Present and Striking

"Is he planning to use the civilians in the South City District as cover?"

Watching the middle-aged man's path, Zheng Qian narrowed his eyes and quietly speculated.

If he put himself in the other man's shoes, there were only two ways to leave safely.

The first was to leave the city as quickly as possible and then flee at top speed.

The second was to head to the civilian district like the other man had and hide in the most chaotic slums, waiting for an opportunity.

Choosing the first option required confidence in one's speed. He had to be sure he could escape from a Half-step Grandmaster; otherwise, he would be walking into a tiger's den and end up dead in the wilderness.

Choosing the second option required proficiency in concealment and disguise. Otherwise, he would easily be found, with the same result awaiting him.

After all, snakes had their paths, and rats had theirs.

Although the slums were chaotic, there was order within that chaos. Specialized gangs managed them, so it was not easy for a stranger to hide there.

After all, heroes could violate the law through force!

Those powerful aristocratic clans and martial artists from the jianghu would not care about other people's lives, while the gangs at the bottom were the most likely to bully the weak and fear the strong.

With only a little intimidation, those lowest-level gang members would naturally do everything they could to find someone in order to save their own lives.

Some of these gangs were even backed by aristocratic clans. There was no need for threats at all; a single order would suffice.

The middle-aged man's strength was not weak. He had already reached the Xiantian Realm, though Zheng Qian could not tell his exact level.

As he increased his speed, the few pursuers who had only reached the Houtian Realm were immediately left behind. Only Zheng Qian and two others at the Xiantian Realm continued to follow him closely, one after another.

By then, evening had arrived, and the sky had begun to darken.

The middle-aged man soon entered the South City District and sped through its narrow alleys, heading southwest.

That direction led straight toward Ziyang City's slums.

Zheng Qian's lightness skill was not very good, so he was unable to catch up for the time being.

As the three chased and one fled, the houses on both sides grew increasingly dilapidated, while the streets became narrower and dirtier. A heavy stench of decay spread everywhere, making people want to vomit.

Suddenly, the middle-aged man ahead stopped without warning and swiftly turned around to look behind him.

His sudden move left Zheng Qian and the two Xiantian Realm experts who had been following him nowhere to hide, exposing all three of them before his eyes.

"Three of you, you've followed me for so long. Aren't you tired?" the middle-aged man shouted coldly, his face grim as he stared at the three of them.

"Hahahaha! Tired? As long as we can obtain the Morning Sun One Qi Art on you, no matter how tired we get, it will be worth it!"

Hearing the middle-aged man, one of the two Xiantian Realm experts who had come after Zheng Qian immediately laughed loudly, his laughter filled with greed.

"Exactly. If you know what's good for you, hand over the technique obediently, and my brother and I can still spare your life!"

The other man's voice followed at once, echoing the first man's words and carrying an unmistakable threat.

Clearly, the two were together. Their goal was the same as Zheng Qian's: to obtain the Morning Sun One Qi Art from the middle-aged man.

"Spare my life? If I'm not mistaken, you two are the famous Yin Yang Twin Stars! I've heard that none of those who offended you were left with an intact corpse. Do you think I'd believe you?"

The middle-aged man's voice was full of ridicule and disdain. Clearly, he had no hope in the so-called "way out" the two men had mentioned.

"The Yin Yang Twin Stars? I never thought they would actually be the two of them..."

Zheng Qian had heard people mention the pair over the past few days. They were senior and junior disciples, both taught by a Half-step Grandmaster named Old Man Yin Yang.

However, the two were crooked at heart. To obtain their master's ultimate technique, the Yin Yang Hun Tian Art, they poisoned Old Man Yin Yang.

Old Man Yin Yang was a tough man as well. He would rather sever his own heart meridians and die than allow his ultimate technique to fall into the hands of people with wicked intentions.

If Old Man Yin Yang's friend Hei Tianxing had not happened to visit him that day to play chess and discovered what was happening, the two men's deeds would likely have been buried underground along with Old Man Yin Yang.

As the friend of a Half-step Grandmaster, Hei Tianxing's strength was naturally not weak. He had already reached the Peak Xiantian Realm.

Afterward, in order to avenge his friend, he began pursuing the Yin Yang Twin Stars throughout the world.

However, the Yin Yang Twin Stars were not weak either. Both had reached the Late Xiantian Realm and were proficient in another of Old Man Yin Yang's ultimate techniques, the Yin Yang Twin Blades.

It was a blade technique that two people could practice together, and its might was greater than the sum of its parts.

Although it could not allow the Yin Yang Twin Stars to defeat Hei Tianxing across a level, it was enough to prevent Hei Tianxing from killing them.

Thus, the Yin Yang Twin Stars evaded Hei Tianxing's pursuit while constantly searching for ways to increase their strength.

Their appearance here naturally meant that they had set their sights on the Morning Sun One Qi Art.

Just as Zheng Qian was recalling everything about the Yin Yang Twin Stars—

The Yin Yang Twin Stars exchanged a glance, and one of them spoke again with a light chuckle:

"Hehe... I never thought you had heard of my brother and me! Since you've heard of us, why not hand over the technique while we're in a good mood? Perhaps we really might spare your life."

"Hehe, hand over the technique? I'd like to, but there are three of you. Who should I give it to?"

The middle-aged man turned his gaze toward Zheng Qian, who was watching from the side, and chuckled playfully.

Seeing the other man turn his hostility toward him, Zheng Qian was not angry. After all, he had never meant well toward the man either.

However, he did not want to fight if he could avoid it.

He was still a wanted criminal and did not want to enter the Prefect's Mansion's sights just yet—at least not before he officially broke through to the Grandmaster Realm.

Thus, he immediately suggested:

"Three of you, I do have a good idea.

Although there is only one copy of the technique, it isn't some pill or weapon. We can simply make two copies, then each side can take one..."

"Make two copies? You make it sound so easy. Setting aside who we'll find to copy it, even if the copies are made, how can we be sure the handwritten versions are completely identical to the original?

"And who do you think you are? What gives you the right to make us listen to you?"

One of the Yin Yang Twin Stars immediately shot down his suggestion.

Clearly, the two believed victory was already in their grasp and had no intention of accepting his proposal.

"Sigh... People really do hate taking advice! I've already given you an opportunity, yet you're still being so picky..."

Hearing the Yin Yang Twin Stars reject his suggestion, Zheng Qian shook his head helplessly and muttered to himself.

As he spoke, he suddenly accelerated and charged straight at the Yin Yang Twin Stars. At the same time, a three-foot-long sword appeared silently in his hand.