Chapter 26 - 26 23 Qi Shaofeng

26: Chapter 23 Qi Shaofeng 26: Chapter 23 Qi Shaofeng In Tianyang County’s marketplace, located in the East District of the city, an array of trading venues stood,—from small stalls and underground trading posts to large trading companies, encompassing all kinds of buying and selling. Ye Xuan had previously visited once; this was his second visit. However, his last visit was rushed, aiming mainly at acquiring Meridian Clearing Grass. This time was different; he came with a casual browsing attitude, intending to buy some useful items and possibly unearth some treasures. When Ye Xuan and Nangong Yao arrived at the marketplace, it was already crowded with people. The fearsome popularity of the place was unmatched anywhere else. Among the crowd, there were many martial artists with extraordinary presence. However, the bustling environment didn’t seem to disturb Nangong Yao’s spirits at all. Perhaps because it was a rare opportunity for her to go out and play, Nangong Yao became exceptionally lively. Reluctantly led by Ye Xuan, she kept stopping at various stalls. The light, joyous laughter of the young lady attracted many sidelong glances and admirations, making the heat-stricken streets somewhat cooler. Unlike Nangong Yao’s enthusiastic meandering, Ye Xuan was quite composed. But since he had entered the marketplace, Ye Xuan naturally took time to survey the stalls around him. With his keen eye, he could discern trash from treasure at a glance; anything he couldn’t see through was likely a significant item. But after some idle strolling, nothing caught Ye Xuan’s eye, yet the exceedingly excited Nangong Yao had already bought quite a few items. Shopping was inherently a woman’s nature, let alone for Nangong Yao, who was cooped up at home all year round. It was a rare outing, and Ye Xuan let her make her purchases since they were just some ladylike accessories and didn’t cost much. “Sir, how much is this necklace?” Nangong Yao was fiddling with a crystal-colored necklace, excitement evident on her petite face. Although the necklace was only an accessory of Mortal Grade, the Heart-Clearing Stone embedded in it had a calming effect on the mind. Besides, its exquisite craftsmanship seemed tailored to charm young ladies. “Miss, you really have a good eye. This necklace was a rare piece brought back from Great Hua Country. Only a celestial beauty like you deserves this necklace. I’ll sell it to you for thirty thousand taels,” the middle-aged stallholder said with a smile, seeing the prospect of a big sale. Nangong Yao nodded. Thirty thousand taels were not much for her, the cherished pearl of the Nangong family. However, as she was about to take out her purse to pay, her brow furrowed slightly. She had not planned to visit the marketplace today as she was just out with Ye Xuan and didn’t bring much money. The previous purchases had depleted most of the bills she had. “I’ll take care of it.” Ye Xuan, seeing what the situation was, was about to pay when he froze slightly, then a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face. In his haste to come out, he hadn’t brought any money, and he rarely ever carried money with him. “Let’s forget it, it’s just an ordinary necklace. We can come back and buy it another time.” Nangong Yao put the necklace back in its place. Although she seemed indifferent, Ye Xuan could tell that she was quite fond of the necklace and couldn’t help feeling some regret. Just as Nangong Yao had put down the necklace and was planning to continue browsing with Ye Xuan, a clear, jovial laughter suddenly came forward. “Eh, isn’t that little sister Yaoer? Why didn’t you tell me in advance that you were heading out shopping?” With a slight furrow of her delicate brows, Nangong Yao looked in the direction of the sound and saw a group of people approaching, led by a luxuriously dressed young man. The young man, around twenty, was quite handsome and refined. However, his complexion was somewhat pale, as if from excessive indulgence in wine or pleasure. His eyes, fiery and focused, were fixed on the beautiful, slender girl not far from him, his gaze mixed with undisguised adoration. “It’s Young Master Qi. I was just casually strolling, not wishing to cause a disturbance.” As she watched the delighted expressions of the young man, Nangong Yao’s face grew cold, indicating her mood had soured at seeing this richly dressed youth, who she had seldom met before outside her home. But this young man was the son of the Qi family head, naturally making a few encounters inevitable. Young Master Qi? Ye Xuan could also guess who this young man was. In Tianyang County, the Qi family’s Young Master was none other than Qi Shaofeng, the Princely Heir hailed as the foremost talent of Tianyang County. “I am flattered, sister Yaoer. At your command, I would, of course, come at once. You know I’ve always cared for you.” A handsome smile surfaced on Qi Shaofeng’s face, his eyes brimming with tenderness. He stepped forward, wanting to close the gap between him and Nangong Yao. If it were some love-struck girl, she might have fallen for it, but unfortunately, this approach seemed ineffective on Nangong Yao. Her beautiful