Tang San took the healing pill, sat cross-legged on the floor, and began to circulate his Mysterious Heaven Skill to recover from his internal injuries.
After confirming that Tang San was alright, Lin Mu looked around.
Inside the inn, most of the tables and chairs were crushed into wood chips and dust, scattered everywhere. The walls bore charred marks from the Phoenix Fire Wire, as well as cracks and dents caused by Zhao Wuji's gravity manipulation.
Especially where Zhao Wuji had just been slammed into the ground, the floor had completely shattered and collapsed, forming a conspicuous shallow pit.
The innkeeper and several waiters were hiding behind the counter, trembling. They were heartbroken by the destruction of their livelihood, yet too afraid to ask for compensation from these powerful Soul Masters.
Lin Mu's face was calm, but his eyes revealed a cold glint. His gaze swept over the ruins, finally landing on Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun.
The two were already terrified, afraid of being targeted by this senior who was suspected to be a Titled Douluo.
Under Dean Flender's tutelage, they remembered the school's unofficial rule that "A Soul Master who doesn't dare to cause trouble is a mediocre," implying that one should be bold. But they never expected to kick a hornet's nest like this today.
No, this wasn't a hornet's nest; it was a solid diamond plate.
On this continent, the strong are respected above all else. Since they were the ones who started the trouble, even if this senior were to kill them right here, it would be justifiable in the eyes of the Soul Master world.
"Senior..."
Dai Mubai's throat was dry as he struggled to speak. He tried to maintain the last shred of his dignity as a prince, but his voice trembled uncontrollably, betraying his inner fear.
Ma Hongjun shrank back even further, wishing he could hide his bulky body completely behind Dai Mubai.
Lin Mu slowly stepped forward, standing directly in front of Dai Mubai. His voice was completely calm. "Tell me, how should I deal with you?"
Hearing this, Dai Mubai's heart pounded in his chest. His brain raced, trying to find the perfect excuse or apology.
Only now did he realize that the Soul Masters he had bullied before were all weaker than them, so he hadn't considered the consequences and simply crushed them with his strength. He hadn't expected the tables to turn so drastically.
Just as Dai Mubai's brain was about to explode from panic, Ma Hongjun spoke up from behind him.
"Senior, please be magnanimous and let us go. We were wrong!"
Dai Mubai's eyes widened, and he felt a sudden urge to turn around and slap Ma Hongjun. 'How can I have such a useless classmate?'
In this situation, the best outcome was to pay some price to appease this senior's anger. But this fool actually wanted to get away with a simple "let us go"? There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
Now, there was probably no chance for a simple reconciliation.
"Did I give you permission to speak?!"
Lin Mu's eyes narrowed, and his aura instantly surged, crashing down on Ma Hongjun like a collapsing mountain.
Thud!
Ma Hongjun's bulky body fell heavily to the ground under the pressure. Although he was a Great Soul Master, under the focused suppression of a Soul Saint's aura, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. His face was filled with terror.
"Senior, spare my life! I know I was wrong!"
Seeing Ma Hongjun's miserable state, Dai Mubai felt a strange, grim sense of satisfaction. 'This fool deserved it for opening his mouth.'
"Senior, we are willing to compensate for all damages!"
Dai Mubai dared not slacken in the slightest, fearing he would suffer the same fate as Ma Hongjun. He spoke quickly.
"You attacked first this time, so you are fully responsible for the losses of this inn, as well as the mental shock suffered by the owner. You two are responsible for compensating him with one thousand Gold Soul Coins."
Lin Mu said this without leaving any room for argument.
As the saying goes, "When gods fight, mortals suffer." This inn owner suffered this undeserved disaster because of their conflict and should be compensated.
However, Lin Mu certainly wouldn't pay out of his own pocket. The debt should be paid by the instigators: Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun.
"One thousand Gold Soul Coins?"
