Zhao Wenzheng chid in, "That’s right. I never would have guessed. You’ve hidden your abilities deep. We should discuss matters at the hall and share cultivation insights more often from now on."
Yang Jing knew why their attitudes had changed, but he didn’t mind. He cupped his hands in a fist and said, "You two Senior Brothers flatter . I’ve only just reached the Dark Energy realm, so there’s still much I need to learn from you."
"Nonsense." Xu Hong smiled and waved a dismissive hand. "We’re from the sa hall; it’s only right that we help each other. By the way, are you free tonight? My treat. I’ll take you to Jufu Pavilion in South City for a few drinks."
’In the past, Xu Hong wouldn’t have invited him for a drink even at a roadside stall, let alone a place like Jufu Pavilion.’
Yang Jing understood perfectly but still politely declined. "Thank you for the kind offer, Senior Brother, but I’d like to use tonight to further study the Dark Energy techniques of the Mountain-Shattering Fist. As for drinks, let’s save it for another day."
Xu Hong didn’t press the issue. He smiled and said, "Fair enough. Cultivation cos first. We’ll talk another ti, then. Don’t let keep you."
The two exchanged a few more pleasantries before turning to leave.
Yang Jing watched their departing figures and let out a soft sigh.
’Being a Dark Energy Martial Artist really changes everything.’
He didn’t dwell on it, however. After a short rest, he walked over to a corner of the front courtyard and once again imrsed himself in his Mountain-Shattering Fist training.
「...」
Ti passed slowly.
After a full day of arduous training, the sky darkened, descending like a great cloth soaked in ink.
Only when the last lantern in the front courtyard was lit did Yang Jing stop his practice. Steam rose from his body, and the Dark Energy flowed through his ridians with increasing harmony.
He nodded to the attendant who was putting away the training equipnt, then turned and left the Martial Arts Hall.
"Senior Brother Yang’s dedication is unreal," the attendant muttered to himself while watching his departing figure. "Training from dawn till dusk... even a body forged from iron couldn’t take it. No wonder he managed to reach the Dark Energy realm..."
On his way back, the market streets had yet to fall completely silent. A few scattered vendors were still packing up their stalls for the night.
Yang Jing’s steps were steady and his Dark Energy was contained. He looked like any other passerby, but he could clearly perceive every stir in his surroundings. The mumblings of a drunk on the corner, the soft tap of a cat’s paws on the roof tiles—nothing escaped his senses.
As he entered a narrow alley connecting two main streets, the light suddenly vanished. High walls on either side blocked the moonlight completely.
The mont Yang Jing reached the middle of the alley, two dark figures leaped down from the tops of the walls like lurking vipers. They descended with a sharp whistle of air, striking straight for his back. It was the Gang Leader of the Yiqi Gang, Zhao ng, and his Vice Gang Leader, Qian Bao, who had been lying in ambush.
"Surrender without a fight, brat!"
Each man brandished a short blade that glinted coldly in the gloom. They attacked his openings with flawless coordination.
In the past, facing a surprise attack from two experts at the Peak of Mingjin, Yang Jing would have been hard-pressed to defend himself and would have ended up in a sorry state.
But now, with a subtle stir of the Dark Energy within him, he advanced instead of retreating. With what looked like a stumble, he perfectly evaded the intersecting paths of the two daggers.
At the sa ti, his right fist shot out, striking first despite moving second. It flew without a sound, yet it precisely slamd into the wrist of Qian Bao’s knife hand.
CRACK!
The sharp sound of shattering bone was exceptionally piercing in the narrow alley.
Qian Bao felt a subtle yet unstoppable force bore into his wrist. The dagger flew from his grasp. Before the searing pain could even register, Yang Jing’s fist followed like a shadow and planted itself on his chest.
Three consecutive punches struck his chest, caving it inward into a deep crater.
There was no earth-shattering sound of impact, yet Qian Bao looked as if he’d been seized by a colossal, invisible force. His body violently arched like a shrimp, his eyes bulged wide, and blood gushed from his mouth. An expression of utter disbelief on his face, he slowly collapsed to the ground, dead.
It was too fast. From the mont the two n leaped from the shadows to the mont Yang Jing killed Qian Bao, only two or three breaths had passed.
Even at the mont of his death, Qian Bao could never have imagined he would die just like that—here, under what seed to be three of Yang Jing’s light, effortless punches.
"Old Qian!" Zhao ng cried out, shocked and enraged. He changed his slash to a thrust, aiming his dagger straight for Yang Jing’s throat.
He was a veteran and had sensed sothing was wrong in that last exchange. Yang Jing’s Body Technique and power generation were far beyond the scope of Mingjin!
Yang Jing sidestepped the blade and slapped his left palm onto the flat of Zhao ng’s dagger.
Dark Energy flowed from his palm, coursing down the length of the blade like a current of water.
Zhao ng felt his arm go numb. The strength in his grip instantly dissipated, and the dagger nearly fell from his hand.
He was shaken to the core. An absurd yet terrifyingly clear thought exploded in his mind. "This... This is Dark Energy?!"