face remained cold as she stepped back to maintain a distance between them. “Hehe, I just saw that sister Yaoer seemed to like this necklace. Why have you suddenly changed your mind? Stallholder, wrap up this necklace. I’ll buy it no matter the cost.” Caught off guard by Nangong Yao’s actions, Qi Shaofeng was slightly embarrassed but still displayed patience. He then turned to the middle-aged stallholder to ask for the price. “There’s no need, I was just looking. Young Master Qi, if you like it, you can wear it yourself.” Nangong Yao’s frown deepened even more. This guy was really persistent with his nagging, constantly calling her “Yaoer sister.” It was extremely annoying. She then turned to pull on Ye Xuan’s sleeve, “Brother Ye Xuan, we have already seen everything on this street. Let’s go somewhere else.” “Sure, let’s go to the Spiritual Items Workshop, I need to buy some stuff there.” Ye Xuan nodded. He had heard of Qi Shaofeng before. Although the man was talented, he was known for his frivolous and lascivious nature. Nangong Yao certainly should not have any association with such a person. “Spiritual Items Workshop? That place is a money burner, Ye Xuan. You can’t even afford a regular necklace, are you going to embarrass yourself there?” Just as Ye Xuan and Nangong Yao turned to leave, Qi Shaofeng’s slightly sarcastic voice came from behind them, causing both of them to frown simultaneously. In their view, Qi Shaofeng blocked their way, then coldly smiled and said, “Yaoer sister, you don’t have to degrade yourself by using someone like him as a shield, even if you don’t like me. Even if this guy has rid himself of the name ‘useless,’ he is still a waste in front of me. Not just him, but all of the Ye family are nothing but spineless dogs. Without my Qi family’s mercy in taking them in, what capabilities would they have to settle down in Tianyang County?” Qi Shaofeng looked at Ye Xuan smugly, feeling quite displeased. In terms of appearance or strength, how was he inferior to Ye Xuan? Why did Nangong Yao still favor the latter? “Qi Shaofeng, you!” Hearing these nearly malicious words, Nangong Yao was also shocked and angry. The Ye family’s establishment in Tianyang County did owe something to the Qi family, but not to the ugly extent that Qi Shaofeng described. Just as she was about to retort, Ye Xuan suddenly put his hand in front of her and stepped forward, narrowing the distance between him and Qi Shaofeng to just a few steps. “Are you done talking? Can you leave now?” With eyes locked, Ye Xuan spoke calmly. Some people, the more respect you give them, the less they deserve it. Most of the time, backing down does not solve the problem. “Waste, what did you say?” A flush of anger rose in Qi Shaofeng’s eyes. Every member of the Ye family approached him with their tails between their legs. Yet Ye Xuan dared to accuse him of spouting nonsense right to his face. “I said for you to leave. What, Young Master Qi, can’t you hear?” Ye Xuan’s mouth curled with a sneer. “Ha ha, very good. It seems that getting first place at the Ye family clan meeting has really boosted your confidence. Now I really want to see how much weight this ‘number one genius of the Ye family’ actually has!” Glaring at Ye Xuan with a chilling gaze, Qi Shaofeng coldly laughed and quickly stepped forward, a greenish glow rapidly accumulating in his palm. “My ‘weight’ is probably more than you can handle.” The moment Qi Shaofeng struck, a fierce glint flashed across Ye Xuan’s eyes. He then moved forward and blasted a punch straightforwardly without any fancy moves. “Brother Ye Xuan, be careful!” Seeing Ye Xuan confronting him head-on, Nangong Yao hurriedly cautioned him. Qi Shaofeng’s strength was not to be underestimated; his cultivation was nearly reaching the level of a Fourth Grade Martial Master. Bang! Fist and palm collided, causing a deep sound to burst out suddenly, and then, under the astonished gazes of the crowd, a figure flew backward and heavily crashed into a stall, looking extremely disheveled. “How is this possible?” Qi Shaofeng’s eyes were somewhat vacant, still unable to comprehend how he could have been sent flying by Ye Xuan’s punch. “Bastard!” His eyes rapidly reddened, Qi Shaofeng launched another assault, furiously pressing towards Ye Xuan. However, the latter still remained motionless until the moment Qi Shaofeng madly charged at him. Then, Ye Xuan thunderously struck, his scabbard hitting Qi Shaofeng’s chest like lightning, sending him flying once again. “This…” Everyone stared blankly at Qi Shaofeng flying backward again. Ever since they had known him, had anyone ever beaten him up like this? The greatest talent of Tianyang County had no power to fight back against Ye Xuan? It was incredibly unbelievable. Sёarᴄh the Novёlƒire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. How had Ye Xuan become so formidable? “Qi Shan, beat him down for me!” Amid the crowd’s astonishment, Qi Shaofeng’s desperate roar suddenly echoed. As his voice spread, a tall and mighty man emerged from the group he had brought with him. His physique was mountainous, and his presence was even more imposing than Qi Shaofeng’s—a clear mark of a Fourth Grade Martial Master!