Chapter 38: The Hidden Kill Order

At the same time, the masked man stomped heavily, leaving a footprint an inch deep in the masonry of a courtyard's high wall.

Immediately, his entire form pivoted in an instant. A powerful surge of true qi erupted from within him, propelling his body into a rapid leap in another direction.

Sitting atop the roof ridge, Li Musheng looked up and frowned slightly, preparing to reach out and swat away the incoming object.

To his surprise, the old man following behind suddenly exploded with speed, charging toward Li Musheng while letting out a low, thunderous roar

"Get lost!"

The old man’s face was aged, his skin sagging, with wrinkles gathered like deep ravines, yet his eyes were exceptionally sinister and sharp.

A ghostly glow emanated from his grayish-blue palms as his massive true qi stirred up gusts of fierce wind. One hand reached out to seize the cloth-wrapped object, while the other palm struck toward Li Musheng without hesitation.

"You old geezer!"

Li Musheng's expression darkened. Originally, he had only wanted to enjoy the moonlight and had no desire to cause trouble.

As it turned out, these people had absolutely no situational awareness. Not only did they insist on approaching him, but they also attacked without even asking what was going on. Who could endure that?

Thus, the hand that was originally meant to swat the object away suddenly pivoted at an incredible angle, meeting the old man's murderous, sinister palm head-on.

At that moment, in the old man's eyes, seeing his other hand nearly touching the cloth-wrapped object, a flash of wild joy surged in his heart.

As for the pretty boy in front of him who hadn't even grown his full mane of hair, he naturally didn't take him seriously. Even if the youth possessed some martial arts, how could he be a match for decades of bitter cultivation? He was confident he could resolve the matter easily with a single palm strike.

However, in the next instant, the old man suddenly discovered that the object which was supposed to be within his grasp was rapidly receding from his sight.

A look of ferocity flashed across his face, thinking someone was snatching food from his very jaws.

But as a piercing pain radiated from his arm, the old man jerked his head down, only to realize in horror that he himself had been blasted away.

The arm that had clashed with Li Musheng was already broken and twisted, looking like a piece of twisted rope.

The unbelievable shock combined with the agonizing pain of his shattered internal organs caused the old man's pupils to contract. In his peripheral vision, the silhouette of the young man on the roof grew smaller and smaller.

He realized that he had likely been sent flying dozens of meters away, and the figure seemed to have no intention of stopping.

"...How is it... possible... to be this strong?"

The old man was terrified. At that moment, the shrinking figure of the young man in his peripheral vision suddenly vanished.

In the next heartbeat, a voice rang in his ear

"Get back where you came from."

In an instant, the old man felt like a piece of duckweed in a storm; his entire body was kicked back the way he came, like a discarded sack of rags...

Meanwhile, after throwing the cloth-wrapped object, the masked man kept his head down and fled without looking back.

True qi surged between his feet, driving bursts of whistling wind as he raced through the various streets and alleys.

Reaching into his robe to feel the object, which remained safe and sound, he glanced back at the woman in red who was still pursuing him. The masked man let out a cold sneer

"I only hope that kid is somewhat useful and can stall that old geezer for a while. Once I'm further away, I'll find an opportunity to kill this woman."

With that thought, the masked man turned and darted from the corner of a small alley into another long street.

However, after rushing only a few yards, he came to an abrupt, jarring halt.

Under the silver, frost-like moonlight, in the middle of the otherwise silent and deserted brick street, a young figure stood, perfectly blocking his path of escape.

The masked man stared intently, and his entire body froze

"Why is it you?"

The young man before him possessed an unblemished, handsome countenance and wore simple robes, yet he recognized him instantly—it was the very same youth who had been sitting on the roof earlier.

At this moment, the young man stared at him expressionlessly, reached out a hand, and asked

"Where is the treasure you promised to give me?"

The masked man stood frozen, his expression filled with suspicion and uncertainty. He didn't understand why this person, who should have been struck dead by the old man's palm behind him, was appearing right before his eyes.

But he had a premonition that the young man was likely not to be trifled with. His mind raced, and he immediately cupped his hands in greeting

"Little brother, there is a gold bar hidden inside that cloth I threw to you just now. That is the treasure I am giving you."

As he spoke, the masked man glanced over his shoulder. Seeing the figure of the woman in red drawing closer, he hurriedly added

"Little brother, I am being hunted by my enemies and must flee for my life. Consider that gold bar yours. We shall meet again!"

With that, the masked man prepared to switch to another alley to escape.

But he suddenly discovered to his horror that he could not move his legs no matter how hard he tried. At that moment, the young man seemed to have teleported, appearing by his side at some unknown point...

Looking at the shock in the masked man's eyes, Li Musheng shook his head. He reached into the man's robe and pulled out an object wrapped in black cloth

"A man is nothing without his word. One must be trustworthy. Do you understand?"

As he spoke, Li Musheng prepared to open the black cloth to see what exactly was inside—what could possibly cause these martial artists to fight to the death in the middle of the night and disturb his elegant moon-viewing?

However, before he could act, a woman in red lunged out from the shadows of the alley.

The woman had a seductive face and a slender, snake-like waist. She lunged forward with a burst of pink mist, her body coiling and springing like a shrimp. Her speed was extreme, leaving nothing but a residual shadow under the moonlight.

Simultaneously, a thick, heavy floral fragrance rose into the air, swirling with a bewitching and enchanting aura as it descended upon Li Musheng.

*Clang!*

A crisp ring of a blade sounded. The beautiful face of the woman in red was filled with venomous cruelty as she appeared behind Li Musheng, her black-glinting blade aimed directly at his neck.

However, Li Musheng didn't even spare her a glance. Ignoring the pink toxic mist, he casually swiped his hand behind him.

Before the woman in red could even realize what was happening, she felt an irresistible, massive force strike her, and her entire body plummeted toward the ground in an instant.

A moment later, a loud *thud* shattered the silence of the long street.

Half of the woman's body slammed into the hard brick pavement, sending countless stones exploding outward and carving a pit a foot deep into the ground.

Under the violent impact, the woman's entire face was crushed into a bloody, unrecognizable mess, losing all its former seductive beauty.

Meanwhile, Li Musheng calmly opened the object wrapped in black cloth.

Inside was a copper token covered in rust, upon which were inscribed three ancient, large characters

"Hidden Kill Order!"

(End of Chapter)