The Cunning Villain

After returning home, Chen Jing first comforted Chen Chunmiao, whose emotions were on the verge of collapse, and let her rest.

Only after the house had quieted down did Chen Jing leave the room and begin practicing the Five Harms Technique.

Over the past half month, Chen Jing had thoroughly mastered the Five Harms Technique. With it running at five times its normal speed, he had also accumulated a considerable amount of qi and blood.

If he unleashed it all in an instant, his attacks would multiply in power, enough to tear through the defenses of martial artists at the same level.

His fists struck in a flurry, the air resounding with each blow.

With every punch, the fury in Chen Jing's chest was gradually forced back down.

But whenever he remembered Chen Chunmiao holding back her tears and forcing a smile as she said, "I'll marry into their family alongside Miss Ren," his fists clenched tight.

That bastard Xie Chong!

After throwing a few more punches, Chen Jing gradually calmed down and began to assess the situation.

"Xie Chong's brother-in-law is Hu Duanzhuo, a Third Blood Martial Artist... I may have become Fei Feng's formal disciple, but my aptitude is mediocre. Fei Feng would never fall out with Hu Duanzhuo for my sake."

"And Senior Brother Zhuang? Although he's a Second Blood Martial Artist and his family runs a restaurant, his foundation still can't compare to that of a Third Blood Martial Artist... So even if he wanted to help, there'd be little he could do."

One option after another passed through his mind.

In the end, only one remained.

He would have to do it himself.

And he had to take care of Xie Chong without a sound!

At that thought, Chen Jing took out the prepared bag of lime, then fished out a few rusty nails he'd found in a scrap-iron pile and tied them together with a cord, making a heavy little bundle.

Then he went to the cesspit behind the courtyard and slowly submerged the bundle of blackened nails in it.

Rusty nails and filth water—even if they didn't kill a man, they could infect a wound and make it rot.

It was a contingency plan in case he couldn't finish Xie Chong off!

Only after everything was done did Chen Jing finally fall into a deep sleep.

Two days later.

For the past two days, Chen Jing had barely slept. He had secretly followed Xie Chong while also investigating his every move.

His efforts had paid off, and he gradually uncovered some crucial information.

Xie Chong and his brother-in-law Hu Duanzhuo... weren't close.

In the two days since, Xie Chong hadn't even gone to visit him.

Xie Chong lived in the wealthy district of East City, far from the Eight Desolations Academy, while Hu Duanzhuo spent most of his time at the martial arts school. So he couldn't keep an eye on Xie Chong at all.

This news made the killing intent in Chen Jing's heart all the steadier and colder.

Over those same two days, Chen Jing had also learned that Xie Chong never bothered with anything proper. He just liked drinking, visiting brothels, and picking fights.

Because of Hu Duanzhuo's influence, those around Xie Chong didn't dare truly fight him.

Besides, Xie Chong wasn't stupid. The women he forced into marrying him all came from ordinary families with neither influence nor martial artists.

So, relying on his status as a martial artist, Xie Chong had forced no shortage of women to marry him without anyone coming after him.

Because he was a martial artist, because Hu Duanzhuo stood behind him.

A scoundrel like that—let him live?

Impossible.

Night had fallen, deep and dark.

The Hundred Flowers Pavilion glowed with dim yellow lights, its air thick with the mingled scents of wine and perfume.

With his arms around the courtesan he'd just enjoyed, Xie Chong stepped out of the room, smelling of wine and rouge. A lascivious, unsatisfied grin curled his lips.

"Brother Lin, I'm taking two new concubines in a couple of days. Do me the honor of coming to drink at the wedding!"

Xie Chong slurred, patting the man beside him on the shoulder.

"Of course! You and I have been brothers in brothels for years. I'll definitely be there!"

The man beside him responded with a drunken salute, then left with his guards.

"Master Xie, once you have your new concubines, don't forget about me~"

The courtesan in Xie Chong's arms spoke with a bewitching smile.

"Of course. After I get tired of them, I'll come see you again~"

Xie Chong laughed, belched, and gave the courtesan's backside a hard pinch. Then, with his two guards, he staggered off toward home.

"I didn't expect tonight's courtesan to be so good."

"Heh heh, in a couple of days, I'll have Ren Zhining in my hands..."

As he walked, Xie Chong grinned to himself at the thought.

"Young Master, I heard Ren Zhining's maid will be coming along too. When the time comes... heh heh... once you've had your fill, let us have a taste, too?"

