56: Chapter 56 A Deceptive Display of Power, Overwhelming Brute Force

The open space outside the tea shop was quickly cleared.

In a place like Black Reef Island, the one thing there was no shortage of was people looking for excitement.

Within moments, the surrounding wooden railings, eaves, and roadside reefs were already packed with watching Cultivators.

Patriarch Zhao stood to the side with his hands behind his back, his expression very steady.

His son was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the Early Stage.

While not exactly a top-tier Genius, in a place like Black Reef Island, he was already impressive enough.

Besides, the person coming out from the other side was just a head manager of a trading company.

No matter how good he was at fighting, how strong could he really be?

Lu Hu stepped out.

The merchant robe on him was a bit ill-fitting, and his shoulders and back still looked too thick; standing in front of the crowd, he looked like a Vicious Beast that had been forcefully crammed into the mundane world.

However, as he intentionally suppressed his aura, his Spiritual Pressure gradually converged, and in the end, it stopped at Qi Refining Perfection.

Seeing this, the sneer on Zhao Shaoheng's lips deepened.

"I thought he was some big shot."

"Turns out he's just a guard leader at Qi Refining Perfection."

Lu Hu looked up at him without speaking.

But that gaze made Zhao Shaoheng feel inexplicably annoyed.

Lu Changyuan stood under the eaves, still holding a teacup in his hand.

"Stop when it's enough."

It was unclear who he was saying this to.

Zhao Shaoheng sneered, and the next moment, he had already drawn his sword.

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator's attack was ultimately different from a Qi Refining one.

With a flash of sword light, Spiritual energy exploded along the edge of the blade.

It was as if a white streak had risen from the flat ground in the sea breeze, striking directly at Lu Hu's chest.

This sword strike did not hold back.

If a regular Qi Refining Perfection Cultivator had been hit, their protective spiritual light would have shattered on the spot.

Someone in the watching crowd had already let out a low gasp.

But Lu Hu did not retreat.

He didn't even Move the weapon hidden at his waist.

Just as the sword was about to hit him, he tilted his shoulder slightly and actually met it head-on with his flesh and blood.

Bang!

A muffled sound exploded.

The sneer on Zhao Shaoheng's face hadn't yet faded, but his eyes suddenly changed.

His sword had struck.

But it was like striking a wall of Cold Iron wrapped in human skin.

The merchant robe on Lu Hu's chest was torn open by the Sword Qi, but only a very shallow white mark was left on the skin beneath the fabric.

He didn't even see blood.

"Is that it?"

Lu Hu finally spoke, his voice muffled, like stones grinding together.

A chill suddenly rose in the depths of Zhao Shaoheng's heart, and he subconsciously wanted to pull back.

But it was already too late.

Lu Hu stepped into his personal space.

There were no fancy Moves.

Nor was there any of the dignity a Foundation Establishment Cultivator should have.

He simply raised his hand and, aiming at Zhao Shaoheng's face, delivered a fierce slap.

Slap!

This sound was crisper than the sword strike from just a moment ago.

The protective spiritual light on Zhao Shaoheng's body shattered almost the instant they made contact.

The whole person was like being hit head-on by a sea beast; his cheek was twisted by the blow, blood mixed with teeth sprayed from his mouth, and he flew sideways, slamming heavily into the outer wall of the tea shop.

The wooden wall shattered with a roar.

Half of his body was embedded in it.

One leg was still twitching outside.

The entire scene fell into dead silence.

Everyone watching the excitement looked as if they had been grabbed by the throat.

A Qi Refining Perfection Cultivator taking a Foundation Establishment sword strike head-on, then backhanding the person into a wall.

This was no longer a sparring match.

The smile on Patriarch Zhao's face froze completely.

The Foundation Establishment guard beside him twitched his eyelids wildly and subconsciously took a step forward.

But before his foot could land firmly, Lu Hu turned his head and glanced at him.

There was no Spiritual Pressure in that glance.

But it was colder than Spiritual Pressure.

The Foundation Establishment guard's steps stopped abruptly.

Zhao Shaoheng still wanted to struggle and pull himself out of the wall.

But as soon as he moved, another mouthful of blood surged out of his mouth; half of his face was swollen like rising dough, and he was completely stunned.

