The man's brief report caused an uproar among the crowd. As they sensed the overwhelming aura radiating from Zhou Longqi, their shock deepened. Even Shu Sheng, standing nearby, narrowed his eyes slightly.
"So, he's reached the peak of the Tongmai Realm? Just one step away from my level. I never expected Zhou Longqi to hide his strength so deeply. No wonder he was so eager to ally with Young Master Wu—he wants to break through to the Nascent Star Realm. But Zhou Longqi, you have no idea how impossibly difficult it is to ascend from the peak of the Tongmai Realm to the Nascent Star Realm."
Shu Sheng, though surprised by Zhou Longqi's progress, remained unshaken. He understood better than anyone the immense challenge of such a breakthrough.
"What did you say? Repeat that! Make it clear—how did Longyun die?"
Zhou Longqi's voice erupted like a roar, filled with madness and an overwhelming killing intent.
The man trembled at the knees under Zhou Longqi's oppressive aura, collapsing to the ground. He stammered, "Please spare me, Chief! I just returned from outside the city and found that the deputy chief and several of his Tongmai Realm subordinates had all been killed. Judging by the scene, they didn't even put up much of a fight. It was a massacre, likely by a swordmaster—a highly skilled one."
Zhou Longqi's face twisted with fury. "A massacre? By a swordmaster? Speak up—did you find anything else at the scene?"
The man, trembling with fear, replied, "Other than sword marks, there wasn't anything unusual at the site. However, besides the deputy chief and his men, there was another member of the Qingshan Gang among the dead. His throat was crushed. I found out his name—it was Tang Junguang."
The man's voice quivered, reflecting his terror. His words, however, left the entire crowd in stunned silence.
"A swordmaster? In Poyang City? We don't seem to have any notable swordmasters here. And who would dare, knowing the Skull Gang's power, to kill someone like Zhou Longyun?"
"I can't believe such a master killed Zhou Longyun so easily and without much of a fight. If such a figure exists in Poyang City, they'd surely be famous. But we don't seem to have any swordmasters of that caliber."
"This could throw Poyang City into chaos. The city lord could previously suppress Zhou Longqi, but with Zhou Longyun dead, Zhou Longqi is bound to go mad."
"That's true. Zhou Longyun was arrogant and overbearing, but his bond with Zhou Longqi was strong. With his brother dead, Zhou Longqi will stop at nothing for revenge."
Among the crowd, Liu Huihui and Liu Qin both looked uneasy, worried that Zhou Longqi might suddenly turn his attention toward them.
Meanwhile, Hunter Liu remained calm and indifferent. He tossed his blade onto the ground casually, maintaining an air of ignorance as though he had no idea what had happened.
"A swordmaster?" Zhou Longqi sneered coldly. "In all of Poyang City, who else but him could it be? You may not know his skill with a sword, but I do." His voice was icy, his face twisted in a sinister expression, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Liuxing... Liuxing. I can't believe you've become bold enough to kill my brother. Let's see who dares to protect you now."