Chapter Twelve: Disposing of the Stolen Goods
“Fire! Fire!”
“Quick, put out the fire!”
“Someone, help! Hurry!”
Under the dim moonlight, the boundless blaze painted the entire sky a fiery red.
Inside the Xiao family’s alchemy hall, countless people hurried back and forth, hauling bucket after bucket of water to douse the inferno.
Yet, despite their efforts, the flames raged on uncontrollably.
Amidst the thick smoke, a shadowed figure stamped a mark and walked away with effortless grace...
Before long, dawn broke.
Though the fire had been extinguished, half of the buildings lay reduced to ashes from the disaster.
Xiao Li, panting heavily, rushed toward the steward, his expression grim.
“Steward, the warehouse storing medicinal herbs and pills has been completely burned down. Also, many valuable items were stolen.”
Upon hearing the report, the steward’s chest heaved with anger.
“Where were the guards? Are they dead?!”
“They are indeed dead...” Xiao Li replied timidly.
At this, the steward’s face darkened.
The two guards responsible for the warehouse were both experts at the peak of the Qi Condensation Realm; even he found it difficult to overpower them.
And yet, they died just like that?
“Wait! I found a mark at the scene... it was... the Blood Eagle’s mark.”
Blood Eagle?
The steward’s heart skipped a beat at the name.
That was a master rewarded with five thousand taels bounty, an expert at the Spirit Entry Realm. When did this small alchemy hall provoke him?
“Report this matter to the family head immediately! Move quickly!”
“Yes!”
Gazing at the vast ruins before him, the steward’s eyes flickered with suspicion.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that this incident was somehow connected to that brat, Mu Feng...
Meanwhile, Mu Feng was inside the alchemy chamber, tallying his spoils.
“Only this much silver? The Xiao family’s alchemy hall business is so good, and yet there’s only this little money?”
The fairy beside him sighed in annoyance as she looked at the few large silver ingots and several hundred silver notes on the table.
“Even if the Xiao alchemy hall earns a lot, most of it has to be handed over. Getting these gains is already not bad.”
Mu Feng looked at the treasure before him with satisfaction.
Counting these items, if sold, they could fetch a considerable sum.
Though not spirit instruments, these items contained latent spiritual energy; one was nearly reaching the threshold of a first-grade spirit instrument, and was priced accordingly.
This would cover the capital needed for his next batch of pills.
As for where to fence the stolen goods, Mu Feng had already made up his mind.
The Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
An independent and aloof organization outside of the major powers, it had branches from the imperial capital of Xueyue all the way to the border town of Huangsha.
It served as a marketplace combining buying, pawning, and auctions.
However, because the items sold there were extremely expensive, few people frequented the Huangsha branch.
At this moment, Mu Feng stood before the pavilion’s entrance.
“You’re such an idiot! You came to fence stolen goods and you don’t even cover your face?”
Seeing Mu Feng appear with a bag in hand right at the door, the fairy was exasperated.
Mu Feng rolled his eyes.
He always felt the fairy was knowledgeable but not very clever.
“Fairy, look around—what time is it? It’s broad daylight. If you cover your face, you’re basically advertising that you’re here to fence stolen goods.”
“Ridiculous.”
With that, Mu Feng strode into the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
The moment he stepped inside, all eyes turned toward him.
“Isn’t that Young Master Mu? What’s he doing here?”
“Looks like he’s here to pawn stuff since he’s down on his luck.”
“That’s for sure. Their alchemy hall’s business is terrible, and he’s been demoted. Lucky he can even afford a meal.”
Mu Feng wasn’t angered by their gossip.
The more they thought this way, the less likely they suspected him.
“Yo, brother-in-law, long time no see.”
A sudden voice caught Mu Feng’s attention.
Looking up, he saw a young man dressed in fine clothes approaching him slowly.
Xiao Quan Jia, a direct disciple of the Xiao family, and cousin to Xiao Ruoxin and Xiao Yutong.
Though young, he was an expert at the peak of the Qi Condensation Realm and considered a genius in Taiyuan City.
Mu Feng hadn’t expected to meet him here.
