Fear filled Master Luo Tian's mind after Lu Changsheng had broken his arm. There were only a handful of peak Organ Refinent martial artists in Jubei City.
Gritting his teeth, Master Luo Tian pushed himself off the ground with his left hand and sprang toward the window in a desperate attempt to escape.
"Trying to run?" Lu Changsheng asked, his eyes cold.
Just as Master Luo Tian was about to reach the window, Lu Changsheng extended his finger like a sword. "Go."
Instantly, a ball of scorching blood qi erged above his head and erupted into countless fine threads of silkworm silk.
Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!
Lu Changsheng unleashed his Silken Thread Sword. Each thread, forged through the Blood Qi Silk Transformation, carried the sharpness of a blade. They rained down so fast the eye could hardly follow, and pierced through Luo Tian's legs.
Splurt!
Blood sprayed across the floor as Master Luo Tian scread in agony and crashed to the ground.
"Blood qi projection... Who exactly are you?" he gasped, trembling.
He was utterly helpless against the trendous power of that blood qi. One thread alone might not be fatal unless it struck a vital spot, but against tens of thousands of them, he didn't stand a chance.
Before Master Luo Tian could utter another word, Lu Changsheng darted forward and pressed his shortsword against his throat. The blade grazed his skin, and with a little more pressure, it would pierce straight through.
Drip... Drip...
Blood trickled down his neck and dripped onto the floor. Cold sweat stread down his face as he stayed motionless, too terrified to move.
"You want to live?" Lu Changsheng asked.
Master Luo Tian stamred out, "Y-Yes!"
"You only answer what I ask. If you hesitate or stall, you die."
Luo Tian Master quickly nodded. "Fine."
"Were you the one who captured Liu Sanlang?"
"Liu Sanlang? Yes, but I only followed the Patriarch's orders. It wasn't really my deci—"
Crrrr!
A thread of silk sliced off Master Luo Tian's ear.
"Arghhhhh!" He clutched the side of his head as an agonized scream escaped his lips.
"Perhaps you didn't hear just now. You only answer what I ask, nothing more." Lu Changsheng said coldly. "Consider this your last warning. One more mistake, and you're dead."
Master Luo Tian nodded, truly terrified now.
"Did you capture Liu Sanlang?" Lu Changsheng asked again.
"Yes."
"How long have you been retained by the Cui Clan?"
"Thirteen years."
"Has your Vajra Palm reached Perfection?"
"No."
Lu Changsheng jumped from one topic to the next, but Master Luo Tian didn't dare hesitate or lie. Whatever Lu Changsheng asked, he answered imdiately.
"Where does the Cui Clan keep the Marrow Transformation Pills?"
"In the furnace chamber..." Luo Tian Master blurted out before he could stop himself. Then his eyes widened in realization. "You ca for the Marrow Transformation Pills?"
"That's right."
Lu Changsheng's gaze turned icy, and he thrust his shortsword forward.
Splurt!
Blood sprayed across the floor as the blade pierced Master Luo Tian's throat. He clutched his neck and collapsed, his body twitching violently before falling still.
The three won who had been hired to court Master Luo Tian were still in the room, and they had heard the entire conversation. If they walked away from this, word would spread to the Cui Clan, and the pills would surely be moved.
"Please, spare us."
"We don’t know anything!"
Their voices shook with fear as they pleaded for their lives.
Lu Changsheng rose from beside Master Luo Tian’s corpse. He slipped a few silver notes he took from the body into his robe. Aside from those notes, there was nothing else worth taking.
"You ladies are very unfortunate." Lu Changsheng shook his head.
In the blink of an eye, three threads of silk shot out, piercing each woman's throat. Soon, just like Master Luo Tian, the three won lay in a pool of their own blood without a trace of life.
At this mont, hurried footsteps and panicked screams echoed from outside. The people of the Chamber of Red Delights had clearly heard the commotion.
Whoosh!
Lu Changsheng sheathed his sword, leapt through the window, and vanished into the night.
Monts later, the madam of the Chamber of Red Delights burst into the room. Her face turned pale when she saw the four corpses. [1]
"Sothing terrible has happened! It's a disaster!" she cried out in a trembling voice, "Master Luo Tian is dead! Notify the Cui Family at once!"
While her screams and curses threw the entire building into chaos, Lu Changsheng’s figure lted into the darkness outside.
Li Hongzhuang suddenly stepped out from a corner nearby. Her eyes glead with anticipation as she asked in a low voice, "Brother Shisan, how did it go?"
"The Marrow Transformation Pills are in the Cui Clan's furnace chamber."
"The furnace chamber?" Li Hongzhuang paused. "Brother Shisan, I've searched there before and found nothing. Furthermore, would they really still keep the pills there after I broke in last ti?"
"Master Luo Tian wouldn't have lied," Lu Changsheng replied firmly.
"And what happened to Master Luo Tian?"
"He's dead."
Li Hongzhuang fell silent. Doubt flickered in her eyes, but she still chose to trust Lu Changsheng.
"Hiding in plain sight, huh? I guess the pills might actually be in the furnace chamber. I know the way there since I've been there before. Should we head out now or wait a few days?"
"Let's move out now. With Master Luo Tian dead, it won't be long before the Cui Clan connects the dots. If they move the pills, we'll never find them."
"Moving now?" A hint of excitent flashed across Li Hongzhuang's face. "Sure, that's probably best. The Cui Family will send people to investigate Master Luo Tian's death, and that'll draw away so of their Organ Refinent martial artists.
"But last ti, I searched the entire furnace chamber and found nothing. Even if we go again, it'll take ti to find them. Brother Shisan, can you really hold off the Cui Clan when they show up?"
Li Hongzhuang was still a little concerned. The Cui Clan had thirteen Organ Refinent martial artists. Even with Master Luo Tian dead, twelve still remained. If they were discovered, they could be surrounded by more than ten of them at once.
Li Hongzhuang had witnessed Lu Changsheng's strength before when he easily defeated Zhao Qilei. However, the Cui Clan was far stronger than the Zhao family. They had five martial artists at the peak of the Organ Refinent Stage. Once surrounded by them, there would be no way out.
Lu Changsheng remained calm. He didn’t bother to explain. Instead, he turned and began walking steadily toward the Cui Clan estate.
"Tell , who below the Divine Strength Realm can kill ?" he said quietly.
Seeing Lu Changsheng's confident and dominant attitude, Li Hongzhuang's eyes brightened. Without another word, she followed after him, her pace quickening until she matched his stride. Together, their figures faded into the dark streets ahead.
1. "Madam" here in Chinese is 老鸨 (Lǎobǎo). Lǎobǎo is a highly specific and historically significant term in Chinese culture, and it specifies the female manager who held the highest authority within the brothel. Albeit an often despised position, these won are often formally recognized figures within the regulated system of prostitution in Imperial China. ☜
User Comments
0 comments from readers