Why

"Boss, why didn't we kill that kid?"

"Only one of them is a martial artist. We had so many people—why did we have to apologize to them? Did Huang Biao and Qian Yong die for nothing?"

After returning to the Black Tiger Gang headquarters, several hall masters clamored all at once.

Gang leader Li Xiong did not speak immediately. After everyone had finished, he slowly took out a wanted poster.

"Zhang Yu, from Yi County. The Wild Wolf Gang drove his parents and older sister to their deaths. He went to the Wild Wolf Gang alone and wiped out the entire gang, not even sparing one-year-old babies."

"Boss, which one of us hasn't killed someone?"

"Yeah, Boss!"

Li Xiong looked at the crowd and said coldly, "Which one of you can kill Qian Yong with one punch?"

Uh...

Everyone fell silent.

Qian Yong was the most formidable fighter in the Black Tiger Gang aside from gang leader Li Xiong.

"A man with no attachments, who can kill Qian Yong with one punch—if we had swarmed him today and failed to kill him, what would have happened?" Li Xiong's gaze swept across their faces.

"Use your pig brains and think it through. Fuck, he'd lie low and butcher every last one of you, one by one."

"Why the fuck do you think I swallowed my pride today? It was for you bunch of bastards." Li Xiong cursed.

"To survive in Boundless City, you need more than ruthlessness—you need brains..." Li Xiong continued berating them.

Zhang Yu frowned slightly and headed toward the rear courtyard. He had not expected Li Xiong to be so patient. This man cannot be left alive.

He looked up and saw Wen Hua and the others carrying the meat of a second-tier demon beast, their faces beaming with joy, and found himself in a difficult position again.

If he had been alone, he would have ended Li Xiong with a single punch earlier.

But now that he had Li Yue, Niu Mancang, Wen Hua, and other disciples by his side, he had to consider their safety.

Looks like I can only make a secret trip to the Black Tiger Gang headquarters tonight. Zhang Yu made up his mind and stopped dwelling on it.

Killing Li Xiong in public would establish his authority and eliminate future troubles forever. But if the next Black Tiger Gang leader wanted to take the position, he would certainly avenge Li Xiong. Zhang Yu was not afraid for himself, but Li Yue and the others might be in mortal danger.

Wipe out the entire gang?

The Black Tiger Gang was no small gang. There were forces behind it as well. The six major gangs of Boundless City were merely chess pieces of aristocratic clans.

According to Chu Qingwen, Boundless City lay near the Ten Thousand Mountains, and the yearly profits from medicinal herbs and demon beast meat were astonishing. Ordinary people did not dare lay a hand on them, nor did they have the ability to do so.

No one cared if you murdered or set fires in the city, but if you interfered with a great clan's profits, an expert in the Transmutation Realm would come for your life the next day.

At midnight three days later.

Zhang Yu quietly left his residence.

Over the past three days, he had given Wen Hua silver to investigate everything about Li Xiong. Wen Hua, Zhao Dun, and Xia Shuang had kept watch over Black Tiger Gang leader Li Xiong around the clock.

News had just arrived that Li Xiong had left the Black Tiger Gang headquarters.

In Peaceful Ward stood a small one-courtyard residence. In an alley across from it, Wen Hua hid in the shadows, staring intently at the front gate.

Li Xiong's mistress lived in the courtyard. He would be staying here tonight.

When Zhang Yu arrived at the alley, Wen Hua immediately came forward.

"Master, Li Xiong has been inside for an hour and hasn't left. He should be sleeping here tonight."

"Mm." Zhang Yu nodded. "Did Li Xiong bring any subordinates with him?"

Wen Hua shook his head. "No, he came alone."

Zhang Yu frowned slightly. It felt a little strange, but he did not think much of it, because he did not care. Even if it was a trap, he was not afraid. Before absolute strength, every scheme and trick was futile.

He could kill even a Transmutation Realm martial artist with one punch, let alone when the Black Tiger Gang had no Transmutation Realm martial artists.

Tonight was dark and windy, perfect for murder. Zhang Yu was ready to act.

