He raised his right hand and shouted:
"Suction Palm!"
The three mercenaries instantly lost their balance and flew toward him. Lu Ze raised his left foot and kicked forward hard.
Thud!
The mercenaries flew backward and hit the ground, unable to move!
He then drew the Emerald Water Sword and flicked his right hand.
A glint of cold light flashed past, and the three mercenaries' uniforms were instantly torn open, exposing flesh that was painful to look at.
The mercenaries were already too terrified to move. Had that sword moved a few inches farther forward, their heads would probably have gone flying.
The wild grin on Poison Snake's face instantly froze, his scalp prickling violently. Then he shouted,
"What are you standing around for? Keep going! Can't a whole crowd beat one person? It's not like he's some Dou Shi expert."
Only after hearing their boss speak did all the mercenaries behind him snap out of it and charge forward.
Seeing this, Lu Ze shook his head, unable to bear it.
"I never intended to hurt anyone!"
As his words fell, Lu Ze swept his hand up and extended two fingers.
A force even more terrifying than Suction Palm erupted!
Boom! A thunderous crash rang out.
Piercing screams echoed through the hall as the immense gravity of the Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger forced every mercenary to their knees.
Their kneecaps shattered outright, blood streaming as their knees sank deep into the floor.
"What? Wh... what kind of power is this?!"
Poison Wolf was no fool. Though he seemed to have no sense of restraint, when it came to saving his own skin, he was faster than anyone.
For this youth to unleash such invisible, formless gravitational suppression, he must have cultivated some exceedingly rare and powerful Dou Technique!
And judging by how effortlessly he wielded such weight, his cultivation certainly wasn't low!
Poison Wolf was inwardly alarmed.
"You... who exactly are you?"
Poison Wolf's voice trembled, cold sweat seeping into the palm gripping his saber.
He abruptly pulled his hand back and retreated three steps, putting distance between himself and the youth as he assumed a defensive stance.
Lu Ze didn't answer. He merely ran a finger along the blade of the Emerald Water Sword.
"Go back and tell Mu Li," Lu Ze said evenly, his sword pointing diagonally at the floor,
"From today onward, I set the rules at the Myriad Medicine Pavilion!"
"If he wants protection money, he's welcome to come and take it!"
"Provided he has the ability! And lives long enough!"
Poison Wolf considered it. Judging by the current situation, this youth still didn't dare kill anyone and offend the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.
If I go back just like this, Commander Mu Li will surely think I'm useless... At that thought, Poison Wolf gritted his teeth.
"Enough smoke and mirrors!"
"You're just a mere Dou Zhe! Yet you dare act so arrogant!"
He roared, Dou Qi erupting wildly within him. Reversing his grip on his Fine Steel Broadsword, he slashed at Lu Ze with a fierce rush of wind!
"Brother Poison Wolf is mighty! Go, Brother Poison Wolf!"
Seeing the man swing at him with a reversed grip, using the unsharpened spine of the blade, Lu Ze immediately understood his intention.
This fellow...
"Then let's fight!!" Lu Ze roared!
The Dou Qi within him circulated furiously!
The sword in his hand danced!
The sight made Poison Wolf frown!
This brat is fucking serious?!
Clang!
Sword and saber clashed!
Poison Wolf felt the web of his hand go numb as an irresistible, overwhelming force surged through the clashing blades!
A crack actually appeared in the Fine Steel Broadsword in his hand.
Then, with a sharp snap, it broke!
It had actually broken in two! Sword Qi shot past either side of Poison Wolf, whipping up a fierce, howling wind!
The broken blade flew past Lu Ze's face, missing him by a hair!
It embedded itself in the pillar behind him, humming.
Poison Wolf remained frozen in his slashing stance, as though struck by lightning!
His saber... had actually broken!
How was that possible! This was a lower-grade Mysterious Tier weapon!
"You're just a mere Dou Zhe! Yet you dare run wild before me!"
Lu Ze threw those words back at him.
