Devouring Fear!

By afternoon.

Fang Xuan emerged from Ping River and strode toward the Black Whale Gang headquarters in the city.

Today was the first day of the Lunar New Year. By gang rules, at this time each hall master had to pay respects to Gang Master Long Huaxing.

First, to offer the gang master New Year's greetings; second, to burn incense and worship Martial Transformation Heavenly Lord.

Because of his cultivation, Fang Xuan had already declined several gang assemblies. This was the first assembly of the new year, however, and it was no longer suitable for him to refuse.

When Fang Xuan arrived at the Black Whale Gang, he saw that the rogues from all four halls had already gathered outside.

"Hall Master!"

"The Hall Master is here!"

The East Hall rogues perked up and greeted him one after another. The North Hall and West Hall rogues merely glanced at Fang Xuan before continuing their quiet conversation.

Only the South Hall rogues changed expression when Fang Xuan arrived. They all stopped talking, lowered their heads, and fell silent.

After the previous incident, Yuan Bo had repeatedly warned them not to provoke Fang Xuan before Zheng Juexiong returned.

Thus, they had come to understand something.

Before Zheng Juexiong returned, they truly had no way to deal with the overbearing East Hall Master Fang Xuan!

You have made the target feel fear. Crimson King Eyes progress +0.1

Fang Xuan, who had originally been about to enter the Black Whale Courtyard, suddenly halted and could not help being slightly stunned.

Threads of icy aura poured into his eyes and lurked deep within his pupils.

"So this is what Devouring Fear, as shown on the talisman, means?"

Fang Xuan looked toward a South Hall rogue with trembling legs, who kept swallowing and had a mole between his brows. His eyes gradually narrowed.

If that was the case.

Bang.

Fang Xuan changed direction and casually walked toward the mole-faced rogue, a savage grin lifting at the corners of his mouth.

"Not good! This baleful star is coming for me!"

The mole-faced rogue, who appeared to have his head lowered but had actually been closely watching Fang Xuan, felt his heart leap.

Seeing Fang Xuan walk straight toward him, panic flashed through his eyes. He could not help backing away several steps as he gritted his teeth and shouted:

"F-Fang Xuan, this is the Black Whale Gang, not East Hall! We haven't provoked you! What do you want?"

All at once.

Smack—!!!

An incomparably loud slap rang out before the entire Black Whale Gang gates.

The Black Whale Gang entrance, which had still been bustling with noise moments ago, instantly fell into a strange silence.

Countless rogues in the distance who had been chatting and laughing all turned their heads, staring blankly at Fang Xuan, who had suddenly attacked for no reason.

Fang Xuan, tall and broad-shouldered, with black hair and a red robe, stood impassively before a group of South Hall rogues.

A South Hall rogue with a mole between his brows had been knocked to the ground by a slap, his entire face swollen high.

"I didn't like the way you looked at me just now!"

Fang Xuan looked down at the mole-faced rogue, the corner of his mouth twitching with a hint of savagery.

Cold sweat continuously welled up from the mole-faced rogue's forehead.

"F-Fang Xuan, I clearly wasn't looking at you just now!!" The mole-faced rogue's voice trembled, filled with anger, fear, and grievance.

He had clearly followed Yuan Bo's orders and had not provoked Fang Xuan. He had not even dared breathe too loudly!

How had this baleful star still found him?

"Is that so?"

Fang Xuan was taken aback, then a fierce glint flashed through his eyes.

"If I say you looked, then you looked!"

As his words fell, Fang Xuan stretched out his other large hand, grabbed the rogue, and lifted him from the ground. Holding him level in the air, he kept measuring up his head.

"Tell me, should I braise you, or boil you?"

You have made the target feel intense fear. Crimson King Eyes progress +0.2

You have made the target feel fear. Crimson King Eyes progress +0.1

You have made the target feel fear. Crimson King Eyes progress +0.1

You have made the target feel fear. Crimson King Eyes progress +0.1

You have made the target feel...

Lines of tiny black text swept rapidly past Fang Xuan's eyes like flowing water.

As the small text appeared, Fang Xuan could increasingly clearly sense waves of invisible aura pouring into his eyes and lurking deep within his pupils.

Of these fear points, the one marked intense fear came from the mole-faced rogue before him, while the rest came from the other South Hall rogues.

"Why is it only 0.1? Looks like I'll have to turn up the heat." Just as Fang Xuan was secretly musing to himself.

Pfft.

The rogue's hands and feet had been flailing wildly in the air, but after Fang Xuan finished speaking, his head suddenly lolled to one side, and he fainted dead away from fright.

"This only added so little progress. Useless."

Fang Xuan frowned and casually tossed the South Hall rogue to the ground as if throwing away garbage.

His gaze shifted, once more falling upon the remaining South Hall rogues.

Rustle—!

In an instant, the expressions of the dozens of South Hall rogues gathered before the gates all changed. They sucked in sharp breaths.

The next moment, they all retreated in unspoken accord. They hurriedly averted their eyes and looked around, not daring to meet Fang Xuan's gaze, terrified that this baleful star would pick them out.

Had anyone else behaved this way, they would not have been so afraid. But Fang Xuan had first slain Xie Han, then stormed the South Hall grounds and chopped Han Xian to death before everyone's eyes.

In the eyes of the South Hall rogues, Fang Xuan had long become a baleful star who recognized neither reason nor rules.

"Hey, you skinny runt, stop looking around. I mean you!"

Just as Fang Xuan was about to make another move.

"Enough!"

A low roar, forcefully suppressing rage, rang out.

Yuan Bo emerged from the Black Whale Gang with a livid face, striding forward.

He first glanced at the unconscious mole-faced rogue on the ground, then at the many South Hall rogues huddled together in fright. Finally, he looked at Fang Xuan, his expression turning incomparably ugly.

"Master Fang, what are you trying to do? Do you intend to completely break with the Black Whale Gang?"

"Yuan Bo, I was only joking with them. Your men are simply too timid."

Fang Xuan gave Yuan Bo an indifferent glance, then shook his head and strode into the Black Whale Courtyard.

After he left.

"Yuan Bo, we already listened to you and didn't take the initiative to provoke him. It was him—"

The South Hall rogues hurried forward, their faces full of grievance.

Before they could finish.

Yuan Bo waved his hand, cutting them off.

He watched Fang Xuan's departing back, his eyes as dark as deep water.

"Don't worry. Hall Master Zheng will soon return from the Northern Land. Let Fang Xuan run wild for a few more days. When the time comes..."

A flash of killing intent passed through Yuan Bo's eyes.

"I will make Fang Xuan repay everything he has done to humiliate us, double!"

Within the Black Whale Courtyard.

Apart from Zheng Juexiong, whom Long Huaxing had sent to the Northern Land, the other hall masters and the gang's major elders had all arrived.

"Did you hear? Zheng Juexiong killed a vicious beast at the First Heavenly Gate Great Perfection in the Northern Land!"

"When Zheng Juexiong returns this time, he may not need long before stepping into the Second Heavenly Gate."

"Zheng Juexiong truly deserves to be the Black Whale Gang's foremost man beneath the gang master."

"Gang Master's health is getting worse and worse. The Black Whale Gang's future, I fear..."

The gang elders had been conversing in low voices, but upon seeing Fang Xuan arrive, they immediately stopped speaking.

They politely nodded to Fang Xuan, then quietly took several steps back, as though afraid of becoming entangled with him.

Fang Xuan narrowed his eyes, casually pulled over a large chair and sat down. His eyes lowered, revealing neither joy nor anger.

I got home too late today and hurriedly posted a chapter. Please forgive any shortcomings. /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~