Murder for Profit

Having accomplished his main purpose of buying an evil martial arts manual, Zou Feng had no intention of lingering in the Ghost Market.

He did not know whether it was an illusion, but he always felt that someone was secretly watching him.

Though the Ghost Market surely held plenty of other interesting things, it was safer to hurry back and train.

Especially the "Passion-Chaos Finger." This technique was truly powerful.

Perhaps once he mastered it, he would be no weaker than that man from his previous life who had been called the owner of the "Hand of God."

He might even be far stronger than that man.

When the time came, with a single jab of his finger, his opponent would probably turn into a fountain on the spot...

Zou Feng did not linger any longer and strode quickly toward the Ghost Market's exit.

The trip remained smooth all the way until he left the Ghost Market.

Who would have thought that nothing had happened inside, only for someone to call out to him once he was outside?

"Sir, please wait!"

Though someone had suddenly called out to him, Zou Feng was not flustered.

Although he had left the Ghost Market, he was not far from the entrance. There had to be Vermilion Heart Alliance and Black Flood Dragon Gang sentries keeping watch everywhere nearby.

Turning around, Zou Feng saw an honest-looking young man with a simple, guileless face.

He did not look like someone who knew martial arts.

"What is it?"

Zou Feng rasped in an annoyed tone.

As he replied, Zou Feng's palms swiftly turned a dark bluish-green.

The cloyingly sweet fragrance in the air grew even thicker.

He was trying to create the image of a ruthless man of few words—temperamental and quick to anger.

At the sight, the young man's face changed drastically. He hurriedly waved his hands. "Please calm down, sir. I merely wished to ask... do you accept commissions?"

"Commissions?"

The honest-looking young man nodded. "It's like this. I saw that you seem to practice... poison arts, so I wanted to ask you to make a move and kill... kill someone..."

"You should have a method to poison someone so that the target appears to have died of illness, with even a coroner unable to determine the true cause, right?"

Uh, he wanted to hire him to send someone on their way through an "accidental death from illness"?

But for murder-for-hire, shouldn't one find a specialized broker in the black market to make the arrangements...

After all, that was the proper way to hire a killer, with at least some measure of security.

Could it be that this fellow was unwilling to pay extra and did not want the broker taking a cut?

Seeing that Zou Feng said nothing but did not immediately refuse either, the honest-looking young man felt there was hope.

"Will you take this job, sir?"

"Please rest assured, the person to be killed is not a martial artist, and his health was poor to begin with."

"I... I can offer... ten taels. How about ten taels?"

Upon hearing that, Zou Feng sneered inwardly.

Sure enough, he was a stingy bastard. Just ten taels of silver, yet he had the nerve to demand that the target must "die of illness."

No wonder this fellow had not looked inside the Ghost Market and had instead chosen to try his luck at the entrance...

But then again...

"Twenty taels. We go now. The moment he stops breathing, you pay immediately!" Zou Feng said in a deep voice.

The honest-looking young man froze, then was overjoyed. He nodded frantically. "Fine, fine, twenty taels!"

"The moment he dies, I'll pay at once. Not one copper coin less!"

Clearly, this young man had already asked around in the black market.

For a commission like his, the price started at no less than thirty taels, and the middleman would charge an additional five taels of silver.

That meant he would have to spend thirty-five taels altogether, which pained him terribly.

Fortunately, he considered himself clever enough to skip the broker and personally seek a suitable candidate here.

Now it could be done for twenty taels. He was making out like a bandit.

"Lead the way!"

Zou Feng's tone remained as impatient as ever, his urging loud and harsh.

He looked as though he could not wait to get it over with, take the money, and leave.

The young man shuddered at the shout, but immediately scurried ahead.

"Oh, oh, this way..."

"It's not far, over by Xing'an Old Street."

As he led the way, the young man could not hide his excitement.

Clearly, that person's "accidental death" would bring him tremendous benefits.

The two quickly left the shantytown and arrived at a small path beside the riverbank.

Tall reeds rose on one side.

"The person you want killed—is he your enemy?"

Zou Feng, who had said nothing and played the role of an expert the entire way, suddenly asked this without warning.

By now, the honest-looking young man had already sunk into beautiful fantasies of what would happen once the deed was done.

Hearing the question, he answered instinctively, "My elder brother and I don't really have any deep grudges. It's just... Sister-in-law is far too tempting. I really..."

Before he could finish, he came to his senses and hurriedly shut his mouth.

But he did not need to say another word. His intentions were already clear as day.

He actually coveted his own sister-in-law, to the point of utter madness.

What a bold and lustful talent. It would be a pity if he did not join the demonic path!

"Is your sister-in-law really that beautiful?" Zou Feng grinned wickedly.

It happened to suit the young man's temperament perfectly.

"Hehe, she's not exactly a beauty who could make the moon hide and flowers blush, but that figure of hers is simply soul-stealing...

"Uh, why are you asking about this, sir?" The young man turned around, and at last there was some wariness in his eyes.

Zou Feng's grin widened. "Isn't it obvious? I simply wanted an excuse to murder you for your money!"

"Oh, right. I forgot to tell you. Actually... I'm a good person!"

Before his words had even faded, the Five Poisons Palm slammed heavily into the young man's chest.

"Pwah!!"

With a pained howl, the young man was blasted backward and crashed heavily into the dense reeds.

"You... you..."

The poison still needed time to take effect, so he had not immediately stopped breathing.

Seeing this, Zou Feng felt rather annoyed.

Tsk, the Five Poisons Palm was truly pathetic when it came to raw striking power!

And this lust-crazed fiend was both wicked and stupid.

Did he not stop to consider why Zou Feng, a dignified man of the evil path, would go through such trouble and make a special trip just to earn this money?

If he simply killed him, would the money not become his anyway?

As for whether this fellow had brought the money with him...

Zou Feng had tested that from the very beginning.

When he had demanded immediate payment upon completion, this fellow had agreed without hesitation.

Therefore, the silver was most likely on his person.

"Remember in your next life: if you're going to arrange murder-for-hire, you'd better honestly let a middleman take his cut. It's much safer that way," Zou Feng teased.

Unfortunately, the young man could no longer respond. The poison had rapidly spread throughout his body, causing blood to flow from all seven of his orifices.

After another indistinct wail, the young man kicked his legs once and went completely limp.

"From being struck by the poison palm to completely dying, it took roughly three breaths..."

"Though he could still live for three breaths, he had actually lost all ability to resist."

"Even a martial artist who had reached the 'Entering the Hall' realm, so long as he had not yet entered the ranks, could not possibly keep fighting me while suppressing the poison."

"So long as the opponent takes a solid hit, I can practically pop the champagne in advance!"

Zou Feng had silently been counting the time the whole while.

After all, this was his first time killing someone with the Five Poisons Palm.

In novels and movies from his previous life, they always said that killing someone would bring an intense feeling of discomfort...

Yet having experienced it firsthand now, he felt no ripples at all.

After confirming the Five Poisons Palm's power, he even felt rather excited.

So even though the cultivation side effects had been transferred away, was he still walking down the road of gradually becoming deranged?

"Kehehe..."