Ambush

Cold Glint flashed through Jiang Qinghe's eyes. Then he sneered, mockery written across his face.

"Why would I know the whereabouts of that dead bastard from your cousin's family? Visit the brothels a few more times—maybe you'll turn him up there."

Hearing This, veins bulged faintly on Liao Hu's forehead, and his expression darkened further.

"You little bastard, I hope your bones will be as hard as your mouth in a moment."

"Brother Hu, why waste words on this little brat?"

A burly man with a face full of flesh beside Liao Hu said viciously,

"With those skinny arms and legs, looking like he'd topple in a breeze, once I crush his bones, I'll make him kneel and talk."

He gave a savage grin and suddenly drew his saber—

Whoosh!

Cold Glint flashed as the blade slashed at Jiang Qinghe's lower body.

The strike was fast and vicious, its edge carrying a howling wind. It was clearly meant to sever his legs in a single blow.

At the same time, the two men behind Jiang Qinghe stepped forward, attacking simultaneously from the left and right.

The saber edges crisscrossed, forming a tight encirclement that sealed off every route of retreat.

The chill in Jiang Qinghe's eyes surged. The blood and qi within him suddenly boiled as he twisted aside, evading the blade coming at him head-on.

He had originally planned to temper himself for a few more days and raise Rock Crushing Palm to Minor Accomplishment on his own.

But now, it seemed the situation would not allow him to wait any longer.

With a flicker of his mind, Jiang Qinghe added today's settled Potential Point:

[Rock Crushing Palm (Minor Accomplishment - 0/10)]

In an instant, memories of martial arts flooded into him like a tide.

Every move, every technique, was deeply branded into his mind.

The next moment, Jiang Qinghe's right palm rotated at his waist with flawless naturalness before blasting forward.

"Rock Crushing Palm!"

His palm wind rumbled like thunder, its killing intent icy and fierce.

The burly man's pupils abruptly contracted. He felt a terrifying force rush toward him, like a mountain bearing down upon his face.

Before he could react, his chest had already been struck as if by a heavy hammer!

Bang!

The dull impact echoed through the narrow alley.

The burly man staggered back Several Steps, his back slamming heavily into the blue-brick wall.

"Cough... cough..."

Blood slowly flowed from his nose and mouth. His eyes were full of horror as he looked at Jiang Qinghe. He tried to say something, but only gurgling sounds came out.

At the sight, Liao Hu's expression changed at once.

Though the other man was a fish that had slipped through the net during that night's operation, he was, in the end, only an ordinary waiter at a tavern.

Liao Hu had thought he could easily Manipulated him in the palm of his hand, torture him a little, then beat him to death and toss him into a corner of the alley. Who could have imagined that the man would reveal such impressive skill?

"Who exactly are you?"

Liao Hu instantly put away his earlier laziness and contempt. Together with several gang members under his command, he surrounded Jiang Qinghe in the middle.

"Get him together!"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

This target was somewhat troublesome. Liao Hu immediately drew the curved saber at his waist and let out a low roar, his blade shooting straight for Jiang Qinghe's throat.

Another man at his side swept at Jiang Qinghe's lower body, driving straight at a vital point.

The three men behind Jiang Qinghe also attacked at once. Three sabers thrust in from different directions, forming a deadly pincer attack.

Surrounded from front and back, Jiang Qinghe's expression did not change in the slightest.

His body suddenly shot upward from the ground. His toes stamped hard on the blade thrusting toward him.

Borrowing the force, he flipped through the air and landed behind the three men in an instant, breaking free from the encirclement.

As his robes fluttered, Jiang Qinghe's palms blasted out like lightning.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three heavy palm strikes landed brutally on the men's backs, their force penetrating straight through their bodies.

The sound of shattering bones rang out. The three men sprayed blood wildly and collapsed like broken sacks, never making another sound.

Liao Hu watched Jiang Qinghe effortlessly evade his blade, then cut down three gang members close to Major Accomplishment in Body Tempering with unstoppable force. His heart was shaken to its core.

This... even someone at the Perfected Realm would find it difficult to do so with such ease. How could he possibly...?

During the Martial Disciple Body Tempering stage, there was not an enormous gap in martial strength.

At the Perfected Realm, Liao Hu could have easily defeated those three men as well.

But he could never have crushed them so completely, killing them in one blow.

Only an Altered Sinews Martial Master could achieve such a state, cutting through foes as easily as chopping melons and vegetables.

After exchanging several more moves, Liao Hu felt waves of tremendous force coming at him. The arm holding his saber went numb, and blood had already seeped from the web between his thumb and forefinger.

Jiang Qinghe's moves were fierce and sharp. Every strike fell like a heavy hammer, shaking Liao Hu's curved saber until it hummed and trembled, nearly flying from his grip.

Damn it!

