo wants to eat more." Xiao Guoguo shook her head and smiled at Bai Tong. This uncle was really nice; she hadn't eaten so much in a long time.

Lin Yiming watched Xiao Guoguo eating continuously and felt a bit strange. Xiao Guoguo was fine, but Bai Tong's behavior was unusual.

Why was Bai Tong encouraging Xiao Guoguo to eat more? If she kept eating, he would have to keep appraising.

Could he be trying to exhaust my mental energy?

He said he brought me here to appraise things for him, but exhausting my mental energy wouldn't benefit him.

Unless his real intention was something else, something he didn't want to reveal.

Was he trying to exhaust my mental energy to poison me later?

Lin Yiming became more cautious.

In the tavern, dishes kept coming, and Xiao Guoguo, ignoring the strange looks from others, happily continued eating.

Bai Tong was filled with anticipation. Keep eating, keep eating. I want to see how long Lin Yiming's mental energy can last.

Just as he was thinking, Xiao Guoguo's voice rang in his ear again.

"I'm done. Is there any more rice?"

"Yes, yes, of course. Eat as much as you want." Bai Tong turned to the waiter. "Bring more good dishes and meat."

The waiter, however, didn't move, his face showing a mix of regret and surprise. He smiled professionally. "Honored guests, I'm sorry, but we've run out of dishes and meat, and even the rice is all gone."

"Run out?" Bai Tong was stunned. He knew the little girl had eaten a lot, but he didn't realize how much. He had gone out a few times to relieve himself. How could this girl eat out the entire tavern?

"All gone?" Xiao Guoguo pouted, her face filled with disappointment. Her pitiful look made people want to comfort her.

"Alright, Xiao Guoguo, you're about 70-80% full. Uncle, go pay the bill." Xiao Guoguo turned to Bai Tong. She had spent a month in town with Lin Yiming and learned that eating required money. She also knew that Brother Yiming didn't have much money, so she always ate just enough to be satisfied. Today, with someone else paying, she wanted to eat her fill.

Bai Tong sighed. With no more food, it seemed he couldn't poison them this time. He would have to find another opportunity. Lin Yiming's mental energy was so strong; no wonder Master Liu wanted him dead. If he had such an opponent, he would want to eliminate him as soon as possible!

As he thought, Bai Tong walked to the waiter and habitually took out some silver, placing it in front of the waiter.

"Waiter, let's settle the bill!"

"Sir, the total is 362 taels and 98 cash." The waiter professionally reported the amount.

"What? How much? Say it again? Over 360 taels of silver? How can it be so much?" Bai Tong was shocked. Over 360 taels of silver was a significant amount for him. As a Blood Essence Transformation martial artist, he needed money to improve his strength.

He had only brought about 400 taels of silver for this trip.

"Sir, you ate all our dishes. Here's the list: 80 pounds of beef, 160 bowls of rice..."

The waiter handed the list to Bai Tong and read it out.

The more Bai Tong listened, the darker his face became. By the end, his face was as black as a pot bottom.

Over 360 taels of silver. How could that little girl eat so much? And how did Lin Yiming manage to raise such a voracious eater? Even a great appraiser couldn't afford it!

Over 360 taels of silver. He could earn that much from ten jobs.

If he could poison them, he would accept the cost, but without poisoning them, paying this much was truly frustrating!

But he couldn't avoid paying!

Any tavern at the foot of Yangyuan Mountain had powerful backing. Even if he was strong, he might not be able to match their backing.

Bai Tong gritted his teeth, took out 363 taels of silver, and handed it to the waiter.

"Thank you, sir. We hope to see you again." The waiter took the money and gave Bai Tong two copper coins from the cashier.

"Um!" Bai Tong gritted his teeth and forced out a word. If they had eaten in town, it probably wouldn't have cost more than 200 taels of silver.

But at the foot of Yangyuan Mountain, all the taverns were overpriced, and they never gave discounts. Whatever the price, you had to pay it.

Never again would he eat here!

Bai Tong took the two copper coins and left the tavern without looking back.

With so much money spent, he had less than 10 taels of silver left.

Lin Yiming followed Bai Tong, looking at his iron-gray face and secretly laughing. This time, Bai Tong had truly suffered a silent loss.

But Xiao Guoguo, following him, had truly endured hardship.

When they ate together, she only ate about one-tenth of what she did today, always trying to save money for him.

This girl, who said she was naive!

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