A Single Elbow Sent Him Flying!

"Brother!"

Yu Mingfang cried out in alarm. Jiang Ting was even more dazed, swallowed by uncontrollable panic and terror.

How long had it been?

Their greatest support, Yu Mingtang, whose Baguazhang could leave palm prints on wooden stakes, had actually been beaten unconscious!

How could such an inconspicuous teahouse have drawn such a terrifying expert?!

The tea on the table was still warm, but no one had any mind to drink it. Yu Mingfang and Jiang Ting both stared tensely toward the private room's entrance.

There, a tall figure strolled in at an unhurried pace, like a Violent Bear. The teahouse owner, who had come from the underworld, was dangling from his hand, his face covered in blood, dead or alive unknown.

Looking at his body full of bulging flesh, his thick skeleton, and the heavy calluses on his fan-sized palms, he was clearly an external martial arts expert.

Before he even arrived, the fierce and savage aura surrounding him alone made the two women feel as if invisible hands had clutched their throats. Their pupils dilated as they could only watch the Violent Bear-like figure approach, casting down a towering, terrifying shadow that completely engulfed them.

It was over!

Jiang Ting bore the brunt of it. As a renowned talented woman who had accompanied her mother through quite a few occasions, she had always prided herself on being able to maneuver through any situation with her learning and quick tongue.

But now, first witnessing the Baguazhang expert Yu Mingtang being beaten unconscious had dealt her mind a fierce blow, and then there was the astonishing Sha Qi crashing toward her, along with the intense oppression brought by that burly body towering a head above her...

Her mind went completely blank. She had no idea what to say, nor could she force out any words.

She could only watch in terror as that Violent Bear-like brute drew closer and closer...

It was as though the entire world held only that dreadful figure. Everything else was a vast expanse of whiteness, and aside from the heavy footsteps, she could hear nothing else.

"You interrupted my train of thought."

Just as Jiang Ting was nearly consumed by despair, an indifferent voice suddenly rang out, like a stone dropped into a dead lake, shattering the suffocatingly stifling atmosphere.

In Jiang Ting's vision, within that world that seemed to have sunk into endless whiteness, another figure abruptly appeared.

A figure that was clearly not tall, yet stood as unwavering as a Great Spear.

And the instant this figure rose to stand before her, the dreadful oppression brought by the Violent Bear-like villain seemed to be pierced through by a Great Spear, allowing her to finally recover herself and catch her breath.

It was Huo Yuanhong!

It was actually him!

Jiang Ting found it unbelievable. She had no idea where Huo Yuanhong had gotten the confidence to stand up at such a moment, much less say something so incomprehensible.

Yet strangely enough, when Huo Yuanhong stood up, she actually felt a sense of security, as though this somewhat unfamiliar former neighbor before her truly could stand toe-to-toe with that Violent Bear-like villain.

How could that be possible!

Jiang Ting immediately discarded that unnecessary thought.

Judging by his build, this Violent Bear-like external martial arts expert could probably slap Huo Yuanhong to death with one hand!

Besides, even Yu Mingtang, whose kung fu was deeper, had suffered a crushing defeat. How could this former neighbor, who had only trained for a short while, possibly be stronger than Yu Mingtang?

It was already astonishing enough that he had bought her a sliver of room to breathe. She did not dare hope for anything more.

"Kid, what did you say?"

The external martial arts expert looked toward Huo Yuanhong. That cold, indifferent gaze made Jiang Ting, standing nearby, feel her scalp prickle.

He had killed people!

That look had absolutely belonged to someone who had killed!

At once, intense fear surged through Jiang Ting again. She had only come out for tea—how had she run into a murderer carrying human lives on his back?!

"I said, you're making too much noise."

Huo Yuanhong showed little reaction. Looking at the Violent Bear-like external martial arts expert before him, he frowned slightly.

He had been sitting there peacefully reviewing the kung fu he had practiced these past two days and had been deeply absorbed in thought, only for the thunderous sound of someone smashing through the door to interrupt him. Naturally, he was displeased.

"Kid, you're courting death!"

The external martial arts expert's gaze turned icy. Once he confirmed he had never seen this young face before, naked killing intent emerged in his eyes.

Being young meant his kung fu could not be that great. If someone so young had truly already reached Great Accomplishment in Manifest Strength, he would surely have made a name for himself long ago. There was no way Zhou Heng would not recognize him.

His kung fu was mediocre, and judging from his clothes, he had no background to speak of. Yet he dared provoke Zhou Heng? He truly did not know whether he was alive or dead!

