With preparations done, it was nearing late lunch. Only a few more hours till the emperor's arrival.
It was around this time that Fen Chang predicted the flies to come swarming. As such he walks towards the towering figure standing in the corner of the room covered by a big dark cloak. If one to look at the figure, you would not be able to tell anything. Their cloak covers everything leaving only a shadow where their face is and with an unnoticeable aura around them. Like one could just forget about them even being there.
"Ma Tan, new recruits will be coming by soon. Make sure you take good care of them when I allow you."
"Yes master" was all that was said in a neutral voice, impossible to tell if they are male or female.
Fen Chang got in his cloak and waited for company to arrive. What he wanted was conflict, as such he had the city guards in the area move away and make sure they would rock up late to the conflict.
…
Over the next 20 minutes Fen Chang could see more and more lackeys showing up clearing the pedestrians. On the lackey's clothes he could see many merchant and noble crests. Sung Family, Lu Family and the Phoenix Rest Company along with many smaller ones that got scared off and left.
'Seems I managed to hook three big fishes. They are perfect pawns to help spread my reputation. Based on the average cultivation of this Azur island, I would guess the strongest they have is a late stage 3 expert at most, but they should be reclusive and probably a last line of defence. I expect that maybe the heads or high-level elders may come, but an arrogant young master might appear as well. If they have any females, I will take them as compensation and then leave the rest for Ma Tan.'
Fen Chang didn't have to wait long, because 10 minutes later 3 large groups of people could be seen standing outside the building. The Lu family's young master along with an older man and a decent size army. The Sung's family head merchant elder along with his son and daughter. Finally, there where the Phoenix Rest Company, which had many old fogies at the front.
The leaders of the 3 party's started to talk to each other. Then it quickly descended into an argument over who would get the building completely disregarding the current owner.
Fen Chang decides its time for him to introduce himself. So, he steps out of the building in his dark cloak and speaks in a condescending tone "Well, have you decided which of you arrogant pricks will be grovelling before me first?"
The moment the leaders of the partys heard this they turned to see who was brazen enough to say this.
"Who the hell are you. I will have you head on a stake. Do you now know who I am. I am Lu Peng, the young master of the Lu family. If you kneel before me and offer me this building as an apology, I might just allow you to be a servant of my family." was arrogantly said by the Lu family young master.
"Young master Lu, do you not think that is a bit over the top. Do you think we will let you have this building that easily?" Said the Sung family and the Phoenix Rest Company leaders.
And with this, another argument descended between the 3 factions.
"I don't have all day to deal with mentally handicapped idiots like you, so can you choose who wants to go first."
This time all the 3 factions where angry that this person clearly doesn't understand the situation, he is in. The Sung family elder first said "Fine since you want to die so quickly then we should have the phoenix rest company go first, we should respect our elders after all."
The Lu family young master also agreed verbally, but his thoughts where something else entirely. 'Old fogies trying to take what's mine, I'll let those phoenix rest people have it for a moment then I will snatch it away. Their company can never match up to my Lu family. As for the Sung family, I'm sure that elder has a similar idea but I doubt he will have the balls to mess with us. He might even offer it to us so we might spare him.'
When the Lu and Sung family said this the elders of the phoenix rest company where visibly annoyed since they were taking them so lightly.
"Since the Lu and Sung family has given us the first chance then we shall take the opportunity to do so."
Fen Chang on the other hand was thinking about the situation. 'The Phoenix Rest Company seems to be the weakest since its mostly made of alchemists and other professions working together. Them forming that company was their way of being free from a family control. As such families who have their own alchemists don't really care for them, but families who are reliant on them to get pills would never offend them like this.
The Sung doesn't have many merchant ties and is mostly an army house that focuses on helping with battles and hunting monsters. Seems they want to use this building to expand their influence.
The Lu family are the main problem, they have deep pockets due to their auction house and alchemists, they also have large forces. They also secretly have deep ties to some illegal businesses. Father said as much as he wants to get rid of them, he can't due to not finding enough evidence. I heard the young master of the Lu family is especially arrogant due to his talent in cultivation. Being an inner disciple of the Flaming Heavens Sect has boosted his arrogance to the point he is kidnapping girls and acting like no one can touch him. I should turn this gigolo, into a slave and have him give me his collection of females and treasures of his family. He should be around early or middle of stage 3. So, Ma Tan is probably going to have to break him for me to be able to enslave him. Hehe, Lu family's going to have some hard times coming their way.'
