Monster

"What do you want?" A thug built like a skinny monkey sneered from the side. "This block belongs to our Thunderbolt Gang. Who gave you permission to set up a stall here?"

Not wanting trouble, Jiang Che took several dozen copper coins from his money pouch. "A small token of respect. Please use it to buy yourselves some wine."

Zhao Hu snatched up the money and weighed it in his hand, but his expression only darkened. "That's it? You think we're beggars?"

Skinny Monkey yanked Jiang Che's bundle away, pulling out the paper-wrapped roast chicken within. He gave a strange laugh. "Oh? Eating roast chicken, are you? Pretty rich, huh!"

Jiang Che's gaze gradually turned cold. "You have the money, and you can have the roast chicken too. Now get out of the way."

"Get out of the way?" Zhao Hu bared his teeth in a vicious grin. "Kid, you've been running a stall here this long. Have you ever paid us tribute? If you don't hand over a full tael of silver today, don't even think about leaving!"

Jiang Che took a deep breath, his fists slowly tightening.

"I don't have that much money," he said calmly.

"No money?"

Skinny Monkey approached with a club in hand.

"Then we'll break one of your legs!"

The club came whistling toward him.

Jiang Che moved.

He entered Flow State!

His perfected White Cloud Fist flowed like drifting clouds and running water as he drove a punch into Skinny Monkey's abdomen.

The man instantly doubled over like a shrimp, sour fluid spilling from his mouth.

Zhao Hu was startled and swung his club down, but Jiang Che slipped aside.

He spun back with an elbow strike, smashing it hard into the man's jaw!

Crack!

The sound of shattering bone was crystal clear.

The third thug had only just charged forward when Jiang Che swept his leg out and knocked him flat!

In just a few breaths, all three men were on the ground, howling in pain.

With White Cloud Fist now perfected, dealing with a few thugs could not have been easier!

After picking up his bundle,

Jiang Che said coldly, "Get lost."

Clutching his jaw, Zhao Hu glared at him with venomous eyes, yet he did not dare utter another threat. He staggered to his feet and fled.

After running a short distance, Skinny Monkey suddenly turned back and shrieked:

"Jiang Che! I know you! You live in South District Rag Alley, and you've got a little sister! Just you wait! My brother is Brother Blade of the Thunderbolt Gang, a Blood-Qi Realm martial artist! You're dead!"

Jiang Che's pupils shrank.

The Thunderbolt Gang acted with ruthless cruelty.

If he let them return,

he and Jiang Ling would surely die!

He did not dare gamble, and he could not afford to gamble!

"Why are you forcing me? Why?!"

Jiang Che clenched his fists until his fingers crackled.

He stared coldly at the three men, then slowly walked toward them again.

"Y-you... what are you doing?" Seeing Jiang Che turn back, Skinny Monkey immediately panicked and hurried backward.

"They cannot be allowed to leave alive!"

That was the only thought left in Jiang Che's mind.

He suddenly rushed forward, arriving before the three of them in an instant!

He raised his fist, about to strike.

[Omen] activated!

A deadly sense of danger pricked his skin like needles, sending a chill down his spine!

Jiang Che looked up.

Within the shadows at the far end of the alley,

a pair of glowing green eyes was fixed upon him!

Though that black silhouette walked upright,

its movements were twisted and unnatural.

It did not resemble a human, but rather a wild beast!

"What the hell is that?!"

Jiang Che's scalp went numb, and he instinctively took a step back.

Seeing Jiang Che suddenly stop,

the three thugs assumed he had lost his nerve.

They immediately broke into shrill mockery:

"Hahaha, trash is still trash! Scared now?"

"Weren't you acting all high and mighty just now?"

"Just wait, Brother Blade will—"

Before he could finish,

Splurt!

Skinny Monkey's head suddenly flew into the air!

Blood erupted from his severed neck like a fountain.

It splashed across Zhao Hu's face and that of the other thug.

They stood frozen like wooden chickens.

Before they could react,

the black shadow had already flashed behind them!

