War God Long Ao

She Ao?

They were clearly mispronouncing Long Ao's name as She Ao on purpose, their every gesture dripping with scorn and contempt.

Maternal aunt?

It took only a moment for Long Ao to deduce their identities. They were disciples of the Thundercloud City Mu Family—his mother's clan. He held no fondness for them.

The Long and Mu Families were related by marriage and should have supported one another. Instead, the Mu Family had relentlessly oppressed the Long Family, even actively preventing their businesses from establishing a foothold in Thundercloud City. Otherwise, the Long Family's expansion into the city wouldn't have been so sluggish.

"Ninth Brother, do you know who let these dogs out? They're running around biting people."

"Long Ao, what did you just say? Say that again if you dare!"

The five from the Mu Family were Mu Yihang, an Inner Strength Ninth Heaven Martial Artist; Mu Yihao and Mu Chenglin, both Inner Strength Seventh Heaven Martial Artists; and finally, Mu Yiyang and Mu Wan'Er, who were Inner Strength Sixth Heaven Martial Artists.

As one of Thundercloud City's four great powers, the Mu Family's disciples were accustomed to being arrogant and tyrannical. How could they possibly save face after being publicly contradicted by a minor family from Red Fire Town?

"Seventh Brother, let's just go," Long An and the others said, worried. After all, given who they were up against, they wouldn't be able to explain themselves if they caused any real trouble.

"Hahaha, trash will always be trash! All you know is fear and running away. I'm telling you, I'm in a good mood today, so you'd better get the hell out. Otherwise, you'll be carried out of here."

Mu Yihao's words drew a roar of laughter from the onlookers. Just then, the beautiful attendant who had left earlier returned, carrying a delicate wooden box. It undoubtedly held the Spirit Gathering Pill.

"Wait. Is your manager in?"

"Young Master Mu, our manager is in."

"Go get him for me."

Before Mu Yihao could even finish his sentence, an extremely corpulent man quickly descended from the second floor. His body was a mass of piled-up flesh, resembling a human ball. His face was so puffy that his features were barely discernible.

This corpulent man was none other than the manager of the Thundercloud City branch of the Pill Alliance. Seeing the two confrontational groups, the shrewd fatty instantly understood the situation.

"Young Master Mu, who has angered you?"

"Uncle Fatty, I'd like to ask you for a favor. I wonder if you'd be willing to help?"

"Name it," the fatty said with a magnanimous air, acting as if the sky were the limit.

"Uncle Fatty, this trash from the Red Fire Town Long Family wants to buy a Spirit Gathering Pill. I need you to do me a favor: don't sell it to them. In fact, from this day on, I want you to refuse to sell any elixirs to the Red Fire Town Long Family. Can you do that?"

The Pill Alliance's power was far beyond anything the Mu Family could compare to, but the manager was no fool. He could clearly weigh the importance of the Red Fire Town Long Family against the Thundercloud City Mu Family.

Offending the Mu Family for the sake of the insignificant Red Fire Town Long Family simply wasn't worth it.

"No problem. You can go now."

"Yes, Manager."

As he watched the attendant take the Spirit Gathering Pill away, Long Ao's expression finally darkened. This was the result of a family's power. As one of Thundercloud City's four great powers, the Mu Family could bully the Long Family with impunity, and even the Pill Alliance had to show them some deference.

'If one's family lacked power, the Pill Alliance wouldn't show them an ounce of respect. If he himself lacked power, he couldn't even buy a single Spirit Gathering Pill, no matter how much money he had. This was reality. This was the law of survival in this world.'

"Listen up, all of you. Go back and tell your elders that from this day forward, you are not welcome in the Pill Alliance. We will no longer sell any elixirs to you."

Watching the manager and the Mu Family disciples abuse their power, the onlookers showed no sympathy or disapproval. Instead, they seemed to take pleasure in the drama, as if accustomed to such scenes. After all, anyone who could afford to buy elixirs from the Pill Alliance was someone of status.

"Seventh Brother, what should we do?"

Long Zheng and his companions certainly knew how important the Spirit Gathering Pill was to their Seventh Brother. With the Pill Alliance now refusing to sell it to the Long Family, they were in deep trouble. The Pill Alliance truly were a bunch of snobs who looked down on people.

Waving his hand, a grim look on his face, Long Ao stared coldly at the crowd before him. Suddenly, he spoke. "Does the Pill Alliance really think they're the only ones who can refine a Spirit Gathering Pill?"

"Well now, trash. Don't tell me you can refine a Spirit Gathering Pill too?"

"I can give it a try."

"Hahaha, that's hilarious! Trash will always be trash, but at least you're funny." Hearing Long Ao's claim, the crowd erupted in derisive laughter. After all, alchemy was no simple task.

To refine elixirs, one first had to become an Alchemist. But becoming an Alchemist wasn't just a matter of hard work and persistence; it required an innate talent for the Alchemy Dao. Without that, it was all just empty talk.

The manager seemed intrigued as well. "If you can actually refine a Spirit Gathering Pill," he said, "I'll not only give you one for free, but I'll throw in a Celestial Essence Pill as well."

"It's a deal."

The Celestial Essence Pill, an elixir essential for Innate Martial Artists, was worth far more than a Spirit Gathering Pill.

"However, if you lose, not only will you hand over those ten million gold coins, but you will also have to kneel at the entrance of the Pill Alliance and kowtow in apology in front of everyone. How about it?"

"Fine. Give me one month."

"Fine. I'm eager to see just how you'll manage to refine a Spirit Gathering Pill in one month."

"Seventh Brother!" Hearing the wager between their brother and the Pill Alliance, Long Zheng and the others were utterly dumbfounded. They had no idea what had gotten into him. Refining a Spirit Gathering Pill was by no means an easy task.

Without giving them a chance to object, Long Ao turned to leave, his mind clearly made up. A decade of persistence and single-minded focus had forged his character, making it far more resilient than an ordinary person's. He planned to head back and immediately begin studying the Alchemy Dao.

But just as they were about to leave, Mu Yihao suddenly stretched out an arm to block their path. He sneered, "I don't care about your bet with the Pill Alliance. But you insulted me just now. Did you think you could just walk away?"

Seeing Long Ao's silence, Mu Yihao put on a magnanimous air. "On account of my aunt, I'll give you one chance. Kneel and give me three resounding kowtows, and I'll let this go for now. Otherwise, you and your friends will have to be carried out of here."

Hearing this, Long Shi, Long An, Long Zheng, and Long Fang were so scared they nearly collapsed. They didn't dare say a word, only looking to their Seventh Brother, hoping he would know when to yield and avoid this immediate disaster.

With a cold snort, Long Ao repeated with clear disgust, "Whose wild dog is this, let loose to run around biting people?"

Hearing Long Ao completely disregard him, Mu Yihao flew into a rage. With a single palm, he viciously struck out at Long Ao.