As the lamps were lit at dusk, Darts Masters emerged one by one from the Fuwei Escort Agency. Most were dusty and travel-worn, having just returned from an escort mission.

Jiang Yi patted the dust from his clothes and looked to Kong Yu beside him. "Junior Brother Kong Yu," he said, "how about coming to my place for a drink? I’ll have my wife whip up a couple of side dishes for us, and we can have some Exotic Beast Meat." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Jiang Yi patted the pouch of silver he had just received from the Escort Agency, a smile on his face.

Kong Yu’s brow furrowed slightly. "Senior Brother, vices like alcohol are bad for the body. As Martial Artists, it’s best we stay away from it."

Jiang Yi shook his head. "I failed the Dragon Ascension. My cultivation is pretty much capped for life. It makes no difference whether I abstain or not."

"If Senior Brother Zhu Yang were here, he’d probably be dragging me off, telling me to hurry up."

Kong Yu said, "Senior Brother Zhu Yang has been gone for some time now. Why do you still dwell on it?"

’Senior Brother Jiang used to be no heavy drinker, only partaking occasionally,’ he thought. ’I know this is all because of Senior Brother Zhu Yang’s death.’

’Senior Brother Jiang and Senior Brother Zhu Yang were the closest of friends. Zhu Yang had once saved Jiang Yi’s life during an escort mission, which is why Jiang Yi has never gotten over his death and is so bent on revenge.’

’But the Martial Arts Examination explicitly forbids retribution, so Senior Brother Jiang can only bury his hatred deep in his heart.’

"Every time I think about Senior Brother Zhu Yang being dead while that Xu Yang is still alive and well, I can’t sleep."

Jiang Yi looked at Kong Yu seriously. "Promise me, when you get to the Purple Sun Sect, you must find a way to kill Xu Yang and avenge Senior Brother Zhu."

Kong Yu nodded. "Don’t worry, Senior Brother Jiang. I will."

A smile appeared on Jiang Yi’s face. "That puts my mind at ease. With your talent, he’s as good as dead. Go on. I’ll just have a couple of drinks and head back."

"Don’t drink too much!"

With that parting advice, Kong Yu strode away.

’It’s a pity I can’t kill you with my own hands,’ Jiang Yi thought, ’but it’s all the same if Junior Brother Kong Yu does it.’

Jiang Yi watched Kong Yu depart, then turned into another street. He stopped by a wine shop to buy a jar of wine and picked up some cooked food before heading home.

"Who’s there?"

As he was passing an alley, Jiang Yi suddenly sensed something was wrong. A subtle whoosh of air came from behind, closing in on him fast.

The sound was minuscule; if not for his cultivation at the Mid-Stage Qi Gathering Great Success, it would have been nearly impossible to notice.

CRASH!

The wine jar fell from his hand, shattering on the ground and releasing a potent aroma of liquor. Jiang Yi’s entire body tensed as his True Qi surged.

He spun around and threw a palm strike. As he did, he saw a black, phantom-like shadow rapidly growing larger in his vision, closing in at extreme speed.

BOOM!

True Qi shot from his palm like a torrent, striking the air with a deafening roar.

’His reactions are quick, and his senses are sharp. As expected of an expert who nearly achieved Dragon Ascension,’ Xu Yang thought with a hint of admiration.

Even with his Flying Swallow Skill at the Great Success stage, it was impossible to launch a completely silent sneak attack on a Qi Gathering Great Success master. Once he was within thirty feet, the sound of his movement through the air was bound to be detected.

’During the Martial Arts Examination, Jiang Yi provoked me multiple times and even showed killing intent. After Yang Jun died, he tried to frame me for it.’

’I wanted to kill him back then. If I let someone so unscrupulous go, he might seek revenge on Xu Qing or cause trouble for the Qiu Family after I leave.’

’But if I had acted then, Gale Hall would certainly have grown suspicious.’

’Now that some time has passed and things have cooled down, even if Jiang Yi dies, Gale Hall won’t suspect me. And even if they did, their only recourse would be to challenge me at the Purple Sun Sect.’

’And that is a confrontation I do not fear in the slightest.’

’In fact, I won’t be able to leave with peace of mind until I eliminate an unprincipled man like him.’

BAM!

Gathering True Qi in his hand, Xu Yang’s fist tore through the air. Like a spearhead, it punched through the True Qi Jiang Yi had unleashed from his palm.

Xu Yang was like a bolt of lightning, and the True Qi blast from Jiang Yi didn’t slow him for even an instant.

"A master!" Jiang Yi’s expression changed dramatically.

’He crushed my Palm Force so easily. His strength is definitely far above mine. If I don’t handle this perfectly, I’m going to die here tonight.’

’But who wants me dead?’

’And a master with such terrifying cultivation, no less.’

’It’s a shame his face is masked; I can’t see who it is.’

"Hah!"

He had no time to think. With the fist nearly upon him, he could only channel all his True Qi into his arms, crossing them in a defensive block before his chest.

The next instant, the fist slammed into his arms.

CRACK!

His Protective True Qi, the culmination of his life’s cultivation, was instantly shattered by the terrifying fist. He didn’t know how many of his meridians ruptured from the sheer shockwave.

The overflowing Force radiated outwards. With a ripping sound, his sleeves exploded into tatters, and the surrounding brickwork shattered.

Then, the fist slammed into his now-unprotected arms. Jiang Yi felt a power like a collapsing mountain or a crashing tsunami. Before this onslaught, his own strength was laughably weak, his Physique as fragile as bean curd.

CRACK!

The sharp crack of breaking bone sliced through the night. Blood splattered as the terrifying Fist Force snapped both his arms, leaving them dangling by shreds of skin and muscle.

"Ah!"

He only had time to let out a short, sharp scream before a pure, tyrannical True Qi surged from his shattered arms into his body, rampaging through his meridians.

Everywhere this terrifying True Qi passed, it was like a razor’s edge, shredding his meridians to pieces.

He almost thought his attacker was a Bone Marrow Cleansing Strong Person who had achieved Qi Cultivation Gang, because the True Qi of a mere Qi Gathering Martial Artist could never be this tyrannical.

"Who are you, senior?"

As he was sent flying through the air, Jiang Yi frantically tried to figure out who wanted to kill him. He was certain he had never provoked a master of such terrifying power.

Xu Yang remained silent. He shot forward like a bolt of lightning, caught up to Jiang Yi in mid-air, and pressed a palm to his chest, unleashing a vicious pulse of Wind and Thunder Strength.