41: Danfang controversy, establishing authority with force

Shen Yuanmo’s eyes instantly turned cold. An improved foundation establishment pill Pill Formula?

Isn’t that exactly what he gave to the shopkeeper a few days ago in exchange for clues about the nine-aperture stone milk?

It’s only been a few days, and the news has already leaked?

He pushed his way into the crowd, his gaze piercing through the several burly guards to see what was happening inside the shop.

He saw a young man dressed in luxurious clothes with an arrogant expression, using a folding fan to tap repeatedly on the counter in front of the shopkeeper.

This young man's cultivation was at the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, but his Qi was volatile and his Foundation unstable, clearly indicating that it was forcefully accumulated through Medicinal Pills.

Behind him stood a sinister-looking Late Foundation Establishment Stage old man, his eyes slightly narrowed, like a venomous snake, locking onto the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper, at this moment, wore a bitter and terrified expression, repeatedly bowing with cupped hands.

"Young Master Chen, you've truly misunderstood! My humble shop only deals in some unremarkable trinkets. How could there be such a divine item as a foundation establishment pill Pill Formula here! You must have believed some rumor!"

"Rumor?" The young man, referred to as Young Master Chen, sneered, his folding fan snapping shut with a 'pa' sound, pointing it at the shopkeeper's nose.

"My Chen family's intelligence network, would it make a mistake? Someone personally saw you, a few days ago, after seeing off a mysterious guest, trembling with excitement, muttering things like 'Heaven helps me' and 'Pill Formula'!"

"Old man, I advise you to be sensible! My Chen family, in Baiyue Prefecture, is considered a family of Medicinal Pills! This improved Pill Formula, in the hands of a good-for-nothing like you, is simply a waste of heavenly resources! Only in the hands of my Chen family can it display its greatest value!"

He paused, his tone full of condescension.

"How about this, you hand over the Pill Formula, and my Chen family can take you on as an external manager, guaranteeing you wealth and prosperity for the rest of your life. How about it?"

The shopkeeper was incredibly distraught.

He never expected that his moment of excitement would attract the attention of someone with ulterior motives.

The Chen family was notoriously overbearing in the prefecture city, especially in the Medicinal Pill business, always adhering to the principle of "those who obey me prosper, those who defy me perish."

It seemed this matter today would likely not end well.

But that Pill Formula was given by the mysterious Senior Shen; it was his hope. How could he possibly hand it over?

Let alone handing it over, if he dared to do so, he probably wouldn't live past tomorrow!

He had personally witnessed the methods of that Senior Shen!

"Young Master Chen, this old man..." The shopkeeper tried to say something more.

"Enough!" Young Master Chen impatiently interrupted him, his smile completely vanishing, replaced by a sinister expression.

"It seems you old bones won't shed tears until you see the coffin! Old Fu!"

The Late Foundation Establishment Stage old man behind him slowly opened his eyes at the command, and a powerful pressure instantly enveloped the entire Wanbao Pavilion.

"Since he won't give it, beat him until he does! Break his bones inch by inch, let's see if he speaks or not!"

"Yes, Young Lord." Old Fu responded hoarsely, taking a step forward.

That terrifying aura pressed down on the shopkeeper, making his face turn pale and his breathing difficult.

The surrounding Cultivators also changed color, instinctively retreating a few steps.

Old Fu of the Chen family was a notorious fiend in the prefecture city, known for his ruthless attacks. There were at least eighty, if not a hundred, Cultivators who had died by his hand.

It seemed that today, Wanbao Pavilion was truly destined to be drenched in blood.

Just as the shopkeeper felt utterly desperate and prepared to fight to the death.

A calm voice suddenly drifted in from outside the crowd at the entrance.

"You dare to touch my people?"

Everyone was startled, and they all looked towards the source of the voice.

They saw that the dense crowd had, at some unknown point, automatically parted to form a path.

A young man, dressed in an ordinary green Daoist robe with a refined face, was walking slowly.

He didn't seem old, and his cultivation was only at the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, similar to that Young Master Chen.

But with every step he took, he exuded an indescribable sense of calm and oppression, causing everyone who saw him to unconsciously make way for him.

"Senior!"

The shopkeeper was first stunned when he saw the newcomer, then his eyes erupted with ecstatic light, and he was so excited he almost jumped up.

A savior has arrived!

It's Senior Shen! He actually came!

Young Master Chen and Old Fu also frowned, looking at Shen Yuanmo.

"Who are you?" Young Master Chen scrutinized Shen Yuanmo, and seeing his ordinary cultivation and shabby clothes, a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes.

"Where did this wild brat come from, daring to meddle in my Chen family's affairs? Are you tired of living?"

Shen Yuanmo ignored him, walking directly into Wanbao Pavilion and standing in front of the shopkeeper, shielding him.

Only then did he turn his head, calmly looking at Young Master Chen, and spoke indifferently.

"I'll say it again, this place is under my protection. Now, take your people and get out."

"Presumptuous!" Young Master Chen was furious.

As the third direct descendant Young Master of the Chen family, he was accustomed to acting domineeringly in Baiyue Prefecture City. When had anyone ever spoken to him in such a tone?

Especially when the other party was a seemingly unremarkable Cultivator of the same stage!

"Old Fu! Cripple him for me!" he roared.

"Yes!"

The old man named Old Fu's eyes flashed with cold light. Without a word, his withered palm suddenly shot out, transforming into a giant black ghost claw, accompanied by gusts of sinister wind, heading straight for Shen Yuanmo's crown!

This claw strike was powerful and vicious, clearly intended to kill in one blow!

The surrounding Cultivators gasped, as if they had already seen the bloody scene of the ignorant young man's head being crushed.

However, in the next moment, everyone froze.

Shen Yuanmo, facing the menacing ghost claw, did not dodge or evade.

He merely raised his right hand, and on his index finger, a pea-sized, pure golden glazed flame, without a trace of Impurities, quietly bloomed.

Then, he flicked his finger.

"Whoosh!"

That golden flame transformed into a streak of light, arriving later but striking first, accurately hitting the giant black ghost claw.

There was no earth-shattering roar.

Nor was there a violent clash of magical power.

"Puff..."

A soft sound, like a hot knife cutting through butter.

The seemingly formidable black ghost claw, upon contact with the golden flame, melted away like ice and snow, instantly pierced and purified, leaving not even a trace of black Qi behind.

And that golden flame, after piercing through the ghost claw, its momentum undiminished, still shot towards Old Fu like lightning!

"What?!"

Old Fu's indifferent expression was instantly replaced by horror!

He felt a deadly crisis!

That small golden flame contained an extremely potent, overbearing, and unparalleled power, as if it were the nemesis of his sinister Cultivation Technique!

He tried to dodge but found his body had been locked by an invisible Qi mechanism, making it impossible to move!

In his horror, he could only frantically activate all his magical power, setting up layer upon layer of black shields in front of him.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

A series of dull thuds.

The seemingly indestructible protective magical power was as fragile as paper in front of the golden flame, easily pierced through layer by layer.

Finally, in Old Fu's terrified eyes, the golden flame imprinted itself on his chest.

"Ah—!"

A scream, so shrill it sounded inhuman, erupted from Old Fu's mouth.

He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto the street outside Wanbao Pavilion.

On his chest, a fist-sized hole was smoking, the flesh inside completely incinerated.

He twitched twice, then fell completely silent.