Blood Blade Gang

"I..."

Seeing that the woman wanted to speak, Chen Xu rudely cut her off. "Is this the Blood Blade Martial Hall?"

The woman nodded painfully.

Seeing this, he loosened his grip on her neck slightly. But if she tried to call for help, Chen Xu guaranteed that he could snap her neck before she made a sound.

Her face had turned bluish-purple from suffocation as she greedily gulped down air.

"Where is your cold storage?" Chen Xu kept one hand hovering around her neck as he questioned her.

At the mention of the cold storage, the blonde woman's expression shifted slightly, and she pointed downward.

At the same time, she impatiently said, "You can't kill me. Without someone of my rank to lead the way, there's no way you'll find it."

"That depends on how you behave." Chen Xu did not care about her claim. This was the enemy's headquarters—would it really be difficult to find some spineless coward willing to lead the way?

Not everyone was that loyal.

Of course, if she truly cooperated, that would be even better for Chen Xu.

"Let me make this clear first. If you try anything funny, I don't know whether I'll die, but you'll definitely die before I do." Chen Xu's fingers pierced the wall as easily as poking through tofu.

Fear flashed through the blonde woman's eyes at the sight. She had no desire to find out whether her skull was harder than the wall.

But she had to seize this opportunity. That was why she had taken the initiative to come out and make contact with the intruder.

This man was the strongest of all the intruders so far. If she used him well, the world would be hers.

She had joined the Blood Blade Gang for the sake of that item and had endured four full years. As long as she succeeded, all her hardship and sacrifice over those years would have been worth it.

"Come with me. Your clothes are too conspicuous. Every position in the Blood Blade Gang has its own uniform.

"Our Blood Blade Gang follows the ancient hierarchy. From highest to lowest, there are the gang leader, deputy gang leader, protectors, elders, hall masters, incense masters, elites, and ordinary gang members.

"Once you put on this outfit, you'll be an elite. I'm only an incense master myself, so I can't get you anything of a higher rank."

Watching her brisk, decisive manner, Chen Xu felt that she did not resemble some little gangster girl at all, and he quietly became more wary.

No matter what her purpose was, as long as it had nothing to do with the Refining Liquid, he did not care.

"Greetings, Incense Master Xue!" The patrolling gang members all stepped aside to make way.

Chen Xu followed closely behind the woman who called herself Xue Xiuer. He remained silent and obediently served as background scenery.

The farther down they went, the fewer gang members they encountered, but all of them were elites or above.

"Up ahead, they'll verify our identities. We can only force our way in head-on." Xue Xiuer stopped and turned to look at Chen Xu.

"The cold storage is guarded year-round by one protector and ten elites. At least half of them are armed. Are you confident?

"And the ones carrying guns are all retired soldiers. They're one of the Blood Blade Gang's hidden forces."

"What? Incense Master Xue, are you no longer planning to keep up the disguise?" Chen Xu raised an eyebrow slightly and leaned against the edge of the wall.

"As partners, I don't think hiding things any longer will do us any good." Xue Xiuer suppressed her fear and tried to appear calm and unruffled.

She desperately wanted to get away from Chen Xu at once. No one enjoyed being alone with a beast that could tear them apart with ease.

"Let me introduce myself again. I'm Millya, a treasure hunter."

"You're from the Federation?" Chen Xu looked curious. The two strongest nations in the world were Great Abyss and the Amos Federation. Together, they occupied over half of the world's known land and were absolute hegemonic powers.

"Half, I suppose." Millya's gaze dimmed somewhat. She clearly did not want to discuss the matter further and quickly changed the subject.

"I only need one item inside. You can have everything else."

Chen Xu's gaze turned cold. "What right do you have to negotiate terms with me? You're no longer useful now!"

Seeing Chen Xu make as if to pounce, Millya hurriedly said, "Don't you want Martial Form martial arts?!"

"Martial Form?"

Chen Xu slightly reined in his killing intent. This was the second time he had heard the term.

"When martial arts become spiritually attuned, they begin to take on divine form. Haven't you heard that saying?" Millya looked at him as though she had just seen a primitive human.

Then she seemed to remember something, and a hint of pity appeared in her eyes. People from a tiny place like this were fortunate enough just to learn martial arts. Where would they ever gain access to such knowledge?

After all, the internet did not publicize these things. Or rather, ordinary people's understanding of martial arts stopped at the level of martial hall instructors.

Seeing the look in Millya's eyes, Chen Xu's face darkened. He flexed his fist a few times.

"As long as you have Martial Form-level martial arts, prepare the corresponding medicine, and possess enough talent, you can enter the Martial Form realm in one go. It's much easier than breaking through with those dangerous methods.

"And I happen to know where a Martial Form martial art is hidden." Millya spoke rapidly, afraid that Chen Xu would casually dispose of her before she finished.

"Then why don't you get it yourself? If obtaining it is too difficult, what difference does it make to me whether it exists or not?" Chen Xu said disdainfully.

"It's very difficult for me, but with your strength, it can only be called somewhat troublesome." Millya brushed back her blonde hair. "I guarantee that once we break in together, I'll tell you where that martial art is."

"Verbal promises are the least binding." Chen Xu flicked a finger, sending a round, unidentified object into Millya's mouth.

It melted as soon as it entered her mouth. Millya's heart jolted. "What did you feed me???"

"A family secret recipe—the Seven-Day Soul-Severing Pill." Chen Xu's expression remained calm and emotionless. "I merely added a little restraint. I'm sure Miss Millya won't mind."

Millya racked her brains but could not recall the name of such a poison. Unable to help herself, she mocked him, "A dignified martial arts expert, resorting to such methods against a weak woman like me?"

"Enough, Miss Millya. Compared to a mere poison, I think the upcoming operation is more important. Would you be willing to tell me what item you want, so we don't end up clashing again after we get inside?" Chen Xu picked his nose, clearly having no intention of continuing the discussion about the poison.

"Hmph."

Millya snorted and said irritably, "I need a technological weapon. I definitely won't clash with a martial arts master like you."

She deliberately placed much heavier emphasis on the words "martial arts master."

"A technological weapon..." Chen Xu fell into thought. If the decline of martial arts was half due to the Yuan Huan Emperor's martial arts restriction decree, then the other half was the result of technology's rapid rise.

Was there anything more depressing than training in martial arts for an entire lifetime, only to be unable to defeat an ordinary person with no knowledge of martial arts and merely a few months of firearms training?

Nowadays, most people of Great Abyss learned martial arts only to brag in front of friends, show off, or learn a few flashy attack techniques. Learning martial arts for self-defense and fitness was already considered a lofty aspiration.

How many people truly wished to reach the pinnacle of martial arts?

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