Way of the Devil

“Elder Zhang, permit me.” Lu Sheng took a step forward.

“Thump.”

But, Zhang Shilong blocked him abruptly.

“It’s okay. I know who he is now. I’ll do it.” He lifted his head and looked at Yuan Yingxiao.

Even though he passed through Moling City quite often, there weren’t a lot of people who could call out his identity and name. Plus, his last name was Yuan, so that decreased the number of people he could be by another amount.

“Since Chief Yuan is unwilling to respect me, then do as you please,” he responded. Obviously, he didn’t want to get into this mess anymore. He grabbed Lu Sheng and stood to the side to watch.

Yuan Yingxiao chuckled and cupped his fists at Zhang Shilong. He then ordered his subordinates to question and inspect everyone on board.

First the sailors, then the manager, the lookout, and the helmsman. The ship owner and merchants were the last.

***

Han Linjun hid behind her best friend’s father, acting completely like a timid, little girl. Hearing the questioning get closer, she got more and more nervous.

“Don’t worry… don’t worry… my father will protect us. The elder from the Thousand Sun Sect is also here… they won’t dare to go out of line. They won’t…” Lin Xin didn’t know Han Linjun’s background or identity. When they became blood sisters, they didn’t mention anything of the sort. She thought Han Linjun was only nervous because she was frightened.

“It’s okay… I’m okay…” Han Linjun answered softly. She didn’t dare look at her best friend. Guilt was deeply rooted in her heart.

If the talisman her father gave her before his death didn’t work, then today was the day of her death. And not just her, but everyone else on this boat would die as well.

She kept her head lowered. Soon, a female subordinate from the Fierce Tiger Tribe came forward, holding a short black stick. There was a golden metal tiger head on the end.

She walked up to the two girls and poked them with the tiger head.

“Not here,” the female subordinate said indifferently, then left.

“Thank God!” The fat merchant let out a long breath. “Daughter, Little Lin, go and hide inside. Don’t come out.”

“It’s okay, Father. We’ll stay here. We’re not going anywhere!” Lin Xin said determinedly.

Han Linjun didn’t speak. She held onto her best friend’s hand tightly, but her gaze secretly turned to Zhang Shilong, who was standing on the deck not far from her.

Time passed by second by second. Soon, over two hours had passed. The Fierce Tiger Tribe went through everyone, but didn’t find anything.

Several leaders returned to Yuan Yingxiao, reporting to him in low voices.

“Hm? Nothing was found?” His expression became a little ugly as his gaze swept over the crowd.

He first looked over the few wealthy merchants, making their skin prickle. All of them started sweating profusely. Then he looked toward the female family members. Lin Xin and Han Linjun were only two out of many. There were still the wives, servants, and slaves of the merchants. Over ten of them huddled together like ducks in danger, not even daring to move under Yuan Yingxiao’s gaze.

Zhang Shilong noticed that when Yuan Yingxiao looked at even the prettiest girls, his gaze didn’t linger. He had a strong determination.

After looking over everyone, he couldn’t find anything wrong.

“Did you question them?” he asked darkly.

A man dressed in silver armor nodded. “Yes. No findings from that, either. This ship sailed from Red Sand Village, and apart from the two people from the Thousand Sun Sect, everyone else is a merchant from nearby. The boat was rented from the White Sails Commerce Chamber, and the merchants are from Jinan Commerce Chamber. They’re here to discuss business.”

“Why are they bringing their families, then?” Yuan Yingxiao asked coldly.

“Two of the merchants have bought houses in the city and are preparing to move over and settle there,” the subordinate whispered.

“What else?”

“That’s all. Nothing was complicated, and that’s all we could gather,” the subordinate replied calmly.

Yuan Yingxiao’s expression became even darker. “Since we can’t find Han Linjun, find out where the object is.”

“We did. The search talisman didn’t turn up anything.”

“Is there any spot you might have overlooked?”

“Uh…” The subordinated hesitated, looking toward Zhang Shilong and Lu Sheng.

Yuan Yingxiao frowned. His gaze also landed on Zhang Shilong.

“Elder Zhang, please don’t blame me for not respecting you. It’s just that this thing is very important. My apologies.” He waved his hand, and two men in silver armor with their faces covered walked out from behind him. With knives in their hands, they walked toward Zhang Shilong.

Zhang Shilong was first shocked, then furious. He almost attacked.

Lu Sheng, who was standing behind him, got more and more impatient. He walked up, about to attack, but Zhang Shilong blocked him again.

“Don’t be impulsive! I’ll take care of it.” Zhang Shilong took a deep breath. As an elder of the Thousand Sun Sect, it had been a long time since he’d been so disrespected.

“What? You want to search me?!” His gaze was hard as he stared at Yuan Yingxiao.

Yuan Yingxiao was expressionless. “Elder Zhang, no need to be so worked up. It’s just that we have already searched the entire ship, but we still can’t find the item. You’re the only ones we haven’t checked yet…”

Zhang Shilong was so furious his chest was moving up and down. A Fierce Tiger Tribe! For a second, he thought of attacking, but then he remembered who was behind Yuan Yingxiao…

“Good! I’ll let you search me and see if it is on me.” Zhang Shilong suppressed his anger and spread out his arms, letting the two people walk up and search through his clothes and bags.

