"So, I'm sending you down to reunite with him!"
Qin Shuang gave a cold laugh. A layer of Qi and Blood Gauze Robe surfaced over his body as he unleashed Fierce Tiger Fist and charged at Liang Chang with Swimming Dragon Steps!
"I never thought you'd been hiding your strength so well!"
"But you're still too green! You have no idea how strong your Uncle Liang really is!"
When Liang Chang saw Qin Shuang charging at him, the Qi and Blood aura radiating from his body was unmistakably that of the Bone Forging Realm. Though Liang Chang was shocked to see the Qi and Blood Gauze Robe, he felt relieved. He'd thought his enemy would be much stronger, but it turned out he was only at the Bone Forging Realm. Qi and Blood Gauze Robe!
His own strength had already reached the Bone Forging Realm's Qi and Blood Wolf Smoke!
Even if Qin Shuang had the strength to form a Qi and Blood Gauze Robe, he'd still have to kneel!
At the same time,
a glint flashed in his eyes. The boy was clearly at the Bone Forging Realm, yet Liang Chang hadn't noticed the slightest hint of it when they'd met on the street!
Obviously, the bastard had a way to conceal his Qi and Blood. Getting his hands on it would be a huge score!
As soon as Liang Chang finished speaking, a boom rang out. The terrifying Qi and Blood of the Bone Forging Realm burst from his body. A column of Qi and Blood, nearly a zhang tall, rose into the air above him like wolf smoke!
A powerful, terrifying aura spread from his body.
"Hand over your technique for concealing your Qi and Blood, and Uncle Liang will spare your life!"
Liang Chang spoke in a low voice, holding his saber as he advanced on Qin Shuang.
Qin Shuang ignored him. He launched into Fierce Tiger Pouncing and drove a punch at Liang Chang's chest. At the same time, the Qi and Blood within him burst fully open, erupting into Qi and Blood Wolf Smoke!
And what was more,
the Qi and Blood Wolf Smoke above his head actually formed the blood-red shadow of a fierce tiger. It opened its enormous jaws, and a terrifying tiger's might swept over them!
"Ah... T-Tiger-shaped Qi and Blood Wolf Smoke?"
Liang Chang realized that Qin Shuang had also condensed Qi and Blood Wolf Smoke—and not only that, he'd formed it into a tiger, its aura far stronger than Liang Chang's. He was stunned. He tried to dodge with his footwork, but it was already too late.
"Boom!"
The sound of breaking bones rang out. Caught off guard, Liang Chang took Qin Shuang's punch to the chest. His Qi and Blood surged, and he spat blood as his body bent like a shrimp and flew backward through the blue-brick wall, crashing into the side room!
"You... you!"
Blood trickled from the corner of Liang Chang's mouth as he stared at Qin Shuang, his heart tossed by a storm of shock.
Qin Shuang was only sixteen or seventeen. How could he be stronger than Liang Chang?
How had he cultivated to this level?
"Old bastard, you have no idea how strong your Uncle Qin really is!"
Qin Shuang used Swimming Dragon Steps to appear inside the room. Liang Chang was struggling among the broken bricks, trying to get back up. Qin Shuang struck with both fists, smashing all four of his limbs, then spoke calmly.
Liang Chang's face twisted with pain. Blood seeped from his mouth, and he looked utterly miserable. His eyes filled with pleading. "B-Brother Qin, we don't have any deep grudge between us... If you'd just show mercy... I won't ask for that thousand taels of silver. All my property... I'll give it all to you. How about it?"
He didn't want to die.
He had fought and clawed his way to his position, paying far too much along the way. If he died just like this, he couldn't accept it. As long as he lived, he could find a way to get it all back someday!
He might even get the chance to kill Qin Shuang and take revenge!
If he died, he'd have nothing!
"Let's hear it. Is it enough to buy your life?"
Qin Shuang's eyes brightened with anticipation.
He was short on silver and Tiger Blood Pills. If he could strip Liang Chang of his wealth, all the better.