One guard sidled over with a lecherous grin.

"That's right, Young Master. We've been holding out for a long time..."

The other guard hurried to chime in.

"Heh heh, you two want a taste, too!"

Xie Chong wasn't angry. Instead, he said with a grin, "It's only because you're with me—I'm generous. Anywhere else, you'd be beaten to death with clubs!"

"Heh heh, that's because you're kindhearted, Young Master!"

The two guards hurried to flatter him, and the air filled with lecherous laughter and sleazy grins.

Just then, Xie Chong felt a sudden urge to piss. He turned to the two men and said, "Wait here. I'm going to drain the tank!"

With that, Xie Chong strode into the dim alley beside them, undid his belt, and began to relieve himself.

The alley was pitch-black, the night breeze cool.

The instant Xie Chong undid his belt, the killing move began.

A blade-cold intent, lying in wait for a long time, suddenly blossomed in the darkness!

Dressed in black and with black cloth covering his face, Chen Jing's eyes were the only thing visible. Like a streak of black light, he shot out of the shadows. With explosive speed, he covered several yards and pounced on the first guard.

His fist clenched like iron, his qi and blood surging to their limit, as if he were a block of iron compressed to the utmost!

Boom!

A muffled sound, almost suffocating in its weight, rang out. One guard didn't even have time to contract his pupils before Chen Jing's punch crushed his throat.

His neck bent backward at an unnatural angle. His body convulsed as he fell, unable even to scream.

The other guard was terrified out of his mind. He hurriedly shouted, "Who are y—"

Before he could finish, a foul-smelling rag was shoved precisely into his mouth, cutting off his cry.

The guard instinctively raised his hand, but he was half a step too late.

Chen Jing had already turned and brought up his fist. His movements were smooth as flowing water, every inch of force drawn taut like a bowstring at full draw.

The second punch drove straight into the throat!

Boom!

Another muffled sound rang out.

Chen Jing's fist smashed through this guard's neck as well. His eyes bulged with terror, blood spraying from his nose and mouth. He staggered back a step, then fell straight down, waiting for death to creep over him.

Two breaths, two punches, two lives.

They hadn't even had time to struggle.

"What's going on? What's all that shouting?"

Xie Chong emerged from the alley, holding up his trousers, his face full of irritation as he grumbled.

But the moment he saw his two guards lying in pools of blood at Chen Jing's feet, the last trace of drunkenness evaporated in an instant, replaced by terror.

"You are..."

Xie Chong looked at Chen Jing and started to say something.

But in the next instant, Chen Jing said nothing at all. He simply swung a fist at him.

This alley, this distance, the rhythm of every step, every angle...

Chen Jing had rehearsed it over a hundred times in his mind over the past two days.

This was the perfect route for a killing.

"You bastard!"

Xie Chong cried out in alarm. The alcohol vanished from his system, and he instinctively channeled all his qi and blood, raising his hand to block Chen Jing's punch with all his strength!

Bam!!!!

Fist crashed against fist.

A tremendous boom burst through the narrow alley like rolling thunder.

The air compressed in an instant, sending out a ripple visible to the naked eye. The force kicked up dust around their feet, whipping it into a frenzy in the night breeze like an invisible whirlpool.

Both men were knocked back at the same time!

Chen Jing's footing remained steady. He slid half a step back and stopped.

Xie Chong, meanwhile, was like a kite with its string cut. He stumbled back three great steps before his back slammed hard into the wall.

Crack!

A moment later, pain finally surged from deep within his finger bones.

"Ah...!!"

Xie Chong's face twisted until it was almost unrecognizable.

This wasn't ordinary blunt pain. His bones had been smashed, and the agony drilled straight into his heart!

Then Xie Chong looked down, and his scalp went numb.

In the moonlight, he clearly saw two rusty nails jutting from Chen Jing's fist!

The wounds where the nails had pierced his hand bones were still bleeding. His fingers had bent at bizarre angles and hung limply from his hand, attached by only a sliver of skin. They looked ready to fall off at any moment.

"You... you cunning villain!!"

Feeling the savage pain of his broken fingers, Xie Chong trembled with fury. Pain and rage twisted together, and his eyes brimmed with fear.

"You—you even brought hidden weapons!!"

For a moment, Xie Chong couldn't tell whether he was the villain—or this guy standing in front of him.