Killed a Peak Acquired Stage martial artist. Obtained 30 pellets of Vitality Essence.
Han Zheng stood before Feng Yuan's corpse and let out a long breath.
His arm was bruised black and blue. Though he could not feel any pain, he was already having trouble lifting it.
He finally had a clear understanding of his own strength.
Although Han Zheng had not yet reached the Peak Acquired Stage, he possessed three Innate Martial Skills, and his foundation was deep and solid.
Even when facing a Peak Acquired Stage martial artist like Feng Yuan, one rich in real combat experience, he could suppress his opponent with sheer momentum and kill him head-on.
Han Zheng had initially intended to launch a sneak attack. Looking at it now, he had been a little too cautious.
After searching the corpse, he found that Feng Yuan did not even have a single tael of silver on him.
"You went to a brothel without bringing silver?"
Han Zheng cursed under his breath. He had thought he might make a small fortune.
Little did he know that Feng Yuan paid by the month; he did not need to pay every time he slept with someone.
After giving Feng Yuan's corpse one final look, Han Zheng left directly.
His arm was injured, and he was not in good condition. Dealing with the corpse would only make it easier for others to discover him.
Besides, there was no need to dispose of it. He had come to kill and silence Feng Yuan in the first place.
He refused to believe that, with Feng Yuan's head smashed to pieces like a watermelon, Gao Kaiyuan could still identify the martial art that had killed him.
After Han Zheng left, a tall, lean figure emerged from the darkness.
He wore the black-and-red official uniform of a constable, with a saber at his waist. It was Zhang Tianyang, the Black Stone County chief constable who had taken office not long ago.
He walked over to Feng Yuan's corpse and examined it carefully, an oddly amused smile curling at the corner of his lips.
"White Ape Through-Arm Fist, a demonic sect saber art capable of condensing Killing Intent, and was that Vajra Fist?
"No. Though it evolved from Vajra Fist, it is far stronger—a Innate Martial Skill. Yet it does not resemble Vajra Prajna Temple's martial arts either.
"Tsk, tsk. His strikes were fierce, and in combat he was vicious, decisive, and ruthless. He was even stronger than I had been when I first stepped onto the battlefield.
"Interesting, interesting. It seems my teacher has trained an extraordinary disciple.
"Though he himself probably does not even know it, does he?"
Zhang Tianyang watched the direction Han Zheng had gone, and another strange smile tugged at his lips.
Han Zheng did not know that his assassination of Feng Yuan had all fallen under Zhang Tianyang's watchful eyes.
The benefit brought by that fierce battle was that the proficiency of all his martial skills had soared.
Name: Han Zheng Cultivation: Houtian Meridian Opening Realm (305 Acupoints opened, ten meridians.) Martial arts and cultivation methods: Houtian Realm "Iron Elephant Skill" perfected, Houtian Realm "Vajra Fist" perfected. Innate Realm "Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill" proficiency 17%, Innate Realm "Vajra Demon Subduing Seal" proficiency 18%, Innate Realm "White Ape Through-Arm Fist" proficiency 10%, Houtian Realm "Blood Fiend Saber Art" proficiency 15%. Current status: Loss of pain sensation, minor fracture in left arm
"Sure enough, actual combat is the best way to improve one's fighting strength."
Li Jingzhong had once said that the martial path had only two cores: cultivation and slaughter.
Cultivate without slaughter, and there would be no combat power.
Slaughter without cultivation, and one's realm could not improve; one's foundation would remain unstable.
Giving equal weight to both was the kingly path.
Han Zheng touched his arm. He had not expected that using the White Ape Through-Arm Fist to clash head-on with an iron spear would directly fracture it.
A body at the Houtian Realm was still far too fragile.
When Li Jingzhong normally used the White Ape Through-Arm Fist, striking iron pillars was like striking wooden posts. He could fully withstand blunt weapons such as clubs and staves head-on.
After wrapping his arm in white cloth, Han Zheng sat cross-legged on his bed and circulated the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill, focusing his mind on cultivation.
An Innate Realm cultivation method like the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill did not merely cultivate internal energy. It also enhanced and transformed the body.
Some of its methods were specifically used to inspect the body after an injury, making recovery easier.
His abundant internal energy flowed through the meridians within his body like running water, restoring the meridians and Acupoints damaged during the fight.
