Chen Family

As Chen Kun left that gloomy teahouse filled with Killing Intent and the pain of parting with money, a gaunt figure watched it all silently from the shadows of an alley diagonally across from Li's Pill Pavilion.

It was none other than Zhang Gui.

Zhang Gui watched Chen Kun storm into the teahouse's rear courtyard, then watched him emerge shortly afterward with a dark expression and hurry away. A complicated smile slowly spread across his wrinkled old face, mingling delight, venom, and schadenfreude.

"Heh... hehehe..." Zhang Gui chuckled softly, his voice hoarse as a night owl's. "Chen Kun, Chen Kun, so you have this day too! Hit a wall, did you? Got put in your place, did you? You've been arrogant and overbearing all these days, monopolizing the market and squeezing us Rogue Cultivator alchemists dry! Serves you right!"

Excited light flickered in Zhang Gui's cloudy eyes, as though he had witnessed something immensely pleasing. "Li's Pill Pavilion... Li Chengjie... hehe, good, wonderful! That kid surnamed Li really is a greenhorn. He actually dared to stand up to Chen Kun head-on! Now this will be quite a show!"

As an old alchemist who had scraped by in Qingshi Market for decades, Zhang Gui knew the Rules and filth of the inner-circle pill trade better than anyone.

Li Chengjie's sale of decent-quality pills at such low prices had hurt no one's business more than Chen Kun's Hundred Herbs Hall—and next in line was a bottom-tier alchemist like Zhang Gui, who could barely make a living off his meager skills and low prices.

Li Chengjie's pills offered far too much value for their price, directly luring away over half of Zhang Gui's already pitiful customer base.

By all rights, he should have hated Li Chengjie to the bone.

Yet at this moment, Zhang Gui harbored little hatred for Li Chengjie. Instead, he was filled with a twisted sense of satisfaction.

Because Li Chengjie's existence had dealt a brutal blow to the people Zhang Gui hated even more—Chen Kun and the Chen Family behind him!

"Fight, then! Make trouble! Better yet, tear each other apart in Mutual Destruction!" Zhang Gui thought viciously. "That bastard Chen Kun must be going to the Black Snake Gang to find help. With that petty, vengeful nature of his, he'll never tolerate that kid surnamed Li. Hehe, once those killers from the Wu Han Gang make their move, Li Chengjie probably won't live to see tomorrow's sun!"

Zhang Gui had no intention whatsoever of warning Li Chengjie.

He wished nothing more than for Li Chengjie to die at once, body and soul extinguished!

On one hand, Li Chengjie's death might ease the pressure on Zhang Gui's business somewhat.

On the other hand—and more importantly—he would be delighted to see Chen Kun get blood on his hands and invite trouble, even if it was only potential trouble.

If Li Chengjie's death could draw even the slightest investigation from the Flowing Cloud Sect and give Chen Kun a headache, Zhang Gui would laugh himself awake under his covers.

"Three Ninth Levels of Qi Refining... hmph, what imposing prestige!" Thinking of the Chen Family's power, a trace of fear flashed across Zhang Gui's face, though it was overshadowed by resentment accumulated over the years. "If your Chen Family hadn't hogged the resources and driven prices up, how would I, Zhang Gui, have fallen so low!"

Zhang Gui knew full well how terrifying the Chen Family was. It was a Qi Refining clan that had entrenched itself in Qingshi Market for generations. The three Ninth Levels of Qi Refining within the clan were like three great mountains, crushing Rogue Cultivators without any backing until they could barely breathe.

Chen Kun was merely a vicious dog of the Chen Family, but before beating a dog, one had to consider its master. In the past, no one had dared to truly provoke him.

Now, this kid Li Chengjie, who had appeared from who knew where, feared nothing because he knew nothing and had charged straight into the fray.

In Zhang Gui's eyes, this was simply courting death—but it was also the first direct challenge to the Chen Family he had been happy to see.

"Good if he dies. Cleaner that way." Zhang Gui muttered to himself, a chilly smile on his face. "Once you're dead, perhaps this old man can pick up a few bargains from your shop... or watch how that bastard Chen Kun cleans up the mess."

Zhang Gui cast one last sinister glance at Li's Pill Pavilion, whose doors had already closed. It was as though he could already see it awash in blood and reduced to a complete mess by tomorrow. Only then did he shrink back into the depths of the shadows and leave without a sound.

Zhang Gui was going to make his preparations and wait to watch the grand show he had long anticipated.

Inside the shop, Li Chengjie knew nothing of this.

After seeing off the last few customers, Li Chengjie shut the doors tightly and activated the simple warning and Soundproofing Restriction.

