Chapter 163: Assassination Successful
The Azure Cloud Python Phantasmal Beast roamed through the snow, stirring up flurries of snowflakes. For a moment, it looked like a silver dragon wandering through the mountains and wilderness.
At this time, Qi Kaiyuan furrowed his brows tightly, silently pondering the news transmitted from within the family.
“Qi Shouwu has fallen… could it be that the Han Family wants to stake everything on a desperate fight?”
Although two Professional Beast Tamers from the Han Family had died suddenly back then, the Han Family had not completely lost its ability to resist.
Therefore, over these years, the Qi Family had allied with other forces, using a slow, boiling-the-frog approach to gradually gnaw away at the Han Family’s resources.
Now that he had suddenly received news of Qi Shouwu’s death, he immediately suspected that it was the Han Family’s decision to make a last stand.
“Han Family, if Shouwu’s death was caused by you, then this time I’ll wipe you out completely.”
Qi Kaiyuan, white-haired and aged, had eyes filled with icy killing intent, showing no trace of what one would expect from a centenarian old man.
As long as evidence could be found proving that the Han Family had killed Qi Shouwu, the Alliance would not directly punish the Han Family, but the Qi Family would have the right to initiate self-defense retaliation.
Any methods could be used. As long as Alliance interests were not harmed, the Alliance would not interfere or suppress the Qi Family.
This was the game rule within the Alliance.
It was precisely by relying on such rules that conflicts among various forces were prevented from causing massive losses to Professional Beast Tamers.
However, just as Qi Kaiyuan was immersed in the news of Qi Shouwu’s death, a blazing, fire-like killing intent was brewing, like energy constantly accumulating before a volcanic eruption.
“Wu…”
Suddenly, a figure shot out from beneath the Azure Cloud Python, attacking Qi Kaiyuan with thunderous force.
The speed was so fast that it seemed to tear through the air ahead, the gust carrying snowflakes that let out a sharp whistling scream.
As a mid-level Professional Beast Tamer, Qi Kaiyuan reacted swiftly. A layer of green light immediately bloomed around his body—his ability to control wood-element energy particles.
At the same time, the Azure Cloud Python Phantasmal Beast prepared to transform into phantasmal armor to protect its master from the ambush.
However, in that split second, Zhou Ming had already activated his Dark-gold Serpent Pupils, and the power of the throne instantly enveloped Qi Kaiyuan and his beast.
This suppression originating from bloodline and spirit caused both man and beast to slow their reactions by half a beat.
And in that fleeting instant, Zhou Ming’s Mad Python Martial Way secret killing move, Poison Fang, struck Qi Kaiyuan squarely in the chest.
At this moment, his two fingers were pitch-black like ink, with an aura of life-corroding decay spreading across them.
Ever since Zhou Ming advanced to a Ruler and stole the Ironthread Snake bloodline, his body had undergone abnormal changes under the influence of that bloodline.
The gallbladder within his body had long since transformed into an organ for storing snake venom. The toxins condensed from various Ironthread Snake venoms were terrifying enough to threaten high-tier Ferocious Beasts.
With the enhancement of snake venom, the Mad Python Martial Way’s secret killing move, Poison Fang, had truly become a real “poison fang”.
Qi Kaiyuan suffered a heavy blow as a result. Not only did two bloody holes appear in his chest, but the fiercely toxic snake venom also rampaged through his body.
At this time, the Azure Cloud Python finally broke free from the suppression of the Dark-gold Serpent Pupils, opening its gaping blood-red maw and lunging to swallow Zhou Ming.
Zhou Ming tilted his head to look at the Azure Cloud Python, meeting its gaze. The throne power of the Dark-gold Serpent Pupils erupted once more. As the dark-gold patterns around his iris rotated, the Azure Cloud Python instantly fell into a dazed state again.
Before Qi Kaiyuan could recover from the ambush, Zhou Ming smashed a punch into the Azure Cloud Python’s massive head. Using the momentum, he braced both hands against the beast’s body, and his dark-gold snake tail lashed toward Qi Kaiyuan.
However, at that very instant, Qi Kaiyuan finally reacted. Using his spiritual power, he activated his life-saving trump card—the greenwood necklace hanging around his neck.