Only the meridians and Acupoints in Han Zheng's arm had suffered slight damage. It was not serious, and he would make a full recovery in two days.
The fracture, however, would require some time to heal. That could only depend on his own recovery ability.
Early the next morning, Han Zheng went to the Martial Arts Academy to cultivate as usual, as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, the alley where Feng Yuan had been killed had already been sealed off by the Three Harmonies Gang.
In truth, when Feng Yuan had failed to return all night the previous evening, some of his subordinates had already sensed that something was wrong. Feng Yuan almost never stayed overnight at the Drunken Flower Pavilion.
But they did not dare go to the Drunken Flower Pavilion to look for Feng Yuan.
What if their boss was indulging himself, and they barged in and disturbed him? Would that not be courting death?
Thus, they waited until Feng Yuan still had not returned that morning before realizing something was amiss, then hurried to the Drunken Flower Pavilion to find him.
Instead, they spotted Feng Yuan's corpse halfway there, his head smashed apart.
"The Second Gang Leader is here!"
The Three Harmonies Gang members quickly stepped aside as Gao Kaiyuan walked over with a gloomy expression.
Feng Yuan was the Three Harmonies Gang's Punishment Hall Master, one of the upper echelons second only to the three gang leaders.
More importantly, Feng Yuan had been Gao Kaiyuan's greatest supporter within the Three Harmonies Gang.
With Feng Yuan dead, it was like Gao Kaiyuan had lost an arm.
Gao Kaiyuan carefully inspected Feng Yuan's corpse, then looked at the saber marks on the Fine Iron Silver Spear.
"The person who killed Feng Yuan used a saber, but the final blow that killed him was a fist technique.
"The battle should not have lasted long, but the attacker's moves and methods must have been vicious and sharp.
"Feng Yuan had no other injuries. The opponent must have seized an opening and killed him in a single move, smashing his head apart with that powerful fist technique.
"Who could have done this? Neither the Black Tiger Gang nor the Sky Eagle Gang seems to have anyone like that."
Gao Kaiyuan frowned deeply. He truly could not imagine anyone in Black Stone County who met both conditions.
"What has Feng Yuan been doing lately? Who has he offended?"
Gao Kaiyuan called over several of Feng Yuan's subordinates and asked.
Feng Yuan was the Punishment Hall Master, mainly responsible for disciplining gang members who broke the rules. Thus, he did not have many subordinates—fewer than ten in all.
One subordinate said, "The Hall Master has not come into contact with any outsiders recently. He has been busy with the matters the Second Gang Leader assigned him.
"Oh, right. Recently, several gang members secretly embezzled the protection fees handed over by the shops. The Hall Master gave them a severe beating.
"But those fellows are not even Postnatal Martial Artists. There is no reason they could have killed the Hall Master."
Gao Kaiyuan shook his head. It probably had not been someone from within the gang.
The Three Harmonies Gang's disciples were all natives of Black Stone County. Everyone's identity and background were crystal clear.
At that moment, one subordinate suddenly said, "Right, Liu San has vanished too. Liu San did not show up this morning, so I even went to his home to find him, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"Later, when I learned something had happened to the Hall Master, I did not continue searching for him."
A sharp gleam appeared in Gao Kaiyuan's eyes. "What has that Liu San been doing lately?"
"The Hall Master found quite a few people who had been in contact with Ma Gui. Recently, we have been taking turns helping the Hall Master investigate and screen the suspicious ones. In the end, only five people remained.
"Two days ago, it was Liu San's turn to investigate those five people, but he seems not to have returned to report yet."
Gao Kaiyuan clenched his fists, a trace of coldness flashing through his eyes.
First Ma Gui and Wang Xiong, then Liu San and Feng Yuan.
All the dead were connected to that matter. Who exactly was behind this?
Could it be that someone had discovered what he was doing?
But if the other party had discovered it, why had they not used it to threaten him? Or spread it until the whole city knew?
Instead, they were killing people to silence them, as though afraid he might discover something.
Strange. Truly strange.
But no matter the reason, he had to drag this person out into the open!
"Feng Yuan is dead. The gang will certainly have to choose someone else as Punishment Hall Master.
"You do not need to handle Punishment Hall matters for the time being. Put all your efforts into investigating the five people Feng Yuan had not yet had time to investigate!"
"Yes, Second Gang Leader!"
