The small shop, cluttered like a hardware store, saw Zhang Yuanqing's face grow steadily gloomy. According to Lian San-yue's implication, someone had taken notice of the energy storage capacity of the Hundred-Refined Furnace and intended to swoop in, seizing his hard-won achievements. Eighty-five percent of the furnace's energy had been drawn from eight valuable props and materials worth millions—nearly half of his personal assets. Now, someone wanted to pluck the fruit midway? Zhang Yuanqing fixed his gaze on the boss's radiant face, narrowing his eyes. "Madam, I've consistently invested substantial props and materials in you, all because I believed in your integrity. It was precisely your integrity that led me to spend money to seal the furnace. Now, you're telling me the furnace can't function anymore?" Are you trying to kill me? Facing Zhang Yuanqing's quietly angry expression, Lian San-yue remained composed, even picked up her cigar again, took a slow sip, and spoke with a relaxed tone. "We agreed to seal the furnace for seven days—seven days it shall be. During that period, aside from you, no one else will use the Hundred-Refined Furnace." Pausing, she chuckled softly, "But I'm a merchant. If someone wants to buy fire stones and offers double the price, I have no reason to refuse." "Yet you didn't mention that to me," Zhang Yuanqing said, fixing her with steady eyes. Lian San Yue remained lounging, her gaze amused. "You didn't even ask, and besides, what reason would I have to remind you?" That truly fits your style of being disorganized and neutral... Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath and asked, "Who actually bought the fire stones?" "The grandson of the head of the Zhao family, Zhao Feichun," Lian San Yue said, gently exhaling a stream of white mist. "The Zhao family?" Zhang Yuanqing's brow furrowed, and he immediately studied Lian San Yue. After a moment, he chuckled coldly, "Ah, so the mistress has taken a liking to the energy within the furnace, being careful not to make a big splash—hence, she's chosen a second-generation descendant to handle the transaction. Well, that's quite a strategy." Red Chicken had mentioned that Lian San Yue and the Zhao family had a special relationship. The backbone of Wanbao House Faced with Zhang Yuanqing's mockery, Lian San-yue remained unconcerned and spoke calmly, "This has nothing to do with me. Zhao Feichen came by a few days ago to browse around, took a liking to the energy stored in the furnace, and learned that I had sealed it for seven days. He bought up all the fire stones from me—cutting off your path entirely." "What does he want?" Zhang Yuanqing asked directly. Zhao Feichen is the youngest grandson of the Zhao family head. Since childhood, he has been indulged and has ruled the Flower City with ease—even official clerks from the lower ranks dare not cross his path. A few years ago, one of his subordinates fell in love with the wife of a local wealthy merchant, leading to a rivalry and a heated argument. In the dispute, the subordinate ended up cutting off the merchant's intestines, leaving him unable to enjoy intimacy for life. The official clerk from the Flower City branch arrested the spiritual realm practitioner, but that very day, Zhao Feichen personally led a team to demolish the office. "There are many examples of Zhao Feichun's arrogance that I won't go into detail about—just remember this: Zhao's family is protective of their own, and any offense to Zhao Feichun means you've incurred Zhao's family's enmity. You may think my Wàn Bǎo Wū is unyielding, but in truth, we operate thanks to Zhao's protection. The implications are clear—consider them carefully." Saying this, Liansan extended his hand and said, "Bring out your hand card!" Zhang Yuancheng paid no attention and walked straight to the display shelf, scanning it for a long time before picking up a dull, small round mirror and activating his star eyes to gaze into it. He saw dark clouds covering the "Wealth" and "Adversity" sectors, indicating potential heavy financial losses and a risk of serious injury. Meanwhile, the "Relationships" sector was clear and free of cloudiness, signaling that the new partnership and contracts he had entered into were sound and secure—there would be no breach of commitment by his business partners. Should the Lian San-yue deliberately breach the contract, intentionally selling the fire stones to operate the business, then the "Origin" hall would surely be shrouded in clouds of gloom... Based on the facial reading, Zhang Yuanqing currently believes this matter was not orchestrated by Lian