Chapter 142: Expelled from the Capital

On the other end of the line, Bai Ruoxi’s voice carried a hint of anxiety: "Ah Feng, where are you? I’ll come pick you up right away!"

"Don't bother. It’s not convenient for me right now. Listen to me: contact Jiang Yuechan of the Jiang family immediately; she will protect you. I have to leave Kyoto for a while."

After saying this, Qin Feng hung up and darted into a narrow alleyway. The stench of rotting vegetable leaves mixed with the sharp odor of urine hit him, and he couldn't help but frown. "This godforsaken place, it’s damn foul!"

He leaned against the wall, fished a crumpled cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a deep drag. The nicotine helped him relax slightly.

"Wang Changqing..." Qin Feng exhaled a ring of smoke, a flash of ruthlessness in his eyes. "We’ll see about this! I’ll settle this score with you sooner or later."

He was no pushover. Having clawed his way up from the streets since he was a child, he had seen his fair share of ruthless characters. If that bastard hadn't relied on his numbers, would he really have been afraid of him? Still, Wang Changqing’s strength was indeed unfathomable; a head-on collision would certainly end poorly for him. Of all the thirty-six stratagems, running away was the best. A gentleman takes his revenge even ten years later.

Qin Feng crushed the cigarette butt, his gaze hardening. He could no longer stay in Kyoto. The Wang family’s influence was massive, and even if Yang Tianchen wanted to help him, the Yang family would never agree to it. He was a stranger in a strange land, no different from a stray rat. He needed to find a safe place to lie low, and most importantly, he needed to improve his strength as quickly as possible.

Where should he go? Various possibilities crossed his mind until one place stood out: the border of Yunnan Province. It was a place where people from all walks of life converged, and the complex web of local forces would make it easier for him to hide. Moreover, Yunnan was the land of jade; he could take the opportunity to collect jade to boost his cultivation—killing two birds with one stone.

With that decided, Qin Feng hesitated no longer. He stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and headed toward the outskirts of the city.

Three days later, a travel-worn Qin Feng arrived at a small town on the Yunnan border. The town was named Ruili, famous for its jade trade. The streets were lined with shops, and raw jade stones were piled high like hills. The dazzling array of goods attracted treasure hunters from all over the country. Walking down the street, Qin Feng scanned his surroundings and muttered to himself, "This place is certainly lively."

His purpose for this trip, beyond escaping the pursuit of the Wang family, was to find a high-grade jade that could help him break through his current bottleneck. He knew that with his present strength, seeking revenge was nothing more than a pipe dream. Only by constantly improving himself could he one day trample the Wang family underfoot and make those who had once humiliated him pay the price.

"Hey, young man, come take a look at this jade rough! It’s absolutely top-tier glass-seed jade from an old pit. If you cut it and strike it rich, don’t forget old Zhang here!" A burly man with a thick beard called out to him enthusiastically.

Qin Feng smiled and shook his head. Though the rough looked decent, it was actually riddled with impurities and worth very little. He could see through such con artists' tricks at a glance.

"Old Zhang, quit scamming the young man. You think you can sell this piece of junk for a high price? Aren't you afraid of ruining your own reputation?" A skinny man with a sharp, monkey-like face spoke up with a sneer.

"Keep your trap shut, you brat! I’m running a business here; what does it have to do with you?" The bearded man’s face flushed with rage, and he rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight.

"Oh? You want to throw hands? You think I’m afraid of you?" The skinny man didn’t back down, grabbing a wooden stick from the side and squaring off.

Seeing that a fight was imminent, the surrounding crowd didn't try to mediate. Instead, they stepped back to give them space, eager to watch the show. Qin Feng shook his head; these days, onlookers never seemed to find the drama big enough.

Just as he was about to leave this place of trouble, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and saw a message from Bai Ruoxi: "Where are you? Are you okay?"

The short message sent a wave of warmth through his heart. He thought for a moment and replied, "I'm fine, don't worry about me."

"What’s happening on the Wang family’s side?"

"The Wang family has put out word that you stole something from them. The entire city of Kyoto is looking for you."

Seeing this, Qin Feng curled his lip in a cold smirk. The Wang family was truly a pack of thieves crying 'thief'; their ability to turn black into white was top-notch.

"I understand," he replied, then tucked his phone away.

He took a deep breath, putting the threats of Bai Ruoxi and the Wang family to the back of his mind. This was no time for sentimentality; increasing his strength was the top priority.

He looked around; the Ruili jade market lived up to its reputation. The air was filled with the sounds of vendors, and the mountains of raw stones attracted countless treasure seekers. Yet, to Qin Feng’s eyes, these so-called "treasures" were mostly flashy but hollow, with thin spiritual energy that was useless to him.

"Nothing but empty shells. It seems finding something good will take some effort," he thought to himself.

Qin Feng activated his X-ray vision, his gaze piercing as he scanned each stone, searching for a trace of concentrated spiritual energy. As time ticked by, his patience began to wear thin. Just as he was about to give up and try his luck elsewhere, an elderly man in rags caught his eye.

The old man looked weathered, his face etched with the marks of time. He hunched over and walked with a limp toward the side of the street, setting down a tattered burlap sack. The bag contained some nondescript, dull-gray stones that lacked any luster. Compared to the stones the merchants were hyping up, they looked like mere trash.

"Selling scraps! Buying scraps!" the old man called out listlessly. His hoarse voice was quickly drowned out by the deafening clamor of the market, and almost no one noticed his presence.

Qin Feng hadn't paid him any mind, but as he was about to turn away, he suddenly sensed a faint ripple of spiritual energy emanating from that pile of junk. He was startled—could he have misread it? How could there be spiritual energy in that pile of rocks?

He stopped in his tracks, walked over to the old man as if by chance, and picked up a stone to examine it closely. The surface was rough and covered in cracks, appearing utterly worthless. Yet, Qin Feng could clearly feel a wisp of spiritual energy flowing slowly from within.

"Old timer, how are you selling these stones?" Qin Feng asked, feigning indifference.