Li Feng watched as the burly man's palm came slapping down. He abruptly squeezed his eyes shut and cursed his rotten luck inwardly.
Who told him to be on duty guarding Shenghe Hall today? This beating was unavoidable.
Feeling the fierce wind rushing at him, Li Feng had already braced himself to lose a mouthful of teeth.
But the expected slap never landed.
When he opened his eyes, he saw that Han Zheng had somehow appeared at his side and caught the other man's wrist in his grip.
The burly man cursed, "Where did this little brat come from? You dare meddle in my business? I think you're tired of living!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the burly man threw a punch. Its force was not bad at all; he appeared to possess the strength of the Early Acquired Stage, having opened one or two meridians.
Han Zheng violently flung the man's wrist, sending the burly man flying straight into the air.
He then lashed out with a fierce kick, booting the burly man away like a leather ball.
The burly man crashed to the ground with a bang. Without even letting out a groan, he passed out cold.
"Scram!"
The hooligans behind the burly man instinctively wanted to rush forward, but they abruptly stopped in their tracks.
Their boss had been kicked flying with a single kick. If they charged in, would their heads not be kicked apart?
The hooligans did not even dare leave behind a harsh word. They sheepishly carried the burly man away.
Li Feng straightened his clothes and looked at Han Zheng with gratitude written all over his face. "If not for you, Brother Han, I definitely would have suffered a savage beating just now.
"Say, Brother Han, has your cultivation improved again? That fellow should have been at the Early Acquired Stage, yet he couldn't withstand even one move from you."
Outside, Han Zheng had already tried his best to suppress his aura below the Innate Realm. Li Feng was not a martial artist, and since he had not taken Han Zheng's pulse, there was no way he could detect Han Zheng's true strength.
"It was also thanks to your medicinal bath, Li Yaoshi. Its effects were truly excellent."
"Of course. We're our own people, so I made sure the medicinal bath was prepared in generous amounts."
When Li Feng had first befriended Han Zheng, it had actually been for a day like this.
Pharmacists of Shenghe Hall might appear to hold lofty status, but in truth, they were all cultured men without the strength to truss a chicken.
When faced with unreasonable people who used force to threaten them, there was little they could do.
Thus, they could only try their best to befriend martial artists, so that when trouble arose, they could ask them for help through personal ties.
That was how Chen Baiqing had befriended Li Jingzhong back then, and it was also how Li Feng had now befriended Han Zheng.
Han Zheng looked in the direction the hooligans had left and asked in confusion, "Who were those people just now? How did they dare use violence outside Shenghe Hall?"
Shenghe Hall was, after all, the largest pharmacy in Black Stone County, and Chen Baiqing had quite a few connections. Those who dared act here certainly could not be ordinary hooligans.
Li Feng invited Han Zheng into Shenghe Hall and had a clerk serve tea before he said with a bitter smile, "Sigh, I've really run into bloody bad luck this time.
"Those people just now were under Gao Kaiyuan of the Three Harmonies Gang. They came to demand Spiritual Medicine from me."
Hearing that they were Gao Kaiyuan's men, Han Zheng's heart stirred. He asked, "The Three Harmonies Gang is this overbearing? Their protection fees are collected in Spiritual Medicine now?"
Li Feng shook his head. "It's not protection money. The Three Harmonies Gang previously ordered a batch of Spiritual Medicine from Shenghe Hall.
"The Spiritual Medicine brought back from the estate some time ago has gradually been delivered to all the major forces in Black Stone County. Only the Three Harmonies Gang's order has become contentious.
"They paid a deposit for the Spiritual Medicine, and they were supposed to pay the remainder once they received it.
"Yesterday, Cao Rui, the son of First Gang Leader Cao Bin, told me to send the Spiritual Medicine over. Yet today, men under Second Gang Leader Gao Kaiyuan also told me to send it over. Tell me, who am I supposed to deliver it to?
