Chapter 442: Chapter 442: Conflict Escalates
Yuan Fei was very shrewd. He knew his relationship with Ye Xuan couldn’t compare to Master Lu Li’s, so he was already very happy to receive a ten-percent share.
Judging from the market’s reaction, that ten percent would be an absolute fortune.
Seeing that the Yuan family had agreed, Master Lu Li finally had no choice but to relent and accept the terms as well.
At this moment, the scene in front of the Profound Pill Pavilion was absolutely explosive.
Countless Martial Artists were frantically vying to purchase all sorts of Pills. The scene was so feverish it felt like it could detonate at any moment.
In a mere instant, all the Martial Artists who had been lining up at the Qin family Pharmacy had squeezed their way over to the Profound Pill Pavilion. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but a sea of bobbing heads.
The Martial Artists who had excitedly bought Pills from the Qin family Pharmacy earlier were now completely deflated.
They had spent all their money on Pills from the Qin family, leaving them with no extra funds to buy the Profound Pill Pavilion’s Pills.
Every single one of them was regretting it so much they could have kicked themselves.
"Wait, didn’t the Qin family say so? Anyone who buys Pills from them today can get an unconditional refund within three months. We can get our money back and then come buy Pills from the Profound Pill Pavilion!"
Someone in the crowd suddenly shouted this.
The eyes of those who had already bought Pills from the Qin family lit up instantly.
’What a great idea!’
"Let’s go! Get a refund!"
"Hurry! It’ll be too late if we’re slow!"
In an instant, countless Martial Artists swarmed into the Qin family Pharmacy.
"Shopkeeper, I want a refund!"
"You there! Give me a refund!"
"These fifty Pills, I don’t want a single one of them!"
"Refunds! Refunds! I want to return them all!"
Countless Martial Artists waved the Pills in their hands, yelling at the top of their lungs inside the Qin family Pharmacy.
The Qin family’s staff stared at the menacing Martial Artists, completely terrified. They had no idea what to do.
"Who said anything about returns? No refunds!"
Seeing this, Qin Yu, who was already in a foul mood, flew into a rage and barked the cold order.
"Sorry, our young master said no refunds," a few male staff members explained loudly.
"What? No refunds?"
"Your Qin family just said you offered unconditional refunds! Why are you refusing now?"
"Unacceptable! You have to give me a refund! The Qin family is committing fraud!"
"I don’t believe this! Is there no law in the Imperial Capital?"
The Martial Artists grew furious. The entire Qin family Pharmacy descended into chaos.
CRASH, CRASH!
Some of the more hot-headed Martial Artists immediately started throwing tantrums.
The Qin family had dominated the Imperial Capital for a thousand years; they weren’t to be trifled with. Seeing people messing with the shop’s property, their guards didn’t even wait for orders and charged forward menacingly.
A massive brawl erupted in the Qin family’s newly opened pharmacy.
"What’s going on here?"
Vice Commander Jia, who had been monitoring the situation from outside, rushed in at the first sign of trouble.
"Everyone, on the ground with your hands on your head!"
Vice Commander Jia, leading a hundred Celestial Dragon Guard, roared furiously.
Dozens of people lay scattered across the floor—some were customers, others were Qin family guards.
Another large group was still actively fighting.
Even after Commander Jia spoke, a group of Qin family guards actually looked like they were about to attack the Celestial Dragon Guard.
"Insolence! Are you trying to rebel?"
Vice Commander Jia bellowed, his face a ferocious mask.
A mass brawl in the distinguished market district of the Imperial Capital... The thought made Vice Commander Jia’s expression turn exceptionally grim.
What made his expression even uglier, however, was that while the Martial Artists had stopped at his shout, the Qin family guards showed no intention of doing the same.
’Lawless. Truly lawless.’
Vice Commander Jia could no longer hold back. He drew his battle saber and charged forward with the Celestial Dragon Guard.
They showed no mercy, their attacks landing squarely on the Qin family guards.
"Stop."
It was only then that the Qin family’s upper echelon finally arrived. Qin Feng, the Patriarch, descended from the air and separated the two sides.
"Patriarch Qin, can you tell me what’s going on here?" Jia Fang demanded with a cold snort, his expression furious.
"Vice Commander Jia, my apologies. Some miscreants were causing trouble in our Qin family Pharmacy earlier. Our guards were protecting our property when some accidents occurred," Patriarch Qin Feng said lightly, paying little mind to Jia Fang’s anger.
In truth, Qin Feng was also seething with rage. He never expected the grand opening of his family’s pharmacy to turn into such a mess, and he was furious.
Jia Fang’s expression did not soften in the slightest. He said coldly, "I don’t care what ’accidents’ happened here. Now, I must ask the Qin family to close this shop immediately. All those who were fighting will return with me to the Celestial Dragon Guard for punishment."
Qin Feng’s face fell. He said in a frigid tone, "Vice Commander Jia... isn’t that a bit inappropriate?"
’Having the pharmacy shut down on its opening day? Having our family guards taken away by the Celestial Dragon Guard for investigation? If word of this gets out, how will the Qin family maintain its standing in the Imperial Capital?’
"I don’t know what’s appropriate or not. As a commander of the Celestial Dragon Guard, my duty is to maintain order in the Imperial Capital. Now, I must ask Patriarch Qin to carry out my command," Jia Fang said, his tone severe and unyielding.
He was filled with a mix of anger and frustration.
The recent assassination attempt on Ye Xuan in front of the Qin family Pharmacy had already put the Celestial Dragon Guard in a very passive position, trapping them in a vortex of public opinion.
