“You are too innocent!”
Seeing Olga and Buck’s ignorance, Romon sneered at them.
As one of the biggest organizations in the world, the Hong Sect was powerful in its own right.
Even if Lei Qianjue was dead, there were still six warriors who were at least as powerful as Romon. Compared to the sects and Martial arts families in China, such as the Lu family, Tai Chi Sect, Medicine God Valley Sect, the Hong Sect was miles ahead. In addition, not only did the Hong Sect possess a tremendous amount of connections in governments all over the world, but they also had a sizeable army. If they delegated all their resources properly, they should be able to rally another ten Grandmasters with ease.
The key to Hong Sect’s influence was their powerful underbosses in each region. They were mighty figures that were feared even by some nations.
“Your understanding of Lei Qianjue’s power was outdated.”
“Although Master Lei was the number one fighter in the sect ten years ago, he was only slightly more powerful than Diamond and Thunder King. However, Master Lei had cultivated diligently on the frozen tundra for ten years and had reached the peak of the martial arts attainment. Let it be his True Energy or physique, he could rely on either one of them to kill a Grandmaster with ease.”
Romon said and then heaved a sigh.
Lei Qianjue was so close to the Immortal State that he was definitely the most powerful martial artist under that level. It wouldn’t take long for him to finish off someone like the Thunder King should they duke it out. However, despite Lei Qianjue’s power and might, Chen Fan had finished him with one hypersonic punch. Romon felt hard-pressed to find out how powerful Chen Fan really was.
“But our efforts in recruiting assassins was not entirely useless. However powerful Chen Beixuan was, he would not be able to protect his loved ones and friends all at the same time.” A coldness emanated from Romon’s eyes.
In his minds eye, he had a premonition of what was to come: The assassination of Chen Fan’s family and friends drove him to the Hong Sect to seek avenge. By then, Chen Fan would have to face the collective might of the Hong Sect directly. For a mortal, that would be suicide.
The Hong Sect not only had six Grandmasters, but also an army equipped with the most high-tech weapons that could reduce a mortal to ashes in an instant.
“By then, we can finally avenge my teacher!”
Romon lowered his head as vengeance roiled inside of him.
He would never forgive Chen Fan for killing his teacher.
However, he was too weak to carry out the revenge by himself, and therefore he needed the help of everyone in the Hong Sect. He had withheld the details about Chen Fan’s power, such as his ability to pass the sound battier, fearing that this information would deter his helpers.
After all, people such as Thunder King were not idiots. Without an assurance for victory, they would never take their gloves off, worse, some might even desert on the battle should they caught a whiff of uncertainty in the air.
Meanwhile, Chen Fan was touring the old city with Lu Yanxue.
“Do you still remember what it was like three months ago? You, me and Xiao Qian would sneak out for street food together and hang out all night.” Lu Yanxue was wearing a hat with a large bill that concealed half of her gorgeous face.
Chen Fan didn’t wear any camouflage spell but no one seemed to have taken any notice of him.
“How’s Miao Xiaoqian?” Chen Fan asked distractedly.
“She went back home after the holiday was over. She is going to school at Chu Zhou City University in September.”
Lu Yanxue said quietly and wistfully. So many things had changed in three months. Three months ago, she was no more than an attractive college student, on her way to marry a rich man and live the rest of her life in boredom.
Three months later, after much suffering, she had transformed into a drop-dead gorgeous lady that controlled one of the most powerful Martial arts family in China. Her ability to mobilize tens of billions of yuan at once would make her the most important figure in Tian Nan Province.
Her relationship with other people had also changed. Three months ago, she hesitated a long time before she asked Lord Wu of Jiang Zhou City for help, however, now, even if Lord Wu came to visit her personally, she might not be able to pencil him in.
“Ever since you defeated Lei Qianjue, you are considered the most powerful Grandmaster. What is your next move?”
Lu Yanxue hazarded as she batted her lashed at the young man.
His face looked as pleasing to her eyes as the portrait of a sun-god under his halo.
However, no one on the street seemed to have taken notice of his charm. Lu Yanwu wagered that Chen Fan had used some sort of spell to mask his appearance. Although she didn’t know such a thing was possible and neither did she knew how powerful Chen Fan was, she could read the young man’s incredible abilities from people’s fearful expressions while standing before him.
“Me?” Chen Fan was taken aback by the question. Then his eyes seemed to lose focus for a while. “I need to go back to Chu Zhou City, and then make a trip to the Jin City. There is someone waiting for me there.”
Lu Yanxue had never seen so many complicated emotions in Chen Fan’s eyes. There was tenderness mixed with expectancy. She knew right away Chen Fan was going to leave her for his true love. The thought tormented her, deeply.
She knew that the girl was the reason that Chen Fan had and would never see her as a lover.
“Then I wish you a good journey. I hope you will make time to come to Jin City and don’t be a stranger please.” Lu Yanxue swallowed down her sadness and plastered on one final smile for the man she so deeply loved. She wanted to leave a perfect image of her in Chen Fan’s mind.
