Night had fallen.

Four furtive figures crouched at a street corner, clutching gleaming broadswords as they whispered among themselves.

“He Lao Liu!” one of them, a burly cultivator, growled in a low, heavy voice. “When exactly is that kid coming? We’ve already been waiting for two hours!”

He Liang’s expression turned awkward. He hurriedly explained, “I don’t know either. Usually, I see him returning around the third quarter of the Hai hour. Maybe he went out with that little fatty today, so he’s running late…”

“Hmph!”

The tall cultivator hugged his sword to his chest and snorted with disdain. “We’ll wait another half hour. If he still doesn’t show up by then, I’m going back to sleep!”

“How can you say that? You accepted fifty Spirit Stones from our shopkeeper! How can you take the money and not do the job?!” He Liang retorted angrily.

“Hmph, I can’t be bothered to argue with you. If he’s not here in half an hour, I’m leaving,” the tall cultivator said, completely unconcerned.

“You…!”

He Liang was furious. He pointed a trembling finger at the tall cultivator, words caught in his throat. In the end, he lowered his hand, defeated.

He didn’t dare provoke this cultivator.

This man’s cultivation had already reached the seventh level of Qi Refining. He was the heavy hitter the shopkeeper had specially hired from the black market to deal with that kid, Qin Lu.

After learning that Qin Lu’s techniques were somewhat peculiar, the shopkeeper had hired a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator just to be absolutely sure. They couldn’t afford any mishaps.

He just hadn’t expected this mercenary’s temper to be so foul, ready to quit at the slightest annoyance.

Just as He Liang was racking his brain for a way to persuade him to wait a little longer, an excited whisper came from a subordinate beside him.

“Sixth Brother, he’s here!”

The words immediately snapped everyone to attention. They craned their necks, peering toward the far end of the street.

In the darkness, two middle-aged men were walking slowly toward them. Both wore broad smiles and looked quite cheerful, chatting as they walked.

The one on the left was their target.

Qin Lu.

Among the four men in black, three were thugs kept by Jishan Store. The fourth was the professional killer with a clear price tag from the black market.

Seeing their target appear, they all fell silent in unison, slowly drawing their broadswords.

They waited in the shadows.

Watching Qin Lu and his companion gradually approach, He Liang felt a sudden surge of anxiety. After a moment’s hesitation, he whispered a warning:

“Remember what I told you! That kid has a move that emits a blinding light. If he raises his hand, you must remember to close your eyes!”

“Too much nonsense! Shut up!” the tall cultivator growled.

“Uh…” He Liang immediately shut his mouth, not daring to speak another word.

Everyone gripped their magical tools, the silence heavy and suffocating.

Just as Qin Lu and his companion drew near, the tall cultivator moved. He charged out from the darkness, his sword raised high.

Triggered by his movement, the three thugs behind him reacted swiftly and rushed out as well.

As the charge began, one last thought flashed through He Liang’s mind:

As expected of a professional. Even his ambush is silent!

When Qin Lu saw four sword-wielding figures in black suddenly burst from the roadside, his mind went completely blank.

The smile froze on his face.

The distance between them was only about thirty meters.

“Who goes there?!”

Lu Xian reacted quickly, shouting angrily as his entire body tensed for combat.

Fortunately, the shout snapped Qin Lu back to reality instantly. He immediately threw down the large bundle in his hands, the fingers of his right hand curling as spiritual energy gathered rapidly.

“They mean us harm!”

Lu Xian immediately pulled an animal-skin talisman from his robe. Activating it with a surge of spiritual energy, he flung it forward.

The glowing talisman shot rapidly toward the attackers.

Bang!

The talisman exploded mid-flight. A burst of white smoke erupted, blanketing the area in thick fog within moments.

“It’s a Mist Talisman!”

A voice shouted from within the smoke.

Hearing this, Qin Lu’s eyes flashed with cold fury. This voice was all too familiar.

It was He Liang.

“Jishan Store! Since you don’t want me to live, then all of you can die for me!”