Ma Hongjun spat out another mouthful of blood. His once chubby, rosy face was now completely bloodless, and he almost fainted from the pain and shock.
One thousand Gold Soul Coins was enough for him to visit the high-end brothels in Soto City countless times. It was a fortune!
Dai Mubai's expression was also very unpleasant. Although he was the Third Prince of the Star Luo Empire, he had escaped his family and did not have access to the royal treasury. A thousand Gold Soul Coins was a considerable amount, even for him.
"Senior, isn't this a bit too much? Even if you bought the entire inn, it's not worth a thousand Gold Soul Coins."
"Is that so?"
Lin Mu's eyes turned slightly cold. He suddenly clenched his fist, the air around it distorting slightly. "Then let's keep it simple and brutal. As long as you can take one punch from me, whether you live or die, this thousand Gold Soul Coins will be waived."
Dai Mubai immediately shut his mouth, his face turning from white to green.
What a joke!
With this senior's ruthless methods, even Vice Dean Zhao Wuji, a specialized defensive Soul Saint, was sent flying by a single punch and was still lying in a crater.
With his small Soul Elder body, let alone saving his money, he would probably be smashed into mincemeat on the spot.
"We're willing to pay! We're willing to pay immediately."
Dai Mubai gritted his teeth. In this situation, he could only choose to pay to avoid being crippled or killed.
He immediately took out a heavy money bag from his storage soul tool and handed it to Lin Mu with trembling hands.
Although Lin Mu said that the two of them would pay together, Ma Hongjun only had the meager Soul Master subsidy as his source of income, and he squandered it all on women and food. He didn't have a copper coin on him. Dai Mubai had to foot the bill alone.
Lin Mu took the money bag but didn't put it into his own storage bracelet.
Instead, he tossed it directly to the cowering innkeeper behind the counter.
The innkeeper was both surprised and delighted to see the heavy bag flying towards him. He quickly caught it. Although the inn was badly damaged, the repair costs would be at most three or four hundred Gold Soul Coins. This meant he had more than doubled his investment in a single night.
"Thank you! Thank you so much, Lord Soul Master!"
The innkeeper thanked Lin Mu profusely, bowing repeatedly. Compared to other arrogant Soul Masters who would destroy property and leave without a word, this Soul Master was truly a kind and just person.
Seeing this, Dai Mubai felt a sharp pain in his chest, not physical, but financial.
'I was the one who paid the money!'
But that wasn't important now. Getting away as quickly as possible was crucial; every second spent here increased the risk.
"Senior, the money has been paid. Can we leave now?" Dai Mubai asked tentatively.
Lin Mu pointed to Tang San behind him and said in an icy tone, "You think you can leave before paying for my disciple's medical bills?"
Hearing this, Dai Mubai's heart skipped a beat. Sure enough, things weren't that simple.
Having just taken out a thousand Gold Soul Coins, and now having to pay for medical expenses on top of that... he was overwhelmed with regret.
If he had known this would happen, he would never have bothered a stranger over a girl.
"Senior... how much do you need?"
"Not much. Ten times what you just paid."
"Ten times?!"
Dai Mubai was dumbfounded. Ten times meant ten thousand Gold Soul Coins, he couldn't come up with that much gold even if he emptied his entire storage device.
Besides, they were currently in a remote town near the Star Dou Great Forest; even if he wanted to contact his family or sell assets, it would be impossible to do so quickly.
"Senior, I don't have that much money on me right now. Could I... owe you some?"
Dai Mubai had no other choice but to beg.
"No money? Don't you know how to borrow from someone?"
Lin Mu frowned slightly. His gaze fell on the three people standing at the door: Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing.
The three of them showed no intention of helping. Of course, they probably wouldn't dare to intervene.
Oscar and Ning Rongrong were both Auxiliary-type Soul Masters; Lin Mu could slap them into oblivion with one blow. Zhu Zhuqing was an Agility Attack type, but the gap in power was insurmountable.