Chapter Forty-Nine: Shifting the Flames of War

The man in purple appeared to be rebuking the heads of the Mu and Jiang families, but in reality, his words were meant for Qin Feiyang. He wanted to make it clear that the Treasure Pavilion would never privately duplicate martial techniques, so as not to jeopardize their relationship.

At the same time, Qin Feiyang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had assumed the heads of the Mu and Jiang families had come to cause trouble for him, but it turned out they were merely here to purchase martial techniques—a golden opportunity to make some money.

Just then, Li Si entered the room. Noticing the tense atmosphere, he handed a storage pouch to Qin Feiyang and quietly stepped aside. Qin Feiyang quickly counted the contents, then put the pouch away and stood up with a smile. “Master Mu, Master Jiang, that advanced martial technique is mine. If you both genuinely want it, then at the auction price—one hundred and ten thousand gold coins each.”

“It’s yours?”
“Is that true?”

The two of them were skeptical, and not without reason—Qin Feiyang’s delicate appearance hardly suggested someone in possession of such a high-level martial technique.

However, the man in purple frowned, his displeasure written all over his face.

Qin Feiyang smiled. “Of course. If you agree to the price, I’ll transcribe it for you right away.”

“Very well.”
“I’ll give you one hundred and ten thousand gold coins now.”

Each produced a storage pouch and set it on the tea table, clearly having come prepared.

Qin Feiyang clasped his hands in greeting. “Pavilion Master, may I borrow your brush, ink, and bamboo slips?”

“Mm.” The man in purple nodded, his expression stony.

Qin Feiyang feigned ignorance, walked straight to the writing desk, opened a blank bamboo slip, picked up the brush, and began transcribing with utmost concentration.

“This boy has no sense of courtesy at all,” the man in purple thought coldly, then turned to the two family heads. “Were you not at the auction just now?”

Master Jiang replied, “I only received the news after the auction ended.”

“As did I,” Master Mu nodded. Fortunately, the owner of the technique was still present, or this trip would have been in vain.

The man in purple glanced at the burly man in black and asked, “Li Si, who bought it at the auction?”

Li Si replied respectfully, “Pavilion Master, it was the Ling family.”

The man in purple nodded in understanding.

A moment later, Qin Feiyang finished the transcription. As soon as he set his brush down, the two family heads hurried forward, their eyes lighting up as they scanned the bamboo slip’s contents.

Qin Feiyang smiled. “It’s done. Please, take them.”

“Many thanks,” both men replied, clasping their hands before snatching up their respective bamboo slips and hurrying away.

“How odd,” Qin Feiyang mused, watching Master Jiang’s departing figure. A question arose in his mind, so he turned to the man in purple. “Pavilion Master, do none of the major families in Black Bear City possess perfect martial techniques?”

“Hmph!” The man in purple snorted, returning to his seat and ignoring him.

Qin Feiyang paused, then shook his head with a wry smile. He moved to the tea table, picked up one of the pouches, counted briefly, then took out twenty thousand gold coins and stacked them on the floor with a smile. “Pavilion Master, here’s your commission. Please accept it.”

At this, the man in purple’s face broke into a wide smile. This young man was surprisingly sensible. After all, this was the Treasure Pavilion, and Qin Feiyang had conducted a private transaction with the two family heads right under his nose—a slight not only to him but to the Pavilion itself. In essence, the Pavilion would lose a commission.

That had been the source of his earlier displeasure, but now that Qin Feiyang handed over the commission, all was forgiven.

“Ahem,” coughed the man in purple. Li Si understood immediately and quickly put away the twenty thousand gold coins.

The man in purple laughed, “Brother Haotian, we’re all friends here—no need to be so formal!”

“If there’s no need, then return it to me,” Qin Feiyang quipped.

The smile froze on the man’s face, and he coughed awkwardly. “Black Bear City is only a small city, and even large cities rarely possess perfect martial techniques. How could the families here have them? Each family owns only a single advanced martial technique.”

Qin Feiyang frowned. “The Ling and Mu families not having one makes sense, but the Jiang family has the support of the Grand Pavilion Master. How could they not have one?”

“Well…” The man in purple hesitated, then shook his head. “Although the Grand Pavilion Master is a Jiang, there are all sorts of delicate relationships involved. In short, these matters are not for you or me to discuss.”

“Delicate?” Qin Feiyang’s eyes glinted thoughtfully. The family ties of Luo Qingzhu were indeed complex. That would explain matters. Black Bear City’s three great families—the Jiangs, the Mus, and the Lings—were in perpetual rivalry, equally matched in strength, unable to defeat each other and lay sole claim to supremacy. Now, with the Ling family gaining the Wild Ox Fist, they possessed two advanced martial techniques, effectively doubling their overall strength.

