Black Wind Stronghold Comes Knocking! Chen Feng, Master of Truth

Generally speaking, a major power that occupied an entire mountain would protect the forces under it that paid tribute.

After all, those smaller sects could only pay tribute once they had developed and turned a profit.

For them to show such ugly greed all of a sudden, something had to be wrong.

"Sect master, the surrounding sects have been spreading a rumor lately that you obtained an immortal's method of forging weapons. That's why Black Wind Stronghold sent people over."

The martial artist at the head of the group spoke in a low voice beside Chen Feng's ear.

He was a Houtian Seventh Layer martial artist Chen Feng had recruited, named Wang Hu.

Wang Hu was one of the more loyal martial artists Chen Feng had recruited.

Back then, it was Chen Feng's financial help that had saved Wang Hu's gravely ill mother.

Wang Hu had always been grateful to Chen Feng for that.

That was why Chen Feng had put Wang Hu in charge of guarding the entrance to the abandoned mine with a group of men.

Chen Feng's expression did not change at the news, but a sense of crisis rose in his heart.

He knew it was only a matter of time before someone set their sights on him.

After all, he had built a modern conveyor belt at the mine entrance. In this world, something like that would surely be taken for an immortal's work.

But he had no choice. He couldn't possibly carry every piece of ore onto the conveyor belt himself.

It was manageable in the modern world, where machines could take care of it.

But here, he still had to hire people from this world to do the work.

That, however, meant there was a risk of word getting out.

Chen Feng instructed him, "Pass the word down. Stop mining ore for now and give everyone a few days off."

Wang Hu immediately nodded and went to make the arrangements.

After Wang Hu left, several martial artists nearby gave Chen Feng strange looks.

Chen Feng knew exactly what those looks meant.

When he had first come to this world, he had gone to town to sell things from modern society, and people had looked at him the same way.

But Chen Feng had his own means, or he wouldn't have lived safely in this world until now.

He felt in his pocket, and the touch of cold metal made him feel much more at ease.

The martial artists of this world were powerful, but they were still helpless before "truth."

For the past six months, Chen Feng had relied on modern weapons to survive one danger after another.

He had specifically bought this one from abroad. Though it was only a handgun, it was enough to protect himself.

Once Wang Hu had finished making the arrangements, he returned to report to Chen Feng.

A little old man followed beside him.

This was the Xingfeng Sect's steward, surnamed Sun, whom Chen Feng had also hired.

He was specifically responsible for managing the mortal miners in the mining area.

"Sect master, why are we suddenly stopping the Blazing Sun Stone mining?" Steward Sun asked, his face full of confusion.

"Production has been too high lately. We'll clear out some of our stock before we resume mining," Chen Feng explained with a smile.

"Sect master, would you like me to find more buyers for the sect? I've been traveling the jianghu for many years, and I still have a few connections," Steward Sun said, looking eager to help.

Chen Feng waved a hand. "There's no need for now. If I need anything, I'll trouble you then, Steward Sun."

Chen Feng had never regarded the people in his sect as his own.

On the surface, Steward Sun appeared to be acting for the Xingfeng Sect's sake, hoping to improve its business.

In truth, he just wanted to pocket more of the mortals' wages.

Chen Feng paid those mortal miners three copper coins a day.

Steward Sun secretly withheld one copper coin from each of them.

Chen Feng had known about this for a long time, but he had not taken any action against Steward Sun over it.

That was because, in this area, only someone like Steward Sun had the ability to gather so many mortal miners.

As long as it brought in profits, Chen Feng saw no problem with greed.

Just then.

A martial artist from the Xingfeng Sect headquarters came running over in a hurry.

"Sect master, the second chief of Black Wind Stronghold is here!"

The Xingfeng Sect headquarters stood between several mines. It consisted of three buildings, all built from Blazing Sun Stone.

Chen Feng used the sect headquarters to throw people off the scent.

The core area was still the abandoned mine and the secret chamber, where he spent most of his time.

He had merely stationed some martial artists here to keep up appearances.

Inside the sect's main hall, the Xingfeng Sect's martial artists had now gathered.

"Sect Master Chen, I came here today to collect the money. We notified your Xingfeng Sect yesterday. Have you got it ready?"