A jade-like barrier rose up, blocking Zhou Ming’s heavy, forceful Dark Tail strike.
Seeing that Qi Kaiyuan had reacted, Zhou Ming twisted his snake tail and quickly pulled away to widen the distance.
“Boom, boom…”
The Thunder Type-3 Revolver directly began firing.
In a life-and-death struggle, there was no verbal exchange, especially when his strength was still inferior to Qi Kaiyuan’s.
Naturally, he had to seize the advantage of striking first, battering the opponent senseless and completely killing him before he could fully exert his strength.
“Bastard.”
Seeing Zhou Ming firing the Thunder Type-3 Revolver, Qi Kaiyuan could only grit his teeth and endure his injuries. While continuing to drive the greenwood necklace with spiritual power, he also commanded the Azure Cloud Python to transform into phantasmal armor.
The Thunder Type-3 Revolver fired consecutively, all five bullets striking the jade-like barrier.
When the final bullet shattered the jade barrier formed by the greenwood necklace, the Azure Cloud Python finally transformed into a suit of armor enveloping Qi Kaiyuan’s body.
Although the bullet’s power had been weakened, it still sent Qi Kaiyuan flying, further aggravating his injuries.
“You little bastard.”
Faced with the continuous, storm-like onslaught, Qi Kaiyuan’s fury soared sky-high. The calm and rationality he should have maintained were being devoured by rage.
However, a Phantasmal Tamer’s physique was no match for that of a Beast Knight. No matter how great his anger, his first choice at this moment was still to swallow an antidote potion.
Unfortunately, Zhou Ming, who already held the advantage, would never give him a chance to catch his breath.
After all, there was a gap of one minor rank between them. If Qi Kaiyuan were given any breathing room, Zhou Ming himself would fall into danger.
“Dark Devour.”
Zhou Ming activated the Dark-gold Serpent Pupils once again. His spiritual power transformed into countless black serpents, dragging Qi Kaiyuan into an illusion of ten thousand snakes devouring his body while simultaneously destroying his spiritual consciousness.
Sensing the aura of death, Qi Kaiyuan no longer intended to care about the severe poison ravaging his body.
“Evergreen Pine Endures.”
Qi Kaiyuan directly unleashed his final trump card. A pine tree phantom with a diameter of one meter enveloped his entire body.
It not only isolated the mental attack of Dark Devour, but also provided him with formidable defensive power.
“You Han Family bastards. I won’t just make sure you die without a burial—everyone else in the Han Family will die too.”
At this moment, Qi Kaiyuan had already taken Zhou Ming for a member of the Han Family, and his guess was not far off.
Zhou Ming, whose spiritual power was heavily depleted, had no intention of engaging in verbal exchanges. With the intelligence provided by Han Yanxuan, he naturally knew the background of the technique Qi Kaiyuan was using.
Purple poisonous mist was sprayed out by him. Besides obscuring the opponent’s vision, it also corroded the Evergreen Pine phantom with toxins.
The moment the poisonous mist surged forth, Qi Kaiyuan’s Evergreen Pine Endures technique had already transformed into what looked like a real towering tree.
The branches trembled, and pine needles shot out like a metallic storm formed of countless armor-piercing rounds, engulfing Zhou Ming.
Unfortunately, with the poisonous mist interfering with spiritual perception, Qi Kaiyuan could not accurately lock onto Zhou Ming. His unleashed attack was dodged by Zhou Ming using his bizarre footwork.
Just as Qi Kaiyuan continued his assault, he suddenly spat out dark red clots of blood. The snake venom Zhou Ming had used in the initial ambush finally began to take effect.
Zhou Ming’s relentless attacks prevented Qi Kaiyuan from dealing with the snake venom in time, thus planting the hidden danger that would ultimately lead to his death.
Unable to continue sustaining the technique, Qi Kaiyuan finally felt the terror of death and immediately chose to flee toward the nearest Red Maple Ridge—his only chance at survival.
“Boom, boom…”
Zhou Ming, having reloaded, tightly gripped the Thunder Type-3 Revolver with both hands and fired all five bullets.
In the end, they tore open the defense of the phantasmal armor, and the violent bullets shattered Qi Kaiyuan’s body.