One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

Just as Feng Baobao's toes touched the ground, her body was about to regain its balance—

A sudden change has occurred!

The pale blue energy that seemed to have hit the wall and should have dissipated suddenly "came alive" as if it had a life of its own! Like a tsunami that has accumulated even greater power after the tide recedes and surges back again, it swept back from behind, to the side, and even to the ground beneath Feng Baobao's feet with a faster and more cunning speed!

This is the true killing move of the Rushing Palm – "Returning Waves"!

Qi energy is like water; it can be divided and combined, advanced and retreated, circulating endlessly and relentlessly! Once your senses are invaded by its unique "water-like" nature, you will be trapped in this endless and inescapable cycle of Qi energy attacks!

Feng Baobao was unable to completely avoid it this time.

Although she reacted with astonishing speed, twisting her body and dodging to avoid most of the rebounding Qi, she was still grazed by a cunning and vicious stream of Qi behind her left shoulder.

"puff!"

That wisp of Qi, like a cold, venomous snake, instantly burrowed into her body! Strangely, it did not immediately cause great damage, but rather flowed and spread rapidly through her complex network of meridians like water. Wherever it passed, the acupoints felt sluggish, and the flow of Qi and blood suddenly slowed down!

Feng Baobao let out a muffled groan, her body visibly swaying, and the movement of raising her left arm momentarily faltered—like a fine gear suddenly being filled with mud and sand.

Seeing this, Jia Zhengyu's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with smugness and cruelty: "How does it feel to be struck by my 'Gui Water Qi Force'? It'll gnaw at your bones like a maggot, wriggling wildly through your meridians, blocking vital points, and disrupting your Qi and blood! Don't you feel half your body going numb and heavy, your internal energy churning and sluggish? Hahahaha!"

Feng Baobao lowered her head and looked at her left shoulder. There, her clothes were torn, and on her exposed skin, there was an abnormal pale blue water stain, which was the manifestation of the invading water-based Qi on her body surface.

She raised her head, her eyes still empty and calm, as if what she had just been bitten by was not a vicious Qi that could cripple a person's martial arts, but merely a mosquito bite.

"Oh," she replied, her tone completely flat.

Then--

She moved again.

Although her left arm movements were noticeably slower and stiffer than before, and her steps were not as agile as they were initially, her attacks were still terrifyingly precise! The kitchen knife in her right hand seemed to have come to life, and every swing and slash precisely struck the most critical "nodes" and "connections" in the flow of Jia Zhengyu's Flowing Palm Qi!

Jia Zhengyu became increasingly terrified as the fight progressed.

His Rushing Palm technique emphasizes "using Qi to transform into water, continuous and endless, in a cycle." However, this girl in front of him, despite being affected by his Gui Water Qi Force and having her movements restricted, always seems to be able to find the fleeting weak point in the flow of his Qi Force and cut it off with a single stroke, as if she were a prophet!

It's like precisely throwing a huge rock into a rushing river, forcefully cutting off the continuity of the water flow!

"How is this possible..." Cold sweat began to bead on Jia Zhengyu's forehead, and his breathing became slightly rapid. "She should be getting increasingly sluggish, and her Qi should be becoming more and more disordered..."

What he didn't know was that the "Qi" in Feng Baobao's body was operating quietly in a way that was far beyond what ordinary people could understand—not by forcibly expelling or resisting the invading Gui Shui Qi, but by slowly absorbing and decomposing it in a way that was almost "inclusive" and "assimilated".

It was as if her body was a bottomless ocean, and Jia Zhengyu's Gui Shui Qi was merely a slightly turbid stream flowing into it.

Although this process takes time, Feng Baobao's movements are gradually returning to fluidity at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.

Just as Jia Zhengyu was filled with doubt and uncertainty, preparing to change tactics again and unleash an even more ruthless method—

"BOOM!!!"

In the center of the conference room ceiling, directly above the ornate crystal chandelier, a large hole suddenly appeared!

Plasterboard, sound insulation cotton, and broken keel fell down with a crackling sound, followed by two figures entangled together. With a loud "bang," they crashed solidly onto the overturned but still relatively sturdy solid wood conference table!

The table groaned under the strain and shook violently a few times, but miraculously it didn't fall apart.

Amidst the billowing dust, everyone stared intently—

It was Zhang Chulan and Feng Shayan.

The position was quite awkward—Feng Shayan straddled Zhang Chulan's waist in a standard riding position, her left hand gripping his collar, her right fist raised high, seemingly about to strike him hard. Zhang Chulan, meanwhile, covered his head with both hands, closed his eyes, and begged for mercy in rapid succession: "Big Sister! Big Sister Feng! I really didn't know! I swear! Stop hitting him! You'll kill him if you keep hitting him!"

This unexpected and quirky "surprise attack" instantly froze the tense atmosphere in the conference room.

All eyes turned to the two of them.

