Terrifying Blood Transfusion

"After Song Qingshan swore a blood oath and submitted to me, the phantom of that giant beast that devoured the bloodstain from Song Qingshan's thumb actually appeared, bizarrely, in—my dantian?"

Gulp!

Yang Xiao's mouth went dry, and he was suddenly horrified.

Although Yang Xiao could sense that this giant beast phantom posed no harm to him.

He could even vaguely guess that the secret behind Song Qingshan swearing a blood oath and acknowledging him as master probably lay with this giant beast phantom.

But when he thought that from now on, no matter where he went, there would be some inexplicable thing inside his dantian, Yang Xiao still felt uneasy.

"No. This thing can't stay in my dantian. I have to think of a way to get rid of it."

A trace of ruthlessness flashed through Yang Xiao's eyes.

"I've already acknowledged him as master and submitted. The killing intent in Master's eyes shouldn't be because of me."

"I understand!"

Song Qingshan observed his expression, and seeing the "hunchbacked old man" remain silent for so long, his face gradually darkening, he was instantly "blessed to the soul," vaguely understanding everything.

"You three, come here!"

Song Qingshan turned back and looked coldly at the three burly men of the Peace Sect behind him.

"Yes, sir!"

The three of them were terrified. Uneasy, they followed Song Qingshan into the large courtyard behind the vermilion gate and wall.

Boom!

The gate instantly shut.

"The hall master is going to kill us!"

"Damn it, Song Qingshan wants to kill us to silence us!"

"Run!"

Seeing the killing intent in Song Qingshan's eyes suddenly erupt, the three burly men felt their hair stand on end and turned to flee.

Run?

"Today, none of you should even think of running!"

A cruel sneer curled at the corner of Song Qingshan's mouth. The bones throughout his body crackled, and his frame actually began to swell.

In only an instant, Song Qingshan's already burly, fierce six-foot body had swelled to a full seven feet!

"This is..."

Outside the courtyard, Yang Xiao was startled out of his thoughts. Through the Spirit Cicada Transformation, every scene inside the courtyard instantly appeared in his mind.

Seeing that Song Qingshan had not only become even more imposing, but that his right hand was covered in fur and had turned into a sharp wolf claw, Yang Xiao was stunned on the spot.

"So-called blood exchange means replacing part of one's mortal blood with the blood of a ferocious beast."

"Could it be that after blood exchange, martial artists possess the ability of 'partial beastification'?"

Yang Xiao's gaze grew grave as he continued to "watch."

Inside the courtyard.

Song Qingshan, under "partial beastification," was actually as fast as a galloping storm. His right hand lashed out in a vicious grab.

The first burly man's vision blurred, and his throat had already been torn open by the wolf claw.

"Hall Master, don't kill me, no!"

Ah!

The second burly man, who had already fled to the gate, let out a scream from his throat and was instantly torn apart by Song Qingshan's wolf claw.

And at this moment, the last quick-witted burly man had fled madly to the rear of the courtyard and was just about to climb over the wall to escape.

Boom!

Song Qingshan was as fast as lightning, actually whipping up a shriek of torn air.

In just an instant, Song Qingshan had already leaped in front of the man and delivered a vicious claw strike in midair.

Splash—

Blood and flesh filled the air, appalling beyond words!

Only then did Song Qingshan slowly land. The shaggy wolf fur on his right hand vanished, and the wolf claw disappeared without a trace as well.

His originally seven-foot, towering body also returned once more to six feet.

Only, at this moment, Song Qingshan's face was pale. He gasped in great mouthfuls, the vitality and spirit throughout his body weakened to the extreme.

"Before 'partial beastification,' the gray mist above Song Qingshan's head was nine inches, but after his 'partial beastification,' although the gray mist above his head was still nine inches, the area covered by that gray mist... had actually exploded by a full ten times?"

This!

Sweat beaded on Yang Xiao's forehead. Only then did he realize just what a fluke it had been for him to defeat Boss Zhao back then.

It was also fortunate that Boss Zhao had failed his blood exchange.

If Boss Zhao had suddenly used a partial beast transformation during the battle in the alley, then all of Yang Xiao's arrangements and schemes would have been reduced completely to a joke.

Sure enough, before he had enough strength, lying low, keeping a low profile, and quietly developing—that was the one true secret to surviving in chaotic times!

Yang Xiao's resolve to lie low and keep a low profile grew even firmer because of this!

However, although "partial beast transformation" was powerful, Yang Xiao still keenly sensed that it actually had major flaws.

For instance, Song Qingshan, while in the state of "partial beast transformation," had bloodthirsty yet hollow eyes. He seemed somewhat unclear-headed, merely carrying out the will he had held before the "partial beast transformation."

