Translator: E.3.3. Editor: Vermillion

  Bu Fang walked out of the kitchen, stretched his body, and dried his hands. Then, he pulled out a chair to rest for a bit.

  Having stayed in the kitchen all morning, he had finally finished making the dishes that his customers had ordered. It was certainly nice to steal a moment of leisure from the rush of business and take a catnap.

  Mu Lingfeng sat afar, drinking his fish soup while observing Bu Fang emerging from the kitchen. He had been to the store for many days now, and this Owner Bu gave him the impression of maintaining his composure even before an erupting volcano.

  However, Bu Fang’s cooking skills were superb, and could easily be considered top-rate among the gourmet delicacies he had tried himself.

  If it weren’t for the Five Stripes Path-Understanding Tree sitting in this store, Mu Lingfeng would love to come here often for a small meal or a drink. What a pity…… as the saying goes, the precious stone may land its possessor in jail. To possess a treasure as prized as the Five Stripes Path-Understanding Tree meant this store was destined to meet a tragic end.

  He knew that, not after long, this store would be wiped out in a split moment.

  "That fellow Sheng Mu is bringing Elder Xia to the store. What a shame……" Mu Lingfeng took a sip of the Ice Heart Jade Urn Wine and emitted a light sigh……

  A group of burly men trod the streets of the Imperial City, and finally arrived at the tranquil alleyway.

  "Is it here?" As Elder Xia flicked a glance at Sheng Mu, the muscles on his ferocious face quivered as he inquired.

  "Yes, that store is located in this plain, unremarkable small alleyway." Sheng Mu stroked the head of the black cheetah on which he rode and chuckled lightly.

  Elder Xia instantly knitted his brows, a with sneer smearing over his lips, "It is in an awfully remote area. Could the Five Stripes Path-Understanding Tree really rest in such a cornered little store?"

  However, he didn’t say much more and led his crew right into the small alleyway. It did not matter whether this store was located in a remote area or in the small corner of an alleyway, as his sole target was the Five Stripes Path-Understanding Tree. As for the store…… it was not among his primary concerns…… For all that matters, he could simply wipe it out if it got into his way.

  Standing before the entrance of the store, Elder Xia twisted his neck. All the muscles in his body begun to shake and throb, as a stirring dragon.

  Sheng Mu squinted his eyes, hopped off from the back of the cheetah, and turned his head to face Elder Xia. "Elder Xia, are we going in or not?"

  "Come on, let’s check out that Five Stripes Path-Understanding Tree first? Is it really as you’ve described…… to be honest, I still don’t believe your words. How could gems like the Five Stripes Path-Understanding Tree appear in this random corner of an alleyway." Xia Da twitched his mouth.

  Sheng Mu was taken back and wasn’t sure how to respond. However, he quickly laughed it off and led the crew into the store.

  Stepping into the store, he was hit by the cozy atmosphere within, which caused his complexions to change. As a seventh grade Battle-Saint, he was especially sensitive to spirit energy. The rich food aroma and spirit energy that filled the air as well as one’s stomach were both marvelous and incredible.

  The atmosphere inside versus outside of the store were drastically different. Once in a while, the Path-Understanding Tree spread Path-Understanding Notes that penetrated one’s spirits and heart.

  "The Five Stripes Path-Understanding Tree really does exist!" Sheng Mu’s eyes lit up. He turned to look at Elder Xia, who had also stepped into the store.

  The expression of the latter had become somewhat odd.

  "For dining, please consult the menu behind you. Let me know what you want to order." Seeing numerous strong men entering the store, Ouyang Xiaoyi wrinkled her brows. The store was pretty small, and with these new additions, had begun to seem crowded.

  "Dining? Haha! You little lassie, I am not here to eat, I’m here for the treasure!" Sheng Mu guffawed.

  Ouyang Xiaoyi was startled, and for a moment, didn’t know what to do.

  Bu Fang, who sat on his chair, wrinkled his brows and gazed at these hefty men.

  "Get me the store owner. Tell him to hurry his ass if he still wants this cornered little store to survive and stay open!" Sheng Mu was fierce and ruthless.

  Bu Fang stood up, shielded Ouyang Xiaoyi with his body, and walked before this crowd of people.

  "I am the owner of the store. Is something up?"

  From a distance, Mu Lingfeng shook his head. Sure enough…… these warriors of the Ferocious Hall, with their well developed limbs but heads of a moron, had found their way here. However, he didn’t bother moving himself, and merely remained in his seat whilst enjoying the delicious fish soup.

  "Something’s up? Sure there is! Didn’t you hear what I said before, that I’ve come to the store in search of the treasure? Don’t play possum with me. The Five Stripes Path-Understanding Tree, fork it over……"

  Sheng Mu formed a fist, and with the muscles on his face quivering, laughed viciously.

  Bu Fang glanced at him without any facial expressions, curled his lips, and then opened his mouth: "There are countless people seeking treasures from me…… who do you think you are?"

  Sheng Mu was absolutely dumbstruck. He glared back with bulging eyeballs and summoned up a deadly force of energy. However, before he had the chance to make a move, he stopped abruptly in astonishment. That was because he felt a swift and fierce force of energy gushing through the doors and directly locking him down.

