Chapter 436: Chapter 436: Domineering Lu Li
Jia Fang gave them a cold look and said, "Everyone, I don’t care about favors or personal feelings. I only know that the Empire’s rules are the rules, and they cannot be broken at will."
"Commander Jia, quite the display of authority."
Suddenly, a voice filled with authority came from the Qin family’s shop. A middle-aged man walked out, exuding an unrivaled dominance.
Behind him followed several elders with extraordinary auras, all of them elders of the Qin family.
"Patriarch Qin."
"Patriarch Qin."
"Congratulations on the opening of your new medicine shop, Patriarch Qin."
In the Qin family’s VIP area, the invited patriarchs of prominent families and disciples from great houses all stood up one by one, greeting him enthusiastically.
"It’s Patriarch Qin Feng."
When the Martial Artists waiting for the opening learned the middle-aged man’s identity, an uproar instantly swept through them.
Qin Feng. He was the Patriarch of the Qin family, a Tier Seven Martial King, and the one in power of the great house of Qin. His reputation was thunderous.
Even the nobles and Martial Artists in the other commanderies outside the Imperial Capital knew of this figure.
Jia Fang’s gaze narrowed. Qin Feng’s status was so high that even he, a Vice Commander of the Celestial Dragon Guard, had to tread carefully.
He cupped his hands and said, "Patriarch Qin, you exaggerate. As the Vice Commander of the Celestial Dragon Guard, I am merely following the regulations. There’s no display of authority to speak of."
"So you’re Xuan Ye? Your crowd-funded auction truly was an eye-opener for me."
Qin Feng ignored Jia Fang. His gaze landed on Ye Xuan, a sharp light shooting from his eyes as a terrifying pressure spread out.
"Hehe, you’re too kind, Patriarch Qin. In fact, you should be thanking me. If I hadn’t taken pity on your Qin family, seeing how pathetic you looked, and given up on the bid in the end, it really wouldn’t have been easy for you to win the Heaven-Burning Fire Skill for a mere one hundred and sixty thousand Lower Grade Profound Stones."
Ye Xuan chuckled faintly, his expression calm and unconcerned, as if he didn’t even notice the suppression from Qin Feng’s pressure.
Qin Feng’s heart skipped a beat, and his expression grew solemn. ’This kid has some skill, to be able to stand unflinching under my pressure. That’s not something an ordinary young man can do. But I’d like to see just how long he can last.’
With a thought, Qin Feng no longer held back. The full pressure of a Tier Seven Martial King surged out fiercely.
In front of Qin Feng, many of the Celestial Dragon Guard and the Luo family members retreated in alarm. The blood and qi in many of their bodies churned, and they nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. Even Luo Min and Commander Jia grunted and couldn’t help but take a step back.
Yet Ye Xuan was like a poplar tree, standing firm and unmoving. Even his expression remained unchanged.
Qin Feng’s heart shook. Just then—
"Patriarch Qin, you really are shameless! A dignified Martial King bullying a young man. You’re a disgrace to us great houses."
A chilling sneer echoed from afar, followed by a domineering aura that instantly repelled Qin Feng’s pressure.
The Yuan family’s Patriarch, Yuan Fei, quickly approached with Yuan Zhen, Yuan An, and the others.
They were followed by many people, a lot of whom were from prominent families under the Yuan family’s banner, as well as their business partners. Most were influential figures in the Imperial Capital.
"Master Xuan Ye, I heard the Profound Pill Pavilion is opening today. My Yuan family has come specially to offer our congratulations."
Yuan Fei came before Ye Xuan and said with a smile.
The crowd of people behind him presented their gifts one after another, including a great many flower baskets and the like.
"Many thanks to Patriarch Yuan and everyone," Ye Xuan said with a faint smile.
"Haha, Master Xuan Ye, there’s no need to be so polite with my Yuan family," Supreme Elder Yuan Zhen spoke in a booming voice, glancing at Qin Feng. "Master Xuan Ye, we saw there seemed to be a situation here as we approached. Are some petty troublemakers trying to stir up problems on the Profound Pill Pavilion’s opening day?"
As expected of a Supreme Elder of the Yuan family, a man who had navigated the Imperial Capital’s landscape for decades. With just one sentence, he directly labeled the Qin family members as petty troublemakers.
Qin Feng’s face sank. Before he could speak, another group of people came rushing over.
"Master Xuan Ye, I heard the Profound Pill Pavilion is opening today. The Divine Walk Commerce Association has come specially to congratulate you."
Dongfang Zisi arrived gracefully with Dongfang Ye and the others.
In terms of status, although the Divine Walk Commerce Association’s reputation was no less than the Yuan or Qin families, in the Sky Empire, it was still not quite on par with the great houses. However, Dongfang Zisi was, after all, a genius disciple of Gale Light Academy and one of the ten beauties of the Dream Realm Plain.
Her appearance caused an even greater sensation than the arrival of the Yuan family.
"Who is this Xuan Ye? Why are both Patriarch Yuan Fei of the Yuan family and Supreme Elder Yuan Zhen calling him ’Master’?"
"I don’t know. I originally thought the Luo family opposing the Qin family was like an egg striking a stone. I never expected them to have the backing of the Yuan family and the Divine Walk Commerce Association. No wonder they dared to challenge the Qin family at the auction."
"How can a mere prominent family have such immense influence?"
