Scheming!

After dealing with the matter, Chen Han finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He came to the familiar shop. As expected, just as the old man from the Black Mountain Gang had guessed, it was closed.

The Black Market was set up on an island in the lake so customers and merchants would be harder to follow when they left, giving them a measure of security.

But there was no such thing as a wall without cracks, much less absolute security.

If someone was determined to break through it, it wasn't impossible.

Chen Han didn't linger and headed straight back.

The journey was calm and uneventful, with nothing amiss.

As usual, Chen Han wore black robes and a black veil over his bamboo hat.

The night was as dark as ink, and a thin mist hung in the air. This time, Chen Han didn't go to the little house outside the city. Instead, he headed toward a mountain ravine.

The old man had warned him about this earlier. There were too many people around the wooden cabin, and any disturbance would easily be noticed.

After walking for a while, Chen Han reached a somewhat secluded ravine. Before him was a Limestone Cavern, from within which the steady sound of dripping water could often be heard.

Chen Han walked inside. At the same time, from a concealed spot behind him, a tall, graceful figure paused. After hesitating for a moment, she followed him in.

The Limestone Cavern was quite large, with a wide-open area hidden inside. There was only one way in or out—it was a dead end.

"You stinking woman, you really did fall for it. All my painstaking efforts weren't wasted after all."

A voice rang out. On a small ledge along the Limestone Cavern's upper wall, a disheveled old man stood with his arms crossed, laughing wildly.

Standing behind him was Chen Han, glaring angrily at the woman below.

"Aunt Xue'er, you're so heartless! I kindly did business with you time and again, yet you repaid my kindness with treachery. You even dared use a gu to plot against me!"

Qing Xue looked astonished, as though she could hardly believe these two had joined forces.

"You old bastard, so it was you! First you robbed this young lady, and now you dare plot to kill me. Did you really think I was a pushover?"

She glared at the old man, her gaze dark and menacing.

"Hahahaha! You stinking woman, you're on the verge of death and still dare to run your mouth? I'll make sure to beat that arrogance out of you!"

"Shameless scoundrel!"

"Aunt Xue'er, since you were the one who didn't know what was good for you and tried to harm me, I have no choice but to take you down first. As it happens, I'm short a bedchamber maid. You can warm my feet from now on."

A cold smile spread across Chen Han's face as his fighting spirit surged higher and higher. The old man chuckled inwardly. Young friend, you're still too green. Do you really think you'll leave here alive? I'm not just taking the woman—I'm taking your money, too.

Even if Chen Han wanted nothing, he still had to die!

The Black Market was a considerable power. If word of this got out, it would likely cause him trouble.

Better to go all the way and kill them all, leaving no loose ends.

One had just entered Transformation Force, while the other was an ordinary Transformation Force expert. Even together, they were no match for him. How could they possibly win?

I'll let that kid make the first move. Once they've both worn each other down, the slaughter begins.

That was what the old man thought. But in the very next instant, tremendous force crashed into him from behind. His body went limp, and he was sent smashing down from the cliff wall, his back nearly shattered.

He clenched his teeth and let out a hoarse, ugly rasp, his eyes blazing with fury.

"You brat, you—"

The old man staggered to his feet, blood pouring from his mouth. Half his face was a bloody mess, pale bone showing through. He was barely recognizable.

He glared at Chen Han, his eyes bulging like copper bells, as hideous as a demon from the Yellow Springs.

Chen Han had feigned a fight with that young woman. The old man hadn't been on guard; who could have guessed the boy's real target was him? He had taken a solid punch before he could react.

The blow had been extremely heavy. It hurt so badly his teeth bared, and he suspected several bones had broken.

"Senior, you give me far too little credit."

Chen Han's face was as cold and smooth as sculpted jade, calm and unruffled. A faint, icy smile touched his lips, a stark contrast to his earlier guileless, fawning manner.

"You..."

The old man glared at Chen Han, wishing he could tear him limb from limb and throw him into a boiling cauldron of oil.

"So Wu Duan was killed by you... You realized I had no good intentions in working with you, but you didn't run because Wu Duan was investigating you. Black Lion City is so small that if he uncovered your identity, there'd be nowhere to flee."

The old man forced the words through clenched teeth.

Chen Han looked at him coldly and gave no sign that he intended to answer.

"Killing more than fifty of my men wasn't enough—you even killed the renowned Wu Duan. And now you've outplayed me and trapped me in a desperate situation... What a kid! What a kid! Impressive, impressive!"

At the same time, even Qing Xue was startled. So that person was him.

The old man looked like a hideous demon as he turned his gaze to the tall Qing Xue.

She wore a mocking expression, her slender hands clapping as her rosy lips parted. "Old bastard, your brains aren't even enough to wipe my ass, yet you thought you could trick my good nephew?"

Just then, several figures emerged from the Limestone Cavern's only entrance. A closer look revealed that they were all martial artists at the Dark Force level!

When Chen Han bought medicine for the second time, he had let the information slip, seemingly by accident, and left a note asking her to play along and set the old bastard up.

"Good nephew, well done. Your aunt didn't misjudge you."

She winked at Chen Han, then turned to the old man. "Old bastard, where are my beads? If you don't tell me, I have countless ways to make you wish you were dead."

"Hmph. I've always been cautious in everything I do. I've never been outplayed before, yet today I've fallen at the hands of a young man."

Chen Han had called him "Senior" again and again, which had made him feel rather favorably disposed toward the boy. That was why he'd let his guard down, leading to this situation.

Thinking back on it now, he truly regretted it.

But it was too late for regrets.

He had heard of this woman. She was a gu master from the Southern Border, vicious and cruel by nature. If he fell into her hands, death might well be preferable—but if he could escape, then of course he should try.

But now, ambushes surrounded him on every side. Eight Dark Force experts and two Transformation Force experts could wear him down to death just by exhausting him. And trapped in such a narrow place, there was no way up to heaven or down to earth. He could only fight for his life.

He would try to carve a bloody path out.

With that thought, his muscles bulged, his eyes turned bloodshot, and he became like a beast cornered against a wall.

"Fine. If you refuse to yield, then you can die."

Qing Xue narrowed her beautiful eyes. "Kill the old bastard. When we get back, each of you gets twenty catties of meat."

The eight Black Market Heroic Assassins' eyes lit up.

Twenty catties of meat was worth nearly four hundred silver coins—enough to keep them fed and comfortable for most of their lives. How could they not be excited?

At once, several of them surged forward, determined to hack him into pieces.