RISE OF THE MARTIAL GOD

Anthony secretly watched the intruders as they circled them. After a while, they went back, probably to organize their attack.

"Young master, where did you get so much money? You're not engaged in illegal…"

Miao Miao hit Tong Tong, cutting off her speech. Anthony saw her warn the latter with a wink, telling her with her eyes not to provoke him.

"Why? Are you afraid that I will sell you girls in the slave market and use you to replenish my ill gotten wealth?" He asked with a mischievous smirk, relaxing lazily against a tree.

The two girls shuddered and hugged themselves, as if that would protect them from his evil devices.

Anthony who was enjoying their discomfort continued to tease them.

"It's understandable that you're afraid, as you should be. After all, you girls are young, pretty, sexy and innocent, just the type those lewd old men like. Let's see, how much can selling you off fetch me? At least the three of you could get a combined price of five hundred silver coins. It's not much, and I will still suffer a loss. But half bread is better than none. You should eat well, no one would want to buy you if you're too skinny."

"Young master, you jest." Xinglan said trying to defuse the situation.

"I'm not. I'm very serious. Aren't you curious about how I got my wealth? It's from luring innocent gullible girls like you and selling them at the slave market." Anthony replied, shaking his legs leisurely as he watched their discomfort.

Tong Tong suddenly smiled.

"So which slave market have you been to? Where do you intend to sell us?"

The question threw Anthony off guard, but he quickly regained control.

"Who knows? Hong Chuan will do just fine."

Tong Tong chuckled.

"There's no slave market in Hong Chuan. Didn't you say you have been in the business of human trafficking for a long time? How come you don't even know this simple fact?"

He shrugged. "Well, I can always find new market since the one in Hong Chuan is no more."

Xinglan chuckled.

"Young master, your attempt at scaring us only made you look more ridiculous and hilarious. Stop fibbing."

"Tong Tong, the fish is burning." Miao Miao shouted in horror, making everyone's attention return to the fireplace where the last batch of fishes were placed to grill.

"My goodness, oh god." Tong Tong screamed as she tried to pick it off the fire.

The hotness scalded her fingers making her shout and dance. Unable to bear it anymore, she dropped it inside an empty tray beside the fire place. Xinglan pulled out the remaining sticks of fishes and threw them into the tray while Miao Miao who was about to help Tong Tong screamed, quickly jumping back to avoid the hot fish.

She pulled the tray away from Xinglan and Tong Tong who were rolling around with their scalded fingers. Xinglan held it in better, but Tong Tong's mouth was open in a silent scream, making a pitiful crying face.

Anthony shook his head in exasperation as he watched the clowns before him.

"How stupid!" He muttered under his breath. "Hey! Tong Tong, you better not knock down that pot of soup behind you. If you want to jump, go to the river and jump in. Don't ruin my dinner tonight."

His words had Tong Tong stopping and looking back. She immediately stepped aside, avoiding the pot which she nearly knocked over.

"Truly stupid." Anthony mumbled again.

"Hey, you. Won't you girls wash your hands and serve dinner? Are we going to starve?"

They apologized and quickly shared the food. He looked at the feast before him and smiled. The aromas were to die for, and the girls made sure to serve it in such a way that it looked appetizing. He took a sip of the beef bone soup and nodded. Indeed, it tastes incredibly delicious.

"With your skills, it will be a waste not to open a restaurant." Anthony said gleefully as he finished the broth in one gulp.

"I don't cook that well." Miao Miao muttered, blushing as she adjusted her hair.

"I was not talking to you. Of course you don't cook that well." He added bluntly, making the smile on her face to disappear.

Xinglan smiled and covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing loudly. As always, Anthony was ruthlessly blunt and unapologetic when sharing his thoughts.

"Miao Miao was the one who made the soup."

"I know, with Tong Tong's help. She came in a few times to throw in this and that to adjust the taste." He smirked, looking at the two confused girls. "Don't you agree? Miao Miao."

Miao Miao pouted and lowered her head, not daring to argue with him. Anthony shook his head. If Tong Tong didn't control the soup it would have been either bland, salty, or overcooked. Yet the pampered princess dared to steal credits before him. She couldn't possibly had thought that she was the one who made it turn out well, right? The other two might praise her and sugarcoat words, but Anthony had no such inclination.

Besides, why make her smile when she can squirm instead?

Soon, Anthony cleared off the dishes on his plates. While he attended to Tong Tong's injuries the other two washed up and tidied the camp.

The thieves sneaking around came again to check and saw the girls already sleeping, while Anthony sat cross legged, cultivating right beside them on a different blanket.

Anthony seemed engrossed in his deep cultivation, not noticing anything, making the intruders even bolder. They threw a huge quantity of sleeping powder all over Anthony, then the girls.

Within a few minutes, Anthony's head drooped while still sitting down, showing that the sleeping powders had set in. At once, the thieves struck, jumping out of their hiding places.

One slapped Anthony hard across the face.

"Powerful young master, my ass. Didn't you still fall into my grasp?"

"Wow, these girls are really pretty." Another muttered as he chained up the sleeping girls who were rendered immobile by the powder.

"Search the girls for treasures and storage rings. As for the man, we will rob and kill him. Otherwise, he might come for retaliation." Their leader barked out orders in a low voice, while the rest hurried to obey.

"My world. These girls are so pretty. It will be a waste not to play a bit before we sell them."

"Her boobs are soft." One of the thieves muttered, squeezing Xinglan's boobs.

"How do you think that down part will be like?"

"Although she dresses like a warrior, you can be assured that she would be sweet. Her type is the one with addictive body hiding beneath a cold exterior."

"Only one way to find out, undress her and find out. After all, in the slave market, they will be stripped totally naked for buyers to see. Nothing wrong with us having a bit of fun." The moment he finished speaking, Anthony opened his eyes, smirking wickedly.

"Before you touch my girls, shouldn't you ask I their young master for permission?" He drawled lazily, and the one who was undressing her found a sword at his neck, making them gasp in shock and horror.