Bombarding Cultivators with Cluster Artillery

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In front of the Sihai Business Association.

One by one, the severed heads were carefully stacked and arranged, gradually piling higher.

At the top, undoubtedly, was the head of Lu Jingtian, followed by Zhou Kun and the head of the nameless one; then someone ladled boiling hot oil over them, instantly causing skin to blister and flesh to burst as grease seeped into the ground.

The minds and faces of the leaders from the various major powers in the city twitched as they were invited to witness this spectacle.

Especially the 'Sky-turning Monkey King' Elder Yuan from Longhu Martial Arts Hall, Zheng Clan's Head, and 'Mixed Gold Dagger' Zheng Ye, both of whom stared intensely at a particular head with its face carved off.

Others might not know, but these two, with disciples and subordinates spread throughout Dongling City, how could they not be deeply aware of the connection between 'Righteousness Over Clouds' Yang Dongsheng, the leader of the Yiqi Gang, who had a reputation on par with theirs, and this incident?

Having disappeared for a long while and being absent from such a major event, he had sent his son, Yang Dong, to represent him instead.

They feared that it was not just his presence that was missing, but his head as well.

They had previously envied such a channel outside the city walls, a likely chance of an additional Inner Qi Perfection martial artist... Now, they could only secretly feel relieved.

The Sihai Business Association, which usually kept a low profile, almost made people forget that this was a behemoth that spanned across the entire Yue Country and had business dealings with many great forces.

Only when its reverse scales were truly touched could one glimpse a hint of its true power.

With this in mind, their gaze towards Dragon Three became extremely solemn.

"Have a good journey!"

"Uncles, brothers, nephews, my son." Tears uncontrollably streamed down Dragon Three's face: "Your enemies are all here, you can rest in peace now."

Some of Long's collateral relatives helped the stumbling Dragon Three to his feet, and someone else brought a torch to set the pile of heads ablaze.

The fierce fire burned brightly, turning the once fearsome heads into char, mixed with paper money, paper effigies, paper flowers, and paper ingots that were added from time to time, eventually turning into hot ashes.

'Mixed Gold Dagger' Zheng Ye and other prominent figures in the city sighed with relief upon seeing this.

This signified the end of the matter.

After all, the Sihai Business Association was not a martial faction competing for supremacy; it was just a trading company that did not vie for territory.

"Oh, my Dragon nephew..."

Showing a look of sorrow, eyes brimming with a hint of tears, he stepped forward to offer incense.

All the major and minor forces in the city had come, and no one dared to cause trouble, giving full face to this great entity that had only shown the tip of the iceberg.

Only one person did not move.

It was a young man, with slight redness around his eyes and full of resentment, no longer displaying his usual spirited demeanor.

The famous young man of Dongling City, the young leader of the Yiqi Gang, 'Righteousness Blade' Yang Dong!

Dragon Three watched him quietly.

Slap!

A middle-aged martial artist with a sinister look in his eyes, who had achieved a Great Achievement of Inner Qi, delivered a slap and said in a lowered, chilling voice, "Think of your mother and your younger brothers and sisters!"

Dragon Three knew this man.

The head of the Yiqi Gang's Punishment Hall, 'Dotting Evil Brush' Yao Xiu, was the eldest disciple of the previous gang leader and, having no sons but only a daughter, was almost certainly the designated future leader.

However, eventually, he was surpassed by Yang Dongsheng, who was more talented and shared the same surname with the old gang leader. Afterward, he married the old leader's only daughter, the current lady of the gang, and smoothly cultivated to Inner Qi Perfection, ascending to the position of the gang leader.

Considering the scarcity of talent like the Great Achievement of Inner Qi, Yang Dongsheng did not target Yao Xiu too much. Instead, he promoted him to the Punishment Hall, a position that made him a lonely official without popularity.

Confident in his own strength, vision, and methods, Yang Dongsheng believed he could easily suppress Yao Xiu. Even if Yao Xiu harbored any resentment, he would not dare to show it and had to work diligently for himself, fearful of not doing well enough.

Upon hearing about his mother and siblings, Yang Dong showed a look of angry hatred and was no longer able to stand still; he approached the shrine to offer incense and kneel in respect.

Numerous Inner Qi Realm martial artists around withdrew their gazes.

"Manager Ding, please, no, my uncles and nephews cannot bear your tribute."

Dragon Three stopped the fawning Ding Feng from among the crowd, swatting away his incense and paper money with a cold smile, "My great-uncle once said that we would meet again; you will find out."

"Shopkeeper Long, there's no need for this, I'm just an intermediary..."

Ding Feng's face turned pale, sweat beading down his face.

"Please leave!"

Dragon Three snorted coldly, with several Inner Qi Realm martial artists already drawing swords and approaching, ready to spill blood right there if he continued to linger.

"Shopkeeper Long, I've brought you a gift, a gift!"

Ding Feng exclaimed desperately, as people behind hurriedly brought forward a tall and strong figure, tightly bound.