Lu Hu shook his hand, as if disgusted by the dirt.

"Are you worthy of making me draw my blade?"

When these words fell, it was so quiet all around that one could even hear the wind.

A layer of cold sweat had already broken out on Patriarch Zhao's back.

He finally realized that this trading caravan in front of him was not a fat sheep at all.

Not a tough nut that could be bitten into slightly.

But a Vicious Beast that had entered the island wearing a merchant's skin.

What was even more terrifying was that the one who attacked wasn't even the young boss.

It was just a "head manager" as the other side called him.

Patriarch Zhao's Adam's apple bobbed, and he forced out a smile: "This manager... has good skills."

Lu Changyuan finally put down the teacup in his hand and walked out slowly.

He didn't even look at Zhao Shaoheng in the wall, only looking at Patriarch Zhao.

"Patriarch Zhao."

"Your sparring match doesn't seem to be very resistant to hits."

Patriarch Zhao's face twitched violently.

But he was, after all, someone who could gain a foothold on Black Reef Island; he instantly suppressed that shock and anger, cupped his hands and said: "My son is ignorant and offended the distinguished guests; it is my lack of discipline."

Lu Changyuan said faintly: "Just ignorant?"

Once these words were spoken, Patriarch Zhao's heart sank again.

The other side wasn't accepting the olive branch.

That meant this matter wasn't over yet.

He swept his gaze over his son's miserable state, then over Lu Hu's hand that had just slapped someone, gritted his teeth, and was about to say something else, but Lu Changyuan suddenly raised his hand and straightened his cuffs as if inadvertently.

As his sleeve moved, a corner of a purple-gold token was revealed.

It was only revealed for an instant.

But Patriarch Zhao's eyes were like being burned by fire, shrinking into pinpricks.

Purple-gold base, main branch cloud pattern.

That was not something commonly seen in a place like Black Reef Island.

Much less an identity token that a regular Outer Sea trading company boss could afford.

A "buzz" sounded in Patriarch Zhao's brain, and he almost instantly connected everything before him.

The excessively young boss.

The fierce guards disguised as merchants.

The confidence to safely bring the goods all the way here.

And the demeanor of sitting there drinking tea while always looking like he was watching them perform.

This was no ordinary trading caravan.

These were people sent out from the main branch to gain experience.

Thinking of this, Patriarch Zhao's legs went weak.

Someone like him knew best what could be provoked and what couldn't.

The Zhao family of Black Reef Island looked imposing.

But in the eyes of people at that level, they didn't even count as a slightly larger bug.

Thump.

Patriarch Zhao actually knelt down directly.

With this kneel, the surrounding crowd completely exploded.

The dignified head of the Zhao family, a figure who had dominated Black Reef Island for so many years, had actually knelt in public.

Patriarch Zhao couldn't care about the gazes of others; cold sweat poured down his forehead, and his voice went hoarse.

"Zhao has poor eyes, failed to recognize the true Dragon, and offended you to your face; I deserve to die."

"Please, Young Master, forgive my sins!"

Zhao Shaoheng was still hanging in the wall, and upon hearing this, his whole body stiffened.

He seemed to want to say something, but was blocked by a look from Patriarch Zhao that could almost kill.

Lu Changyuan stood in place, looking down at Patriarch Zhao from above, neither letting him get up immediately nor continuing to humiliate him.

He was just very calm.

Calm enough to make Patriarch Zhao even more panicked.

After a while, he spoke.

"Patriarch Zhao didn't come to do business."

"You came to eat people."

Patriarch Zhao pressed his forehead to the ground, not daring to lift it at all: "I was wrong!"

"Since you know you were wrong, then pay the price for the mistake."

Lu Changyuan's tone was never heavy.

But every word that fell felt like a weight.

"First, for today's offense, the Zhao family will compensate me with three thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones."

"Second, the Zhao family will clear the way for me regarding the transfers, supplies, berths, and information channels from Black Reef Island to the Xingyan Grand Market."

"Third..."

He paused, his gaze finally falling on Patriarch Zhao.

"Didn't you want to eat this batch of my goods?"

"Then I'll give you a chance."

"From now on, Changyuan Trading Company will only use the Zhao family's line on Black Reef Island."

"You will collect goods, release goods, clear paths, and gather information for me."

"I will give you a share."

