I'm Out. What Are You Going to Do About It?

The entire courtyard fell into sudden silence.

Ge Jingchun said nothing, and Mei Qianluo didn't utter a word either.

But unlike Ge Jingchun's calm composure, beads of cold sweat covered Mei Qianluo's forehead.

It wasn't just the pain. More than anything, it was because he had fallen for that man's trick.

Looking back, that man could have severed his arm with a single slash. He would only have needed to strike once more to take his life. So why hadn't he?

Why had he stood there talking to Wen Rou instead?

He had given Mei Qianluo a chance to escape.

But... had it really been a chance?

Mei Qianluo was weak from blood loss, short of breath, and his Internal Energy was far from what it had been. If that man really followed behind him, would he even notice?

The more he thought about it, the more horrified he became.

Ge Jingchun, meanwhile, coldly surveyed the surroundings, doing everything he could to find the fourth person in the courtyard.

Then laughter suddenly rang out. It was faint, but especially grating.

Ge Jingchun's expression darkened as he turned toward the black-clothed person on the ground.

It was a woman.

Her face was hidden behind a black veil, making her features impossible to discern, but her shapely figure was unmistakable.

She was laughing rather brazenly, making Ge Jingchun's expression turn even uglier.

"A dying woman... what are you laughing at?"

"The mighty Flying Cloud Withered Leaf had his arm severed in a single exchange.

"And the fearsome Guizhang Fulong... now looks like a coward, wary of everything around him.

"Seeing the two of you brought so low, am I not supposed to laugh?"

The woman spoke with a laugh, though her voice wasn't very loud.

After all, she was injured. She had just come back from the gates of death, and she was in no state to do much.

Ge Jingchun shook his head gently.

"If I remember correctly, you're Xia Wanshuang, the youngest daughter of the Xia Family.

"Back then, our leader led us in wiping out your entire family. You were lucky enough not to be home.

"You haven't shown yourself all these years, and we never went so far as to hunt you down.

"Why not keep your life, marry, and have children? Why seek your own death?"

As he spoke, he walked toward Xia Wanshuang.

At the same time, he stayed alert to every direction.

He suspected that the expert who had severed Mei Qianluo's arm was already nearby.

Perhaps the man had held back from appearing because Ge Jingchun was so wary.

So he deliberately pretended he was going to kill Xia Wanshuang, exposing an opening on purpose. Once the man made his move, Ge Jingchun would be able to strike like a thunderbolt!

But even after he reached Xia Wanshuang, nothing around him changed.

At that moment, even Guizhang Fulong couldn't help wondering whether he was being too suspicious.

Still, if the man hadn't come, all the better.

After killing Xia Wanshuang, he could report the matter to the leader, gather every expert of the Shashen Gang in Heavenly Dance City, and surround and kill that master together...

Thinking this, he was about to strike when a sudden chill ran through him.

The cold was no illusion. He whipped around and saw a shadow that had somehow appeared behind Mei Qianluo.

The figure was shrouded in darkness, and Ge Jingchun couldn't make out his features.

But he could see the hand holding the knife.

The blade lay across Mei Qianluo's throat. Mei Qianluo's mouth moved, but not a single word came out.

Had his mute acupoint been sealed!?

Someone had restrained his body too. His arms could move, but he couldn't reach behind him to grab the attacker.

There was nothing he could do but wait for death!

"Stop!!"

Ge Jingchun cried out, his heart turning to ice.

He had been alert enough. His plan to expose an opening by using Xia Wanshuang had even worked.

But the outcome was nothing like he'd imagined.

He couldn't tell when the man had appeared. The man moved without making the slightest sound!

The instant the thought crossed his mind, the blade had already swept around Mei Qianluo's throat. His head didn't fall; another hand had caught him by the hair.

Ge Jingchun's eyes bulged with rage.

He and Mei Qianluo had known each other for decades. They had served as the Shashen Gang's Second Boss and Third Boss, respectively. Though they'd had their share of minor disagreements, their bond had remained deep.

He had never imagined that one day he would watch Mei Qianluo's head be cut off right before his eyes, unable to do a thing.

Ge Jingchun pushed off with one foot, his body shooting forward like an arrow loosed from its string.

But before he had rushed even a few yards, Mei Qianluo's headless corpse came hurtling toward him.

Ge Jingchun's expression darkened. He thrust out both hands and caught the body, only to feel purple light swirling around it, carrying immense force. He was driven backward, unable to stop himself.

He didn't halt until he reached the doorway.

When he looked up again, the person who had been in the courtyard was gone.

"Come out!!"

Ge Jingchun's voice dropped to an angry growl.

He didn't shout because he was worried the Heavenly Dance Guard might hear him.

He picked up the Dragon Head Crutch beside the door.

It was his weapon.

Guizhang Fulong mainly referred to his Subduing Dragon Staff Technique. The word "Guizhang" described his cunning and many schemes.

But no matter how many tricks he had, none would help him now.

The newcomer had appeared and vanished like a phantom, easily cutting down Mei Qianluo as though he were no Shashen Gang Third Boss, but merely some nobody of no importance.

Against skills like these, Ge Jingchun could think of nothing else to do.

After he shouted, something really did come out.

A dark object came whistling toward him.

Ge Jingchun guessed at once that it was Mei Qianluo's head.

He wanted to bring down his staff and smash it to pieces.

But in the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He dodged to the side and let the head fly into the room.

He was about to follow its path and search for the person hiding in the shadows when a gust of force suddenly struck from behind.

When did he get behind me?

Ge Jingchun's heart tightened. He spun around and swung the Dragon Head Crutch. With a bang, he sent the person behind him flying.

But Ge Jingchun felt not the slightest joy.

Because the person he had sent flying... was Xia Wanshuang!

A flicker of blade light was caught in the corner of his eye. A bone-chilling killing intent had already reached his back.

This time... it was real!

But Ge Jingchun was already too late to turn around.

He had just unleashed a forceful strike. His strength was spent, and he hadn't yet gathered new strength.

Even knowing the blade behind him would take his life, he couldn't react at all.

Shhk!!

The blade sank into flesh, making a sound like silk tearing.

He had thought the blade would come down from somewhere like his shoulder, but he never imagined it would come from beneath his armpit.

It wasn't a slash... it was a thrust!

The blade burst out through his shoulder, drenched in blood. Just thinking that it was his own blood made Ge Jingchun's whole body turn cold.

He cried out, trying to get away.

But how could he move with a blade running through him?

The blade shifted, and with a wet pop, one of his arms was torn off.

Then a chill ran through his ankles. He looked down and saw thin streams of blood trickling around his heels. Instinctively, he tried to step forward. His legs lifted, but his feet stayed behind.

With a thud, he pitched forward onto the ground.

Then a voice came from above his head.

"You told me to come out, so I did. What are you going to do about it?"