Chapter 157: Maple City, Han Feng
Maple City.
Ever since Han Feng took control of this city, it had become one of the most prosperous towns in the entire Black-Corner Region. The reason was simple: Han Feng, a tier-six alchemist. In the Black-Corner Region, his rank was unrivaled. And with his reputation as the former disciple of the once-renowned Medicine Sovereign of the Central Plains, his name carried enormous weight. Countless powerful figures came from afar to seek him out.
After all, who could resist the allure of pills with miraculous effects? Even Dou Zong experts needed them. As a result, Han Feng had weaved a massive and intricate web of connections.
With the backing of such forces, Han Feng quickly solidified his position in the Black-Corner Region.
…
On this day, many Dou Ling and Dou Wang-level experts stood guard outside Han Feng's residence, eagerly awaiting word of his emergence from seclusion. Everyone hoped to be one of the few selected to receive his personal pill refinement. Each year, Han Feng would select a limited number of clients under the condition that they completed a task for him. This was an unwritten rule among alchemists.
In addition to that, the clients had to prepare at least three full sets of ingredients. Whether the pill was successfully refined or not, the materials would not be returned.
One of the most famous cases involved someone asking Han Feng to refine a Breaking Sect Pill—but the refinement failed.
This alone demonstrated just how revered alchemists were on the Dou Qi Continent. Even Dou Zong-level experts wouldn't dare to offend a tier-six alchemist lightly. You never knew how many powerful people such a figure could summon with a single call.
"Someone's here to request an audience with Lord City Chief again. Count it—how many does that make this month?"
An old man working at a shop chuckled as he saw several figures approaching the city lord's estate, teasing his apprentice beside him.
The apprentice squinted and counted on his fingers. "Seventeenth, I think. Add the ones waiting outside, and that's nearly thirty… though it seems fewer than previous years. I remember Dou Huang-level people showing up before."
"These days are different." The old man's smile faded, and his tone grew grave. "I've heard things are chaotic out there. Not long ago, someone wiped out an entire city without a sound…"
"What?!"
The apprentice's face paled in shock.
Even in the Black-Corner Region, wiping out a city was rare. Even the fiercest powers usually didn't go that far—it could bring enormous consequences. Long ago, someone had tried, and both they and their faction vanished soon after.
Clearly, behind all the chaos, some level of order still existed. If the region were truly lawless, it wouldn't have survived this long.
BOOM!
Suddenly, a violent explosion echoed from the distance, interrupting their conversation. Both turned their heads—and their expressions quickly shifted to horror.
The gates of the city lord's mansion had just been blown apart.
And the ones responsible seemed to be among the people they had just seen walking in.
"Who would dare stir up trouble here…?" the old man muttered, his voice trembling.
That was the residence of the so-called Alchemy Emperor of the Black-Corner Region. There were at least a dozen Dou Wang-level experts inside, plus two Dou Huang retainers. Were those people looking to die?
The answer came swiftly.
Two powerful auras erupted from within the city lord's mansion. Two figures soared into the sky and shot toward the main entrance, followed by more than a dozen Dou Wang experts. This kind of formation could crush most sects in the Black-Corner Region.
"Who dares act so presumptuously?! Have you no desire to live?!"
A burly man with a bare chest charged out, roaring furiously. A terrifying five-star Dou Huang aura swirled around him as his tiger-like eyes locked onto the intruders.
But then his eyes widened in disbelief. He recognized the two people standing in front of the young man.
If he wasn't mistaken, those were the Gold and Silver Elders!
These two were legendary figures in the Black-Corner Region—veteran powerhouses. Both were peak nine-star Dou Huangs, only a step away from breaking through to Dou Zong. It was said that the two had once fought a Dou Zong together and forced them to retreat.
Compared to them, he wasn't worth mentioning.
While he stood frozen, a cocky young man beside him—only a one-star Dou Huang—stepped forward, face full of arrogance. He shouted coldly, "Where do you get the nerve to cause trouble here?!"
As he spoke, he launched a sharp burst of Dou Qi, aiming to kill one of the intruders on the spot and gain favor with Han Feng. He didn't care who they were. With the forces behind him, unless they were Dou Zong, they were nothing to fear.
As for their background? Their backer was the Alchemy Emperor—Han Feng!
The burly man flinched, clearly annoyed by his companion's recklessness, but didn't intervene. Instead, he subtly backed away to avoid being caught in the crossfire. He understood why the younger man was so arrogant—he wasn't a true Dou Huang. He had taken pills to reach this level and had only recently broken through. He didn't know the weight of names like the Gold and Silver Elders.
Yao Yan stared at the attacker calmly, lips curled in a faint smile. "The world never lacks reckless fools~"
BOOM!
Before Yao Yan even gave the order, Gold raised his hand and slapped away the incoming Dou Qi attack. At the same time, he released his peak nine-star Dou Huang aura, instantly crushing the battlefield. The nearby Dou Wang experts turned pale.
The young Dou Huang froze. Before he could react, Silver had already appeared at his side.
