First Battle

The leader had no choice but to circulate his movement technique. His body flashed to the side, and then his fingers curled into claws as he reached for Jiang Liu's lower ribs.

Jiang Liu twisted aside and activated Wind Walk, darting behind the leader. He drove a fist toward the center of the leader's back.

The leader had been caught off guard and took the punch in the back. He had never expected Jiang Liu's movement technique to be so strange. Fortunately, the boy was only Second Rank. If he were Third Rank like himself, the leader would certainly have suffered serious injuries. He immediately became cautious and alert.

Jiang Liu also fought the leader with all his might. The two of them exchanged blows back and forth, but the leader was, after all, Third Rank, while Jiang Liu was only Second Rank. Although Jiang Liu's movement technique was better than the leader's, he would inevitably lose if the fight dragged on.

Jiang Liu knew his disadvantage as well and was just considering retreating when a tiger's roar suddenly rang out. The leader's mind trembled, and Jiang Liu seized the opportunity to circulate Ice Attribute Qi and punch him.

Under normal circumstances, the leader would have treated this Ice Primal Qi like a tickle. The level difference was simply too great. But with his mind shaken and his attention wandering, Jiang Liu had taken advantage of the opening.

The leader suddenly felt ice-cold all over. Before he could circulate his qi to dispel it, he felt an electric current surge through him. What the hell? Isn't this kid wind-attributed? How can he use both ice and lightning?

Before he could react, thunder began rumbling inside his body. His qi immediately seemed to catch fire, surging chaotically in every direction. The leader could not control it at all. His blood surged upward, and he spat out a great mouthful of blood.

Jiang Liu took advantage of his illness to finish him off. With a single Tiger Subduing Fist, he struck the leader in the neck. With no qi protecting him this time, the leader's neck snapped instantly, and he collapsed onto the ground, barely clinging to life.

The four subordinates had just been watching their leader exchange blows evenly with the intruder. Yet in the blink of an eye, before they could react, they saw him lying on the ground. Fear seized them. Seeing how vicious Jiang Liu was—he had killed two men in an instant—they turned and tried to flee through the doorway.

Jiang Liu flashed forward and blocked the entrance. "Anyone who doesn't want to die, stand still!"

"My lord, we truly didn't mean to offend you! Big Dog said no one was here, and it was our elder brother who brought us along. We had no choice but to come! Please, my lord, show mercy and spare us!" The four men hurriedly knelt and begged for mercy.

"You want me to spare you? Fine. As long as you honestly answer my questions!" Jiang Liu said.

The four men hurriedly replied, "We'll tell you everything we know!"

"Good! Which faction do you belong to?" Jiang Liu continued.

One of the four, who looked like a Skinny Monkey, hurriedly answered, "We're with the White Lotus Sect!"

"Oh? Is that so?" The moment Jiang Liu heard this, he reached out, grabbed Skinny Monkey by the neck, and twisted.

"You're asking for death! I gave you a chance to live, yet you insisted on seeking death!" Skinny Monkey had seen that Jiang Liu was young and had wanted to pin the White Lotus Sect's name on him so that others could avenge them.

Jiang Liu had already encountered people from the White Lotus Sect when he entered West City. He knew their clothing was distinctive, and these men clearly were not wearing it.

"Continue answering my earlier question," Jiang Liu said coldly.

Seeing that Jiang Liu was not easy to deceive, the other three had no choice but to tell the truth.

It turned out that these men belonged to a gang in West City called the Heaven River Gang. They had holed up here because Big Dog had once been an outer member of the Heaven River Gang. The Heaven River Gang was now being suppressed by the White Lotus Sect, and many of its hideouts had been wiped out, leaving them no choice but to search everywhere for places to hide.

The leader who had brought them here to hide was a Helmsman of the Heaven River Gang. He was Third Rank, making him one of the gang's higher-ups. After all, even their gang leader was only Fourth Rank.

Jiang Liu looked at the three men and considered how to deal with them. Suddenly, a commotion came from outside. He glanced toward the courtyard and saw a large number of torches surrounding the place from afar.

Jiang Liu immediately activated Wind Walk. He stepped out of the courtyard, then ducked into the corner of an alley and concealed himself in the darkness. The people leading the group were from the White Lotus Sect. They had probably come to wipe out these Heaven River Gang members.

The three Heaven River Gang members also tried to flee, but they were surrounded the instant they stepped out the door. They attempted to resist, only to be cut down one by one by the White Lotus Sect's leader.

The White Lotus Sect members following behind immediately came forward with burlap sacks and stuffed the corpses inside. Some of them even entered Jiang Liu's courtyard to inspect it. Upon seeing the three other bodies, they immediately reported back to their leader.

After hearing the report, the leader immediately ordered them to search the surrounding area.

Seeing that things were going badly, Jiang Liu immediately unleashed his movement technique and slipped out of Flowing Cloud Alley like a wisp of smoke.

As he ran, Jiang Liu thought, Judging by the White Lotus Sect's practiced methods, it seems the gangs in West City are almost all doomed. The White Lotus Sect wants to unify West City. Once West City is unified, will the other districts end up the same way?

Jiang Liu dodged through the crowds along the way, but there were simply too many people, so he had to slow down and walk. He was questioned several times, but he managed to handle it each time.

Jiang Liu returned to South City with his heart in his mouth. It seemed he could not go home for the time being. It was already too late to return to the Training Hall, so he had no choice but to find an inn and rest.

In the end, it was only by relying on his identity with the Fallen Blossom Gang that he managed to find an inn where he could stay.