"Now, it's your turn."
Chen Xuan stood amid the Blood Wolf Gang members sprawled across the ground, wailing in agony, and looked up at Liu Lie.
"You... you're not at the Seventh Stage of Body Tempering."
Liu Lie's voice was dry, his face utterly ghastly.
The hand gripping his ghost-head broadsword trembled faintly. Chen Xuan had disposed of thirty or forty Blood Wolf Gang members in just a few moves, each strike capable of snapping bones, tearing tendons, and sending flesh and blood flying.
Such strength was absolutely not something someone at the Seventh Stage of Body Tempering could possess.
Chen Xuan did not answer. He merely walked toward him.
One step.
Two steps.
Each step seemed to land directly on Liu Lie's chest.
"Ah—"
Finally unable to bear the pressure, Liu Lie roared and swung his ghost-head broadsword at Chen Xuan.
Chaotic Cloak Blade Technique!
Layers upon layers of blade shadows filled the air, so dense that not even water could pass through.
Yet Chen Xuan was not flustered in the slightest. If he were merely at the Eighth Layer of Body Tempering, his body might be strong, but he still could not meet a sharp weapon head-on.
Though the Shenyong Realm of the Eighth Layer of Body Tempering surpassed the limits of the human body, it was still flesh and blood in the end.
But Chen Xuan was not at the Eighth Layer of Body Tempering. He was at the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering.
With a thought, surging force gathered around his fists, instantly enveloping both hands and forming invisible fist force. Then he rushed forward in two strides, his fists raining down like a dense storm.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
After several collisions, the blade shadows that had been so impenetrable were easily ripped apart like fragile paper due to the enormous gap in strength.
Liu Lie felt as though his ghost-head broadsword had struck an iron wall. The shock numbed the web of his hand, and he could barely hold onto the hilt.
His body staggered backward more than ten steps of its own accord.
"You... you're a Transfor—"
Liu Lie's eyes widened, disbelief written across his face. But before he could finish, Chen Xuan's fist came crashing toward him.
Terrified, Liu Lie hastily held his ghost-head broadsword horizontally before him to block the punch.
Clang!
The force of the punch slammed into the blade, producing an ear-splitting metallic crash.
Liu Lie felt a mountain-toppling, sea-overturning force surge through the blade. The web of his hand split open at once, the ghost-head broadsword flew from his grasp, and he stumbled back several more steps.
The other fist followed close behind.
This punch shot straight for Liu Lie's face.
Liu Lie's face turned deathly pale. He wanted to dodge, but his body could not react in time. He could only cross his arms before him as force surged wildly through them, trying to block the blow.
Crack—
A crisp sound of breaking bones rang out. Liu Lie's arms bent at grotesque angles, and he was sent flying backward again, smashing heavily into the wall behind him. Spiderweb-like cracks instantly spread across the wall.
Liu Lie slid down to the ground, blood gushing wildly from his mouth. His arms hung limply at his sides, utterly ruined.
Pfft!
Chen Xuan appeared before Liu Lie and struck the crown of his head with one palm.
Liu Lie's eyes instantly went dull. His body collapsed limply, utterly silent.
Silence!
At the crossroads.
A deathly silence!
The Blood Wolf Gang members lying on the ground trembled in terror. Several had even wet themselves.
Liu Lie, at the Seventh Stage of Body Tempering, had been beaten to death just like that by this young man who looked to be under twenty?
At that moment, Chen Xuan turned to look at the twenty Red Sun Gang members behind him and said flatly, "Clean up the battlefield. Drive every Blood Wolf Gang member out of town."
"Y-Yes, Branch Master!"
Only then did the twenty gang members come back to their senses and hurriedly answer.
They immediately drew their blades and rushed forward, slitting the throats of every Blood Wolf Gang member lying on the ground who had already lost the ability to fight.
Less than half an hour later.
The Blood Wolf Gang members left behind in Qingshi Town had all been thoroughly cleared out. Another small earthen mound had appeared on the hill behind the town.