Silver grabbed the man's shoulder—bones shattered with a crunch, and fingers dug into flesh.
"ARGH!"
The young Dou Huang howled in pain and threw a desperate punch at Silver, but Silver easily caught it and twisted his arm behind his back. A brutal knee to the spine followed, accompanied by a sickening crack that echoed throughout the crowd.
Still unsatisfied, Silver tore off the man's arm in front of everyone. Even Yao Yan raised an eyebrow at the brutality.
No wonder they're veterans of the Black-Corner Region… Yao Yan thought. They never hold back. Either they don't act, or they go straight for the kill.
If the young man had known Silver's strength, he might have avoided such humiliation. But he had underestimated his opponent—and that was all Silver needed.
Real battles didn't wait for both sides to prepare. If you let your guard down, you died. No one would give you a second chance.
Without even using a Dou Technique, the careless young Dou Huang was crippled and discarded like trash. With his spine and arm destroyed, even a Dou Ling could finish him off now.
"Was that the Gold and Silver Elders?!"
A cry rose from the crowd as someone recognized the two. Shocked whispers spread, and many began to look fearfully at the calm young man standing between them.
Who was he, to command the loyalty of the Gold and Silver Elders?!
Back in the courtyard, the burly Dou Huang tensed up. His gaze sharpened as he focused on the trio.
"I don't recall Maple City offending either of you," he said cautiously. "What brings you here today, seniors?"
Unlike the injured fool, he knew better. The Gold and Silver Elders were ruthless—always attacking in unison and never holding back, even against weaker opponents.
If Han Feng hadn't promised him a pill, he would've fled already. But the Emperor's Pill was worth risking his life.
The two elders didn't respond. Silver floated mid-air while Gold respectfully stood by Yao Yan's side, like a guard or retainer. He leaned in and asked quietly, "My lord, shall we capture him?"
"Five-star Dou Huang. Not bad. Are you interested in working for me?"
Yao Yan's gaze fell on the burly man, studying him with a smile.
Who the hell are you… the man cursed internally. The offer came out of nowhere. He almost lost it—but the oppressive presence of the Gold and Silver Elders made him force a polite reply. "I've no interest in serving others. I'm only here due to an agreement with the Alchemy Emperor. I meant no offense."
The elders exchanged a look, their expressions odd. This guy had no idea Yao Yan was a tier-seven alchemist. If he knew, he'd probably slap himself.
"What a shame," Yao Yan said lightly. "Since you're not interested, then go. I only came for Han Feng. Anyone else still here in a moment will be treated as an enemy."
He smiled warmly as his gaze swept over the crowd.
When dealing with someone like Han Feng, a strong approach was best. People like him bowed only when threatened. Kindness only invited exploitation.
Silver hovered silently, watching the crowd with cold eyes. To someone only half a step from Dou Zong, these people were nothing. And together with Gold, they had a fusion technique that could temporarily elevate them to Dou Zong level.
If pushed, they could wipe everyone here out in minutes.
Whoosh—
Just then, a surge of heat erupted from the city lord's manor. A wave of blue flames surged outward, and a refined figure appeared, standing atop the fire like a king, hands behind his back, gazing down at the crowd.
It was a dramatic entrance—and it stunned many onlookers.
Even Yao Yan raised an eyebrow. Han Feng really knows how to make an entrance. For a two-star Dou Huang, he's putting on more of a show than most Dou Zong…
That said, his aura was indeed powerful. Far above what typical two-star Dou Huangs could manage. Between his mastery of the Flame Mantra and his solid foundation, Han Feng truly had what it took to dominate the Black-Corner Region.
In the original story, if he hadn't run into Xiao Yan, he might very well have laughed till the end. He was ruthless with both enemies and himself—a perfect fit for survival on the Dou Qi Continent.
"Gold and Silver Elders, I don't recall any disputes between us. If you're here to cause trouble, you owe me an explanation." Han Feng's tone was composed, his eyes indifferent as he looked at the two elders. Their power didn't shake him.
He had fought peak Dou Huangs before. Even if he couldn't win, he could survive.
An alchemist's power wasn't limited to Dou Qi. Soul force was an excellent weapon in battle. Ordinary Dou Huangs couldn't even get close to him.
Two-star Dou Huang, plus tier-six alchemist's soul strength, plus tier-grade techniques and the Sea Heart Flame—what did he have to fear?
"Alchemy Emperor? What a grand title!"
Yao Yan clapped slowly, lips curled into a mocking smile.
"And who are you supposed to be?" Han Feng's gaze turned cold as it shifted to Yao Yan. He didn't recognize him. But since this person had come to stir trouble, he owed him an explanation—or they wouldn't leave this city alive.
Otherwise, others might think Han Feng was weak.
"Before we get to that, let me teach you something…" Yao Yan said calmly. "When talking to others—don't look down from so high."
With that, an overwhelming soul pressure burst from Yao Yan's body and swept toward Han Feng.
(END CHAPTER)
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