Undercurrents

"Big Brother, you..."

A flicker of surprise crossed Ma Qiang's face, but he quickly understood. His big brother had people in Ninth Squad, so it was only natural that he knew these things clearly. Ma Qiang opened his mouth, yet had no idea what to say.

"Hmph, did you think I didn't know about the things you've been doing in Ninth Squad?"

Ma Long picked up the teacup on the table and took a light sip before continuing.

"If not for my standing, that old bastard Wang Sanyang would have thrown you out long ago. Martial arts cultivation does not improve just because you bully a few ordinary people. It's good that that boy Lin Sheng made you suffer a little and tempered your nature."

"But, Big Brother, I can't accept this! That brat humiliated me in front of so many people. If I don't get even, I won't be able to swallow this insult!!"

At that point, Ma Qiang simply stopped pretending. His face flushed red as he spoke.

"Then what do you intend to do!?"

A faint smile appeared on Ma Long's face as he asked in return.

"I want to break his legs and make him kneel before me and apologize in public!"

Ma Qiang immediately answered.

"That's all!?" Ma Long sneered, and his expression instantly turned cold. "Then after he recovers from his injuries, cultivates diligently, and achieves something in martial arts, he'll come looking for revenge against you?"

"This..."

Ma Qiang was immediately left speechless.

"If you want to do something, then do it thoroughly. Someone more talented than you—once you offend him, either offer gifts and apologize, or eliminate him before he grows up. Do I need to teach you such a simple principle!?"

"But that brat was brought here by Deputy Hall Master Tian. If we deal with him, it might cause him some trouble..." Ma Qiang hesitated, but Ma Long cut him off before he could finish.

"Hmph, he's nothing more than an ordinary kid from the slums. What does it matter if we get rid of him? Yangping Mountain is so vast—what does the death of a few people amount to? And even if Tian Hu finds out, so what?"

Ma Long gripped the teacup. The next moment, it shattered in his hand, turning into wisps of white powder.

Seeing this, Ma Qiang's eyes widened, though he quickly realized something.

"Big Brother, your martial arts have broken through!!"

"Not yet." Ma Long shook his head slightly.

"However, my hard cultivation these past days has indeed brought some insight. If luck is on my side, before the beast tide arrives, I may be able to cultivate Eagle Claw Thousand Jin Strength to late Muscle Forging."

"Late Muscle Forging! Big Brother, you truly are a Martial Way genius. By then, Beast Hunter Hall will have another deputy hall master!!"

Great delight appeared on Ma Qiang's face.

He knew his big brother's talent was far beyond his own, but he had not expected it to be even greater than he had imagined. Ma Long was already on the verge of breaking through into late Muscle Forging. Late Muscle Forging was strength comparable to a deputy hall master of Beast Hunter Hall.

Even if Tian Hu found out, what could he do? Could he really fall out with his big brother over some insignificant hunter?

With that thought, Ma Qiang was finally completely at ease, and a few more traces of killing intent rose in his heart.

"I don't care how you deal with him. Liu Jie will help you. Just do as you see fit."

Ma Long spoke slowly, then rose without much interest and turned to leave.

He had not paid much attention to Lin Sheng. He was merely a young man who had just stepped onto the path of Martial Way cultivation. To Ma Long, Lin Sheng was not much different from an ant.

After learning from the eyes and ears he had planted in Ninth Squad to protect his younger brother that Ma Qiang had been injured by Lin Sheng, he had already sent someone to thoroughly investigate Lin Sheng's background.

He was only a poor boy from the slums. Such a background had nothing worth noting.

If Ma Qiang had not been unable to swallow this insult, Ma Long could not even be bothered to pay him any mind.

Elsewhere, Lin'an County City.

Night had fallen, in the eastern district of Crock Street.

With a bang, the tightly shut courtyard gates were smashed inward from outside.

Then more than a dozen men wielding steel sabers filed in one after another.

"This is bad, we've been discovered!!"

Inside a room in the courtyard, Chun Niang and Zhou Tong, who had been resting, immediately changed expressions.

Without the slightest hesitation, they sprang up and crashed toward the window on one side of the room. They smashed through the sealed window and charged outside.

But the instant their feet touched the ground, a large net swept over them from the side.

Chun Niang reacted with astonishing speed. A short blade appeared from within her sleeve, and with a flash of cold light, she sliced a large hole in the net's ropes. Her petite figure slipped nimbly through it.

However, Zhou Tong was large in build, and his shoulder was injured. After several days without effective treatment, the wound had worsened, leaving him far from his former condition. He failed to react in time and was caught squarely in the net.

Before he could struggle again, several gleaming steel sabers had already been pressed against his neck.

Chun Niang showed no intention of turning back to save him. Her petite body burst forth with unimaginable speed and agility, leaving the ambushers around her behind in only a few breaths.

"Xie Chunniang, since you've come to Axe Gang territory, why didn't you give us advance notice? So I could welcome you properly?"

Before Xie Chunniang could catch her breath, a deep, rough voice carrying several traces of mockery rang out from the pitch-black alley ahead.

At that moment, a figure shot out from the alley and rushed straight at Xie Chunniang. He fiercely thrust out a palm, so fast that Xie Chunniang had no time to dodge. In her haste, she could only raise a hand and meet his palm with one of her own.

The instant the large and small palms collided, Xie Chunniang felt an irresistible Great Strength surge from his hand. In an instant, her body was sent flying backward, and she crashed heavily onto the ground.

"Sun Ping, why are you attacking me!?"

Blood trickled from the corner of Xie Chunniang's mouth as she fixed her eyes on the man walking toward her from not far away.

The newcomer was none other than Sun Ping, the deputy leader of the Axe Gang that occupied the eastern district of Crock Street—a genuine Muscle Forging realm expert.

But a look of terror soon appeared on her face.

For another figure was also walking over from the other side. He was tall and broad, with a thick beard, and his eyes held an indescribable coldness as he looked at her.

"Liu... Liu Yuanshan!!?"

The moment Xie Chunniang saw his face clearly, despair rose in her heart.

She now understood. Sun Ping's attack on her clearly meant that he had colluded with the Tooth Gang.

Before two Muscle Forging martial artists, she, a Body Tempering martial artist, had no chance at all.

"Brother Liu, I've helped you find them. As for what you promised me..."

Sun Ping smiled as he looked at Liu Yuanshan approaching step by step.

"Don't worry, Brother Sun. Liu always keeps his word." As he spoke, Liu Yuanshan took something from his robes and tossed it over. "There are three Snake Orchid Fruits inside. They are yours, Brother Sun."

Sun Ping caught it in one hand and lightly sniffed it beneath his nose. The smile on his face deepened.

"Brother Liu truly is forthright. In that case, I will no longer disturb you, Brother Liu."

With a clap of his hands, Axe Gang members soon brought over Zhou Tong, who had been bound tightly as a dumpling. Then Sun Ping led his men away.

Only after watching the group leave did Liu Yuanshan turn his gaze toward Zhou Tong and Xie Chunniang.

"We didn't kill your younger brother. By the time we got there, your younger brother was already dead..."

Sensing the killing intent in his eyes, Xie Chunniang swallowed and hurriedly spoke.

"Chun Niang, what's the point of saying that? Now that we've fallen into this bastard's hands, we've truly been defeated!!"

Zhou Tong, at her side, also spoke fiercely.

But a powerful kick soon smashed into his neck, knocking him unconscious on the spot.

"Take them back."

Liu Yuanshan withdrew his leg and spoke indifferently.

"Yes, Boss."

Very soon, Tooth Gang members emerged from both sides, seized the two of them, and vanished into the night.