Flowers in Full Bloom

Upon returning to the imperial capital.

Gu Chenfeng and Ouyang Cai went their separate ways.

This time, Ouyang Cai had taken a nasty fall at the Rare Beast Garden.

Although Gu Chenfeng had bailed him out, as one of the imperial capital's notorious young wastrels, Ouyang Cai could hardly swallow such an insult.

Besides, Gu Chenfeng had deliberately steered his thinking throughout the journey.

Ouyang Cai felt that he could not let the matter end here.

"The Zhang Lineage actually dared to set me up like this. Perhaps they wanted to drag my Ouyang Lineage down with me.

I must tell Father and use our Lineage's power to give the Zhang Lineage a taste of their own medicine."

Meanwhile, Gu Chenfeng had switched to his own carriage and was making plans as well.

His grandfather was now in seclusion with severe injuries, his father was unreliable, and the Gu Lineage was surrounded by a pack of wolves.

Zhang You's attack on him had been a probe.

If something happened to him and the old man did not respond.

Then everyone would likely rush to shove the wall as it fell, plunging the Gu Lineage into utter peril.

With his current strength, he could not strike back head-on.

He could, however, borrow the Ouyang Lineage's strength to keep the Zhang Lineage in check for now.

It might amount to taking advantage of his brother, but if he had a brother and did not put him to use, what kind of brotherhood was that?

The imperial capital, the Myriad Treasures House.

As one of the largest trading houses in the imperial capital.

The Myriad Treasures House occupied a prime commercial location in the city's eastern district.

Its lavishly appointed seven-story building towered over its neighbors with extraordinary grandeur.

At that moment, in a private room on the third floor of the Myriad Treasures House.

Gu Chenfeng lounged in a grand armchair, sipping fragrant tea.

Despite his best efforts to remain composed, he could not help stealing glances at the person opposite him.

Seated across from him was a young woman in a purple, form-fitting gown, her figure tall and voluptuous, her entire presence exuding mature allure and the commanding charm of an older beauty.

Purple truly did have the most charm.

Especially when worn by such a stunning beauty, with skin like creamy jade and features as exquisite as a painting.

The crossed, snow-white legs revealed through her skirt's slit and the bottomless ravine at her neckline all sent the imagination wandering.

He sighed inwardly. A D-class powerhouse-terrifying indeed!

Fortunately, after enduring Leng Xingye's Demon Training, Gu Chenfeng could still hold his own.

The woman gazed at Gu Chenfeng with lovely eyes, her voice soft and melting, like an April breeze.

"Young Master Gu, I am Liu Fuyan, deputy manager of the Myriad Treasures House's imperial capital branch.

What might you need from us today?"

As deputy manager of the Myriad Treasures House, Liu Fuyan had a keen eye.

The young man's attire, bearing, and accompanying guards alone told her that he was no ordinary visitor.

As for his sidelong glances, she was already accustomed to them.

A man who could look at Liu Fuyan without letting his eyes wander would be a true freak of nature.

"Ahem...!"

Gu Chenfeng withdrew his gaze and pressed his legs a little closer together.

"Steward Liu, does your trading house carry any spiritual medicines that restore Spiritual Power?"

Hearing that he needed mental-energy medicines, Liu Fuyan was slightly surprised.

"Of course. Would you prefer potions or pills, Young Master Gu?"

"What is the difference?"

"Certainly. Ordinary spiritual potions are made by mixing spiritual ingredients containing source power in measured proportions.

Pills are also made from spiritual ingredients, but they require an alchemist to carefully refine them according to a formula, fully unleashing the medicinal potency within.

Their effects and value differ enormously."

As she spoke, Liu Fuyan introduced several mental-energy potions and pills to Gu Chenfeng.

The mental-energy potions ranged from several dozen to several hundred taels per dose.

Mental-energy pills, on the other hand, came in few varieties, and almost all cost more than a thousand taels each.

"These pills certainly aren't cheap," Gu Chenfeng remarked.

