Hungry

Li Yong, oppressed by Qin Yang's powerful aura, felt fear in his heart and dared not make any small moves.

This was a pressure of qi momentum.

The higher a martial artist's cultivation, the more vigorous their Essence, Qi, and Spirit, forming a strong aura field.

Under this aura's pressure, weaker martial artists would feel a terrifying sense of being watched by some monstrous beast.

"Young Master Qin, today's trip to Laifu Inn really has nothing to do with me."

"I was just following the Gang Leader's orders."

Li Yong backed down first.

"Oh?" Qin Yang drew out the word, somewhat surprised. "So you're the one who caused trouble at Laifu Inn today?!"

"This..." Li Yong was dumbfounded.

He thought Qin Yang knew it was him, but the other party didn't even recognize him—instead, he'd Jumped Out to confess himself.

"Tell me, why has Luo Jian changed so much lately?"

Qin Yang narrowed his eyes.

Instantly, Li Yong felt even more terrified, trembling all over: "Recently... recently, the Gang Leader's personality has changed drastically. He's become abnormally irritable and quick to anger."

"Anyone who disobeys, he kills. Then he ordered us to keep expanding territory, suppress all shops, plunder money, and frantically recruit disciples."

"Yesterday, he told me to seize Laifu Restaurant back."

"I was scared, but I didn't dare refuse."

"Young Master Qin, I was forced into this."

Li Yong even started crying.

Qin Yang was slightly taken aback: "Wasn't it about buying Laifu Restaurant for five hundred taels?"

Li Yong hurriedly said, "That five hundred taels came from my own pocket. It has nothing to do with the White River Gang."

Qin Yang glanced at him. "Since it's all Luo Jian's doing, I won't make things hard for you."

"Where is Luo Jian now?"

Li Yong said in a low voice, "In the innermost courtyard."

"Ever since the Gang Leader's personality changed, he's stayed in that courtyard and rarely comes out."

"When he gives us orders, he makes us go to that courtyard to find him."

"We can't even see his True Person. He hides behind a screen, and we only hear his voice."

Qin Yang found Luo Jian's behavior unusual. After a moment's thought, he said, "Then go find Luo Jian now and tell him about Laifu Restaurant."

"This..." Li Yong hesitated.

He was also terrified of Luo Jian.

But with Qin Yang sitting right in front of him, he had no choice but to go.

"Since Young Master Qin says so, I'll go now!"

Li Yong gritted his teeth.

"Don't worry. I came tonight only to deal with Luo Jian."

"It has nothing to do with you."

Qin Yang smiled faintly.

Li Yong could only hope Qin Yang meant what he said.

He stepped out of the room and headed toward the courtyard where Luo Jian lived.

Qin Yang quietly followed behind him.

Thirty breaths later, Li Yong entered a pitch-black courtyard.

Deep in the yard stood a house, dark as ink, as if its occupant had already gone to sleep.

Li Yong gritted his teeth, walked up to the door, and knocked softly.

"Who is it?"

A hoarse voice came from inside.

"Gang Leader, it's me."

"I'm here to report on Laifu Restaurant."

Li Yong was so nervous that cold sweat beaded on his palms.

For some reason, every time he came here, he felt an inexplicable panic and tension.

"Come in."

Creak~~

The door eerily swung open on its own.

Li Yong cautiously stepped into the room.

A massive white screen split the room in two.

The screen was bare, devoid of any decoration or painting, a stark expanse of white. Behind it, a figure could be faintly seen sitting within.

"Gang Leader. Laifu Restaurant won't comply."

"Maybe you should step in personally and negotiate with that Qin Family member?"

Li Yong spoke with extreme restraint, afraid of provoking Luo Jian's displeasure.

"Mm."

"I understand."

The figure behind the screen nodded lightly.

Bang~

Suddenly.

The wooden door behind Li Yong eerily slammed shut again.

At the same time.

The figure sitting behind the screen slowly rose to its feet.

"Gang Leader. Gang Leader."

"I really did my best."

Li Yong seemed to sense something ominous, his voice trembling with fear.

"I know."

"But I'm hungry too."

In the darkness, a pair of bloodshot, numb eyes slowly emerged from behind the screen.

From those eyes, Li Yong saw a craving.

A ravenous hunger that wanted to devour him alive.

Li Yong turned and fled in terror.

But the door was tightly locked, impossible for him to push open.

"Young Master Qin!"

"Save me!!!"

He pounded on the door frantically.

But no response came!

Crack!

With a crisp sound, the room fell silent.

Outside the courtyard.

Qin Yang was gazing at the room inside the yard, his brows tightly knit.

He caught a whiff of a rotting stench.

He had encountered this smell twice before.

The first time was at the Broken Temple, the second at Huaxiang Tower.

Whenever this scent appeared, it meant there was a malevolent presence.

"I thought coming here would be a simple matter of taking out Luo Jian."

"Looks like things are far from that straightforward."

Qin Yang frowned slightly.

He noticed that after Li Yong entered, no sound came from the room again.

"Seems that unlucky bastard Li Yong is done for."

As Qin Yang pondered this, he suddenly felt a gust of foul wind rushing at him from behind.

Without even drawing his cleaver, he drove his elbow backward with the force of an Arhat Bell Crash, slamming it hard into whatever was coming.

A twisted figure lunged at him fiercely, and the elbow struck it dead on.

Bang~!

A violent, brutal force erupted, and the twisted figure was sent flying over ten meters.

"Luo Jian?"

Qin Yang twisted his neck, eyeing the figure that had ambushed him.

The twisted figure landed, stared at Qin Yang, and bared a sinister grin.

This man was none other than the Gang Leader of the White River Gang, Luo Jian.

Only his once-dark skin had turned deathly pale, his mouth full of blood, his eyes pitch-black—under the moonlight, he looked utterly horrifying.

"I didn't expect you'd become a vile fiend."

Qin Yang's heart churned with shock.

Luo Jian looked exactly like a vile fiend.

Yet everything he'd done these past few days didn't seem like something a vile fiend would do.

This whole affair reeked of strangeness from start to finish.

Luo Jian drew his long blade, then suddenly turned into a streak of shadow, charging at Qin Yang at breakneck speed.

Qin Yang sneered, his Right Hand pulling the Fine Iron Great Saber as he swung it like a hurricane!

The great saber tore across nearly ten meters in an instant, about to land on Luo Jian—

But the man's figure vanished eerily.

A sharp long blade appeared from behind like a ghost, thrusting viciously.

Boom~!

A faint white barrier abruptly materialized around Qin Yang.

The barrier was too tough, energy swirling rapidly—the long blade couldn't pierce it at all.

Qin Yang twisted his waist, leaping into the air, and swung the great saber down like a falling mountain, crashing toward Luo Jian!

Luo Jian roared and raised his blade to block.

Boom!

The terrifying, crushing weight shattered his blade outright, then slammed into his right shoulder.

Qin Yang felt as if he'd chopped into tree bark.

"Explode!"

Boom!

Luo Jian's entire right shoulder burst apart violently.