Crack!
On the bustling street, people streamed back and forth when an explosive crash suddenly rang out above their heads.
Many instinctively looked up and saw a blue-clad figure amid the flying splinters.
The figure seemed to have been blasted out of a private room on the third floor by a palm strike. His body curled like a shrimp as he flew backward, but just before hitting the ground, he flipped like a sparrowhawk and landed firmly on his feet.
He was uninjured, but his expression was ugly.
"Is that... Feng Li Dao from Wind and Cloud Hall?!"
"What happened? Someone knocked him out of the third floor?"
"Was he fighting a Six Refinements expert from another gang?"
"..."
Quite a few people in the crowd recognized Feng Li Dao, their faces full of astonishment.
After all, Feng Li Dao had only recently advanced to Six Refinements.
Anyone capable of driving him back had to be a Six Refinements expert too!
After their initial surprise, everyone immediately grew excited again. Did this mean they were about to witness a battle at the Six Refinements level?
They instinctively looked up. The third-floor window had burst apart entirely, leaving a dark "hole," and a handsome, gallant youth in fitted black clothes walked up to it.
"Huh? Was he the one who drove Feng Li Dao back? So young? He's at Six Refinements? Why have I never heard of him?"
Many people were puzzled.
"It's the boss!!"
Ding Ying and the others, who were also watching below, cried out excitedly when they saw the valiant youth.
Whoosh!
The youth in fitted black clothes leaped down and landed steadily opposite Feng Li Dao, without making a sound.
"A soundless landing? What impressive movement skills!" The pupils of a Fifth Refinement expert in the crowd contracted.
"Where's Lan Fei?"
Feng Li Dao looked at the empty opening above, a bad feeling rising in his heart.
"If you miss him so much, I can send you to see him!" Wei Sheng said flatly.
"You killed him?"
Feng Li Dao's expression darkened.
Lan Fei had invited him here ostensibly to mediate, but in truth, they had meant to force Wei Sheng to bow his head.
If Wei Sheng refused, they would not kill him, of course, but they would break his limbs and cripple this so-called genius.
He had thought Wei Sheng was a bird in a cage, a fish in a net, incapable of stirring even a ripple and theirs to butcher at will.
He had never expected this boy to have hidden himself so deeply. His cultivation was at the Fifth Refinement, his movement skills were astonishing, and his strength rivaled Six Refinements. Caught off guard just now, Feng Li Dao had fallen victim to his attack and been blasted straight out of the private room.
Even more frightening was...
This boy was decisive and ruthless. Upon realizing he had been set up, he had killed everyone except Feng Li Dao without another word!
After all.
Those people had included not just members of Azure Dragon Hall, but also members of the Fish-Dragon Gang's Wind and Cloud Hall.
Was this fellow not afraid of retaliation from both halls after acting like this?!
"Wind and Cloud Hall colluded with the enemy in Azure Dragon Hall to suppress a brother of our own hall. I'll personally ask Dapeng how he teaches his underlings. Does he intend to betray the gang?"
"Shut up!"
Feng Li Dao flew into a rage. "You think you're worthy of demanding an audience with Peng Ye? I'll capture you today and bring you before Peng Ye to await his judgment!"
His final word was still echoing when Feng Li Dao suddenly drew his saber. A flash of steel appeared and vanished as though it had never existed, yet the onlookers felt a cool breeze brush their faces.
Only afterward did they feel the stinging pain of cuts on their faces. Reaching up to touch them, they discovered that the saber wind had sliced their skin open, frightening them into a frantic retreat.
Only then did Feng Li Dao's proud voice ring out:
"Clear Wind Slash!"
Clear Wind Slash, a slash through the clear wind. A clear breeze brushed the face; only the breeze could be seen, never the saber!
The essence of this saber technique lay in a single word: speed!!
Feng Li Dao had studied it painstakingly for years, yet had only brought it to minor accomplishment.
Even so, few martial artists at his level could react to a slash from him.
Using it against someone at the Fifth Refinement would be as easy as reaching out and taking something.
"Boss!!"
Ding Ying, who had just approached, also sensed the power contained in that slash, and his expression changed drastically.
Wei Sheng remained expressionless.
He slowly drew his long saber.
This was the first time he had drawn his saber.
Previously, whether against Snake Eye, Lan Fei, or the others, he had used only his hand as a blade, because that had been enough!
But Feng Li Dao was at Six Refinements, after all...
The instant Wei Sheng gripped his long saber, everyone present felt his bearing change. From a cold, stern youth, he seemed to become a ferocious tiger choosing someone to devour.
"Tiger-Howling Saber Technique: Hungry Tiger Pounces on Its Prey!"
Facing the clear breeze sweeping toward him, Wei Sheng felt delight rather than alarm. All the blood, qi, and Jin Force in his body converged in this single slash.
As he slashed, a tiger's roar faintly sounded through the air. The saber light tore through the air like a fierce tiger descending a mountain, striking later yet arriving first. It cleaved apart the clear breeze and lunged straight for Feng Li Dao's throat.
"What?!"
Feng Li Dao was shocked.
Black Tiger's signature saber technique?
When had Wei Sheng learned it, and even trained it to minor accomplishment?
But he had no time to think further. His muscles bulged, and he drove his Jin Force to its utmost, his eyes reddening. "Block it!!"
Squelch!
