Chapter 25: Taken as a Lackey!

Zhou Tianhao was known as the "Unrivaled Iron Fist," a title earned through his most formidable weapon: his pair of iron fists.

At this moment, the technique he unleashed was called "Gold-Splitting."

The Gold-Splitting strike was ruthless; it compressed all the practitioner’s internal energy and blood into a single point before detonating it with terrifying, overwhelming force. The key was that it was impossible to defend against. Once caught off guard and unable to evade, defeat and injury were inevitable. Zhou Tianhao had been playing the fool, biding his time to suddenly unleash this lethal blow. It was a move with devastating side effects, inflicting terrible damage upon the user’s own body, but he no longer cared.

"Bang!"

The incredibly powerful punch surged forward.

Yet, a moment later, Zhou Tianhao felt as if his fist had been clamped in a vise. Looking closely, he was struck with terror. His fist had been caught firmly in the palm of Duan Lingxiao.

"Unrivaled Iron Fist? Then let me destroy these fists of yours."

Duan Lingxiao spoke calmly, his palm tightening.

Instantly, Zhou Tianhao felt an irresistible, crushing force. The power surged up his arm, and in a mere heartbeat, his limb twisted like a piece of taffy, spiraling into a sickening shape.

*Crack! Snap!*

The sounds of fracturing bone, tearing tendons, and rupturing flesh echoed through the air. Zhou Tianhao shrieked in agony.

In the next instant, Duan Lingxiao kicked him in the abdomen, shattering his martial arts dantian. His internal energy dissipated, and he was reduced to a complete cripple.

"Hiss—"

The onlookers gasped, their eyes wide with disbelief, their bodies trembling.

"Thud!" "Thud!"

Zhao Heihu was the first to drop to his knees, followed closely by Gao Deyao. Their faces were ashen, cold sweat beaded on their foreheads, and their lips quivered uncontrollably.

"Tell me, what should be done now?" Duan Lingxiao stood over them, looming like a god.

The crowd cowered, prostrate and trembling.

"You two useless fools who don't know your place, it’s all your fault!"

"You slut, only knowing how to seduce men—how goddamn desperate are you?!"

"And you, you arrogant piece of trash, using my name to scam people and act like a tyrant! You're courting death!"

"You don't even know who you can offend and who you can't! Die!"

Zhao Heihu suddenly exploded into a frenzy, punching and kicking Zhao Guofeng and Zhao Mengru. The pair screamed in pain, though they sneered at Zhao Heihu’s behavior internally. *We don't know our place? Did you? It’s the pot calling the kettle black! Who are you trying to fool with this act?* But they dared not speak; doing so would only bring a worse beating.

"Zhao Guofeng, Zhao Mengru, from this day on, you are on your own. You are no longer part of the Zhao family!"

After a long while, Zhao Heihu finally stopped. He wiped the sweat from his face and looked at the battered, unrecognizable forms of Zhao Guofeng and Zhao Mengru with a cold, indifferent expression.

"Uncle, please, don't!"

The two were struck with extreme terror. Without Zhao Heihu as their pillar of support, how could they continue their arrogant lifestyle? Everything they enjoyed was bestowed by him. Once lost, they would fall into the abyss, never to rise again.

"Get out! If you say one more word, I’ll break your limbs!" Zhao Heihu’s face was dark, his mood foul. The two turned pale and dared not utter a single syllable.

Then, Zhao Heihu’s expression shifted instantly. He turned to Duan Lingxiao with a sycophantic smile. "Boss, are you satisfied? These two fools offended you, and I have dealt with them. Might you... let me go now?"

Duan Lingxiao looked at him with an amused gaze, remaining silent.

"B-boss, please don't be angry! I am willing to pay reparations. Thirty million... no, one hundred million! I’ll pay one hundred million!" Zhao Heihu scrambled to offer.

"Is your life only worth one hundred million? If I kill you, I can swallow your assets anyway," Duan Lingxiao sneered.

