"Zaarki from the Enforcement Team greets Senior Brother!" Zaarki's respectful voice silenced the sneers and the jeers of the crowd. The chins of those who gloated on Kevin's misfortune simultaneously fell on the ground. Those who scurried off and ran earlier froze and they turned towards the scene with gaping eyes.
"Just what did happen? An Honorary Disciple?! The Mirthful Fairies Association is backed up by an Honorary Disciple?! Why didn't you tell me this earlier?! We wouldn't have cut off our partnership with them!" The merchants who destroyed their connection with the Mirthful Fairies Association revealed wry expressions.
Some of the wiser ones even approached Kevin at the side and asked if they could still continue their cooperation only to be met with Kevin's fierce glare and a single word, "Scram!" Though indignant, the merchants tucked their tails and ran away, hoping that the Medicine Pavilion could suppress the rising dragon.
Dan turned speechless towards the sudden display of respectfulness. A sigh came out of his lips, it seems like no matter what world I am living in, status and fame can really form a deterrence. If I didn't have the status of an Honorary Disciple, then I would surely be inside a dungeon somewhere and being tortured around the clock.
Dan shook his head and assumed a posture befitting to those of high standing. "Zaarki, so that's your name? Judging from your cultivation, it seems like you're an Outer Sect Disciple, though your talent points out that you can be better than that in the future, bottlenecks are quite hard to break through, especially without the help of resources..."
Zaarki's expression dimmed, indeed, when he first entered the Academy, he uncovered his true potential and found that his destiny belonged as a lord of his own region. Unfortunately, Outer Sect Disciples didn't receive much care from the Academy and only after several years of hard work did he manage to acquire his current position
In this ruthless world, one couldn't survive without strength nor status. And everyone strived for greatness where they could roam the universe freely and unfettered. However, regardless of how grand one's dream was. Without sufficient support in their early years, most geniuses or those with potential crumbled and became the stepping stone of someone else.
Though Zaarki came from a humble origin. He strived hard and refused to stay mediocre in his entire life. Bringing his dreams with him, he departed from his village but when he arrived at the Academy, reality ruthlessly slapped his face.
A genius without backing couldn't possibly acquire the necessary resources for his cultivation. And even though his potential his high, what use was potential when you couldn't even achieve your peak?
Dan noticed the fluctuations within Zaarki's heart and he patted his shoulders, "Junior Brother, I know that you're destined for greatness and that you're unwilling to stay average in your entire life. How about this, if you help me protect my establishment and establish order among the mortals who came here to buy our merchandise and prevent those with ill-intentions in coming near, I will reward you greatly and make sure that you can break through for at least, a single stage..."
Dan's small smile and his gentle voice paired with the physical contact made Zaarki feel like he wasn't staring at a Senior but a brother with equal standing instead. Hearing the prospects about his reward, Zaarki's countenance brightened and he glanced at his comrades behind him.
His comrades wore complicated expressions, but all of them signaled that they would follow Zaarki's actions.
"I understand, Senior Brother. With your status in the Academy, you could indeed employ us from the Enforcement Team to help protect your establishment..." Zaarki clasped his hands together.
Dan nodded his head in approval, "The Employment Term is two weeks and since you have accepted my offer, can you tell me something about the person who reported about us, selling suspicious and harmful products?" Dan's eyes twinkled in a dangerous light, the murderous air that momentarily leaked from his body stumbled Zaarki as the latter took a deep breath before saying.
"S-s-Senior Brother, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but the report that we received came from an anonymous concerned citizen." Zaarki explained and since the source of the report was unknown, Dan could only give up, "I see, if that's the case, then forget about it, I do hope that Junior Brother Zaarki helps protect the order of my shop..."
"Of course, I would do my best, Senior Brother, with your status alone, you can even ask the Enforcement Elder himself, but since you asked for us and even offered great rewards, we are eternally grateful towards you, Senior Brother..." Zaarki solemnly declared, his comrades behind him bowed respectfully and with Zaarki's orders, the blood-red uniformed cultivators scattered and commanded the mortals that wanted to purchase Dan's products.
With the status of an Honorary Disciple as a towering backing, the previously apprehensive and doubtful mortals turned frenzied. Their eyes shone in a light of greed. Fortunately, Zaarki and his comrades were present so the mortals kept their calm and awaited their turn.
"Damn it, I was too late! If I jumped in line earlier then I could've acquired a single bottle for my restaurant!"
"I have decided, I won't go home until I get a bottle of the Three-Flavored Salt Crystals, with just a single bottle, I bet I could prevent myself from starving, and it's even so cheap! To think that it only costs ten copper coins per pinch!"
Some mortals even carried tents and propped it before the establishment, significantly clogging the pathway, preventing carriages from exiting the area. The Enforcement Team swiftly acted and those mortals were chased away. But to satisfy them, Kevin handed over a numbered slip so that their turn would be kept when they return.
