Chapter 75: First Volume, Chapter 75: Spitting Lotus Flowers

First Volume, Chapter 75: Spitting Lotus Flowers

The manager jumped in fright, as if the Nine-Ring Blade were scalding hot; without the slightest hesitation, he hastily shoved the blade into the hand of a nearby thug, who dared not take it either—soon, it became like "passing the drum," until finally someone hurled it back hard into the gang's ranks.

Long Batian had been rehearsing his opening speech for ages, but not only did he never get to speak it, he was immediately rendered red-faced and humiliated by Qin Feng's few sharp words; filled with rage and shame, he pointed at the axe in Qin Feng's hand: "Aren't you holding a weapon too? Shouldn't your hands be chopped off as well?"

Qin Feng shrugged and swung the axe directly in front of Long Batian's face: "This is a wood-chopping axe—if even an axe counts as a weapon, then what about kitchen knives and scissors? Should everyone stop cooking from now on?"

Long Batian seethed inside but found no flaw to seize; he could only reluctantly let it drop and growled: "If it's just a wood-chopping axe, then hold it tightly—if it chops into someone, it's still a weapon!"

Qin Feng gladly accepted Long Batian's "kind warning," then nodded obediently: "Don't worry—I won't chop you. But if your head runs into the axe on its own, don't blame me."

Qin Feng's face wore an innocent, harmless expression, yet his words sent a chill down Long Batian's spine.

Seeing Qin Feng and Long Batian in negotiation and no fight breaking out yet, Qin Xiaofu showed great perceptiveness and quickly brought over a chair: "Young Master, please sit while you speak."

As Qin Feng sat down, he pulled his chair forward until his knees nearly touched Long Batian's.

With both sides standing so close in standoff—one a pampered young master who couldn't carry a load, the other a Gang Leader accustomed to Hengxing Badou—they locked eyes for a moment, and it was Long Batian who first panicked, instinctively averting his gaze from Qin Feng's.

Qin Feng handed the axe to Qin Xiaofu, took out the Xiuzhen Gold Abacus from his robe, spat on his fingers, and began clacking it rapidly, muttering under his breath: "The Wine House was smashed, craftsmen beaten—material and labor costs… I'll charge you Ten Thousand Li Silver…"

Before Qin Feng could finish calculating, Long Batian shouted to interrupt: "Qin Feng, don't pull this trick on me! Others fear you, but I don't! I won't give you a single Tael of Silver, let alone Ten Thousand Li!"

Seeing Long Batian's firm stance, Qin Feng made no further demand; he put down the abacus and simply smiled warmly at Long Batian.

Long Batian felt his skin crawl under Qin Feng's stare but could only grit his teeth and hold firm—after all, the task of dealing with Qin Feng had been ordered by Zhao Zhangfu and Gao Song; if he failed, not only would he never gain fame in Jingdu, but tomorrow his position as Gang Leader of Longhu Gang might already be taken.

Soon, Qin Xiaofu returned to Qin Feng's side and whispered into his ear—though the whisper was shouted loudly enough that everyone present could hear: "Young Master, the rest of our people have surrounded Longhu Gang completely—not even a single member of Longhu Gang, let alone a fly, can escape."

At these words, Long Batian's heart lurched; he panicked: "Qin, I don't believe you'd dare act! This is Tianzi Jiaoxia, the imperial heartland—if you dare commit violence in the street, the Jingzhong Magistrate won't tolerate you, the City Patrol Bureau won't tolerate you, and even the City Patrol Bureau's tolerance won't save you from the Great Liang Code!"

He delivered it all in perfect, polished layers.

Watching Long Batian raise the banner of law, Qin Feng couldn't help laughing: "When you smashed my Wine House, you were so bold—why are you suddenly talking about law now?"

"Committing violence in the street? Hah—don't misunderstand. I didn't come here to fight or bully. I came to Sweep Away Black and Eliminate Evil, to act on Heaven's behalf. As you said, this is Tianzi Jiaoxia—yet a gang has taken root here, terrorizing the people. As a law-abiding citizen of Jingdu, how could I allow such a thing to happen beneath the Sage's very eyes?"

"The Jingzhong Magistrate and City Patrol Bureau ignore Longhu Gang? Then I, Qin Feng, will handle it! You love talking about law? I'm giving you your chance to sue—let's settle this before the Sage himself."

Long Batian's face turned deathly pale. In truth, Longhu Gang's existence was illicit; though the Jingzhong Magistrate and City Patrol Bureau, out of respect for Gao Song, had always turned a blind eye, if this reached the Sage's ears, everyone connected to Longhu Gang would be caught—none would escape, all would be forced to Chiguo.

Long Batian felt anger, fear, and above all, helplessness.

His thug tactics were useless against Qin Feng's overwhelming crowd; now, even his attempt to use law was crushed beneath Qin Feng's feet.

Long Batian realized his decades of cultivated brutality and intimidation meant nothing before Qin Feng.

At that moment, Qin Feng suddenly feigned casual chatter with Qin Xiaofu, a faint, mischievous smirk curling his lips: "Longhu Gang? That's a mighty name. I've only heard bold outlaws in Qiong Xiang Pi Rang, in remote mountain ravines far beyond reach, dare name themselves 'Dragon.' I never imagined anyone in the heart of Jingdu would dare use such a name."

"The Sage is the Heavenly Dragon, seated high in the Imperial Palace—yet Longhu Gang lurks just outside the Palace, entrenched within Jingdu. Are you planning… to replace him?"

Qin Feng's words nearly scared Long Batian to death; his face turned as white as paper.

The surrounding thugs trembled violently.

Gang names could be trivial—or catastrophic. No one ever challenged Longhu Gang over it—but if someone truly started taking it seriously, it became an unforgivable offense.

Long Batian pointed at Qin Feng, stammering: "Y-you're creating a literary inquisition!"

Qin Feng spread his hands, feigning innocence: "I was just chatting with my Servant—why are you so tense?"

Qin Feng ignored Long Batian and continued speaking to Qin Xiaofu: "Actually, Longhu Gang's name isn't so bad. Compared to 'Long Batian,' it's like a dwarf beside a giant. Think about it—the Sage is the Heavenly Dragon and the Son of Heaven. 'Long Batian'? Even a three-year-old understands its meaning: a dragon who dominates Heaven is the true dragon. And 'Batian'? It means above Heaven itself. The Sage is merely the Son of Heaven—yet our great Gang Leader claims to stand above Heaven? Isn't that…"

Before Qin Feng could finish, Long Batian nearly wept, begging to interrupt: "Stop! I'll pay for the Wine House!"

Not only Longhu Gang's thugs, but even Qin Feng's own servants and Protectors stood stunned, eyes wide.

It was true—there really existed such a thing as "a tongue that speaks lotus flowers"—a single torrent of words had reduced Jingdu's most feared bully to tears. Unbelievable.

Qin Xiaofu was utterly awestruck, eyes shining: "Young Master, your mouth is terrifying! To deal with Longhu Gang, why even bring us? You could handle them with just that tongue alone!"