Feng Shayan was the first to react, realizing she had become the center of attention, especially with her father, Feng Zhenghao, also looking at her with complicated expressions. Her cold and beautiful face flushed crimson, all the way to her ears. She sprang up from Zhang Chulan as if electrocuted, frantically straightening her slightly disheveled black leather jacket and skirt. She coughed lightly, feigning composure, and looked away, as if the violent woman who had been riding on the man and throwing punches just moments before wasn't her at all.

When Feng Baobao saw Zhang Chulan, a glimmer of light suddenly appeared in her empty eyes, like a tiny flame ignited in the darkness. She immediately abandoned her confrontation with Jia Zhengyu and ran to the conference table.

She ran to Zhang Chulan and watched him scramble to his feet from the table, brushing the dust off his clothes. His face was expressionless, but his eyes clearly reflected guilt, urgency, and a little bit of... the cautiousness of a child who had done something wrong.

"Zhang Chulan!" she called out, her voice a little louder than usual.

Zhang Chulan looked up, met her gaze, and was stunned for a moment.

Feng Baobao looked at him and said very seriously, word by word, "I'm sorry."

Zhang Chulan: "...Huh?"

"That night, I was wrong," Feng Baobao continued, her logic clear and her attitude as sincere as if she were making a self-criticism. "I shouldn't have ordered takeout for you. I didn't know that would make you angry."

She paused, as if recalling something, and added, "Xu San said that's called 'violating human rights' and 'insulting one's dignity.' I don't understand, but he said that if you're angry, then I've done something wrong."

Zhang Chulan looked at the girl in front of him. Her face was expressionless, her eyes still empty, but the seriousness in her tone and that rare, almost imperceptible unease were undeniable. The anger and shame that had arisen in his mind from being shocked by the "takeout" suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon, leaving only a helpless feeling of being both amused and exasperated, and a strange touch.

A few seconds later, he took a deep breath, wiped his face, and said, "Don't move."

Feng Baobao immediately stood up straight, hands pressed tightly against her trouser seams, head held high and chest puffed out, like a soldier receiving an inspection: "Hmm!"

"I..." Zhang Chulan turned his face away, seemingly a little awkward, and lowered his voice, "I don't want to talk to you right now."

He turned his gaze to Feng Zhenghao, who had been standing near the head of the conference room, watching everything with a smile, and scratched his head: "Uncle Feng, well... I think the Tianxia Society is indeed quite good, the place is big, and the food is probably pretty good too, but..."

His words were interrupted again.

What interrupted him this time was a sudden burst of chilling killing intent!

The source is Jia Zhengyu.

At this moment, Jia Zhengyu's face was no longer ashen, but a purplish-red that was almost ferocious!

He, a renowned young master of artifact manipulation from Jiajia Village, a cadre recruited with great wealth and entrusted with important responsibilities by the World Society, was actually subdued and restrained by a seemingly dull-witted little girl wearing a ridiculous cultural shirt, all while wielding a kitchen knife! The exchange just now appeared to be a draw, even with him having a slight advantage (Feng Baobao took a blow from his palm), but only he knew in his heart—his Rushing Palm technique was utterly ineffective against her! The insidious Gui Water Qi energy that had invaded her body had far less effect than expected!

What he found even more unbearable was that the girl's gaze never changed from beginning to end. There was no tension in the face of a formidable enemy, no excitement in gaining the upper hand, not even the slightest bit of "seriousness"—her eyes were as calm as if she were completing a tedious daily task, such as... chopping vegetables?

This utter, deep-seated contempt humiliated and enraged him more than being defeated head-on!

"Damn it..." Jia Zhengyu spat out the two words through gritted teeth, the last shred of reason in his eyes burned away by raging anger. "You forced me to do this!!! You little bitch!"

He stomped his feet hard on the ground, crouched slightly, and his hands moved with incredible speed in front of his chest, forming several complex hand seals. A low, beast-like growl escaped his throat.

"The Secret Technique of Controlling Objects—Three Dragons Chasing the Sun, Vanquishing Evil and Destroying Disaster!"

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Three extremely sharp whistling sounds rang out almost simultaneously!

Three strange, cone-shaped objects, each about seven inches long and entirely black, resembling dragon teeth, shot out from the specially made metal wrist guards on his arms! These were not ordinary hidden weapons or throwing knives; they were the secret magical artifacts passed down in Jiajia Village—the Dragon-Piercing Cones!

Each dragon-pecking spike is densely covered with ancient and obscure runes. The moment it leaves the bracers, those runes light up with a ghostly blue light in turn, as if breathing. When it flies, it doesn't produce the sound of wind, but a low and eerie hum, like the panting of an evil dragon.

Even more terrifying are their flight paths, which completely defy common sense and are unpredictable:

The first death ray traveled in a straight line, so fast that it left a blurry black line in the air, its sharp tip aimed directly at Feng Baobao's unsuspecting back! This was an "open attack," forcing you to take precautions.

