How Vicious You Are!

"You old geezer, you're about to die, and you're still in such a good mood!"

The person outside the window said with a laugh.

Yuan Zhen rolled out of bed, dressed as quickly as possible, and said coldly.

"What kind of sneaky rat are you? State your name!"

"Get dressed and come out. I'll be waiting for you outside!"

After speaking, the person's figure vanished from the window.

Yuan Zhen quickly opened the door and chased after him.

Beneath the dim night sky, a tall, slender figure stood in the courtyard, hands behind his back, looking this way with a smile.

This was an unfamiliar face; Yuan Zhen had no impression of him.

"Who are you?"

The person who arrived was Li Xian.

Li Xian said with a smile, "Who I am is not important."

"Are you from the Canoe Gang?" Yuan Zhen asked suspiciously.

"So what if I am, and so what if I'm not?"

"Hmph, so you really are a little thief from the Canoe Gang!"

Yuan Zhen sneered.

"Give me your life!"

He shouted, unleashing the Great Compassion Palm.

"You monk, why are you so full of killing intent?" Li Xian said with a dismissive smile.

However, in less than three moves, the monk Yuan Zhen was struck in the chest by Li Xian's punch, spewing a mouthful of blood.

Monk Yuan Zhen clutched his chest, his face pale, and said hoarsely, "Who exactly are you? How can the Canoe Gang have someone like you?"

Li Xian shook his head and said, "I already told you, who I am is not important!"

Yuan Zhen gave a bitter laugh, "That's true. I'm about to die anyway, so it doesn't make much difference whether I know or not."

Li Xian said, "You monk are quite open-minded."

"Kill me or flay me, as you wish. When the Buddha Son returns, he will avenge me and slaughter everyone in the Canoe Gang, sending them to accompany me in death!"

"It's always the same words."

Li Xian said, "Are you that confident in your Buddha Son?"

"Naturally. You can't even imagine the Buddha Son's power!"

Yuan Zhen said while spitting blood, "He will personally kill you and avenge me."

"It's a pity I won't live to see that day." His tone was full of regret.

"No." Li Xian didn't think so.

"After you die, I'll hang your head on our Canoe Gang's dragon boat. I want you to watch with your own eyes as your Buddha Son dies by my hand!"

This was to ensure he would not rest even in death.

"How vicious!" Monk Yuan Zhen was both shocked and terrified, and he couldn't help but curse loudly.

Li Xian paid no mind and instead burst into laughter.

"Hahaha..."

Amidst the laughter, a hand reached out and caressed Monk Yuan Zhen's bare head, then twisted forcefully, easily taking his head.

In the courtyard, the curses abruptly stopped.

After an unknown amount of time, the woman hiding in the room, hearing no sound from outside, mustered her courage and crept to the door, opening a sliver of it to cautiously peek into the courtyard.

In the dark night, blood flowed everywhere.

Only a disheveled, headless corpse lay on the ground in the courtyard.

"Ah, murder!!!"

The scream echoed through the quiet night sky of Yangzhou City.

After dealing with Yuan Zhen, the remaining monks at White Dragon Temple were no match. The Prefectural Army's Chen Zhongwu's attitude was unclear; he had been dragging his feet, seemingly unwilling to suffer mutual destruction with a behemoth like the Canoe Gang.

With no further worries, Li Xian could enter seclusion with peace of mind.

The location of Li Xian's seclusion was of great importance and not suitable for too many people to know. Liang Haisheng, to avoid any accidents, personally took charge of selecting a top-secret place for Li Xian's seclusion.

He also arranged for people to prepare ample food and daily necessities, ensuring full logistical support.

Li Xian looked at the simple yet clean stone room before him, and it was a lie to say he wasn't satisfied.

"When did Gang Leader Liang get such a hidden stone room?"

Liang Haisheng said, "These are from my early years when I made a living on the water. I had many enemies back then, so I had to move around frequently."

Understood, this is one of the three burrows of a cunning rabbit.

Li Xian smiled and said, "Then I thank you in advance, Gang Leader Liang."

