Daily News: You promised yourself to be a fisherman, but you've become a martial arts god?

Yunting Island.

This island was originally a sandbar in the lake with many shallow beaches. After Shenyuan Village took it over, they dredged up huge rocks from the bottom of the lake to cover the island, hence the name Stone Island.

At that moment, a small boat was moored at the shore. A man stood at the bow and leaped up, landing lightly on the shore like a swift bird.

By the light of the torches erected on the shore, one could make out the man's appearance.

The man was dressed in a blue brocade robe. He had a thin face, was as white as paper, and had a deep, melancholy expression.

The collar and cuffs were trimmed with a narrow silver thread, and a blue-green silk sash hung from her waist, from which hung a jade pendant with two fish and a brocade pouch. Her long hair was tied up with a white jade hairpin.

If Li Nian were here, she would definitely recognize this person.

This person was none other than the second young master of the Zhang family—

Zhang Tianqi!

As soon as Zhang Tianqi landed, a burly man walked out from the island.

The burly man was tall and strong, with a full beard, thick eyebrows, and fierce eyes.

He was dressed in a short, black outfit, with a wide animal-hide jade belt around his waist, a sharp blade hanging from his waist, and his cuffs and trouser legs tightly bound. He exuded a wild and fierce aura, and his behavior was unrestrained and arrogant, with a menacing presence.

He carried a nine-ringed axe on his back. The axe was thick and heavy, with a wide and cold blade. The handle was wrapped with thick hemp rope to prevent slipping, and nine iron rings hung from the axe tail. When he swung it, the rings made a deafening sound and his momentum was intimidating.

This man is none other than the fifth leader of Shenyuan Village, the River-Turning Dragon Tu Yue!

When Tu Yue saw Zhang Tianqi, his face turned cold, and he immediately roared:

"Zhang Lao Er!"

"To kidnap those two young girls from the Yi family, my tenth son and dozens of his men were killed!"

"We're going to settle this score properly today!"

Zhang Tianqi remained unmoved, flicking the water droplets off his clothes with his delicate fingers, and said calmly:

"A young, blond girl?"

"Do you know how important those two girls are to my ancestor?"

With that, Zhang Tianqi snorted coldly, stood with his hands behind his back, and said:

"Those two little girls practice the 'Water Maiden Tide Essence Technique,' and have accumulated a body full of pure Yin essence. One of them is equivalent to dozens of children."

"It's even more effective than Yi Linchuan's!"

"Two and a half years ago, my ancestor consumed Yi Linchuan's food and his cultivation reached the Great Perfection of the Transformation Realm. If we can extract the Yin essence of these two girls and refine it with the blood essence of eighty-one children, he will soon break through the Gang Realm barrier!"

"That Liu Tanqi, who's at the peak of Bone Refinement, along with those dozens of useless fellows, are utterly insignificant compared to my ancestor's grand plan for breakthrough!"

Tu Yue chuckled and said:

"Since those two girls are so important to your Zhang family, how could you get the intelligence wrong and harm my tenth son?"

The intelligence that Yi Jieyi and Yi Mingxi escorted that day was relayed by the Zhang family to Shenyuan Village, who then assigned the people of Shenyuan Village to carry it out.

"I was careless."

Zhang Tianqi sighed and said:

"Some time ago, the spy that my Zhang family had planted in the yamen was taken down by the Yi family. It was this person who sent the message, so the Yi family must have already found out the spy's identity."

"That day, the Yi family deliberately spread false information, saying that in order to escort the caravan's valuables, they had sent all the best people in the government office, leaving only a peasant who had just entered the Blood Refining stage to be in charge of escorting the two girls."

"Unexpectedly, the Yi family arranged for Yi Jifeng to provide cover in secret!"

Tu Yue, though seemingly rough and crude, was as meticulous as a needle and thread. He immediately understood what was going on and said:

"From what you're saying, it seems the Yi family didn't leave the 'Three-Pattern Cleansing Pill' with the caravan at all, but instead gave it to those two girls!"

