Zeng Fan and the others looked over. It was the woman with whom they had clashed while buying medicinal herbs earlier. A man stood beside her, his expression calm as he looked at the four of them, as if they could not stir the slightest interest in him.
The girl was clutching the man's hand and shaking it back and forth, her face pitiful as she coquettishly pleaded with him, "Big Brother! It's them! I already paid, but these people snatched my herbs away! I searched for that Spirit Grass for ages before I finally found it. You have to stand up for me!"
Only then did the man's bland expression gradually change after hearing Yang Ling's words. A trace of a smile appeared on his face. "Don't worry. Big Brother will stand up for you."
Turning to look at Zeng Fan and the others, the man slowly said, "Fellow junior brothers and sisters, my name is Yang Huang. I know my sister's personality somewhat, so there may be some discrepancy from the facts. However, my younger sister truly needs this herb to cultivate her technique. I'm willing to buy it for twice the price. How about it?"
"Your sister was openly robbing us just now, and now she's actually turning the truth upside down! We wouldn't sell it even for ten times the price!" Yuan Jin spoke from the side with a hint of sarcasm.
He was about to say more when Zeng Fan reached out and stopped Yuan Jin. "Although his sister was indeed being unreasonable, her brother has been fairly courteous. There's no need to keep making an issue of it."
"Senior Brother, this herb is also very useful to me. Please look elsewhere. I hope your younger sister succeeds in cultivating her technique soon." Zeng Fan cupped his fists politely toward Yang Huang.
As soon as Yang Ling heard this, an anxious look surfaced on her face, and she was about to speak. After all, she had searched for so long and had only just managed to find it. Who knew how long she would have to wait for the next opportunity? Just as she opened her mouth, Yang Huang had already patted her shoulder. He then turned around and said to Zeng Fan, "What if I insist on buying it, junior brother?" He bit down especially hard on the words "junior brother."
Zeng Fan narrowed his eyes. It seemed he had misjudged him. This fellow wasn't so courteous after all.
"What does 'insist on buying it' mean, senior brother?" The smile vanished from Zeng Fan's face as well. Since conflict was unavoidable, there was no need to keep being polite.
Yang Huang's expression remained calm. "Junior brother, in this world, might makes right. Hand me the Spirit Grass!"
The cultivation Yang Huang possessed fully erupted. Streams of Spiritual Energy surged from his body, gradually enveloping him from head to toe.
"Spiritual Energy released externally! The Spirit Gathering Realm!" Murong Xue said in a low voice. "The Body Tempering Realm uses spiritual energy to alter the body, transforming it into a place suitable for storing spiritual energy. By the Spirit Gathering Realm, the body has been completely transformed. The bones, blood, tendons, and membranes no longer absorb it; instead, spiritual energy is converted into Spiritual Energy within the body and stored there. The clearest sign is the external release of Spiritual Energy."
"Senior Brother, there are people from the Enforcement Hall in the city. Are you sure you want to make a move?" Zeng Fan asked Yang Huang impassively.
"I don't think you can hold out against me until the Enforcement Hall arrives. I merely injured a junior brother by accident during a spar. I will naturally provide appropriate compensation. We're all disciples of the same sect; the Enforcement Hall won't make too much of it." Yang Huang answered calmly. Having understood Zeng Fan and the others' attitude, he decided to take the item first rather than waste his breath. With a movement of his body, he charged straight at Zeng Fan.
Watching Yang Huang rush toward him, Zeng Fan wore a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. Yang Huang vaguely sensed that something was strange. Something's wrong! Finish this quickly! The Spiritual Energy around Yang Huang grew even denser as he swiftly charged toward Zeng Fan.
Just as Yang Huang's palm was about to touch Zeng Fan, a fist wrapped in Spiritual Energy came crashing viciously toward Yang Huang's head.
"What?!" The faint sting on his scalp told Yang Huang that if this punch landed on his head, he would suffer at least a serious injury. He had no choice but to change direction. The palm originally aimed at Zeng Fan collided with the incoming fist.
