Xu Qing stood in the alley.
The spring wind blew against his face, cold and biting, but Xu Qing felt even colder in his chest.
Lin Mu.
He knew this was Lin Mu's handiwork. Lin Mu stood behind the Fish-Dragon Gang.
Burning down his family home was both a warning and a test. Lin Mu wanted to provoke him into leaving the city, to make him lose his mind and plunge headfirst into the killing trap that might already have been laid in Blackwater Bay.
Had Sun Ping been involved in this? Had Sun Ping already thrown in his lot with Lin Mu?
Xu Qing faintly had an answer in his heart.
He took a deep breath, and his gaze turned cold.
For the time being, he would not return to Blackwater Bay.
Not because he was afraid, but because he could not.
No matter how strong he was, he was only at Hidden Force. What if the one sent against him was a Transforming Force expert?
If he died, what would happen to his second uncle and second aunt? What would happen to Xiuer? If he fell into Lin Mu's trap and died in Blackwater Bay, that would be true defeat.
He would remember this grudge, but now was not the time for revenge.
A few more days passed, and good news came from the martial arts school.
Sun Ping had broken through to Bright Force.
Qin Liang brought the news. He came running over to find Xu Qing, his face wreathed in smiles. "Junior Brother Xu, Junior Brother Sun has broken through! Shouldn't we treat him to a celebration at a restaurant?"
Qin Liang pulled Xu Qing along to congratulate Sun Ping.
Sun Ping stood in the training ground of the outer courtyard, surrounded by a circle of