"No matter who I give it to, I'll offend the other side. And who am I supposed to ask for the remaining payment on this Spiritual Medicine?
"Some of the Spiritual Medicine brought back from the estate last time requires special processing.
"The head shopkeeper has been preparing that Spiritual Medicine these past few days, so we Senior Pharmacists have been taking turns guarding Shenghe Hall, each of us serving three-day shifts.
"I never expected that these past two days, when it was my turn, I'd stumble into such a mess. I really have had bloody bad luck.
"If you want to fight among yourselves, then fight. Why make things difficult for me?
"The head shopkeeper is currently in seclusion. If he is disturbed while preparing the Spiritual Medicine, that entire batch may be ruined.
"There's still one more day tomorrow. How am I supposed to get through it?"
Li Feng's face was full of helplessness and grievance as he let out a long sigh.
Han Zheng turned the teacup in his hand, his thoughts racing. "I do have a way to remove you from this matter."
"Oh? What way?"
Li Feng hurriedly asked.
"The root cause of this matter is the conflict between Cao Bin and Gao Kaiyuan. You've merely been caught in the middle because of the ownership of the Spiritual Medicine.
"They pick the soft persimmon to squeeze. Since they have not torn off all pretense with each other, they can only squeeze you, the soft persimmon.
"So rather than remain their punching bag, you might as well lay everything out in the open.
"Have the clerks go to the Three Harmonies Gang now and notify both Cao Rui and Gao Kaiyuan's trusted subordinates that the Spiritual Medicine will be given to them tomorrow.
"But Shenghe Hall does not have enough clerks, so they will have to come collect it themselves.
"When the time comes, simply place the Spiritual Medicine outside Shenghe Hall and let them divide it themselves. Why should Shenghe Hall get involved?"
Li Feng hesitated. "But wouldn't both sides end up resenting Shenghe Hall as well?"
Han Zheng smiled. "Don't worry. This matter originated from their own conflict to begin with. Once they meet, they will definitely fight over it. They won't even have enough hatred for each other—where would they find the time to hate Shenghe Hall?"
The more Li Feng thought about it, the more reasonable Han Zheng's words seemed. He immediately instructed the clerks to proceed as Han Zheng had said.
After chatting idly with Li Feng for a while, Han Zheng went outside the Three Harmonies Gang's headquarters and found a tea stall to sit at.
As he drank tea, Han Zheng silently observed the gang members entering and leaving the Three Harmonies Gang's headquarters.
Of the three gang leaders, Cao Bin stayed inside the Three Harmonies Gang almost all day and rarely came or went.
His son Cao Rui was more flamboyant in his conduct. Whenever he came or went, he had more than a dozen gang members following him, looking exceedingly imposing.
Gao Kaiyuan, meanwhile, occupied the other side of the headquarters. He and Cao Bin stood north and south of one another, making the entire Three Harmonies Gang as clearly divided as the Jing and Wei Rivers.
Only Third Gang Leader Jiang Tai acted like some wealthy young master. In the morning, he carried a large rooster out to gamble with others on dogfights and cockfights. At noon, he returned dead drunk, with a brothel girl in his arms.
Han Zheng looked at Jiang Tai, a half-smile appearing at the corner of his lips.
Among the Three Harmonies Gang's three gang leaders, both Cao Bin and Gao Kaiyuan were highly renowned in Black Stone County.
Only Jiang Tai had an extremely low presence. Apart from eating, drinking, and having fun, he seemed not to care much about the Three Harmonies Gang's affairs.
But was that truly so? Was Jiang Tai really so worthless?
Back when the three had sworn brotherhood and founded the Three Harmonies Gang, carving out a place for themselves in Black Stone County through battle, Jiang Tai had entered the Innate Realm in his early twenties.
In a small county like Black Stone County, he had been more than worthy of being called an outstanding young talent.
Now he was only in his thirties. Could he truly be content with his current position?
At any rate, Han Zheng did not believe it.