A bald, burly man sat opposite Chen Feng.

He was about 1.9 meters tall, and a scar more than ten centimeters long ran down his right arm.

He was Wu Xiong, the second chief of Black Wind Stronghold, an expert at the Ninth Layer of the Acquired Realm.

Of everyone in Black Wind Stronghold, Wu Xiong was the least to be trifled with. He was known for being overbearing and domineering.

Chen Feng was not a martial artist, but he could still feel Wu Xiong's imposing presence.

It was a sign of his vigorous Qi and Blood.

Although Chen Feng had been in the Painting Scroll World for a long time, he had not practiced martial arts.

The main reason was that martial artists in this world cultivated by tempering their bodies.

They had to start hammering and refining their muscles and bones from childhood, which was extraordinarily painful.

Chen Feng had no desire to suffer like that and train himself into a brawny brute with nothing but raw strength.

He merely spent money on pills that increased Qi and Blood and took them to strengthen his body.

"Our Xingfeng Sect was established less than three months ago, and we've only just started mining. We haven't even turned a profit yet. Aren't you making things difficult for me, Chief Wu?"

"Besides, Black Wind Stronghold's rule has always been a payment of one hundred taels of silver each month. Our Xingfeng Sect has already paid for this month."

Chen Feng unhurriedly took a sip of the tea a beautiful maid had brought him.

Wang Hu stood right behind Chen Feng.

His eyes remained fixed on Wu Xiong. If Wu Xiong made a move against Chen Feng, he would strike immediately.

Smack!

Wu Xiong slammed his palm on the table and sprang to his feet.

The table in front of him shattered into pieces in an instant, showing the astonishing force of his palm.

"Sect Master Chen, what an impressive display of authority! You've only been on Hengduan Mountain for a few months, and you're already letting Black Wind Stronghold's words blow past your ears like the wind!"

The bandits behind Wu Xiong drew the long sabers at their waists.

At the sight, the tea-serving maid's legs trembled with fright.

Wang Hu's face was tense as well.

"If I have no money, I have no money. Even if you kill me, I still can't give you a single coin!"

As Chen Feng spoke, he put his hand into his pocket.

Wu Xiong said coldly:

"If you have no money, you can use something else to pay the debt. I hear Sect Master Chen obtained an immortal's artifact-refining method. My elder brother is very interested in it, so use that to cover the tribute."

Wu Xiong had come on his elder brother's orders.

He had already visited the mining area, and the automated conveyor belt had left him stunned.

A thing that could move by itself-wasn't that an immortal's work?

If Black Wind Stronghold could obtain the artifact-refining method, its sphere of influence would surely expand considerably.

As for all this talk, it was merely going through the motions.

There were many small sects in Black Wind Stronghold's territory.

If they simply took it by force, those small sects would surely panic.

As long as he came up with an excuse, he had no fear that Chen Feng would refuse.

He had also investigated Chen Feng. He was just a mortal who had made a little money in business and then set up a so-called sect.

The martial artists in the sect had all been recruited, and the highest among them was only at the Houtian Seventh Layer.

With his strength, slaughtering the entire Xingfeng Sect would be easy.

Just as Wu Xiong waited for Chen Feng to obediently hand over the artifact-refining method, he suddenly saw Chen Feng's right hand move.

Wu Xiong was instantly on alert. A martial artist's instincts let him smell danger.

And almost the instant that thought arose.

There was a bang!

Wu Xiong felt a sudden heat in his forehead, and then his consciousness began to blur.

Everyone else in the hall went pale.

A hole had appeared in the middle of Wu Xiong's forehead, and blood was flowing from it.

Wu Xiong felt the life rapidly draining from his body. He stared at Chen Feng with wide eyes, unable to believe it.

"Projecting Gang Qi outside the body... a Xiantian expert... how is this possible..."

As soon as Wu Xiong finished speaking, he fell straight to the floor and lay still.

Everyone present was dumbfounded. No one had expected Chen Feng to strike so suddenly.

That was especially true of the Black Wind Stronghold bandits who had come with Wu Xiong.

Their second chief was an expert at the Ninth Layer of the Acquired Realm!

Even in the jianghu, he counted among the very best.

Yet now he had been killed in an instant, just like that.