Chapter 318: First Volume, Chapter 318: Natural Nemesis

First Volume, Chapter 318: Natural Nemesis

Inside the cool pavilion surrounded by myriad flowers, the Imperial Consort's embroidery was already highly refined; the bird on the fan could be instantly recognized by any outsider as a colorful phoenix.

In just a few short days, her progress surpassed what a professional embroiderer might achieve in months—or even years.

After finishing the final stitch, the Imperial Consort tossed the fan along with the thread bundle onto her maid's lap and coldly said: "Throw it away. I never want to see these annoying things again."

This embroidery was merely the most insignificant of her countless skills.

Gazing at the lush, vibrant flowerbeds outside the courtyard, the Imperial Consort's face was darker than ever, as if coated with a faint layer of frost.

Since entering the harem, every opponent she'd faced had been a peerless talent.

Take the deeply calculating Chang Princess—hadn't she repeatedly suffered setbacks at the Imperial Consort's hands? At worst, they'd always been evenly matched.

Who could have imagined that today, she'd be defeated by a mere hired thug?

Every time she thought of it, the Imperial Consort felt a surge of grievance.

Earlier, she'd sent Qian Cheng to disrupt the auction—just to cause trouble, to make Qin Feng uncomfortable, and that alone had brought her joy.

Who knew Qian Cheng was so useless? In mere words, Qin Feng Xiao'er had lured him into a trap, dragging the matter from the artifact itself to the Lin Family.

That was bad enough!

Losing Fifteen Wan Liang of Silver was Qian Cheng's own stupidity—he lacked ability, so he had no one to blame but himself.

Yet even the maid who had served the Imperial Consort for years was equally incompetent, having been softly detained by Qin Feng without even realizing it.

In this first clash, the Imperial Consort didn't just lose—she was utterly crushed.

Since beginning to embroider the fan, the Imperial Consort had been strategizing, yet even now, she had no plan at all.

All her countless schemes were meant for dealing with courtly figures—but faced with Qin Feng, a street thug, a ruffian…

"Unthinkable!"

"That scoundrel plays dirty—how can I stoop to playing dirty with him?"

"How can such a treacherous man exist in this world?!"

The Imperial Consort frowned slightly—she had never lost composure like this, yet she didn't care. She turned and glanced at the silent maid beside her: "Send someone to Jiangnan. Warn my elder brother to be cautious and keep his mouth shut. Qin Feng is reckless by nature—if he truly carries out some act of 'kill first, report later,' even executing him won't make up for the damage to my Lin Family."

At that moment, a bright, melodious laugh echoed from the Western Flower Hall.

The laugh was piercingly irritating!

The Imperial Consort's anger surged—she slammed her palm onto the StoneTable, and with a loud "Boom—," the stone surface split cleanly in two.

"Today, I should've checked the almanac—I've run into nothing but nuisances!"

The Imperial Consort swept her long sleeve and stormed off in a rage.

The crash was clearly heard by the Chang Princess in the Western Flower Hall, and she laughed even louder—since her husband's death, this was the first time she had laughed so joyfully.

"Hehehe, Qin Feng, Qin Feng—I absolutely adore this boy. Not just in Jingdu City, but across all of Shedynasty, I doubt there's another soul who could make the Imperial Consort's head bleed."

"I never misjudged him. Barefoot men fear no one in shoes—he knows his advantage well, and he openly bullies and defies the Imperial Consort, and yet she has no counter."

Seeing the Chang Princess so delighted, Princess Qiyang's impression of Qin Feng began to shift.

After all, making her mother happy was Princess Qiyang's greatest wish.

Recalling the crash from the Side Hall just now, Princess Qiyang mused: "Qin Feng must have enraged the Imperial Consort terribly—I've never seen her lose composure like this."

Hearing this, the Chang Princess's smile faded slightly, and she spoke with solemn gravity: "Indeed. The Imperial Consort is a once-in-a-generation female genius, deeply hidden, with a photographic memory—she learns anything several times faster than others. Had you not known her well, who would believe that among the Four Great Experts of the Capital, she ranks first?"

Here, the Chang Princess's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly: "Especially—she is the only person in Jingdu capable of battling a Shanyin Expert… Such power naturally renders her unshakable. Only Qin Feng can make her this furious."

Princess Qiyang was stunned, covering her mouth: "I knew the Imperial Consort was extraordinary—but not this extraordinary? Battling a Shanyin Expert? Good heavens!"

In Princess Qiyang's mind, Shanyin Experts were invincible in single combat—yet here, in the capital, stood a woman who could match one.

And worse—she was the Chang Princess's mortal enemy.

The Chang Princess's gaze turned serious: "The Four Great Experts of the Capital: Qin Family's Jing Qianying, though her Sword Art is divine, is still too young. Lord Ning's Iron Fist is unmatched in raw power, yet lacks finesse. Li Zhan is the opposite—only skilled, but lacks stamina. Only the Imperial Consort, a woman, is truly a complete master of martial arts. Do you think the harem has remained peaceful for so many years, with Heavenly Ranking Jin ShaShou daring not to trespass, because they fear the Palace Guards and the Imperial Guard? Hehe—much of it is because this woman holds the throne."

Princess Qiyang marveled, yet couldn't suppress a smirk: "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, who could believe the Imperial Consort's nemesis is that weakling Qin Feng—who can't even carry a sack or lift a fist?"

The Chang Princess also found this deeply ironic.

As the saying goes: the weaker the body, the smaller the courage—those so-called proud scholars are merely victorious with their tongues.

But Qin Feng… outwardly timid, yet inwardly bolder than the heavens.

There is nothing in this world he dares not do.

Precisely because of this, he restrains the Imperial Consort.

Human plans cannot rival Heaven's design.

Meanwhile, at the Xie Residence, no ripple stirred from Qin Feng's brief clash with Qian Cheng.

After all, Qin Feng never swindles—unless the sun rises in the Xibian.

Ever since learning this auction was hosted by Qin Feng, everyone had already prepared themselves.

Moreover, this matter implicated the Lin Family.

No one wanted to invite fire onto themselves.

Everyone simply kept their distance—let Qin Feng bear the sky if it falls; it won't crush anyone else.

The attendees, having seen the Liu Li Wine Set, now eagerly anticipated the next auction item.

Qin Feng didn't beat around the bush—he immediately ordered the second item brought forth.

As the red cloth was lifted, every guest present stared in stunned silence.

It was a three-foot-tall, ice-like glazed Buddha statue!

After a moment of silence, the hall erupted in deafening exclamations.

"I… I didn't imagine this!?"

"Combined with the earlier glazed Wine Set, it must be the glazed Buddha statue—no doubt."

"Where on earth did Qin Feng get so much glazed material? Carving the wine vessel was astonishing enough—but this statue stands three feet tall! To carve it to this level, you'd need a block of glazed stone at least four feet square! To call it priceless is no exaggeration."

Qin Feng heard the crowd's murmurs and nearly burst out laughing right there.

Glazed stone?

What's that?

I've never even heard of it!