Feng Feiyi's Overture, Zhou Zhenbei

Lu Hao heard that Feng Feiyi wanted to speak with him alone in the council hall, and for a moment, he could not make out what scheme this woman was plotting.

He said calmly, "Hall Master Feng, if you have something to say, you may say it here."

Feng Feiyi smiled softly. "Young master, even our hall master was beaten to death by you. This little woman is only at the Second-Layer Gate-Breaking Realm. How would I dare stir up trouble before you?"

Lu Hao pondered for a moment. If Feng Feiyi dared play any tricks, he would simply kill her.

He followed Feng Feiyi into the council hall.

A long table of golden-thread nanmu stood in the council hall. At its head was a large golden-thread nanmu chair, while six smaller golden-thread nanmu chairs stood on each side of the table.

Feng Feiyi walked to the chair at the head and sat down. Lu Hao sat below her.

Feng Feiyi looked at Lu Hao, her eyes rippling as a soft, alluring expression surfaced on her face.

"May I know how to address you, young master?"

"Lu Hao."

"What position does Young Master Lu hold in the Black Tiger Gang?"

"A common gang member of the Black Tiger Gang's Everjoy Hall Branch."

"A common gang member?" Feng Feiyi gave a light laugh and rose to walk to Lu Hao's side.

She bent slightly, and the two full mounds before her chest came within a hair's breadth of pressing against Lu Hao's elbow.

Her lips drew close to his ear, her voice carrying a trace of seductive sweetness. "Could an ordinary gang member punch our Clear Water Hall's deputy hall master to death? Could he also blast a Third Gate-Knocking Realm Martial Apprentice to death in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea? Does Young Master Lu think I would believe that?"

Lu Hao smiled faintly without speaking. He shifted slightly, widening the distance between himself and Feng Feiyi.

Seeing Lu Hao sit properly with his gaze fixed straight ahead, Feng Feiyi found him even more interesting.

The men of the Water Serpent Gang, including several elders from the main headquarters, stared straight at the curve of her chest every time they saw her. Yet this man before her possessed such self-restraint. That was rare indeed.

Feng Feiyi saw that Lu Hao was still young, looking no older than seventeen or eighteen, yet he had already entered the Third Gate-Knocking Realm.

She felt that with Lu Hao's talent and state of mind, his room for growth in the future would surely be immeasurable. There was a strong chance that he would break through the threshold of Martial Apprentice and become a true Martial Artist.

Thus, Feng Feiyi began to entertain thoughts of befriending Lu Hao.

Feng Feiyi returned to the seat of honor and sat down again, the smile fading from her face.

"Lu Hao, do you know that Zhou Zhennan has an older brother named Zhou Zhenbei? Zhou Zhenbei is an elder of the Water Serpent Gang and a Lower Bright Force Martial Artist."

Lu Hao frowned slightly. "A Lower Bright Force Martial Artist?"

Feng Feiyi picked up the teapot and poured two cups of tea, gently pushing one of them before Lu Hao.

Seeing the confusion on his face, she said, "Does Young Master Lu know what a Martial Apprentice is?"

Without waiting for Lu Hao to answer, she continued.

"Awakening a single strand of Qi-Blood within one's body makes one a First Gate-Knocking Realm Martial Apprentice. Striking with both fists at full force, one can unleash 150 catties of strength.

"Producing three strands of Qi-Blood makes one a Second-Layer Gate-Breaking Realm Martial Apprentice, able to unleash 300 catties of strength with both fists.

"Producing nine strands of Qi-Blood makes one a Third Gate-Knocking Realm Martial Apprentice, able to unleash 500 catties of strength with both fists."

Feng Feiyi lifted her teacup and took a sip before speaking slowly again.

"If a Third Gate-Knocking Realm Martial Apprentice condenses the nine strands of Qi-Blood within their body from gaseous form into liquid form, compressing them into a drop of Blood Essence, they will have stepped across the threshold of Martial Artist."

Feng Feiyi set down her teacup. "The lower three levels of the Martial Artist Realm are Bright Force, Dark Force, and Transforming Force. Bright Force is further divided into lower, middle, and upper grades. Zhou Zhenbei is currently a Lower Bright Force Martial Artist. A full-force strike from both his fists carries the strength of one ox."

Lu Hao secretly clicked his tongue. The strength of one ox was 1,000 catties. He had not expected that after becoming a Martial Artist, even a Lower Bright Force Martial Artist—the lowest rank among Martial Artists—could contain such tremendous power in a single punch. If it were a Martial Artist of an even higher realm, would that not be terrifying?

He looked at Feng Feiyi. "Then how powerful is a full-force strike from a Martial Artist of a higher realm?"

"After entering the Martial Artist Realm, every gang and martial school has methods for strengthening Blood Essence, along with corresponding martial techniques for training. Martial Artists at that level can project their force outward. A single move can shatter stone. The growth of their strength is no longer merely an increase in raw power."