Liang Haisheng waved his hand, "Young Li, I'll say it again. You can actually leave now. There's no need to confront the Buddha Son head-on. You can still regret it if you want."

Why don't these people believe in me?

My talent is invincible!

Li Xian covered his head and said with a headache, "Alright, Gang Leader Liang, let's not talk about this anymore."

"Okay!"

Liang Haisheng and the others exchanged glances, all looking helpless.

Seriously, look at the pile of cultivation manuals in the stone chamber, it's taller than a person. Who could believe you could finish cultivating after just one closed-door session?

Seeing their dejected expressions, Li Xian couldn't help but comfort them, "It's fine, don't worry. When I come out of seclusion, I'll kill the Buddha Son!"

You're a bit too confident, aren't you?

To such a bold declaration, Liang Haisheng, Guan Jing, and the other monks could only offer wry smiles, not daring to believe him at all.

They had even prepared for the worst.

If the Buddha Son attacked, they would risk their lives to buy Li Xian a chance to escape.

Li Xian ignored their thoughts and walked into the room, waving goodbye to the crowd outside.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, you can all go back."

With that, the stone chamber door slammed shut.

Inside the stone chamber, Li Xian looked at the pile of cultivation manuals, which were as tall as himself, and grinned.

Li Xian: This is a trap game!

Proficiency System: This is a high-stakes game!

The Buddha Son was injured, and Li Xian entered seclusion.

Yangzhou City, which had been restless for the past period, welcomed a long-lost tranquility.

Those who knew the inside story knew this was the calm before the storm.

Those who didn't know the details began a new round of heated discussions.

"Hey, you guys think the White Dragon Temple just let it go after so many monks died?"

"Who died at the White Dragon Temple? Didn't the Canoe Gang lose a lot of Hall Masters?"

"Your news is outdated. The White Dragon Temple lost two elders of the 'Yuan' generation."

If you think this book is good, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.

"That's terrible. And with the Abbot who died earlier, the older generation of the White Dragon Temple is almost wiped out!"

"The Canoe Gang isn't doing much better either. The Gang Leader Cao also died."

"So, the Canoe Gang and the White Dragon Temple both suffered heavy losses!"

"Indeed, these two major factions in Qingzhou have been severely wounded."

"As the saying goes, when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits. If the snipe and clam are injured, who benefits?"

Someone who was quick to speak chimed in.

"Who else but the Prefectural Army and the Demon Suppressing Division!"

This statement startled everyone.

"Shut up!"

"Be careful, you can't just say things like that!"

"Exactly, you're talking nonsense, be careful not to bring trouble upon yourself!"

Everyone quickly steered the conversation back.

"You guys, the White Dragon Temple has their Buddha Son, who does the Canoe Gang have now?"

"I don't know!"

"The new Gang Leader Liang is no match for the Buddha Son!"

"I heard someone recently say that Gang Leader Liang is planning to run away!"

"No way?"

"Is that news reliable?"

"You're talking nonsense. I saw Gang Leader Liang yesterday. How could he run away?"

"That's right, anyone can leave, but he can't. If he leaves, there will be no more Canoe Gang in Yangzhou City!"

"Better to be a ghost killed in battle than a thief who flees!"

"But if we don't run, how can the Canoe Gang resist the Buddha Sons of the White Dragon Temple?"

This question stumped everyone.

To single-handedly annihilate the Abbot of the White Dragon Temple and the leader of the Canoe Gang was an astonishing feat, even across all of Dagan.

In their eyes, how could the now depleted Canoe Gang possibly be a match for the Buddha Sons?

Time passed.

In the blink of an eye, half a month had gone by.

This day.

Yangzhou City, Governor's Mansion.

Early in the morning, Zheng Ningji ordered his servants to start cleaning, making sure every corner of the Governor's Mansion was spotless.

"My lord, is today a special occasion? Why is everything so grand?" his wife asked, full of confusion.

Zheng Ningji smiled and said, "It's not a special day. A distinguished guest is coming, and to show our warm welcome, we naturally need to make some preparations."

His wife curiously asked, "I wonder who it is, that makes you attach such importance to this visit!"

Zheng Ningji shook his head, remaining silent.

