All of this was completely unexpected; even Chen Fei hadn't anticipated the man to be so audacious. After a single disagreement, the stall owner had dared to make a lethal move, trying to kill him. A cold glint flashed in his jet-black, glass-like eyes.

In that instant, he curled his fingers into a light fist, and an energy imperceptible to others began to surge in his palm.

WHOOSH!

"Insolent!"

However, at that moment, someone moved faster than him.

Captain Pei, who stood behind him, saw the stall owner dare to attack Chen Fei. His eyes instantly turned severe, flashing with intensity.

His legs whipped out in a continuous, dragon-like chain toward the man. Flashing afterimages and a forceful gust of wind caused the horse-faced, broad-footed man's expression to change drastically. He frantically altered the trajectory of his crescent-bladed weapon, executing a hasty, explosive retreat!

As the captain of the number one squad at the Headquarters of the Flying Leopard, Captain Pei hadn't yet reached the Half-Step Innate Realm, but he wasn't far off. In particular, his Dragon Leg technique, which he had honed for countless years, had already reached the level of Great Accomplishment and was ingrained in his very bones. Even a Half-Step Innate Powerhouse would never dare to underestimate it, a testament to its power.

"Damn it... kid, consider yourself lucky."

Forced into retreat, the horse-faced, broad-footed man's eyes grew even darker. He fixed an icy stare on Chen Fei and said coldly, "Kid, I'm giving you one last chance. Three hundred million for this piece of Ran Yunmu. If you pay up, I can forget the humiliation you just caused me. Otherwise..." Although he didn't finish, the chilling tone of his voice made his threat perfectly clear.

"And who do you think you are?"

In the next moment, however, Chen Fei looked at the man as if he were looking at an idiot. With a look of cold indifference, he sneered, "What? Can't sell your item, so you resort to extortion? How about this: you get down on all fours, crawl around in a circle twice, and bark a little. If I'm amused and in a good mood, maybe I'll toss you a few coins, heh..." He ended with a scornful laugh.

What shameless idiocy. How dare he act so aggressively in front of me, Chen Fei? Does he really think he's someone important?

"Very well. Truly, very well..."

Hearing this, a hint of ferocity appeared in the horse-faced man's eyes. He shot Chen Fei a contemptuous glare before shifting his gaze to Captain Pei and the others. A cold, sinister sneer formed on his lips as he said, "You think you're the only one with backup?"

Just as he finished speaking, several figures with extraordinary auras gradually emerged from the gathering crowd. They were a mix of young and old, but the elderly were the majority. Three of them, in particular, exuded an aura that made one's heart palpitate as they walked up behind the horse-faced man with cold sneers on their faces.

A sharp intake of breath was heard from the crowd.

"Look at the markings on their clothes! They're... from the Qiy Family, aren't they?"

"Which Qiy Family? Wait, could it be..."

...

Suddenly, the expressions of many onlookers changed drastically. Someone had recognized the unique insignia on their clothing, and they couldn't help but gasp in fear. The Qiy Family had a formidable reputation.

For the Ancient Martial Artists within the Lingnan Mountains, the name 'Qiy Family' represented an existence on par with the Four Great Hidden Sects. The name was legendary.

They were the family currently considered most likely to become the fifth Hidden Sect, a powerful clan in the Lingnan Mountains! This was due to both their strength and heritage. In terms of strength, the family had produced two Strong Innate Ancient Martial Artists in the past decade alone. As for heritage, the Qiy Family had existed in the Lingnan Mountains for over two hundred years, possessing a foundation perhaps even deeper than some of the true Hidden Sects.

Because of this, even the forces officially recognized as Hidden Sects didn't dare to underestimate the Qiy Family in the slightest, always treating them with the utmost respect.

Thinking of this, the gazes on Chen Fei once again turned strange, even... pitiful.

Yes, pitiful.

After all, wasn't it a tragedy to have unwittingly offended a member of that family?

Furthermore, the Cultivation Auras of the three old men behind the horse-faced man indicated that their group included a Strongest Peak of First-Class Ancient Warrior and… a Half-Step Innate!

"Guangming, what is it? What happened?" the Half-Step Innate Elder asked, frowning at the horse-faced man.

Hearing his name, the horse-faced man—Qiy Guangming—curved his lips. A cold, mocking expression appeared on his face as he tilted his head back and spoke to Chen Fei with an air of superiority, "Elder, that kid tricked me. He humiliated me."

"Humiliated you?"

The Qiy Family's Half-Step Innate Elder's face grew cold. He stated impassively, "He overestimates his own abilities. In that case, just kill him."

An uproar swept through the crowd. No one had expected the elder to be so direct and domineering, to casually order someone's death. But with his strength as a Half-Step Innate and the backing of the mighty Qiy Family, it seemed he had every right to do so.