Since Kevin declared that the shop was currently out of stock, the mortals that wandered around eventually left for their homes. Standing before the doors of the building, Dan glanced at the distance. Grace turned towards him in confusion, Why is the young master smiling so ominously? She thought in her mind.
At the distance, Dan could see two approaching figures of old men clad in pure white robes. One of them was someone that Grace and Kevin could definitely recognize while the other old man had an air of superiority and dominance around him.
Pavilion Chief Maxwell and Elder Rudolph arrived before the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company's establishment with darkened expressions. Their mood was sour and the crimson light within their eyes hinted at their anger.
In contrast, Dan casually faced them with his arms crossed. With Grace standing beside him, Dan looked unfettered and free. Lifting a small smile on his face, Dan clasped his hands together and said, "This Junior greets the Elders. May I know the two Elders' business for this humble one?"
Elder Rudolph scoffed, "Our business with you? Don't play dumb, you know why we're here..." Elder Rudolph rotated his cultivation base and sent a wave of pressurized Spiritual Qi towards Dan's direction.
Anger flashed on Dan's countenance and he swiftly moved before Grace. Blocking the pressurized Spiritual Qi so that it wouldn't touch and injure her.
"What's the meaning of this, old man?" Dan's carefree visage disappeared. Replaced with fury and anger towards Rudolph's actions.
Rudolph kept his composure, lifting his index finger, he pointed at Dan and said, "Impudent Junior! How dare you resist arrest and even fight back against us?! With my authority as an Elder of this Academy, we sentence you as guilty of impersonation a person of authority! Follow us calmly or else this wouldn't end so nicely..."
Dan's expression flickered and Grace's countenance paled. She stretched her hand out and gripped Dan's sleeves. Her reddened expression hinted at her pent-up anger and distress. Dan noticed this and mumbled with a smile, "What's wrong, Grace? Are you indignant? Don't worry about it and release everything that you feel. Even if the sky falls down, I will make sure that you're unharmed..."
The wind that swept past Dan's body and ruffled his clothes, along with his jet-black hair that swayed amidst the tempest and the composed smile on his face formed a picturesque scene which engraved itself directly in Grace's heart. Taking a deep breath, Grace angrily shouted, "FUCKING OLD BAG OF BONES! HOW DARE YOU STRUT BEFORE US AND CLAIM THAT WE'RE GUILTY OF DOING SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN DO!"
Zaarki who was about to step forward froze, even Dan who maintained his casual smile couldn't help but tremble as his lips endlessly twitched. Rudolph who suffused a righteous figure trembled and Pavilion Chief Maxwell's eyes widened in shock.
Everything in the area froze, the movements of the mortals, the swaying of the gentle breeze and even the chirping of the birds stopped. Everyone's eyes focused on Grace as she continued her assault,
"First of all, it was you, yes, you! Old Stinky Bones that first offended our Association when we were struggling at the bottom! You acted like you owned the place and even charged us with astronomical charges just so you can half-assedly pacify the plants inside our Garden!"
"Now that the Pavilion Empress kicked you away and you are left without a source of income, you went and reported everything towards your Pavilion Chief and even said that we disdained the Medicine Pavilion. Of course, we disdain the Medicine Pavilion! Not only we disdain them we feel completely disgusted by their so-called righteous actions!"
"I just arrived here two months ago, but in that short span of time, I saw how ruthless your Medicine Pavilion could be when it comes to treating mortals with illnesses! At that time, I even saw an old woman bringing along her grandchild infected with a high fever for treatment but you bastards! You bastards denied them of their treatment and in the end, the child died!"
"With the child's death, the old woman's sorrow quickly became malady and she soon lost her life amidst your ruthlessness! Can you bastards even call yourselves as human?! Did you even treat, did you even treat us mortals as humans?!"
Grace's outburst summoned the deep-seated hatred and fury within the mortals' hearts as they raised their pitchforks and faced off against the two Elders from the Medicine Pavilion. Even the innocent children that bore witness against the Medicine Pavilion's inhumane actions took pebbles off the ground and started throwing them at the direction of the two elder's whose expressions looked like a mixture of colors.
From red to green and vice-versa, Dan felt like he was looking at a disco ball as he turned towards Grace and handed over a bottle of water.
Maxwell and Rudolph quickly found themselves surrounded by the raging mortals. With a frosty expression, Maxwell glared at Dan and Natalie as he declared, "From now on, the Medicine Pavilion and the Mirthful Fairies Association is irreconcilable..." Bringing Rudolph with him, the two scurried away and Rudolph was even struck on the face with a rotten egg, the smell made him retch as Grace chuckled at their misfortune.
Staring at their gradually disappearing figures, Dan remembered something as he shouted, "Stinky Bones! It's not Mirthful Fairies Association but the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company! I do hope that you remember that from now on!"