Yesterday, a small businessman arrived at the West Pier, looking quite wealthy. Deng Hu entered the inn that evening and kidnapped him, shouting "The Judge is at work; stay out if you don't want to die." Qian Qi, who had been watching Deng Hu at the West Pier, fervently spun this story.
"Continue!"
It seemed the man was still unsatisfied.
Qian Qi's eyes darted around as he thought that if his lies were discovered, wouldn't he still end up dead? A thought struck him, and he came up with an idea.
"At Liu's Iron Forging Shop in the south of the city, a family of five was massacred, leaving only the eldest daughter alive. Then yesterday, the very day she took over Liu's Iron Forging Shop and the mountain mine, she was given to the eldest son of Tian Zhang from the Jinshan Taoist Institute as a concubine—what a bargain!" Qian Qi said.
"Really?" The green-clothed man suddenly turned his head and looked coldly at Qian Qi.
"Absolutely true! I swear it!" Qian Qi swore with his hand raised to the sky.
"Where do these people live?"
After Qian Qi explained further, he sycophantically added, "Great hero, have I said enough now?"
The next moment, the green-clothed man flicked his fingertips, releasing a burst of Starlight that directly exploded into Qian Qi's head, scattering his brains everywhere.
"Not enough, so you cannot live!"
After speaking, the green-clothed man murmured as if explaining and then cursed, "How do these bastards manage the county city, each one of them acts more demonically than a real evil demon like me!"
As he spoke, the figure of the green-clothed man merged into the darkness and disappeared.
As if he had never been there.
******
"No, I must go see.
Dad, they just mentioned Jiang'er."
In Warehouse Lane at City West Pier, after leaving the small courtyard of these hooligans, Xu Jin grew increasingly worried.
A dockworker, suddenly taking an interest in his sister Xu Jiang, what good could come of it?
What good intention could he have?
With these words, Xu Dajiang's heart also lifted. Inside the county city was still fine, but outside, these ruffians frequently bullied men and overpowered women, especially targeting outsiders and bereft families.
"We have many able-bodied men at Xu's Manor. Ordinary bandits wouldn't dare to intrude; it should be fine, right?" Xu Dajiang hesitated.
"Dad, you go ahead and find a secluded spot to wait for me; I'll listen in at the corner of the wall," Xu Jin said.
"That sounds good."
"By the way Dad, has Deng Hu cultivated?"
If he had cultivated, even if just listening at the corner of the wall, Xu Jin would have to be extra careful.
"He hasn't cultivated a thing. If he had successfully undertaken Star Pointing, would he still need those thugs?
Jin, you absolutely must not be impulsive. Deng Hu and his henchmen are said to have many lives on their hands, and their hearts are venomous.... No, I'll go with you to listen in on their schemes."
"Dad, I have successfully undertaken Star Pointing, and even reached the First Layer of Dining Dawn, now as light as a feather!"
After some conversation, he finally persuaded his father, Xu Dajiang, who went ahead to find a secluded spot, while Xu Jin turned back to the doorway of the small courtyard.
At this time, dusk had just fallen, and a few of the hooligans gathered together to drink and have fun, accustomed to their arrogance and completely unguarded.
Xu Jin tiptoed into the courtyard and hunkered down at the base of a window.
He had just squatted down when his expression changed because Deng Hu was talking about his sister, Jiang'er.
"This old Xu has gotten lucky, didn't expect him to get the silver so soon. Initially, it was only because his daughter was pretty that we gave him the loan."
"What a pity!"
"If he hadn't paid up, it would have been 'father's debt, daughter pays,' perfectly justified, and nobody from Xu's Manor could stop me—I'd smash the promissory note right in their face!"
With his breath reeking of alcohol, Deng Hu spoke intermittently.
"Exactly, that girl, so pretty and tender! I was thinking about getting a share from the boss at that time," said Scar-faced, his voice full of lasciviousness.
Hearing this, Xu Jin breathed a sigh of relief.
These hooligans were bad, but they still had their reservations.
"I'm eating the meat, wouldn't I let you have the soup?" Deng Hu laughed, "Ah, but what a pity...."
