If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

Chapter 722 Title: Black Wind Stronghold's "Prey"

Qin Shuang didn't say anything.

Her gaze was fixed on the top of Zhou Yang's head.

There was a head of short, thick, jet-black hair, healthy and vibrant, every strand of hair looking as if it had just been washed, gleaming in the morning light.

That's outrageous.

In her memory, Zhou Yang was young, but because his lifespan had been depleted by that strange cultivation technique, he already had a full head of white hair and looked like an old man on the verge of death.

How long has it been?

Not only has her hair turned black, but her complexion is also excessively rosy. The sickly pallor and dark circles under her eyes have all disappeared.

Instead, she was met with a powerful aura that felt unfamiliar.

It's like a rusty knife that's been hidden away for a long time, suddenly having its rust removed to reveal the chilling blade underneath.

"What are you looking at?" Zhou Yang reached up and touched his face. "Is there something on my face?"

Qin Shuang swallowed, her voice still a little hoarse: "You...your hair?"

"Oh, this."

Zhou Yang gave a casual reply, not taking it seriously. He reached out and pulled Qin Shuang up, supporting her arm as he did so.

"I treated it while I was at it. The cost was a bit high, but it was alright."

He spoke of it casually.

Qin Shuang's heart was in turmoil.

These are gray hairs from overdrawing one's lifespan, a deficiency that no amount of miraculous medicine can make up for. And this kid actually said he "treated them casually"?

She wanted to ask more, but Zhou Yang had already let go of her hand.

"Let's go, we shouldn't stay here any longer."

Zhou Yang bent down, picked up the dried corpse on the ground, and casually tossed it onto his back. He then tucked the dark red blood marrow pearl into his pocket.

The movements were fluid and effortless, showing no signs of strain.

Qin Shuang steadied herself, regulated her breathing for one cycle, and found that the sealed energy in her body had dissipated. Although her dantian was empty, her meridians were unobstructed.

She glanced at Zhou Yang's back and quickly followed him.

The two walked out of the valley, and the scenery before them gradually became desolate.

The once dense forest began to thin out, and the ground beneath our feet turned into soft, wet mud.

The air was filled with a rotten stench, the smell of decaying plant carcasses fermenting in the swamp.

Fog surged in from all directions, creating a vast expanse of white, reducing visibility to less than ten feet.

"Where am I?" Qin Shuang looked around, gripping the embroidered spring knife at her waist warily.

"Blackwater Swamp." Zhou Yang kept walking, his shoes making a "splat" sound as he stepped into the mud. "Once you leave this area, you've truly entered the core of this wild wilderness."

Qin Shuang frowned slightly.

She had heard of this place.

It is said that monsters roam freely here, and there are also many evil cultivators who occupy the mountains and act as bandits. The laws of the government are completely ineffective here.

Just then, a strange sound suddenly came from afar.

Click, click, click.

It sounded like horses' hooves.

But that's not entirely true.

The sound was hollow, with a crisp, metallic clang, and it traveled far in the silent swamp.

Zhou Yang stopped and listened intently.

"Something's coming," he said.

Qin Shuang immediately drew her sword, leaned against a withered, crooked tree, and prepared for battle.

The fog billowed and churned.

Soon, the owner of the voice revealed himself.

It was a group of people.

There were twelve people in total, all riding the same kind of horses. The horses had no flesh or blood on them, only bare white bones, and eerie green flames flickered in their eye sockets.

This is what is known as a "bone horse".

The people riding on the bone horses all had ferocious faces. They didn't wear armor, but rather clothes sewn from various animal skins, some resembling tiger skins, others wolf skins, looking savage and vulgar.

Everyone was carrying all sorts of weapons: a demon-headed saber, a spiked club, and a meteor hammer.

The leader was a burly man, shirtless, revealing his fleshy body and several hideous scars. He wore a bone necklace around his neck, which, judging by its size, resembled human finger bones.

This group of people had obviously also spotted Zhou Yang and his companion.

The burly man pulled on the reins, and the bony horse beneath him neighed, its front hooves rearing up high, coming to a screeching halt.

The eleven people behind them also stopped, forming a semi-encirclement that blocked Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang in the middle.

The burly man's beady eyes sized Zhou Yang up and down, his gaze finally settling on the storage pouch at Zhou Yang's waist and the dried corpse on his back.

Finally, his gaze settled on the faint red light in Zhou Yang's arms—it was the Blood Marrow Pearl.

The big man's Adam's apple bobbed.

That's greed.

Undisguised greed.

"Where did these two little mice come from?" The burly man grinned, revealing a set of uneven, yellow teeth, his voice like two pieces of raw iron rubbing together. "Lost?"

Zhou Yang didn't move.

He even tucked the pearl deeper into his arms, wearing that familiar, seemingly harmless smile.

"Excuse me, gentlemen."

Zhou Yang cupped his hands in greeting, "I'm just passing through and want to take care of some business in the town ahead."

"Just passing by?"

The burly man seemed to have heard a hilarious joke and burst into laughter. The sound of his laughter shook the trees, causing the withered leaves to fall in a rustling sound.

"Little one, is this Blackwater Swamp a place you can pass through?"

He abruptly stopped laughing, his face darkened, and he pointed the ghost-head knife in his hand at Zhou Yang.

"Leave that dried-up corpse on your back, and that red thing in your arms too."

The burly man licked his lips, his gaze sweeping boldly over Qin Shuang before finally settling on her aloof face.

"As for this young lady... she's quite beautiful. Taking her back to the village to be the chief's wife wouldn't be bad."

Qin Shuang's face turned cold.

She was a centurion in the Embroidered Uniform Guard. When had she ever been treated like merchandise to be picked over?

Her fingers tightened around the knife, her knuckles turning slightly white.

"Friend, that's going a bit too far," Zhou Yang said calmly.

"Too much?"

The big man chuckled and suddenly spurred his horse.

The bone horse took a step forward, almost reaching Zhou Yang.

The stench of decaying corpses hit me.

"In this territory, I am the law!"

The burly man looked down at them as if they were two lambs to the slaughter.

"That's our prey."

He pointed to the dried corpse behind Zhou Yang, "That was a Tier 3 Ironback Lizard. We chased it for three days. And you guys intercepted it?"

Zhou Yang raised an eyebrow.

So this dried corpse was actually an ironback lizard? But that's not important.

"What I found is mine," Zhou Yang said matter-of-factly.