It was the 'Downhill Tiger' Lu Hou, who had been warmly entertained by the Jinlong Business Association just a few days ago!

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His mouth was stuffed with a torn cloth, reducing him to muffled whimpers. He glared at Ding Feng with venomous eyes, wishing to tear his flesh and wear his skin.

"Shopkeeper Long!"

Ding Feng hurriedly said, "I was deceived by the Fierce Tiger Village, I didn't participate in anything! This is 'Downhill Tiger' Lu Hou, the old thief Lu Jingtian's son. That old thief went to great lengths just for this person."

Dragon Three showed a flicker of interest but still responded indifferently, "Manager Ding, catching a thief should be handed over to the authorities. What does this have to do with the Sihai Trading Company? Please leave."

The three Inner Qi Realm Martial Artists from the Sihai Trading Company no longer paid attention to Ding Feng's pleading, hoisted him up, and threw him far outside.

Without a large group of servants following, Ding Feng left alone in a state of utter despair, his expression utterly wooden.

That was the end.

Indeed, it was the end for both the Sihai and Jinlong Trading Companies, but it did not include him.

Since he had made a poor decision and brought trouble to the trading company, he was naturally to be abandoned by the true master behind him, to quell the anger of the Sihai Trading Company.

Days later,

The Sihai Trading Company received two wooden boxes, each bearing the names Ding Feng and Lu Hou. Dragon Three glanced at them and ordered someone to throw them into the woodshed to be burnt.

Peace was restored to Dongling City once again.

...

Jiang Ding, with his hand on his sword, strolled along the bustling streets of Dongling City.

With the threat of Fierce Tiger Village gone, the entire city seemed to prosper even more. Smiles began to reappear on the tense faces of the citizens. Even three days later, people were still setting off firecrackers on the streets in celebration, with the remnants of red paper covering the ground.

Even children dared to play alone outside now, their mouths filled with candy, their faces full of laughter.

Everyone was filled with hope for the future.

The demise of Fierce Tiger Village surely meant that the days ahead couldn't be worse than the present, right?

Jiang Ding remained silent on this matter.

However, perhaps due to the loss of Fierce Tiger Village as a channel or perhaps it was enough, there had been no more disappearances of children under the watch of the drones in the days that followed. Even the beggars remained.

"Zhendong Marquis..."

He murmured to himself.

A few days ago, he had scouted the Marquis's residence, not daring to venture too deep. He just concealed his form and observed from a distance equivalent to the height of the courtyard walls, about a dozen meters away.

What left a deep impression on him was the army of the Marquis's household!

The military discipline was strict, and orders were obeyed without question.

In his perception and through the drone footage, the squad leaders at the rank of platoon leaders in the Marquis's residence were Inner Qi Realm Martial Artists, without exception. Deeper within the private courtyards, almost no ordinary soldiers were visible, with personal guards all being Inner Qi Realm Martial Artists!

Although their Qi was in disarray and somewhat weaker than regular Inner Qi Realm Martial Artists, they were, without a doubt, Inner Qi Realm Martial Artists.

"Against such an army, I can only handle, at most, ten or so. A hundred soldiers, and a Company Captain would be enough to defeat me outright."

"If it's the Marquis's personal guards, the numbers I can handle are even fewer."

Jiang Ding's expression was serious. He felt increasingly unsafe in this place, and the risk was growing. The Zhendong Marquis was maintaining such a formidable force for more than just show.

"Only the Blue Luminous Butterfly..."

Following the Sihai Trading Company's memorial for the fallen members of Long's family, the trade of the Blue Luminous Butterfly had resumed. But after the disruption and the upheaval caused by the annihilation of the Fierce Tiger Village, it would take time to return to the previous production of ten thousand pairs a day.

Furthermore, with the overharvesting, the population of Blue Luminous Butterflies was rapidly declining, and production could not reach the previous quantities no matter how much it recovered.

"In one month, the Sihai Trading Company has promised to gather a sufficient quantity for me."

Jiang Ding silently walked on the street, his Art of Small Concealment fully activated, barely drawing any attention, as people unconsciously overlooked him.

As soon as he had gathered all the Blue Luminous Butterflies, he would immediately leave this place suspected of having Cultivators.

Unwittingly, he arrived at a tea house and entered it, ordering a pot of Biluochun tea as a front.

When not cultivating, he liked to come here to sit alone and listen to many interesting things, relieving the monotony a bit.

"Let's say,"

"This Dragon Three, with a single letter, requested the movement of a secret force from the Sihai Trading Company, known as the 'Sihai Eight Deserts Hall.' With countless elite soldiers, they had destroyed the 'Blood Cloud Eighteen Knights' who had repeatedly slaughtered the Sihai's branches at the Northern Plains..."

The hot topic these days had been the Sihai Trading Company's extermination of Fierce Tiger Village.

There were all kinds of stories.

Some said that the Sihai Trading Company spent a large sum to have the Marquis's household eradicate them.

Others spoke of the Sihai Eight Deserts Hall and sought the help of several top-ranked heroes from the Jianghu on the Dragon and Phoenix List.

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