359 Wen Zonghao’s Killing Intent!
“Master, should you wish to hear more stories in the future, seek me out!” The old man bent in a respectful bow towards Qin Huai, not leaving his side until he reached the entrance of the restaurant.
“Fifth Master, did you glean anything from him?” Zhou Cunzhong inquired.
“Not much,” Qin Huai replied, not fully divulging his thoughts to Zhou Cunzhong. However, he was now convinced that the strange place wasn’t a realm of absolute death and that it was indeed possible to emerge alive from its depths.
…
Meanwhile, at the Blood Poison Gang’s hideout, Wen Zonghao was engrossed in a gruesome feast within his modest pharmacy. The scent of blood filled the air, giving birth to a menacing aura that could unhinge a weaker martial artist instantly.
The object of Wen Zonghao’s gruesome attention was Yin Rongen, who had recently met his end.
“Leader,” a raspy voice sounded from the entrance of the pharmacy.
“What is it?” Wen Zonghao asked, his mouth full with a chunk of Yin Rongen’s left hand.
“Qin Huai visited the Three Cauldron Elixir Dispensary and the Storm Tower today. He was asking questions to the old man who supposedly escaped from the strange place,” the raspy voice reported Qin Huai’s itinerary in detail.
Wen Zonghao’s gnawing came to an abrupt halt. “Why has this young man been so interested in tales about the strange place recently?” He mused aloud, “Without the king’s force, or at least two full patterns, it should be impossible to interact with such a place.”
His mind raced with possibilities. “He wanted to kill Mou Jinfu despite being only at the fourth-level bone pattern realm. I highly doubt that his professed conjugation battle techniques alone would suffice… unless he has acquired the king’s force. Then it would all make sense.”
His eyes narrowed with a sharp gleam of realization. “No, has this blood food cultivated to such a high degree right under my nose?” The prospect of Qin Huai possessing the king’s force filled him with both intrigue and dread.
“Indeed, that must be the case!” With a decisive thud, Wen Zonghao shot to his feet, licking his lips in anticipation. “I missed out on Shao Mo, I can’t let this kid slip through my fingers as well. We can’t afford to wait until he reaches full five marks, so we must act now! Invite Qin Huai to the boat tomorrow.”
“Understood!” the raspy voice complied.
Swoosh!
With a swift motion, Wen Zonghao tossed a chunk of flesh into the shadows.
“Thank you for the reward, Leader!” The hoarse voice crackled with excitement. “I shall not fail you in this mission!”
With those words, the voice disappeared from the small pharmacy.
…
As dawn broke, Qin Huai concluded a night of intensive cultivation and stretched leisurely. Pushing open the courtyard door, he was greeted by the sight of Zhou Cunzhong.
“What brings you here today?” Qin Huai inquired, raising an eyebrow at Zhou Cunzhong.
“Fifth Master, Leader requests your presence on the boat,” Zhou Cunzhong said.
“None, not at all.” Zhou Cunzhong shook his head. “Our leader appears to be in high spirits today. Perhaps he has a rewarding task for you.”
“Hmm…” Qin Huai fell silent.
Venturing out now felt as if he bore a heavy cross. Carrying Silver Fox on his back, he also had Mou Jinfu’s golden walking stick — symbols of Qin Huai’s extermination.
The flower boat he boarded was Wen Zonghao’s private vessel, typically filled with his trusted associates. This group, hand-picked and nurtured by Wen Zonghao himself, was akin to an elite force. Not even Qin Huai, Huang Qiguang, or other family heads could dispute their authority. They were the constant crew of the boat, waiting for Wen Zonghao’s orders.
However, today was different.
“Where are the Sect Leader’s confidants?” Qin Huai wondered aloud.
“I’m not certain. Perhaps the leader has assigned them some task,” Zhou Cunzhong conjectured. “As you’re aware, the Lin Gang was recently disbanded. There’s bound to be tension, and manpower is needed.”
“Yes… That makes sense,” Qin Huai agreed, slowly ascending the stairs. Suddenly, he halted in his tracks.
“What’s wrong?” Zhou Cunzhong, trailing behind him, asked hastily.
“Nothing,” Qin Huai dismissed, shaking his head. He resumed his ascent, but within moments, he veered sharply to the side, his powerful frame splintering the wooden planks of the stairs.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, an immense force bore down from above, causing the entire boat to shudder.
Qin Huai’s eyes blazed with white light, and his hair instantaneously turned a ghostly shade as he triggered the boiling blood and dragon king form. He was formidable and unyielding. Even before he reached his target, his fist blasted a hole in the side of the boat, revealing the majestic expanse of the Qingzhou River.
“Fifth Brother, what are you doing?” Wen Zonghao’s voice erupted in his ears.
Qin Huai’s body descended abruptly, and a colossal phantom viper plunged down from above, piercing through his body. Blood spurted from his mouth, and his robe was ripped open, revealing an abdomen quickly discoloring to a sickly purple.
He crashed through the deck, his body spiraling out of control.
“Your sensitivity to poison is truly remarkable… I used the finest poison at my disposal, yet you detected it,” Wen Zonghao’s voice floated down to him as sunlight streamed through the gaping hole in the boat, casting long shadows over Qin Huai.
Hovering above the damaged flower boat, Wen Zonghao gazed down at the wounded Qin Huai.
“So, you do possess the king’s force…” He spoke with a hint of annoyance, yet his eyes betrayed his excitement. “You almost had me fooled. Thankfully, I wasn’t completely taken in. I assume your poison king technique hasn’t reached its pinnacle yet.” He appeared more at ease after his attack.
Struggling to his feet, Qin Huai felt the gravity of the situation. If not for the dragon king form, he might not have survived the attack.
Could a practitioner from the visceral prefecture realm really wield such formidable power? He cast a frosty glare at Wen Zonghao, realizing the grim reality – there was no chance of winning at all.
Boom!
Qin Huai pushed his nine dragons true qi technique and the four-directional tiger-wolf technique to their limits, simultaneously. The tremendous power seemed to make the air around him tremble.
Then, in the following instant, a peculiar green aura enveloped Qin Huai, radiating from him like a ghostly light.