"Found it?" the skinny, monkey-like man next to the burly man shrieked. "Found something on Black Wind Stronghold territory? Did you even ask us?"

"If you don't want to die, hand over the stuff obediently."

The burly man carried the ghost-headed sword on his shoulder, the blade still stained with dark brown blood.

"Otherwise, I'll chop you up and throw you into the swamp to feed the crocodiles. Then, not even a bone fragment will be left."

Zhou Yang sighed.

He hates this kind of plot the most.

I thought they were just passing by, but they insisted on coming up to deliver vegetables.

His eyelids were slightly lowered, as if he was weighing the pros and cons.

"It's all negotiable, everything is negotiable."

Zhou Yang looked up, a smile spreading across his face. "Brother, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you."

The big man was stunned for a moment.

I didn't expect this kid to be so soft?

"explain."

He felt a little better; at least he didn't have to grab it with his bare hands, saving him from getting his hands dirty.

"Have you seen any strange people lately?" Zhou Yang asked. "They seem ordinary, but they're incredibly lucky. They always seem to find treasures, and sometimes they even inexplicably become stronger."

The burly man frowned, clearly not understanding.

"What nonsense is this?"

Zhou Yang rephrased it.

"Have you ever seen someone suddenly appear, and then their strength increases by leaps and bounds, like they've been cheated... Hmm, a cultivator from another region?"

These are what are known as "Ascended Ones".

According to the system's previous prompts, this group of ascendants should be nearby.

The big man thought for a moment, and then suddenly realized.

"Oh! You mean those idiots?"

Fool?

Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang exchanged a glance.

"What kind of person?" Zhou Yang pressed.

"What else could they be?" The burly man sneered, his face full of disdain. "They all look like idiots, they don't know any rules. Once they enter the swamp, all they do is run around aimlessly, rushing towards any treasure they see without even checking if it's already taken."

The big man stretched out a finger and pointed to his head.

"Something's missing here."

Zhou Yang's eyes flashed.

"Where are they?"

"people?"

The big man grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

"Most of them are dead."

He spoke casually, as if he were talking about a few dead ants.

"Those who survived are all in our village now."

"Are they all in the village?" Qin Shuang couldn't help but interject.

"That's obvious."

The burly man glanced at her sideways. "These outsiders may not be very bright, but they have special physical characteristics. Whether they're used as medicine people or as slave miners, they're top-notch material."

Especially those who are taking medicine.

The pills made using the flesh and blood of those who have ascended to immortality as a medicinal ingredient are several times more effective than those made by ordinary cultivators.

The reason why Black Wind Stronghold was able to establish itself in Blackwater Swamp was because of these continuous "medicine people".

Zhou Yang nodded.

I've found out.

Sure enough, in this chaotic world, the so-called ascendants are nothing more than a flock of fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

Or rather, it's a higher-grade raw material.

"Thank you for informing me, brother."

Zhou Yang cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, his attitude remaining sincere.

The big man was quite pleased and waved his hand.

"Good to know. Hurry up and leave your things here, then get out of here. Don't force me to take action."

He waved his hand, and the group of henchmen riding bone horses behind him burst into strange laughter, their weapons striking their armor with a piercing sound.

Zhou Yang, however, did not move.

He remained standing in the same spot, even reaching out to brush the dust off his shoulders.

"What?" The burly man's face darkened. "Regretting it?"

"It's not regret."

Zhou Yang raised his head and looked into the big man's greedy, beady eyes.

"I'm doing the math."

"Settle the accounts?"

The big man was taken aback.

What accounts are we settling?

Zhou Yang did not explain.

His fingers gently caressed a jade slip on his sleeve.

That was the accompanying formation for the "Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique" that he had just deduced.

Although it's only a beginner's level weapon, it's more than enough to deal with this level of weaklings.

"Big brother, how about this?"

Zhou Yang suddenly laughed.

This time, the smile lacked the previous politeness and instead carried a hint of... how to put it, like looking at a dead person.

"I can give you the Yuan Pearl, and I can give you the dried corpse."

Zhou Yang took a step forward, and the mud beneath his feet sank a little deeper.

"But this young lady is mine, and no one can touch her."

Qin Shuang was taken aback.

She didn't expect Zhou Yang to defend her at this critical juncture.

Although the reason sounds a bit strange.

"Bullshit!" the burly man roared. "You're asking for it!"

He suddenly raised the ghost-head knife, the blade aimed straight at Zhou Yang's crown.

"Since you want to die, then so be it!"

This strike was powerful and heavy, accompanied by a whooshing sound.

If it were an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, their brains would definitely splatter out if they were hit like that.

But Zhou Yang didn't dodge.

He didn't even blink.

Just as the blade was about to touch his hair.

A black beam shot out from Zhou Yang's sleeve.

fast.

too fast.

The big man only felt a blur before his eyes.

Immediately afterwards, a sharp pain shot through his wrist.

With a clang.

The ghost-head knife flew out of his hand and slammed heavily into the mud.

The big man screamed and staggered back several steps, clutching his wrist.

Blood gushed from between his fingers; a piece of flesh was missing, and his tendons had been severed.

"Attack! All of you, chop him to pieces!"

The burly man clutched his hand, wincing in pain, and roared hysterically.

The eleven henchmen around him reacted, urging their bone horses forward and raising their weapons, surging forward like a tide.

Zhou Yang stood still, his figure as upright as a pine tree.

He glanced back at Qin Shuang.

"Stand back, don't get splattered with blood."

Qin Shuang subconsciously took a few steps back.

In that very instant.

Zhou Yang moved.

There were no fancy moves, no earth-shattering roars.

He simply swayed and rushed into the crowd.

Then, streams of black energy, like invisible tentacles, burst forth from his body.

Puff, puff, puff.

The sounds of sharp blades piercing flesh rang out one after another.

The screams were cut short before they could even escape.

Zhou Yang was like a black lightning bolt, weaving through the crowd.

Wherever they went, the bones of horses crumbled and the henchmen fell from their horses.

Everyone he touched experienced a rapid loss of life.

That is the "Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique".

plunder.

Swallow.

Forcibly extracting the life force and vitality of others and turning it into their own nourishment.

In just a few breaths.

All eleven henchmen collapsed to the ground, twitched a few times, and then lay still.

Their bodies quickly withered away, like dried-out logs.

