Chaos

Luo Jian screamed again and again, staggering backward as a horrific gash appeared on his right shoulder.

Qin Yang could see strips of maggots burrowing out from the flesh within that wound, continuously repairing it. The sight made his stomach turn.

"That's disgusting!"

Disgust filled Qin Yang's face as he gripped the Great Chopper and surged forward.

He seemed to transform into a streak of light, flashing directly before Luo Jian. Saber radiance swirled out in a slash like raging flames soaring skyward.

Po Jun: Fierce Fire Stance!

Qin Yang had long since cultivated the Po Jun Saber Technique to the realm of great accomplishment.

Once the Fierce Fire Stance unfolded, blazing saber light packed together densely, hacking wildly into Luo Jian's body.

White smoke rose from all over Luo Jian as he was slashed, and strange cries poured endlessly from his mouth.

Having lost his long saber, he could only use both hands to fend off those scorching, flame-like blades of light. The flesh on his arms was continuously shredded apart, leaving only ghastly white bones.

"Die!"

Qin Yang suddenly clasped the Great Chopper with both hands and smashed it down as if wielding a war hammer.

Mountain Fall Stance!

The instant the chopper came crashing down, the air erupted with a dull roar as it smashed viciously into Luo Jian's head!

Boom!

His head was instantly smashed apart in an explosion.

At that moment.

Noisy voices and flickering torchlight came from ahead.

Clearly, the commotion from earlier had reached the White River Gang Patrol Disciples standing watch outside.

Qin Yang did not linger. With a flash of his body, he swiftly departed.

Very soon.

The White River Gang members swarmed into the courtyard like a hive of bees.

When they saw the headless corpse on the ground, their expressions changed in horror.

Judging by the clothes, they recognized it as their Gang Leader, Luo Jian.

Yet this headless corpse was simply too bizarre.

It looked as though it had been dead for a very long time. Its flesh had decayed, and countless white maggots could be seen.

"Is this the Gang Leader's?"

A Patrol Disciple swallowed hard.

"I don't know. Let's wait for the Hall Masters to handle it."

"Let's stay farther away from the corpse first."

As though they could not avoid it quickly enough, the White River Gang disciples hurried away from the body.

After leaving, Qin Yang first went to the riverbank, took off his Night-Robes, and threw them into the river.

He felt that something was very wrong.

No matter how he looked at it, Luo Jian seemed to have been controlled.

Evil entities had no reason. Why would one think of expanding its territory and frantically recruiting men?

So who had turned Luo Jian into such a ghostly thing?

Qin Yang's gaze flickered.

Such methods could only belong to people like Yin Hezi.

"Linjiang City seems to be getting more and more dangerous."

"All sorts of demons and monsters have crawled out."

Qin Yang returned to Qin Manor with a heavy heart.

Within a dark residence.

More than a dozen dim yellow lamps had been arranged throughout the room.

A white-robed elder sat cross-legged before those lamps, continuously chanting ancient, sinister Incantations.

All of a sudden.

One lamp went out strangely.

The white-robed elder slightly opened his eyes, looked at that lamp, and frowned faintly. "Luo Jian is dead."

The next moment, Zhou Weichan's massive figure walked into the room.

"Luo Jian was killed."

The white-robed elder spoke calmly.

"Luo Jian... There seems to be a troublesome figure in his territory."

"When we caused the unrest in the Outer City last time, we sent people to assassinate that person in secret, only for them to be killed instead."

"Luo Jian's death may be related to him."

Zhou Weichan said in a deep voice.

"Mm. These days, Luo Jian had been wildly expanding his territory. He may have provoked that person."

The white-robed elder nodded.

After controlling Luo Jian with evil arts, he had twisted Luo Jian's mind. Luo Jian would only continuously follow his commands, without any reason or concern for whom he might provoke.

"Then I'll go deal with him first."

Zhou Weichan said coldly.

These past days, he had been investigating the incidents of several strongholds being wiped out, yet he still had not found the slightest clue.

Even while he had been investigating, another stronghold in the Inner City had been directly wiped out.

Naturally, this had left Zhou Weichan with a bellyful of fire, and he intended to use this unlucky fellow to vent it properly.

"Mm. Keep it clean. At a time like this, there can't be any mistakes."

The white-robed elder said quietly.

"Rest assured, Spirit Sorcerer."

Zhou Weichan revealed a savage grin.

The following day.

News of Luo Jian being assassinated at the stronghold swiftly spread.

Several Hall Masters of the White River Gang fought fiercely over territory, throwing the streets into complete chaos.

Qin Manor.

"Young Master, several streets have fallen completely into disorder."

"Should Laifu Inn close for a few days first?"

Qian Hai asked softly.

When he received news of Luo Jian's death, his heart had also jolted.

He had not expected Qin Yang to act with such ruthless decisiveness. The White River Gang had barely come knocking for trouble before Qin Yang slaughtered Luo Jian that very night.

"Close it."

"Uncle Qian, watch over the manor first. I'm going out."

Qin Yang had long expected this outcome, and not the slightest surprise showed on his face.

Seeing Qin Yang like this, Qian Hai became even more certain in his heart.

Qin Yang left Qin Manor. Just as he reached a street corner, he heard a burst of noisy shouting.

Two groups of men wielding sabers, swords, clubs, and staves were locked in a frenzied slaughter.

Not a single roadside shop was open, nor did any commoners dare come here to watch the excitement. Qin Yang was the only spectator.

After watching for a few moments, Qin Yang quickened his pace toward another district.

In his memory, this district was the territory of a gang called the Fierce Wolf Gang.

This place seemed no different from the White River Gang's territory.

The streets were desolate and empty, and the shops were closed as well.

The people most commonly seen on the streets were vagrants and beggars, along with gang disciples in green clothes wandering about everywhere.

Trash had piled up on the ground into small hills, giving off a foul stench.

After walking all the way through, Qin Yang saw only one shop that was open.

When he went in to look.

It appeared to be a shop selling porcelain bowls and plates. Porcelain shards covered the floor, the cabinets had been overturned, and the place was a complete mess.

A middle-aged man with a face full of sorrow was sighing as he cleaned up.

Hearing movement, he warily stood up.

Only after seeing Qin Yang did he let out a slight breath of relief.

Judging by Qin Yang's appearance, bearing, and clothing, he could not possibly be one of those gang thugs.

"Sir, you can see the state my little shop is in."

"Whatever you want to buy, I'm afraid you won't be able to find it."

The middle-aged man gave a bitter smile.

"It's fine. I'm not here to buy anything."

"Shopkeeper, as I walked here just now, I saw that all the shops on the street were closed."

"What happened?"

Qin Yang asked curiously.

"What else could it be? Isn't it because the Fierce Wolf Gang won't let people live?"

"Now the Fierce Wolf Gang are nothing but a band of robbers, frantically squeezing us shopkeepers dry and constantly demanding protection money."

"My little shop was smashed up by the Fierce Wolf Gang because I truly couldn't pay yesterday."

The middle-aged man shook his head slightly.

"Wasn't the Fierce Wolf Gang not this excessive two months ago?"

"Have they been getting worse and worse lately?"

Qin Yang asked again, deep in thought.

"Yes. They've become utterly insane over these past two months."

"I can't stay in this city anymore. I can only pack up and return to my hometown."

As the middle-aged man spoke, his vision suddenly blurred, and the young man before him had vanished without a trace.

"This..."

Just as the middle-aged man wondered whether he had seen a ghost, he suddenly discovered that an additional banknote had appeared on the counter.