“I didn’t steal them,” Kai replied, his voice steady but firm. “These hides are from creatures I hunted myself. I put in the effort to process them properly.” He met Sato's gaze, refusing to back down, even as the other man's smile turned predatory.

  Sato chuckled softly, a sound that sent a chill down Kai's spine. “Oh, do you really expect me to believe that? A mongrel like you acquiring so much fine leather? No, you clearly stole this. As such, I will confiscate it, as the city lord will require me to turn over any stolen goods that merchants come across.” His voice dripped with a smarmy condescension, each word laced with a sense of superiority that made Kai's blood boil.

  Kai's heart raced as he quickly pieced together Sato's intentions. It was painfully obvious that Sato was attempting to steal his hard-earned leathers, using the convenient excuse of theft to justify his actions. The thought of being extorted like this angered him.

  As he glanced around the dimly lit tent , Kai's mind raced with the implications of Sato's threat. He had witnessed the brutality of the people of in Wuyuan City firsthand—the way they had mercilessly murdered a refugee in broad daylight, their actions met with indifference by the guards. The people of Wuyuan City seemed to harbor a deep-seated disdain for the refugees, viewing them as little more than pests to be eradicated. Kai knew that, in the eyes of the law, he was nothing more than a faceless outsider, something not worth consideration to officials here.

  Sato's smirk widened as he noticed Kai in deep thought. “You see, my friend, the city lord has little patience for the likes of you. A refugee, trying to pass off stolen goods as your own? It’s a sad tale, really, but one that won’t earn you any sympathy here.” He leaned in closer. “You should consider yourself fortunate that I’m willing to be so generous. Hand over the leathers, and I might just let you walk away with your life.”

  Kai considered his options, weighing the potential outcomes with a heavy heart. He knew that between Sato and his guard, they didn’t stand a chance against him. As a cultivator, even a low-ranking one, he possessed abilities that could easily overpower two mere mortals. He could break every bone in Sato’s body, seize the map, and escape without a second thought. But the thought of resorting to violence filled him with apprehension.

  He had resolved to leave that brutal world of cultivation behind when he arrived in Zan. He had witnessed too much cruelty and injustice during his time at the Ember Sword sect, where cultivators tormented mortals without a second thought and backstab each other. Kai had vowed to himself that he would never become like them. He would not let anger dictate his actions, nor would he allow himself to become a monster.

  With that conviction in mind, Kai felt he was left with only one option: to try and resolve this peacefully, even if it meant swallowing his pride.

  In a moment, he dropped to his knees in front of Sato. “Please! Let us go! I didn’t steal these leathers!” His voice trembled, he poured every ounce of fake sincerity into his plea, hoping to appeal to whatever humanity might still linger within the corrupt merchant.

  Watching from the sidelines, the child Lu Bu’s eyes widened in disbelief. He had admired Kai, seeing him as a figure of strength and resilience. But now, witnessing the cultivator groveling before Sato, Bu felt a surge of confusion and anger. Why was Kai, someone who could easily overpower this man, begging for mercy? Lu Bu had seen Kai do impossible physical feats and felt like he could handle Sato if he wanted to. It was a sight that twisted Bu’s stomach, and he could feel the heat of rage boiling within him, directed squarely at Sato for forcing Kai into such a humiliating position.

  Sato wore a smug smile, his eyes glinting with satisfaction as he surveyed the scene before him. “Seems like you finally understand your place,” he said, his voice dripping with condescension, clearly pleased by Kai’s display of submission.

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  “I just want a better life for me and this child,” Kai fake pleaded, his voice pretending to tremble with emotion. “Please, have mercy on us. Just let me look at that map, and I promise you’ll never see me again.” He tried to project the image of a humble refugee onto himself, hoping to evoke even a shred of compassion from the merciless merchant.

  Sato’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he reached into a nearby crate, pulling out a weathered scroll that crackled with age. “You want a peek at this?” he teased, holding the map of Zan tantalizingly close, as if it were a prize just out of reach.

  Kai looked up at Sato, his gaze fixated on the scroll. “Please,” he urged, continuing the act of submission to Sato. “Just let me see it for a moment.”

  Sato’s smile widened, a predatory gleam in his eyes. “If you want a peek, kiss my shoes,” he said, sticking his foot out in a mocking gesture, the leather of his boot gleaming in the dim light.

  Reluctantly, Kai leaned forward, pressing his lips against the cold, unyielding leather of Sato’s shoe. The act was degrading, but he needed to see that map.

  Sato laughed, a cruel, mocking sound that echoed in the small workshop. The corrupt merchant seemed to derive a sick enjoyment from tormenting those he deemed beneath him, relishing the power he held over Kai.

  “What a good dog you are,” Sato sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. “No, calling you a dog is too generous. Make sure you don’t blink.” The mockery in his tone was palpable.

  With a swift motion, Sato unfolded the map, flashing it in front of Kai’s eyes like a magician revealing a trick. But the display was so quick, so deliberately teasing, that Kai barely had time to register any details before Sato rolled it back up, a satisfied smirk plastered across his face. The only thing Kai could confirm from the quick glance was that the map was real.

  “There you have it,” Sato said, his voice laced with mock triumph. “Now get out of here before I report you to the guard for stealing.” The threat hung in the air.

  Kai cast his gaze downward, calm and calculating, his voice barely a whisper as he mumbled something unintelligible.

  Sato’s irritation flared at the sight of Kai not gathering himself too quickly. With a dismissive wave of his hand, he gestured to the guard, his tone sharp and commanding. “Remove this wretch from my presence,” he ordered, impatience lacing his words.

  The guard strode over to Kai, his expression a mix of disdain and authority. Without hesitation, he delivered a swift kick to Kai’s side. The impact wasn’t particularly strong, thanks to Kai’s cultivation, but he played along, throwing himself to the side and grunting as if the blow had caused him significant pain.

  “Uncle Kai!” Lu Bu shouted, his voice filled with concern and urgency. He believed wholeheartedly in Kai’s act, convinced that he was genuinely being hurt by Sato’s guard.

  For a brief moment, the guard paused, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. He sensed something was off about the way Kai reacted to his kick. The guard’s instincts prickled, but he quickly dismissed the feeling, attributing it to the desperation of a man caught in a humiliating situation.

  Ignoring the nagging doubt in his mind, the guard seized Kai by the collar of his clothing, yanking him to his feet with a rough tug. “Enough of this nonsense,” he growled, dragging Kai toward the entrance of the tent. With a swift motion, he flung the flap open and tossed Kai out into the open air, the sudden brightness of the outside world temportly blinging him.

  As Kai stumbled forward, Bu burst out of the tent behind him, his small frame darting into the sunlight. “Uncle Kai!” the child called out, his voice filled with urgency and concern. He rushed to Kai’s side, his eyes wide with worry. “Are you okay?”

  Kai straightened himself, brushing off the dirt and trying to regain his composure. “I’m fine, Lu Bu,” he replied, forcing a reassuring smile. “Just a little bump in the road.”

  As he glanced back at the tent, the weight of Sato’s mockery hung heavily in the air. It hadn’t gone as he had hoped, but at least he had confirmed that the map Sato possessed was genuine. With a resigned sigh, Kai turned away from the tent and reached for Lu Bu’s hand, his grip firm yet reassuring.

  “Come on, let’s go,” Kai said, his voice steady.

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