The saber light tore into his body, instantly carving a savage wound over a foot long across Feng Li Dao's chest. Blood sprayed as he was sent flying.
The entire scene fell deathly silent. Countless people stared wide-eyed, wondering whether they had seen wrong.
Ding Ying's worried face looked as though he had seen a ghost.
"Stop!"
Just then, an urgent shout came from outside the crowd. "Feng Li Dao, if you dare hurt Wei Sheng, I'll cut you down..."
Led by Che Zhenzhong, Fire Ox hurried over. He failed to notice the strange expressions around him and pushed straight to the front.
Seeing Wei Sheng standing tall and completely unhurt, Fire Ox let out a slight breath of relief.
Then he looked around and spotted Feng Li Dao slowly struggling into a sitting position opposite him. He could not help cursing:
"Feng Li Dao, you're at Six Refinements, yet you have the nerve to fight someone at the Fourth Refinement-"
His voice stopped abruptly.
Feng Li Dao raised his head, revealing the hideous saber wound across his chest that had nearly cleaved him in two. He opened his mouth, spat out a large mouthful of blood, and passed out!
Fire Ox: "??"
Inner City, Southern District.
Wind and Cloud Restaurant.
Inside a private room on the top floor.
The Fish-Dragon Gang's Four Hall Masters had gathered.
Black Tiger and Master Qin were both among them.
At the head of the table sat a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and a hooked nose, dressed in luxurious clothes. He radiated authority even without anger.
He was none other than Dapeng, the Hall Master of Wind and Cloud Hall!
"...If there are no objections, Wind and Cloud Hall will continue managing the Southern District's establishments for the second half of the year."
Dapeng swept his gaze over the other three present, looking particularly at Black Tiger as he spoke blandly.
"I object!"
Black Tiger slapped the table in protest:
"Half the establishments in the Inner City's Southern District belong to our Fish-Dragon Gang. It's also our gang's most lucrative territory, bringing in at least ten thousand taels of silver in net profit every six months. Your Wind and Cloud Hall has managed the Southern District's establishments three times running, eating until grease drips from your mouths. It's time to give your brother halls a chance!"
Before Dapeng could speak, the sinister-looking, middle-aged man with loose hair seated to his right-Hu Rong, Hall Master of Chivalry Hall-said flatly:
"Black Tiger, this rotation in the Southern District belongs to Chivalry Hall. It's just that I'm not good at management, so I specifically asked Dapeng to manage it for me."
"Rong, if you're no good at management, you can entrust it to Loyalty and Filial Piety Hall, or our Weiyuan Hall!"
Rong frowned and was about to say more, but Dapeng stopped him.
Dapeng stared at Black Tiger:
"Black Tiger, do you think I want to manage the Southern District on someone else's behalf?
"Isn't it because you're all so useless? You don't even have a Nine Refinements expert under you. Every time we let you manage it, haven't the Firewood-Fisher Gang and the Three Great Households beaten you back again and again, costing us great swathes of territory?
"The Gang Leader entrusted the Southern District to us so we could hold it, not so you could hand it over to others!
"If you dare guarantee that, once I give it to you, we won't lose a single piece of territory and the net profit will reach ten thousand taels of silver, I'll hand it over immediately!"
Black Tiger opened his mouth but said nothing.
He had no Nine Refinements expert under him, but he had no shortage of men who dared to fight and kill. Holding the territory would not be much of a problem.
The key was...
He lacked Dapeng's connections, could not handle big business deals, and could not guarantee a profit of ten thousand taels of silver.
Master Qin tugged at Black Tiger's clothes beside him. Taking the offered way out, Black Tiger snorted coldly and sat down.
"Since no one has any objections, it's settled..."
Dapeng smiled in satisfaction and raised his cup, about to invite the other three to drink, when the private room's door was pushed open. A Wind and Cloud Hall disciple strode over to Dapeng and spoke a few words in a low voice.
Although he spoke very softly, every one of the Four Hall Masters present was a Ten Refinements expert. That voice, as faint as a mosquito's buzz, reached their ears with perfect clarity.
"What?!"
Black Tiger slammed the table and glared at Dapeng:
"Lan Fei invited Wei Sheng to discuss matters? And invited Snake Eye from Azure Dragon Hall and Feng Li Dao, a Six Refinements expert from Wind and Cloud Hall? What kind of reconciliation banquet is that? It's plainly bullying him with superior power! Dapeng, these are the underlings you've raised?!"
Dapeng dismissed his underling with a wave, his face expressionless. "He's only at the Fourth Refinement. If anything really happens, I'll compensate you with two!"
"You think I need your two lousy Fourth Refinement fighters?!" Black Tiger raged.
"Isn't it just the Skin Abyss? Reaching skin refinement perfection does indeed make him a genius, but a genius who hasn't grown into his potential isn't a genius!"
Dapeng remained expressionless.
"You...
Black Tiger flew into a fury and was about to speak when the door was pushed open again. The underling who had brought the news earlier rushed in, panicked, and hurried up to Dapeng, just about to whisper in his ear.
"Say it out loud!!" Dapeng said coldly.
"Yes, Hall Master! News just came in. Wei Sheng, Weiyuan Hall's Tiger General, went on a killing spree at the Guest-Welcoming Tower, cutting down Snake Eye, Lan Fei, and several others. Then he fought a fierce battle with Feng Li Dao in the street and severely wounded him with a single slash!"
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