Chapter 81: Dragon-Snake duo (Patreon)

Lu Feng gave a slight shake of his head and a meaningful glance.

The shrewd Snake Woman immediately caught his drift.

She turned, leaned close to Meng Yiran's ear, and whispered a few words.

At the moment, Meng Yiran was locked in a heated argument with Xiao Wu and the others—the tension between them was thick enough to spark a fight at any second.

Seeing that Lu Feng hadn't spoken up yet, Tang San chimed in to back Xiao Wu, his mind already buzzing with anticipation.

He could tell Meng Yiran wasn't a match for him, and if a fight broke out, it'd be the perfect chance to show off.

Back in Nuoding City, this had been their usual routine: Xiao Wu would argue, and he'd step in to crush the opponent—earning her admiration while flexing his skills.

It was a tried-and-true tactic, one that never failed.

Now, history seemed to repeat itself. The moment Xiao Wu started bickering, Tang San could already smell another golden opportunity to show off.

This time, he planned to stomp Meng Yiran in front of everyone—especially Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong—and bask in the glory.

After learning about Ning Rongrong's background, he'd also been keen to win her favor.

Xiao Wu's feelings for him were fading, but if he could secure Ning Rongrong's affection, the wealth and resources of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan would be an even greater advantage.

After hearing Chao Tianxiang whisper, Meng Yiran's gaze flicked toward Lu Feng, a flash of delight crossing her eyes—but she quickly schooled her expression back to indifference. She also stopped arguing with Xiao Wu.

The Shrek group noticed the sudden shift in atmosphere and followed Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran's line of sight, landing on Lu Feng.

With a relaxed smile, Lu Feng spoke up, "No need for tension, everyone. They're part of my Merchant Alliance. Let me introduce you—this elder is Chao Tianxiang, one of our alliance's elders, and this is her granddaughter, Meng Yiran."

"Huh…?"

A soft murmur of surprise rippled through Xiao Wu, Zhao Wuji, and the others.

So, once again, they were Lu Feng's acquaintances.

Oscar's heart sank—the spirit ring that suited him so perfectly was slipping through his fingers.

Not only did he not dare to offend anyone from the Merchant Alliance, but Lu Feng had also done him a huge favor earlier. Besides, it was Lu Feng who'd helped capture the Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent in the first place. He couldn't possibly compete now.

Meanwhile, Tang San sighed inwardly—his chance to show off had just vanished.

The Merchant Alliance was at the peak of its influence now. Maybe… he should consider applying to join officially?

Back in Nuoding City, he'd done odd jobs for some of their businesses, earning a little money—but that was just temporary work.

To become a full member, he'd need to go through a formal application, interviews, and sign a contract.

"And this is my teacher, Zhao Wuji," Lu Feng added, introducing him.

"So it's the esteemed Unmovable King," Chao Tianxiang said respectfully, offering a slight bow.

Anyone who served as the Alliance Leader's teacher deserved utmost courtesy.

With her strength as a Soul Emperor, she normally wouldn't have qualified to be an Alliance Elder.

But Lu Feng valued her—and her Martial Soul Fusion Skill with her husband, Meng Shu—enough to grant both of them the title.

Before they joined the Merchant Alliance last year, Chao Tianxiang and Meng Shu's small family clan had been constantly suppressed by Spirit Hall and the nobility of the Duchy, making it nearly impossible for them to grow.

Worse yet, their son and daughter-in-law—Meng Yiran's parents—had been secretly assassinated years ago by a powerful family within the same duchy. Fearing retaliation against their entire clan, the Dragon-Snake Duo had no choice but to swallow their hatred and focus on raising their talented granddaughter, Meng Yiran.

Then, last year, Lu Feng arrived—with Dugu Bo, the Title Douluo known as the Poison Douluo—standing right before them.

He invited them to join the Merchant Alliance.

The Great Land Merchant Alliance had a sterling reputation. In principle, membership was voluntary, not bound by lifelong loyalty—yet it offered immense benefits and protection from Spirit Hall and the oppressive nobility.

After careful consideration, the Invincible Dragon-Snake Couple joined under a three-year contract, with the freedom to leave afterward if they wished.

But Lu Feng did something that made them swear eternal loyalty.

Upon learning about Meng Yiran's parents' murder, Lu Feng investigated and confirmed the truth. Then, as Alliance Leader, he quietly mobilized forces.

In a single night, the ducal family responsible was wiped off the map—every last member slaughtered.

For Chao Tianxiang, Meng Shu, and Meng Yiran, this was long-awaited justice.

From that moment on, their allegiance was absolute.

To the Dragon-Snake Duo, that family had been powerful—but compared to top-tier clans like the Zhu or Xu Families, they were merely third-rate. Crushing them wasn't difficult.

....

In this brutal world, business success wasn't just about wealth—it required force when necessary.

Without overwhelming military deterrence backing it, the Merchant Alliance could never have grown so vast.

Lu Feng wasn't a soul master back then, but he understood the art of leveraging influence:

Playing factions against each other.

Using wealth to bend the rules.

For example, he once sponsored the Elite Soul Master Tournament—offering three spirit bones and 20 million gold spirit coins per event—in exchange for Bibi Dong lending him the Ninth Elder (a young elder who'd graduated from Shrek Academy).

Afterward, with Bibi Dong's approval, that elder became the Merchant Alliance's Honorary Elder.

Now, she was also Lu Feng's senior sister.

In the original timeline, this brilliant and beautiful senior had perished in the Fox Hunt Operation, taking the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's leader with her.

Lu Feng, however, had other plans.

He'd laid the groundwork early—requesting her specifically and pulling her into the alliance—all to save her from that fate.

...

After Zhao Wuji and Chao Tianxiang exchanged polite greetings, the conversation turned to the Phoenix-Tailed Serpent Chicken.

Everyone's eyes naturally shifted to Lu Feng.

Chao Tianxiag knew the Alliance Leader kept his identity secret, but she couldn't disrespect him. Smiling warmly, she said:

"Yiran, since we and Lu Feng are all part of the alliance, we shouldn't put him in a difficult position. Let's yield the spirit ring."

"…Alright."

Meng Yiran glanced at Lu Feng, agreeing outwardly—but a flicker of disappointment crossed her heart.

After all, tracking and wounding this Phoenix-Tailed Serpent Chicken had cost her so much time and effort—and finding a better replacement wouldn't be easy.

The compatibility and age of a spirit ring deeply impacted a soul master's future growth.

Hearing Chao Tianxing yield out of respect for Lu Feng, Zhao Wuji suddenly felt a little awkward.

Scratching his head with a gruff chuckle, he said:

"Ah, this doesn't sit right with me either. You were the ones who injured it first—we can't just take it for free. How about you keep it? Our group's bigger; we'll hunt for another one."

Zhu Zhuqing and Ma Hongjun nearly laughed. Just moments ago, tensions had been so high they were ready to fight—yet because of Lu Feng, the situation had flipped into polite bargaining.

A spirit ring this ideal was incredibly rare. If they had to specifically hunt for another 1,700-year Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent, they might wander the Star Dou Forest for a year without luck.

The serpent itself seemed confused, its eyes practically saying:
"What the hell? Suddenly I'm not good enough for anyone?"

She Po broke the stalemate

"Then let Lu Feng decide."

Zhao Wuji's eyes lit up.

"Right, right! Xiao Feng, you handle this. Besides, it was you and your little wife who caught it anyway."