When the townspeople saw that the Red Sun Gang had regained control, they emerged from their homes one after another.
They were already used to such things.
"Branch Master, the shopkeepers from several stores in town wish to see you. They say they want to hold a welcome feast for you."
A gang member ran over to report.
"No need. Just find a place to eat something."
Chen Xuan waved his hand.
"There's a restaurant at the eastern end of town. The food is quite good. The previous Branch Master used to go there often."
One gang member replied.
"Lead the way."
Chen Xuan followed the gang member to a restaurant at the eastern end of town.
A sign reading "Qingshi Restaurant" hung above its entrance. Though it was not large, it was kept spotless.
The restaurant owner's surname was Wang. He was a middle-aged man in his forties.
The moment he saw Chen Xuan enter, he hurriedly came forward with a beaming smile. "You must be the new Branch Master, sir! Please come in, please come in! Today's meal is on this humble one, a welcome feast for you, Branch Master!"
Qingshi Town was not large.
Chen Xuan had killed Liu Lie, the branch master of the Blood Wolf Gang, and reclaimed control over Qingshi Town. Half an hour was more than enough for the news to spread throughout the entire town.
"No need. This is only a small business of yours. If over twenty martial artists eat here for free, I'm afraid you'll be working for nothing for ten days to half a month. We'll pay the proper price."
Chen Xuan waved his hand.
"Branch Master, you truly are righteous and honorable. This humble one will make the arrangements at once."
Hearing this, Shopkeeper Wang's smile grew even broader, and he quickly turned to order the waiters to prepare food and wine.
Chen Xuan brought his men upstairs to the second floor.
Before long.
The food and wine were served.
The twenty gang members split between two tables and wolfed down their food.
As Chen Xuan ate, he considered what path to take next.
By taking Qingshi Town.
He could earn one Great Merit.
However, exchanging for Zhuqi Realm martial arts required two Great Merits, and a Marrow Cleansing Pill that could improve one's innate talent also required two Great Merits.
Still, if he had enough silver, he could purchase Zhuqi Realm martial arts and Marrow Cleansing Pills from some large merchant associations.
Lianshan City was merely a small city and did not have such resources.
But Tiannan Prefecture City definitely did.
Just then, a burst of noisy shouting came from downstairs, mixed with the sounds of tables and chairs overturning and several screams.
"What's going on?"
Chen Xuan frowned and looked toward the first-floor hall.
He saw a blood-covered young man rush into the restaurant, stumbling and knocking over tables and chairs before collapsing onto the floor. Seven or eight black-clad men wielding sharp weapons chased after him, the silver words "Tyrant Blade" embroidered on their cuffs.
"Vajra Sect remnant, let's see where you can run now."
The leading black-clad man stepped into the restaurant with a cold sneer.
The young man struggled to rise from the ground, but his injuries were too severe. His back, shoulders, and arms were covered in saber wounds. The deepest cut ran from his left shoulder all the way to his lower back, flesh curled open in a horrifying sight.
Chen Xuan recognized him.
He was the Vajra Sect disciple who had been pursued by the Tyrant Blade Sect at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant when Chen Xuan entered the city yesterday.
He had escaped that day using the Blood Burning Secret Technique. Chen Xuan had not expected him to be caught up to again today.
"Run, then. Keep running for me."
The leading Tyrant Blade Sect disciple walked up to the young man and looked down at him, a cruel smile on his lips. Blood still dripped from the Goose Feather Saber in his hand.
The young man ignored him. With great difficulty, he raised his head and swept his gaze over the few diners in the restaurant before it finally landed on Chen Xuan by the second-floor window.
A trace of despair flashed through his eyes, followed by unwillingness.
"Whoever can save me... I'll reward them with a Zhuqi Realm cultivation technique!"
The Vajra Sect disciple spoke hoarsely. His breathing was weak, yet every word was clear.
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