Only the burly man leading the group remained seated on his horse, seemingly lost in thought.

Seeing this, he felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

What... what kind of weird trick is this?

That seemingly harmless kid was no easy target at all.

This is a man-eating tiger!

Zhou Yang stopped in his tracks.

He stood amidst the pile of corpses, his aura actually stronger than before.

He slowly raised his head and looked at the burly man who was terrified.

"Now."

Zhou Yang stretched out his hand and pointed at the big man.

"It's time to settle our score."

The big man shuddered and tumbled off the bone horse.

"No...don't kill me! I'm from Black Wind Stronghold! The stronghold chief is my uncle! If you kill me, the chief won't let you get away with it!"

He begged for mercy as he moved backward, his crotch already soaked.

Zhou Yang smiled.

"Perfect timing, that's exactly what I was worried about – I couldn't find your village gate."

He walked step by step toward the giant Han.

"You're saying that all those ascended beings are working as medicine people in your village?"

The big man nodded frantically, his head almost breaking from kowtowing.

"Yes...yes! They're all in the Medicine King's Cave behind the mountain! Don't kill me, I can lead you the way!"

"OK."

Zhou Yang nodded.

He walked up to the big man and squatted down.

The big man thought he had given up and was about to breathe a sigh of relief.

puff!

A finger gently poked the big man's forehead.

The big man's body stiffened abruptly.

The light in his eyes quickly dimmed.

His lifespan, along with the blood and qi he had just ingested that hadn't been digested, was completely drained by Zhou Yang in an instant.

Zhou Yang stood up and shook the blood off his hands.

Although this doesn't add much to lifespan, it's "fresh."

"Let's go."

Zhou Yang turned around and said to Qin Shuang, who was still in a daze.

"Go to Black Wind Stronghold."

"Since they've taken such good care of the drug users, how can they not charge some interest? It would be a disservice to my black hair."

Qin Shuang looked at the corpses lying on the ground, and then at Zhou Yang, who was covered in black aura.

Suddenly, I felt that the mist in this swamp seemed colder than before.

This is definitely not just passing by.

This is clearly the King of Hell coming to patrol the mountain.

She silently sheathed her knife and followed Zhou Yang.

The morning light pierced through the thin mist, shining on the two men and casting long shadows onto the withered corpses.

In the distance, the outline of Black Wind Stronghold was faintly visible in the mist.

A bloody smell drifted over on the wind.

Chapter 723 Title: Your Rules are My Money!

The leader of Black Wind Stronghold was named Iron Tiger, and as his name suggested, he looked like a mountain of flesh. He was shirtless, with a deep scar across his chest that revealed the bone, and he was sitting on a large chair covered with tiger skin, holding a greasy roasted lamb leg in his hand, gnawing on it with his face covered in grease.

Zhou Yang was held in the middle by several burly men. Although his hands were bound, he walked steadily. Qin Shuang followed behind him, her eyes cold, her hand never leaving the hilt of her knife.

Tie Hu glanced at Zhou Yang, sneered, and casually threw the remaining sheep bones on the ground. The bones hit the blue bricks with a dull thud.

"Is this the kid who dared to kill someone on my turf?" Tie Hu's voice was deep and resonant, like thunder in his chest.

Zhou Yang didn't speak, but as he was pushed to the center of the hall, he glanced down at his toes. He felt dozens of eyes staring at him, like they were staring at a piece of fat meat.

"Speak, are you mute?" Tie Hu patted the armrest, shaking the dust in the entire hall.

Zhou Yang then raised his head, his face bearing that signature half-smile. He showed no fear, instead looking around the hall with curiosity, as if he were strolling through a market.

"Chief Tie, I'd like to make a deal with you." Zhou Yang's tone was light and cheerful, as if he were discussing what to eat tomorrow.

Tie Hu was stunned for a moment, then burst into wild laughter, the scar on his chest heaving violently.

"A trade? In Black Wind Stronghold, I am the rule, my word is the trade!"

Zhou Yang slowly pulled out several round objects from his pocket. They were Blood Marrow Essence Pearls, emitting an eerie red light in the dimly lit hall, like solidified blood hearts.

The surrounding henchmen immediately held their breath, and many of their eyes lit up. In this area, Blood Marrow Pearls were a top-grade resource, capable of rapidly increasing cultivation level; they were true hard currency.

"This is your deposit." Zhou Yang toyed with the Yuan Pearl between his fingertips, the red light reflecting in his eyes, making them seem unfathomable.

Tie Hu's gaze was fixed on the Yuan Pearl, a flash of greed crossing his eyes. Although he was tyrannical, he was by no means stupid; the more of this kind of thing, the better.

"Trying to buy your life with money?" Tie Hu sneered, leaning forward as a heavy sense of oppression swept over him.

"No, let's buy a chance." Zhou Yang deftly tucked the Yuan Pearl back into his pocket, his tone becoming serious. "I know the rules here: those who trespass on the mountain must die. But I think dying is too much of a waste. Why don't we take a gamble?"

Tie Hu raised an eyebrow, showing some interest: "How do we bet?"

Zhou Yang spread his hands out, his posture extremely natural despite being bound.

"My stakes are all the Blood Marrow Pearls I have, and everything of value I possess." He paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes. "And your stakes are your life, and the Black Wind Tiger you ride."

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

Immediately afterward, a burst of laughter erupted, even more intense than before. The henchmen looked at Zhou Yang as if he were a dead man, and some even whispered that the kid must have gone mad.

Tie Hu laughed until tears almost came out. He suddenly stood up, and his huge shadow instantly enveloped Zhou Yang.

"Kid, don't you get the picture? Here, if I want you dead, you should thank me."

Zhou Yang was not intimidated by his imposing manner. Instead, he took a small step forward, his voice not loud, but it echoed clearly throughout the hall.

"The bet is simple: I won't fight back or dodge. I'll let you attack with all your might for three moves. After three moves, if I'm still standing, you lose."

Tie Hu's smile froze. He stared at Zhou Yang, trying to find even a trace of fear on the other's face. But Zhou Yang's eyes were calm, as calm as a stagnant pool, or rather, like a businessman who had already calculated the outcome.

"Not fight back? Not dodge?" Tie Hu repeated, suddenly realizing that this was an excellent opportunity.

With just a casual palm strike, he could turn this arrogant young man into a meat patty. And if he won, those Blood Marrow Pearls would still be his.

