Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Phoenix-Headed Hathaway

"Hello, Mr. Qin. I am Hathaway Lina. I’ve heard you possess the formula for the beauty elixir, so I’ve come to consult you. Name your price—whatever you want, just say it."
The woman’s voice was far less stunning than her appearance. Her Chinese carried an awkward accent, tinged with the roughness typical of Western speech—deep, almost hoarse—yet it suited her words: domineering and aggressive. It was as if she had already decided that Qin Jing truly possessed the beauty elixir and its formula.

"The Phoenix Society’s leader!"
Qin Jing’s surprise was evident. He had only heard this name from Zheng Qiuyin the previous night—the founder of a major local force in Lenghai, and a high-ranking transcendent. Qin Jing had imagined someone at least in their thirties, but she turned out to be a young woman in her early twenties. Yet, her style fit her status perfectly.

"You know me?"
Hathaway Lina looked surprised, but quickly continued, "No matter. I guessed as much—you’re a newly awakened transcendent. If you’re willing to hand over the beauty elixir’s formula, I can absorb you into the Phoenix Society."

Even with his good temper, Qin Jing couldn’t help but retort, "Joining the Phoenix Society? What an honor. As if being invited by you is the highest glory one could hope for."

To his astonishment, Hathaway Lina replied, "Isn’t it?"

Damn, if you talk like this, you’ll kill the conversation! Qin Jing’s face darkened completely.

"Li Xiufeng, you handle the negotiations with Mr. Qin," Hathaway Lina ordered someone behind her, seemingly aware that this wasn’t her strong suit.

A young man stepped forward, beaming as if being singled out was a great honor. He lifted his chin, looked at Qin Jing down his nose, and emphasized with a touch of haughtiness, "Qin Jing, perhaps you don’t know what kind of institution the Phoenix Society is. Allow me to introduce it—"

Before he could finish, Qin Jing waved him off. "No need. Whatever the Phoenix Society is, it has nothing to do with me."

No matter how powerful, it was still a group established after the spiritual revival, perhaps just a year old. Could it possibly compare to the Tio family of the mythic world?

Li Xiufeng was rendered speechless, his expression souring. He said coldly, "Fine, since you refuse to join the Phoenix Society, don’t say we didn’t give you a chance."

"A few days ago, there was a traitor in the Phoenix Society. He stole the beauty elixir, a secret only we possess. Recently, he’s been seen in frequent contact with you. We suspect you’re in cahoots with him, that you helped steal our elixir and have the formula."

At that, Qin Jing instantly understood:

"So, since you can’t buy it, you’ll just take it by force?"
Qin Jing looked at him with a half-smile. "The man you’re talking about—it wouldn’t be Wang Keng, would it?"

Li Xiufeng ignored Qin Jing’s sarcasm, his face blank. "Since you know his name, that proves you’re the right person. The evidence is conclusive. Even if we detain you today, the authorities won’t object."

Qin Jing laughed in disbelief. "Wang Keng isn’t one of yours, nor is he the guy who’s been causing me trouble. On the contrary, he’s the one who helped me steal your elixir! Even the Zheng Chamber of Commerce doesn’t have that kind of access, do they?"

"So the Zheng Chamber of Commerce is your backer? For a newcomer like you, you couldn’t possibly understand how powerful the Phoenix Society is. Of course we’ll be looking for trouble with the Zheng Chamber of Commerce, but first, we need to recover our leaked secret and elixir."

Li Xiufeng’s expression remained stony. As soon as the words left his mouth, he suddenly sprang into action. Like a phantom, he appeared in front of Qin Jing, reaching out to seize him.

Qin Jing, an ordinary man, couldn’t even see Li Xiufeng’s movements. In an instant, he found himself in mortal danger.

A hand appeared from behind Qin Jing, steady as a rock, grabbing Li Xiufeng’s outstretched arm. Even at close range, Qin Jing could hear the bones grinding, saw Li Xiufeng’s facial muscles freeze, his face turning crimson, mouth agape before he forcibly clenched his jaw.

"It hurts, doesn’t it? Don’t hold it in—if it hurts, just scream," Qin Jing said with a laugh, giving Li Xiufeng a casual pat on the shoulder. Every alchemical golem was a level-nine transcendent—a terrifying monster, unstoppable on Earth.

"Hmm?"
Hathaway, who had been quietly watching Li Xiufeng’s ‘performance,’ looked genuinely surprised. She stepped forward, perplexed. "Who are you? How could you instantly subdue Li Xiufeng, who’s already a level-two transcendent? Are you the level-three powerhouse?"

She was addressing the alchemical golem standing beside Qin Jing. Qin Jing hadn’t bothered naming the golem—he simply called it Number One.

Lacking any spark of life, the golem showed no reaction to Hathaway’s question.

Qin Jing offered no explanation, but replied to Hathaway, "A level-three transcendent—does that count as a powerhouse around here? That really does reflect the state of things on Earth right now."

At these words, Hathaway Lina trembled, her gaze suddenly sharp as she stared at Qin Jing.

"What do you mean by that?"

Qin Jing nodded slightly to the golem and, in his mind, commanded: "Clear the field—everyone except the woman in front of me."

In an instant, the alchemical golem sprang into motion.

With a thunderous crash, the golem struck Li Xiufeng in the chest, sending him hurtling skyward.

Then, like a tiger among sheep, the golem cut through the rest. Each person fell with a single punch or palm strike. Every one of them was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground, eyes rolling back as they lost consciousness.

Hathaway Lina had brought six people with her. By the time Li Xiufeng crashed down from the sky, the other five had already been dispatched—without exception.

She stared at Li Xiufeng’s falling body, feeling as if she herself had turned to stone.

With a final crash, Li Xiufeng hit the cement at the mouth of the alley, making it tremble. His chest was caved in, blood pouring freely from his mouth, breaths shallow and ragged—he was as good as dead.

Hathaway Lina now hovered half-suspended in midair, her clothes billowing in the wind. Yet she didn’t attack; instead, she watched the golem warily. The speed and force it had just displayed were far beyond anything she’d imagined. At this point, escaping safely was her only concern. Never had she expected Qin Jing to have such a powerful ‘transcendent’ at his side.

She stared at Qin Jing, her beautiful face now pale with terror. "Who…what are you, really?"

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Thanks to Buyan520 for the 1,000 coin reward. Much appreciated.