Back when he was successful, this guy was known as a sycophant.
After Mu Feng’s strength was destroyed, he often kicked him when he was down.
“So it’s you. I remember you helped me empty the chamber pot.”
“What are you doing here?”
Mu Feng’s words immediately drew laughter from the onlookers.
Xiao Quan Jia’s face darkened but then twisted into a smile.
A mere loser dares to mouth off—let me show you how I humiliate you next.
“Let bygones be bygones, brother-in-law.”
“I heard the family got news that the Huangsha alchemy hall was burned down, so I came to check things out.”
Mu Feng was surprised to hear this.
He hadn’t expected the Xiao family’s information network to be so fast—the fire set last night, and by this afternoon they already sent someone.
“Well, go then. I’ve got things to handle.”
Eager to deal with his stolen goods, Mu Feng didn’t want to linger.
If Xiao Quan Jia found any evidence, the consequences would be dire.
But to Mu Feng’s surprise, Xiao Quan Jia was obstinate and blocked his path, eyes fixed on the cloth bag in his hand.
“It’s been a long time, Mu Feng. Didn’t expect you’d become so downtrodden.”
“How about this: I’ll give you ten taels of silver. Take it as spending money. If news gets out that you’re the family head, people will think you’re dirt poor. Here, here, here!”
With that, Xiao Quan Jia pulled out ten taels of silver from his pocket and shook it like teasing a dog.
The crowd burst into laughter.
Once the illustrious Young Master Mu of the Mu family, now treated like a mutt.
Such a ridiculous spectacle was rare to see.
Xiao Quan Jia felt a thrill, savoring the pleasure of trampling a former genius underfoot.
Seeing Mu Feng ignore him, Xiao Quan Jia spoke again:
“Mu Feng, a man should know his place. You’ve been demoted by the family—who are you putting on airs for?”
“Call me grandpa, and this money is just...”
Boom—
A loud explosion echoed all around. A figure flew out and crashed heavily to the ground.
When he got up, his head was bloodied and bruised.
“You... you dare hit me!”
“Do you know what happens if you hit me?!”
“If I die, I’ll make sure the Mu family never finds peace!”
Xiao Quan Jia cursed in panic, looking utterly disheveled.
Smack—
A sharp slap landed squarely across his face.
“Call me grandpa? A fool who emptied my chamber pot, and you dare show such insolence?”
Mu Feng smiled coldly and pressed down fiercely on Xiao Quan Jia’s head with his foot.
A mere Qi Condensation Realm expert—if he wanted to kill, he could.
“Enough.”
Just as Mu Feng prepared to crush Xiao Quan Jia’s life with a final stomp, a delicate, lazy voice whispered in his ear.
Looking up, a woman had appeared among the crowd.
Clad in a red robe, breathtakingly beautiful.
Her languid aura stirred the imaginations of those around her, their eyes filled with eager anticipation.
She walked slowly toward Mu Feng.
“I am Yu Linglong, the Pavilion Master of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. Greetings, Young Master Mu.”
“Here in the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, fighting is forbidden. This is the rule. Since you’ve gotten your revenge, there’s no need for bloodshed.”
“Since she’s the Pavilion Master, I must show some respect.”
Mu Feng smiled and withdrew his foot.
Xiao Quan Jia, lying on the ground, stood up angrily:
“If fighting is forbidden, why did you let him lay hands on me?”
“Just wait until I get back...”
Before he could finish, a jade-like hand suddenly grabbed his hair and flung him away.
The suddenness of the act shocked Mu Feng.
Yu Linglong appeared elegant and refined, yet her actions were brutal.
“Young Master Mu, shall we talk upstairs?”
With the area cleared, Yu Linglong smiled and gestured for Mu Feng to follow her upstairs.
Mu Feng did not refuse and trailed behind her to the second floor of the pavilion.
The two walked along a corridor just wide enough for two people.
At that moment, Yu Linglong suddenly spoke:
“Young Master Mu, are you here to fence stolen goods?”
Mu Feng’s heart tightened, his hand stealthily moving toward the hilt of his sword.
This woman was dangerous.