Volume Two: First Signs of Brilliance Chapter 51: A Murderous Intent

Clang!

Just as he was about to finish off Shangguan Yu, the Black Dragon Dagger was struck by a coin, causing the blade to veer slightly and pierce the opponent’s shoulder instead.

Brilliant blood spurted from the wound, spraying through the air around the Black Dragon.

At that moment, a woman in black approached from the distance. She wore a Grecian-style light blue chiffon gown, a string of pearls at her throat. Her hair was long and beautifully curled, cascading down her waist like seaweed. She wore no elaborate adornments, nor did she, like other starlets, hide behind layers of cosmetics; her simple attire only served to highlight her flawless, creamy skin and eyes shining like the morning stars.

Her face was cold and aloof, her gaze devoid of emotion, as if she looked upon a crowd of lifeless objects.

Lily, Enchantress, and the young man hiding in the distance were all shocked by her arrival. None of them had anticipated that this famed figure would make an appearance.

“I’ve taken a liking to this one. Leave now, and I promise he’ll never trouble you again.”

He had to admit, the woman before him was strikingly beautiful—surpassing any woman he had ever seen, her icy allure overwhelming.

Countless faces flashed through his mind: Ye Meier, Wu Yaoyao, Su Ying, Zhang Mengqi; even Lily and Enchantress made an appearance, but compared to the woman before him, their beauty still paled by a significant margin.

“My god, it’s Leng Qianyou, one of the Four Elites!”

“Yes, that’s my idol. Kid, you’d better agree. If you don’t, we won’t let you off easy.”

“Boy, Miss Leng has spoken. Don’t be foolish, or you’ll regret it.”

The surrounding crowd’s heated discussions pulled Qin Yang from his daze. He hadn’t expected that the woman who embodied beauty itself was a member of the Four Elites.

Among the Four Elites, the other three were all men; only one was a woman.

Leng Qianyou’s aura was deeply restrained; moments ago, her action had been so swift and subtle that no one could fathom her true strength.

She had surely mastered both the Netherworld and Ice Daos, but whether she had grasped anything else remained a mystery to him.

His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the enfeebled Shangguan Yu beside him. With a burst of strength, he kicked out as one would a dying dog.

Leng Qianyou looked at Shangguan Yu, who was sent flying once again, her icy eyes utterly unmoved.

Shangguan Yu’s breath grew even fainter; he was barely clinging to life.

She raised a slender finger and waved. Two figures emerged from the darkness and dragged Shangguan Yu away. As she turned to leave, she spoke: “You are quite impressive.”

“But I very much dislike what you just did.”

She came lightly, and left just as lightly.

The crowd immediately erupted in shouts. Now that Miss Leng had spoken, their gazes fixed hungrily on Qin Yang like wolves scenting prey.

Through the binoculars, Enchantress watched and asked, “Master, will Qin Yang be alright?”

Lily eyed Enchantress suspiciously, making her touch her own face. “What is it, Master?”

Chuckling, Lily teased, “To think our little Enchantress of the Dragon Squad actually worries about another man! If the others in the squad found out, they’d probably rush over and pick a fight with Qin Yang.”

“Not at all!” Enchantress grew bashful. “Master, you’re overthinking things. There’s nothing to it. I just think Qin Yang is connected to the Feng family case in Bincheng. If he gets killed, the clues to the case will be cut off.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Alright then, relax. That kid won’t die so easily. Just keep watching.”

As for those people, he didn’t take them seriously at all; they were nothing but drunken wastrels, incapable of putting up any real fight.

Activating Phantom Hands and the Demon King’s Fist, he sent a flurry of foes flying, their faces bruised and battered, not daring to approach.

At this moment, the young man who had been lurking in the shadows stepped out. He wore a black tank top, his skin dark as charcoal.

His eyes burned as he looked at Qin Yang. At first, he hadn’t been interested in Qin Yang, but Leng Qianyou’s appearance revealed an opportunity: through Qin Yang, he might get to know her.

Rumor had it that Leng Qianyou was the sole daughter of the Heavenly Demon Sect’s leader. If he could win her hand, wealth and power would be his for the taking.

The thought thrilled him. “Brother, I’ll be borrowing your head for a moment.”

