Seeking Martial Dao in All Reborn Lives
Chapter 162 - 161: The Letter
SQUELCH!!
With another muffled rip, Zhao Xuanqi violently pulled his hand back from Hua Jingcheng’s chest, tearing the man’s heart right out.
The Flying Bird Form was exceptionally treacherous and utterly ruthless in its killing.
THUMP! THUMP!!
The crimson heart throbbed in Zhao Xuanqi’s palm, still brimming with vigorous life.
Hua Jingcheng’s body went rigid, his movements ceasing abruptly. Without his heart pumping a steady supply of nutrients throughout his body, he was utterly incapable of any Power Generation. He could only struggle to keep his balance.
An ordinary person would have already passed out from the lack of blood to the brain and died. But Hua Jingcheng’s incredible life force kept him conscious, forced to watch his own heart beat in his opponent’s palm, to feel his life being stripped away, drop by drop.
It was a feeling of immense pain and despair—knowing he was about to die, yet utterly powerless to stop it.
’My Fire Feather Blade didn’t just fail to defeat him; it was as if I’d broken some terrifying seal and unleashed an uncontrollable Barbaric Fierce Beast.’
’What in the world is this Secret Transmission? How can it cause such a terrifying transformation?!’
His spirit trembled as his eyes met Zhao Xuanqi’s. The man’s gaze was placid. In an instant, his monstrous physique shrank, rapidly returning to its original form.
In that moment, Hua Jingcheng seemed to understand.
’He was hiding his true strength all along. His Martial Dao and Secret Transmission must conceal some immense secret that can’t be revealed to outsiders. And my ultimate trump card just gave him the perfect opportunity to unleash it without a care.’
’Damn it! This man will become a dire threat to the Empire! And now... I can’t even get this crucial information back!!’
Hua Jingcheng’s eyes filled with bitter resentment. His consciousness began to fade, the strength in his body completely drained as life abandoned him for good.
THUD!!
His body crashed backward, falling silent forever.
「Meanwhile.」
The ring was shrouded in dust from the technique Hua Jingcheng had unleashed. Terrifying shockwaves continued to ripple outward, forcing the guests to retreat more than ten meters.
Even after the attack ceased, the dust continued to swirl, obscuring the ring from view.
Yan Shuntao and the others looked grim, steeling themselves for the worst.
’That Neon Person can create a Flame Blade with his bare hands and cause a terrifying explosion... He’s not even human. Forget winning, it’ll be a miracle if Zhao Xuanqi even survives.’
Most of the others present shared this thought, and a smile was already spreading uncontrollably across Wei Zonglong’s face.
Amid the silence, the smoke slowly cleared, revealing the scene on the ring to all.
One man stood, another lay on the ground.
Only, it wasn’t what anyone had expected.
The man left standing was Zhao Xuanqi. The one on the ground was Hua Jingcheng!
What shocked the crowd even more, however, was what Zhao Xuanqi held in his hand.
It was a crimson heart. It had already stopped beating, and thick, viscous blood oozed from it, dripping ceaselessly through Zhao Xuanqi’s fingers.
’A heart?!’
’Could that be... the Neon Person’s heart?!’
For a moment, everyone’s minds went blank. They couldn’t comprehend how Zhao Xuanqi had not only survived such a terrifying attack but had managed to turn the tables and rip out his opponent’s heart.
Wei Zonglong’s smile froze on his face.
’Impossible! How could Hua Jingcheng have lost?!’
While the crowd was still transfixed on the ring in shocked silence, Wei Zonglong began to quietly back away through the throng, planning to use the distraction to slip out of the ballroom.
’With Hua Jingcheng defeated and dead, tonight’s board meeting will be disastrous for me. But if I can just get out of this ballroom, with the Neon Nation’s backing, I might still have a chance to turn this around.’
No one in the crowd noticed Wei Zonglong’s movements, but Zhao Xuanqi, standing on the ring, was a different story.
Amid the stunned stillness, Wei Zonglong’s movements were glaringly obvious.
Zhao Xuanqi’s eyes narrowed. He whipped his head around, and with a flick of his wrist, performed a sudden Force Release.
Propelled by immense power, the crimson heart in his palm became a blur. To the horror of the crowd, it shot across dozens of meters and slammed into the side of the face of Wei Zonglong, who was just about to slip away.
SMACK!!