As night fell and the people around the tea stall gradually dwindled, Han Zheng left with the crowd as well, avoiding arousing suspicion by being noticed.
The next day, Li Feng followed Han Zheng's instructions and placed all the Spiritual Medicine meant for the Three Harmonies Gang outside Shenghe Hall. He also sent people to notify Cao Rui and Gao Kaiyuan's trusted subordinates at the same time.
Cao Rui was only in his early twenties. Though he was somewhat arrogant and domineering, his talent was quite good, and he had already reached the Peak Acquired Stage.
Cao Bin wanted his son to take the position, but if Cao Rui had truly been worthless, he would not have risked universal condemnation to force him into the gang leader's seat.
The one who came from Gao Kaiyuan's side was his trusted subordinate, Deng Bao, Hall Master of the Three Harmonies Gang's War Tiger Hall. He was likewise at the Peak Acquired Stage.
The Three Harmonies Gang had three war halls: Tiger, Leopard, and Wolf. Each had fewer than a hundred members, but every one of them was an elite, not the sort of small-time thugs who borrowed a tiger's might to intimidate others.
Cao Bin held two war halls in his grasp, while the War Tiger Hall under Gao Kaiyuan was the strongest. That was also the confidence Gao Kaiyuan relied on to challenge Cao Bin.
Cao Rui brought more than a dozen men, while Deng Bao also brought over a dozen War Tiger Hall elites. The moment the two sides exchanged looks, sparks nearly flew.
Li Feng clasped his hands with a beaming smile. "Everyone of the Three Harmonies Gang, the Spiritual Medicine you previously ordered is all here. It has been divided into packets according to the medicinal bath standard.
"You may take it away at any time. The remaining payment can be made whenever convenient; I trust in the Three Harmonies Gang's reputation.
"Shenghe Hall needs to process Spiritual Medicine today, so we will temporarily close for business. Please carry this Spiritual Medicine back to the Three Harmonies Gang yourselves."
With that, Li Feng waved his hand, and the Shenghe Hall clerks immediately lowered the door panels, sealing the entire Shenghe Hall tightly shut.
In any case, the Spiritual Medicine had now been handed over to the Three Harmonies Gang. As for who would take it back, that was their own affair.
And just as Han Zheng had said, no one paid any attention to Li Feng.
Cao Rui gave Deng Bao a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Hall Master Deng, your War Hall brothers are awfully free.
"Instead of seizing territory from the Sky Eagle Gang and the Black Tiger Gang, you came here to work as porters?"
Deng Bao was a tall, fierce-looking man with a face full of thick beard.
He grinned at those words. "Young Master Cao, if you have nothing to do, go find some girls at Drunken Flower Pavilion. What does the gang's business have to do with you?
"You may be the First Gang Leader's son, but you don't hold any position in the gang.
"The Three Harmonies Gang is not the Cao family's personal domain. You have not even become gang leader yet, and you're already pointing fingers and giving orders.
"When you really become gang leader, are us brothers all supposed to drink the northwest wind?"
Though Deng Bao looked rough and bold, his tongue was vicious, every word dripping with mockery and veiled barbs.
Cao Rui was already arrogant and hot-tempered by nature. How could he endure that?
Moreover, he had clashed with Deng Bao before. When enemies met, their eyes naturally burned red with hatred.
"Presumptuous! Deng Bao, what are you supposed to be? You dare humiliate me like this? Get them!"
Deng Bao's expression darkened as well.
"The Three Harmonies Gang's foundation was carved out by men like us, fighting the Sky Eagle Gang and the Black Tiger Gang to the death! What do you say I am?
"The Three Harmonies Gang will not be yours to command in the future, and it is even less your place to point fingers now!
"Move! Snatch back all the Spiritual Medicine! Don't leave them even one packet!"
As his words fell, the two groups from the same gang immediately erupted into a chaotic brawl on the long street.
Happy 520, everyone. Love others, but love yourselves even more, okay? (*^▽^*)