"Three houses, four thousand taels of silver, more than sixty Tiger Blood Pills, and a hundred pieces of gold and jewelry... If you let me go, Brother Qin, they're all yours!" Liang Chang looked at Qin Shuang, hope showing in his eyes.
"As long as you behave and don't try any tricks, I can spare your worthless life!"
"Where is it?"
Qin Shuang's heart stirred as he heard Liang Chang's offer. The bastard had truly amassed quite a fortune over the years. If Qin Shuang used it all to buy Qi and Blood Pills, he'd have enough to temper his Qi and Blood for a while!
"Please swear you won't kill me, Brother Qin, and I'll tell you where I've hidden my valuables."
Liang Chang spoke, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
He was worried Qin Shuang wouldn't keep his word and would kill him as soon as he got the goods.
"Since you're not sincere, then die right now!"
Qin Shuang grabbed Liang Chang by the collar, his gaze dark and his killing intent razor-sharp.
Even if he killed Liang Chang, he could still find the stash. It would just take more time.
A terrifying surge of Qi and Blood poured out. Qi and Blood coalesced around Qin Shuang into the shadow of a tiger nearly a zhang tall, bearing down on Liang Chang!
"Wait... don't... I'll tell you!"
Seeing that Qin Shuang was ready to kill him, Liang Chang's heart sank. He hurriedly spoke. "I-It's in the basement of Fugui Courtyard No. 16."
At that moment,
Liang Chang knew perfectly well that if he didn't say anything, he'd die at once. If he did, there was still a chance he'd live.
"If you try any tricks, I'll make you wish you were dead!"
Qin Shuang looked at Liang Chang, his eyes filled with killing intent.
"I... I wouldn't dare..."
Liang Chang spoke in terror.
Qin Shuang then found a dishcloth in the room and stuffed it into Liang Chang's mouth. He picked him up and used Grass on Flying to head for the bank of Clear Water River. Before leaving, he made sure to search the bodies. All he found on Chen Gui and Big Head was three hundred copper coins.
With the Bone Forging Realm's Qi and Blood Wolf Smoke, Qin Shuang carried Liang Chang as easily as a scarecrow!
Qin Shuang hid Liang Chang in a dense thicket by the riverbank and tied him to a tree, binding all four limbs until he looked like a rice dumpling. After taking his keys, Qin Shuang picked up the cage of dragonflies and earthworms and headed for Fugui Courtyard.
Fugui Courtyard was a residential complex built by the Flying Eagle Gang in Qingzhou City. It had rockeries, bamboo groves, lotus ponds, little bridges over winding streams, and elegant pavilions and towers. Everyone who lived there was rich or powerful.
Each residence sat on a plot twenty zhang across, with a bluestone-paved training ground and a courtyard in the middle, enclosed by walls more than a zhang high.
The residences stood ten zhang apart.
Purple bamboo grew in the spaces between them, its leaves rustling in the breeze.
"So this is Liang Chang's residence?"
Qin Shuang arrived at Fugui Courtyard and found the residence marked No. 16. A large iron padlock hung on the gate. After looking around to make sure no one was passing by, he used the key to unlock it and went inside.
Grass sprouted from the gaps between the courtyard's bluestone slabs.
Qin Shuang shut the gate and headed toward the main hall.
In the left side room, he spotted an Eight Horses Painting on the wall beside the bed. He lifted it and found a bump about the size of an egg behind it. Qin Shuang pressed the bump down, then lifted the quilt on the bed.
"Click!"
A soft sound rang out. A square opening, three chi wide, appeared in the bed frame. A faint light glimmered below. He could see eleven bluestone steps leading down to an underground room paved with bluestone slabs.
"Looks like Liang Chang wasn't lying."
Qin Shuang looked into the underground room, found an oil lamp, and lit it. Holding the lamp, he went down, keeping a cautious eye on the light.
The basement was about two zhang across. In the corner stood three red-lacquered chests, one large and two small. The large chest was three chi wide, and each small one was two chi wide.
Qin Shuang found a long pole, went over, and pried open one of the chests.
At once, a chest full of gleaming silver ingots appeared before him.
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