“Sure thing.” Chen Fan answered readily.
He checked the date and reckoned that the school was about to start at Jin City University. He had graduated from that university in his past life, and that was also where he reunited with Fang Qiong and started a new chapter in his life.
During his current life, he had two goals: complete his cultivation and right the wrongs of his past life.
“Xiao Qiong was the biggest regret of my past life.”
A pang of pain and regret shot through Chen Fan as he thought of the girl’s death. It was the same thought that allowed the Mental Demons to get a foothold in his heart and fester until it brought Chen Fan down during the Heavenly Tribulation.
“If I didn’t meet Xiao Qiong, I would be married to a girl arranged by my family. She could be Xu Rongfei or Jiang Churan. I will be groomed to become the young lord of the Wang family and live the rest of my life in contentment and mediocrity”
Chen Fan bemoaned in his mind: “Without Xiao Qiong, I would never embark on the journey of cultivation. There would be no such thing as a Celestrial Lord who dominated the universe for five hundred years.”
Perhaps living a peaceful and mundane life used to be Chen Fan’s dream, but that was certainly not the dream of Chen Beixuan. After having seen so much, and experiencing so much, he was drunk with the splendid excitement the universe could offer; Chen Beixuan would never go back to live an average mortal life.
“Ah, right, I have a parting gift for you.” Chen Fan produced a jade pendant and handed it to Lu Yanxue. “I killed Lei Qianjue so the Hong Sect will not let me get away with it. Although they can’t do anything to me, they could harm you easily.”
“I have cast a protection spell in this pendant. It can not only protect you but also alert me whenever you are in danger.”
Lu Yanxue accepted the pendant joyfully. She rubbed her fingers over the surface of the pendant and reckoned that it was covered with ancient symbols.
Suddenly, a strong sentiment seized her heart and commanded tears to well in her eyes as she realized how thoughtful and caring Chen Fan was. Although Chen Fan had given this pendant to her for practical reasons, to Lu Yanxue, it also carried Chen Fan’s caring thoughts for her.
“Very well, considering your thoughtfulness, I will pencil you in for another day of tours at the park.” Lu Yanxue turned her head away, trying to hold back the tears in her eyes.
“That would be my honor.” Chen Fan shrugged.
The international underground world was shaken by the bounty
A billion US dollars! This was an unprecedented amount of money for a bounty!
Many hired assains and mercenary bands were set back on their heels by the huge amount of the reward.
A billion-dollar bounty was worth the life of a Grandmaster in the underground criminal market. Rarely could any Grandmaster withstand a sniper’s shot in the head(or an arrow in the knee), plus, sniper rifles were far from the most deadly weapons.
It went without saying that no one in their right mind would post a bounty on a Grandmaster so conspicuously, not even on the underground market. The Grandmaster could simply hide for a while and then rain down his retribution when the bounty was lifted.
A Grandmaster was capable of all kinds of unsavory if not outright evil acts: assassination, assault, thievery, robbery… A lone Grandmaster was equivalent to a small special force unit. Therefore, no one would easily get into a deadly feud with a Grandmaster.
However, there were assassins who would not give a twat about a Grandmaster’s retribution. Unlike the Hong Sect, these hired murders were shadows operating clandestinely in the darkness. The Hong Sect’s goal was not to kill Chen Fan but to lure him out of China, otherwise, the Hong Sect’s would have dispatched their own special operation unit.
“Chen Beixuan from China?”
It was the first time these assassins heard of Chen Fan’s name. Of late, his name had been on the minds of many deadly mercenaries and hired guns.
“In China? That’s a tough one… It’s difficult to get weapons in and out of there.”
Many assassins hesitated before the challenge. Without a powerful modern firearm, it would be difficult to kill a Grandmaster.
However, some organizations didn’t mind the difficulties.
“He is just a Grandmaster level martial artist. We the Blood Skulls have killed many Grandmasters in the past. It would just be a stroll in the park.”
An Asian man with a snake tattoo on his arm rolled off from his king-size bed after he untangled himself from a few fragrant limbs that wrapped around him. He read the message on his computer and smirked.
“Be careful, he killed Lei Qianjue.”
A message popped up.
“Don’t worry. Don’t forget that I am the king of the assassins. I would never let my prey slip away. All Chen Fan could do now is to wait for his death.” The Asian man typed out a reply: “Send all of his profile. I will leave for China tomorrow.”
“Very well, I will send them to you ASAP. Remember: burn after reading” After a while, another message popped up. “Good luck, Blacksnake.”
Blacksnake was one of the top assassins in The Blood Skull. He had successfully made a Mixed Martial Arts Master disappear.
“Thanks.”
The man folded his laptop and rose to his feet. He drew back the curtain and looked out of the window down at the bustling streets. A cold and sinister light burned in his eyes.
“A Chinese Grandmaster! This is going to be a hell of a hunt.”
“I hope you don’t disappoint me, Chen Beixuan.”
The Blacksnake smirked coldly.