Hong Decheng remained silent for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh:
" The Song Family ... Alas, I also have a disciple from the Song Family."
The guest paused slightly in his cup, looked up at the glass, and spoke in a seemingly casual tone, yet with a hint of inquiry:
"When that time comes... you won't stop me, will you?"
Hong Decheng's expression suddenly darkened, his eyes filled with a chilling light:
"If such despicable acts were truly committed by the Song Family, then he is no longer my disciple. If necessary... I will personally clean up their ranks without hesitation."
Upon hearing this, the guest lightly tapped his fingertips on the table, his tone steady. "Now that I'm here, I know what I'm doing."
"Evidence will be collected one by one, without making any mistakes or letting anything slip by."
He paused briefly, his voice turning cold:
"The net has been cast. Let those lurking in the shadows jump around a bit longer... and then we'll wipe out these beasts all at once."
Hong Decheng silently nodded, took a sip of tea, and suddenly asked, "What level of cultivation have you reached now?"
"Late stage of the Core Formation Realm," the guest replied casually.
Hong Decheng shook his head with a wry smile, "You've gone further and further astray... As for me, I've been stuck in the Viscera Realm for many years, unable to make any progress."
The guest didn't respond, but slowly rolled up his sleeves, revealing crisscrossing, grotesque scars on his arm that looked like centipedes!
"They're nothing more than survivors of mountains of corpses and seas of blood."
"I do hope that one day I can find a quiet place to live out my old age and wait for death."
His gaze suddenly turned to the window, his voice low and deep:
"Unfortunately, this world... never lets people have their way."
Fang Chen returned to the outer courtyard, his mind still filled with doubts.
"You specifically called me 'Qian Jian' just to get to know me?"
He paused slightly, pondering to himself.
"This means... Master believes that this senior might be of help to me in the future?"
Could it be that I will have some interaction with this senior in the future?
What will I do next...?
Fang Chen frowned and pondered, piecing together some clues.
Suddenly, a question popped into my mind.
Why does Master have two nomination slots from the Demon Eradication Division?
Demon Eradication Division!
Yes!
I recalled the evening I was accepted as a personal disciple.
When the master returned, he reeked of alcohol; I heard he had been drinking with an old friend the day before.
Could that old friend be the person I met today?
That's how it is!
This senior is most likely a member of the Demon Eradication Division Bureau.
That's why the master was able to easily offer those two spots.
If that's the case, I might indeed have some interaction with him in the future.
But... why has he quietly appeared in Baihe County at this moment?
Are the rampant demons outside the county meant to be eradicated?
But how can we explain the disappearances within the county?
This senior's trip was secretive and unassuming, probably... not just for the demons in the open.
Is this a scheme orchestrated in secret?
How to eliminate the hidden dangers?
Fang Chen's emotions were churning. Although he could not see the whole picture, he had vaguely pierced through some of the fog.
With a powerful figure from the Demon Eradication Division secretly overseeing things, his initial worries about the situation in Baihe County gradually subsided.
Fang Chen assumed a fighting stance and focused intently on practicing the Tiger Subduing Fist.
[ Tiger Subduing Fist Proficiency +2]!
[ Tiger Subduing Fist Proficiency +3]!
After a while, Fang Chen had practiced the Tiger Subduing Fist twice.
The insights gained from the Dragon Subduing Fist can also enhance the practice of the Tiger Subduing Fist, but this enhancement is relatively rare and only occurs occasionally.
After all, the Tiger Subduing Fist is already a mastery, with a deeper understanding of the fist technique, Dragon Subduing Fist is only a minor mastery, with less self-reinforcement.
Fang Chen guessed,
If one were to master the Dragon Subduing Fist, it might truly complement the Tiger Subduing Fist, bringing even greater benefits and becoming a true synergy.
Without further thought, Fang Chen continued practicing the Tiger Subduing Fist.
A day passed in the blink of an eye.
[ Tiger Subduing Fist Proficiency +2]!
[ Tiger Subduing Fist Proficiency +3]!
It was late autumn, nearing winter, and the days were getting shorter and darker very quickly.