And after the "partial beast transformation" was undone, the gray mist above Song Qingshan's head abruptly dropped to less than an inch, like a candle flame in the wind, as if it might go out at any moment.

"Although 'partial beast transformation' can amplify strength, it turns someone into neither human nor ghost."

"If blood exchange makes you look like this damned thing, then I'd rather not exchange blood at all!"

Yang Xiao frowned, his eyes filled with disgust.

"M-Master, all trouble has been resolved. The news that you are living in seclusion here should not be leaked by anyone."

After a brief period of regulating his breathing, Song Qingshan staggered to his feet and weakly walked out of the courtyard. With a bang, he knelt on the ground, lowered his head, and spoke in a respectful tone.

"Not bad!"

The hunchbacked old man Yang Xiao was impersonating gave a slight nod, and a savage smile was immediately squeezed onto his cold, rigid, ugly face:

"Song Qingshan, you know how to read the room, and you're very clever. No wonder that little child Mo Renxiao took a liking to you and accepted you as his disciple."

"You also need not worry. Although this old man made you acknowledge me as your master, this old man is living in seclusion here and will not involve himself in outside disputes."

"As long as you do not leak today's matter, no matter what you do outside, this old man will not interfere, nor will I force you to do anything else."

It could actually be like this?

Song Qingshan was instantly overjoyed.

"No matter how one puts it, you are now this old man's person. This old man naturally will not treat you poorly."

"Song Qingshan, come inside with this old man. This old man will bestow upon you a great treasure!"

The hunchbacked old man clasped his hands behind his back, putting on the lofty, aloof air of a hidden expert beyond the mundane world, then turned and stepped into the courtyard first.

As the saying went, "a crafty rabbit has three burrows." After mastering the Nine Cicada Auditory Arts and Spirit Cicada Transformation, over the past few days, every day on his way home after work, Yang Xiao would intentionally or unintentionally prick up his ears and listen for movements along the route.

The Spirit Cicada Transformation in particular could turn every rustle of wind and stir of grass in the surroundings into a black-and-white scroll, sketching it out stroke by stroke in Yang Xiao's mind.

This allowed Yang Xiao to discover many interesting scenes, and he had also secretly found several large mansions that no one cared about, learning the hidden secrets of those mansions.

Unfortunately, near the alley where he had killed Boss Zhao last time, the wealthy merchant's manor that stored quicklime, tung oil, plant ash, and other such things could no longer be visited because of the tracking by the "Golden Blade Detective," Di Ruhuo.

However, this neglected mansion in this alley, though it did not have as many supplies, also had its own hidden workings.

If used properly, it was quite excellent as well.

"I wonder what great treasure Master will bestow upon me?"

Filled with excitement and anticipation, Song Qingshan quickly followed behind the hunchbacked old man.

"The great treasure is inside this well. Go retrieve it yourself!"

When they reached the abandoned dry well in the rear courtyard, the hunchbacked old man suddenly stopped.

"As you command!"

Song Qingshan hesitated no longer and leapt down into the ancient well.

This ancient well was very deep. Song Qingshan fell for a long while before slowly landing in a black, murky mire of some unknown substance.

Mire?

Wait!

Something was wrong!

This was no mire at all. This damn thing was black oil!

Song Qingshan was instantly so horrified that his soul nearly fled his body. By instinct, he wanted to leap back up, only to discover that the well walls around him were slick and sticky, leaving him no way to borrow force.

"M-Master, why?"

Song Qingshan roared up at the sky, his face full of grief and fury.

Yet all around him was deathly quiet, and there was no reply at all.

Only a fire striker fell from above, and in just an instant, it ignited the entire bottom of the well.

Boom!

Flames filled the sky!

"Ah!!!"

Song Qingshan screamed miserably and struggled madly.

But it was meaningless!

On the ground, The hunchbacked old man's face twisted, and he quickly transformed into Yang Xiao.

After covering the dry well with the heavy stone slab, Yang Xiao did not look to see the result. Without turning his head, he turned and left.

There was countless black oil inside that well. Even with the stone slab covering it, sooner or later thick smoke would billow into the sky, impossible to conceal. Naturally, Yang Xiao had to get away as early as possible.

However, Yang Xiao had only taken a few steps when his expression changed drastically.

Through the Spirit Cicada Transformation, an image suddenly appeared in Yang Xiao's mind.

It was a middle-aged constable riding a date-red warhorse, a golden saber at his waist, galloping through the alley outside the courtyard with the speed of thunder.

In the span of a breath, the middle-aged constable's towering figure had already descended upon the gate of the courtyard!