“Elder Zhang…” Lu Sheng squinted, his face darkening. He was about to say something else before Zhang Shilong stopped him.

“It’s okay, let them search.” Zhang Shilong straightened his back. He already knew who was behind Yuan Yingxiao. He couldn’t make an enemy of them, and he couldn’t hide from them, either. There was no other way other than to bear with it. Rebutting them with words was the best he could do. But Lu Sheng was different. He had a bright future, and it couldn’t be wasted here by making enemies out of those people. Otherwise, he would have a really hard time. He was still young, and he couldn’t risk destroying his future here by being impulsive.

The two people searched Zhang Shilong for a bit, but they still didn’t find anything.

“Are we good now?” Zhang Shilong said coldly.

“My apologies, Elder Zhang.” Yuan Yingxiao frowned even deeper.

Zhang Shilong didn’t want to waste any more time here in case something else happened. Seeing that they didn’t find anything, he asked icily, “Can we leave now?”

Yuan Yingxiao was about to nod when he noticed the young man behind Zhang Shilong. It seemed to be his disciple or apprentice.

“Hold on, is this Elder Zhang’s disciple?” His gaze landed on Lu Sheng. “Did you search him?” He looked to the people besides him.

A man with his face covered walked up and responded, “Not yet, Chief.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Yuan Yingxiao’s expression turned cold.

The entire atmosphere immediately grew tense.

Zhang Shilong was about to get off the boat and take away Lu Sheng, who was about to explode. But then he suddenly heard this.

He saw Lu Sheng’s gaze change instantly. This young man already loved killing, and if it weren’t for him stopping the young man, the latter would have already murdered everyone. He’d thought they would be able to finally leave safely, but then this happened.

Zhang Shilong hurriedly tugged on Lu Sheng, but no matter how hard he pulled, Lu Sheng wouldn’t move. A creepy smile appeared on his face.

“I’ve told you to let me take care of this from the start.” Lu Sheng slowly pulled out his sword, his black membrane appearing faintly.

“You had to wait until now.”

After he pulled out his sword, everyone on board also pulled out their weapons like a disturbed wasp’s nest. They all pointed their knives at Lu Sheng.

“Lu Sheng!” Zhang Shilong grabbed Lu Sheng’s wrist. “Don’t be impulsive!”

“Nothing I do is impulsive. Just like every time I’ve killed.” Lu Sheng threw off Zhang Shilong’s hand and walked forward.

Yuan Yingxiao squinted, staring at Lu Sheng, who was walking towards him.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“What do you think?” Lu Sheng smiled.

“Hiss!”

His figure vanished and reappeared behind Yuan Yingxiao.

“Clang!”

Yuan Yingxiao’s expression immediately changed. He pulled out his dagger and blocked the attack, but the huge force from the sword made his expression change even more.

“Boom!!!”

The terrifying force slammed into Yuan Yingxiao, sending him flying out, and he smacked into the hull of the ship behind him.

“Bang!!!”

A huge pit over ten meters across appeared on the ship’s hulk. Yuan Yingxiao was in the center, while bent and broken pieces of wood and iron all surrounded him. He seemed like a flying insect caught in a spider’s net.

He coughed loudly as blood flowed out of his mouth and stained his clothes.

Both ships went silent. Dead silent.

Then along came fury.

“Chief!!!” the people from the Fierce Tiger Tribe screamed. Multiple people flew toward Yuan Yingxiao.

Another ten surrounded Lu Sheng.

Lu Sheng glanced at them. All of them were holding swords.

He sneered. “Weak people have no right to hold swords. Especially garbage!”

He slashed his sword forward, quick as lightning.

“Buzz!”

True Qi flooded out. Along with his frightening physical power, the force of this one slash stunned even Zhang Shilong.

The ten meter long Sword Qi quickly formed and slashed toward the Fierce Tiger Tribe’s ship.

“Crack!”

The huge boat was like a fragile chopstick, easily split in half.

The ten people who’d surrounded Lu Sheng were completely dumbstruck. Even those who got grazed by the Sword Qi lost half of their bodies before they could defend themselves, not to mention blocking Lu Sheng’s attack.

The True Qi wasn’t the frightening part, as Lu Sheng was only at seventh vein. It was his physical body that was just too terrifying. When the two were added together, his power instantly increased to Earth Level.

How could ordinary Divine Primes or Realm of Snake opponents from small tribes block his attack? Even Yuan Yingxiao, who was also at seventh vein, couldn’t muster any resistance before being demolished.

“Whoosh.”

Broken into the two, the two pieces of the ship tipped up, creating large waves before sinking into the water.

All the Fierce Tiger Tribe people beside Lu Sheng were stunned, not knowing what to do. Yuan Yingxiao had been hit with the Sword Qi attack that cut the ship into two, so he was probably already dead. Without their leader, these normal people didn’t know what to do anymore.