Kill Every Last One in Clear Water Hall—So What?

Qian Hao sat on a stone bench, looking at Lu Hao and Liu Zimu in the training grounds. His brows were tightly furrowed as he worried for Lu Hao.

Although Lu Hao had killed Zhou Zhennan in a single move, Liu Zimu was a Martial Apprentice at the Third Gate-Knocking Realm who had spent years in gang battles and possessed extensive combat experience.

He was not only worried that Lu Hao would lose to Liu Zimu, but even more afraid that Lu Hao would lose his life.

Such a young gang member at the Third Gate-Knocking Realm—if he were to fall here, it would undoubtedly be an enormous loss for the Black Tiger Gang.

Seeing the excitement on Lu Hao's face, Liu Zimu said no more.

Her body sank slightly, and her jade-like legs, wrapped in black gauze training trousers, parted one before the other. Her right palm was raised beside her cheek, while her left hand shot out like a serpent's tongue. The instant she struck, all nine strands of Qi-Blood within her were driven forth and poured into her left arm.

As Liu Zimu attacked, Lu Hao knew this was his first time facing an opponent at the Third Gate-Knocking Realm. Naturally, he did not dare slacken in the slightest.

He immediately circulated the nine strands of Qi-Blood within him. Veins bulged across his body as he lowered his waist and settled his stance, assuming the Tiger-Subduing Form of the Black Tiger Stance Art.

Liu Zimu moved with incredible speed, like a green snake slithering through the grass. In the blink of an eye, she had circled to Lu Hao's side. Her movement technique was exactly the same as when she had dealt with Qian Hao earlier. Liu Zimu's right hand formed a blade and chopped toward Lu Hao's ribs.

By the time Lu Hao tried to dodge, it was already too late. He could only circulate the nine strands of Qi-Blood around his body and defend with all his strength.

Liu Zimu's hand blade landed beneath Lu Hao's ribs, and a force both yielding and fierce penetrated his body.

Lu Hao let out a muffled grunt and staggered two steps forward before barely dispersing that strange force.

Once he steadied himself, he spun around sharply and unleashed Black Tiger Sweeps Its Tail. His right fist, wrapped in nine strands of Qi-Blood, lashed toward Liu Zimu like a steel whip.

Liu Zimu twisted at the waist, and the hem of her dark green dress swept aside, revealing most of her long jade-like legs wrapped in black gauze training trousers.

Like a green snake, Liu Zimu nimbly evaded Lu Hao's whipping fist.

When Lu Hao saw that his strike had missed, he reversed his hand and sent Black Tiger Plucks the Heart smashing toward Liu Zimu's chest.

Before his fist could arrive, Liu Zimu twisted like a snake clinging to bone and slipped around behind Lu Hao.

Her right hand formed a blade and chopped down onto Lu Hao's right shoulder.

Lu Hao stumbled forward. Before he could regain his footing, Liu Zimu followed up with another hand blade, chopping him across the back.

Lu Hao staggered forward another two steps. Enduring the searing pain in his shoulder and back, he swiftly steadied himself, turned around, and fixed Liu Zimu with a dead stare as he assumed the Tiger-Subduing Form once more.

The two circled one another in the arena with shuffling steps, while Qian Hao below watched with his heart burning with anxiety.

Qian Hao could tell at a glance that Liu Zimu was using agile footwork and supple, clever force against Lu Hao. Lu Hao, on the other hand, relied on fierce, overpowering strength, yet Liu Zimu's nimble movements easily dissolved it all.

Shi Kang clenched both fists tightly. His throat was dry as he kept swallowing.

"Brother Hao, be careful!"

Outside the training grounds, the Water Serpent Gang members were thrilled beyond measure.

Seeing Liu Zimu beat Lu Hao until he could not fight back at all, they shouted one after another, "Hall Master Liu, cripple him!"

"Avenger Manager Cai and Deputy Hall Master Zhou!"

"Let him see how formidable our Water Serpent Gang is!"

Liu Zimu's two long legs, wrapped in black gauze, shifted left and right as her figure flickered unpredictably.

In the span of a few breaths, Lu Hao took another four or five hand-blade strikes. Only by relying on his nine strands of Qi-Blood to hold on, along with the tough body he had forged by bringing the Black Tiger Stance Art to Grand Mastery, did he avoid being knocked to the ground by Liu Zimu.

Even so, the Qi-Blood within Lu Hao churned without end, and his face was flushed red.

As for Liu Zimu, though she appeared to be fighting with ease, a stormy sea had already risen in her heart.

