Who is the Hunter, Who is the Prey

The air froze in that instant.

The surrounding black-clad men seemed to sense something as well.

Their grips on their blades tightened, their eyes darting between Gu Yichuan and Fang Mo before finally locking onto Fang Mo.

This was the jianghu.

And also the officialdom.

For the sake of profit, no ally was beyond betrayal, no merit beyond erasure.

"Fang Mo."

Gu Yichuan spoke slowly, his voice eerily soft.

"Do you know what this is?"

Fang Mo blinked, his face breaking into that trademark simpleton grin.

"Milord, this red little pill looks rather festive."

"Is it some kind of tonic?"

"Subordinate is ignorant; I don't recognize it."

He was playing dumb.

Trying to give Gu Yichuan a reason not to kill him.

See, I don't know this is a forbidden drug, I'm no threat—you take the thing and leave, I'll pretend nothing happened, alright?

Gu Yichuan smiled.

The corner of his mouth behind the mask curled into a cruel arc.

"Not recognizing it is good."

"Not recognizing it means, in your next life, you can skip a bowl of Mengpo Soup."

Before the words faded.

"Shua!"

Blade Light flashed!

Without any warning, Gu Yichuan drew his blade and swung a horizontal slash straight for Fang Mo's throat!

Fast!

Accurate!

Vicious!

This strike had been building for a while, meant to kill in one blow!

He had never planned to let Fang Mo go.

Not just Fang Mo—after killing this brat, the remaining four subordinates...

Gu Yichuan's peripheral vision swept over his own men.

Aside from his confidant Old West, the other three would have to stay here with Third Brother.

There were only three Blood Spirit Pills.

Perfect—him, Old West, and that higher-up above could split them...

"Dang!!!"

A deafening Metal Clang shattered Gu Yichuan's daydream.

He felt as if his blade had struck a block of solid steel rock.

A massive recoil surged through the hilt, numbing his tiger's mouth, and the Horse-Slaying Long Blade nearly flew from his grasp.

How was this possible?!

Gu Yichuan's eyes bulged.

Fang Mo was still crouched there, merely shifting his body slightly.

One of his hands had directly caught Gu Yichuan's Blade Edge!

That hand shimmered with a faint metallic luster.

The sharp Knife Blade cut into his palm but didn't even break the skin, leaving only a shallow white mark.

"Milord."

Fang Mo slowly raised his head.

On that originally honest, simple face, there was now not a trace of fear.

The corner of his mouth curled into a sinister smirk, and the light flickering in his eyes was even more eerie than the Blood Spirit Pill.

"Business falls through, but goodwill remains."

"This is a bit unseemly of you, isn't it?"

[Iron Bone] talent, full activation!

Gu Yichuan's heart shuddered in terror.

Was this kid's hand made of iron?

Catching a blade with bare hands?

That was something only a martial artist at least at the Bone Forging Realm's major achievement could do!

Had this kid been playing the fool to eat the tiger all along?

"Kill him! All together!"

Gu Yichuan roared, trying to pull his blade back and retreat, only to find the knife blade clenched tight in Fang Mo's grip, unmoving as stone.

The four black-clothed men weren't slow to react either.

Though shocked by Fang Mo's strength, their boss's order was an imperial decree.

Four long knives, carrying whistling wind, came from front, back, left, and right, all four directions, slashing toward Fang Mo's vital points!

This was a killing formation!

Even a Bone Forging Realm expert, with his weapon restricted, facing this kind of encirclement, would have to taste defeat on the spot.

But what these four didn't know was—

The one they faced wasn't a martial artist.

He was a cheater.

"Scram!"

Fang Mo growled low.

The blood and qi force inside his body erupted like a volcano bursting forth!

He didn't bother with those four knives.

Instead, he yanked hard on Gu Yichuan's blade, swinging the entire man like a meteor hammer, spinning him around!

"Whoosh—"

A living person weighing over a hundred jin was as light as nothing in Fang Mo's hands.

Gu Yichuan felt the world spin, his body flying uncontrollably, turned into Fang Mo's human meat shield.

"Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!"

Four long knives struck solidly against Gu Yichuan's body!

"Ahhh—!!!"

Gu Yichuan let out a miserable scream.

Though he wore inner armor, these four strikes were his own subordinates' full-powered blows!

Even though he wasn't chopped to death, the massive impact had shattered several of his ribs.

"Boss!"

The four black-clothed men were stunned stupid.

They never imagined Fang Mo would use such a dirty, underhanded tactic.

In that instant of their hesitation—

Fang Mo moved.

He released the blade in his grip, took one step forward, and in a flash closed in on the nearest black-clothed man—Old West.

No fancy moves.

Just a simple punch.

A straight punch.

"Thump!"

Fang Mo's fist slammed heavily into Old West's chest.

The Cold-Blooded talent meant this punch held nothing back, no hesitation.

Accompanied by a teeth-grinding sound of bone cracking—

Old West's chest visibly caved in, forming a big pit.

He didn't even let out a scream. His entire body flew backward three zhang, crashed into the wall of the City God Temple, and slid down like a pile of mud.

Dead on the spot.

One punch.

Instant kill.

The whole scene fell deathly still.

The remaining three black-clothed men's hands, gripping their knives, were trembling.