In an instant, the crowd in front of the Profound Pill Pavilion swelled, and countless Martial Artists and nobles broke into fervent discussion.
But the sensation was clearly not over yet.
As if they had planned it, not long after Dongfang Zisi of the Divine Walk Commerce Association arrived, another large contingent approached.
The popularity of this group was extraordinary. Wherever they passed, countless citizens were left dumbfounded and inexplicably shocked.
"Haha, Master Xuan Ye, I’m late, I’m late! Hearing that the Profound Pill Pavilion is opening today, I, Lu Li, have brought a few of my unknown disciples from the Artifact Refining Workshop to congratulate you."
The leader was an old man with a devil-may-care expression and dark skin. Who else could it be but Lu Li?
Behind him, masters like Xuli and Li Xu were all present. The power of their combined presence was simply unparalleled.
In terms of fame, status, and identity.
Master Lu Li was absolutely a figure who stood above the four great houses.
A Martial Artist of the Sky Empire might not know how many great houses or major commerce associations there were, or even how many Princes the Empire had, but it was absolutely impossible for them not to have heard of Master Lu Li, known as the Empire’s number one Artifact Refiner.
This level of prestige was something no single faction could hope to match.
"Master Lu Li! It’s actually Master Lu Li!"
"The Empire’s number one Artifact Refiner!"
"And Master Li Xu and the others! They’re all the Empire’s most top-tier Artifact Refining Masters!"
"What kind of background could the Luo family possibly have to get the people from the Artifact Refining Workshop to grace them with their presence?"
The surrounding Martial Artists went wild, creating a commotion as if they had just seen their idols.
Even some of the prominent families in the Qin family’s VIP area grew restless and agitated.
Most people had heard that the relationship between the Artifact Refining Workshop and the Luo family was unusual, but many assumed it was just a rumor spread by the Luo family to deliberately inflate their own worth, especially since the Artifact Refining Workshop had never made any official statement.
But the scene today let them know that the close relationship between the Luo family and the Artifact Refining Workshop was even greater than the rumors suggested.
In their memory, in the decades the Artifact Refining Workshop had been established in the Imperial Capital, there had never been a shop opening that could attract Master Lu Li to personally offer his congratulations.
Even for those families who had cooperative relationships with the Artifact Refining Workshop, under most circumstances, Master Lu Li would just send a representative from among his disciples to make an appearance.
But this time, Master Lu Li and his major disciples were all present. Such a scene shook everyone to their core.
Instantly, the atmosphere in front of the Profound Pill Pavilion absolutely exploded, completely overwhelming the crowd in front of the Qin family’s shop.
"Eh? Master Xuan Ye, so many people are gathered here. Nothing’s happened, has it?" As soon as Master Lu Li arrived and saw the chaotic scene, his brow immediately furrowed.
"It’s nothing, just a small dispute. The shop across the street is also opening today, and they’ve occupied some of the street. Vice Commander Jia Fang of the Celestial Dragon Guard is handling it," Ye Xuan said with a smile.
"I see." Master Lu Li nodded and looked at the Qin family’s shop across the street, frowning. "Whose shop is opening over there? How could they do something so disgraceful? Occupying public resources for their own shop’s opening? Have they no shame? The general conduct in the Empire isn’t so great these days. The quality of the nobility is mixed, and there are many scoundrels making a foul mess of the Empire. Commander Jia, you need to manage this properly."
Master Lu Li’s fighting power today was off the charts; he directly started berating the Qin family.
Qin Feng was right there. How could he tolerate this? Moreover, for the sake of his family’s face, he couldn’t tolerate it. His expression darkened at once, and he said in a cold voice, "Master Lu Li, I respect you as a senior, but aren’t your words a bit out of line?"
"Who are you?" Master Lu Li looked at Qin Feng in confusion. "This medicine shop isn’t yours, is it? You look a little familiar. You must be a high-ranking member of some major family in the Imperial Capital. How can you be so classless? People should be more decent, you know. Don’t always resort to petty schemes. You’re full of dirty tricks."
"Also, I, Lu Li, have always spoken this way. I hate evil as I would an enemy, and I’m like this with everyone. Never mind you, I speak this way even when I see His Majesty. Are you more honorable than His Majesty himself?"
Everyone in the audience was completely dumbfounded.
Domineering. That was just too damn domineering.
In the Imperial Capital, there was absolutely no one else who dared to speak to Patriarch Qin Feng like that. Only Master Lu Li was so domineering.
Many people were even laughing inwardly. ’This Master Lu Li is too much.’
’He doesn’t recognize Patriarch Qin Feng? Not even a ghost would believe that. But by saying it like that, he completely destroyed Patriarch Qin Feng’s dignity.’
After speaking, Lu Li ignored Qin Feng and turned his gaze to the Qin family’s VIP area.
A certain group of people in the Qin family’s VIP section were suddenly on pins and needles, their eyes flickering as they shifted restlessly in their seats.
"Hou Yuan, Mu Fu, Liu Jin... you lot are certainly enjoying your leisure time. Since when did you learn to be someone’s paid guest?" Master Lu Li said in a cold voice.
These few were all from families that had business relationships with the Artifact Refining Workshop. They could be considered downstream partner families of the workshop.
Having their names called by Master Lu Li, the men jumped to their feet as if they’d been pricked by a needle. With terrified expressions, they stammered, "Master Lu Li, this... this is a misunderstanding. You’ve misunderstood, senior."
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