"Since it’s impossible for you to have offended the Ten Directions Sect, my friend, that only leaves two possibilities..."
"The first is that remnants of the Ten Directions Sect fled to Yuan Guang County. They wanted to steal something from the warehouse, so they set a fire to create a distraction and snuck in during the chaos. But you happened to run into them, so they decided to kill you to keep you quiet."
"As for the second possibility..."
Wang Xingjian didn’t finish his sentence. Instead, he turned and glanced at Chen Jingsheng.
He was making this analysis for Chen Jingsheng’s benefit, anyway.
Seeing that Chen Jingsheng had no intention of stopping him, Wang Xingjian continued, "Someone within our gang is colluding with the remnants of the Ten Directions Sect. This attack on you, my friend, was a case of borrowing a knife to kill someone!"
"I will report this matter to the Vice Gang Leader myself."
After speaking, Chen Jingsheng walked to Zou Feng’s bedside. "You performed meritorious service in guarding the warehouse. You shall be rewarded!"
"Focus on recovering. I will arrange a place for you!"
This was clearly because he was worried that if remnants of the Ten Directions Sect were truly behind this, they might retaliate.
Zou Feng had also originally thought that Ma Pingchuan or Qian Kun must have hired assassins.
But the fact that these guys were very likely colluding with the Ten Directions Sect... that made things a bit more troublesome.
At this thought, Zou Feng immediately checked the List of Gods.
’Sure enough. In addition to the original honorees on the list, a new name has appeared: Ji Changsheng.’
This almost certainly confirmed that Ji Changsheng had a significant connection to the two previous assassins and knew they had come to kill him.
Now that he had learned those two had been killed in return, he immediately developed killing intent toward Zou Feng, thus appearing on the list.
But this, contrary to expectation, made Zou Feng breathe a sigh of relief.
What he had been most worried about just now was provoking the entire group of Ten Directions Sect remnants that had fled here.
’If there were too many honorees on the list, I could only ’train’ one at a time. I’d never be able to keep up.’
If they threw caution to the wind and all swarmed him for revenge, he’d probably have to spend a long time hiding.
Luckily, there was only Ji Changsheng for now, which made things much easier to handle.
’Now that he’s on the list, this man is destined to have no "long life".’
’Should call him Ji Duanming instead.’
Next, during his "recovery" at the place Chen Jingsheng arranged, he would relentlessly continue "training" Qian Kun, and from time to time, let the newly listed Ji Changsheng have a taste of the fun too.
Zou Feng knew very well that Ma Pingchuan, a mere Incense Master of the Black Flood Dragon Gang, wasn’t qualified to collude with remnants of the Ten Directions Sect.
The one really pulling the strings must be his brother-in-law, Qian Kun.
So, he couldn’t afford to go easy on Master Qian anymore. Since the Tribulation-Indestructible Body and other Evil Skills couldn’t kill him for the time being, he would switch to the Five Poison Skill and Chaos Finger.
Xiaolv had been growing well recently, and its poison had strengthened.
Especially after it ate the Red Flower Scorpion, its tail’s Poison Hook had a new effect that would further his Cultivation of the Chaos Finger...
That morning, Chen Jingsheng had his men move Zou Feng out of the warehouse district.
On the way to his recovery spot, they changed carriages three times, and several identical carriages were used as decoys.
The place where Zou Feng was to recover turned out to be a courtyard house just one street away from the County Government Office.
According to the Black Flood Dragon Gang members who brought him here, this property belonged to Chen Jingsheng.
This level of treatment was clearly because they saw that Zou Feng had managed to kill two well-prepared assassins. Even if there was an element of luck involved, he was still a bona fide blue-chip prospect.
And so, under the pretext of recuperating, Zou Feng holed up in Chen Jingsheng’s private villa and focused on his frantic Cultivation.
For his meritorious service in guarding the warehouse, he was rewarded with a large quantity of Qi Blood Pills and Essence Strengthening Pills.
So, having been barely injured in the first place, and now with a sufficient supply of Elixirs to aid him, his progress in the three Evil Skills, including the Tribulation-Indestructible Body, naturally skyrocketed.