A ruthless determination surged in Qin Lu’s heart. He raised his arm and unleashed a barrage of energy directly into the smoke ahead.

Pfft!

Pfft!

Pfft!

Three consecutive Master-level [Finger Flick Technique] strikes shot into the smoke, carrying fierce gusts of wind. The powerful air pressure scattered much of the fog instantly.

“Ah!!”

A shrill scream of agony echoed from within the smoke.

Qin Lu felt a surge of grim satisfaction. Presumably, one of those strikes had found its mark.

But before he could enjoy the feeling for even two seconds…

The white mist before him was suddenly sliced open by a broadsword. A burly cultivator charged out, his momentum unstoppable.

The distance between them was now merely three meters.

Without hesitation, the tall cultivator took a massive step, charging directly toward Qin Lu and completely ignoring Lu Xian.

He raised his broadsword high, bringing it down in a slash aimed straight at Qin Lu’s head.

Thump!

Relying entirely on intense survival instincts, Qin Lu stomped hard on the ground.

[Soft Wind Technique]!

The spell activated naturally.

In an instant, his speed increased by two levels as his figure rapidly retreated backward.

But the difference in raw speed between them was simply too great. Even with the [Soft Wind Technique], he couldn’t create enough distance.

In a heartbeat, the tall cultivator had already closed in.

In that fleeting moment, the broadsword came slashing down fiercely.

Qin Lu could only watch helplessly as the blade swept down before his eyes.

Ssshh—!

His chest was struck hard by the spiritual energy projecting from the blade’s edge. A piercing pain surged through his heart, causing his entire body to tremble.

Although the steel blade didn’t cut him directly, the powerful spiritual energy attack caused blood to gush from his chest instantly.

His clothes were immediately stained red.

“Brother Qin!”

Lu Xian cried out in alarm, panic written all over his face.

This man’s ruthlessness exceeded his expectations; he aimed for a fatal blow without uttering a single word.

Bang!

Qin Lu, severely wounded, collapsed headfirst onto the ground.

Seeing his target fall, the tall cultivator remained silent. His cold gaze fixed tightly on Qin Lu.

Taking another step, he continued his charge. The tip of his blade aimed straight for Qin Lu’s glabella.

He intended to end Qin Lu’s life right then and there.

Watching the tall cultivator charging toward him, perhaps due to adrenaline suppressing his fear, Qin Lu felt a strange calmness wash over him.

His mind became exceptionally clear.

He quickly raised a finger, gathering every ounce of strength for one final strike.

Boom—!

A close-range [Finger Flick Technique] was terrifyingly powerful. Even though the tall cultivator managed to block it with his broadsword at the critical moment, the impact sent him staggering backward.

“Qin Big Mouth! Die, you bastard!”

At that moment, another cultivator with a thin mustache rushed out from the side. Holding a long blade, his eyes were filled with madness and bloodlust.

It was He Liang.

Seeing him, intense hatred surged in Qin Lu’s eyes. He leveled his arm, quickly taking aim at He Liang’s head.

Pfft!

A powerful gust shot forth from between his fingers. The speed was so great that He Liang couldn’t react at all.

Thump!

The wind force struck He Liang’s protective spiritual light, causing the shield to tremble violently upon impact.

“How is this possible?!”

He Liang looked shocked, staring at the trembling light shield before him. His charge came to an unconscious halt.

How could his [Body Protection Shield] struggle to withstand this kid’s casual strike?

Pfft!

Enduring the excruciating pain radiating through his body, Qin Lu unleashed another flick, striking He Liang directly.

Crack!

With a crisp sound, He Liang’s protective light shield shattered completely, dispersing into nothingness.

He Liang was left utterly unprotected.

Finally, terror dawned in his eyes. His entire body trembled as he stumbled backward repeatedly.

“Die!”

Qin Lu glared at him, roaring furiously from deep within his throat.

Bang!

The fierce gust shot forth like lightning. He Liang’s head exploded like a watermelon under the impact.

A mixture of red and white matter splattered across the ground, resembling a pulpy mess.