Two shriveled, enormous palms covered in green fur

gripped their heads respectively!

Pop!

A sound like watermelons bursting rang out.

In the blink of an eye, the three thugs had become headless corpses!

Every hair on Jiang Che's body stood on end!

The Monster raised its head.

Matted hair covered its face, making its features impossible to see.

Only those two oily green eyes

stared straight at him.

Whoosh!

The Monster kicked off the ground and pounced!

At the threshold of life and death,

Run!!!

Jiang Che roared inwardly.

At once, he felt his dantian tremble.

His Qi-Blood erupted with a thunderous boom!

[Breakthrough: Blood-Qi Realm!]

Without hesitation, he turned and ran!

Borrowing the power of his Qi-Blood,

he leaped more than a zhang in one bound!

The Monster's pounce struck empty air.

It watched Jiang Che's retreating back but did not give chase.

Instead, it slowly turned toward the three corpses.

Riiip—

The sound of flesh being torn echoed through the alley.

It was followed by a crunch, crunch of chewing.

The sound was enough to make one's hair stand on end.

Jiang Che ran all the way home, slammed the door shut, and found his heart still pounding violently.

"What the hell was that thing?!"

Remembering the recent disappearances and the "unclean" things the scholar had mentioned, a chill ran down his back.

This world was far more dangerous than he had imagined!

"Brother, why are you breathing so hard?"

Jiang Ling looked up from beside the stove, her little face smudged with soot.

She was tending the fire to cook porridge. The thin rice porridge in the pot bubbled away, with a few vegetable leaves spinning through the broth.

After catching his breath, Jiang Che casually wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"I ran a little. I'm fine." Smiling, he shook the paper bundle in his hand. "Look, what's this?"

The moment the paper was lifted, the aroma of roast chicken filled the entire house.

Jiang Ling's eyes instantly lit up.

"Roast chicken!"

She rushed over, then suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked up at him suspiciously.

"Brother, where did you get the money?"

"Business has been good lately, writing letters for people. I saved up a little!"

Jiang Che avoided his sister's probing gaze, not daring to mention that he had been forging calligraphy and paintings for others.

Besides, now that he had broken through to the Blood-Qi Realm, earning money would become much easier.

Still, he decided to wait until tomorrow, when he went to the Martial Arts Hall to obtain his official disciple status and receive his disciple uniform, before telling Jiang Ling and giving her a surprise.

"Really? That's wonderful!"

Jiang Ling did not suspect a thing.

Knowing that her brother had earned money, she was filled with joy.

Smiling, Jiang Che tore off a glossy chicken leg and handed it to her.

As Jiang Ling accepted it, golden oil dripped down her fingers.

She suddenly remembered the day their father had bought roast chicken three years ago.

"If only Father and Mother were here..."

The cheerful atmosphere instantly froze.

"I'll find them."

Jiang Che's voice was soft, yet incomparably firm.

Now that he had broken through to the Blood-Qi Realm and awakened the talent skill [Omen], he finally had some ability to protect himself.

It was time to go to Hengsha City and investigate his parents' whereabouts.

Though he knew full well that, in times like these, disappearance practically meant death,

if he did not get to the bottom of it, he would never be at peace.

"Mm."

Jiang Ling answered softly.

Late that night, Jiang Che lay on the hard plank bed while Linger's steady breathing came from next door.

Moonlight seeped through the crack in the window, drawing a deathly pale line across the floor.

He stared at that streak of light, but all he could see was the pair of green eyes from the alley.

"Even after breaking through to the Blood-Qi Realm, I'm still completely no match for it..."

"I have to become stronger!"

The next day, while dawn was still gray,

Jiang Che slipped out without a sound.

As he neared that dark alley from yesterday,

Jiang Che could not help growing tense.

He deliberately softened his footsteps.

At the same time, he vigilantly observed his surroundings.

The Monster from last night had left far too great an impact on him.

As he drew closer, a faint scent of blood drifted over.

More than a dozen people were gathered at the mouth of the alley, whispering among themselves.

Jiang Che pretended to be passing by and quietly edged closer.