At the instant of impact, Yang Huang's expression changed. He couldn't withstand the force surging from the opposing fist. He barely managed to protect his head, but the punch sent him flying backward.
"Big Brother! Are you all right?"
Yang Ling cried out, her voice carrying a hint of sobbing, and hurried toward Yang Huang.
By the time Yang Ling reached Yang Huang, he had already halted his momentum. His expression ugly, he stared at the figure standing in front of Zeng Fan. The figure wore distinctive clothing: his entire robe was a dark black, and a character meaning "enforcement" had been embroidered over his chest in blood-red thread, giving him a somewhat cold-blooded air.
"A peak Spirit Gathering Realm Enforcement Disciple? Damn it—when did he get here?" Yang Huang gritted his teeth. With an Enforcement Disciple present, making another move would amount to scorning the sect's laws. He could not bear that charge.
"Fighting is forbidden within the city. Don't you know that? As a sect disciple, you knowingly violated the law. Come with us." The Enforcement Hall disciple glanced at Yang Huang and spoke coldly.
"Senior Brother, you've misunderstood. I only wanted to spar with a few junior brothers. I didn't violate any rules." Yang Huang knew that he could no longer obtain the Spirit Grass. The most important thing now was to get past the Enforcement Disciple's questioning.
"I only wanted to come out shopping with Big Sis Murong as an ordinary Earth Vein genius disciple and keep a low profile. I never expected someone wouldn't let me." A voice rang out. Yang Huang turned his head and saw that it was actually the youngest disciple among the four.
He slowly took a magic orb from his Storage Ring and lightly tapped it. A scene, complete with sound, appeared before everyone.
"I don't think you can hold out against me until the Enforcement Hall arrives. I merely injured a junior brother by accident during a spar. I will naturally provide appropriate compensation. We're all disciples of the same sect; the Enforcement Hall won't make too much of it." Yang Huang's face turned completely black.
"Do you have anything else to say? If not, come with us to the Enforcement Hall. And that female disciple beside you—she maliciously slandered a fellow disciple, so she has to come too. I advise you not to think about resisting." The Enforcement Disciple in the black robe spoke coldly, a hint of threat already lacing his voice.
Yang Huang shook his head. He understood that he had no strength to resist at all. Might made right. He knew he would certainly be punished this time, but the conflict had remained within a controllable range, so the punishment would not be too severe. He cupped his fists toward the Enforcement Disciple, glanced at Zeng Fan and the others, and then walked toward the Enforcement Hall inside the city. Yang Ling followed behind her brother in a daze. The Enforcement Disciple also turned to leave, calling out to Wang Beichen before he went.
Watching the three of them gradually disappear, Zeng Fan turned to Wang Beichen with a smile. "When did you call for help? We owe you one this time. Thanks."
Wang Beichen waved his hand. "We're friends, so don't be polite with me. When that woman told us to wait, I had already sent a message to the Enforcement Hall in the city, asking them to send someone to follow us. We were just waiting for them to walk right into the trap. Hehe, Big Sis Murong, I did pretty well, right?"
Wang Beichen turned to look at Murong Xue, looking as though he was waiting for praise. Murong Xue gave him a thumbs-up. "You did well this time."
After hearing Murong Xue's praise, Wang Beichen's spirits soared. Praise from Murong Xue made him happier than Zeng Fan's thanks.
"This kid." Zeng Fan felt somewhat dejected. Still, they had Wang Beichen to thank this time. Otherwise, the Spirit Gathering Realm Yang Huang was not someone they could handle at their current level. They had nearly finished touring the market as well, so it was time to test the effects of this herb.
After spending half a day wandering around the market and then fighting over the herb, everyone felt somewhat tired. They decided to return to their lodgings first. Only Wang Beichen remained full of excitement, completely unaware of what fatigue meant.
After bidding Murong Xue farewell, Zeng Fan returned to his lodgings and pulled the Spirit Grass from his robes.
"It's time to see what effect this herb has."
Before you continue