Trapped in darkness, yet yearning for light

Seeing Wang Gang killed by Baili Qingfeng's sword without the slightest hesitation, Wu Li and Mi Xiu's brows twitched fiercely.

Killing someone...

Without even blinking...

On top of that, Baili Qingfeng had suddenly erupted the moment he entered, killing Wang Gang with thunderous force, while the murderous aura erupting alongside Spirit Refinement Manifestation...

He was definitely a ruthless man!

A ruthless man who could defeat even a top expert like Wang Gang in a single exchange!

Although Wu Li considered his cultivation impressive, ranking at the peak among Level 3 Warriors, he was still faintly inferior to Wang Gang. At the very least, if he fought Wang Gang to the death, his odds of victory would be less than thirty percent.

Even someone as powerful as Wang Gang had been killed by Baili Qingfeng in a single exchange. And when he recalled that Baili Qingfeng seemed to have killed the Iron Sword Sect Master, the elders, and the six great experts...

"Phew!"

At that moment, Baili Qingfeng let out a long breath and dispelled the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Art. Then, as the aftereffects of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Art took hold, he visibly grew exhausted, seemingly unable even to stand steadily. Just like that, he sat down on the floor beside Wang Gang's corpse and stared blankly into space.

Seeing this, hesitation flashed through Wu Li's heart.

Wang Gang and he had ultimately shared some friendship. Moreover, the fact that he had managed to grasp the rudiments of Fist Intent was truly thanks to Wang Gang's guidance. Now that Baili Qingfeng was clearly in a weakened state after using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Art, if he attacked, he could easily kill Baili Qingfeng. Then, by avenging Wang Gang, he would also be repaying the favor of Wang Gang's guidance in helping him take his first step into Fist Intent...

But...

Baili Qingfeng was so young, yet already so formidable. There was likely some great power behind him. What if he ended up provoking a War-level expert? Then he would truly be calling to Heaven, and Heaven would not answer; calling to Earth, and Earth would not respond.

To risk offending a great power for the favor owed to a dead man...

It was not worth it.

"Brother, rest well here. I'll have one of my subordinates wait outside. Just tell us if you need anything. We'll take our leave first and won't disturb your rest."

Mi Xiu respectfully bowed to Baili Qingfeng, his voice carrying a trace of trem tremor.

Baili Qingfeng glanced at Mi Xiu. "I just used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Art, so I'm indeed too weak even to want to stand right now. It won't cause you any trouble if I borrow your place to rest for a while, will it?"

"No, no, of course not. Mr. Baili, you can rest for as long as you like."

"I don't want the events here getting out."

"Rest assured, Mr. Baili. No one else will learn of what happened tonight."

Mi Xiu hurriedly agreed.

Only after seeing Baili Qingfeng nod did he leave the private room together with Wu Li.

"Mi Xiu, this young man barged into your territory and killed someone—and it was Wang Gang, someone we had some friendship with. Can you really swallow that? You've heard about the side effects of the Forbidden Technique known as the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Art, haven't you? If you want revenge, now is the best time."

After leaving the private room, Wu Li said this while looking at Mi Xiu.

"Revenge? Revenge for what? Revenge for whom? I wasn't wrong. Wang Gang and I were nothing more than drinking buddies. Eating and drinking together now and then was enough. Am I supposed to kill someone for him too?"

Mi Xiu lit a cigarette, trying to calm himself down.

"This young man killed someone in your territory. That cost you face."

"How much is face worth?"

Mi Xiu forced a smile. "Besides, the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Art is a Forbidden Technique with extremely severe side effects. Once he used it, he should be practically crippled. Why would we need to pursue him and wipe him out...?"

Wu Li glanced at Mi Xiu. Boss Mi was certainly cautious.

Neither of them spoke again.

The somewhat oppressive atmosphere lasted less than half an hour before a man suddenly came to Mi Xiu's side and whispered something to him.

In an instant, Mi Xiu sprang to his feet and hurried to a nearby window.

As he looked down through the window, he saw Baili Qingfeng, who not long ago had seemed too exhausted even to stand, walking downstairs and preparing to leave.

His speech and manner were completely normal, and his face was glowing with health...