"But my goods can only be touched by your Zhao family."

"Anyone else who dares to reach out, chop off their hands."

Patriarch Zhao was stunned at first.

Immediately after, his breathing became rapid.

If they could really hook up with such a terrifyingly backed large trading company, the Zhao family's position on Black Reef Island would only become more stable.

The other party wasn't crushing the Zhao family to death.

They were tying the Zhao family up to use them.

He hardly hesitated, and immediately kowtowed: "The Zhao family is willing to sign!"

Lu Changyuan looked at Lu Hu.

Lu Hu understood, took out a thin contract that had been prepared long ago from his sleeve, and threw it directly in front of Patriarch Zhao.

When Patriarch Zhao saw the contract paper, his heart trembled again.

The other side had actually anticipated this scene.

They had even prepared the business contract in advance.

He didn't dare to have any other thoughts, took the business contract, and after reading it carefully, immediately forced out blood essence with his fingertips to press his seal on the contract.

The Zhao family's Foundation Establishment guard stood to the side, his face pale, not even daring to breathe loudly.

As for Zhao Shaoheng in the wall, he had long lost any of his previous arrogance.

He looked at his father kneeling to sign the contract, then at Lu Changyuan and Lu Hu, and true fear finally grew in his eyes.

Before long, the compensation was sent over.

Three thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, not a box less.

In addition, there were several sea route maps of Black Reef Island, Pier passes, and rosters of trading caravans that the Zhao family had proactively supplemented.

Lu Changyuan flipped through them casually and knew that Patriarch Zhao was truly scared through this time.

What the other party brought out was no longer just compensation.

But exposing their foundation.

At this point, the watching crowd finally slowly dispersed.

But before everyone left, the looks they gave Changyuan Trading Company were completely different from when they arrived.

That was not the look of seeing a fat sheep.

But the look of seeing a Vicious Beast of the sea, wearing human skin, that insisted on following the rules.

At dusk, Lu Changyuan returned to the inn's backyard.

Patriarch Zhao was still busy cleaning up the mess outside, and by the way, clearing up subsequent troubles for Changyuan Trading Company.

The courtyard finally became quiet.

Lu Hu slapped the iron abacus that symbolized the head manager onto the table and let out a long breath.

"This set of clothes is really damn stifling."

Lu Changyuan sat down and glanced at him: "Stifling is stifling, as long as it works."

Lu Hu grinned: "That's true. That kid's bones were quite light; I almost didn't hold back that slap."

"As long as you didn't kill him, it's enough."

Lu Changyuan said faintly: "The Zhao family still needs to be used."

After he finished speaking, he got up and walked out of the courtyard.

The sky over Black Reef Island had already darkened.

In the narrow alley behind the reef wall, the sea breeze rolled in with sand and salty tide.

Lu Changyuan had originally just walked around casually to take another look at the true colors of this island.

But when he walked to a corner, his steps paused slightly.

At the end of the alley, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy was shirtless, practicing sword against a broken piece of wood stuck in a crack in the reef.

Calling it sword practice was actually more like holding on for dear life.

The old iron sword in his hand had long since curled, his tiger's mouth was cracked, and new and old wounds were layered on his arms and shoulders, and there were even bruises under his ribs.

Every time he swung the sword, his body seemed ready to fall apart.

Yet he didn't stop a single sword strike.

Swing, retract.

Swing again.

The movements were clumsy, even rough.

But that stubbornness of biting down and not letting go was starkly eye-catching.

When a few teenagers from the Zhao family's branch passed by, someone sneered: "A base-born son is a base-born son; does he really think he's material for sword practice?"

The boy didn't look back, nor did he make a sound.

Just continued to swing the sword.

As if he hadn't heard at all.

Lu Changyuan stood at the entrance of the alley, watching for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly.

This boy's Aptitude was not prominent.

But his bones were hard enough, and his heart was steady enough.

More importantly, even though he was trampled in the mud, he hadn't rotted yet.

At this time, Lu Hu, who had followed behind, looked over in the direction of his gaze and asked in a low voice: "Master, have you taken a liking to him?"

Lu Changyuan didn't answer immediately.

He just looked at the boy again before saying faintly:

"Keep him in mind first."

"It's a pity for someone like this to be buried in a place like this."