A chill crept in with the night breeze.
Fang Chen finished his training at the martial arts school and walked briskly down the quiet alleyway on his way home.
He stepped on the dry fallen leaves, making a rustling sound, his mind still reflecting on some of the insights he gained from practicing boxing today.
At that very moment,
Suddenly, a series of hurried chasing sounds came from the alleyway ahead!
Fang Chen frowned.
A figure charged forward like a cheetah, its speed and ferocity evident on its face.
The person arrived too quickly, Fang Chen had nowhere to dodge. He could only immediately turn to the side and avoid the shadows by the wall, not wanting to get involved in this inexplicable conflict.
His movements were swift and decisive, immediately clearing the way for the main road.
However,
The fleeing man saw someone ahead and, although he saw them give way, he was also afraid that the other party would suddenly attack and cause him to be overtaken by the pursuers behind him.
A glint of malice flashed in his eyes; he actually intended to kill Fang Chen on the spot. He growled, "Get out of my way! Don't block my path!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he flipped his wrist and a short blade, gleaming coldly, stabbed mercilessly into Fang Chen's heart!
This attack was vicious and ruthless.
Its sharp edge pierces the cold!
Fang Chen's eyes suddenly turned cold.
He had tried to retreat, but the other party still resorted to such a vicious attack. The thought that it was none of his business vanished instantly, replaced by a cold killing intent.
Just as the short blade was about to reach his body, Fang Chen moved!
"The footwork changes, the steps move in an arc!"
The Surging Cloud Steps were quietly activated.
He didn't dodge much; he simply shifted his footing and swayed slightly like a ghost, and the sure-fire strike grazed past his clothes by the narrowest of margins.
At the same time, Fang Chen swiftly extended his claws and precisely grabbed the wrist pulse point of the man holding the weapon.
"Snap!"
The man felt a sharp pain in his wrist as Fang Chen snapped it, and the short blade slipped from his hand.
He was shocked, never expecting that this seemingly ordinary passerby would have such skills!
The man was about to change his tactics, but it was too late.
Once Fang Chen made his move, he held nothing back.
In the instant he deflected the attack, his left fist, like Hidden Dragon Emerges from Abyss, suddenly slammed out, landing squarely on the man's wide-open chest without any fancy moves.
"Bang!"
A muffled thud, accompanied by a faint cracking sound.
The man's forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, his eyes bulging out, bloodshot, filled with astonishment and disbelief.
He couldn't even let out a scream before his body, like a puppet with its strings cut, fell backward and crashed onto the cold bluestone slab, scattering a few withered leaves.
From being attacked to turning the tables, it all happened in the blink of an eye.
The pursuers should still be some distance away.
Fang Chen stared at the lifeless body on the ground without pausing for a moment.
With a swift movement, he disappeared into the night and quickly swept towards the other end of the alley!
His footsteps were light and silent, and in the blink of an eye, only a blurry silhouette remained.
Just as his figure was about to disappear around the corner, the two pursuers arrived at full speed.
They spotted their dead target at a glance, and their expressions immediately changed.
One of them quickly crouched down to examine the chest; where he touched, it was caved in and the heart was shattered.
He couldn't help but gasp. "Incredible power! A single blow was enough to kill!"
"He is either a master of the Viscera Realm or a supreme master of the Sinew and Bone Realm!"
The other person instinctively tried to exert force to chase after him.
"Don't chase!"
The person squatting down quickly hissed to stop him.
"The person who made the move is far stronger than the two of us! If he turns back, we may not be able to handle it!"
"Let's go back and report to the lord first, and then let the lord make a decision!"
The person who was about to give chase paused, looked at the alleyway that was now deserted, and finally restrained his aura and nodded.
The two quickly cleaned up the scene and wrapped the body.
They then quickly retreated into the darkness.
In a secluded room,
The two men gently dragged the body away, then respectfully addressed the person sitting in a chair inside the house:
"Sir, the target is dead, but it wasn't us who did it."
The person sitting in the chair stood up, the dim light illuminating his face.
If Fang Chen were here, he would definitely recognize that this person was the guest from this morning!