Hungry

Li Yong faced the crushing pressure of Qin Yang's powerful aura. Fear filled his heart, and he did not dare make any small moves.

This was the oppression of one's vital aura.

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

Under the pressure of such an aura, weaker martial artists would feel the bone-chilling terror of being stared down by some fearsome giant beast.

"Young Master Qin, what happened at Laifu Inn today truly had nothing to do with me."

"I followed the Gang Leader's arrangements in everything."

Li Yong surrendered before the fight had even begun.

"Oh?" Qin Yang drew out the word, sounding somewhat surprised. "So you were the one who went to Laifu Inn and caused trouble today?!"

"This..." Li Yong was dumbfounded.

He had thought Qin Yang already knew it was him. He had never expected that the other party did not even recognize him; instead, he had jumped out and confessed first.

"Tell me, why has Luo Jian become like this lately?"

Qin Yang narrowed his eyes slightly.

At once, Li Yong became even more terrified, trembling all over. "Recently... over this period, the Gang Leader's personality changed drastically. He became exceptionally irritable and violent."

"Those who refused to obey were all killed by him. Then he ordered us to keep expanding our territory, suppress every shop, plunder wealth, and frantically recruit disciples."

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

"I was afraid. I didn't dare refuse."

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

Li Yong even began to cry.

Qin Yang paused slightly. "Wasn't it supposed to be five hundred taels to purchase Laifu Restaurant?"

Li Yong hurriedly said, "Those five hundred taels came from me personally. They had nothing to do with the White River Gang."

Qin Yang glanced at him. "Since it was all Luo Jian's doing, I don't wish to make things difficult for you."

"Where is Luo Jian now?"

Li Yong said in a low voice, "In the courtyard at the very back."

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

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

"We cannot even see his True Person. He always uses a screen to hide himself, and we can only hear his voice."

Qin Yang felt that Luo Jian's behavior was rather abnormal. After some thought, he said, "Go find Luo Jian now and tell him about Laifu Restaurant."

"This..." Li Yong hesitated.

He was also terribly afraid of Luo Jian.

But Qin Yang was sitting right in front of him. Whether he wanted to go or not, he had to.

"Since Young Master Qin has spoken, I'll go now!"

Li Yong gritted his teeth.

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

"It has nothing to do with you."

Qin Yang smiled.

Li Yong could only hope Qin Yang was telling the truth.

He walked 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 dark courtyard.

Deep within the courtyard stood a house, pitch-black, as if the person inside had long since gone to sleep.

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

"Who is it?"

A harsh, unfamiliar voice immediately came from inside.

"Gang Leader, it's me."

"I came to tell you about Laifu Restaurant."

Li Yong was so nervous that sweat seeped from his palms.

For some reason, every time he came here, he felt exceptionally panicked and tense.

"Come in."

Creak—

The door opened on its own in an eerie manner.

Li Yong cautiously stepped into the room.

A huge White Screen divided the room into two.

There were no decorations or paintings on its surface. It was a deathly blank white, and only a vague silhouette could be seen seated behind it.

"Gang Leader... Laifu Restaurant refuses to submit."

"How about you personally come forward and speak with that person from the Qin Family?"

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

"Mm."

"I understand."

The figure behind the screen nodded lightly.

Bang—

Suddenly.

The wooden door behind Li Yong slammed shut in an equally eerie manner.

At the same time.

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

"Gang Leader... Gang Leader."

"I truly did my best."

Li Yong seemed to sense something ominous. His voice trembled with fright.

"I know."

"But I'm hungry too."

In the darkness, a pair of scarlet, lifeless eyes slowly emerged from behind the screen.

From those eyes, Li Yong saw desire.

A hungry desire to swallow him alive.

Li Yong turned and ran in terror.

But the door was locked tight as iron, and he could not push it open at all.

"Young Master Qin!"

"Save me!!!"

He pounded wildly on the door.

But he received no response at all!

Crack!

After a crisp sound, the room fell utterly silent.

Outside the courtyard.

Qin Yang stared at the room within the courtyard, his brows tightly furrowed.

He smelled a trace of rotting stench.

He had encountered this scent twice before.

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

Whenever this scent appeared, it generally meant some evil entity was present.

"I thought that coming here would let me deal with Luo Jian easily."

"Looks like things are far more complicated than I imagined."

Qin Yang frowned slightly.

After Li Yong entered, he had not heard another sound from inside the room.

"Looks like that unlucky bastard Li Yong is done for."

As Qin Yang pondered inwardly, he suddenly sensed a foul wind rushing at him from behind.

Qin Yang did not even draw his Great Chopper. Using the force technique of Arhat Bell Crash, he smashed his elbow viciously backward.

An eerie figure was lunging at him, and his elbow struck it squarely.

Bang!

A ferocious force surged forth, sending the eerie figure flying more than ten meters away.

"Luo Jian?"

Qin Yang looked at the figure that had ambushed him and rolled his neck.

After landing, the eerie figure looked at Qin Yang and revealed a strange grin.

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

Only, his once-dark skin had turned deathly pale. His mouth was filled with blood, his eyes were black, and beneath the moonlight, he looked utterly terrifying.

"I didn't expect you to turn into an evil entity."

Qin Yang was inwardly startled.

Luo Jian looked exactly like an evil entity.

Yet everything he had done these past few days did not seem like the actions of an evil entity.

From beginning to end, this matter reeked of strangeness.

Luo Jian drew his long saber, turning into a black shadow as he charged at Qin Yang with explosive speed.

Qin Yang sneered. With his right hand, he drew the Fine Iron Great Saber and slashed out as if whipping up a hurricane!

In the blink of an eye, the Great Chopper crossed nearly ten meters and was about to strike Luo Jian.

Yet the other man's figure vanished eerily.

A sharp long saber appeared behind him like a ghost and stabbed viciously forward.

Bang!

A pale white aura barrier suddenly appeared around Qin Yang.

The barrier was extraordinarily tough and flowed swiftly. The long saber could not pierce it at all.

Qin Yang twisted his waist, his body leaping into the air as if from nowhere. At the same time, he swept the Great Chopper along, smashing it down upon Luo Jian like a falling mountain!

Luo Jian roared and raised his saber to block.

With a bang!

That terrifying, crushing force pulverized his long saber alive before crashing onto his right shoulder.

Qin Yang felt as though he had struck tree bark.

"Explode!"

Boom!

Luo Jian's entire right shoulder exploded violently.