Silence returned to the shop, broken only by the faint warmth left behind by the earth fire.

Behind the counter, Li Chengjie tapped the countertop unconsciously with his fingers, his brow faintly furrowed as Chen Kun's undisguised, vicious gaze and threatening words replayed in his mind.

"Just you wait..." Li Chengjie repeated the three words softly, his eyes gradually turning cold.

Li Chengjie knew Chen Kun would never let this go. Since commercial competition could not crush him, the next move would likely be something far more underhanded.

But Li Chengjie did not know that the other party's intent to kill was so decisive, nor that he would act so swiftly.

Based on ordinary reasoning, Li Chengjie had only assumed Chen Kun would suppress him in the days to come. He had never imagined that the man would hire killers to murder him.

The shop door was gently pushed open, and a young man and woman dressed in the robes of Flowing Cloud Sect Inner Disciples entered.

The man appeared to be in his early twenties. His features were handsome, but an unshakable arrogance lingered between his brows. The woman was somewhat younger, with delicate, beautiful features and clear eyes, and she curiously looked around the shop.

Junior Sister Lin picked up a bottle of Harmony Qi Pills from the counter, opened it, and sniffed it. Her eyes immediately lit up. "Senior Brother, smell this! The Spiritual Energy in these pills is so pure, and they seem to have even fewer impurities than the ones we receive from the sect's pill chamber!"

Senior Brother Wang glanced at it, the corners of his lips curling downward in disdain. "Hmph. How good can pills refined by Rogue Cultivators out in the market possibly be? They're nothing but flashy tricks to draw attention. Pure Spiritual Energy? They must have added some ingredient we don't know about. The short-term effects may be acceptable, but prolonged use could do more harm than good. Junior Sister, don't let appearances fool you."

Li Chengjie's brow creased almost imperceptibly at those words, but he still cupped his hands politely. "It is an honor for this humble shop to receive two distinguished disciples of the Flowing Cloud Sect. These Harmony Qi Pills were refined strictly according to an ancient formula. There are absolutely no harmful additives. As for their quality, one need only try them to know."

Junior Sister Lin seemed not to hear the barb in Senior Brother Wang's words and remained eager. "Really? Shopkeeper, how much are these pills? I think they're better than the batch Senior Brother Wang refined for me last time..."

Senior Brother Wang's face darkened instantly, and he cut her off. "Junior Sister Lin! Watch your words! The pills I refine come from our master's true teachings. How can they be compared to such wild and unorthodox methods?"

He turned to Li Chengjie, his gaze becoming sharp and oppressive.

Senior Brother Wang said, "Your name is Li Chengjie? I hear you're an External Alchemist. Let me warn you: some things cannot be said carelessly, and some pills cannot be refined carelessly! If you mislead Flowing Cloud Sect disciples, can you bear the responsibility?"

Li Chengjie remained calm. "I merely spoke truthfully and have never misled anyone. The quality of the pills will naturally be judged by the public. If this junior sister finds my pills acceptable, that is also my honor."

It was as if Senior Brother Wang had had his tail stepped on, and his voice rose. "An honor? I think you simply don't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth! An external hire who luckily refined a few pills fit for consumption, and you really think you can walk into the grand hall? The Flowing Cloud Sect's pill dao is vast and profound. How dare you pass judgment on it?!"

Junior Sister Lin anxiously tugged at her senior brother's sleeve. "Senior Brother Wang, don't be like this... Alchemist Li didn't say anything."

Senior Brother Wang flung off her hand, his anger growing even fiercer. "Didn't say anything? He's fishing for fame! He's using such lowly methods to attract attention and slander the reputation of our sect's alchemists! Junior Sister Lin, you're young and don't understand the treachery of people's hearts! Rogue Cultivators like this are best at playing such petty tricks!"

Li Chengjie's eyes slowly turned cold. "Your words are far too arbitrary. I make my living by my craft, and the market will judge the quality of my pills. If you believe my pills are worthless, then simply do not buy them. Why be so aggressive here and wound others with your words?"

Senior Brother Wang stepped forward until he was nearly face-to-face with Li Chengjie. Lowering his voice, he spoke in a grim tone. "Li Chengjie, listen well! Put away that act of yours! Don't let me hear any more of that nonsense about your pills being better than mine! Otherwise... whether you're an external hire or not, I, Wang Zhen, have plenty of ways to make sure you can't survive in the inner circle! Remember this: there are some people a Rogue Cultivator like you cannot afford to provoke!"

Junior Sister Lin cried out, "Senior Brother Wang!"

Wang Zhen shot Li Chengjie a vicious glare, then abruptly turned around. "We're leaving! You are not allowed to come to a place like this again!"