A Minor Disturbance

"You... you're a Dou Master too?" Jia Lie Xiong's voice was filled with disbelief.

"Too much nonsense."

Lu Heng stopped wasting words. He stomped down hard, and azure, crimson, and yellow Dou Qi coiled around his arms like three spirit serpents.

He raised his hand and threw a punch.

This punch used no Dou Skill whatsoever. It was simply the immense Dou Qi circulated through the Five Spirits Chaos Art, combined with the strength of his body, smashing forward with brutal force!

"Courting death!" Jia Lie Xiong roared.

Though shocked inwardly, he was still a Three-Star Dou Master, two levels above Lu Heng in cultivation.

The Dou Qi within him instantly condensed into an earth-yellow Dou Qi Veil, while his right palm met the attack with force capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks.

Gale Palm!

Boom!

The two fists collided violently in midair, producing a deafening blast!

A visible shockwave erupted from the point of impact and spread fiercely in all directions.

The surrounding doors and windows shattered from the force, while the roadside vendors' goods were hurled into the air.

Jia Lie Xiong only felt a tidal wave of terrifying power sweep through his entire arm in an instant.

That force was overwhelmingly powerful, directly shattering the Dou Qi Veil he had been so proud of!

Jia Lie Xiong grunted, his body flying backward. After spitting out a mouthful of blood in midair, he crashed heavily into the signboard of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.

Bang!

The signboard shattered into pieces. Jia Lie Xiong fell miserably to the ground amid splintered wood, blood staining the front of his robes red, his arm twisted at an unnatural angle.

A Three-Star Dou Master had been defeated!

And he had been sent flying by a single punch of absolute force!

The street fell deathly silent. Everyone stared at Lu Heng as if they had seen a ghost.

Where had this monstrous youth come from?

Lu Heng withdrew his fist, and the tri-colored Dou Qi around him gradually receded.

His aura was slightly unsteady, but he swiftly circulated the Five Spirits Chaos Art. Within only a few breaths, it had returned to normal.

Lu Heng stepped forward and looked down at Jia Lie Xiong, who was struggling to rise from the ground.

"A Three-Star Dou Master? Nothing special."

He bent his knee and planted a foot on Jia Lie Xiong's chest. The distinctive heaviness of the Thick Earth Physique made Jia Lie Xiong spit out another mouthful of blood, leaving him completely unable to move.

Lu Heng did not kill him, but crippling a Dou Master was still no small loss for the Jia Lie Family.

He did not look back at the half-dead old man, merely casually brushing nonexistent dust from his robes.

Lu Heng turned around and looked at the young girl in the pale white dress behind him.

Xiao Yi Xian was still standing where she was, tightly clutching the sugar figurine that had already begun to melt. Her clear, lively eyes were now filled with shock and confusion.

She stared blankly at Lu Heng, seemingly not yet recovered from his thunderous display just now.

At present, she was not yet the future "Heavenly Poison Maiden" who would make the entire Chu Yun Empire tremble in fear. She did not possess that coldness born of seeing through the fickleness of the world, nor that poisonous ruthlessness that kept others at a distance.

The one standing before Lu Heng now was merely a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl. Though she had seen some of the ugliness in people's hearts, she still retained a measure of youthful innocence.

Though the surrounding crowd had been frightened into retreating far away by Lu Heng, the eyes fixed on this place held more than reverence. They were filled even more with curiosity about this youth's identity.

They were curious about when Wutan City had gained such a young Dou Master, one who did not fear the Jia Lie Family, one of Wutan City's three great clans.

But Lu Heng did not enjoy being treated like a spectacle.

"What are you standing there for?"

Lu Heng took two steps forward and naturally reached out to grasp Xiao Yi Xian's fair wrist.

Her skin felt slightly cool to the touch, smooth and delicate like mutton-fat jade.

Xiao Yi Xian trembled all over and instinctively tried to pull free, but though that large hand was not gripping her very hard, it carried a warmth that inexplicably put her at ease.

"If we don't leave now, more people will gather soon. I don't mind, but your sugar figurine is about to melt away."

Lu Heng winked at her, giving the future Woe Poison Physique no time to react before pulling her around and darting into a secluded alley.

Xiao Yi Xian only felt a powerful tug, and her whole body involuntarily began running along with the youth.

The two passed through several twisting alleys. Only after the noisy voices had been completely left behind did Lu Heng slow down.

Meanwhile, at the Miteer Auction House, VIP Room No. 1.

The atmosphere here was even more oppressive than on the street outside.

Within the spacious, luxurious room, Ya Fei sat in the seat of honor.

She had already changed out of the red cheongsam she wore during the auction and into a purple brocade robe, displaying the poise and nobility of the person in charge of the Miteer Auction House in Wutan City.

Seated on either side of her were all influential figures who could make the surrounding cities tremble with a mere stomp of their feet.

On her left sat Frank, president of the Alchemist Guild in Black Rock City, along with Vice President Otto.

These two fourth-tier alchemists, normally revered by countless people in Black Rock City, were now sitting with their backs ramrod straight, their burning gazes fixed on Ya Fei.

On her right sat Lin Ang, the lord of Black Rock City, as well as Xue Lingyun, head of the Xue Clan, one of Black Rock City's great families.

Behind Lin Ang stood a young woman clad in red leather armor. Her figure was fiery, and impatience was written across her face. She was Lin Fei.

Behind Xue Lingyun stood a cold and aloof young woman in a silver dress, her temperament as frosty as ice. She was Xue Mei.

With so many people gathered in one room, the invisible pressure alone made the hands of the serving maids tremble as they poured tea.

"Ahem."

Frank was the first to break the silence. He set down his teacup and forced a warm smile onto his somewhat aged face.

"Miss Ya Fei, what happened at the auction just now truly opened our eyes. Even in the Imperial Capital, this old man rarely sees a second-tier pill of such perfect quality."

Otto promptly echoed his agreement, but then turned straight to the point.

"We came here uninvited this time not merely to catch up. Miss Ya Fei, I believe you have already guessed our true purpose.

Where might the master who refined the Yuan-Coagulating Pill be? President Frank and I would very much like to exchange some alchemy insights with him."

They claimed to be exchanging insights, but what they truly wanted was to probe his background.

After all, someone capable of refining a pill that could even alter a Dou Master's chance of advancing was far too tempting for the Alchemist Guild.

If they could recruit him into the guild, the status of the Black Rock City branch would rise tremendously throughout the entire empire.

On the other side, City Lord Lin Ang also spoke, his voice deep and resonant.

"Manager Ya Fei, if the master does not wish to meet anyone, we understand.

However, the effects of this Yuan-Coagulating Pill are truly astonishing. As you saw, that small quantity at the auction just now was nowhere near enough to go around.

I wonder whether that master still has any stock left?

If he does, price will not be an issue."