Chapter 53: Nationwide Manhunt!

The moment Duan Lingxiao took out the anode stone, the words of his master, the First Villain, flashed through his mind.

Those who cultivate the spiritual essence, so his master said, are those who defy the heavens and alter their fate, wresting longevity from the heavens and the earth itself.

By opening the mysterious portals of the meridians and channeling the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, one could step into the Qi Condensation Realm.

The Qi Condensation Realm had thirteen levels, where each level was a separate heaven, a separate realm.

When spiritual energy nourished the body, clearing the hundred meridians, the energy would transform into liquid within the Dantian, giving birth to a spiritual spring—this was the Innate Realm.

The Innate Realm comprised four stages: the Early Stage, Middle Stage, Late Stage, and Great Perfection.

Duan Lingxiao was currently at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm.

"The God of War Art imparted to me by my First Villain master is currently at the seventh level. Its speed in devouring spiritual energy is already immense; I reckon this anode stone can be completely absorbed in the span of a single night."

Duan Lingxiao sat cross-legged.

Clutching the anode stone in his hand, he began to circulate the God of War Art.

Instantly, an abstruse and ethereal aura enveloped him.

The spiritual energy between heaven and earth, along with the lunar essence hanging high in the night sky, were all drawn into his body.

A mysterious radiance gradually surfaced on the surface of Duan Lingxiao's skin.

It was as if he had been plated with a layer of gold, resembling a divine Buddha descending to the mortal world.

"Whoa, Big Brother Lingxiao is glowing!"

Xiao Mengxue, rubbing her sleep-filled eyes as she passed through the corridor, noticed beams of light leaking out from Duan Lingxiao's room.

Curious, she softly pushed open a crack in the door and just happened to see Duan Lingxiao bathed in a divine radiance.

He looked like an immortal god, unsullied by worldly dust and transcending the mortal realm.

Yet, she chose not to disturb him and gently pulled the door shut again.

She knew that Duan Lingxiao must harbor many secrets to have walked out unscathed from the notorious Zero-Number Prison, from which it was said no living soul had ever emerged.

None of that mattered to her, however.

As long as Big Brother Lingxiao was still the same Big Brother Lingxiao, the one deep within her heart, that was more than enough!

***

Late at night.

Thousands of kilometers away from Jiangnan City lay Hong Kong.

Hong Kong had long been the financial center of the Dragon Kingdom, incomparably prosperous.

Real estate prices here had skyrocketed to astronomical heights.

It was said that a single square foot sold for over ten thousand.

Consequently, the most famous symbol of Hong Kong was the pigeon-cage apartment.

Entire families of several people among the common folk were crammed into these pigeon holes measuring merely a dozen or so square meters.

Day after day, year after year.

Living no differently than pigeons trapped in cages.

Yet, in stark contrast, right in the heart of Hong Kong's downtown, standing in direct opposition to the pigeon-cage apartments,

was a contrasting vista of row upon row of opulent neighborhoods for the wealthy.

At this very moment.

Located within the upscale coastal residential district of Hong Kong, the He family—founded single-handedly by the man known as the Gambling King, He Hongmiao—

was brilliantly lit, luxurious, and dreamlike.

Even a chandelier here, or a single sofa, was worth millions.

An ordinary person toiling diligently for an entire lifetime could not afford even a single carpet belonging to the He family.

"Bang!"

He Hongmiao slammed his hand down, shattering a teacup—one of only ten limited-edition pieces in the entire world—into pieces.

His sinister gaze was filled with ruthlessness and rage.

The history of the He family's rise to prominence was, naturally, far from spotless.

From his youth until now, He Hongmiao had committed countless dirty deeds.

Yet by now, many chapters had been turned over, and both the black and the grey had been thoroughly washed white.

The He family had miraculously transformed into one of Hong Kong's prestigious noble clans.

However, He Hongmiao never expected that his own daughter would be murdered on a trip to the mainland!

Furthermore, she had died a tragic death with her neck snapped.

How many years had it been since such a shocking and horrifying event had occurred?

It had always been he, He Hongmiao, killing others; yet today, someone actually dared to kill a member of the He family?

"Father, this is the news sent over by the Jiangbei City Martial Arts Association, and the Shennong Pavilion has also confirmed it. Younger sister has indeed met with a mishap."

