Chapter 1: Leopard Tooth

Quality goods are not necessarily abundant

Qingyuan cannot possibly have so many wealthy big bosses

Regardless of your identity, as long as you are qualified to enter the trading hall of the Qingyuan Grand Hotel, you are absolutely safe. Here, no one will investigate your background, no one will inquire about the origin of the items you present for trade, and there is no need to fear the exposure of your wealth

The tea table and the glass display stand are both small yet exquisite. However, this is more than sufficient. Those who come here to trade are all rare and high-quality goods, such as six-grade Yao Mountain ginseng, shaped He Shou Wu, and natural snow silkworms from the depths of Miaojiang, which are considered treasures and occasionally appear here. The trading hall of the Qingyuan Grand Hotel is not a roadside stall

This is a principle that Chen Guo has understood after many years of navigating the underworld. It is precisely because he comprehended this principle that Chen Guo was able to transform from a small apprentice in a medicine shop into the ruler of the underground world of Qingyuan City, known in the underworld as "Master Chen Qi." He is a prominent figure in the Brotherhood, holding a significant position in the outer three halls.

Without this foundation, how could Chen Guo have dared to enter the mountains alone to gather herbs, or to confront a starving leopard with nothing but his bare hands? He forcefully broke three of the leopard's fangs, leaving only one intact, which he carved into a pipe

It is not the kind of cleanliness typically referred to, but rather a refreshing quality

Of course, it cannot be compared to a real metropolis

Customers who can access the twelfth floor lobby of the Qingyuan Grand Hotel, who cares about money? What matters is enjoyment, it is about face, and one must never be wronged

Two young individuals are seated at table 27

He saw two new faces

Qingyuan City is the largest distribution center for traditional Chinese medicinal herbs at the junction of three provinces in Southwest China. More than half of the entire fiscal revenue of Qingyuan City relies on this medicinal herb market

In Qingyuan City, Chen Guo is indeed a source of pride

Fortunately, the Qingyuan Grand Hotel is merely a trading point for medicinal materials, and at most, it may involve some entertainment, which does not pose a significant issue

The night falls

Those who are able to ascend to the twelfth floor lobby of the Qingyuan Grand Hotel for transactions are not ordinary individuals. There are prominent herbal merchants, influential figures from the underworld, skilled practitioners of various arts, and even government officials concealing their identities

Chen Guo knows how vast the outside world is

As the top "big brother" of Qingyuan City, Chen Guo is no simpleton; he has traveled to many places and seen much of the world. He has visited the most prosperous metropolises in the country, such as the capital, Mingzhu, Jiangkou, and Shancheng. This is indeed impressive, but Chen Guo feels nothing. In those cities, he has no roots, is nothing, and no one recognizes who he is. Only when he returns to Qingyuan City can Chen Guo regain the feeling of being the boss.

The reputation of Master Chen Qi and the Qingyuan Grand Hotel must not be tarnished

For instance, the magnificent Qingyuan Grand Hotel beneath his feet, standing twelve stories tall, is the largest, most upscale, and most luxurious hotel in Qingyuan City. Every night is filled with music and dance, and every day is a haze of indulgence and extravagance. For the residents of the impoverished western mountainous regions, where the average annual income is less than 2,000 yuan, the high costs of consumption at the Qingyuan Grand Hotel are simply unimaginable

Such a clean and fresh girl is truly a rarity

Holding a blue and white porcelain cup, he slowly savors the tea. At first glance, he appears very gentle, with no hint of sharpness. If it were not for his youthful appearance, one might mistake him for a middle-aged man in his forties, solely based on his demeanor.

Chen Guo's expression changed slightly, feeling a bit uncomfortable in her heart with the *illustration*.

Chen Guo has not engaged in bloody matters for a long time

After all, the world has changed; the major forces in the official realm cannot be matched by the underground world. Otherwise, Chen Guo would not spend so much money each year to establish connections.

The influential figures in the provincial capital need only to raise a little finger; without even saying a word, they could not only reduce him to ashes but at the very least, they could cause the vast enterprise of Qingyuan, built over a decade of hard work, to be destroyed in an instant

Chen Guo and Master Chen Qi absolutely guarantee your safety

The secret lies on the twelfth floor of the Qingyuan Grand Hotel

Under the twilight, Qingyuan City is illuminated with brilliant lights

The young woman standing next to him.

Suddenly, the corner of Master Chen Qi's eyebrow twitched

Qingyuan is under the jurisdiction of Yidong Province and is located at the junction of three provinces and cities, making it the largest city in the western part of Yidong Province. Surrounded by hundreds of miles of towering mountains, Qingyuan City shines like a brilliant pearl in the night sky, radiating an enchanting luster amidst the mountains

Dozens of luxurious crystal chandeliers illuminate the entire hall as if it were broad daylight

Since everyone who comes is a master, there must be the demeanor of a master; this rule cannot be disregarded anywhere

They are certainly not all from Qingyuan, at least not entirely.