His wife, being sensible, also closed her mouth.

After everything was tidied up, Zheng Ningji sent his wife and servants away. He sat alone in the pavilion in the mansion, personally brewing tea and waiting.

Soon, a gentle breeze blew.

A handsome monk in white appeared outside the pavilion.

Zheng Ningji looked at him and smiled, greeting, "Master Guan Miao, you've arrived."

The person who arrived was none other than the Buddha Son of the White Dragon Temple, Guan Miao.

"Amitabha, Lord Zheng, I trust you are well!"

Zheng Ningji looked him up and down. "It seems Master Guan Miao's injuries have recovered well."

The Buddha Son said calmly, "It was just a minor injury, nothing serious."

"That's good." Zheng Ningji chuckled, gesturing to a nearby chair. "Don't stand, Master, please have a seat."

After the Buddha Son sat down, he asked, "Lord Zheng, why have the Prefectural Army forces not intervened during this period?"

I knew this question would come.

"Alas!" Zheng Ningji sighed, appearing troubled.

"Master Guan Miao, you may not be aware."

"Tell me the reason."

Zheng Ningji said, "The Canoe Gang has produced a young genius with exceptional talent. Not only is Chen Zhongwu no match for him, but even your two martial uncles are not his opponents."

"Is that so?" the Buddha Son asked, surprised.

Zheng Ningji stated firmly, "It is absolutely true. Several of our Prefectural Army's sergeants died at his hands, and even your martial uncle..."

He stopped at the crucial point.

As expected, the Buddha Son, who had been calm until now, frowned visibly.

"What happened to my martial uncles?"

Zheng Ningji said with a look of grief, "They... not long ago, they also fell victim to the Canoe Gang's treachery and were murdered!"

The Buddha Son's expression hardened. The air in the pavilion seemed to freeze, and a killing aura permeated the space.

"Impossible! My two martial uncles are Mid-fourth Grade Martial Artists. No one in the Canoe Gang could possibly be their match!"

Zheng Ningji sighed sorrowfully, "I know, Lord Buddha Son, that it is difficult for you to accept this reality immediately. However, it has happened, and you must face it!"

Seeing that Zheng Ningji's expression did not seem feigned, the Buddha Son began to believe him.

But he simply could not accept that his two martial uncles, who had always accompanied and supported him, were gone.

Although he was extremely bloodthirsty and ruthless, he still held deep affection for his two martial uncles who had always supported him from behind the scenes.

Facing their deaths, even the resolute Buddha Son could not help but be filled with grief.

Zheng Ningji, beside him, blamed himself. "Alas, it's all my fault. If I had been more vigilant, perhaps the Canoe Gang wouldn't have had the opportunity to attack your martial uncles, and your martial uncles wouldn't have suffered such humiliation."

The Buddha Son frowned and asked, "Humiliation? What humiliation did my martial uncles suffer?"

"Ah, this, no, I..."

Zheng Ningji appeared flustered, as if he had said the wrong thing and didn't know what to do.

The Buddha Son said earnestly, "Lord Zheng, please do not hide anything."

Zheng Ningji's expression was hesitant, as if he were undergoing an intense internal struggle. After a long while, he finally spoke.

"Alright, this matter shouldn't have been kept from you in the first place."

"After your Uncle Yuan Zhen was murdered by the Canoe Gang, his head was severed and hung from the highest flagpole of their dragon boat. No one has taken it down yet!"

As the words fell.

The Buddha Son's hard-won peace of mind was thrown into turmoil.

Killing intent surged inside and outside the pavilion, like a raging storm.

Zheng Ningji narrowed his eyes, a hidden smile briefly appearing on his lips before he quickly suppressed it.

"Alas, it's a pity that none of us are a match for that person from the Canoe Gang. We can't help Master Yuan Zhen rest in peace, and I feel ashamed before you, Master Guan Miao!"

"Who killed my Uncle Yuan Zhen?" the Buddha Son asked, his expression cold.

"His name is Li Xian. He's a Hall Master in the Canoe Gang. Not only Master Yuan Zhen, but even Master Yuan Jue died by his hand!"