Hate Heart Demonic Art

Rainwater streamed down the tiles, forming a curtain of water.

Wu Qianhuan's hand paused just as she was about to reach for the wine jug. She looked up at Chu Qing.

"What did you say?"

Chu Qing looked at Wu Qianhuan and smiled faintly.

"You heard me. And you heard right."

"...Why?"

"To kill someone."

"Who?"

"Tang Xi."

"Your reason?"

"I'm an assassin. Naturally, someone wants him dead, so I'm going to kill him."

Wu Qianhuan's smile turned cold.

"Luoyu Hall is part of my Heavenly Dance City, and its chief hall master is a favored guest of my father.

"It's also one of the major powers in Heavenly Dance City...

"Do you think I'd let you kill one of my people in Heavenly Dance City?"

Chu Qing didn't even hesitate.

"You would."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because he isn't one of your people."

"What proof do you have?"

"He's cultivating the Hate Heart Demonic Art."

As they traded questions and answers, the instant Chu Qing uttered the words "Hate Heart Demonic Art," Wu Qianhuan's expression changed abruptly.

Then came silence. Only after a long while did Wu Qianhuan speak.

"How can you be sure?"

"I saw... a hate-heart victim."

As soon as Chu Qing finished speaking, a sharp crack rang out. Wu Qianhuan had crushed the wine cup in her hand.

The Hate Heart Demonic Art was a notorious demonic martial art in the martial world.

To practice it, one had to nurture a hate-heart victim.

A hate-heart victim was someone who hated the practitioner to the very core.

Practitioners would often use a special method to plant a Demonic Seed in their victims, then subject them to all manner of unspeakable horrors.

They murdered their victims' entire families, violated their wives and daughters—their deeds were often so vile that Heaven itself could not abide them.

Thus, hatred nourished the Demonic Seed. Once the victim's hatred reached its peak, the seed would be fully formed.

Then the practitioner could cut out the victim's heart while they were still alive and consume it to cultivate their power, allowing their Internal Energy Technique to advance by leaps and bounds in a single day.

That was why Tang Xi had told Er Gou that he had killed the woman who was to become Er Gou's wife, yet refused to let Er Gou die.

If Er Gou died, all the effort that had gone into this would be for nothing.

Wu Qianhuan let out a long breath and looked at Chu Qing.

"But... this is still just your side of the story. How am I supposed to believe you?"

"You already believe me."

Chu Qing sighed.

"Tell me, what do you want?"

"I want to go with you."

"Fine."

"I absolutely won't hold you back. I... What did you say?"

Wu Qianhuan had been about to persuade Chu Qing to take her along.

But then she came back to her senses and realized that Chu Qing had just said... fine?

She stared at Chu Qing in disbelief.

"You... are you sure you didn't misspeak?"

Chu Qing spread his hands.

"Miss Wu is highly skilled and willing to lend me a hand. Why wouldn't I accept such a windfall?

"But let's be clear from the start: the contract is mine, and so is the payment. Miss Wu won't get a single silver coin."

There was some truth to his words. Wu Qianhuan was highly skilled. Before he obtained Swift Flying Sword and Purple Cloud Divine Skill, if Chu Qing had faced her head-on, she would have beaten him into a frantic retreat.

Besides, she wasn't some willful, self-important young lady who would only drag him down.

With her there, tonight's assassination would go more smoothly.

And he'd expected her to come along anyway.

"...You think I care?"

Wu Qianhuan felt that this man was starting to get on her nerves again.

Chu Qing smiled.

"Besides that, we need to agree on three rules."

"What three rules?"

"First, I call the shots on everything during this mission."

"Fine. What's the second?"

"Second, I call the shots on everything during this mission."

"...And the third is the same?"

Wu Qianhuan felt the veins in her forehead starting to throb again.

Especially when she saw Chu Qing brazenly nod. The man was truly detestable... even though she hadn't seen his face yet.

"You're an amateur, after all. If you don't listen to me and something goes wrong, I won't save you.

"So, for your own safety, you'd better do everything I say."

"...Fine."

Wu Qianhuan took a deep breath, steadying herself.

"When do you need the defensive plans?"

"The sooner, the better..."

Chu Qing glanced at the rain overhead.

"Heaven's on our side. Tonight's the perfect opportunity."

"Come with me to the City Lord's Mansion."

Wu Qianhuan stood up without a second thought, but Chu Qing didn't move.

She turned to look at him. Chu Qing waved a hand.

"Do you think it's easy to break into the City Lord's Mansion? Besides, what if Miss Wu decides to play dirty and sets a trap there? I'd be walking right into it.

"I'll wait here. Hurry back, Miss."

"..."

Wu Qianhuan didn't want to waste another word. She leaped away.

Chu Qing smiled faintly and glanced at the dishes on the table. He swallowed, but didn't touch a thing.

That woman was up to no good. Every dish on the table was one of his favorites.

Wu Qianhuan didn't return particularly quickly. About the time it took to burn one incense stick, a black-clothed figure appeared before Chu Qing.

Apart from a pair of eyes, not a single bit of skin was exposed.

She first inspected the dishes on the table very carefully. Disappointment flickered in her eyes.

Then she flicked her hand and tossed Chu Qing a bamboo tube. He opened it and took out the map inside.

He studied it carefully, praising it as he read.

"So you weren't just testing Tang Xi on a whim at the Chu Family today.

"This defensive map is so detailed, and the annotations leave nothing out. It seems the City Lord's Mansion had already been planning to deal with Luoyu Hall."

"To fend off foreign threats, you must first secure your own house."

Wu Qianhuan snorted.

"Ten Thousand Night Valley has been growing more and more brazen lately. A battle must be just around the corner.

"Luoyu Hall is harboring treacherous intentions. Even without knowing that Tang Xi was practicing a demonic art or that Liu Shijie was colluding with the Iron Horse Seven Bandits, they're still suspicious at every turn and can't be trusted.

"If war breaks out, we'll have to bring them under control first.

"Even if they're innocent, preparing in advance can only do us good."

"Wouldn't that sow discord?"

"They'd need to have a heart to lose one."

Chu Qing laughed at that. Yes, neither of them should mistake the other for a fool.

Wu Ganqi could hold on to his position as City Lord of Heavenly Dance City and keep the storms raging from every direction at bay. He certainly wasn't some brute who knew nothing but swinging an axe.

When people were making small moves right under his nose, even if he didn't catch them, he'd still grow wary.

Hadn't Chu Qing come to Wu Qianhuan for the defensive map today precisely because he'd guessed that the City Lord's Mansion had already set its sights on Luoyu Hall?

Chu Qing put the map away and stood.

"Let's go."

Luoyu Hall was in the western part of the city.

In the very center of West Street stood a sprawling compound.

Taking advantage of the night, the two ran through the rain. In no time, they reached the wall surrounding Luoyu Hall.

They listened closely. A moment later, footsteps passed by.

They exchanged a glance, then leaped up and landed inside the courtyard.

With the defensive map in hand, they moved through the compound as if strolling in a garden. They knew where the patrols were, when the guards changed shifts, and how much time passed between rounds.

Before long, the two had made their way to Tang Xi's courtyard.

They stopped cautiously on the rooftop. Chu Qing reached out and lifted a roof tile.

A wanton moan immediately drifted out from the room.

Wu Qianhuan's face flushed. She couldn't help glancing at Chu Qing, only to see delight flickering in his eyes.

Then she saw Chu Qing signal to her.

His meaning was clear... Make your move!