Naturally, the Jiang and Mu families couldn’t sit still; they rushed to the Treasure Pavilion to buy the Wild Ox Fist so as not to fall behind the Lings.

Understanding this, Qin Feiyang was filled with emotion. He never expected that a martial technique he once looked down on could actually alter the balance of power in Black Bear City. It truly demonstrated the vast difference between Yan Prefecture and the imperial capital.

Without further delay, Qin Feiyang took his leave and made his way down to the first floor. The trip had been well worthwhile. First, he had made a handsome profit—besides the tens of thousands of Qi Gathering Pills, he now had savings of two hundred thousand gold coins. Second, he gained a true understanding of the value of martial techniques; it far exceeded his initial estimates. He had thought advanced martial techniques would fetch only a few thousand gold coins at most, but they sold for one hundred and ten thousand. If it were a perfect martial technique, wouldn’t it go for over a million, or more?

When all seemed lost, a new path opened up—he would never have to worry about gold again.

Outside, Jiang Wei and Mu Fei were still making a scene. The heads of both families hadn’t left either; after questioning their sons, their faces darkened with rage. For someone to bully their sons—this Jiang fellow must have a death wish!

“Father, he’s coming out.”
“Father, that’s the one—he almost killed me!”

Both Jiang Wei and Mu Fei suddenly pointed at the Pavilion’s entrance, their eyes brimming with cold hatred.

“Him?” The two family heads looked over, eyes widening in shock. In the VIP suite earlier, the man in purple had only referred to him as Brother Haotian, never mentioning his surname, nor had Li Si. The two sons only knew that the one who bullied them had the surname Jiang. It was only now that the heads realized that the ‘Jiang’ who sold them the martial technique was the same one who had clashed with their sons.

“Father, you must teach him a lesson!”
“That’s right, someone like him must be put in his place!”

Oblivious to their fathers’ shifting expressions, Jiang Wei and Mu Fei gloated as they watched Qin Feiyang, as if to say, “You’re finished now!”

Qin Feiyang stepped out of the Pavilion, paused on the steps, glanced at the two, then turned to the family heads, frowning. “Masters, what is the meaning of this?”

Master Jiang asked, “May I know your full name, young man?”

“Jiang Haotian,” Qin Feiyang replied.

“So it is the same person,” the two heads exchanged glances, their faces troubled.

Master Mu asked, “Young man, would you mind telling us how you came into conflict with my son?”

“I merely bumped into Mu Fei by accident, whereupon he cursed me and threatened to kill me. As for Jiang Wei, he brought a group of servants, and upon hearing I was a friend of Luo Qingzhu, ordered them to beat me to death. Masters, I only wish to ask: in broad daylight, with their arrogance unchecked, does Black Bear City still have any law?”

He fixed the two heads with a piercing gaze.

Jiang Wei shouted, “Nonsense! I only told the servants to beat you because you said you were my father!”

Master Jiang’s eyes turned icy.

“Master Jiang, that wasn’t me—it was Mu Fei who said it. I even denied it at the time. If you don’t believe me, just ask everyone here,” Qin Feiyang said, gesturing at the crowd.

Seeing his righteous bearing, the onlookers could barely suppress their laughter.

Master Jiang flew into a rage and turned on Master Mu. “Is this what you call raising a good son? If you can’t manage him, just say the word and I’ll do it for you!”

Master Mu sneered, “Old dog Jiang, your son’s no better. Who are you to judge me?”

“Say that again, old thief Mu!”
“I just did—what will you do about it?”
“Fine, we’ll see whose family prevails at the hunting competition in a month!”
“Don’t get cocky. Who knows what will happen then?”
“Mu Fei, come home with me!”
“Jiang Wei, you too!”

After a furious quarrel, the two heads barked at their sons and stormed off.

Jiang Wei and Mu Fei stood there, dumbfounded.

What just happened? Weren’t they here to settle scores with Jiang Haotian? Why were their fathers now fighting each other instead, and leaving without another word?

“What are you waiting for? Want me to beat you to death right here?” the two heads shouted in unison, glaring at their sons.

Not daring to linger, the two quickly followed. The two Martial Masters they had brought didn’t dare protest either and hurried after them.

“Uh…” Qin Feiyang was left speechless.

The crowd was also stunned for a long moment.

Was that all? They had expected a good show—a lesson to be taught to Jiang Haotian—but in the end, nothing happened. How laughable!

Everyone looked at Qin Feiyang. With just a few words, he had diverted the conflict, turning the two family heads against each other, while the source of the trouble—himself—was completely ignored.

How could this young man's mind be so sharp?

Jiang Haotian? Why had no one ever heard of this name in Black Bear City before?