"Zhou Yuan from the Shennong Pavilion accompanied Younger sister to attend the Jiashang Auction, only to encounter an utterly arrogant and despotic ruffian. That brute killed Zhou Yuan publicly on the spot, and because Younger sister sought to acquire the finale auction lot—that pre-Qin dynasty alchemy furnace—she was brutally murdered by that same brute."

Standing beside He Hongmiao, a handsome and dashing young man spoke in a deep voice.

His name was He Guangyu, and he was He Hongmiao's eldest son.

The sibling he cherished most of all was none other than his younger sister, He Cailian.

Therefore, his face, too, was contorted with a ferocious and lethal expression, brimming with malice.

"Do we have specific details on this person?"

He Hongmiao asked.

"Yes! But they are incomplete!"

"This person calls himself Ling Tian. He seems to be acquainted with Xiao Longhu, a subordinate general of the former Marquis of the Realm, Duan Lingxiao, five years ago. Beyond that, all other information is completely blank."

He Guangyu recounted everything he had learned from the Jiangbei City Martial Arts Association.

"Didn't Cailian have a personal bodyguard with her? Wu Qingxuan is the Fourth Elder of the Taiji Sect! With him protecting her, how could something like this happen?!"

A jeweled and bedecked matron spoke, her face streaming with tears.

She was He Hongmiao's fourth wife, his fourth concubine, and He Cailian's biological mother.

"Wu Qingxuan was blasted away with a single punch by that ruffian, his martial arts utterly crippled, and he has already returned to the Taiji Sect,"

He Guangyu said.

Though deeply displeased that Wu Qingxuan had departed without a word of farewell, the man was, after all, not a private bodyguard exclusively bound to the He family.

Moreover, to protect He Cailian, the man had even sacrificed his martial foundation.

That alone meant he had done right by the He family.

They had nothing more to complain about.

"Dammit, Cailian went to the mainland precisely to seek out renowned physicians to cure my chronic hidden ailment."

"Never did I imagine she would encounter such a catastrophe!"

"This blood debt must be avenged!"

He Hongmiao's expression grew increasingly gloomy.

This was not merely the murder of his daughter!

It was a war to determine whether the He family could reclaim their honor and dignity!

Once the other families of Hong Kong learned of this, they would undoubtedly mock them mercilessly.

Therefore, they had to act swiftly to bring the killer to justice as a warning to others.

Otherwise, the He family's standing in Hong Kong would inevitably suffer, and their reputation would plummet into the abyss.

"Father, Younger sister's murder must certainly be avenged. Should I contact Lu Qingfeng, the Master of the Taiji Sect?"

He Guangyu asked after a moment of contemplation.

"Not for now. Although the Taiji Sect has close ties with our He family, why use a butcher's cleaver to slaughter a chicken? As a prominent clan in Hong Kong for decades, our He family commands a revered status throughout the Dragon Kingdom."

"If we cannot even deal with a nameless nobody, wouldn't we become a laughingstock?"

"Right now, mobilize our He family's network and issue a bounty order!"

He Hongmiao said coldly.

"A bounty order?"

He Guangyu frowned slightly.

"A nationwide bounty! Regardless of any organization or individual, whoever kills Ling Tian of Jiangnan City shall receive a reward of one hundred million!"

"If he is captured alive, the bounty doubles!"

He Hongmiao declared coldly.

As the words left his mouth, he could not help but break into a fit of violent coughing.

"Father!"

"Master!"

"Are you alright?"

He Guangyu and several concubines asked with deep concern.

"I'm fine. It's just an old ailment, no need to make such a fuss."

He Hongmiao waved his hand, sat down upon a genuine leather sofa handcrafted by renowned artisans, and took a sip of the nourishing medicinal soup handed to him by a maid.

Immediately, his complexion flushed with a semblance of color.

"Father, I have already contacted Yao Xuanchen and several other domestic and foreign medical experts. This illness will definitely be completely cured."

He Guangyu's eyes flashed as he spoke caringly.

"Mm, I know."

"Guangyu, you must apply yourself fully to your sister's matter and make sure to avenge her thoroughly."

"Otherwise, your sister will never rest in peace beneath the nine springs!"

He Hongmiao stared gloomily at He Guangyu and said in a deep voice.

"Rest assured, Father, I am going to the Dark Web right now to issue the bounty order!"

With that, He Guangyu turned and strode out of the room.

And on this very night, the underground world across the entire globe was sent into a boiling frenzy!