"Fine! I'll play this game with you!" Tie Hu roared, tearing off the tattered cloth from his upper body. His muscles bulged like steel bars, and a layer of black storm aura faintly emanated from his skin.

Qin Shuang frowned deeply behind him. She knew Zhou Yang too well; this man never did anything that would lose money, but this gamble was too high. Not fighting back meant giving her body completely to him.

But she didn't say anything. Because she saw that the corners of Zhou Yang's mouth slightly turned up the moment he lowered his head.

Tie Hu didn't give Zhou Yang time to think. He took a sudden step forward, and the floor tiles shattered under his foot, with spiderweb-like cracks quickly spreading in all directions.

"First move, take this!"

Iron Tiger crossed his arms at an astonishing speed, creating a terrifying visual impact due to his massive size.

"Black Wind Earth-Splitting Slash!"

With a roar, a jet-black, arc-shaped burst of energy, like a giant guillotine, slashed straight at Zhou Yang's shoulder and neck with a piercing shriek that tore through space. This attack was devoid of any fancy moves; it was pure, unadulterated power suppression.

The air was forcibly torn apart at that moment, and several of the surrounding henchmen were overturned by the wind pressure.

Zhou Yang stood still, his feet rooted to the ground like nails, without even blinking.

The instant the energy touched his body, Zhou Yang's "Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique" suddenly began to operate.

Instead of using external techniques to fight back, he instantly unleashed the terrifying energy accumulated within his body, spreading it out across his skin. A nearly transparent energy shield quietly formed an inch around him.

Bang!

With a loud bang, black energy exploded on Zhou Yang's shoulder.

A massive shockwave spread outwards, causing the beams and pillars of the main hall to shake violently, and dust filled the air.

When the smoke cleared, everyone was stunned.

Zhou Yang remained standing in the same spot, his clothes not even torn. He maintained the same posture, his eyes calm, and even winked at Tie Hu.

"The first move was too weak," Zhou Yang said softly.

Tie Hu's face instantly turned extremely ugly. His attack just now was definitely all-out effort; even an ordinary expert would be at least cleaved in two if they didn't defend with all their might.

But the man before him was like an indestructible rock, neutralizing his full-force attack.

"You... what underhanded tricks did you use!" Tie Hu roared in fury. The feeling of being humiliated in front of everyone ignited the anger in his heart.

Without further hesitation, he gathered his strength once more, this time compressing all the black wind energy in his body into his right fist. The space around his fist distorted slightly due to the extreme pressure, emitting a sharp hissing sound.

"I'll show you what true despair is!"

Tie Hu's figure disappeared again, turning into a black afterimage that drew a strange arc in the air before slamming into Zhou Yang's chest.

The force of the punch shattered all the doors and windows of the main hall, sending glass shards flying like raindrops.

Zhou Yang closed his eyes, sensing the impending destruction. Deep within his consciousness, the depletion of his lifespan and the conversion of energy were proceeding at an alarming rate.

He was waiting.

The moment the fist touched his chest, the energy shield inside his body did not collapse. Instead, it became like a huge vortex, frantically absorbing the black wind energy carried by Iron Tiger's fist.

It feels like a hungry beast devouring its prey.

Boom!

This blow was ten times heavier than the previous one. The floor tiles beneath Zhou Yang's feet finally gave way and sank, forming a deep pit.

But Zhou Yang still didn't back down an inch.

He opened his eyes, looked at the dumbfounded Tie Hu, and gently patted non-existent dust off his chest.

"The second move was somewhat interesting, but still not enough."

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

The henchmen had stopped laughing; they stared at Zhou Yang in terror, their eyes filled with fear of the unknown power. In their eyes, this was a miracle, or some extremely bizarre forbidden technique.

Tie Hu had completely lost his mind. He wasn't just angry; he felt an instinctive fear. He sensed his power being absorbed by his opponent, and each attack not only failed to harm Zhou Yang but also left him feeling weak.

He was breathing heavily, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"My third move... I'll smash you and this foundation together!"

Tie Hu let out a roar like a trapped beast, concentrating all the energy he could muster above his head. The black wind energy condensed into a giant tiger head in the air, pouring down on Zhou Yang with a world-destroying momentum.

This is his ultimate move.

Faced with the overwhelming power of the black tiger, Zhou Yang finally smiled with satisfaction.

This is exactly what he's been waiting for.

At the last moment before the Black Tiger's momentum struck, Zhou Yang suddenly moved. He didn't retaliate, but instead leaned forward slightly, and under the protection of the energy shield, he directly rammed his forehead into the massive core of the energy.

This was an extremely dangerous collision.

However, under the absolute dominance of the "Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique," the massive black wind energy disappeared as quickly as if it were being pumped away the moment it touched Zhou Yang's forehead.

An attack that was originally enough to destroy the main hall turned into a breeze in front of Zhou Yang.

silence.

A deathly silence.

Tiehu maintained his attacking stance, his arms still trembling, but his eyes were completely vacant.

He lost.

He not only lost the bet, but also lost the ability to recognize his own strength.

Zhou Yang stood in the deep pit, slowly raised his hand, and gently tugged at the ropes that had bound him. The ropes snapped instantly, like paper, before his powerful internal energy.

He walked up to Tie Hu, looked at the burly man who was now slumped on the ground like a hill, and asked softly:

"After three moves, I'm still standing."

Zhou Yang stretched out his hand, palm up, his eyes calm enough to send chills down your spine.

"Now, fulfill the agreement. Your life, and your horse, are mine."

Tie Hu opened his mouth, as if to say something, but looking into Zhou Yang's deep eyes, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He realized that the man in front of him was not joking, but carrying out a deal with a predetermined ending.

This is Zhou Yang's rule: Use your rules to make money off me; use my rules to take your life.

Chapter 724 The Three-Move Agreement, A Single Sword to the Throat

Tie Hu's chest heaved violently, like a broken bellows.

He stared wide-eyed, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the indifferent man before him. The surroundings were deathly silent, save for the rustling of the wind through the gravel.

lose?

impossible.

He has been able to establish himself in Black Wind Stronghold for twenty years, not because of any benevolence or morality, but because of his body, which he has honed to the point of being as strong as a copper wall and iron, and his insidious and ruthless "Black Fiend Qi".

He used seventy percent of his strength in that palm strike just now; it could have shattered rocks, yet this kid only took half a step back.