"Spare me, Boss!" Zhao Heihu was terrified. He knelt again to beg for mercy, knowing full well that Duan Lingxiao spoke the truth. In this world, because of the existence of martial artists, there were two sets of laws: one for ordinary people and one for those who practiced martial arts. As a martial artist, standard laws held little sway over Duan Lingxiao. Having provoked him, Zhao Heihu had no choice but to concede.

"I’ll give you two choices. First, kill yourself."

Zhao Heihu’s eyes twitched, and he hurriedly shouted, "I choose the second!"

"Second, kill Zhou Tianhao, and then pledge your entire force to me," Duan Lingxiao said indifferently. Killing a lackey like this wouldn't make much difference, but keeping him might prove useful.

"This..." Zhao Heihu hesitated. If he didn't kill Zhou Tianhao, he would certainly die today. But if he did, he would be forced to serve Duan Lingxiao as a subordinate forever, with no hope of turning back. After all, Zhou Tianhao’s master, Peng Qianhe, was a formidable character.

"My patience is limited. Three! Two!" Duan Lingxiao began the countdown. If Zhao Heihu hesitated, he would send him to the grave.

*Splat!*

Zhao Heihu pulled out a dagger and plunged it into Zhou Tianhao’s heart, twisting it viciously. Zhou Tianhao’s eyes went wide, his teeth clenched; he felt as if the absurdity of his own end was merely a dream.

"Heh, I’ve fallen today, but since you killed me, just wait for my master to exact his revenge!" With that, he breathed his last.

"Boss, from this day on, the Black Tiger Hall follows your every command!" Zhao Heihu glanced at the corpse and, without further hesitation, knelt down with firm resolve. Gao Deyao, still on the ground, knocked his head against the floor until it thundered.

"Very good. As long as you act like good dogs, I won't treat you poorly. But otherwise... heh." Duan Lingxiao smiled faintly. Zhao Heihu felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were being watched by a demon. He hurriedly kowtowed repeatedly to show his loyalty.

"That's enough. Clean this place up. Also, have the items I need delivered to the Xiao family villa by tomorrow morning." With those words, Duan Lingxiao took Xiao Mengxue’s hand and turned to leave.

To him, subduing the Black Tiger Hall was merely a trivial matter. It wasn't worth dwelling on. The "Dragon Palace," founded by his fourth master, was not yet ready to be fully exposed, and he had not yet consolidated all its power. For now, small local forces like the Black Tiger Hall could handle many errands for him.

...

After Duan Lingxiao left, Zhao Heihu and Gao Deyao climbed up from the floor.

"Boss Tiger, what do we do? Zhou Tianhao’s master, Peng Qianhe, will definitely come for that man. If we kill Zhou Tianhao, we'll surely be implicated," Gao Deyao said, filled with worry.

"We’re already on this boat; we have to see it through to the end!" Zhao Heihu shook his head, though a different light flashed in his eyes. He hadn't knelt out of mere desperation; it was a calculated decision. Duan Lingxiao was young and powerful—a genuine blue-chip stock. In the underworld, stability was important, but knowing how to pick a side was even more vital.

Duan Lingxiao gave him a feeling of unfathomable depth. He had seen many big shots in government, the military, business, and the underworld, but Duan Lingxiao felt unique. He seemed to stand above everyone, capable of deciding the fate of all.

*Is a golden dragon meant to stay in a shallow pond?* Such an extraordinary person was destined to soar. This was a gamble worth taking.

"Also, deal with the onlookers. I don't care how you do it, just make them shut up!" Zhao Heihu looked at the few bystanders and said coldly. "I don't want to kill Zhou Tianhao today only to have Peng Qianhe come for revenge tomorrow—or at least, not so quickly!"

"Damn! Boss Zhao, we’ll keep our mouths shut!" "Boss Tiger, please, spare us!" the onlookers pleaded. In truth, many had already fled, leaving only a few who were either fearless or just too invested in the spectacle. Now, they realized they had stumbled into a mess. Zhao Heihu might not kill them, but he would certainly take measures to ensure their silence.