Chapter Five: Thunderous Execution!

After bidding farewell to Chen Xuanhao, Wang Xiaohua, and Xuan Youming, Qin Feng led Wang Fu, Wang Bao, and Liu Hu away. Chen Xuanhao watched Qin Feng’s departure with deep concern.

“He seems to have changed,” murmured Chen Yunyun as she gazed after Qin Feng, an uneasy, peculiar feeling stirring in her heart. In the past, whenever Qin Feng saw her, he would cling to her like a shadow, but in the last half month, he had not sought her out once. He had even moved out of Xuanhai Martial Hall without so much as a backward glance in her direction. His strange behavior left her feeling unsettled.

“Young Master, according to your instructions, I have purchased a residence within the city. The total expense was five hundred taels of silver,” Wang Fu reported quietly as he walked beside Qin Feng. “Everything has been arranged, but Young Master, is it not too few to hire only two maids?”

“Two maids are enough,” Qin Feng replied, lost in thought about how to strengthen his abilities and how to deal with Shen Huadong, the Shen family’s second son.

“Young Master, forgive this old servant, but there is something I do not understand,” Wang Fu ventured. “Since you have left Xuanhai Martial Hall, why not simply leave Xuanzhou City and return to the Qin family?”

There were some matters yet to be resolved, Qin Feng answered, his eyes narrowing, cold light flickering within them. “That’s right. Uncle Fu, notify the servants that they are free to move about in the front courtyard, but without my order, no one is to enter the rear courtyard.”

Upon arriving at the residence, Qin Feng surveyed his new surroundings. The place was quite spacious and extremely secluded, and he could not help but feel satisfied.

“It shall be done, Young Master,” Wang Fu responded respectfully.

“Shen Huadong sent men to kill my former self. If he discovers that I’m still alive, he will surely send assassins again,” Qin Feng mused. “Shen Huadong has the entire Shen family at his back, and there are formidable masters among them. I must strike first and eliminate Shen Huadong. Otherwise, if the Shen family comes for me, I fear I would not stand a chance against their experts. This world is far too dangerous, and there are always those who wish to harm me. I must grow stronger as quickly as possible.”

After dinner, alone in his room as dusk settled, Qin Feng pondered his next move. For now, he would have to strike preemptively and kill Shen Huadong.

...

“What’s going on here?”
“Why is someone living here?”

Late at night, Hua Qi and Lu Yun hurried back to the residence where they had been hiding, only to be startled by the sight of lights blazing inside. Both men were notorious local toughs, skilled in martial arts up to the Dark Strength level, though their progress had been slow due to lack of advanced techniques. Upon hearing that Yan Chonghu, the leader of the Black Tiger Gang, was out of town, they had set their sights on stealing the gang’s secret martial arts manual. Through a twist of fate, they had succeeded, but rather than fleeing immediately, they had chosen to hide in Xuanzhou City, waiting for the Black Tiger Gang’s search to relax before making their escape.

Ten days had passed since the theft, and the Black Tiger Gang’s efforts had indeed grown lax. It was time to leave. They returned to their hideout to retrieve the manual buried beneath a flower tree five meters ahead in the rear courtyard, intending to leave Xuanzhou immediately.

“Be careful,” Hua Qi whispered, leaping over the wall into the courtyard.

“If we’re discovered, silence them immediately,” Lu Yun replied in a low voice as he followed.

Familiar with the layout after days in hiding, the two quickly made their way toward the back. When they saw lights shining from the rear room, murderous intent flashed in their eyes. They had not expected anyone to be living in the rear courtyard. Digging up the manual would surely alert whoever was inside.

They exchanged a glance, murderous intent thick between them. Eliminate the witnesses first, then retrieve the manual.

Just as they crept toward the door, it abruptly swung open, and the light spilled over them.

Who are these people? Qin Feng wondered, his heart chilled. Could they be more assassins sent by Shen Huaidong? After all, his former self had only ever offended Shen Huaidong in Xuanzhou. The speed at which they had found his new residence was impressive. He had barely moved out of Xuanhai Martial Hall, and already assassins had come for him. This was a world where the strong preyed on the weak.

“Kill!”
“Attack!”

With a start, Hua Qi and Lu Yun realized their presence had been discovered. With a low growl, they charged Qin Feng. Both were masters of Dark Strength, their punches powerful enough to break stone, fists whistling through the air.

They attacked without a word—this could only be the work of the Shen family, Qin Feng thought fiercely. I must survive. If anyone tries to kill me, I will kill them first.

“Kill!” The blood in Qin Feng’s veins surged. With fists clenched, he rushed to meet Hua Qi and Lu Yun head-on.

“How foolish, he’s courting death,” Hua Qi sneered, surprised that Qin Feng would attack instead of fleeing. Resolving to end it quickly, Hua Qi struck with a thunderous palm toward Qin Feng’s head, confident that this blow would shatter his opponent’s skull.

Qin Feng, without even looking at the incoming strike, punched directly at Hua Qi’s chest.

Hua Qi scoffed at the attack—until his face froze, his chest struck by a tremendous force he could not resist. The blow was so powerful it tore through his body and ripped the fabric from his back, sending him flying like a ragdoll.

He crashed to the ground more than twenty meters away. After a brief struggle, his body stiffened and he lay still, lifeless.

Hua Qi is dead? A Transforming Strength master! Only a practitioner of Transforming Strength could kill Hua Qi in a single blow! It must be that the Black Tiger Gang discovered us and their expert is lying in wait!

Panicked, Lu Yun turned and tried to flee.

“Die!” Qin Feng, his fighting spirit ablaze, lunged at Lu Yun, grabbing him by the shoulder in an iron grip.

Dismay filled Lu Yun’s heart as he struggled in vain—the hand on his shoulder was like a steel vise.

With a stomp of his left foot, Qin Feng summoned his strength and hoisted Lu Yun into the air with one arm.

With a roar, Qin Feng kicked Lu Yun hard in the waist, sending him hurtling skyward.

Blood spurted from Lu Yun’s mouth as he crashed back to earth. Eyes filled with hatred and unwillingness, he stared at Qin Feng before his head drooped lifelessly.