"Lao Li, see our guests out." Lu Ze waved a hand.
Poison Wolf swallowed.
This man's strength is unfathomable!
His Dou Technique is even more terrifying!
This much testing is enough. There's no need to continue.
Poison Wolf turned and left, leaving that broken blade behind.
Peace returned to the hall.
Lao Li sat slumped on the floor, gasping for breath, still shaken.
Xiao Yi Xian walked over to Lu Ze. As she looked at his calm profile, her beautiful eyes shone.
"My lord, now that you've let him go, Mu Li will definitely..."
Lu Ze sat in a chair, lifted his tea, and took a sip.
"Would killing Poison Wolf make Mu Li hold back for fear of smashing the jade while striking the rat?"
"Don't worry. Mu Li is cautious by nature. Nothing will happen to us in the short term."
"Part of the reason I spared Poison Wolf today was to have him deliver a message."
"My lord, you even thought that far ahead..."
Five days had passed since Poison Wolf fled the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, scrambling and tumbling.
A lingering autumn rain had fallen over Qingshan Town, washing every trace of the bloody smell from the streets.
Business at the Myriad Medicine Pavilion had actually improved somewhat over usual.
The rank-and-file mercenaries discovered that the Myriad Medicine Pavilion not only stocked a full range of medicinal ingredients, but also sold them much more cheaply.
The new proprietor was scrupulous in his dealings and never shortchanged anyone on weight.
"Proprietor, today's accounts are done. Only two hundred and ten gold coins remain."
Then Li finished working the abacus and bowed as he handed over the ledger, lowering his voice as he added,
"There's still no movement from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. The two local thugs who collected protection money have both disappeared."
Lu Ze leaned back in the grand armchair, his fingers gently stroking the warm teacup, his gaze resting on the curtain of rain outside the window.
"Is that blind man selling sweet potatoes on the street corner still there?"
Lao Li paused, thinking back carefully.
"Yes, he's still there. He changed spots today. He's beneath the ceremonial archway."
"Understood. You may go."
As though granted a great pardon, Lao Li bowed and withdrew. Lu Ze pushed aside the foam floating on his tea and took a sip.
No movement was the greatest movement of all.
A Da Dou Shi like Mu Li, who licked blood from a knife's edge, would never rashly come knocking just because a Four-Star Dou Zhe had suffered a crushing defeat.
He was waiting-waiting for the Myriad Medicine Pavilion to reveal an opening, waiting until he had uncovered its true situation before delivering a fatal blow and ensuring the greatest possible gain.
Night fell, in the secret chamber on the top floor of the Mittel Auction House.
Ya Fei had changed into a fiery red robe and wore close-fitting black silk casual clothes that outlined every exquisite curve of her figure.
She handed Lu Ze a cup of delicately fragrant Spirit Tea, then reclined on a couch, toying with a gold coin.
"I've obtained more of the information you wanted."
Ya Fei's voice was languid, yet carried a shrewd edge.
"Mu Li hasn't moved, but the Blood Wolf Squad under him has already scattered through several blocks around the Myriad Medicine Pavilion to gather information."
"What information?"
"Everyone who enters or leaves the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, when the herb-gathering teams return, the types of medicinal ingredients they bring back, and even... the rubbish you throw away."
Ya Fei chuckled. "Mu Li is simply afraid there's some powerful figure behind you."
"He wants to make sure whether you're all alone, or whether someone he can't afford to offend is backing you."
Lu Ze nodded slightly, as though he had expected it.
"What about the Xiao Clan?"
He changed the subject. Ya Fei's gaze lingered on his face, seemingly finding it interesting that he still cared about others at a moment of life and death.
"There's been little movement from the Xiao Clan, but one of their boys, Xiao Yan, has been frantically buying several supplementary ingredients for alchemy, especially a few herbs with mild properties."
"Ingredients for Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid."
Lu Ze set down his teacup and tapped his knuckles lightly against the tabletop a few times.
"How much Purple Leaf Orchid Grass have they bought?"
Before you continue