The entire twelfth floor is a vast hall, covering an area of over one thousand square meters

Do not mention the mountain dwellers deep in the mountains; even the ordinary office workers in Qingyuan City can only look up to the Qingyuan Grand Hotel and would never dare to step inside. Those who can enter the Qingyuan Grand Hotel are all remarkable wealthy individuals, either rich or noble

Cities like Jiangkou and Mingzhu, which are truly large urban centers, may have more millionaires than the entire population of Qingyuan City

Chen Guo believes that among these guests, some may have wealth that surpasses his own, and it is even possible that their fortunes are several times or even a dozen times greater than his

Only those prominent figures far away in Lingyan City, the capital of Yidong Province, would instill a sense of awe in Chen Guo

There were two young individuals, a man and a woman, and Chen Guo's gaze lingered on them for a long time

How could such a thing happen

A person cannot stand without integrity

Very young

Chen Guo, with a leopard-patterned pipe clenched between his teeth, squinted his eyes as he slowly surveyed the hall

To dominate the underground world of Qingyuan single-handedly, it is absolutely impossible without the protection of powerful figures in the open.

Every time a trade fair is held, Chen Guo personally oversees the event, fearing that someone might cause trouble. The fact that no one in Qingyuan City dares to create a disturbance in Chen Qiye's territory does not mean that others are equally intimidated. Among the guests, there are many who are wealthy and powerful.

The layout of the trading hall at the Qingyuan Grand Hotel resembles that of an exhibition. Each guest has one or even several independent seats, sofas, coffee tables, and glass display cases, all fully equipped. Guests place their precious medicinal materials brought from home in the glass display cases or directly on the coffee tables to conduct transactions with other guests

The Qingyuan Grand Hotel is the most prestigious trading venue for precious medicinal materials

There are about one to two hundred people in the hall, but the actual guests may be fewer than one hundred, with the rest being staff, whose numbers are not less than those of the guests, and the service is very attentive

Certainly, most residents of Qingyuan are somewhat puzzled as to how such a luxurious hotel can thrive in such a remote mountainous city. They wonder where all the wealthy individuals, adorned in gold and silver, who come and go from the hotel each day, originate from.

Chen Guo, in his early forties, has a standard physique, with not a trace of excess fat on his abdomen. Over the years, he has never truly neglected the skills he acquired. These were imparted to him by his old master during his apprenticeship at the pharmacy. It was not until his master was on his deathbed that Chen Guo learned that this old man, notorious in the past, was a formidable figure among the Twelve Protectors of the Brotherhood, who roamed across several provinces in the southwest. Under his "Yama's Medicinal Hands," countless heroes had shed their blood, and many brave men had lost their lives.

Chen Guo was taken aback and quickly composed herself, unsure of the source of this dizzy sensation, which seemed to stem from gazing at the girl for a moment longer than usual

These two guests have not yet presented the items they intend to trade

Over the years, Chen Guo has encountered numerous young girls who wear heavy makeup and act coyly, some of whom, at just over ten years old, refer to themselves as "I, the old lady," and are eager to announce to the world that they are no longer virgins

It is said that staying one night in the most luxurious suite of the Celebration Garden Hotel costs as much as the total annual income of an average person. If you wish to engage in other activities as well, an entire year's income would be far from sufficient

However, Chen Guo is not focused on the medicinal materials; he is concerned with these two individuals. Both appear to be in their twenties. The young man is dressed in a plain white Tang suit, which is clearly made of cotton and linen, not silk, and he wears a pair of old cloth shoes. He is of medium height; sitting down, it is hard to discern his exact stature, but he is estimated to be around 1.78 meters tall. His features are refined, exuding a strong scholarly aura. He does not resemble a wealthy businessman, nor does he look like a government official, and he certainly does not appear to be a powerful figure in the underworld; rather, he has the air of a reclusive sage.

In today's world, there are indeed too many individuals who are wealthy and powerful

This is also the reason why Master Chen Qi and the Qingyuan Grand Hotel are particularly popular among guests

The coffee table at Table 27 and the glass display case are both spotless, with nothing visible.

In this Qingyuan City, no one dares to confront Master Chen and Master Tu Shu Qi. Unless one is truly tired of living and hastily seeking death, Master Chen would only then grant such a wish, which could be described as being left with no other choice

There are quite a number of people in the hall, along with the hotel staff, there must be one or two hundred individuals. With two hundred people spread across a thousand square meters of hall, it does not seem overly crowded

Suddenly, Chen Guo felt a dizziness in her mind

At this moment, Chen Guo leaned over the railing of the second-floor corridor, his beloved leopard tooth pipe clenched between his lips, and he appeared quite content. This leopard tooth was taken from a hungry adult leopard that he personally hunted down in the deep mountains years ago. Even after many years, Chen Guo seemed to still sense a trace of the fierce aura of that formidable leopard from the pipe.

The young girl stood quietly beside the man, remarkably still.

Chen Guo's gaze was very sharp. In the hall, there were one or two hundred people, and he slowly scanned through, clearly distinguishing each individual. For martial artists, having poor eyesight is a major taboo; no matter how diligently one practices, the achievements will be quite limited.

The attire is quite ordinary, and one can see such simply dressed young girls on the streets of Qingyuan at any time. With shoulder-length black hair and a pleasing appearance, she exudes a sense of purity. The first impression she gives is one of cleanliness

In the entire Yidong, Bashu, and Shancheng provinces, all the brothers of the Pao family respectfully address Chen Guo as "Seventh Master." Only the leader of the Pao family in Shancheng, Huang Sanye, has the authority to speak to Chen Qiye in a manner that is effective.

Right at Chen Guo's feet

Chen Guo treats his guests as lords, and the guests reciprocate by treating him as a lord

It is evident that the owner of this hotel, the prominent figure Chen Guo, is held in great awe and admiration by the people of Qingyuan

On this point, Chen Guo has always been very clear-headed

In Qingyuan, no one can pose a real threat to Master Chen Qi.