Feng Feiyi paused.

"Zhou Zhenbei has always doted on his younger brother. Young Master Lu, you must be careful!"

Lu Hao understood that Feng Feiyi was selling him a favor. If she had not told him today, he likely would not have known he had such an enemy until Zhou Zhenbei came knocking.

"Thank you for informing me, Hall Master Feng." Lu Hao looked at Feng Feiyi. "But why did Hall Master Feng tell Lu these things?"

Feng Feiyi rose again and walked before Lu Hao once more.

"Brother Lu is so young, yet already a Third Gate-Knocking Realm Martial Apprentice. Your future achievements will be beyond measure. I merely hope to form a good bond with you." She changed how she addressed Lu Hao, and a seductive look once more appeared between her brows and eyes.

"Besides, Brother Lu killed Sister Liu, leaving the position of Clear Water Hall's hall master vacant. You also killed Zhou Zhennan, so the acting hall master position is none other than mine. Put that way, Brother Lu, you have done your sister here a favor as well."

Lu Hao thought, This Feng Feiyi is also a woman with a venomous heart. She calls Liu Zimu 'Sister Liu' so affectionately, yet secretly does things worthy of a snake and scorpion. It is best to be cautious when dealing with her.

Feng Feiyi laughed softly and reached out her slender jade-like hand again, laying it atop the back of Lu Hao's hand.

Lu Hao hurriedly pulled his hand back.

Seeing this, the seductiveness in Feng Feiyi's laughter deepened by several degrees.

"Brother Lu, Clear Water Hall is now under my command. In a while, I will send word to the main headquarters and bring about a truce between our two gangs. In truth, our Water Serpent Gang recently made some discoveries in the New Stone Azure Stone River, and we have no time to fight the Black Tiger Gang for territory. So we also hope for a truce between both sides."

Lu Hao nodded and looked at Feng Feiyi. "Hall Master Feng, may Lu rest in the council hall for a while?"

Feng Feiyi gave a light laugh and said no more, turning to walk toward the door.

When Feng Feiyi left the council hall, the Water Serpent Gang members stared in stunned disbelief and began whispering among themselves.

"That Black Tiger Gang brat stayed in the council hall with Hall Master Liu for nearly the time it takes to burn an incense stick."

"Is the time it takes to burn an incense stick long or short?"

"What the hell do you know? Who is Deputy Hall Master Feng? The time it takes to burn an incense stick already counts as a long time. That Black Tiger Gang brat does not just have formidable skill with his hands—his skills in other areas must be formidable too!"

"If it were me, I would probably be done in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea."

After Feng Feiyi left, Lu Hao looked at the dark-blue system panel.

[Skill: Black Tiger Fist Technique (Grand Mastery)]

[Progress: +50]

...

[Progress: +50]

[Current Progress: 351/2000]

[Qi-Blood in Body: 5/30]

Looking at the progress of the Black Tiger Fist Technique, Lu Hao found that after two rounds of fighting, he had grinded its progress at a tremendous pace. The proficiency gained was already nearly equal to two days of hard closed-door training.

However, after the two rounds of fighting, the Qi-Blood in his body had been depleted almost entirely, leaving very little behind. He needed to pay attention to what items could rapidly replenish Qi-Blood. Otherwise, if he encountered a situation where his Qi-Blood was exhausted, that would be dangerous.

When Lu Hao walked out of the council hall, the Water Serpent Gang members looked at him as though their gazes were blades. Not only had he beaten their deputy hall master to death and killed their hall master, but he had also spent a long time alone in the council hall with the woman they often fantasized about.

Naturally, Lu Hao knew none of this. He merely assumed these people still held a grudge over the earlier fight.

Feng Feiyi swept her gaze over the Water Serpent Gang members.

"Brothers! Hall Master Liu and Deputy Hall Master Zhou are dead, so I will temporarily assume the position of hall master. I have reached a truce agreement with Lu Hao of the Black Tiger Gang. From this moment onward, the Water Serpent Gang and the Black Tiger Gang will cease hostilities. I will also report this matter to the main headquarters."

When Shi Kang saw Lu Hao emerge, he hurriedly supported Qian Hao as they walked before Lu Hao. The three bade Feng Feiyi farewell, then turned and left the Water Serpent Gang's Clear Water Hall.

After leaving the door, a breeze carrying the fishy stench of the fish market blew toward them.

Shi Kang could not help asking, "Brother Hao, you and Feng Feiyi stayed in the council hall for so long. What did you do?"

Lu Hao glanced at Shi Kang.

"Feng Feiyi told me that Zhou Zhennan has an older brother named Zhou Zhenbei. He is a Lower Bright Force Martial Artist of the Water Serpent Gang."