With that, he gathered all his terrifying strength. His entire being became like the wrathful Vajra, or perhaps the immovable Wisdom King.

His fist thundered forth, sending shockwaves through the air.

“At last, a worthy opponent,” Qin Yang thought, his hunter’s instincts awakened. Unlike Shangguan Yu, whose power came from drugs, this man’s strength was the fruit of hard training—a solid foundation.

Bang!

The two exchanged a punch and both stepped back, using the force to draw a semicircle with their feet before stopping, a slight smirk on their lips. “Interesting.”

“Oh? Is that so? The best is yet to come. Remember, the one who kills you is Fan Tong.”

“Fan Tong?” The name struck Qin Yang as rather odd; he hadn’t expected someone to bear such an eccentric name in this day and age.

“Heh, you don’t really look like a rice bucket. Did you eat too much as a child?”

Fan Tong’s face darkened; he realized Qin Yang was mocking him and flew into a rage.

“Courting death.”

Diamond Arhat Hands.

A faint golden aura coiled around Fan Tong’s arms, bathing the surroundings in a glorious light. A great Buddha appeared behind him.

Qin Yang’s eyes widened at the sight. This man practiced Buddhist martial arts, yet sought to curry favor with Leng Qianyou.

Buddhism preached detachment and abstinence from worldly desires.

Yet here was Fan Tong, vying for a woman’s affection—how far he’d wandered from Buddhist teachings.

“Since when did Buddhists become enamored with women?”

Laughter broke out all around at Qin Yang’s words. Suddenly, his expression turned serious, a flash of lightning in his eyes.

He activated Gale Steps once more, pushing the Slayer’s Art to its limits. He couldn’t defeat Leng Qianyou, but Fan Tong was another story.

If he couldn’t handle Fan Tong, he thought wryly, perhaps he really was a rice bucket.

The air was filled with afterimages. The Diamond Arhat Hands were renowned, counted among the top ten Buddhist martial arts.

Yet no matter how formidable the technique, in the hands of the weak, it meant little.

“Die!” Fan Tong roared as countless arms struck at him. Qin Yang’s face grew colder.

“My martial path is unwavering. If gods block me, I’ll slay gods; if buddhas block me, I’ll slay buddhas.” As he spoke, a terrifying intent to kill condensed, forming a sword in the air that, with his punch, struck toward Fan Tong.

Bang, bang, bang!

His fist shattered many afterimages, its speed undiminished as it pressed on.

Fan Tong’s face changed dramatically; he hadn’t expected Qin Yang to be so fierce. He tried to retreat, but Qin Yang blocked his escape.

The punch landed squarely on his chest, sending him flying.

Suddenly, Qin Yang’s expression twisted in fury. As a martial artist, he valued honor above all. He hadn’t expected Fan Tong to be so despicable, resorting to hidden weapons.

He executed Gale Steps at lightning speed to dodge the attacks, but still his arm was grazed, leaving a bleeding gash. “Well done. I never thought Buddhism had such scum among its ranks.”

He was enraged, a fire burning within.

The crowd murmured their disapproval; they too hadn’t expected a Buddhist practitioner like Fan Tong to stoop so low, shaming his sect.

Previously, Qin Yang had shown restraint out of respect for Fan Tong’s Buddhist background, but now he had no such qualms.

The hidden weapon was laced with deadly poison. Blood spurted out, blackened by the toxin, his internal energy rapidly draining.

“Well, what are you waiting for? He has an invitation on him—whoever kills him gets it!” Fan Tong urged the crowd.

Yet none stepped forward. Instead, they looked at Fan Tong with disdain.

“Hmph, a disgrace to Buddhism.”

“Yeah, trying to use us as fodder? Not happening.”

Fan Tong’s expression soured as events went against his expectations. By then, Qin Yang was already upon him, landing another devastating punch.

Fan Tong was sent flying. Before he could get up or resist, Qin Yang’s foot smashed into his face.

Hissing in pain—

Qin Yang was like a raging lion, showing no mercy. Each punch landed with brutal force, shattering who knows how many of Fan Tong’s ribs. Still, he did not relent.

To Fan Tong’s pleas for mercy, he turned a deaf ear.

Someone so base had no place in this world; his very existence was a waste.

“Die!”