Still, wasn't the Qiy Family being a bit too overbearing?

Upon hearing those words, Captain Pei and the Elite Members of the Flying Leopard behind him burned with silent fury. They stared at their opponents, their faces impassive but their eyes glinting coldly.

"Kill him? What big words. Tell me, old man, did you not sleep well last night? Or is there something wrong with you up here? Are you daydreaming?" Just then, a calm, indifferent young voice spoke up, causing everyone to instinctively turn their gaze toward Chen Fei. They watched as he tapped a finger to his temple, his expression a mixture of cold indifference and amusement.

A collective gasp went through the crowd.

The Qiy Family's elder was a Half-Step Innate Powerhouse! Even within the Lingnan Mountains, he was considered a minor hegemon.

Yet this young man dared to be so brazen, so bold as to speak to such a figure in that manner. Did he have a death wish? Was his brain not working properly?

"What did you say!?"

Qiy Guangming stared at Chen Fei, his face a mask of shock and anger, his eyes filled with an intense, cold malevolence. "You little brat, do you have any idea who you're talking to? That is an Elder of our Qiy Family!"

"The Qiy Family?"

Chen Fei's eyes flashed with a cold light. The other man's mouth was a little too foul for his liking. He sneered, "So what if I know? And what if I don't?"

"It seems you're really determined to make an enemy of our Qiy Family, then?" Qiy Guangming's expression sank. He couldn't believe Chen Fei still dared to use that tone with him. Was he ignoring the power of the Qiy Family standing right behind him? The thought infuriated him.

"My, what a silver tongue you have," Chen Fei shot back, his lip curling. "Let's be clear. Didn't this whole mess start because you, you idiot, had the ridiculous idea of trying to strong-arm me into buying that piece of trash Ran Yunmu from you for three hundred million? Or have you conveniently forgotten that already?" With that, he ruthlessly exposed the man's sore spot.

"What? Three hundred million for a piece of Ran Yunmu? Is that for real?"

"Most likely, the Qiy Family people saw this kid was rich and spending freely, so they thought they had found a sucker to swindle. They just didn't expect him to be no fool..."

"If that's true, the Qiy Family is really shameless. Selling a piece of Ran Yunmu for three hundred million... it's amazing he had the gall to suggest it."

...

Nearby, the crowd began to whisper and point.

"You... you dare to frame me?" Seeing all the fingers pointing at him, Qiy Guangming felt a hot surge of humiliation and panic. Flushed beet-red, he pointed a trembling finger at Chen Fei, his face dark and his lips quivering.

"Frame you? Would you like to hear your own voice?" Chen Fei's lips twisted into a slight smirk as he pulled out his phone and waved it in front of everyone.

"You... you... you even recorded it?" Qiy Guangming almost coughed up a mouthful of blood. He trembled violently, his face turning the color of a pot's bottom. Pointing a shaky finger at Chen Fei, he stuttered, his face a canvas of fury and shame.

"I called you an idiot, and you still denied it. Yet you fell for a simple bluff?" Chen Fei mocked.

"You... you... you..."

This time, the horse-faced man was so flustered he could only stand there trembling, unable to speak, his face shifting between shades of green and purple.

At that moment, he could feel the stares of the crowd, each one filled with ridicule and mockery, piercing him like needles. They were looking at him as if he were a complete moron.

"You... very good. Very good!"

As if feeling the relentless mockery around him, Qiy Guangming's body went rigid. His expression turned chillingly cold as he declared, "Elder, slaughter them. I'll take full responsibility for whatever happens." At his words, the nearby spectators' expressions changed. They couldn't believe that here, in Tian Kui Market, the Qiy Family would be so brazen as to try and commit murder in broad daylight.

"Fine."

The Half-Step Innate Powerhouse nodded slightly. He swept a frigid glance over Chen Fei, a cold light flickering in his eyes.

Clearly, he remembered Chen Fei's earlier disrespectful words perfectly and had taken great offense.

Hearing the command, the younger men behind Qiy Guangming retreated slightly. The two Strongest Peak of First-Class Ancient Warriors, however, slowly stepped forward. They flanked the Half-Step Innate Elder, cold smiles on their faces as they advanced on Chen Fei's group, their combined aura surging powerfully!

Seeing this, Captain Pei and the Elite Members of the Flying Leopard behind him grew tense, their expressions changing slightly. Facing two at the Strongest Peak of First-Class and one Half-Step Innate was no laughing matter for them.

As he watched them approach, Chen Fei slowly rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. A cold intent flickered in his pitch-black, glass-like eyes, a sign that his patience was wearing thin.

"Wait!"

Just then, a stern shout cut through the air.

Immediately after, a contingent of elite, armor-clad soldiers arrived, their presence radiating a palpable killing intent.

A gasp went through the crowd.

"It's the White Dragon Guard of the Bai Family!"

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