Feng Yuan's subordinates hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Their own boss had died, and they had originally felt rather uneasy.
Now that Gao Kaiyuan wanted to use them, they had transformed into the Second Gang Leader's men. This was an unexpected delight.
"Second Gang Leader, the First Gang Leader has summoned you to discuss matters."
At that moment, a gang member came running over, panting heavily, and spoke to Gao Kaiyuan in a low voice.
Gao Kaiyuan snorted coldly. "Their news travels quickly enough!"
With a flick of his sleeve, Gao Kaiyuan rose and left.
As the largest gang in Black Stone County, the Three Harmonies Gang had established its headquarters in the bustling West City District. Half the street, in fact, belonged to the Three Harmonies Gang's halls.
After years of development, the Three Harmonies Gang had not only monopolized protection fees from nearly half the shops in Black Stone County, but had also extended its reach into usury, prostitution, weapon shops, gambling houses, and other trades.
Compared with Black Stone County's two great clans, the Three Harmonies Gang merely lacked some accumulated foundation.
Gao Kaiyuan stepped into the Three Harmonies Gang's discussion hall. Three chairs stood at the head, and in the center sat a middle-aged man in his fifties. He looked somewhat aged, but his gaze was sharp.
He was the Three Harmonies Gang's First Gang Leader, Cao Bin, the "Green Scale Hand."
Reclining sideways in the chair on the right was a young man of thirty-seven or thirty-eight, who looked somewhat lazy.
He was the Three Harmonies Gang's Third Gang Leader, Jiang Tai, the "Positive Sun Hand."
More than ten people stood below, all upper-echelon members of the Three Harmonies Gang. Their strength had all reached the Peak Acquired Stage.
Among Black Stone County's three gangs, only the Three Harmonies Gang had three Late Xiantian Mortal Transformation Realm martial artists, forcing the Black Tiger Gang and Sky Eagle Gang to form an alliance merely to resist them.
In truth, with the Three Harmonies Gang's strength, it would not have been a problem for them to gradually encroach upon and completely swallow the Black Tiger Gang and Sky Eagle Gang.
Yet because First Gang Leader Cao Bin and Second Gang Leader Gao Kaiyuan were at odds, the gang was often wracked by conflicts and internal strife. This had restricted the Three Harmonies Gang's development.
Though the three men differed in age, they were sworn brothers who had risen from humble beginnings.
But most people in this world were like that: they could share hardship, yet could not share prosperity.
As the Three Harmonies Gang's influence grew greater and greater, the conflict between Gao Kaiyuan and Cao Bin also deepened. They had nearly reached the point of openly tearing off all pretense.
Striding into the hall, Gao Kaiyuan directly sat in the chair on the left with a broad, commanding posture.
"Big Brother, why did you call me here so urgently to discuss matters?"
Cao Bin snorted coldly. "Feng Yuan was the Punishment Hall Master. He died in the street without rhyme or reason. How could I not be anxious?
"Gao Kaiyuan, what exactly are you doing?
"First Wang Xiong died without rhyme or reason, then Feng Yuan died without rhyme or reason. Who exactly have you provoked?
"You have been secretly handling matters by yourself all this time. Do you still have any regard for the gang at all?
"I need an explanation! An account!"
Gao Kaiyuan sneered. "Big Brother, have you forgotten the oath we swore when we founded the Three Harmonies Gang?
"You and I brothers were one body, sharing blessings and hardships alike, with no distinction of rank or status. That was why the Three Harmonies Gang has three gang leaders."
At this point, Gao Kaiyuan's expression suddenly darkened. "I have to seek your approval for everything, report everything to you, and account to you for everything.
"Then what is the point of having three gang leaders in the Three Harmonies Gang? Third Brother and I might as well resign, and let you be the gang leader alone!"
After saying that, Gao Kaiyuan flicked his sleeve and left directly. Behind him, Cao Bin was so furious that he smashed the teacup at hand.
Jiang Tai, the Third Gang Leader, acted as though nothing had happened and said with a grin, "Big Brother, do not be angry. Second Brother spoke in anger.
"You carry on with your business. I heard a merchant caravan brought in a batch of authentic wine from the west. I will go taste it first."
Not one of the surrounding gang higher-ups spoke. It was as though they had long grown accustomed to it.
The disputes and conflicts between Cao Bin and Gao Kaiyuan had practically been laid out in the open.