Human Nature

Qiao Shanwei held the Coiling Tiger Staff, the killing intent in his eyes laid bare.

"Brother Yan!"

Song Bao and his two companions crowded around Qin Yan, trembling slightly, but determined to protect him.

"Don't worry!"

Smiling, Qin Yan patted Song Bao on the shoulder and walked up to Qiao Laosan alone.

His gaze, however, rested on the two men who had followed Qiao Laosan here.

Without a doubt, they were the helpers Qiao Laosan had brought, but with the Qin clansmen gathered under the old village chief's lead, there was no way they would let them attack in broad daylight.

The two men were hesitant as well.

Had they been striking in secret, they would have sided with Qiao Laosan without hesitation.

As long as there was no direct evidence, it would have been impossible to convict them.

But the situation was clearly more complicated now, with dozens of people right in front of them.

Never mind whether they could win a fight.

If someone died and a commotion broke out, the Azure Blade Gang could suppress the matter, but it would cost them dearly.

They might even have to part with most of their property.

To get the authorities to settle the matter, those greedy officials would surely skin them alive.

Weighing the benefits Qiao Laosan had offered against the price they would have to pay, they were unwilling to act.

But Qiao Laosan could hold back no longer. Whoever dared stop him now, he would kill, slaughtering a chicken to warn the monkeys.

Killing someone only meant paying some money, but Qin Yan had to die!

"Brothers Chen Hui and Li Meng, help me!"

Qiao Laosan roared. As long as the two stood by to support him, he was confident he could kill Qin Yan in very little time.

He had now reached the Qi-Blood Realm, and his strength had given him great confidence.

His staff swept through the air, veins bulging on both arms as he smashed the Coiling Tiger Staff straight at Qin Yan's head.

"Damn it!"

Seeing this, Chen Hui and Li Meng felt an urge to curse. Didn't that idiot know to wait until there were fewer people around before making his move?

Now he had left them riding a tiger they couldn't dismount!

In the time it took a spark to fly, Qin Yan hurriedly pushed the people beside him away, used the Dragon Wandering Step, and turned sideways, retreating a foot in an instant.

The staff whistled through the air, nearly grazing Qin Yan's face before smashing into the ground.

His first strike missed, and Qiao Laosan was startled, but he immediately swept his bronze staff sideways at Qin Yan's legs.

Even as the force of the blow surged forth, a foot slammed down on the shaft. The tremendous force nearly knocked it from Qiao Laosan's hands.

What tremendous brute strength!

Qiao Laosan was horrified. Qin Yan's strength far exceeded his expectations.

The instant their eyes met, he saw a gaze as ferocious as a primeval beast's.

Using the Dragon Wandering Step, Qin Yan closed in instantly. Fast close-quarters fighting was his strong suit, and with tremendous force, he seized Qiao Laosan's wrist.

He did not choose to finish him off instantly, instead using strength that utterly overwhelmed his opponent.

An irresistible force lifted Qiao Laosan off his feet in an instant, and Qin Yan slammed him into the ground like a toy.

Pfft!

Qiao Laosan felt as though all his internal organs had been knocked out of place, and a mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips.

It had all happened so fast that Chen Hui and Li Meng were stunned.

That brute strength was terrifying.

They realized something was wrong.

"Stop!"

By the time Chen Hui shouted, it was already too late. Qin Yan's foot came down fast and hard, delivering a vicious kick straight to Qiao Laosan's head.

Crack!

The force unleashed in that instant snapped his neck, sending him flying several meters.

Qiao Laosan had already lost consciousness. His body twitched as blood streamed from his mouth and nose.

It's over!

Chen Hui knew Qiao Laosan was as good as dead.

His expression turned vicious as he looked at Qin Yan. Qiao Laosan had only recently been promoted by the gang leader, and with him dead, they had no way to account for it.

Only by capturing this kid could they go back and report.

He exchanged a glance with Li Meng, and the two moved to attack.

"Brothers!"

Qin Yan immediately cupped his fists. "I'm Qin Yan, son of Qin Zhaolin, a traveling merchant for the Azure Blade Gang. Strictly speaking, I'm a member of the gang too."

"What?"

Chen Hui and Li Meng were dumbfounded. They both knew Qin Zhaolin. After all, of the gang's hundred-odd members, only a handful traveled around buying mountain goods.

A string of information soon fell into place, and they instantly understood what was going on.

No wonder Qiao Laosan wanted to kill Qin Yan. Damn it, he'd killed the boy's father.

If it were them, they would want to kill such a gifted youth too.

"Qiao Shanwei's family was killed, and he went mad and attacked a fellow gang member. I had no choice but to defend myself!"

Qin Yan spoke to the two men with a calm expression. "Please bear witness for me, brothers. I'll remember your kindness in the years to come."

His words immediately made Chen Hui and Li Meng realize how unusual this youth was.

Even after killing someone, he could remain so calm and composed, and even discuss a deal with them.

Qin Yan stared fixedly at the two men. If they could not reach an agreement, he would not hesitate to strike and kill them.

At worst, he could take to the hills as a bandit. In this world, anyone with strength could make their way anywhere.

The two men exchanged a glance, each reading the meaning in the other's eyes. Qiao Laosan was already dead.

They would not offend a gifted youth over a drinking buddy.

Especially not when that youth had beaten Qiao Laosan, a Qi-Blood Realm cultivator, to death with sheer brute strength.

In any case, Qiao Laosan was dead. They had taken his money without doing the job, but a dead man could do nothing to them.

More importantly, once word of Qin Yan reached their gang leader's ears, he would surely place great importance on him.

A gifted youth, properly nurtured, could even ensure the Azure Blade Gang's continued prosperity for decades.

If they acted on their own, they would very likely be punished by the gang leader.

As for Qiao Shanwei, he was just a dead man. How could he compare with Qin Yan now?

Even though Qin Yan had killed Qiao Shanwei, the gang leader probably would not blame him.

"You're right, little brother!"

Chen Hui forced a smile as he spoke.

The tension that had left them at daggers drawn eased with the turn of events.

"The flood has washed over the Dragon King's temple. We're all family, yet we failed to recognize our own."

Li Meng now grinned and struck up a conversation. "I heard your father went to no small trouble on your behalf.

Your family even came especially to tell us you would observe three years of mourning for Brother Zhaolin. What admirable filial piety!

It's a shame Brother Zhaolin isn't here to see it!"

Li Meng looked regretful. Quite a few people in the gang had praised Qin Yan's filial piety at the time.

"What?"

Qin Yan was dumbfounded too. "How come I didn't know I was supposed to mourn my father for three years?"

His words startled Li Meng, who then frowned. "I remember the man who came did say he was your eldest brother!"

That explains it!

Qin Zhao was the one who had handled Qin Zhaolin's funeral arrangements, and the original owner of this body had even asked about the matter.

Qin Zhao had said at the time that it hadn't worked out, and the original owner had believed him without giving it much thought.

"What a beast! He's trying to ruin his own brother's future!"

After learning the whole story, the old village chief immediately burst into curses.

Qin Yan was such a good child. If this hadn't come to light today, he would probably still have been kept in the dark.

"Qin Zhao, get out here, you bastard!"

Qin Yan turned a murderous gaze on Qin Zhao in the crowd.