Even the clothes weren't messed up.

"Three moves?"

Tie Hu let out a strange laugh from deep in his throat, his voice hoarse and unpleasant, like two pieces of raw iron rubbing against each other. He slowly pushed his massive body up from the ground, his joints cracking and popping.

"You little bastard, do you really think I'm made of clay?"

Zhou Yang didn't speak, but lowered his eyelids slightly, his fingers gently stroking the hilt of the sword at his waist. He was waiting.

Waiting for a reason, or waiting for an opportunity to collect the money.

Qin Shuang stood on the stone steps not far away, her hand on her embroidered spring knife, her brows furrowed. She could feel the rising aura emanating from Tie Hu, that thick, pungent smell of blood that made the surrounding air feel viscous.

"Be careful," she whispered.

Zhou Yang seemed not to hear.

Tie Hu made a move.

This time, he didn't test the waters.

He suddenly opened his mouth, spitting out a mouthful of blood essence, and frantically formed hand seals in front of his chest. The faint black aura that had been surrounding him instantly boiled, like ink dripping into boiling water, churning wildly.

"Black Fiend Blood Refinement, Net Formation!"

With a roar, the black mist no longer merely clung to his body but rapidly expanded outwards, transforming into a massive black net three zhang in diameter. Twisted human faces hung from the net's lines, emitting mournful howls as it descended upon Zhou Yang.

This is his life-saving trump card.

Once inside the net, the protective energy enters the body, and the internal organs will be corroded into a pool of blood by the black evil.

The surrounding temperature dropped sharply.

Zhou Yang looked up at the falling black net. There was no panic in his eyes, only a hint of impatience.

It's like a fly buzzing in your ear; it's been making noise for too long, it's time to swat it.

"The second move."

Zhou Yang said softly.

He didn't draw his sword, nor did he move an inch. At that moment, the "Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique" within his body activated on its own, his pores opened, and a domineering suction force erupted from his body.

That was the scent of predators.

The originally menacing black net suddenly stopped when it came within three feet of Zhou Yang.

It's like encountering a natural enemy.

The already grotesque face twisted even more violently, but this was no longer a threat, but fear. The black, malevolent energy began to flow backward, like rivers flowing into the sea, surging wildly into Zhou Yang's body.

The sinister smile on Tie Hu's face froze.

He watched helplessly as the protective aura he had painstakingly cultivated for twenty years was being swallowed up by the person in front of him as if it were water.

"What...what kind of sorcery is this?!"

Tiehu screamed and desperately tried to regain control with both hands, but the connection had already been severed.

Click.

A crisp sound.

The seemingly indestructible black net crumbled inch by inch in front of Zhou Yang, turning into black specks of light and dissipating.

Zhou Yang stood still and gently patted his chest. The inhaled evil energy circulated within his body, then was pulverized and purified by the "Spirit Devouring and Yuan Transformation Technique," transforming into a wisp of pure internal energy that flowed into his dantian.

better than nothing.

He raised his eyelids, his gaze piercing through the dissipating black smoke and landing on Tie Hu.

"Two moves."

Zhou Yang took a step forward.

This step felt like stepping on Tie Hu's heart.

Tie Hu's face turned deathly pale instantly. In just two moves, his strongest shield was broken, and his inner strength was drained; he was now at his last gasp.

But when fear reaches its extreme, it often becomes the beginning of madness.

Tie Hu's eyes darted around, a ruthless greed flashing in them.

This kid can absorb malevolent energy; he must be hiding a huge secret! If we could capture him, we could extract his soul and refine his spirit…

"Kid, you do have some skills."

Suddenly, Tie Hu stopped channeling his inner energy. Instead, he lowered his hands and slumped down, looking like a deflated balloon. A smile that looked more like a grimace appeared on his face.

"I've lost. Black Wind Stronghold is yours, and so is my life."

As he spoke, he slowly leaned forward, as if he were about to kneel down and surrender.

Zhou Yang stopped in his tracks, his eyes filled with amusement.

surrender?

That's too fast.

Just as Tie Hu lowered his body to waist level, his right sleeve suddenly ripped open. A cold light, swift as lightning, pierced straight at Zhou Yang's lower abdomen.

It was a bone-piercing nail coated with deadly poison, its color a deep blue, capable of killing instantly upon contact with blood.

This move is extremely insidious, completely disregarding the code of the martial arts world, and even lowering oneself to act like a coward, all in the hope of killing with one blow.

"Die!" Iron Tiger roared, the bone-piercing nail less than three inches from Zhou Yang's lower abdomen.

He could almost picture the boy's gruesome state, his intestines ripped out.

however.

Zhou Yang simply sighed softly.

"I knew it."

The voice was very soft, yet it seemed to fall from the heavens, carrying a cold indifference that seemed to see through mockery.

Clang.

A clear, resonant sword cry suddenly rang out, drowning out the sound of the wind in the valley.

A golden light, like the rising sun piercing through the thick clouds, instantly illuminated the entire training ground. The light was pure and intense, carrying a power capable of scorching the heavens and boiling the seas.

No one saw how Zhou Yang drew his sword.

They only saw a flash of golden light before their eyes, as if the whole world had been cut in two by this light.

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

Tie Hu maintained his forward thrusting posture, the bone-piercing nail stopped in mid-air, unable to advance any further.

He stared in astonishment, his pupils reflecting the lingering golden light.

A thin line of blood slowly appeared on her neck.

"Okay...faster..."

Tie Hu made a "clucking" sound from his throat.

next moment.

A huge head shot into the sky, and a spurt of blood gushed from the severed neck, splattering all over the ground.

The head tumbled through the air a few times before crashing heavily into the dust, its bull-like eyes still wide open in disbelief.

Only when his body collapsed did the hand that had been holding the bone-piercing nail fall limply to his side.

There was no gruesome sight of blood at the cut. The wound was charred black, as if it had been instantly burned by a raging fire, but not a single drop of blood flowed out.

Dragon Spine Blazing Sword.

The sword's blade was like autumn water, with golden runes flowing slowly along its spine, radiating a faint heat.

Zhou Yang maintained his sword-drawing stance, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground. A drop of blood slid down the blood groove, but before it touched the ground, it was evaporated into a wisp of green smoke by the sword energy.

One sword.

Throat-sealing.

There is no third option.

It wasn't even a real fight; it was just a one-sided massacre.

