Chapter 109: The Incense Burner

"Ah, Qin, you're here," Elder Zhang said with a warm smile, sipping tea at the entrance of his shop as he greeted Qin Feng.

"Morning, Elder Zhang," Qin Feng replied with a smile.

"I didn't see your shop open the last couple of days. What happened?" Elder Zhang asked.

"Had some business to attend to," Qin Feng said.

"Ah, I see. Well, go ahead and get to work then. This old man won't keep you," Elder Zhang said.

Qin Feng nodded and was about to leave when he suddenly sensed something. He whirled around, looking toward the entrance of the antique market.

A group of men strode in aggressively. Leading them was a tall, bald man with a ferocious green dragon tattooed across his neck. He clearly looked like trouble.

The bald man's gaze swept across the crowd before finally locking onto Qin Feng. A cruel smile curled his lips, and he walked straight toward him.

"Are you Qin Feng?" Standing before him, the bald man looked down at Qin Feng, his voice dripping with malice.

Qin Feng raised an eyebrow slightly and said indifferently, "I am. And who might you be?"

"You don't need to know who I am," the bald man sneered. "All you need to know is that someone paid to have one of your legs broken!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the lackeys behind him began cracking their knuckles, closing in on Qin Feng.

Looking at the ragtag bunch before him, a dismissive smirk touched the corner of Qin Feng's mouth. Did these fools really think they could show off their meager skills in front of him?

"Just you lot?" Qin Feng chuckled, his tone dripping with mockery.

Hearing this, the lackeys behind the bald man instantly flew into a rage.

"Kid, you're looking to die!"

"Challenging Brother Dragon? You must be tired of living!"

Amidst the curses, several lackeys swung their fists and charged at Qin Feng. They struck ruthlessly, aiming for vital spots—clearly experienced street brawlers.

Yet, to Qin Feng, their movements were as laughable as children playing house. With a swift blur of motion, he effortlessly dodged their attacks. Then, striking like lightning, his fists and kicks rained down upon them.

With a chorus of agonized screams, the lackeys were sent flying one after another, crashing heavily onto the ground and wailing in pain.

"Ow, my arm! It's broken, it's broken!"

"My leg! I think my leg is broken!"

"Kid, you dare hit us this hard? You're dead meat!"

Clutching their injuries, the fallen thugs groaned in agony, though they still managed to spit out empty threats.

Seeing this, the bald man's face darkened instantly. He hadn't expected Qin Feng to be this formidable. The lackeys he brought couldn't even withstand a single blow.

"You've got some skills, kid!" the bald man growled, a trace of wariness in his voice. "But do you think that's enough to scare me?"

With that, he kicked over a nearby table, snatched up a chair, and hurled it at Qin Feng. The chair tore through the air with a rushing wind. If it connected, it would surely cause severe injury, if not death.

Yet Qin Feng remained perfectly composed. With a slight sidestep, he effortlessly dodged the flying chair, then threw a punch straight into the bald man's chest.

With a muffled impact, the bald man flew backward like a broken kite, crashing heavily onto the ground with a painful groan.

"Brother Dragon!"

"Brother Dragon, are you alright?"

Seeing their boss defeated, the remaining lackeys panicked. They rushed to his side and helped him up.

The bald man struggled to his feet, clutching his chest. His face was pale, and a trickle of blood lined the corner of his mouth. He never imagined he would be beaten so easily by someone who looked so young.

"Cough... kid, you... you just wait!" the bald man spat through gritted teeth, his eyes burning with venomous hatred.

"I'll be waiting," Qin Feng replied with a calm smile. "But next time, remember to bring more men. Otherwise, you'll just be getting beaten for nothing again."

"You!" The bald man was so enraged he nearly spat blood. He was a notorious figure in this area and had never been so thoroughly humiliated.

"Just you wait, kid! I'll make sure you pay for this!" Throwing down one last threat, the bald man retreated in disgrace with his lackeys.

Watching their pathetic retreat, Qin Feng sneered, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Qin, are you alright?" Elder Zhang asked with concern, though a sharp, calculating glint flickered in his cloudy eyes as he scrutinized the young man.

"I'm fine, Elder Zhang. Just a minor nuisance," Qin Feng replied, brushing the dust off his clothes with an indifferent smile.

Elder Zhang stepped closer and lowered his voice. "Qin, I see you've got quite the moves. Have you trained before?"

"I learned a few basic moves from someone when I was a kid. Just enough to handle these street thugs," Qin Feng answered with a half-truth, reluctant to reveal too much about himself.

"Ah, young people these days are so impulsive! This antique market isn't a peaceful place. You'd better be careful in the future so you don't end up suffering for it," Elder Zhang advised earnestly, though a hint of amusement lingered in his old eyes.

The fight just now had seemed effortless and casual, but in truth, every move had been remarkably efficient and precise. There were no wasted motions—clearly the work of a seasoned veteran with extensive combat experience. This young man was far from simple.

"Come on, Qin. Let's go to my shop for a cup of tea. We should have a good chat." Elder Zhang clapped a warm hand on Qin Feng's shoulder, acting as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other in years.

Qin Feng didn't decline. He followed Elder Zhang into an antique shop filled with a dazzling array of relics.

Elder Zhang gestured for Qin Feng to sit and brewed a pot of high-grade Longjing tea. The rich aroma filled the room, refreshing the senses.

"Qin, how much do you know about the antique trade?" Elder Zhang raised his teacup, asking casually while secretly observing Qin Feng's reaction.

"Just a bit," Qin Feng replied with a faint smile, taking a slow sip of tea to maintain an air of mystery.

"Oh? Then tell me, which item in this shop do you think is the most valuable?" Intrigued, Elder Zhang gestured toward the room full of antiques.

Qin Feng set down his teacup and stood up. His gaze swept over the display of antiques before finally settling on a bronze incense burner tucked away in a corner. The incense burner possessed a simple, archaic design with exquisite craftsmanship. Intricate patterns were carved into its surface, clearly indicating its ancient origin.

"This incense burner must be worth a fortune," Qin Feng said, pointing at it.

"Haha, excellent eye, Qin! That is the crown jewel of my shop. It cost me a fortune to acquire!" Elder Zhang laughed, clapping his hands, though a subtle, unreadable gleam flashed in his eyes.