Black Wind Stronghold

The man in black was of medium height and powerfully built, exuding a rough, unrefined aura. His eyes were cold, and he clearly didn't take Yang Heng seriously.

His sixth sense hadn't warned him, meaning this person wasn't a Martial Artist of the Blood Strengthening Realm. At most, he was at the same level as Yang Heng, who felt no fear.

He wasn't afraid to fight anyone at the same cultivation level.

The advantage is mine.

Yang Heng gave the man in black a cold smile and said, "Who are you? Standing up for Wang Gui, you'd better think carefully. Don't end up begging for mercy on your knees when you lose your life later."

"Heh heh."

"Kid, you don't even know who I am, and you dare to talk big. You're like a toad yawning, such a huge breath!"

"See the wolf head pattern on grandpa's chest? That's the symbol of Black Wind Stronghold. Grandpa is from Black Wind Stronghold. You dare to rob people under our protection? You really have the guts of a bear and the heart of a leopard, you're incredibly audacious!" the man in black berated.

Black Wind Stronghold?

When eating at the tavern, some patrons had mentioned Black Wind Stronghold. Yang Heng had unintentionally overheard some news about them.

Black Wind Stronghold operated around Qinghe City, making a living by robbing and plundering. They were powerful, with many Martial Artists backing them, their strength no less than the Medicine King Gang. They were an extremely difficult force to deal with.

It was said that the authorities had sent troops to suppress them several times, but they couldn't even find the gates of Black Wind Stronghold. They were ambushed halfway and retreated to Qinghe City in disgrace, having suffered heavy losses.

Afterward, the suppression operation was dropped.

He hadn't expected their traces to appear in such a remote place as Qingyang Town.

Even though Black Wind Stronghold had a fearsome reputation, they were far away. Yang Heng wasn't afraid of them. He'd just rob the money and run. Who would know it was him?

His public identity was just an ordinary apprentice at the Hundred Herbs Pharmacy, someone who knew no martial arts. No one would suspect him.

"Black Wind Stronghold? What is that? I've never heard of it."

Yang Heng sneered, intentionally belittling Black Wind Stronghold to provoke the man in black. He wanted to see if he could find an opportunity to win in one move.

The man in black was a minor leader in Black Wind Stronghold. He had fought his way up from the bottom and was well-versed in schemes and tricks. He saw through Yang Heng's little plan and wouldn't fall for it.

"Heh heh."

"Kid, you're quite arrogant. I'll knock your teeth out one by one later and see if your mouth is still so tough!" The man in black suppressed his inner rage, let out a cold laugh, and a murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

Seeing that the man in black hadn't taken the bait, Yang Heng no longer hesitated and attacked directly.

Yang Heng took a step and appeared before the man in black. His fist, the size of a sandbag, whistled through the air with sharp wind, smashing towards the man in black's chest.

The chest area was large and easy to hit.

This move was mainly a probe; Yang Heng didn't use his full strength.

Seeing Yang Heng suddenly appear before him, the man in black was startled but not flustered.

His body seemed weightless. With a light touch of his toes, he retreated backward like a kite, easily dodging Yang Heng's fierce attack.

Seeing this, Yang Heng was not discouraged. He strode forward, like a magnet, tightly clinging to the man in black, like a shadow. Wherever the man in black went, Yang Heng immediately appeared before him, launching fierce attacks.

He didn't give the man in black a moment's rest.

He wasn't afraid of anyone when it came to stamina.

Before learning martial arts, he relied on his formidable stamina to wear down and kill two Blood Brave Disciples.

Now that he was a quasi-Martial Artist, his stamina was even more enduring. Yang Heng wasn't afraid of anyone at the same level when it came to a battle of attrition.

This was his forte.

Chasing and fleeing, their traces were everywhere in the courtyard, which was soon in disarray.

The well-tended flowers were trampled into pieces. Anyone who saw this scene would feel heartbroken.

Steps, stone pillars, door frames, tree trunks – the figures of the two were everywhere.

The man in black saw that the courtyard was full of miscellaneous items that hindered his movements. He leaped several feet, left the courtyard, and went outside.

Yang Heng pursued relentlessly, crossing the wall in a single stride and appearing outside the courtyard, facing the man in black.

Their eyes met, and both could see the murderous intent in each other's eyes.

After the chase just now, Yang Heng had a general understanding of the man in black's strength. His footwork was agile, and he had likely practiced a movement technique, but his strength was insufficient, even less than Zhang Meng's.

His strength was probably around 360-370 catties.

He might not be injured if he took one punch from the man in black, but the man in black would spit out at least half a tube of blood if he took one punch from Yang Heng.

After analyzing, Yang Heng became more confident. He unleashed his full power and attacked fiercely, showing no intention of defending.

Seeing Yang Heng's arrogance, the man in black was furious but powerless.

He was indeed not good at offense. His position as a minor leader was earned through sheer perseverance.

In battles, he relied on his agile footwork to dodge most attacks. In the end, all the people in his squad died, and he was the only survivor. Naturally, the position of minor leader fell to him.

Black Wind Stronghold also valued his agility and strong survival skills, which was why they assigned him the task of collecting protection fees.

Who would have thought that Wang Gui's house was only the second one he visited, and he encountered a strong opponent demanding money? As a member of Black Wind Stronghold, they were the ones who robbed others.

Now, someone had turned the tables and was trying to rob Black Wind Stronghold. Of course, he couldn't stand for it.

He swore to uphold the prestige of Black Wind Stronghold.

After a fierce battle, he never expected the newcomer to be so powerful, with ferocious martial arts. This was no ordinary petty thief as he had assumed.

The man in black instantly regretted his decision.

If he had known this would happen, he should have just stayed hidden in the house and used the opportunity to escape.

He hadn't collected protection fees from one family, but he could make up for it from this guy.

But he only had one life, and once it was gone, it was gone forever.

The man in black no longer had the arrogant demeanor he displayed upon his arrival. His eyes darted around, searching for an escape route.

Yang Heng saw through his thoughts at a glance and clung to him, giving him no chance.

After another period of intense fighting, the anxiety in the man in black's eyes grew thicker, even to the point of distraction. Fortunately, his footwork was skilled, and he narrowly dodged Yang Heng's heavy punches.

He thought to himself, this can't go on.

This brat opposite him kept attacking relentlessly. He should have been exhausted, but upon closer inspection, there were no signs of fatigue at all.

The man in black inwardly lamented his predicament.

Was he really going to beg for mercy?

Or should he burn his Blood Essence and flee directly?

He couldn't swallow his pride for the former, and the latter came at too great a cost.

He had come down the mountain to collect protection fees, only to end up with depleted Blood Essence. What a loss!

Seeing Yang Heng fight more and more smoothly, his attacks growing fiercer, the man in black made up his mind and began to beg for mercy.

He worried that if he waited any longer, he wouldn't be able to escape even if he burned his Blood Essence.

By then, he wouldn't even have the chance to beg for mercy.

The man in black rapidly retreated. Before Yang Heng could catch up, he shouted, "Brother, you and I have no enmity. Why fight to the death? How about this: I'll drop the matter regarding Wang Gui. You can do whatever you want with him."

"Furthermore, I'll personally offer twenty taels of silver as an apology. What do you say?"

The man in black wore a fawning smile, completely devoid of the arrogant indifference he had shown when he first appeared.