He never thought that today, on the pharmacy’s opening day, an even more serious brawl would break out.
If it were just that, he wouldn’t have said much. But Qin Feng and the other Qin family leaders were all present. With Qin Feng’s strength as a Tier Seven Martial King, stopping the fight would have been trivial. Yet, when the brawl broke out, not a single elder or person of authority from the Qin family stepped forward. They had clearly been content to just watch the show.
How could Jia Fang not be enraged by this?
The Qin family was indeed a great house, with a lofty status and immense power. But the Celestial Dragon Guard was commissioned by the royal family to maintain order in the Imperial Capital. For the Qin family to show him such disrespect was pushing things too far.
If he didn’t take a hard stance today, who would be left to uphold the dignity of the Celestial Dragon Guard in the future?
"Vice Commander Jia!" Qin Feng’s gaze turned sharp as the aura of a Tier Seven Martial King erupted from him. He said coldly, "I happen to know your Celestial Dragon Guard’s Commander Sun. I would ask that you be more accommodating, Vice Commander Jia. It’s always best to leave a way out for others so that we can meet again on good terms."
Under the pressure of Qin Feng’s aura, Jia Fang felt his blood roil in his chest.
He suddenly burst out laughing. "HAHAHA! A fine ’leave a way out so we can meet again on good terms’! Unfortunately, I, Jia Fang, don’t fall for that. Patriarch Qin Feng, I don’t care who you know. It doesn’t matter today. As long as I, Jia Fang, am here, your Qin family Pharmacy must close for inspection, and all those who were involved in the fight must return with me to the Celestial Dragon Guard."
"Patriarch Qin, I know you are powerful, and I am no match for you. But today, unless you kill me, I will not let this go! I am determined to uphold the dignity of the empire!"
Jia Fang roared, his body ramrod straight and unmoving as a mountain.
’What "leave a way out"? Did Qin Feng give him, Jia Fang, any face just now? Since the Qin family showed him no respect, why should he show any to them?’
"Well said!"
"Commander Jia said it well!"
"The Celestial Dragon Guard lives up to its name! Unafraid of the powerful—this is the true Celestial Dragon Guard!"
Hearing this, the countless Martial Artists in the Qin family Pharmacy began to cheer enthusiastically.
The Qin family’s actions had completely disappointed them and revealed their true colors.
"Patriarch Qin, what an impressive display of authority, daring to defy even the Celestial Dragon Guard."
"The Celestial Dragon Guard represents the authority of the royal family. It seems the Qin family has grown so mighty that they no longer even respect the royals."
"Heh, anyone who didn’t know better would think the Qin family was the true ruler of the Sky Empire."
The commotion in the Qin family Pharmacy naturally attracted the attention of those at the Profound Pill Pavilion. Ye Xuan, Lu Li, and the others slowly walked in, their words dripping with sarcasm.
It wasn’t just them. Even the leaders of the other three major Alchemy Dao powers, who had been watching from a distance, saw the scene clearly and walked in with cold smiles.
Vice Pavilion Master Mu En of the Royal Pill Pavilion?
Vice Chairman Xu of the Alchemist Association?
Vice Chairman Gu of the Vast Light Commerce Association?
Qin Feng’s expression changed.
’When did the people from these three major powers get here?’
Qin Feng immediately realized how thorny the situation had become.
Although his Qin family was one of the four great houses, they couldn’t act with impunity in the Imperial Capital.
And after the news of the Profound Pill Pavilion’s beauty-enhancing Pills spread, all the major powers in the Imperial Capital had come to see for themselves.
They were all dumbfounded when they saw the scene inside the Qin family Pharmacy.
They all knew that both the Qin family and the Luo family were opening pharmacies today, but wasn’t this commotion a little too much?
’Are they really about to have a full-blown fight right here in the market district?’
The Imperial Capital’s market district was the city’s commercial and economic heart; peace was paramount.
The Qin family had caused such incidents time and time again, and they had already provoked public outrage.
For a moment, both Qin Feng and Jia Fang were locked in a stalemate.
In the current situation, the Qin family absolutely could not compromise. If they did, the great house’s honor would be utterly lost, a fate even more dreadful than a business loss.
The same was true for Jia Fang. He represented the Celestial Dragon Guard, and by extension, the imperial authority. If he backed down, the prestige of the Celestial Dragon Guard would be completely destroyed.
For a time, the entire scene was eerily quiet.
Countless Martial Artists and nobles from outside the Imperial Capital watched this scene in shock.
’This is fucking awesome! A great house clashing with the Celestial Dragon Guard! This is a once-in-a-century event, and we just happened to be here to see it. What a story this will be to tell later!’
Just as the two sides were locked in their standoff...
A loud rumbling suddenly echoed from the distant street.
"It’s the Celestial Dragon Guard! So many of them have come!"
"There are so many of them! Could this be the entire force of the Imperial Capital’s Celestial Dragon Guard?"
Cries of alarm rose from the crowd outside the Qin family Pharmacy.
Squad after squad of iron-armored Celestial Dragon Guard marched in lockstep into the market district. Their armor gleamed grimly, and a murderous aura billowed from them, a tide of bloodlust like that of a thousand-strong army.
A burly man in gilded battle armor, holding a long spear and riding a tall warhorse, arrived at the entrance of the Qin family Pharmacy. His aura was extraordinary, like that of a War God. He immediately led more than a dozen imposing Martial Artists and strode inside.
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