The Black Wind Stronghold henchmen around him were like ducks with their necks being choked, unable to utter a sound. They stared at the headless corpse on the ground, their legs shaking uncontrollably.

This is slaughter.

Simple, direct, and unreasonable.

Qin Shuang stood on high ground, watching the figure bathed in the morning light. The wind ruffled his clothes, making a rustling sound. Her palms, gripping the hilt of the knife, were covered in cold sweat, but she didn't know if it was from nervousness or something else.

This man is becoming more and more of a stranger.

Zhou Yang exhaled a long breath of turbid air, flicked his wrist, and the Dragon Spine Sword returned to its sheath.

"bite."

That familiar voice echoed in my mind.

[Killed Tie Hu, a peak Post-Heaven Realm martial artist; lifespan stolen, +50 years.]

Current remaining lifespan: 462 year.

A satisfied smile curved Zhou Yang's lips. Fifty years of lifespan, plus the profits from those drug users and scoundrels, this trip to Black Wind Stronghold was incredibly profitable.

He walked to Tie Hu's headless corpse and bent down.

From this position, one could easily reach the storage bag at the corpse's waist. The movement was so practiced it was heartbreaking.

Is this the legacy of the strong?

Really fragrant.

He ripped off the dusty storage bag and probed it with his divine sense. Inside were a large amount of gold and silver jewelry, several bottles of unknown pills, and a yellowed booklet.

This must be the "Black Fiend Qi" technique. Although he considers it useless, selling it to the system for recycling or exchanging it for a hundred or two hundred years of lifespan wouldn't be bad.

After dealing with the spoils, Zhou Yang stood up and turned to look at the skeletal horse on the sidelines.

The horse had been standing there silently, its bones exposed, and eerie green flames burning in its eye sockets. Now, its hooves were pacing restlessly, and cold white mist was billowing from its nostrils.

As a spirit beast, its sense of smell is more acute than that of humans.

It smelled death.

Zhou Yang walked over slowly.

The bone horse let out a low neigh and raised its front hooves to kick.

"Behave yourself."

Zhou Yang didn't even blink, raised his hand, and pressed something in the air.

An immense and terrifying pressure crashed down like Mount Tai.

That was an aura emanating from within, formed by absolute overwhelming power. The skeletal horse's forehooves stopped abruptly half a foot from Zhou Yang's head before slamming heavily to the ground.

"Thump."

The once unruly skeletal horse suddenly buckled in its front legs and knelt directly on the ground. The eerie green ghost fire trembled violently, as if it had seen a ghost.

Zhou Yang walked up to it and patted its cold skull.

"Your former master is dead, and you've come to live with me."

"If you behave, you can have plenty of bones. If you don't..."

Zhou Yang pointed to Tie Hu's corpse on the ground.

The skeletal horse snorted, a sign of submission. It was a sentient being, and knew how to choose.

Zhou Yang mounted his horse.

The skeletal warhorse neighed and leaped into the air, landing with its hooves pounding fire, displaying extraordinary valor.

He looked down at the group of Black Wind Stronghold henchmen who were already terrified.

"Your leader is dead."

Zhou Yang's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

"Those who want to live, throw away your knives and gather over there. Those who want to die, come up and try my sword."

silence.

A deathly silence.

Immediately following was the sound of weapons hitting the ground.

Clang, clang.

No one wants to die. In the eyes of these desperados, life is both the cheapest and the most valuable thing. As long as they can survive, what does it matter if they change masters?

Zhou Yang didn't look at them again and spurred his horse toward Qin Shuang.

The sound of horses' hooves echoed through the empty valley.

He stopped in front of Qin Shuang, looking down at her.

"Let's go, Commander Qin."

Qin Shuang looked up at him.

The morning light shone on Zhou Yang's face, his eyes revealing both the lingering power of having just slain a powerful enemy and a lazy smile.

"Where to?" Qin Shuang asked instinctively.

"This Black Wind Stronghold is such a large territory, someone has to take over it."

Zhou Yang smiled, stretched, and his joints cracked.

"Now that we're here, we should turn this place upside down and see if there are any spies who have escaped. After all, my time is very precious; every second is money."

As he spoke, he gently squeezed the horse's belly.

The bony horse neighed, leading him deeper into Black Wind Stronghold.

Qin Shuang watched his retreating figure, remained silent for a moment, and finally loosened her grip on the knife before following him.

Zhou Yang's nonchalant voice drifted on the wind.

"By the way, that bone horse from earlier was pretty good. I'll get you one later, so you don't walk too slowly."

Qin Shuang's lips twitched slightly.

Who would want to ride that dead man's thing!

But for some reason, the tension in her heart inexplicably eased a little.

Looking at the figure riding on the white bone horse, she felt that even if the road ahead was full of dangers, it didn't seem so difficult to travel.

At least, this person is always surrounded by lively people.

It was so lively... and the air was thick with the smell of blood.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 725 The "Map" in the Storage Bag

The skeletal warhorse exhaled a breath, its iron hooves carving two deep craters into the soft, wet mud.

Zhou Yang didn't leave.

He dismounted, rubbed the soles of his boots against the massive corpse to wipe away the dried blood, then bent down and took the dusty storage bag from Tie Hu's waist.

The bag is quite heavy.

It's heavy and easy to hold.

Qin Shuang stood to the side, knife in hand, her eyes scanning the surrounding mist warily. A fierce battle had just taken place here, and the stench of blood would attract even more greedy creatures from the swamp.

"Gone?" she asked, her voice a little hoarse.

Zhou Yang ignored her.

His slender fingers deftly rubbed the drawstring at the bag's opening, and in no time, the knot, which had previously been indistinguishable, came undone.

He flipped his wrist.

With a whoosh.

A pile of debris was dumped on the open ground next to the headless corpse.

There were no gold or silver jewelry, nor any pearls or agates. There were only a few irregularly shaped stones, a few dark animal hides, and two dark red pills.

Zhou Yang squatted down and picked up the stones.

The stone's surface is pitted and uneven, looking like a roadside pebble. But as soon as you touch it, a warm, cool sensation seeps into your fingertips.

Look closely.

There seemed to be a wisp of mist flowing inside the stone, faintly emitting a light.

"Spirit Stones".

Zhou Yang murmured the name.

This isn't the inferior jade from the lower realms; this is the hard currency of the upper realms. In this place where spiritual energy is scarce, these few stones could buy half the land in Anyang County.