’How is that possible!’
’Before making their move, they had thoroughly investigated Yang Jing. The reports clearly stated he was only at the Mingjin realm! How could he possibly be a Dark Energy user?!’
Terrified, Zhao ng’s will to fight evaporated. He leaped back, trying to create distance. "You... You’ve broken through to the Dark Energy realm?!"
Yang Jing gave him no chance to escape. Pushing off the ground, Dark Energy surging from his feet, he closed the distance like a phantom. He executed the "Entangle" technique of his Mountain-Shattering Fist; his punches seed slow, yet they sealed off all of Zhao ng’s paths of retreat.
Zhao ng threw a punch to block. As their fists t, he felt a spiraling force drill up his arm and into his body. It felt as if his internal organs were being churned, and his blood roiled in his veins.
"No! Impossible! How can you be a Dark Energy Martial Artist!" Zhao ng shrieked, all the color draining from his face.
He finally understood why Qian Bao had died so quickly. The gap between Mingjin and Dark Energy seed like a single step, but in truth, it was a world of difference.
That seemingly gentle force could penetrate skin and muscle to destroy the organs within. It was several tis more terrifying than the most ferocious Mingjin!
He turned to flee, his only thought to escape the alley.
But Yang Jing’s fist was already upon him. Empowered by his Raging Tides Kicks, both his speed and Body Technique were steadily improving.
This ti, Yang Jing held nothing back with his Dark Energy. His fist grazed Zhao ng’s back as it passed. Zhao ng’s charging figure froze. The clothing on his back was perfectly intact, but beneath his skin, a violent, wrenching pain erupted, as if countless tiny needles were piercing his organs.
"Urk..." Zhao ng staggered a few steps and collapsed, twitching twice before falling still.
Silence returned to the alley, broken only by the thick scent of blood hanging in the damp air.
Yang Jing stood over the two corpses and slowly exhaled.
’My first battle after reaching the Dark Energy realm was even easier than I expected.’
He glanced at the two corpses on the ground, his expression calm. The mont they chose to ambush him, there was no turning back.
The stench of blood in the alley grew thicker, yet Yang Jing did not leave right away.
He walked over to the bodies. In the faint light filtering in from the street, he could clearly see their faces. As he suspected, it was the Yiqi Gang’s Leader, Zhao ng, and Vice Gang Leader, Qian Bao.
The looks of horror on their faces were still fresh. They hadn’t even bothered to wear masks. Clearly, they had been so certain of an easy victory that concealing their identities never crossed their minds.
’It really is them,’ Yang Jing thought, his suspicions confird.
He had long suspected the Yiqi Gang would co after him over the matter with Xu Tai. That sense of impending crisis was one of the reasons he had trained all night, forcing his breakthrough.
’Breaking through to the Dark Energy realm ahead of ti was a wise decision, indeed.’
He crouched down and began to search the bodies.
Zhao ng’s waist pouch was bulging. Yang Jing pulled it out and found it was a heavy coin purse. After emptying it and counting the silver, he found it contained a full seventy-four taels.
Qian Bao’s purse was a bit thinner, but it still held forty-three taels.
That was one hundred and seventeen taels in total. While not a huge sum, it was enough to support a common family in the county for several years. He figured it was just the silver the two carried on them.
While searching Zhao ng’s chest, Yang Jing’s fingers brushed against a hard object. His expression shifted. He pulled it out and saw it was a small, palm-sized porcelain vial.
He opened it and found a single, longan-sized pill inside. It was dark red and gave off a faint dicinal aroma, though he didn’t know its purpose.
Yang Jing casually tucked the porcelain vial into his clothes. This was no place to linger; he would find an opportunity to identify the pill later.
After securing the valuables, Yang Jing stood up, his eyes turning cold and sharp.
He didn’t leave imdiately. Instead, he channeled his Dark Energy and brought his fists down repeatedly on the two corpses.
The Dark Energy penetrated their bodies, and the muffled thuds of shattering bones echoed softly in the alley. After a mont, the two corpses were mangled beyond recognition, their limbs twisted at grotesque angles. Not only were their faces unrecognizable, but it was also impossible to tell they had been killed by the Mountain-Shattering Fist.
With refugees on the rise both inside and outside the county town, public order was in chaos and murders were common. The authorities were already stretched thin and couldn’t be bothered to deeply investigate what looked like a gang-related revenge killing.
Zhao ng and his partner had made plenty of enemies. It would be perfectly plausible for them to have been hunted down and silenced by rivals.
Even if soone discovered the bodies, they would assu it was a Jianghu feud, making it nearly impossible to trace the cri back to him.
His work finished, Yang Jing took one last look down the alley to confirm he hadn’t left any traces, then turned and strode quickly away.
He rged into the flow of people in the night, his steps light. The silver at his waist and the vial in his clothes were heavy, but their weight was nothing compared to the reassurance of the Dark Energy circulating within him.
’With the two leaders of the Yiqi Gang eliminated, things should be quieter from now on.’
「...」
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