'Damn it!'
Wind Leopard stared blankly at Mountain Opening Tiger Wanyan Xiong, his mind in turmoil.
'Can my master, Jiang Xinghai, even stand a chance against him?'
'This deathmatch challenge... will it be the end of Wanyan Xiong, or is it just sending my master, Jiang Xinghai, to his doom?'
"Leopard, why are you suddenly so unsettled?" Wanyan Xiong turned and locked his gaze on Wind Leopard.
"Brother, they've repeatedly targeted our underground circle. They must have so tricks we don't know about. I'm just worried about you," Wind Leopard said, though it was the last thing he ant.
In truth, he wanted Wanyan Xiong to back out of the fight.
That way, Jiang Xinghai's safety would be guaranteed.
"Second Brother, you're worried about my safety?"
Wanyan Xiong let out a sinister cackle, placing a hand on Wind Leopard's shoulder. "I've made imnse gains during my six months of seclusion. You don't need to worry about . After tomorrow night's battle, I'm destined to beco the number one martial artist in Jizhou. Every Martial Arts Clan will have to treat as their sovereign!"
Wind Leopard sucked in a sharp breath.
He knew Wanyan Xiong was ambitious.
But he had never expected Wanyan Xiong to aim for becoming the top martial artist in all of Jizhou!
"Since they had the gall to issue a challenge, they must be plotting sothing."
Wanyan Xiong looked up at the vast night sky, his voice full of foresight. "Second Brother, my eight Tiger Fang retainers will return tomorrow night. You will lead them and guard Huwei Mansion. Don't let anyone launch a sneak attack while I'm gone."
Wind Leopard's heart clenched upon hearing this.
The Eight Tiger Fangs!
Mountain Opening Tiger Wanyan Xiong's eight retainers!
Every single one of them was a Martial Arts expert, all at the Grandmaster Realm!
While Wanyan Xiong was in seclusion, he had sent his eight retainers out of Jizhou to gain experience across the country.
'And now, he's recalling them?'
'What else could Wanyan Xiong be plotting?'
"Second Brother, have you found anything on Third Brother's death?" Wanyan Xiong asked, his brow tightly furrowed.
"No." Wind Leopard shook his head.
Their third brother, Wild Wolf, had died on his own territory not long ago.
In fact, Wind Leopard already knew that Jiang Xinghai was the one who did it.
But he was now Jiang Xinghai's servant, and he didn't dare entertain a single thought of defiance.
If not for that, he would have switched sides on the spot the mont he saw Wanyan Xiong conjure flas from his fingertips!
'A man this powerful... is Jiang Xinghai really his match?'
"Just as I thought. This person was probably behind Third Brother's death as well. No matter. I'll get to the bottom of it during the battle tomorrow night." Wanyan Xiong seed to be lost in thought, planning sothing, and failed to notice the change in Wind Leopard's expression.
Wind Leopard breathed a silent sigh of relief and nodded. "Brother, your eight retainers take orders only from you. Will I be able to command them tomorrow night?"
"With the Tiger Fang Order, they won't dare to disobey." Wanyan Xiong produced a tiger's fang with a gold-inlaid border.
This was a genuine tiger's fang.
Three elegant, flowing words were carved into the fang: Tiger Fang Order!
Wind Leopard took it, his heart finally settling.
A sliver of guilt pricked him at Wanyan Xiong's show of trust.
But it was only a sliver.
After all, thirty years ago, the true leader of Jizhou's underground circle had been his father, the Road-Blocking Tiger!
After Wanyan Xiong and the Mu Family migrated to Jizhou, everything changed.
All these years, he had thought of nothing else but how to defeat Mountain Opening Tiger and reclaim everything that should have been his father's!
And now, after eting Jiang Xinghai, that dream was finally within reach.
But—
When he realized Wanyan Xiong's power was on par with the Venerable Realm, a storm of conflicting emotions once again churned within him.
'I'll have to wait until I leave here to make my arrangents.'
"Second Brother, you should go get so rest."
Suddenly, Wanyan Xiong's gaze locked onto Wind Leopard again.
"You get so rest too, Brother. I'll be on my way." Wind Leopard turned and left.
He planned to rush back and inform Jiang Xinghai of Wanyan Xiong's true power before the night was over.
'Leopard has been on edge this whole ti. Is he really worried about , or does he have ulterior motives?'
Wanyan Xiong stood at the entrance, hands clasped behind his back, watching Wind Leopard's retreating figure. "Where are the Four Great Kings?"
"Present!"
Four n, their bodies radiating powerful Martial Arts auras, erged from the shadows and knelt on one knee.
"Two of you, go to the Mu Family and guard them from the shadows. The other two will secretly go 'protect' him." Wanyan Xiong pointed toward the departing Wind Leopard.
The aning behind his use of the word "protect" was profound.
The four n imdiately departed.
WHOOSH!
Suddenly, a sound cut through the air.
"Who's there?!"
Wanyan Xiong whipped his head around but only caught a fleeting glimpse of a mysterious figure in a Black Cloak.
A dagger, with a piece of paper run through its hilt, was now embedded in the pillar beside him.
On the paper was a ssage:
"The fall of the Wang Family, the rise of the Shen Family—both were orchestrated by Jiang Xinghai. If you wish to preserve the Wanyan Family line, this Dark Moon Dagger can lend you its strength!"
Just a single glance at the script made Wanyan Xiong's spirit tremble.
"What a powerful aura!"
The words on the paper radiated an imnse, oppressive pressure.
"Dark Moon Dagger?"
Wanyan Xiong's gaze shifted back to the dagger embedded in the pillar. It glead with a chilling, silvery light, and from it washed an aura so powerful it made him want to fall to his knees in worship.
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