“Then it’s happily decided,” Xu Zimo said with a smile.
He and Ji Ruobing headed north, walking for about ten minutes before finally stopping in front of a spacious courtyard.
Calling it a courtyard wasn’t quite right, since the area was dozens of times larger than a normal one.
The outer walls were built very high, about four or five meters tall. The main gate was very crude, merely a few wooden planks fastened together.
At the entrance stood two guards.
…………
“Did you hear? Those guys from the Minotaur Gang started fighting with us again,” one of the guards said.
“A bunch of muscle-brained fools. Sooner or later, we’ll wipe them out completely,” the other sneered coldly.
Just then, a loud explosion rang out.
A terrifying sword intent slashed in from the distance, splitting the speaking man in half.
The other immediately shouted, “Someone is forcing their way into Moon Shadow Gang!”
That shout instantly drew much attention. The Moon Shadow Gang clearly had a massive scale.
In just moments, dozens of people rushed out from inside the compound.
Ji Ruobing held her long sword, her body wrapped in ancient sword intent.
An overwhelming pressure bore down. With a single swing of her sword, endless sword aura poured down, directly obliterating dozens of men.
“The intruder is strong, quickly inform the gang leader and the elders!” someone yelled.
As more and more members of the Moon Shadow Gang gathered, the gate became a scene of utter chaos.
…………
Inside the Moon Shadow Gang, there was a grand, luxuriously decorated room.
It was built entirely out of Sky-Fire Stone, a type of ore rich in spiritforce, said to help heal wounds and nourish the body.
Such stone was considered precious, and to construct an entire chamber out of it was an extravagant display.
At this moment, bursts of women’s laughter came from within.
Outside, plum blossoms were in full bloom, their pink petals adorning the scenery.
Though it was late autumn, these winter flowers persisted.
“Gang leader, something’s wrong!” a flustered disciple’s voice shouted from afar.
A young man in green robes came running into the courtyard, panting heavily.
With a creak, the doors to the room swung open.
A burly man walked out, flanked by two flirtatious women.
The women were of average beauty but dressed seductively, their heavy makeup nearly obscuring their natural features.
Like octopuses, the two clung to the man on either side.
Meanwhile, the man’s hands wandered restlessly over their bodies.
“What’s the panic? The sky isn’t falling,” the man’s deep voice rumbled.
He wore a black-and-white robe, patterned like shadows of moonlight, though his clothes were quite disheveled.
“Yes, yes,” the green-robed man hurriedly nodded at the gang leader’s words.
“What is it?” the burly man asked again.
“Is it about today’s duel with those Minotaur fools? Did something go wrong?”
“No, someone has forced their way into our compound,” the green-robed man quickly explained.
“Who?” the burly man frowned.
“Don’t recognize her, it’s a woman,” the man replied.
“A woman? Just one?” The burly man let out a cold snort. “A pack of trash, getting beaten like this by a woman.”
“She’s very strong. Second Elder didn’t last even three moves,” the green-robed disciple continued.
“Fine, bring me my Wolf-Fang Saber,” the burly man said flatly.
He turned to the two women beside him, smirking. “Little darlings, wait here. When I return, I’ll pamper you properly.”
“Gang leader, you’re bad,” the women giggled coquettishly.
The man entered the room and retrieved a massive saber, its scabbard carved with a wolf’s head.
Just as he prepared to leave with the green-robed man, footsteps sounded.
A youth in a purple robe walked out from the corridor.
“Who are you?” the burly man frowned at Xu Zimo.
“Moon Shadow Gang leader, Qin Luo?” Xu Zimo asked with a smile.
“So it’s just a blind fool,” the burly man scoffed, not bothering with words. He swung his saber, still sheathed, directly at Xu Zimo.
The blow shook the ground. With a crash, the nearby pavilion and corridor collapsed, cracks splitting the earth.
But when the man looked down, Xu Zimo was standing calmly in front of him, one hand gripping the scabbard firmly.
“I originally intended to give you a chance,” Xu Zimo said. “But since you insist, you won’t even get the chance to draw your blade.”
With one palm strike, Xu Zimo reversed the saber’s momentum.
With a metallic clang, the weapon burst from its scabbard, the blade piercing straight through the man’s chest and heart.
Thick, black blood dripped down.
“I wonder if your flesh will make for good dumpling filling,” Xu Zimo murmured as he dragged the corpse step by step outside.
The green-robed man and the two women stood frozen in terror.
This time, Xu Zimo walked straight out of the Moon Shadow Gang’s main gate.
Outside, the battle still raged. Ji Ruobing, clad in snow-white robes, stood amidst the bloodshed like a snowflake blooming.
Not a drop of blood stained her as hundreds failed to even approach her.
But then the crowd suddenly halted.
Everyone looked up to see a youth dragging their gang leader’s corpse.
A long trail of blood marked his path.
Someone swallowed hard.
“The gang leader is dead,” another muttered.
For a moment, everyone forgot to fight.
“Let’s go,” Xu Zimo said to Ji Ruobing. “Leave it too long, and the meat won’t be fresh.”
“The gang leader’s dead, it’s over, it’s over,” panicked voices came from the rear. “The sky is falling!”
Yet no one dared step forward as they watched Xu Zimo and Ji Ruobing’s figures disappear from sight.
…………
At the dumpling stall, steaming hot dumplings released their rich fragrance.
But business was far from booming.
“Your meat filling,” Xu Zimo said as he tossed the corpse before the stall owner.
“How does it feel?” the stall owner asked with a smile.
“Weaker than expected,” Xu Zimo replied bluntly. “Such a man could lead the Moon Shadow Gang?”
“His father is the Patriarch of the Moon Shadow Race. He’s a bastard son,” the stall owner explained with a chuckle. “He couldn’t survive in the race, and his father knew what kind of person he was. So he poured resources into establishing the Moon Shadow Gang here in this city, letting him indulge freely in this lawless land.”
“Then why did you want him killed?” Xu Zimo asked.
“For justice,” the stall owner smiled.
“The light of the righteous path,” Xu Zimo chuckled as well. “And why didn’t you strike him down yourself?”
“I promised someone I would never draw my blade again,” the stall owner answered. “Recently, a new family has moved into the southern part of the city. You might find what you’re seeking there.”