"Boss, it's still possible to get it," Xu Jin, who was about to leave, squatted down again upon hearing this.
"How so?
Do you think we should force our way?
Remember, the county guard here might be lax, but the disciples from those Taoist Institutes often participate in tracking down murderers and thieves, and they are anything but lax," Deng Hu said.
That was why Deng Hu dared not force the issue.
As long as there were victims causing an uproar, and it provoked the Taoist Institute disciples to get involved, trouble would ensue.
"Boss, I know, but you forget—the evil demons have been causing a ruckus lately," Scar-faced said ominously.
"Really? What are you saying?"
"Since the great search for evil demons in the county city a few days ago, the sightings of the demons have been increasing. On average, there are three or four evil deeds by demons every day. The county guard and the government are so overwhelmed, even the disciples from the Taoist Institutes are moving in groups and dare not act rashly," Scar-faced said with a sinister chuckle.
"Three or four times a day, these demons are so daring?"
"That's even an underestimation. According to a friend, the coroners are almost running their legs off, many cases are hastily recorded and then ignored..." Saying this, Scar-face chuckled wickedly, confusing Deng Hu.
Before Deng Hu could lose his temper, Scar-face added, "Boss, the one-eyed wolf, Qian Qi, at the East City Pier has already been active twice in just a few days, but the government says it's the work of evil demons too."
"Are you saying we could also...?"
At the dinner table, Scar-face nodded with a sinister smile, and Deng Hu looked at the other hoodlums, and all four smirked understandingly.
At the dinner table, Deng Hu rubbed his hands, "That Xu is quite robust, but the key is his son, Star Pointing succeeded, and though it took eighty-three days and might not amount to much in the future, if he causes a stir, I'm afraid..."
"Boss, how many outer court disciples from several Taoist Institutes have disappeared over the years? Remember that disciple from the Tianyang Branch who succeeded in sixty-seven days? Wasn't he also taken care of by us..."
Before he could finish, Deng Hu shot him a chilling glare, scaring Scar-face into silence.
"But as you said, with the recent chaos caused by the demons, and the county guard stretched thin, it's our chance to make a big score. I believe that Xu has quite a stash," Deng Hu said.
"Boss, how about tonight? We've been to Xu's Manor before, know the route well, and with our means, they'll ascend in their sleep. Then that little girl..." Scar-faced proposed with a sinister smile.
For a moment, Deng Hu was also spoken into a frenzy, his gaze ominous, "Let's gather our gang then, in another two hours, we will head out. By the time we get there, they'll be fast asleep! And that Star Pointing boy, he looks young, I want his heart's blood to aid my yang!"
"Got it, boss, the girl..." Scar-face responded with another knowing, wicked smile.
As for aiding yang, it was Brother Hu who said that his problem was too rapid, and supposedly using the young man's heart's blood was greatly beneficial to yang.
"Don't worry, everyone will have a share!"
...
Listening to the five men's cruel plan inside the house, Xu Jin's fists clenched tightly, his fingernails almost digging into his flesh.
He cursed himself for having too low a cultivation level. If his Dining Dawn cultivation level was at the Second Layer or even the Third Layer, he would have charged in and slaughtered them all at that moment.
Scum.
Absolutely despicable!
They charged high interest on the loaned silver, extorted, and were paid off.
Now they plotted against his sister and sought to exterminate his entire family, harvesting his heart's blood to aid yang, and ultimately lay the blame on evil demons.
This was an attempt to annihilate his entire family.
Who is the real evil demon?
This was outrageous!
Xu Jin's heart uncontrollably pounded.
"Calm down, calm down!" Xu Jin breathed deeply, trying to cool his mind.
While Xu Jin eavesdropped by the corner of the house, he didn't notice that a figure had appeared on the roof.
A green-clothed man sat cross-legged on the roof, arms crossed, his figure barely visible under the starlight.
At that moment, the green-clothed man had also heard the conversation inside the house and noticed Xu Jin, his face revealing an amused expression.
"Interesting!"
"That Qian may have tricked me, but seeing such a drama unfold tonight makes the trip worthwhile!"
"Let's see if this youth is a coward, a fool, or brave!"