Such a major incident had occurred; naturally, Dongjiang could not sleep tonight.
The wounded martial artists needed to tend to their injuries, while others had to clean up Li Yan's mess.
If the headless corpses scattered across the ground and the rolling heads were not dealt with, Dongjiang City would likely be even more chaotic by morning.
At the City Lord's Mansion, Huang Lingyan wore a dark expression. Below stood the bandaged Wang Jin and Xu San, who had hurried over after hearing the news.
"What exactly happened? There are only three people in the Shangguan Family. Why did things turn out like this?"
Xu San was the first to ask, yet received no answer.
Seeing that no one responded, Xu San turned his gaze to Wang Jin. "Wang, what the hell happened to you? Didn't you say Wan Sanhuo would definitely be captured? Why did so many people die while Wan Sanhuo still got away?"
At the question, Wang Jin shot him a vicious glare. "You dare blame me? What about you? Weren't you supposed to go to the Shangguan Family and capture Shangguan Xiyun? Where is she?"
That was right. Xu San had not appeared on the streets tonight. He had led men into the Shangguan Family residence, intending to capture Shangguan Xiyun.
Yet they had turned the entire Shangguan Family upside down and still never found a trace of Shangguan Xiyun.
"So what? One Shangguan Xiyun can't affect the overall situation. It was you who failed to do your job."
"Old bastard, don't throw your weight around here. If you could have brought Shangguan Xiyun back, how could we have suffered such losses?"
"You..."
"Shut up, both of you!"
A surging aura swept over them. Huang Lingyan looked at them with a gloomy face, his gaze passing over the pair. Both immediately felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar.
The next instant, Huang Lingyan flashed forward and was already standing before Wang Jin. "How are your injuries?"
Facing Huang Lingyan, whose body churned with frigid energy, Wang Jin swallowed and nodded repeatedly. "Not too bad, not too bad. After resting for some time..."
Before he could finish, Huang Lingyan's palm had already landed on his wounded shoulder. "Your injuries are serious. I'll help you."
As his words fell, surging cold energy flooded in through the blade wound. Wang Jin felt a bone-piercing chill that was unbearable.
In the next moment, horror filled Wang Jin's heart. This cold energy was invading his heart meridian. This was no treatment—it was an attempt to take his life!
But by the time he realized it, it was already too late. Frost entered through the wound, striking first at his heart meridian before surging toward his limbs and bones.
In the blink of an eye, Wang Jin's entire body was covered in frost. He was dead beyond all doubt.
Watching this scene, Xu San had long since been frightened out of his wits, trembling like an old dog.
Looking at Xu San, Huang Lingyan gave a cold laugh. "Hall Master Wang was wounded by the rebel Wan Sanhuo. His injuries were too grave, and he died despite treatment. Elder Xu, would you say that is correct?"
"Ah... correct! Correct, correct! Hall Master Wang died because his injuries were too severe. It was all Wan Sanhuo's fault... no, not just his! The Shangguan Family are accomplices!"
"Hehehe, what else?"
"And also..."
At this moment, Xu San had already realized that everything tonight had been part of Huang Lingyan's calculations.
If they had managed to capture Wan Sanhuo tonight, matters would have proceeded according to their plans. But if they failed, the two of them would become meat at Huang Lingyan's lips!
This City Lord, who had always seemed to neither fight nor contend, was not merely baring his fangs this time—he intended to feast on their flesh and drink their blood!
Smack!
Xu San could not spare another thought. He dropped to his knees and prostrated himself, not even daring to raise his head. "City Lord, please forgive me. In the past, this Xu relied on his seniority and failed to know his place. From now on, Xu San will follow the City Lord's lead and obey every command!"
Huang Lingyan cast a cold glance at this highly respected senior of the city and snorted.
Years of endless flattery had long changed this Xu San, once known for acting righteously for the public good. His former pride and integrity had already been corroded away.
Now, he was merely a pitiful creature gilded on the outside, rotten cotton within.
"Enough. Leave. Remember what you said today. Otherwise..."
Crack!
Wang Jin's frozen body suddenly gave a crisp sound, then shattered into ice fragments across the floor.
Within the Shangguan Family residence, Shangguan Feiyun was exceedingly pleased. Today, they had truly won a great victory.
"Elder Brother, you have no idea—I thought Brother Wan wouldn't be able to escape. I never expected him to strike back and severely injure Wang Jin."
"Mm... Brother Wan is truly unfathomable..."
"Then after today, those people shouldn't dare keep targeting our Shangguan Family, right?"
Yet a voice as clear as an oriole came from the rear hall. "Wrong."
Shangguan Xiyun walked out. Had Li Yan been present, his jaw would have dropped. The Shangguan Xiyun before them was no longer as innocent and carefree as before; instead, she revealed a touch of sharpness and wisdom.
"Third Sister, what do you mean, wrong?"
"Second Brother, I keep telling you to read more when you have nothing to do, but you insist on raising pigs~"
With an expression of disappointment at his failure to live up to expectations, Shangguan Xiyun said, "Do you really think our City Lord Huang will simply let this go? He will definitely make a great fuss over this incident."
"If I were Huang Lingyan, I would seize this opportunity to bring every force other than our Shangguan Family under my command. By then, throughout Dongjiang City, everywhere the eye could see would be enemies."
"Besides, although we did not initiate tonight's events, it is an undeniable fact that Elder Brother Wan killed many martial artists. They will certainly make a great fuss over that as well."
"I imagine Huang Lingyan will make his move first thing tomorrow morning, and our Shangguan Family will likely be smeared too."
"This..."
Shangguan Feiyun looked toward Shangguan Liuyun beside him. Shangguan Liuyun waved a hand. "It's nothing. It hasn't been just a day or two since the Shangguan Family became a thorn in their eyes and a piece of flesh in their teeth."
"Even if things truly unfold as Little Sister says, it is merely a matter of sooner or later. As long as Brother Wan can accomplish what he promised, then our Shangguan Family will stand in Dongjiang City as firm as a rock."
At those words, Shangguan Feiyun relaxed somewhat, but Shangguan Xiyun frowned.
Would things really proceed as smoothly as they imagined?
Early the next morning, two pieces of news awakened the groggy Dongjiang City.
The first was that Wang Jin, Hall Master of Weiwu Martial Arts Hall, had suffered grievous injuries after being ambushed by the butcher Wan Sanhuo. Despite the City Lord's efforts to save him through the night, he had been unable to turn the tide, and Wang Jin had died.
This news indeed shocked Dongjiang City. Wang Jin held no low status here. Many families in the city had children who had learned a few basics from him, and even many ordinary citizens knew some boxing and kicking techniques, all taught by Wang Jin.
The sudden death of this martial arts teacher caused an uproar throughout the city. Naturally, what followed was a storm of condemnation directed at Li Yan... Wan Sanhuo.
First he had made them targets of the Fierce Wind Bandits, and then he had ambushed and killed Wang Jin. How could they accept such a vicious criminal continuing to remain in Dongjiang City?
Fortunately, news soon arrived that he had fled in fear of punishment and already left Dongjiang City.
As for the second piece of news, it was that, to avenge Wang Jin, City Lord Huang Lingyan had issued a Martial Kill Order against Wan Sanhuo!
Dead or alive, anyone who brought Wan Sanhuo to Dongjiang City would be allowed by Huang Lingyan to enter Dongjiang City's library and select three secret manuals. If they wished, even Huang Lingyan's Frost Snow Seal Heaven Art would be taught to them without reservation!
Before you continue