Nine Yang Alchemy Emperor

The leader was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a pair of fierce, triangular eyes and lumps of flesh prominently crisscrossing his face, forming patterns of flab. A faint aura of violence emanated from him, making him resemble an evil henchman under a Demon Lord.

Those of fainter heart might have their legs turn to jelly and their muscles go weak, immediately kneeling and begging for mercy if this middle-aged man merely glanced their way.

Upon entering the store, his gaze swept around, incessantly assessing the finished Elixir products behind the counters.

"Cut the crap, I give your boss fifteen minutes to come see me. Otherwise, I'll smash up this Longevity Hall today!" The middle-aged man barked with a bone-chilling sternness in his voice.

After his words fell, he struck one of the counters with a fierce blow.

Bang!

The counter was instantly shattered, its contents, the Elixirs and other items, scattering across the floor.

Ah-Rong and Ah-Chun, merely two clerks with low cultivation, sensed the hostile situation and quickly tried to appease the ruffians, sending one to inform Chu Feng.

Hearing that someone was causing trouble here, Chu Feng and the Beixie National Master, among others, all rushed over at the first opportunity.

After entering the shop, Chu Feng saw one of the counters smashed to rubble, and the Elixirs and other items inside were strewn across the floor. Some of them were even deliberately trampled and destroyed by the belligerents.

A surge of furious anger rose to the heavens.

The business had just picked up slightly after two days of opening, and now someone dared to vandalize his shop. Did they think he was an easy target?

Even with the backing of a Fourth-rank Capital Official, someone still came to cause trouble. It appeared that this gang of ruffians was well-prepared and certainly had something to rely on.

"May I ask what offense my shop has caused to sir(s), to provoke such anger?" Despite his youth, Chu Feng possessed a powerful presence. Even with towering rage burning within him, his expression revealed nothing.

A thunderous chest, yet a placid face; this was a calmness usually only seen in a General.

Chu Feng's demeanor earned him silent admiration from the Beixie National Master and the others.

Such composure in a young man was rare among thousands.

Seeing the real boss arriving, the gang of troublemakers showed their ferocious and malevolent expressions, menacingly fixing their cruel gazes on Chu Feng.

"You're the owner of this shop?" The middle-aged man examined Chu Feng with some surprise.

"Indeed!" Chu Feng quietly observed his enemies.

There were nine men in total, the eight behind all of Sword Saint Cultivation. The middle-aged man leading them, however, had a cultivation that was quite astounding. He was actually at the level of a One-star Sword God, indeed outclassing the Beixie National Master and the others.

No wonder they dared to make trouble.

"Please come to the VIP room at the back for a cup of tea!" Chu Feng invited them further inside.

He estimated there would surely be a fight, and if it broke out here, everything in the shop would be destroyed, making it impossible to continue business.

Having been smashed only two days after opening, if word got out, how could Longevity Hall continue to stand?

"Quite the achievement, opening a shop and being a young boss in such a bustling place like the Imperial City! We are from the Flame Hall, and we didn't come here today for anything serious. Just that we want to inform you, we are the ones in charge of this street. Any shop here must pay a management fee monthly."

The middle-aged man's tone was laced with ruthlessness and domineering arrogance.

His followers behind him brandished their weapons, exuding murderous intent to intimidate for their boss.

"Oh, is there such a rule? I've heard that the government collects taxes when doing business in the Imperial City, but I must honestly say, I've never heard of you folks."

Chu Feng said indifferently, the so-called Flame Hall was probably just some thug gang.

If they wanted to collect protection money from him, they'd have to check if the boss of Flame Hall had fists hard enough.

"Boy, what do you mean by that? Are you saying you're not planning to pay the management fee?"

"I, Fourth Elder He, have come across several thousand tough guys if not ten thousand. Those who dare refuse to pay the management fee will no longer be able to run their shop!" Upon hearing Chu Feng's reluctance to pay the protection fee, the middle-aged man's face darkened immediately, and his Sword God Level aura surged towards Chu Feng like a surging tide.

The Beixie National Master took a step forward to protect his charge, intercepting Fourth Elder He's imposing aura.

"My Longevity Hall conducts legitimate business, open and aboveboard. Naturally, it will continue to operate."

"As for the protection fee you from Flame Hall demand, not a single cent will I pay. Moreover, you've damaged the counters inside my shop, and you'll have to compensate me at full price!"

Chu Feng didn't take these people seriously.

A bunch of street thugs, even if killed, are of no great consequence.

"Refusing to pay the management fee and demanding compensation for your counter? Looks like you won't pay until I teach you a lesson!"

"I could finish you off with just one move!"

Fourth Elder He had yet to finish speaking when he had already made the first move.

"Set the formation!"

With the Small Extermination Immortal Sword Formation Diagram unleashed by Chu Feng, two of the Northern Domain Three Evils, together with the Beixie National Master, joined the formation. They formed the Small Extermination Immortal Sword Formation with Chu Feng.

That's because their current enemy was a One-star Sword God.

"Slash!"

Chu Feng controlled the Sword Array, utilizing the power of four, and aimed a strike at Fourth Elder He.

Boom!

Fourth Elder He was just a ringleader of thugs. Although his cultivation was high, his swordsmanship was atrocious. He hadn't even managed to condense a Sword Soul.

At this moment, within the Small Extermination Immortal Sword Formation, he only felt overwhelming Evil Qi and erratic flashes of sword light.

An immensely thick beam of sword light slashed straight down at him.

It scared him witless, and he hurriedly raised his sword to block with all his strength.

As a result, with just one strike, he was cut down and toppled to the ground.

"Spare my life, spare me..." Fourth Elder He, a true coward, kneeled down and began kowtowing for mercy after being defeated.

The Beixie National Master swiftly moved forward, subdued the man, and pressed a sharp sword to Fourth Elder He's neck.

Chu Feng also withdrew the Small Extermination Immortal Sword Formation.

All this might sound prolonged, but in reality, it happened in less than ten seconds. The winner and loser were decided in the blink of an eye.

The eight underlings brought by Fourth Elder He only saw Chu Feng lay out a Sword Formation Diagram with a flourish and their boss vanished into thin air. Evil Qi surged and sword light dazzled in front of them.

They were hesitating, debating whether to step forward and help.

Yet, the Sword Array was already disbanded, and their boss was kneeling on the ground, ceaselessly begging for mercy with a sword pointed at his neck by Chu Feng's man. His life was in Chu Feng's hands.

This was frightening indeed.

"Kid, you winning with a Sword Formation Diagram, what kind of skill is that? Quickly release our boss, or if you mess with Flame Hall, I'll make sure none of your family is left alive," one of Fourth Elder He's underlings fiercely shouted at Chu Feng.

This person's cultivation wasn't weak; he had reached the Mid Sword Saint stage.

He probably wanted to show his loyalty in front of Fourth Elder He, which is why he jumped out and yelled.

"You disagree? Fine, I won't use the Sword Formation Diagram and will fight you one-on-one, how about that?"

Today, Chu Feng intended to establish his authority in front of these thugs to avoid their constant harassment.

"Have guts! Bring it on!"

This fool actually wanted a one-on-one duel with him without using the Sword Array, much to the delight of Fourth Elder He's underling.

Without a second word, he leaped out, his sword's edge pointing directly at Chu Feng.