An ordinary Martial Apprentice at the Third Gate-Knocking Realm should have been unable to stand after taking so many of her hand-blade strikes. Yet Lu Hao, though helpless against her, seemed to still have the strength to fight.

Lu Hao's mind raced as he searched for a way to break through.

He stared at Liu Zimu and felt that her movement technique truly resembled a green snake in motion—her body was incredibly fast. His Black Tiger Fist Technique, meanwhile, was a fierce style that met force with force.

Suddenly, Lu Hao kicked off the ground. Just as Liu Zimu was about to close in again, her vision flickered. Lu Hao used Black Tiger Pounces on Prey and pressed right up against her.

Liu Zimu sneered and slid her right foot to the side, intending to evade.

Then Lu Hao's left hand shot out and wrapped around Liu Zimu's waist. His right arm drove beneath her armpit and locked together with his left hand. Lu Hao's right shoulder slammed into Liu Zimu's chest. The enormous impact, carrying its momentum, knocked Liu Zimu to the ground, while Lu Hao pinned her beneath him.

Liu Zimu kicked wildly with her jade-like legs, trying to roll over and rise, but Lu Hao held her down tightly.

Without giving her another chance to move, Lu Hao poured all nine strands of Qi-Blood into his right fist. Black Tiger Plucks the Heart crashed violently into the hollow of Liu Zimu's chest. The tremendous force made the bulging mass on her left side tremble without end.

Liu Zimu let out a muffled groan and sprayed a mouthful of blood.

The Water Serpent Gang members stood frozen on the spot.

Many among them were still ordinary gang members who had not awakened Qi-Blood. Only a few minor leaders had reached the First Gate-Breaking Realm, and none of them saw clearly how Lu Hao had defeated Liu Zimu.

They only saw Lu Hao charge forward, followed immediately by Liu Zimu falling to the ground, taking a punch to the chest and coughing up blood.

Qian Hao abruptly rose to his feet at the side and slapped his thigh. "Well done!"

But as soon as the words left his mouth, a fresh burst of agony came from where Liu Zimu's hand blade had struck beneath his ribs. The pain made him bare his teeth and suck in a sharp breath.

Seeing Lu Hao knock Liu Zimu down, Shi Kang cried out excitedly as well, "Brother Hao, well fought!"

When he saw Qian Hao grimacing in pain, he hurried forward two steps and helped Qian Hao sit back down on the stone bench.

Seeing that his previous strike had worked, Lu Hao raised his right fist again. Another Black Tiger Plucks the Heart was ready to fall, aimed at the same spot as before.

At that moment, Liu Zimu suddenly raised a hand and said urgently, "If you kill me, your goal of stopping the war will not be achieved!"

Lu Hao hurriedly halted his fist. Its knuckles hovered against Liu Zimu's left breast, only a hair's breadth away from striking her again.

Looking at Liu Zimu, a trace of relief at having escaped death flickered through her eyes.

Yet Lu Hao's lips curled into a cold smile. He raised his fist again. "You were the one who proposed another match with me. Since that is the case, you must bear the price of losing. If killing you means the two gangs cannot stop fighting, then what if I kill every last person in your Clear Water Hall?"

Liu Zimu blinked, terror appearing in her eyes. She had never expected this young man, who appeared so mild, to be so ruthless.

Lu Hao did not let Liu Zimu remain afraid for long. Another punch slammed into the left side of her chest. That full mound was smashed inward, then sprang back as Lu Hao lifted his hand.

Liu Zimu groaned, spitting out mouthful after mouthful of blood.

As Lu Hao's fists crashed down one after another, Liu Zimu finally tilted her head to one side and ceased breathing.

Below the training grounds, the Water Serpent Gang members watched Liu Zimu get beaten to death by Lu Hao. Some were terrified beyond measure. Some took steps toward the arena, intending to rush in and avenge Liu Zimu. More, however, stood stiffly in place, unable to believe that the Martial Apprentice with the highest cultivation in their hall had been beaten to death in just a few moves.

"Did he come here to negotiate, or to start a war?"

Some Water Serpent Gang members below murmured among themselves. Without Cai Kun egging them on, most of the Water Serpent Gang members had no idea what to do.

Just then, a woman in a long red dress strode forward and stopped those gang members who wanted to avenge Liu Zimu.

This yellow-clad woman looked at Lu Hao. "Young master, I am Feng Feiyi, deputy hall master of Clear Water Hall in charge of internal affairs. Would you be willing to honor me by moving to the discussion hall? I have a few words I would like to say to you in private."