Chapter 16: Enemies Cross Paths

As the song ended, applause thundered, and even the emperor's eyes flickered with surprise. "Xu Feng, you truly amaze me. First, those miraculous healing arts, and now this exquisite dancing. What other talents do you have?"

"Your Majesty flatters me."

Xu Feng bowed respectfully, though in his heart, he held no reverence for the emperor. On the surface, however, he had to feign admiration—after all, the man was the emperor.

After this, Xu Feng's reputation spread among the nobility. So he was the famous miracle doctor; no wonder the princess was so...

Young, handsome, and exceptionally talented, many noble girls' eyes lit up with admiration, while the fellow men were filled with jealousy.

Young women kept approaching to strike up conversations, annoying Xu Feng to no end. Having grown accustomed to pearls and jade, how could he tolerate mere sand? At this moment, Xu Feng was captivated by Princess Ailiya; he couldn't be bothered with the ordinary beauties around him.

How could he win the beauty's heart?

Xu Feng fell into deep thought, but he understood one principle: haste makes waste. She was no ordinary girl—she was the empire's princess, the legendary foremost beauty of humankind. Winning her favor would not be easy.

No need to rush; take it slow. A faint smile played on the corner of Xu Feng's lips.

Pestered by the noble ladies, Xu Feng quietly slipped away from the hall and entered the imperial garden. Fate worked in mysterious ways. When he first arrived on Hailan Star, he was still struggling for survival. Who would have thought that in just a month, he would become a noble and now contemplate how to woo the princess...

Sitting in the pavilion, Xu Feng gazed at the deep night sky, lost in thought.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps—very light, clearly someone sneaking up on him. Since reading those ancient magic books, Xu Feng had mastered a small portion of the spiritual energy stored within his body. Though it was only a drop in the ocean, it was enough to heighten his awareness. How to put it... like an internal martial arts master in wuxia novels. If he focused, he could perceive every blade of grass, every ant crawling, and every mosquito flying within a radius of dozens of meters.

It was an amazing feeling!

Three people were stealthily approaching him from behind.

Baron Carl was seething. How could this be? Everything that happened today almost made him doubt his own eyes. That damned commoner—wasn't he supposed to be executed for obstructing the imperial censor seeking a doctor for the princess? How did he appear at the ball and even transform into a viscount?

Seeing Xu Feng dancing gracefully hand in hand with Aelia, Carl nearly burst a blood vessel from jealousy.

This good-for-nothing had always relied on his family's influence to act arrogantly. With his stubborn personality, how could he accept Xu Feng rising above him? However, the ballroom was filled with dignitaries, even the emperor himself. No matter how foolish he was, he dared not act recklessly. Yet, his venomous gaze remained firmly fixed on Xu Feng.

Finally, an opportunity arose. Xu Feng had actually left for the garden behind. Baron Carl was overjoyed and quickly invited two of his cronies to follow quietly...

"Huh? Where did he go?"

Looking at the empty pavilion, the three playboys exchanged bewildered glances. Just moments ago, Xu Feng was clearly here.

"Are you looking for me?"

A lazy voice came from behind, startling Baron Carl. He turned around, shocked to see Xu Feng standing behind him.

Xu Feng wore a relaxed smile, his expression filled with disdain and mockery. A blade of grass dangled from his lips as he looked at the unscrupulous baron as if he were... a dog!

That gaze made Carl extremely uncomfortable—contempt, disdain, and even a hint of pity. It drove Carl mad, as if in Xu Feng's eyes, he were nothing but a pitiful worm.

"Damn it!"

Enraged, Carl, with a ferocious expression, lunged forward with his two cronies. He wanted to teach this punk a lesson, but things were far from as easy as he imagined.

*Bang!* It felt like crashing into an invisible wall. Carl clutched his head, crying out in pain. Then, to his astonishment, Xu Feng slowly raised his hand, holding a fireball in his palm.

A mage?

The three playboys looked nervous and fearful. Carl was even more shocked. How was this possible? He was a mage? No way! Just the other day, Xu Feng was being chased all over the city by him and his men.

With his limited intelligence, Carl naturally couldn't grasp the principle that "after three days apart, one should view others with new eyes." Xu Feng was now a mage. Although he had only learned the most basic skills from those ancient books, it was more than enough to deal with a few playboys.

On Hailan Star, magic was the most mysterious power. Few had the talent to learn it, and mages held a status far above warriors, synonymous with strength.

To think the person they wanted to deal with was a mage! Including Carl, all three playboys were filled with regret and began to consider retreat. Unfortunately, escaping was not so easy. Xu Feng didn't like trouble, but his motto had always been: "If others do not offend me, I will not offend them. If others offend me, I will retaliate."

*Whoosh!* The fireball dissipated, but Xu Feng began summoning the power of wind. Wind Shackles—elements condensed into invisible ropes, trapping the three who were trying to flee.

"Wh-what are you going to do?"

Carl's eyes were filled with fear. He never expected this outcome—the hunter had become the prey. Seeing the cold glint in Xu Feng's eyes, his heart was consumed by terror. "If you dare harm me, my... my father is a count, the Finance Minister. He won't let you off!"

"Tch!" Xu Feng despised these playboys who relied on their family's influence to bully the weak and fear the strong. With such people, letting them go wouldn't earn gratitude; they would only become more aggressive. The best way to deal with such trash was to be fiercer and more ruthless than them, making them fear you.

So, Xu Feng didn't waste words. Talking to trash was pointless. He simply went up and delivered a flurry of punches and kicks... Free punching bags felt great. The unscrupulous nobles were bound by Wind Shackles, unable to fight back or even move.

Magic was indeed a very useful thing.

Don't say Xu Feng was cruel. If he hadn't learned magic, these guys would have used even harsher methods against him. This was simply giving them a taste of their own medicine. Moreover, Carl and his cronies had committed countless misdeeds in their daily lives. Beating them up wasn't just justified; even killing them would be doing the world a favor.

Of course, Xu Feng didn't want to go that far yet. After all, they came from powerful families. He had just arrived in the capital, and his influence was still weak. Forming a blood feud with these nobles wouldn't be a wise move!

[bid=1140692,bnme=《Hundred Refinements Immortality》]