Liu Fuyan smiled. "Young Master Gu, mental-energy pills are relatively rare to begin with, and those are only the prices for ordinary pills.

Some pills intended specifically for martial artists at the Source Qi Realm or above cost several times as much, or even more than ten times that.

The cost of the spiritual ingredients is certainly a factor, but the biggest expense is hiring an alchemist to refine them."

Gu Chenfeng could not help marveling. A single pill could sell for ten thousand taels. The profits were outrageous.

If he could become an alchemist himself, would that not easily solve his resource problem?

Of course, for now, he could only dream about it.

Gu Chenfeng's first priority was still to improve his cultivation so he could protect himself.

After they spoke for a while, Gu Chenfeng made his decision.

"Start me off with ten Clearheart Pills at a thousand taels each, and a few dozen doses of Spirit-Nourishing Potion."

Gu Chenfeng planned to try both pills and potions and see how effective they were first.

Seeing Gu Chenfeng casually order nearly twenty thousand taels' worth of spiritual medicine, looking as though he was merely sampling a little.

Liu Fuyan's smile immediately deepened, and she leaned forward slightly without drawing attention to the movement.

Gu Chenfeng instantly felt a "fragrant breeze against his face and snowy peaks bearing down on the city."

What tremendous pressure!

He secretly swallowed and did his utmost to steady his mind.

"Steward Liu, since this is our first meeting, aren't you going to give me a discount?"

Seeing that he had not forgotten to bargain even at a moment like this, a hint of reproach appeared in Liu Fuyan's eyes.

"Young Master Gu, the way you're looking at me hardly suggests this is our first meeting."

"Ahem..."

Gu Chenfeng's face reddened, and he shifted his gaze slightly away from the "mountain scenery" he had been studying.

He knew this woman was trying to get him under her thumb.

An ordinary man could not withstand such an offensive.

With that thought, Gu Chenfeng simply leaned a little closer himself.

His gaze boldly ventured into the "treacherous mountain peaks," and he sighed.

"Ah, it isn't that I'm lustful. It's just that the flowers are in full bloom. If I didn't admire them, I would seem rather blind to their charms."

At his words, Liu Fuyan froze briefly.

Then she could not help covering her mouth and laughing sweetly, trembling like flowering branches in the breeze.

"Hehe... Young Master Gu, you really are delightful. For those words alone, how about I give you twenty percent off?"

Gu Chenfeng felt heat rise in his nose and offered his heartfelt admiration.

"Steward Liu, you are generous indeed. Such great capacity, such impressive breadth! You have my admiration!"

Before long, Gu Chenfeng left the Myriad Treasures House by carriage with ten Clearheart Pills and a large bundle of potions.

In the third-floor private room, the gauze-covered window stood partly closed as Liu Fuyan watched him leave, her gaze profound.

"Deputy Manager, only our honored clients receive a twenty-percent discount. Why did you give him such preferential treatment?" an old man in gray asked curiously.

Liu Fuyan smiled faintly.

"A young man in the imperial capital who can casually produce tens of thousands of taels, travels with martial artist guards, and happens to be surnamed Gu. Who do you think he is?"

The old man's eyes flashed.

"The Gu Lineage's third young master!"

"Correct. It could only be him."

"Deputy Manager, are you hoping to build a good relationship with the chancellor's household through him?

But the chancellor's household seems to be in a rather bad position right now. If we befriend them at this point, might we not..."

Liu Fuyan waved a hand dismissively.

"Steward Zhang, remember this: the Myriad Treasures House does business. We do not participate in any power struggles. We only invest in valuable clients.

The chancellor's condition is currently unclear, and the Gu Lineage's situation is certainly unfavorable.

But what if the chancellor pulls through?

If an influential figure in both military and political circles, a mighty Grandmaster-level expert, were to support our Myriad Treasures House.

Our influence in the Great Li Dynasty would surely reach entirely new heights.

Besides, that boy does have quite a pleasing way with words.

Whenever he visits the Myriad Treasures House from now on, give him special treatment."

The old man understood and bowed in admiration.

"Wise indeed, Manager!"