San-yue. To be safe, he pulled out his phone and sent a text message to Fu Qingyang. If anything happened to him—should he be injured or go missing—then it would clearly be the work of Wanbao House and the Zhao family. After sending the message, he returned to the checkout counter, grabbed the hand card from the items section, and handed it over with a composed expression, then asked casually, "What about Zhao Feichun's rank?" "3rd-tier extraordinary," Lian San-yue said as she took the hand card. "He has only been a spiritual realm traveler for about two years, so achieving this level is quite exceptional—after all, not everyone is as talented as you." Zhang Yuanqing nodded and turned his gaze toward the store entrance. The blood rosebush, who had been waiting outside, stepped inside. Crackle! She crushed the hand card, and the incantation engraved upon it emerged, spreading At that very moment, Zhang Yuanqing saw once again the familiar "marketplace," with guests wearing masks or cloaks. Lian San Yue, holding a cigarette between her fingers and one hand resting on her chest, pointed toward the distance. "Zhao Feichun has rented a spot here, specializing in fire stones. He'll be waiting for you." Zhang Yuanqing followed her gaze, and through the stream of pedestrians, he spotted a well-dressed young man lounging lazily on a rocking chair at a stall. He wore top-tier clothing, his shoes bearing personal signatures from a famous sports star, his short hair neatly styled, with a refined, fair-featured, youthful charm—like a fresh-faced, cream-colored young man. Beside him stood a middle-aged man in black, cradling an ancient sword. Two young women in short skirts and T-shirts, dressed refreshingly cool, one crouched in front and the other standing behind, gently massaged his legs and shoulders. The young man closed his eyes, enjoying a peaceful nap. The passersby and stall owners kept glancing over, murmuring in admiration. It was only Zhao Feichun, the top grandson of the Zhao family, who could command such boldness in Wanbao's hall—never mind the Saintly Ones. At that moment, the young woman gently massaging the shoulders, noticed the owner's wife swaying her hips and leading in a plain-looking young man. Immediately, she lowered her head and whispered a few words to the young gentleman. Zhao Feichun instantly opened his eyes, fixing his gaze on the man beside Lian San Yue for several seconds. "How is his performance?" he asked, looking straight ahead. "The Saint's aura falls far short of mine," the middle-aged man behind, who was holding a sword, said solemnly. Zhao Feichun's smile lifted slightly. He waved off the two women, rose to his feet, and approached Lian San Yue with a warm, courteous smile, deliberately addressing her in front of Zhang Yuanqing and speaking loudly: "Uncle." Uncle? Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but turn her head, glancing at the elegant and graceful owner's wife, taken aback. Was she indeed Zhao Feichun's uncle? Then she must be the daughter of the current head of the Zhao family. Laughed gaily for three consecutive months, her gaze playfully shifting between Zhang Yuanqing and Zhao Feichen. With her cigar tapping gently on Zhang Yuanqing's shoulder, she said, "He's the one who sealed the furnace—go ahead and discuss it among yourselves." Then, twisting her waist with graceful elegance, she settled into the armchair beside the rocking chair and watched the proceedings with relaxed interest. "85% of the stored energy—what, he's invested eight pieces of equipment, materials worth tens of millions, plus the furnace closure fee... And now he wants to walk away with just twenty million? Not only greedy, but arrogant. Zhao Feichen gave a soft whistle, opened his arms, embraced the two young women, and leisurely said, 'If you're not willing, then fine—I Zhao Feichen never force anyone. Here's my offer: I'll sell you the fire stones. One fire stone for ten billion, non-refundable. If you want to buy, you must purchase ten fire stones for one hundred billion. Pay up.' One hundred billion... Zhang Yuanqing chuckled, 'Why not just go ahead and seize it?' Zhao Feichen exaggerated his laughter, 'Exactly—precisely to seize you. How else? We're not being overbearing. I'm playing by the rules. You left such a big gap yourself—don't blame me for exploiting it. 