Bad Luck

"Bang!"

As the sound rang out, the snow ten feet away exploded, and a white cloth was flung into the air, kicking up a storm of wind and snow.

At the same time, a figure beneath the cloth surged forth like a tiger suddenly springing to maul its prey, wrapped in a gale and carrying the swirling snow as he lunged fiercely toward him.

He had used the white cloth to mask his form, hiding in the snow until he was within ten feet before revealing his presence.

The moment he paused his steps, the opponent seized the timing with precision and launched a violent assault.

Ten feet might sound far, but to a master of Minor Success in Qi Gathering, it was but a single step.

The opponent was as fast as a thunderbolt and as fierce as a tiger, crossing the distance in an instant. His massive fist tore through the air, aiming directly for the throat—a lethal strike.

Xu Yang had been on guard, and though caught off guard, he did not panic. The moment the fist was about to slam into his throat, his waist twisted and coiled like a giant python, his body rotating to evade the fatal blow.

But the man's technique did not end there. As their figures crossed, the man's thigh swept out like a tiger's tail, aiming straight for Xu Yang's kidney.

"Boom!"

The force of the wind roared like a tiger, whipping up the snow. The power of this kick was even more ferocious than the previous punch, and it was equally lethal.

Xu Yang had no time to turn and counter, so he executed a bear pounce. His spine, like a great dragon, drove his body forward, and he surged ahead like an Explosive Bear, causing the opponent's kick to strike empty air.

Snow and wind churned!

Mid-air, he twisted his body to turn around, only to see the opponent sticking to him like a plaster, five fingers curled into an eagle claw, raking toward his dantian.

It was then that he saw the man's appearance; the opponent was wearing a mask, revealing only a pair of sinister eyes.

"Bang!"

Having dodged two lethal strikes in a row, Xu Yang had naturally recovered. He kicked out mid-air, deflecting the hand reaching for his dantian, and landed firmly on the ground.

The immense force sent the opponent staggering back, leaving deep footprints in the ground.

The opponent seemed to have been jarred by Xu Yang's impossibly hard physique. As he retreated, he shook his hand, his eyes filled with shock. Clearly, he had not expected Xu Yang's body to be so tough, as if he had collided with a solid rock.

Cold light glinted in Xu Yang's eyes, his aura sharp and fierce.

He did not know who the man was or why he had gone to such lengths to ambush him, but today, only one of them would leave alive.

"Boom!"

Ice and snow mixed with mud exploded as Xu Yang lunged forward, his tendons and bones popping with the crisp, crackling sound of firecrackers.

This time, it was his turn to take the initiative.

His anger ignited his inner fire, and Diamond True Qi surged from his dantian, his blood boiling like water.

His spine, that great dragon, seemed to come alive, each vertebra connecting as immense power flooded into his arms.

Explosive Bear Force!

This was the first true clash of the encounter. They had been testing each other, but now he struck with the signature lethal move of the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist: Explosive Bear Force.

His fist tore through the air, carrying a terrifying gale. Snowflakes within three feet of his fist were shattered into powder, the momentum truly horrifying.

The masked man's expression changed drastically. This move was not subtle, but its brutal aura filled his heart with a sense of extreme peril.

He dared not meet Xu Yang's blow head-on and instead raised his arms to defend.

"Bang!"

As the fist struck, the masked man's entire body shuddered. He felt as if his arms had been struck by a heavy hammer; though his bones did not shatter, he feared they had cracked, and for a moment, they lost all sensation.

Even more terrifying was the tyrannical True Qi surging from Xu Yang's fist into his body, rampaging through his meridians like a blade.

"Explosive Bear Force!"

"True Qi projection!"

"Minor Success in Qi Gathering!"

The masked man finally realized why his sneak attack had failed to overcome Xu Yang.

Xu Yang's cultivation had already reached the stage of Minor Success in Qi Gathering, capable of projecting True Qi, and he had even mastered the Explosive Bear Force of the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist.

Either one of these would have made it impossible for him to kill Xu Yang, let alone both combined.

He wanted to flee!

But Xu Yang's offensive was like a tidal wave, fierce and relentless.

The second strike followed the first immediately.

While the masked man was busy suppressing the rampaging True Qi and his hands had yet to regain feeling, Xu Yang's other hand struck out like lightning, clamping onto the masked man's wrist like an iron vice.

Xu Yang twisted his hand, his force surging, and with a crisp "crack," the masked man's arm was snapped, twisted out of shape like a piece of taffy.

"Ah..."

The agony of the broken arm made the masked man's vision go black; he nearly fainted from the pain.

He had been wearing a mask and had not made a sound, but in this moment, he forgot all caution and let out an involuntary wail.

"Bao Gang!"

The moment the voice rang out, Xu Yang knew who had ambushed him. He had never expected it to be Bao Gang.

This guy actually came to kill him just because he hadn't lent him money during the day?

"Die!"

The pain of his severed arm drove Bao Gang mad. Regardless of being identified, he glared with murderous intent and swung his other hand toward Xu Yang's throat.

At this moment, he only wanted to kill the person who had severed his arm.

"Whoosh!"

But he had forgotten that Xu Yang also had another hand.

The moment his palm struck, Xu Yang's other hand moved as if it had no bones, lashing out instantly—it was the Whip Force from the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist.

Bao Gang's sleeve exploded, and a bloody gash appeared on his wrist, causing him to scream in pain once more.

Xu Yang's expression was cold and stern; he grabbed Bao Gang's severed wrist with both hands and pulled with all his might.

"Splurt!"

Blood splattered everywhere as the white tendons and the wrist were ripped away, creating a gruesome scene.

"Spare me, Xu Yang! My heart was clouded by greed; I shouldn't have thought of robbing you after losing my money."

Wei Yuan Hall, Xu Yang, the person abandoned by the Huang Family—he had thought killing him for money would be a sure thing. Bao Gang never imagined the reality would differ so greatly from his expectations; Xu Yang had already silently reached Minor Success in Qi Gathering.

Overcome with terror, he screamed loudly for mercy.

"If you come to kill, you must be prepared to be killed."

Xu Yang stomped on Bao Gang's knee. With a crisp crack, Bao Gang's leg snapped, and his body immediately toppled to the side.

He followed up with a palm strike to Bao Gang's neck, driving his head deep into the ice and snow until his body began to convulse.

"Die!"

With a third move, he stepped on Bao Gang's neck, and the convulsing body instantly went still.

Xu Yang let out a long breath and crouched down to loot the corpse, but after searching for a long time, he didn't find a single copper coin.

"Bad luck!" he couldn't help but curse under his breath.

He had killed a few times now, but this was the first time he had encountered someone with absolutely nothing on them; the man must have lost everything before coming to rob him.

The wind and snow grew heavier, and soon they would cover the traces left here.

However, Xu Yang still dragged Bao Gang's body into the mountains before returning to the road to continue home.

Pushing the door open, Xu Qing hurried forward to clear the snow from his clothes: "Brother, you're late again."

"I went to our uncle's house," Xu Yang explained.

"Today, Aunt Gao San from next door came to borrow grain, but I didn't lend her any," Xu Qing whispered.

Xu Yang nodded and said, "Except for those who have helped us in the past, don't lend to anyone."

When Xu Laoer had ignored whether they lived or died, they had tried to borrow grain from others, but very few had been willing to help them.

"There isn't much firewood left at home, and the snow is too heavy for me to go up the mountain."

"I'll go chop some tomorrow. You just stay home and be at ease."

In the wind and snow, the voices of the siblings gradually faded away.