The lead elder from the phoenix company steps out and walk towards Fen Chang with an arrogant expression. "Hello, I am one of the 3 elders of the Phoenix Rest Company Jing San. I am here to tell you hand over this building to us, if you do then we can provide you refuge with us to protect you from the Sung and Lu family. I strongly suggest you accept, if not we will have to take it by force and we will leave you out alone to fend off the 2-noble families."
"I'm sorry for not showing respect elder Jing San, please allow me to apologise. Please follow me, I can give you the paperwork for the building, just please protect me from those 2-noble families." Fen Chang said in a terrified voice.
Looking at the way he was acting Jing San was proud that it was that easy to get the building. He was too arrogant to even consider this was a trap as so he followed Fen Chang into the building.
'Let's see what his face is like when he walks in. I can't wait to see it change from arrogant to despair.'
The moment they got in, Jing San and company's face couldn't help but light up with greed when looking at the inside of the building. Although they where confused as to why it looked like a restaurant, they didn't care as it would soon be theirs.
"This place looks even better on the inside. Well mister you should hand over the contract for this place already, otherwise I don't know if I would be able to protect you when the Sung and Lu family come in."
When Fen Chang heard this, he started laughing. He used his eyes to signal the people stationed around the area to get into position around them.
Jing San noticed this and then thought something was wrong. With rage in his eyes, he turned to Fen Chang "What is the meaning of this!"
"The meaning? The meaning is that you are so mentally retarded you willingly walked into a trap and gave me a bunch of free soldiers and 1 high ranking alchemist."
"How dare you conspire against me. Men kill him and take the deed from his corpse."
How ever when he turned around to look at his men, his eyes showed panic when he saw the scene behind him. His entire force of stage 1 and stage 2 cultivators where all knocked out. It was at this moment that he realised everyone in here where wearing strange things covering their mouths. He assumed them to be merely a part of the costume.
His eyes started getting heavy and the only thing he can think is one thing 'Poison!'. And just like this the entire Phoenix Rest Company party was knocked out with ease.
Seeing them all on the floor knocked out, Fen Chang can't help but feel giddy. He easily, with some preparations knocked out a whole force of cultivators, most of which know a profession. He even got a stage 2 level 9 alchemist elder.
"Lets quickly enslave this leader Jing San, it would take too much time to get all of them done without arousing suspicion from the others outside."
Fen Chang then goes over to Jing San's unconscious body and places his hand against his head. Slowly a mark starts forming on the body's forehead and at the end when Fen Chang removed his hand the mark disappeared into the skin.
Jing San quickly stands up only to then quickly go down on one knee and say "young master". Fen Chang smiles when he hears this and then gives an order to Jing San. "Jing San, I want you to go out their and say you want to strike a deal with the Sung family. Lure them in here while leaving the Lu family outside for now. The Lu young master is arrogant, use that to force him to stay there."
With his order given Jing San goes outside to convince the Sung family to team up against the Lu family and discuss inside.
On the other hand, Fen Chang had the staff move the unconscious bodies of the Phoenix Company and get the next set of sleeping poison in place as well as getting Ma Tan ready to take down the elder of the Sung family.
'Seems like Jing San is entering with the elder from Sung family and the Lu family seems to not have any problems. This alchemist might be more competent that he seems, now that the arrogance is gone and his personality was changed.'
When the unsuspecting Sung family entered, a similar scene to the last happened and all the Sung family people fell over and went to sleep. As the for stage 3 elder who called himself Sung Ping, Ma Tan took care of him. Fen Chang then left the elder tied up and drugged, since he is a third stage and will require a bit of time to break their spirit enough for him to enslave them. He left the body's where they were, but had removed all the female ones and put them in his internal world ready for him to enslave once it was over.
"Jing San, go out and convince Lu Peng to enter. Say that I revealed myself to be a stage 3 expert and that Sung Ping and yourself cannot defeat him alone and are requesting backup. Make sure to say that you and Sung Ping are willing to split the building 1/3rd each. He will then likely counter asking for half or even 3/4. Make a hesitant expression and say the most u can give is 3/5. He should agree, since he should plan to betray you so he shouldn't care what u give him."
Jing San then hit himself a few times and gave himself multiple surface wounds that look worse than they are for effect and to look weak. Fen Chang on the other hand set up more poison and even increased its strength. 'I know that Lu Peng should be around stage 3 level 4, he might even have a few low stage 3 guards. Then the majority of his group look stage 2 with a few late stage 1's. Man the difference between the Lu family and the other 2 groups is massive. If it wasn't for there influence then Lu young master would probably just ignore them."
"Ma Tan get ready; your new friend is here to play. Make sure you play with him nice and good."
"Yes master, I will play with my new friend very good." Was ominously said in a girlish voice