  "Who is making trouble in this store?"

  Outside, a cold voice rang in the air. The shadow of a figure had appeared.

  The bystanders, including Bu Fang himself, peered outside of the door in curiosity. They realized quickly that the fellow out there with such bellicose utterances turned out to be a serpent-man.

  Bu Fang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Serpent-man Yu Feng was really there protecting his store…… Who would have thought that he’d actually dare to show up. The crowd before him emitted powerful forces of energy, so where did he gather the courage……

  "Hey ho? You intend to defend this store?" Sheng Mu broke into a chuckle. Was this seventh grade Battle-Saint serpent-man the store’s trump card? If so, it would really take the fun out of it.

  "Owner Bu, I have promised you that I will look after the store. I live up to my words." The serpent-man Yu Feng remarked solemnly.

  A long, black spear appeared in his hands. It swept across the air and pointed directly at the warriors of the Ferocious Hall standing within the store.

  Bu Fang wanted to say something, but Sheng Mu and his crew had already walked out of the store and into the alleyway to face the serpent-man Yu Feng.

  Bu Fang rolled his eyes, completely at a loss for words.

  Though he couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry at the current circumstances, he still felt a touch of warmth inside.

  "Serpent-men are actually appearing in the Imperial City of the Light Wind Empire? How interesting……" Amidst the crowd, Xia Da curled his lips into a smirk. Seeing the serpent-man Yu Feng, he couldn’t help but laugh.

  "The fame of the Grand Serpentine City, located in the Illusory Spirit Swamp, has spread even to the Hidden Dragon Continent. The Serpentine Sovereign had singlehandedly built a magnificent grand city even under the difficult circumstances in the Illusory Spirit Swamp. For that, he had gained the respect of countless people. I wonder if you yourself is from the Serpentine Sovereign’s Grand Serpentine City?" Xia Da asked coolly.

  The serpent-man Yu Feng was slightly taken back, after which he wrinkled his brows, with the long spear still waving about, and replied: "Even though I myself am not a serpent-man from the Grand Serpentine City, I was fortunate enough to meet the Serpentine Sovereign in person."

  When he divulged this, Yu Feng felt a sense of pride. As he came from a branch of the serpent-men tribe, it was already the utmost honor to meet face to face with the legendary Serpentine Sovereign.

  "Oh…… so you have met the Serpentine Sovereign? Then for the sake of the Serpentine Sovereign, I’ll let you scram. Beat it." Xia Da flicked a glance at the serpent-man Yu Feng, waved his hand, and snickered as he replied.

  The nearby crowd, consisting of Sheng Mu and the crew, also burst out into laughter.

  The serpent-men…… were a species they looked down upon, as they were equivalent to man-beasts. Deep into the Wildlands, man-beasts proliferated and lived as the lowest level of species, garnering no respect whatsoever.

  Yet now, this serpent-man stood before them vowing to defend the store…… It was simply ludicrous.

  Bu Fang leaned by the door frame and observed this stand-off calmly. Before he knew it, fat ole Whitey had already emerged behind him, standing like a piece of stiff wood, and its mechanic eyes flashed beams of red.

  "How presumptuous!"

  The serpent-man Yu Feng did not recognize this strapping, muscular fellow before him. However, he could certainly discern this brute’s insulting and disdainful tone. That was absolutely unpardonable!

  "Scram? Your audacity is laughable!" Yu Feng’s eyes flashed. His serpent tail swung, and waves of true energy surged out of his body. The long, black spear began spinning and piercing towards the brazen man.

  In that moment, it felt like the air was almost ripped into shreds. Rat-a-tat, such sounds rang continuously. A furious torrent of true energy rose up like tides, instantly distorting the atmosphere within the small alleyway.

  As expected, a warrior at the peak of seventh grade Battle-Saint summoned a terrifying force of pressure when he made a move.

  The faces of Sheng Mu and the crew had changed colors. This serpent-man had a truly impressive cultivation level. No wonder he had the guts to stand out…… None of the seventh grade Battle-Saints currently present could take him down without a struggle.

  Unfortunately…… this serpent-man had no idea of whom he was in presence, nor what kind of an unimaginable existence they represented!

  Xia Da remained in his spot with squinting eyes. The mighty spear was just short of a meter away from his body when Xia Da finally decided to sluggishly lift up his brawny palm.

  Crack……

  An ear-splitting sound reverberated in the air. The serpent-man Yu Feng’s pupils shrank. This human before him had managed to catch the long, black spear he had hurled, and only with one hand.

  Bu Fang, still leaning by the door frame, was also taken back. To be able to resist the strike of a seventh grade Battle-Saint with a single hand, this burly brick before his eyes must have a stunning cultivation level himself.

  "No wonder he dared to provoke the store…… did he feel assured with the addition of superior combat abilities?" Bu Fang twitched the corners of his mouth and murmured quietly. Of course, not a single trace of anxiety had flashed across his heart.

  He patted Whitey’s chubby stomach, perfectly unflustered.