Although the quantity is small, only five or six yuan in total, it is still "money".

In this cutthroat world, sometimes money is more useful than life.

He tucked the spirit stone into his robes and placed it close to his body.

Then he picked up the two animal hides.

The animal hide was stiff, with badly worn edges, as if it had been handled countless times. It emitted a faint, fishy smell, the lingering odor of handling wild animal carcasses over a long period.

Seeing that he was looking at the map, Qin Shuang came over as well.

"What does it say on it?"

Zhou Yang shook one of the cards.

The lines drawn on the animal hides were crooked and not very precise; some places were even marked with fingernail prints. But fortunately, several key place names were written in common language, so they were barely legible.

"Bog of Blood and Bones."

Zhou Yang pointed to the area beneath his feet.

He traced a circle on the map with his long, slender fingers: "This is where we are now. This large red area is called Bloodbone Swamp."

The red on the map is not paint, but more like the traces left by the blood of some kind of creature that seeped in.

"It seems this place is not peaceful."

Qin Shuang frowned, her gaze sweeping over the thick fog around her.

"The hunting grounds of Black Wind Stronghold."

Zhou Yang read out a line of small print next to it.

His finger moved westward along the lines on the map, across a black area representing mountains, and finally stopped at a point heavily circled in black ink.

"City of Ten Thousand Beasts"

"The City of Ten Thousand Beasts?" Qin Shuang read it aloud.

"Yes, the only city around here."

Zhou Yang spread the animal hide out, placed it on his knees, and began to examine it carefully.

According to the records on the scroll, this City of Ten Thousand Beasts is unlike the cities in the lower realms that are managed by the imperial court. It is more like... a large distribution center, or rather, a black market.

There are no strict hierarchies or complicated laws here.

The only rule is strength.

The City of Ten Thousand Beasts is nestled against the "Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range," a habitat for countless demonic beasts and alien races. Hunters hunt demonic beasts in that mountain range to obtain materials, which are then transported to the City of Ten Thousand Beasts for trade.

Black Wind Stronghold is one of the many hunter groups in this swamp.

However, they hunted more than just wild animals.

There are also "outsiders" like Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang.

"This Iron Tiger is taking the map so seriously; it seems he wants to completely take over this swamp." Zhou Yang smiled, a hint of mockery in his smile.

He put the map away and then picked up the metal plaque that had fallen out of the storage bag.

The iron plate was heavy, with a ferocious tiger's head engraved on it.

The back has only one character: 令 (Ling).

This is the Black Wind Stronghold's identity token.

With this, you can move freely in certain areas of the swamp. It can even be used as a form of currency on some black markets.

Zhou Yang played with the iron plate, stroking the tiger's head with his fingertips.

"Shall we go to the City of Ten Thousand Beasts?" Qin Shuang asked.

"go."

Zhou Yang nodded without hesitation.

While the swamp is secluded and suitable for hiding, it's too desolate. To obtain resources and to find out about "Dragon's Spine" or other forces in the upper realm, one must go to places with more people.

Moreover, although his strength has increased dramatically, it is not yet stable. Since this City of Ten Thousand Beasts is a gathering place for hunters and demonic beasts, there will definitely be plenty of opportunities for real combat.

"However, we can't go like this."

Zhou Yang glanced at the clothes he was wearing.

These clothes had been rolling around in the swamp for days and were now tattered and covered in mud and blood.

Looking at Qin Shuang, although she is an "ice queen", she now has messy hair and a pale face, looking like two down-and-out refugees.

If I were to enter the city looking like this, I would probably be spotted by spies before I could even establish myself.

In this dog-eat-dog world, being down on your luck means being easy to bully.

"I need an identity."

Zhou Yang tossed the iron plate into the air and caught it steadily.

"A sufficiently strong identity."

He looked at Tiehu's corpse, then glanced at the direction of Black Wind Stronghold in the distance.

The battle just now was exhilarating, but Iron Tiger isn't the only leader in Black Wind Stronghold. That henchman who escaped has surely already sent the news back.

Going to Black Wind Stronghold to fight head-on now, although we could win, would be too much trouble.

Rather than...

"This Iron Tiger is quite burly."

Zhou Yang muttered something to himself, his gaze falling on the large, muscular corpse.

Qin Shuang understood what he meant, and the corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily.

"You wouldn't be thinking of...?"

"No, no, no, pretending to be a corpse is too unlucky."

Zhou Yang waved his hand and stood up.

He rolled up the remaining animal hide and stuffed it into his pocket. Then he held the two dark red pills to his nose and smelled them.

A pungent medicinal smell assaulted my senses.

"Blood Explosion Pill".

Zhou Yang had taken this before; it had severe side effects, leaving him weak for several days after the effects wore off. However, in battle, it could temporarily allow one to overdraw their potential and unleash twice the strength.

It seems that Tiehu's strength, which makes him as strong as an ox, is also due to his drug use.

"This can be considered a consumable item."

Zhou Yang put the pill into his storage bag.

He cleaned up his spoils; this trip had been quite fruitful. Spirit stones, maps, pills, and the heavy sword that Iron Tiger had used.

Although the swordsmanship is rough, the sword itself is made of black iron, so it can be taken to a blacksmith to be modified, or it can be sold directly for money.

Zhou Yang led the white-boned horse over.

The horse had a large frame and eerie green flames flickering in its eye sockets, making it look unsettling. But its strength lay in its stamina; it didn't need fodder, only a little night dew or blood to keep running.

"Let's go."

Zhou Yang mounted his horse with swift movements.

"Where to?"

Qin Shuang looked at the vast fog ahead.

"City of Ten Thousand Beasts"

Zhou Yang pointed to the route on the map.

"But before that, we need to wash off this 'mud' first. If we're going to do business, we have to look presentable."

He squeezed the horse's belly.

The white-boned horse neighed and galloped off towards a stream at the edge of the swamp.

Qin Shuang shook her head helplessly and followed.

……

The water in the stream was very cold.

The biting cold caused one's pores to contract.

Zhou Yang stood in waist-deep water, scooped up a handful of water and splashed it on his face. The icy liquid washed away the blood and sweat from his skin, revealing the pale but taut muscles beneath.

He looked down at his reflection in the water.

The face was still young, but the eyes were more profound than before. Especially those eyes, which were like obsidian soaked in ice water, radiating a cold light.

Since he came into this world, he has been scheming every day.

