Volume 1: A Beauty’s Bane Chapter 29: Murder and Plunder

"Master, is that expert at the Spirit Pill Realm really not tracking us?"

Outside the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, Jiang Hao had already donned a black cloak he had prepared in advance, walking briskly toward the Happy Guest Inn. He had intended to leave the city immediately for the Misty Forest, but Feng Ling'er argued that the daytime was too crowded and full of prying eyes. If the young prince were to use the authority of the Prince of Zhenbei’s estate to mobilize the Yong'an City guards, leaving now would be like walking straight into a trap.

Therefore, Jiang Hao decided to return to the inn temporarily and slip away quietly under the cover of night, which seemed the safest strategy. As for Fan Caiyun, to avoid unnecessary trouble, Jiang Hao had already placed her inside his Universe Ring while still at the pavilion.

"No," Feng Ling'er replied softly. "However, there is a group of blind fools following you ever since you left the Myriad Treasures Pavilion."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Hao slowed his pace, glanced sideways at those tailing him, and said coldly, "It really is the Wild Wolf Gang, and both leaders have come."

"One at the mid-stage of the Spirit Spring Realm, one at the early stage, and over a dozen at the Spirit Qi Realm. It seems that young prince is quite invested in you," Feng Ling'er remarked indifferently.

"Master, even at a time like this, you’re still teasing me," Jiang Hao said with a wry smile.

Feng Ling'er did not respond, only saying coldly, "Kid, find a place and finish them off once and for all."

"Understood, Master!" Jiang Hao nodded, his expression instantly turning calm, his eyes growing cold. He muttered to himself, "Caiyun, today Brother Jiang Hao will avenge your Uncle Tang!"

Having made up his mind, Jiang Hao quickened his pace, turning into a secluded alley, his footsteps feigning a hint of panic.

"Big Brother, that kid seems to have noticed our movements!" Behind him, Yang Dahu hurriedly pointed at Jiang Hao’s retreating figure and alerted Ge Tianlang.

"Hmph! Trying to run?" Ge Tianlang was not impatient; instead, he gave a sinister smile and waved his hand softly. "Brothers, keep up!"

"Yes, Leader!" his subordinates replied, nodding and quickening their pace.

After several turns, Jiang Hao finally arrived at a desolate alley that appeared to be a dead end with nowhere else to go. By now, he was far from the busy streets, tucked away in the most hidden corner of Yong'an City, a place almost no one visited.

"Haha! Kid, it looks like you have nowhere left to run, right?" As soon as Jiang Hao stopped, Ge Tianlang’s predatory laughter echoed from behind.

"Big Brother, let’s catch a turtle in a jar today! This kid is at the end of his rope! Haha!" Yang Dahu roared with laughter, clearly not taking Jiang Hao seriously.

Behind Ge Tianlang and Yang Dahu, over a dozen men drew their weapons, the blades shimmering with cold light.

"A perfect setup for murder and robbery," Jiang Hao said with a faint smile, turning around slowly. At this moment, there was no trace of panic on his face; instead, his eyes burned with a thirst and excitement for slaughter.

Seeing the young man who was no longer flustered, Ge Tianlang and Yang Dahu felt a flicker of doubt, but they dismissed it. After all, in their eyes, Jiang Hao was already trapped with no wings to fly.

"Kid, obediently hand over the spell manual and the spirit formation map you took from the prince, and perhaps I’ll leave you with an intact corpse," Ge Tianlang commanded coldly, approaching step by step.

"These are items I obtained at the auction; since when did they become the property of your prince?" Jiang Hao said with disdain, his tone dripping with contempt.

"Kid! Don’t be ungrateful!" Before Ge Tianlang could speak, Yang Dahu couldn't help but shout. "Big Brother, why waste breath on this brat? Let’s just finish him and let the men loot his corpse slowly."

Seeing this, Ge Tianlang barked at Jiang Hao, "Kid, since you’re seeking your own death, I’ll grant your wish!" He waved his hand at Yang Dahu and the others, "Kill him!"

"Yes, Big Brother!" Yang Dahu, itching for a fight, couldn't wait to start.

"Brothers, attack!"