How did he look even slightly injured?

"How is that possible!? He used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Art, so how can he look as if nothing happened? Other things can be faked, but one's complexion can't be concealed. Yet looking at his complexion, there isn't the slightest sign of serious injury. This makes no sense..."

Wu Li also came to the window and looked at Baili Qingfeng below, his face filled with disbelief.

"Perhaps... that wasn't the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Art at all, but an explosive secret technique with no side effects, or only negligible ones..."

"Then that weakened appearance of his just now..."

Wu Li's pupils narrowed slightly. "Was he luring us into attacking?"

Mi Xiu nodded in horror, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

Even Wu Li felt his heart race with fear when he thought it over again.

If Baili Qingfeng had not actually been weakened, while the two of them had wanted to avenge Wang Gang when he was at his weakest...

Given the power and ferocity the other man had displayed when he killed Wang Gang in an instant, their fate would have been no different.

Death...

They had actually brushed shoulders with it just now!?

"This Baili Qingfeng is actually so..."

Wu Li frowned. He had wanted to say "cunning," but considering the other man's overwhelming strength, he ultimately left the word unspoken. "So vicious..."

"Whether he's vicious or not, we'll know very soon."

Mi Xiu narrowed his eyes. "I've already sent people to Green Water Manor. Counting the time, they've been gone almost half an hour. We should be receiving news soon."

"Green Water Manor?"

Wu Li quickly thought of something, his pupils shrinking slightly. "To confirm it?"

Mi Xiu nodded.

Soon, another subordinate came to Mi Xiu's side and said in a solemn voice, "Boss, we've found them. They're just outside Green Water Manor. The eight people from the Iron Sword Sect, including the Sect Master and the elders, are all dead. Only one person did it."

"They're really dead?"

"Dead. And... based on our judgment, they died no more than two hours ago."

"You mean he killed the eight people from the Iron Sword Sect, barely rested at all, and rushed straight to our Starlight Club?"

"Yes."

"Hiss!"

This time, Mi Xiu and Wu Li could not help drawing in a cold breath.

It was actually true!

The ability Baili Qingfeng had displayed in killing Wang Gang had already made Wu Li deeply wary. Now, hearing that before that, Baili Qingfeng had single-handedly killed the eight great experts, including the Iron Sword Sect Master and the elders...

He had cut down eight people in succession without suffering a scratch, then entered the Starlight Club and slain Wang Gang, afterward leaving calmly with a normal complexion...

"This... could he have reached the War-level?"

"If he hasn't reached the War-level, he's probably not far from it."

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing relief and lingering fear in the other's eyes.

Thank goodness...

Thank goodness they had not presumptuously attacked at the time. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"What a schemer!"

"The key is... he still looks so young... He has ability, talent, ruthlessness, and cunning. His future is limitless."

Mi Xiu let out a long breath.

Wu Li was silent for a moment before saying, "A man this vicious... we can't afford to provoke him, can't afford to provoke him... From now on, whenever I meet him, I'll go around him."

"Trapped in darkness, yet yearning for light. In the end, I, Baili Qingfeng, can't be as lawless as Wang Gang, slaughtering innocent people indiscriminately. Wang Gang and those people from the Iron Sword Sect were rotten to the core, beyond saving, but in essence, I'm a kind and simple student of Xia'er University. The other two people in the private room didn't harbor killing intent toward me, so I couldn't beat them to death just for that. I can't do something like that."

After leaving the Starlight Club, Baili Qingfeng faced his own heart directly.

The night in Xia Ya was quiet and peaceful.

Baili Qingfeng walked along the dark streets, slowly calming his emotions.

He should not let killing and hatred blind him. If he became a monster that knew only killing, using killing to solve every problem, how would he be any different from Wang Gang and the people of the Iron Sword Sect?

He and the Iron Sword Sect, Eddie and his son, Jiang Ziheng, and those others were ultimately different.

Carrying this lofty ideological awakening, Baili Qingfeng arrived at the train station and bought a ticket to Miro City.

"Once I destroy the Iron Sword Sect and completely eliminate the threat they might pose to my family, I won't harm another innocent person. If people don't offend me, I won't offend them. This is who I am—Baili Qingfeng."