Calculating lifespan, calculating income, calculating how to survive.

Sometimes he would ask himself if he was tired.

But whenever he saw Qin Shuang still by his side, and saw the spirit stone in his hand, that feeling of exhaustion would instantly disappear.

To live, and to live better.

This is his way.

"Splash!"

The sound of water could be heard.

Qin Shuang was washing herself a few dozen meters downstream from him.

She had her back to Zhou Yang, her long black hair cascading down her back and swaying gently with the flow of water.

Even in this desolate wilderness, her movements still exuded an elegance ingrained in her very being.

Zhou Yang didn't look at it much.

He wasn't a saint, but he knew how to maintain proper boundaries.

If you have any ulterior motives at this time, you'll only be asking for trouble.

He quickly washed up and put on a spare robe that he had taken out of Tie Hu's storage bag.

The robe was black, somewhat rough, and smelled of sweat. But it was large enough that it looked loose on Zhou Yang.

He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscular forearms.

"This outfit is just something I'll have to make do with."

Zhou Yang frowned and tugged at his collar.

Upon arriving in the City of Ten Thousand Beasts, the first thing to do was to buy a few decent outfits.

Also, we need to get Qin Shuang some women's clothing. Wearing this tattered Imperial Guard uniform all the time is too conspicuous.

After a while, Qin Shuang finished washing up.

She changed into a clean set of men's clothing, which Zhou Yang had found in his storage bag and wore underneath. Although it was a bit big, it at least covered the scars and mud on her body.

She tied up her wet, long hair, revealing her slender neck.

The dampness blurred her cheeks, making her look less sharp and more gentle.

"Where's the knife?" she asked.

Zhou Yang pointed to the shore.

The heavy black iron sword lay on the grass, with Tie Hu's severed head beside it.

Zhou Yang walked over and picked up the severed head.

"Take it with you."

"Bring this?" Qin Shuang asked, somewhat puzzled.

"This is a pledge of allegiance."

Zhou Yang grinned, his teeth appearing exceptionally white under the water's gleam.

"The Black Wind Stronghold has committed numerous atrocities in this area, and there must be people in Beast City who hate them to the core. Taking Iron Tiger's head into the city will save us a lot of trouble."

He threw the head into a sack, tied it up, and hung it next to the saddle.

A drop of blood seeped out of the burlap sack, landed on the grass, and instantly withered.

"Let's go into town."

Zhou Yang mounted his horse.

This time, there was an added sense of composure in his silhouette.

No longer a stray dog ​​running for its life, but a hunter ready to wreak havoc.

……

Once out of the swamp, the terrain gradually flattens out.

The view in front of me also opened up.

On the distant horizon, the outline of a massive city can be faintly seen.

The city wall soared into the clouds, constructed from some kind of massive black stone. Countless sharp wooden stakes were driven into the wall, each bearing a dried animal carcass.

The wind blew in from that direction, carrying a strong, fishy, ​​and rotten smell.

That is the City of Ten Thousand Beasts.

A chaotic, savage place, yet brimming with opportunity.

Zhou Yang stopped his horse on a high slope by the roadside and reined in it.

He took out the animal hide map and checked the route one last time.

"Follow this road, and you'll reach the city gate in two hours."

Zhou Yang put away the map and glanced back at the swamp behind him.

The thick fog still shrouded everything, like a gaping maw.

Countless people are buried there, but it also made him who he is.

Goodbye, Bloodbone Swamp.

Zhou Yang said softly.

His gaze shifted towards the City of Ten Thousand Beasts, and his eyes gradually sharpened.

"The people of Black Wind Stronghold would never have imagined that their leader would personally 'escort' us to the city."

He patted the burlap sack hanging next to the saddle.

Two loud thuds.

It sounded like knocking on a door.

A new plan took shape in Zhou Yang's mind.

He doesn't plan to make a low profile when he enters the city.

With such skills, hiding them would only arouse suspicion.

Why not be more high-profile?

Under the guise of "annihilating the Black Wind Stronghold hunters," he infiltrated the power circles of Ten Thousand Beasts City. He sought a backer, or... became his own backer.

In this City of Ten Thousand Beasts, as long as your fists are strong enough, even a murderer can be treated as a guest.

Moreover, he also possesses spirit stones and superb acting skills.

"Qin Shuang".

Zhou Yang suddenly spoke.

"Um?"

Qin Shuang rode another ordinary horse, following behind him.

"Remember to cooperate with me when we go into town later."

"Cooperate with what?"

Zhou Yang turned his head, a somewhat wicked smile on his face.

"Let's act in a play."

He pointed to the sack.

"You're a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and I'm your... never mind, I'm your bodyguard. Let's just say we were chasing this bandit all the way here when we accidentally entered the swamp and ended up killing the bandit leader."

Qin Shuang was taken aback.

"Is this identity...usable?"

"Why can't it be used?"

Zhou Yang shrugged.

"The name of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is useful in the lower realms, and here, as long as we don't offend any top-tier powers, we can still intimidate most people. After all, nobody knows where we came from."

He spoke of it casually.

Actually, I had another thought in my mind.

The identity of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was both a disguise and a test.

If someone in the City of Ten Thousand Beasts knows a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard or has some information about the Upper Realm, then they can follow the clues to find the source.

If you don't know...

That makes things much easier.

In this place where everyone is barefoot, wearing a pair of "official boots" can sometimes be quite advantageous.

"Are you ready?"

Zhou Yang took a deep breath, adjusted his posture, and made himself look more like a tired guard who had just gone through a fierce battle.

Qin Shuang watched his retreating figure, her eyes flickering.

She suddenly felt that the man in front of her was becoming more and more unfamiliar.

Even a mere physical appearance, a tone of voice, or even a glance can be turned into a weapon by him.

This change is alarming, yet it also makes people want to rely on it.

"Ready."

Qin Shuang straightened her back, and the majesty of a superior naturally emanated from her.

After all, she was the youngest centurion in the Great Qi Dynasty, and she had a firm grasp on her aura.

"Let's go then."

Zhou Yang flicked his whip.

Snapped!

The white-boned horse galloped wildly toward the colossal black city that reeked of decay.

The wind howled across my cheeks.

Zhou Yang squinted, watching the city gate getting closer and closer.

There, there are new battlefields, new prey, and new... money bags.

This is where he should be.

He's going to win big this round.

(End of this chapter)