The second arrow followed a elusive arc, like a venomous snake with life, drawing a smooth circle in the air before circling to Feng Baobao's right side, sealing off all her possible escape routes. This was a "hidden arrow," cutting off her retreat.

The third one is the most bizarre and vicious—it actually draws a constantly changing, irregular zigzag trajectory in the air! When it's fast, it's like lightning; when it's slow, it's like a fleeting shadow. Its trajectory is as unpredictable as a ghost, completely impossible to predict with conventional combat intuition! This is the "Deceptive Strike," designed to catch you off guard and deliver a fatal blow!

This is one of Jia Zhengyu's trump cards. The three dragon-pecking cones, refined by secret methods, work together seamlessly. With this unpredictable and strange manipulation technique, he has caused many experts with cultivation levels above his to die on the spot!

At this moment, Feng Baobao was facing away from Jia Zhengyu, looking up slightly at Zhang Chulan on the conference table.

She heard the sharp sound of something cutting through the air.

He sensed the intense, chilling killing intent emanating from behind him.

But she didn't move.

They didn't even look back.

Because Zhang Chulan just said—"Don't move."

She really did stand there motionless, like a frozen sculpture.

"Sister Bao'er, watch out!!!" Zhang Chulan's roar was almost broken. He watched helplessly as the three black cones emanating an ominous aura shot towards Feng Baobao's unsuspecting back. His pupils shrank, and his blood seemed to turn ice-cold in an instant!

Almost the instant Jia Zhengyu formed the first hand seal, Nie Lingfeng, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, made his move!

It's not "ready to move," but rather the body, driven by instinct, is like a bowstring stretched to its limit suddenly released!

"You're asking for it!"

A low, deep roar, yet containing the fury of a volcanic eruption, burst forth from the depths of Nie Lingfeng's throat!

He transformed into a streak of azure wind tearing through the air! The Wind God Leg technique exploded at full power—"Catching the Wind and Shadows" followed by "Swift and Decisive Strike"! Without holding back, without testing the waters, he unleashed his ultimate speed from the very first move! The twenty-meter distance seemed to vanish beneath his feet; everyone only saw a blur before their eyes as a blurry shadow swept across half the conference room!

The first dragon-pecking cone, flying in a straight line, was less than three feet from Feng Baobao's back! The cold glint of the cone's tip even stung the eyes of the onlookers!

Nie Lingfeng's left hand shot out like lightning, not to grab, but with his five fingers together, the edge of his palm like a knife, sweeping horizontally with a sharp palm wind! "Clang!!!" A piercing metallic clang rang out! The dragon-pecking cone, which had been heading with astonishing momentum, was deflected by this precise and violent palm strike, grazing Feng Baobao's shoulder and tearing her T-shirt with a "rip," sending a string of tiny blood droplets flying. Finally, with a "thud," it embedded itself deeply into the wall to the side, the cone's tail still vibrating rapidly!

The instant he knocked the first blade away, Nie Lingfeng's right hand had already gripped the middle of the scabbard of the Snow Drinking Blade behind him. Before he could draw the blade, he flicked his wrist, and the scabbard transformed into a streak of black light, delivering a precise diagonal strike with his backhand!

"Bang!!!"

The scabbard collided violently with the second dragon-pecking cone that came arcing through the air! Sparks flew everywhere! The dragon-pecking cone was deflected by the powerful blow, its trajectory altered, and it flew upwards at an angle, spinning out with a "thud" before embedding itself deeply into the ceiling, shaking off a cloud of dust.

But the old forces have gone and the new forces have not yet emerged!

In that split second of breathing, the third dragon-pecking cone, with its most unpredictable trajectory and ever-changing speed, seemed to have anticipated his movements. It bypassed the fan-shaped area of ​​his scabbard's defense at an extremely tricky angle and shot insidiously towards the area below Feng Baobao's left shoulder blade!

That location was enough to penetrate the lung and cause a fatal injury!

"Get out of the way!!!" Nie Lingfeng roared, his eyes bloodshot. It was too late to swing his sword sheath to block again, and it was impossible to block with his body.

Feng Baobao heard it.

She could even clearly feel the sharp wind from the dragon-pecking cone tearing through the air, already touching the fabric of her back; the icy touch of death was right there.

But she still didn't move.

There was no dodging, no blocking, not even an instinctive muscle contraction.

Because Zhang Chulan said—"Don't move."

She simply tilted her head slightly, as if trying to check the situation behind her out of the corner of her eye.

"laugh--!"

A chilling, tooth-grinding sound of flesh being pierced echoed eerily clearly in the suddenly deathly silent conference room.

The jet-black dragon-pecking cone pierced Feng Baobao's left shoulder with unparalleled precision. The sharp tip penetrated the gaps in her muscles and bones without any obstruction, and half an inch of blood-stained tip protruded from below her collarbone! The eerie blue runes on the cone suddenly shone brightly, flashing wildly, as if they had come alive and were greedily absorbing the warm blood and something more primal.