Even though it was just a casual flick from dozens of meters away, the force was no less than a full-powered punch from a strong man. The impact sent Wei Zonglong’s entire body flying. It was as if he’d been punched squarely in the face; the sound of his facial bones cracking could be heard as the blood squeezed from the heart splattered all over his head and face.
His body tumbled across the floor a few times before falling still. It seemed he’d been knocked unconscious.
Only then did Luo Shizun and the others notice that Wei Zonglong had been trying to flee.
"Seal off the entire ballroom," Luo Shizun immediately ordered one of his men. "No one leaves without my command."
The few board members on Wei Zonglong’s side were jolted as if from a dream. Their faces turned ashen as they all looked toward Luo Shizun, their mouths gaping as if to speak.
"Save it for the board meeting," Luo Shizun said coolly, ignoring them. Supported by Yan Shuntao, he walked briskly toward the ring.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xuanqi was slowly descending from the ring. The surrounding guests stared at him as if he were a deity.
He had not only survived such a terrifying attack, but had killed his opponent in turn.
After tonight’s battle, Zhao Xuanqi’s prestige within the Zhen Nan Chamber of Commerce would skyrocket to a terrifying new height.
"Mr. Zhao, are you all right?" Luo Shizun hurried forward to ask.
"I’m fine," Zhao Xuanqi said calmly. "Get me a change of clothes and clean up the scene. Let’s continue the meeting. Also, keep what happened tonight under wraps. Don’t let any information leak."
"Of course, Mr. Zhao. Leave the rest to us," Luo Shizun said, a sharp glint flashing in his old, cloudy eyes.
’Wei Zonglong and his board members must pay a heavy price. Otherwise, this matter won’t be over.’
Zhao Xuanqi knew that after tonight, a series of major upheavals was inevitable within the Chamber of Commerce, but that had nothing to do with him.
He didn’t understand the world of business, nor did he wish to interfere. His only job was to sit at the conference table. His presence alone was a massive deterrent; whichever faction he sided with would hold the decisive advantage. He could leave the rest to Luo Shizun and Yan Shuntao.
While the Zhen Nan Chamber of Commerce’s board meeting was being upended, similar events were unfolding throughout the major chambers and factions of Jinmen.
Assassinations, coercion, bribery, power grabs...
But those other factions were not as fortunate as the Zhen Nan Chamber of Commerce.
The various assets cultivated by the Neon Empire for decades were activated. With the tacit approval of the other five of the Six Nations, they could completely upturn the entire situation in Jinmen in a short time.
「Three hours later.」
Zhao Xuanqi left the venue. The meeting wasn’t actually over—a shift this massive couldn’t be settled in one go. Luo Shizun and Yan Shuntao were still there, managing the situation. For many, it was going to be a sleepless night.
But none of that concerned Zhao Xuanqi anymore. He had indisputably secured his position as head of the Martial Arts Department and fulfilled his mission.
He had other things to worry about.
The situation in Jinmen was about to change drastically. Sitting in the car on his way back, Zhao Xuanqi gazed out at the night, his expression growing heavy.
’I need to make preparations. I should contact the National Salvation Association, the White Tiger Sect, and the Black Tortoise Sect.’
’With my current strength, I’m still too insignificant to navigate this kind of chaos. A single Martial Artist sent by the Neon Nation to the Zhen Nan Chamber of Commerce was enough to force me to reveal most of my abilities. What’s more, if my Hundred Beasts Fist is fully exposed, it will almost certainly cause a massive uproar.’
’It wouldn’t just be the Vermilion Bird Sect. Other Warlords, maybe even the Six Nations, could take an interest in me.’
’I feel like I’m surrounded by enemies.’
’I have to find a way to get stronger, fast.’
Zhao Xuanqi’s eyes narrowed.
He returned to his residence, a two-story Western-style house. He considered moving back to the safe house in the Gaul Concession, since things were getting dangerous. But that would weaken his ties to the Zhen Nan Chamber of Commerce, and there was no telling what might happen then.
Entering the living room, Zhao Xuanqi flipped on the light and froze.
He could clearly see a letter lying on the main table in the living room.
The table had been empty when he’d left for the board meeting.
Zhao Xuanqi slowly approached the table. He could clearly see a design on the envelope.
It was the emblem of a black tiger’s head.
He knew that emblem well. It was the mark of the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall.