Soto City, outside Peach Garden Academy.
This day, the weather was cold and drizzly.
On a narrow storefront, a plaque hung, bearing the name "peach blossom honey," with the horizontal inscription:
"peach blossom honey from Peach Garden, Gold Waves and Jade Buds Gather Immortals."
Inside the shop, a middle-aged man with a hooked nose sat cross-legged in a reclining chair, muttering:
"Don't miss out, folks! Our signature peach blossom honey is brewed from fresh peach blossom stamens of Peach Garden Academy, imbued with the aura of peach immortals. One sip makes your body light and healthy, two sips grant you a hundred years of life, and three sips will make your body reborn!"
"Old Boss Flender, stop shouting. The weather isn't good today; there aren't many customers."
A burly man, carrying a large jar half a meter in diameter, entered from the back door. A pinkish-yellow paper was pasted on the jar, with "Aged Honey" written on it.
"Every sale counts. Old Zhao, you don't know the cost of living until you run a household. These shops outside Peach Garden Academy are truly precious now. Our small shop alone costs five gold coins a month. How much peach blossom honey do we need to sell just to cover the rent?"
"I'm getting angrier the more I think about it. Damn it, if it weren't for that dog Yu Xiaogang, who took us to gamble with Dean Su and lost the academy's land, how much would that piece of land be worth now?!"
Speaking of this, Flender's eyes were filled with the shadows of gold coins—that was definitely a huge sum!
After the Soul Master Competition, Flender and Yu Xiaogang went their separate ways, and he returned to Soto City.
Upon learning of the construction of Peach Garden Academy, and that Spirit Hall and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School were moving closer, he relocated his shop here.
Besides selling some of his cherished jade, his main product was peach blossom honey.
This fellow's business acumen was quite good; leveraging the name of Peach Garden Academy, the sales of peach blossom honey were exceptional.
Just as Flender and Zhao Wuji were sighing, two business management Spirit Masters from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School walked in from outside the door, showing their credentials:
"Why haven't you taken down your sign yet? We've warned you multiple times. You are not a Peach Garden Academy brand. False advertising is prohibited, and you cannot use the name of the Taoyuan Immortals to sell goods."
"This is the last warning. If you don't change your sign within three days, the shop will be closed for rectification."
"Also, here is your fine ticket, five hundred gold coins. The fine will be directly compensated to Peach Garden Academy. Please pay."
The management personnel of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School business street issued a fine ticket and a warning letter, handing them to Flender.
Upon hearing the amount, Flender was so startled that he leaped directly from his chair:
"Five hundred gold coins? That much?!"
One jar of my peach blossom honey only sells for two silver coins. My total income hasn't even reached five hundred gold coins!
"Isn't this too much? Such a heavy fine?"
Zhao Wuji roared, his aura surging.
"Who told you to repeatedly ignore warnings? We've publicly announced multiple times that commercial use of Peach Garden Academy's name is prohibited. If we don't fine you, who will we fine?"
"What? You want to fight?"
A Spirit Master wearing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's dark gold emblem subconsciously reached for the 7-shaped black weapon at his waist.
This action scared Flender quite a bit, and he quickly said:
"We admit our mistake and accept the fine, but I wonder if you gentlemen could be lenient and reduce the fine a little?"
"Hehe, we're old acquaintances with Dean Su of Peach Garden Academy. We used to run our academy inside there!"
Flender said with a fawning smile.
These Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School dark gold emblem Spirit Masters were no ordinary characters; they were the backbone of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, responsible for maintaining security within their jurisdiction, and each of them was equipped with a weapon said to be personally designed by Dean Su Ran—Hell Revolver.
It was a killing weapon that emitted black-blue flames from its muzzle when fired. If it hit the head or heart, even a Spirit Emperor and a Spirit Saint couldn't withstand it.
"Are you bragging? Your academy used to be inside Peach Garden Academy? Don't try to get close to Peach Garden Academy. I've seen many people like you."
"I'm not bragging! I, Flender, never brag. I really used to run my academy in… ah no, Peach Garden Academy was next to my academy. At that time, when Dean Su saw me, he would politely call me Dean Flender."
Flender pulled Zhao Wuji and said, "He used to spar with Dean Su! If you don't believe me, go ask Dean Su!"
Zhao Wuji's face turned dark. He looked at Flender's face, wanting to slap him:
Spar with your mom! That's my psychological trauma. It finally faded, and you're still bringing it up, aren't you?!
"You wouldn't happen to be from Shrek Academy, would you?"
"Yes, that's right, it's my academy. You know about it?"
"I've heard of it. That Shrek Academy that used to constantly cause trouble, harass Peach Garden Academy, and finally lost all its land—that's run by you?"
"If that's the case, then we'll have to make a change for you. The fine will be doubled, and the rent will also be doubled."
It would have been better if Flender hadn't said anything. As soon as he did, the manager directly changed the fine to one thousand gold coins, and the monthly rent was also increased to one hundred gold coins.
Flender's face instantly changed: Are you kidding me?! I asked for a reduction in the fine, and you doubled it instead?
Am I not going to explode?
"Sir, please don't double it. We'll pay the original price, five hundred gold coins, fifty in rent, okay? Please count it."
Flender closed his eyes and, with a pained expression, pulled out two bags of gold coins from his spirit tool.
"Wouldn't it have been easier if you had this attitude earlier? It's convenient for everyone."
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School manager said indifferently, beginning to count the gold coins.
…
"Such a strong smell of blood?"
"It seems there are spirit power fluctuations."
Just then, Flender and Zhao Wuji keenly sensed the killing intent. They exchanged glances and quickly walked to the shop entrance.
Under the misty drizzle, two graceful, injured women rushed out from a small path, seemingly trying to escape into Peach Garden Academy. Blood stained the clothes tightly wrapped around their bodies, dripping onto the damp ground.
Behind the young women were more than ten Spirit Master powerhouses, ranging from six-ring to seven-ring, in pursuit. Among these more than ten Spirit Master powerhouses, the Spirits of two of them were quickly recognized by Flender and Zhao Wuji:
"White Tiger Spirit? Are they from the Star Luo Empire?"
…
"Zhu Zhuyun, Zhu Zhuyu, you can't escape. It's still not too late to come back with us. It's an honor for your Zhu family to marry the First Prince and Third Prince. Do you know what danger your Zhu family will face if you escape?"
"Pah! There's no way I'll let my third sister marry that good-for-nothing Dai Mubai!"
Zhu Zhuyun spat, then turned to look at the scene inside Peach Garden Academy. The gentle drizzle couldn't bend the peach blossom branches. She said to the severely injured young woman beside her, who resembled her and Zhu Zhuqing by sixty to seventy percent:
"Third sister, this is where your second sister studies, Peach Garden Academy. I can only help you this far. Remember, you must stay in Peach Garden Academy. As long as you stay in Peach Garden Academy, they can't do anything to you."
"Go, hurry!"
Zhu Zhuyun placed the young woman at the entrance of Peach Garden Academy, then turned and gazed at the pursuers, her yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black five spirit rings flashing, and killing intent bloomed in her eyes.
She knew that she couldn't be a match for these more than ten Spirit Masters. She and her sister had only managed to escape here by relying on the agility of the Hell Civet, but they were already severely wounded.
But just then, two burly youths holding peach-yellow paper fans slowly walked out from the peach blossom path in Peach Garden Academy, and said indifferently:
"The smell of blood is truly unpleasant."
"Killing and fighting are prohibited in Peach Garden Academy. Please leave here to resolve your matters."
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