'Today, I'm not only seizing you, but doing so in a way that leaves you completely convinced.' As he spoke, he raised his voice: 'Ladies and gentlemen, this is truly a stroke of luck for me. Everyone, Passersby gathered around, murmuring in admiration. Some more enthusiastic, urging with impatience: "By my reckoning, even two million is too little—two million would be just a courtesy." "Zhao’s talent for spotting bargains truly sets him apart." "Unfair! He beat me to it—didn’t even get a chance to sip his soup." "Really, you? Don’t you fear that, fresh out of Wanbao House, you’ll be taken advantage of right away? This kind of feat simply belongs to Zhao." Zhao Feichen raised his chin, his face glowing with confidence and a clear sense of superiority, as if he had already secured victory over Zhang Yuancheng. Zhang Yuancheng gazed at him intently, and with a cold smile remarked, "Mr. Zhao, you're setting yourself up for a complete loss—this is a case of sacrificing both yourself and your opponent." "I don't care!" Mr. Zhao spread his hands, resting them on his companion's shoulder, radiating confidence and a serene smile. "After all, I've come out unscathed. You may have lost your firestone today, but tomorrow there will be plenty more eager to join the fray. As for you, though—oh, you're going to suffer badly. I've asked my aunt, and she confirmed that you've at least thrown in a small target into the furnace. I urge you to act now—cut your losses, secure some funds, and make your exit. That way, you can still salvage something." The day before, he had borrowed several unremarkable extraordinary items from his grandfather, driven by a sudden craving for gambling, and thus came to Wan Bao House to invest in the Hundred-Refining Melting Furnace. But Zhao Feichen was utterly envious and jealous. According to the rules of the Hundred-Refined Furnace, this was a top-tier item being forged. Upon further inquiry, he discovered that the very foolish man had not even secured the entire supply of firestones. It was pure fortune. Immediately, he bought all the firestones from his aunt and had specially arranged to wait at the Ten-Thousand-Treasures Store for the unfortunate one to come by. Two: "I'm cutting the cost of the furnace right now. I'm going to block your path right now. If you dare step out, I'll cut you down with a single stroke." Zhang Yuanqing finally let go of his simmering anger. Zhao Feichen's face darkened. He pushed aside two young women and leaned close to Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn, coldly saying, "A mere sage, acting so arrogant! People like you—sage-level cultivators—are numerous in the Zhao family. Just with this statement, you won't be able to leave this city today." Zhang Yuanqing turned and walked away. "Wait!" Zhao Feichen suddenly raised his voice. "I personally admire those with backbone. Here's an offer—give you a chance." Zhang Yuanqing paused and turned back. Zhao Feichen resumed his usual relaxed, indolent air, smiling. "You fight my bodyguard on the platform. If you win, I'll give you the fire stones—no strings attached. If you lose, you tell my aunt that you'll hand over the furnace. You know the rules of the platform, right? Only one of you will survive." "If you agree, sign the life-or-death agreement now." Zhang Yuanqing stared at him for several seconds, then shook his head. "It's unfair!" "Are you afraid?" "I'll win—not only will I take the firestone, but also your two legs." Zhao Feichen burst into laughter. "You've got character!" Turning immediately, he faced the middle-aged man clutching his sword, his expression now grave and full of determination. "Once he signs the life-or-death agreement, he'll be officially recognized as a steward. Yet even then, I'll make him die. After the matter is settled, from Zhao Family's treasure vault, you may choose any one of the items, and I'll also reward you with one million cash." He absolutely had to secure the items inside the Hundred-Refining Furnace. The top-tier equipment of the Saint Realm was a rare treasure even within the larger organizations. Though his grandfather cherished him deeply, he simply couldn't offer such exceptional items—no way. The middle-aged man nodded slightly. "Done!" Zhao Feichen hurried over to the armchair, his face full of deference and flattery. "Auntie, may I ask—do you find my efforts satisfactory?" Lian San Yue, swaying gently with the rocking chair, half-closed her eyes and smiled softly, saying, "The Zhao family's matters have nothing to do with me, and your affairs are certainly not something that warrants my concern. However, since a life-or-death pact has been signed, he is now the official steward of the Five Elements Alliance—should you kill him, the Alliance will have little to say; likewise, if you are killed, he will be equally powerless. So, one final question: are you certain?"