He kicked off the wall, grabbed the top with one hand, then lightly flipped into the courtyard.

The moment he landed, he saw a figure. At the same time, Li Xiong's voice rang out. "I've been waiting for you for a long time."

"Hmm?" Zhang Yu's brows drew tightly together. It seemed to be a trap.

In an instant, Great Avalanche was about to strike.

To hell with whatever scheme it was. Once Li Xiong was slaughtered, every plot would come to nothing.

"Wait!" Li Xiong had intended to put on airs a little longer, but then a force that made his heart tremble surged from Zhang Yu's body. Frightened, he immediately said, "I waited for you here on purpose because I want to talk. I have no intention of becoming your enemy, nor do I want to avenge Qian Yong and the others."

"I still believe dead people are safer," Zhang Yu said.

He did not want to waste words on him.

"The Sima Family of the Great Chu Empire stands behind me," Li Xiong hurriedly said. "If you kill me and wipe out the Black Tiger Gang, it will be useless. There will be another Black Bear Gang, another Black Wolf Gang... And the Sima Family will not let you off, because you have delayed their business."

"You can leave, but what about your disciples? What about the people following you?"

"You're threatening me?" Zhang Yu's voice turned icy.

"No, I'm merely stating the facts. I hope you will think this through. Living in Boundless City cannot always rely on fighting and killing, unless you have the power to destroy those millennium-old aristocratic clans," Li Xiong said.

Zhang Yu lowered his fist. "You went to all this trouble to lure me here just to say this?"

"Reconciliation. You've been investigating me these past three days, and I've been investigating you too. I found out that you killed a Transmutation Realm martial artist, so I don't want to be your enemy. I especially don't want you thinking about me every day," Li Xiong said.

"That's it?" Zhang Yu did not believe a single word.

By normal reasoning, after luring him into a trap, the other side should have arranged armed men to surround and kill him, not waited here alone.

Where things were abnormal, there had to be something sinister.

"I admire you," Li Xiong said.

Hearing this, Zhang Yu laughed. Now it made sense. Fuck, this old bastard isn't thinking of using my young age to turn me into his blade, is he?

Zhang Yu had guessed correctly. Li Xiong had learned that he was only sixteen and could still kill a Transmutation Realm martial artist, so he had entertained the idea of subduing him.

Li Xiong lacked a sharp blade in his hand.

A sixteen-year-old boy—Li Xiong was confident he could keep him firmly in hand.

Unfortunately, he did not know that Zhang Yu's soul was now that of an old man.

"As long as you join the Black Tiger Gang, I can take you as my godson. From now on, you'll be the young gang leader..." Li Xiong began spinning a grand promise.

Zhang Yu did not listen at all. It went in one ear and out the other, as if the other man were farting. At that moment, he was sensing whether anyone else was lying in ambush within the small courtyard.

Aside from the chattering Li Xiong before him, there was one faint breath inside the house. It should be Li Xiong's woman. Zhang Yu could not sense anyone else breathing.

Huh? This old bastard really came alone? Looks like he's very confident. Well, I'm only sixteen now, after all. What a pity! Zhang Yu sighed inwardly.

The next second, he raised his head and looked at Li Xiong, who was still making empty promises. A cold gleam flashed in his eyes.

Great Avalanche.

Whoosh!

His fist shot toward the other man like lightning.

Bang!

Li Xiong, who had been describing the many benefits of becoming his godson, was suddenly enveloped by a sharp, deadly aura. His voice stopped abruptly as his eyes widened. "Listen to me!"

"No! Wait!" Li Xiong's heart and liver trembled with terror. It was already too late to dodge.

Zhang Yu had no intention of listening to any more of his nonsense. His punch struck squarely into Li Xiong's chest. The immense force instantly pulverized Li Xiong's body into chunks of flesh. With a bang, it exploded.

"Why?" Li Xiong died with eyes still open. He could not understand why a sixteen-year-old boy from the bottom of society had not believed him.

"You wanted to be my father? Fuck!" Zhang Yu flicked the blood from his hand and cursed under his breath.