Zhang Tianqi nodded and said:

"Otherwise, do you really think those two little girls are more valuable than that Three-Pattern Clear Spirit Pill, enough to warrant Yi Jifeng's secret protection?"

"So, it was that bastard Yi Jifeng who killed my tenth son!"

"Exactly! Otherwise, do you think those peasants who just entered the Blood Refinement stage could kill so many people like Liu Tanqi?"

"Of course not that peasant!"

Tu Yue snorted coldly.

His eyes darted around, and he said:

"That old codger Yi Jifeng has only achieved minor mastery of internal energy, so his strength is not a threat. But he's been hiding in the Yi family, and I can't do anything about him."

"Zhang Lao Er, do you know where that peasant who practices blood cultivation works? I'll go chop him up and use him as a sacrifice for my tenth brother!"

Zhang Tianqi shook his head and said:

"Telling you is useless. That kid is the beloved disciple of Liu Qinyun, that crazy woman from the Qinyun Martial Arts School. Some time ago, she spread the word among the major forces in the county that anyone who dared to touch this kid would be a disgrace to her!"

Upon hearing this, Tu Yue appeared slightly surprised and asked curiously:

"A mere boy who's knocked on the door of blood, yet that madwoman takes him so seriously. Could it be that he has some extraordinary ability down there, making that madwoman, who hasn't had a man in years, unable to resist him?"

As he spoke, Tu Yue sneered:

"In the past, I might have been a little hesitant, but things are different now."

"Our boss is just looking for someone to operate on. If that crazy woman dares to come, she'll never leave alive!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Tianqi slightly closed his eyelids and said:

"Could it be that Master Fan...?"

"That's right, about half a month ago, our leader broke through to the Transformation Realm!"

Tu Yue's face was full of pride.

Although Shenyuan Village was on good terms with the Zhang family, it had always been suppressed by the Zhang family because the Zhang family patriarch's cultivation was too high. As a result, the Zhang family's brats treated them like dogs every day.

Now that Fan Pingbo and the Zhang family patriarch are both at the Transformation Realm, Tu Yue feels more confident when facing members of the Zhang family.

In the past, I would never have dared to settle accounts with Zhang Tianqi!

"Master Fan's breakthrough to the Transformation Realm is truly commendable. I will report this to the Clan Head and present him with a generous gift!"

Zhang Tianqi offered his congratulations with clasped hands, his face showing less arrogance.

Although his ancestor was at the peak of the Transformation Realm and had a higher cultivation level than Fan Pingbo, who had just broken through to the Transformation Realm, killing the opponent instantly was not an easy task for someone at the same Transformation Realm.

If they completely expose their true colors and fail to defeat Fan Pingbo, allowing him to escape, it will be the underlings who suffer the most.

Seeing Zhang Tianqi's wary expression, Tu Yue revealed a smug smile and said:

"Zhang Lao Er, what I just mentioned about my tenth son?"

"Brother Tu, I understand this matter. If my family's intelligence had not been wrong, the Tenth Master would not have been harmed. My Zhang family will pay the compensation due."

"That's excellent!"

Tu Yue nodded in satisfaction.

Then, he asked:

"Where is that peasant who killed my tenth son?"

"This child is on Crescent Moon Island!"

"Crescent Moon Island?"

"Exactly!"

Zhang Tianqi nodded emphatically and said:

"Speaking of which, this kid and I have a history of grudges."

"Um?"

"Brother Tu, do you remember about three months ago?"

"You mean the time we escorted the 'medicinal herbs' to the island?"

"That's right!"

Zhang Tianqi nodded and said:

"That day, when I was delivering goods and passing through the waterway of Nanhu Bay, I encountered an old man fishing on the lake with his little granddaughter. So I killed the old man and caught the little brat to use as medicine. Unexpectedly, a fisherman who went down to the lake saw this, so I took him to see the Water King and told everyone that a water monster was causing trouble."

"That person is..."

"That brother who practices martial arts with muddy legs!"