Liao Hu cursed inwardly, retreat already stirring in his heart.

He abruptly withdrew half a step. His left hand swiftly reached for his waist, and a cold glint flashed between his fingers.

Two poisoned throwing darts were clamped in the gaps between his fingers.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The darts tore through the air, shooting straight for Jiang Qinghe's throat and heart.

Taking advantage of that opening, Liao Hu did not hesitate. He turned and bolted toward the mouth of the alley.

His body was nimble, and after several leaps, he had already darted several yards away.

Jiang Qinghe's figure swayed as the darts grazed past him. With a tap of his toes, he first closed in on the Iron Saber Gang member Liao Hu had abandoned, then smashed out with both palms—

Boom!

The palm force penetrated the man's body. His figure suddenly stiffened, then flew out like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily to the ground dead.

Liao Hu caught the sight from the corner of his eye, his heart filling with regret. He could not understand it.

How had a mere waiter transformed into someone comparable to an Altered Sinews Martial Master? Even if he had gone to the martial academy, how many days had it been?

He regretted underestimating his enemy. He regretted his own arrogance.

He even somewhat regretted why he had insisted on seeking trouble with this man again.

Li Mu had long since naturally taken over Tu Baichuan's position as hall master.

Jiang Qinghe was merely a fish that had slipped through the net from a tavern. What waves could he possibly stir up?

Liao Hu ran madly onward. As long as he turned into the dark alley ahead, he would be back on the street. Dawn was right Before One's Eyes.

He seemed to see the hope of life, and his steps quickened even more.

Pfft—

A tremendous force struck him from behind. Liao Hu stumbled and crashed to the ground.

That force was like a mountain pressing down on him, leaving him unable to straighten his back.

He turned around, his eyes wide with terror. Spitting blood, he kept scrambling backward and rasped out,

"Please... spare me..."

"Answer what I ask, or die!" Jiang Qinghe's icy voice rang out.

"O-okay... okay!" Liao Hu nodded desperately, his eyes full of fear.

"Other than you and Li Mu, does anyone else know my whereabouts?"

Liao Hu shook his head desperately. "No... no, no one else!"

"What is Li Mu's Cultivation Level?"

"Minor Accomplishment in Altered Sinews."

Slash—

Before he could finish, the curved saber Jiang Qinghe had seized from an Iron Saber Gang member swept across his throat.

Blood sprayed, and the alley returned to silence.

Expressionless, Jiang Qinghe tossed the curved saber aside.

Having killed again, he was clearly far more practiced now.

There was no longer any discomfort. His eyes held only calmness and resolve.

Jiang Qinghe analyzed the situation coolly. Of the six men, only Liao Hu had reached the First Realm's Perfected stage.

Though the other five had decent skills, at most they were close to Major Accomplishment in Body Tempering.

With physical strength far exceeding the First Major Realm's Perfected stage, along with Rock Crushing Palm at Minor Accomplishment, facing them had been like a wolf among sheep.

He crouched down and quickly searched the six corpses, stuffing everything he found into his clothes in one sweep.

Then he glanced at the bodies lying every which way, turned, and vanished into the depths of the dark alley.

After returning to the martial quarters, Jiang Qinghe carefully examined his spoils.

Five gold leaves and twenty taels of patterned silver—converted together, they amounted to the huge sum of seventy taels of silver.

I was just worrying about where to get money, and now it's here. It really fell into my lap without any effort!

Jiang Qinghe was instantly drowned in overwhelming delight.

Besides the money, there was also a yellowed little booklet.

Though its cover had been worn beyond recognition, the large words "Levitation Technique" could still be vaguely made out.

Martial arts!

Jiang Qinghe's breathing could not help quickening.

It looks like a movement technique, too!

I searched high and low in worn-out iron shoes, only to find it without the slightest effort. Now I have Rock Crushing Palm for attack and this Levitation Technique for retreat. My ability to preserve my life has undoubtedly increased greatly.

Couldn't Liao Hu just obediently be Li Mu's dog? He had to go looking for trouble. Now he can finally rest in peace.

Jiang Qinghe pondered inwardly. He had now exposed himself beneath the very nose of the Iron Saber Gang.

Li Mu was ruthless and vicious. Previously, he had only regarded Jiang Qinghe as a small shrimp incapable of stirring up any waves, so he had let him be.

But if he learned that today's events had been Jiang Qinghe's doing, he would never let the matter rest.

He would surely devise every possible means to eliminate Jiang Qinghe, ensuring that the truth behind Tu Baichuan's death remained sunk forever beneath the sea.

This time, the one sent had been an incense master. Who knew whether an even more troublesome and vicious figure would be dispatched next time?

Li Mu himself might even make a move.

For the next while, I'll Cultivate in Peace within the martial academy. No matter how brazen that bastard is, he wouldn't dare charge directly into the academy to look for someone.