Before the words had faded, Yang Dahu drew a large saber and charged toward Jiang Hao. Ge Tianlang stood still, not even drawing his own spiritual weapon, his gaze cold as he watched the impending slaughter. In his view, the outcome of this battle was already set.

"Kid, take this!" As Yang Dahu roared, the atmosphere of the battle ignited.

Jiang Hao’s expression was solemn. He thought to himself, but he did not retreat; rather, his fighting spirit flared. Yang Dahu was like a fierce tiger descending from the mountains, his large saber waving, light flashing as he bore down on Jiang Hao. Every step he took was firm, and the ground seemed to tremble slightly under his momentum.

*Bang!*

Yang Dahu’s strike missed, the blade smashing a crack into the ground, clearly intended to kill.

"Kid! If you have the guts, stop dodging!"

As expected of the second leader of the Wild Wolf Gang, seeing his first strike fail, Yang Dahu spun around and swung his blade again, aiming for Jiang Hao’s head.

"This guy really has a short temper," Jiang Hao sighed inwardly, beginning to dodge sideways. His movements were agile and swift. As he evaded, he quickly sought an opportunity to counterattack. Like a nimble leopard, he wove through the flashes of the blade, ducking and leaping, causing Yang Dahu’s attacks to miss repeatedly.

"Damn it!" For a moment, Yang Dahu found himself unable to do anything against Jiang Hao.

"Second Leader, we’ll help you!" Seeing this, over a dozen Wild Wolf Gang members swarmed in, blades and swords drawn, forming a wave of suffocating pressure. Their movements were coordinated, obviously well-trained, as their blades traced arcs in the air, closing in on Jiang Hao as if to surround him completely.

"I need to take care of these small fries first." Jiang Hao was alert, the situation growing increasingly dire. He quickly adjusted his mindset, steadied himself, and channeled his spiritual energy. His palms condensed a powerful current of air, ready to meet the incoming onslaught.

Just then, a Wild Wolf Gang member lunged from the side, his long sword thrusting forward. Jiang Hao sidestepped nimbly, avoiding the strike, and countered with a palm strike to the man’s chest.

"Mountain Crushing Palm!"

"Ah!"

In an instant, the man let out a miserable scream, flying backward like a kite with a broken string.

*Clang!*

Almost simultaneously, the long sword in his hand hit the ground with a crisp sound, becoming useless.

*Bang!*

The man’s body slammed heavily into the wall, creating a deep crater before falling to the ground, unconscious.

"The Wild Wolf Gang is nothing more than this!" Jiang Hao smiled coldly, his eyes burning with indomitable fighting spirit.

"Mountain Crushing Palm?" Ge Tianlang, who had been watching from the back, was shocked and barked, "Kid, how do you know the Mountain Crushing Palm? Where did you get this spell?"

Hearing this, Yang Dahu wore a grim expression, exclaiming in disbelief, "Isn't that the spell the Third Brother bought from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion? How is it in this kid's hands?"

"How could he have the Third Leader's Mountain Crushing Palm?"

"That spell was bought by the Third Leader at a high price; he hadn't even started practicing it yet!"

"The Third Leader has been missing for months. The First and Second Leaders have searched the Misty Forest multiple times to no avail. How can this kid use the Mountain Crushing Palm?"

For a moment, the subordinates of the Wild Wolf Gang looked at each other, their eyes filled with a new wariness toward Jiang Hao.

By now, Jiang Hao was surrounded by the gang members, but he was completely unafraid, his face calm.

"To tell you the truth, your Third Leader, Feng Ba, was killed by my own hands months ago. This Mountain Crushing Palm manual was, naturally, found on his person," Jiang Hao replied.

"So, the Third Brother wasn't missing; he was killed by you!" Ge Tianlang narrowed his eyes, his gaze icy as he contemplated this.

"Damn it! I will avenge my third brother!" Unlike Ge Tianlang, Yang Dahu was consumed with fury upon hearing this, looking at Jiang Hao as if he wanted to tear him limb from limb.

The next moment, Yang Dahu raised his large saber high, his strikes becoming even more ferocious as he charged at Jiang Hao!

"Since that's the case, I won't hold back either." Before he finished speaking, Jiang Hao had already drawn an ancient black sword from his Universe Ring...