"Sit down, quickly. Stop talking."

Jiang Ting looked tense. She tugged hard at Huo Yuanhong, then steeled herself and said to the villain before her,

"Sir, my mother is Wu Xiaoxia of the Ocean Shipping Guild. These two are members of the Yu Family of the Far East, and this one... is the descendant of an old friend whom my mother values greatly."

She knew clearly that she and the Yu siblings had extraordinary identities. So long as they had the chance to reveal their backgrounds, they would most likely be safe.

But Huo Yuanhong was different. If he truly angered this external martial arts expert, he might not even know how he died.

After all, he had gotten dragged into this trouble because of her. Even if she did not like him, she could not simply stand there and watch the descendant of an old friend get beaten to death. She hurriedly spoke up to help save his life.

Yet her voice carried an uncontrollable tremor that she could not hide no matter how she tried.

"Ocean Shipping Guild? Yu Family of the Far East?"

Zhou Heng narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Jiang Ting. "This is Jin Gate, not your territory."

Seeing that he did not immediately attack, Jiang Ting felt slightly relieved, knowing there was still room to negotiate. She hurriedly continued, "My mother greatly admires the experts of the Red Robe Society and has long wished to befriend them. She is willing to raise funds to support your society's expansion..."

Meanwhile, seeing Jiang Ting start discussing business with this villain, Huo Yuanhong sat back down.

Aunt Wu had taken great care of him back then. If he accidentally beat her business partner to death, that would be rather embarrassing.

So he continued reviewing his kung fu by himself, and before long, he was immersed in it once more.

Jiang Ting, meanwhile, forced herself to keep up appearances as she tried her best to discuss cooperation with Zhou Heng, painting grand promises in the hope of escaping first.

As for whether those promises could actually be fulfilled, so long as she survived this ordeal, it would no longer be her concern.

"...Since that is the case, then please come back with me for a cup of tea first, ladies."

Zhou Heng was clearly not so easy to fool. He spoke blandly.

"This... we have urgent matters to attend to. We will certainly invite you another day..."

Jiang Ting's face turned somewhat pale.

She was an unmarried young lady from a respectable family. If she were taken to the Red Robe Society, how could she face anyone afterward?

Bang!

Zhou Heng's expression darkened. His fan-sized palm slammed heavily onto the table, splitting the entire table apart. The tea set atop it clattered and shattered.

The sudden eruption of fierce, violent momentum made Jiang Ting's face turn deathly pale. She finally realized that before absolute strength, every trick was futile.

This time...

It really was over!

"Will you walk yourselves, or shall I help you..."

Zhou Heng threatened coldly. The vicious gleam in his eyes grew heavier and heavier, as though he would tear the little lambs before him apart the next instant.

But...

Before he could act, his threatening words were interrupted by an even louder slam on the table.

"What the fuck are you making so much noise for!!!"

Having his train of thought interrupted again, Huo Yuanhong was so annoyed that he slammed the table and rose to his feet. He looked even more domineering than Zhou Heng.

In terms of height, he could not compare to Zhou Heng's eight- or nine-foot frame. Yet when he stood up, he was somehow looking down on Zhou Heng, like a Great Spear that had originally lain horizontal suddenly being planted upright, its momentum completely overwhelming him.

Then, before Zhou Heng could erupt in rage, Huo Yuanhong sank his body and performed a Tremor Stomp! A wild, tyrannical surge of Internal Force erupted from beneath his feet, raced through his spine, and as his waist and hips twisted, he drove out a fierce elbow!

Baji! Top Elbow Strike!!!

His elbow was like a Great Spear, spear and elbow fused as one, carrying incomparably overbearing Internal Force as it ruthlessly stabbed toward Violent Bear Zhou Heng's chest!

"Not good!"

Seeing that terrifying momentum, Zhou Heng's scalp exploded with alarm. Instinctively, he raised his arms across his body, intending to take the blow head-on.

Such a reaction and adaptability could be called remarkably correct, and they had helped him escape who knew how many brushes with death!

But...

Huo Yuanhong's elbow was too fierce, too violent!

At the instant of contact, it smashed Zhou Heng's arms aside as easily as rotten wood, and before Zhou Heng's horrified, terrified, even somewhat bewildered eyes, it passed through the opening in his guard and landed solidly on his chest!

Then...

Boom!

Amid a muffled impact, Zhou Heng's savage body flew backward with a howl. At an even faster speed than when he had arrived, he smashed straight through the second-floor railing and fell downstairs amid a rain of exploding wood splinters and fragments!