Lost in his frantic Cultivation, free from any distractions, half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Tonight, there was no moon, and the sky was thick with dark clouds.
Looking at Qian Kun’s name on the panel, its brightness already very dim, Zou Feng let out a sinister smile.
’It’s time to deal this guy the final blow!’
Sitting alone in the courtyard, the gang members assigned to attend to his recovery long asleep, Zou Feng beckoned toward the rockery in the yard.
A strange, glistening green bug suddenly darted out and flew swiftly onto Zou Feng’s palm.
This Gu Insect... he didn’t know what it had been eating while he’d let it roam free, but it felt like it had gotten a size bigger...
After sizing up Xiaolv for a moment, Zou Feng placed the middle finger of his left hand near its tail hook.
"Sting me!"
Xiaolv understood immediately and swiftly plunged its tail hook into Zou Feng’s finger.
"HNNNGGGHH—"
Zou Feng’s whole body trembled as if electrocuted. Although his stung finger was in agony, an inexplicable wave of pleasure quickly swept over him.
This was, in the truest sense of the word, painful pleasure.
After Xiaolv ate the Red Flower Scorpion, the poison on this little guy’s tail hook had indeed evolved to be much more potent!
’Logically, my poison resistance should be quite formidable by now, yet I can barely control the impending state of arousal.’
Zou Feng didn’t dare continue feeling the effects of Xiaolv’s tail hook venom any longer. If something really happened, it would be a huge problem.
After all, to ensure Zou Feng could recover in peace as quickly as possible, Chen Jingsheng had only arranged for two male gang members to be here to do odd jobs...
So, Zou Feng immediately began cultivating his Skill, focusing on the Chaos Finger.
The side effects of the Cultivation were instantly transferred.
Only then did that madly surging restlessness quickly dissipate...
「Meanwhile, in Qian Kun’s residence.」
His body, due to that "strange illness," was naturally getting worse and worse.
He was now completely paralyzed in bed, on the verge of death.
He had spent the last few days seeking medical help everywhere but still couldn’t find the cause. Qian Kun was on the brink of despair.
Fortunately, he received a piece of incredible news today: the "Lingnan Saint Hand" had been spotted in Rongyang County, next to Yuan Guang County.
’I’m saved! First thing tomorrow morning, I’ll rush to Rongyang County.’
’I’ll beg the "Lingnan Saint Hand" for treatment, no matter the cost!’
’But why... am I suddenly feeling that sort of... urge?’
’This feeling is unbelievable. I’m so weak and in so much pain, so why is my little brother rebelling against the heavens at a time like this?!’
Qian Kun struggled to his feet and poured a basin of cold water over himself.
But it had no effect. What little rationality he had left continued to run wild like a horse that had broken its reins.
Dizzy and staggering, Qian Kun soon knocked over many of the decorative vases and jars in his bedroom.
Hearing the commotion, the two sword-wielding guards outside thought an assassin had snuck in and rushed inside.
But when Qian Kun saw the two guards, he became like a wild beast that had spotted its prey and lunged at them with a ferocious roar.
"Ah, Master Qian, you mustn’t! We can make arrangements for you immediately..."
"Help! Master Qian has gone mad! AHH—"
Not long after, the "strange illness" of Qian Kun, a Hall Master of the Black Flood Dragon Gang, fully erupted, and he died violently in his chambers.
When Ma Pingchuan arrived, he, the Black Flood Dragon Gang’s Incense Master nicknamed the "Smiling Swordman," could no longer crack a smile.
He had considered that his brother-in-law might not survive this strange illness, but he never thought the day would come so soon.
’It feels like Qian Kun brought this on himself. He was already plagued by illness, so how could he still not control himself?’
But there was no use in such complaints. With Qian Kun dead, he no longer had a backer in the Black Flood Dragon Gang.
If Chen Jingsheng wanted to settle old scores, it would be incredibly easy...
’No, there’s still a way!’
Ma Pingchuan gritted his teeth, having apparently made a difficult decision.