Zheng Huaijian, Dead!

Cao Ling and Xue Yong saw Zheng Huaijian standing behind Lu Hao with a long staff in hand.

Cao Ling bared his teeth, one hand clutching the wound on his upper arm as he forced himself to his feet. He shouted, "Zheng Huaijian, what are you doing? When we were fighting the Golden Saber Gang just now, you hid in the back. Now that the Golden Saber Gang has been dealt with, you want to harm your own brothers? Have you no shame?"

The more Cao Ling spoke, the angrier he became, tugging at the wound on his arm. The pain made him bare his teeth and suck in a cold breath.

By then, Xue Yong had already sat up with his back against a large tree. He pressed a hand over the wound on his chest and opened his mouth, wanting to say something. But the instant he did, a sharp pain tore through his chest, and he began coughing uncontrollably. He could only raise one hand and point at Zheng Huaijian, his eyes brimming with rage.

Zheng Huaijian turned to look at Cao Ling and Xue Yong, a cold smile curling across his face.

"Vice Gang Leader Xue, Elder Cao! I advise you to stay put and stop looking for trouble!"

Cao Ling gritted his teeth and rose to his feet, gripping his long staff as he walked toward Zheng Huaijian.

He stared at Zheng Huaijian. "If not for Lu Hao killing that Golden Saber Gang elder who swallowed the Praying Mantis Beast's demon core, we would all have died! Lu Hao saved us, and now you want to kill him?"

After Cao Ling said that, Zheng Huaijian also felt somewhat unable to save face.

He snorted coldly. "You sure talk a lot of nonsense."

With that, his figure flashed, and he arrived before Cao Ling. The long staff in his hand shot forward, striking Cao Ling squarely in the chest.

Cao Ling was already injured and could not dodge in time. Zheng Huaijian's staff sent him sprawling to the ground.

Seeing this, Xue Yong coughed violently several times in rage. He wanted to berate Zheng Huaijian, but the pain in his chest was too severe for him to speak.

Zheng Huaijian glanced at Xue Yong and ignored the two of them, walking straight toward Lu Hao.

At that moment, Lu Hao was still kneeling on one knee, his arms hanging limply at his sides. Only his breathing had become much steadier than before.

"Elder Lu!" Zheng Huaijian came before him. "You and I have held no grudges in the past and no enmity in recent days. I do not wish to take your life either."

He paused.

"But before we set out, Vice Gang Leader Ding specifically instructed me to find a chance to get rid of you. Right now is the best opportunity. If you were at full strength, I truly would not be your match, nor would I have had a chance to strike."

Lu Hao raised his head and looked coldly at Zheng Huaijian.

Under that gaze, Zheng Huaijian felt uncomfortable all over. Without realizing it, he tightened his grip on the long staff.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm only carrying out orders. If you want someone to blame, blame Ding Mian!"

With that, he raised the long staff high.

System, use the Blood Essence Pill!

Back at the Black Tiger Gang's headquarters, he had killed Su Qin and won four Blood Essence Pills as the prize.

After obtaining the Blood Essence Pills, Lu Hao had never found an opportunity to use them. He had equipped them in the Equipment Slot that had already been solidified.

Lu Hao had intended to wait until his Qi-Blood was full, then use all four Blood Essence Pills to raise the proficiency of the Golden Saber Blood Essence Art. He had not expected them to come in handy now. It seemed that in the future, he still needed to keep a few Blood Essence Pills in the solidified Equipment Slot for emergencies.

In an instant, the medicinal power of the Blood Essence Pill dissolved within his body.

Lu Hao felt a warm current suddenly surge forth from his dantian. The nine drops of Blood Essence that had withered dry abruptly swelled full again and slowly revolved around his dantian.

At that moment, Zheng Huaijian's long staff was already smashing down toward Lu Hao's forehead.

Lu Hao sprang to his feet and raised an arm.

With a muffled bang, the long staff struck Lu Hao's forearm.

Pain flared through Lu Hao's arm. He frowned slightly and took a step back.

But Zheng Huaijian felt as though his staff had struck an iron plate. The web between his thumb and forefinger throbbed with pain, and the long staff was jolted from his hand, flying away and landing more than thirty feet away.

Zheng Huaijian staggered back seven or eight steps before barely steadying himself.

He lowered his head to look at his hands. The webs of both hands had split open, blood dripping from his palms onto the ground. Both arms were numb and sore; even lifting them took effort.

"You... your Blood Essence was clearly exhausted just now!" Zheng Huaijian suddenly raised his head to stare at Lu Hao, his eyes full of disbelief.

Lu Hao took two steps forward, then kicked off with both feet and lunged at Zheng Huaijian.

Naturally, Zheng Huaijian recognized Lu Hao's move as Black Tiger Pounces on Prey. But his arms were still numb from the shock, and his body stalled for an instant. Lu Hao's shoulder slammed into his chest.

Zheng Huaijian fell flat on his back, his chest feeling as though it had been struck viciously by a massive iron hammer. He struggled to roll over and get up.

But Lu Hao was already straddling him, raising his right fist.

Seeing this, Zheng Huaijian hurriedly raised both hands, crossing his forearms before himself.

Lu Hao's fist crashed down, striking his forearm dead on. The intense pain made him let out a wail.

Bang! Another punch. By the time Lu Hao threw the fourth punch, he had finally smashed through Zheng Huaijian's guard.

Lu Hao immediately followed with another punch, striking Zheng Huaijian squarely across the bridge of the nose. With a crisp crack, Zheng Huaijian's nose broke.

Lu Hao threw another punch, smashing him in the mouth. Zheng Huaijian's head snapped aside, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood mixed with teeth. His vision darkened, and his head buzzed.

"Stop hitting me... stop hitting me, Elder Lu!" Zheng Huaijian struggled desperately, his hands clawing wildly. "Elder Lu, I'll never dare again! Spare me this once!"

Lu Hao looked at him without speaking, merely raising his right fist once more.

"I can help you keep an eye on Ding Mian! Whatever he does in the future, I can report it to you immediately!" Zheng Huaijian cried.

Lu Hao stared at him and gave a cold laugh.

"I do not bully others, but others must not bully me! Those who bully me—kill them!"

Hearing Lu Hao say this, Zheng Huaijian was horrified.

Before he could make another move, Lu Hao's fist smashed into his face again. After seven or eight punches, Zheng Huaijian's eyes bulged wide, his head tilted to one side, and he breathed no more.

Before his death, his heart was filled with regret. When Lu Hao and the other two had fought the Golden Saber Gang members, he had kept circling the outskirts and preserved his own life. But in the end, he had insisted on following Ding Mian's instructions and taking the chance to eliminate Lu Hao. If he had not obeyed Ding Mian, perhaps Lu Hao would not have beaten him to death now. But there was no medicine for regret in this world, and Zheng Huaijian would never have another chance to choose again.

Only after seeing that Zheng Huaijian had truly breathed his last did Lu Hao lower his right hand.

He looked down at his right hand and vigorously wiped the back of it, smeared with blood and bits of flesh, against his clothes.

Cao Ling, lying on the ground, and Xue Yong, seated against the tree, watched Lu Hao batter Zheng Huaijian to death. Both were horrified.

They had never imagined that after fighting an demonized elder infinitely close to the lower tier of Dark Force, Lu Hao would still have the strength to kill Zheng Huaijian.

Xue Yong laboriously raised his head and looked up through the dense branches and leaves, seeing only a sheet of inky darkness.

In a hoarse voice, he said, "It's dark! Today... we can't go back!"