Blood Blade Gang

"I..."

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

The woman nodded, her face full of pain.

Seeing that, he lightly released her neck. But if she tried to cry out for help, Chen Xu guaranteed he could snap her neck before she made a sound.

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

"Where is your cold storage?" Chen Xu kept one hand loosely poised at her neck, ready to close around it at any moment.

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

At the same time, she hurriedly said, "You can't kill me. Without someone of my rank to lead the way, you'll never find it."

"Depends on your performance." Chen Xu paid no mind to her words. This was the enemy's headquarters—finding some spineless coward willing to lead the way would not be difficult.

Not everyone was that loyal.

Of course, if she genuinely cooperated, that would be for the best as far as Chen Xu was concerned.

"I'll say the ugly words first. If you try any tricks, 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 pounding into tofu.

A flicker of fear passed 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 even 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, then from this day onward, the sea would be wide enough for fish to leap, the sky high enough for birds to fly.

For that item, she had joined the Blood Blade Gang for a full four years. So long as she succeeded, the hardship and effort of those four years would all be worth it.

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

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

Put on this outfit, and you'll be an elite. I'm only an incense master myself, so I can't get you higher-ranking clothes."

Watching her brisk, decisive manner, Chen Xu felt she was nothing like some little delinquent girl from a criminal gang, and silently kept his guard up.

Whatever 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 took the initiative to step aside.

Chen Xu closely followed the woman who called herself Xue Xiuer. Without saying a word, he obediently played the part of background scenery.

The farther down they went, the fewer gang members they encountered, though 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 looked back 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 armed ones are all retired soldiers. They're one of the Blood Blade Gang's hidden forces."

"What, Incense Master Xue? You don't plan to keep up the disguise anymore?" Chen Xu raised an eyebrow slightly and leaned against the edge of the wall.

"As collaborators, I don't think there's any benefit in continuing to conceal things." Xue Xiuer suppressed her fear and tried to look calm and unruffled.

She wished she could get away from Chen Xu immediately. No one liked being alone with a beast that could tear them apart with ease.

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

"You're from the Federation?" Curiosity showed on Chen Xu's face. The two strongest nations in the world were Great Abyss and the Amos Federation. Together, they occupied more than fifty percent of the known land in the world and were absolute hegemonic powers.

"Half, I suppose." Millya's eyes dimmed slightly. She clearly did not want to say more on that subject and quickly changed the topic.

"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 already useless now!"

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

"[Martial Form]?"

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

"When martial arts gain spirit, their divine form first takes shape. Haven't you heard that saying?" Millya looked at him as though she had just seen some primitive human.

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

After all, the internet would not publicize such 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 gestured with his fist a few times.

"So long as you have martial arts of the [Martial Form] level, prepare the corresponding medicine, and possess enough talent, you can enter the [Martial Form] realm in one burst. Compared with breaking through using those dangerous methods, it's far simpler.

And I just happen to know the hidden location of a [Martial Form] martial art." Millya spoke extremely quickly, afraid Chen Xu would casually dispose of her before she finished.

"Then why don't you get it yourself? If the means of obtaining it are too difficult, what difference does it make to me whether it exists or not?" Chen Xu's tone was disdainful.

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

"A verbal promise is the least binding thing there is." Chen Xu flicked his finger, sending a round, unidentified object into Millya's mouth.

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

"A family secret formula: the Seven-Day Soul-Severing Pill." Chen Xu's face showed neither sorrow nor joy. "I merely added a tiny measure of restraint. Surely Lady Millya won't mind?"

Millya racked her brains but could not recall the name of such a poison. She could not help mocking him. "A dignified martial arts powerhouse has to use such methods on a weak woman like me?"

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

"Hmph."

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

She deliberately put 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 related to the Emperor Yuan Huan's Martial Restriction Decree, then the other half was the result of technology's rapid rise.

After training in martial arts for an entire lifetime, one still could not defeat an ordinary person who knew nothing of martial arts and only had a few months of firearms training. Was there anything more discouraging than that?

Nowadays, most people of Great Abyss studied martial arts merely to brag before friends, show off, and learn a few flashy attack techniques. Learning martial arts for self-defense and physical fitness could already be considered a lofty pursuit.

How many truly wished to ascend to the pinnacle of martial arts?

When everyone encounters advertisements like "Are you a True Person?", there is no need to pay attention. Just close them. Do not scan the code or send text messages!