CRACK! CRACK!!

As Zhao Xuanqi’s grip tightened, the dagger piercing his palm grated against bone once more, fracturing it and severing muscle. Yet, he seemed oblivious, a twisted smile still hanging on his lips.

At that moment, staring into that terrifying smiling face and those eyes, Broo felt his heart suddenly stop beating.

Such cruelty... to his enemies, and to himself...

’He’s not human!!’

The next moment, Zhao Xuanqi’s arm, suffused with Blood Essence, swelled to the thickness of a thigh. It wasn’t stiff, however; it undulated softly like a whip. As power surged through his body and into the limb, the seemingly pliable arm suddenly erupted with force, becoming as hard as steel in an instant.

Hard as iron, soft as a whip!

At that moment, he was like a giant ape that had caught a tiger in its grasp.

The terrifying power that erupted from him instantly surged through Broo’s body.

His body went airborne as if defying gravity. Gripped in Zhao Xuanqi’s hand, he was violently swung around and smashed toward Fast, who was charging from the other side with two blades.

Seeing this horrifying scene, the beastly frenzy in Fast’s eyes mostly vanished. He stopped dead, pulled back his long blades, and dodged to the side.

WHOOSH!!

The terrifying rush of air howled past his ear, the Force of the swing battering the side of his body.

THUD!!

Fast had dodged Zhao Xuanqi’s human flail, but Broo—the flail itself—was not so lucky.

Under the terrifying force of the swing, his entire body slammed hard onto the ground. The impact produced a horrifying thud, accompanied by the distinct sound of bones cracking.

Broo’s body instantly went limp, and the roiling Qi Surge began to fade. His eyes glazed over. His face looked as if a dye vat had been smashed open, with blood streaming from all seven of his orifices.

’Damn it!!’

Seeing this horrific scene, Fast and Miloque felt their hearts tremble.

’What the hell is wrong with this guy?!!’

’Broo clearly pierced his palm! How can he still unleash that kind of power?!’

’Doesn’t he feel pain?!’

After a brief moment of shock, Fast and Miloque reacted. They prepared to press the attack on Zhao Xuanqi—Broo could still be saved!

However, Zhao Xuanqi’s arm tensed again. He began swinging Broo’s body in wide, continuous circles, preventing the two men from getting close.

As he moved, the blade embedded in his palm tore the wound wider. Blood sprayed through the air with each swing, and for a moment, Fast and Miloque found they didn’t dare approach.

Looking at the faintly twisted smile on Zhao Xuanqi’s face, a bone-chilling terror seized them.

After several powerful rotations, he abruptly released his grip. Broo’s body flew out like a rag doll, smashing a large crater into the wall before crumpling to the ground, his status unknown.

SHLICK!!

Zhao Xuanqi yanked the dagger from his palm, tensing the muscles to staunch the bleeding. Half his palm was nearly severed by the blade; the wound looked horrific.

But he paid it no mind. Gripping the dagger he had just pulled free, he lunged at Fast without a moment’s hesitation.

’Even if you can’t feel pain, an injury like that has to affect your arm’s Force Release!’

’He’s just bluffing! And if it’s a contest of ruthlessness, I’m not about to lose!!’

HAH!!

A vicious glint flashed in Fast’s eyes. He used his ability again, flooding his body with hormones and entering a state of hyper-arousal. As he swung his twin blades with renewed fury, Miloque closed in from the other side!

But Zhao Xuanqi was fearless now.

Of the three, Broo had been the greatest threat!

With his terrifying kinetic vision and ability to spot weaknesses, he had coordinated their attacks to inflict maximum damage.

That was why Zhao Xuanqi had paid any price to take him out in the shortest time possible!

And now, the two who remained could no longer pose a true threat to him!

He fully mobilized his Hundred Beasts’ Intent, channeling the ability of his skin and membranes.

The blades were fast, but he was faster!

Shifting between Firm and supple, he was like a phantom chasing shadows.

He possessed both the agile dominance of the Immortal Ape and the insidious ruthlessness of the Snake Form.

Ape and Snake Strike as One!

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!!

In just over ten seconds, the three were a blur of motion. At the cost of three more horrifying gashes on his body, Zhao Xuanqi broke through Fast’s central guard. His "Ape Sword"—the dagger—shot forward, piercing straight through the man’s chest.

SPURT!!

Scalding blood sprayed out as he withdrew the dagger, drenching him.

Drenched in crimson blood and covered in gaping wounds, in the dim light, Zhao Xuanqi looked like a demon that had just escaped from Purgatory.

Miloque stood frozen, staring at the monster in the shadows. Even though the man was covered in grievous injuries, Miloque felt his own body begin to tremble uncontrollably.

He had never faced an opponent like this—so ferocious he was no longer human.

All the arrogance and confidence he’d had before the mission had been utterly shattered, replaced by a fear that chilled him to the bone.

PLOP!

Just then, a blood-soaked wad of cloth, dislodged by the violent struggle, finally fell from Zhao Xuanqi’s ear and landed on the floor.

"Hm? It fell out. Why don’t you try screaming again?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Zhao Xuanqi said to Miloque, a truly terrifying smile spreading across his face.

Miloque opened his mouth, but found that he couldn’t make a sound.

...

...

The battle in Zhao Xuanqi’s room had been perilous and bloody, but it had all been over in less than two minutes.

Nevertheless, the huge commotion had woken Zhao Qin from her sleep.

When she realized the noise was coming from Zhao Xuanqi’s room, her heart lurched. She immediately threw on some clothes and ran out, intending to check on him.

But she stopped short. ’Xuanqi has been in the limelight lately, attracting a lot of jealousy,’ she thought. ’There’s no telling what kind of danger he might be in.’

’And I’m just a woman. I’d be useless against those thugs. I’d only be a burden to him.’

’Calm down! Stay calm!’

Although she was terrified for Zhao Xuanqi, she forced herself to think clearly.

’In a situation like this...’

’Get help! I have to get help right away!’

’There are people from the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall stationed around the villa. If I can get to them in time, they can help!’

Her mind made up, Zhao Qin turned and ran downstairs. She burst out of the villa, but the scene that greeted her sent a chill through her entire body.

The Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall disciple standing night watch lay on the ground, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle. He was no longer breathing. She remembered him greeting her just that evening, and now he was dead at her feet.

Tears instantly welled up in her eyes. She clamped a hand over her mouth, clenched her jaw, and ran like her life depended on it. Not far from here was a branch of the Xiaolin Escort Agency; someone would be on duty there, even at this hour.

RUMBLE! RUMBLE!!

A few minutes later, Haitian Road erupted in a cacophony of noise. Many of the Upper River District’s elite, who had been sound asleep, were startled awake by the commotion and rushed to see what was happening.

They saw a large, aggressive-looking contingent of Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall disciples pouring out of the Escort Agency, rushing toward 22 Haitian Road.

What in the world was going on?!!