Chapter 111: Street Problem

By the time Lu Feng made his unhurried journey back toward his estate, the afternoon sun was already burning fiercely above the skies of Crimson Vale.

Behind him, at the exact same maintained distance, the hooded stalker remained glued to his trail like an invisible shadow. Lu Feng paid the watcher no mind, casually strolling along as if he were merely taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling city.

He was roughly halfway back to the upper district, navigating a broad commercial avenue lined with bustling storefronts and crowded walkways, when the rhythmic clatter of distant hooves suddenly accelerated into a frantic, violent thudding.

The commotion grew rapidly louder, accompanied by the harsh cracking of a whip and the terrified screams of pedestrians diving out of the way.

"Out of the way! Clear the road, you filthy peasants! Clear the path!" a harsh, raspy voice bellowed furiously from up the street.

Lu Feng paused, turning his head slightly to look down the road. A grand, heavy carriage drawn by two massive, muscular steeds was barreling down the stone avenue at a breakneck pace. The horses were lathered in sweat, their iron shoes striking sparks off the cobblestones as the driver—a burly, red-faced man wearing a fine silk vest—frantically lashed his whip over their backs, completely indifferent to the crowded market stalls and frightened citizens scattering to the side.

Initially, Lu Feng intended to simply step aside onto the stone curb and let the reckless vehicle pass by. He had no particular desire to cause a public scene over a mindless traffic disturbance.

However, as Lu Feng began to shift his foot toward the curb, the driver’s sharp gaze locked onto his calm, unhurried posture. Seeing that the young man in simple robes hadn’t scrambled into the gutter like the rest of the common folk, the driver’s face twisted in ugly anger.

"Hey! You brat in the middle of the road!" the driver roared, flicking his whip aggressively in Lu Feng’s direction. "Are you blind and deaf?! Move your worthless feet before I trample you into meat paste, you low-born dog!"

Lu Feng stopped mid-step.

His eyes narrowed slightly, a faint, cool glint flashing deep within his dark irises. The slight movement of his foot reversed, and instead of stepping off the thoroughfare, Lu Feng calmly turned his entire body to face the oncoming carriage, planting his feet squarely in the center of the road. He folded his hands loosely behind his back, his expression turning entirely unreadable.

He let out a quiet, soft sigh. Some people simply insisted on begging for trouble.

The surrounding crowd gasped in sheer terror as they realized the young man was refusing to budge. Shopkeepers abandoned their counters, street vendors pulled back their carts, and onlookers along the walkways froze in horror.

"Is that boy mad?!" a merchant whispered loudly from beneath an awning. "He’s standing right in the middle of the path!"

"Look at the carriage!" an elder nearby choked out, pointing a trembling finger at the gilded wooden doors of the vehicle. "That crest... that golden broadsword wrapped in crimson vines! That’s the official insignia of the Great Sword Pavilion!"

The moment the name of the influential martial faction echoed through the crowd, a wave of cold dread swept through the street. People gasped in shock and fear, immediately averting their eyes or stepping back into the shadows. The Great Sword Pavilion was notorious in Crimson Vale for its aggressive disciples and ruthless stance; crossing their path in broad daylight was equivalent to courting death.

"Cover the children’s eyes!" a woman cried out, pulling her daughter behind her back. "He’s going to be crushed!"

Several onlookers closed their eyes tightly, unable to watch the bloody collision that seemed entirely inevitable. The heavy carriage was moving far too fast, its momentum massive, and the distance between the speeding horses and the stationary young man closed down to a mere dozen feet in the span of a single heartbeat.

The driver’s eyes widened in sudden panic when he realized Lu Feng had no intention of dodging. Cursing violently under his breath, the man threw his full weight backward, desperately hauling on the heavy leather reins with all his strength. "Halt! Halt, you damned beasts!"

The iron bits dug hard into the horses’ mouths, but at such high speed, a physical stop should have been impossible. The heavy carriage skidded violently across the stones, the iron-rimmed wheels grinding against the road with a deafening, metallic screech.

Yet, just as the foaming muzzles of the two massive warhorses came within inches of Lu Feng’s chest, an invisible, dense wall of spiritual pressure subtly radiated from Lu Feng’s body.

The two horses instantly froze in their tracks as if hitting a mountain of solid iron. Their front hooves slammed down onto the cobblestones just two inches away from Lu Feng’s robes, throwing up a cloud of dust and loose grit that settled harmlessly around his leather boots.

The sudden stop caused the heavy wooden carriage behind them to shudder violently, its wooden frame groaning under the strain before coming to a complete, rigid standstill.

Not a single hair on Lu Feng’s head had moved. He stood there perfectly calm, his posture relaxed, looking down at the dust settling at his feet as if nothing extraordinary had occurred.

The entire street fell into a dead, suffocating silence. The onlookers who had closed their eyes slowly opened them, their jaws dropping in utter disbelief as they stared at the completely uninjured young man standing right against the noses of the panting warhorses.

Lu Feng slowly lifted his gaze, looking up toward the driver’s seat to see what kind of arrogant master possessed such a foul-mouthed servant. The driver was pale, sweating profusely as he clutched the strained reins, staring at Lu Feng with a mix of lingering rage and stunned confusion.

Before Lu Feng could speak, the silk curtains of the carriage window were violently yanked aside from within.

A sharp, arrogant voice, dripping with impatience and clear irritation, echoed from inside the luxurious interior.

"Fang Zhao! What in the world is going on out there?!" the voice demanded coldly, calling out the driver’s name. "Why have we stopped so suddenly? Do you have any idea how important my schedule is today?!"

Hearing that distinct, haughty tone—a voice he knew all too well from recent encounters—Lu Feng’s eyes lit up with sudden amusement. The cool indifference on his face melted away, replaced by a slow, wide grin that spread across his lips.

He didn’t need to ask who the carriage belonged to anymore. The world, it seemed, was remarkably small.