Chapter 23: You're the Thunder Swordsman, Got Backing? Kill Anyway!

The night was hazy, awash in neon lights and revelry.

North of Black Sea City lies the boundless Black Sea.

By the sea stands a fifty-story commercial building, enjoying an unrivaled sea view.

This is Black Sea City's landmark building, also the city's finest five-star hotel, a property under the Ning Group.

Tonight, Black Sea Building was extraordinarily lively.

Ning Group's Chairwoman Ning Na, and Green Mountain City's business tycoon Gou Fugui, would hold a major business negotiation here.

Once concluded, the results would be announced on the spot.

This negotiation involved the interests of multiple industries and numerous business magnates in both Black Sea City and Green Mountain City.

Therefore, every business celebrity of note in the two cities had come tonight.

Even many unqualified people pulled strings to attend this business gathering.

Hotel entrance.

Wangchuan Yao in white blouse, black suit trousers, high heels, a professional woman's attire, yet couldn't conceal that mature feminine charm.

On her left was Wangchuan Qiqin in a black spaghetti-strap dress, sexy yet youthful aura drawing frequent sidelong glances.

Wangchuan Yao was Black Sea City's Deputy Mayor, naturally qualified for such an occasion.

She specially brought Wangchuan Qiqin along to broaden her horizons.

Also, on her right stood a man in suit and leather shoes, dressed in designer brands.

But not Wangchuan Yao's husband Xia Weiming — rather, the Ye Family's Divine Doctor Ye Cheng.

Ye Cheng's gaze swept over the young beautiful socialites, smiling: "Thanks, Yao-jie, for bringing me to the gathering."

Wangchuan Yao waved her hand: "Divine Doctor Ye is too polite; it's us who've troubled Divine Doctor Ye these past days."

Even if she hadn't brought Ye Cheng, he had plenty of ways; with his status, it was more than enough.

"Divine Doctor Ye, let's go in first."

Wangchuan Yao made a welcoming gesture to Ye Cheng, then told Wangchuan Qiqin: "Qiqin, look after Divine Doctor Ye, I have something to handle first."

No sooner had Wangchuan Yao left than someone approached.

"You, are you the Capital's Ye Family Divine Doctor?"

A middle-aged beauty with a flat chest walked up, face full of excitement, clearly recognizing Ye Cheng.

Ye Cheng was quite calm; his influence rivaled a B-list celebrity, someone recognizing him was normal.

Ye Cheng smiled warm as wind: "Hello, madam."

The middle-aged beauty hearing Ye Cheng not deny, instantly beamed: "Wow! I really didn't mistake you!

Divine Doctor Ye, this is my card, I'm Hu Yifei.

Actually, I've always wanted to ask you to treat my guardian spirit fox, but never had the chance..."

"Oh? Don't know what's wrong with your guardian spirit?"

"My guardian spirit fox, come night, its whole body burns hot..."

"By your described symptoms, it needs injections to work..."

Ye Cheng chatted a few more sentences with the beauty, finally set a future house-call time, then the middle-aged beauty left satisfied.

After this, seemingly the middle-aged beauty leaked the news,

many people came up, opening with "Divine Doctor Ye."

Some for treatment, some to make connections, also female fans purely to take photos with Ye Cheng as mementos.

Wangchuan Yao watching from the side felt admiration rise, adding several points of good impression toward Ye Cheng.

If she were also a Spirit Master, with a guardian spirit at Ye Tianshi's level, that would be great!

Being able to marry Ye Cheng would be pretty good too.

For some reason, Wangchuan Qiqin suddenly had this thought, even startling herself.

Then, she thought of Li Qingran.

"What a pity! So handsome, and my sister's life-saving benefactor, yet only an F-rank guardian spirit..."

In her view, Li Qingran having only an F-rank guardian spirit, no matter what, future achievements would be limited.

Not worthy of her.

Inside Black Sea Hotel, a pretty-faced, curvaceous service manager led Li Qingran toward the top-floor conference room.

He specially instructed Ning Na and Heiye not to come down to greet him.

And the front desk receptionists and manager didn't tactlessly block him; they'd long received Ning Na's orders.

The manager walked before Li Qingran, intentionally or not twisting her slender waist, perky buttocks thrust high.

Though Ning Na didn't explain Li Qingran's identity, from her repeated exhortations to serve carefully, it was clear this man was no simple figure.

If she could climb this connection, she'd never need to strive again this life.

Pity, this man seemed to have zero interest in her.

Li Qingran entered the conference room.

Saw a long conference table, now split in two, Ning Na and Gou Fugui's respective parties each sitting one side.

Li Qingran expressionlessly sat at the far end seat on Ning Na's side.

Opposite, oily-headed big-eared Gou Fugui seeing Li Qingran enter, his resentful gaze swept toward Li Qingran:

"I've been unable to find you, didn't expect to see you here, enemies on a narrow road."

Last time's Spirit Control Collision Ball match, it was Li Qingran's outside help intervening, making him lose several hundred million in land.

Beside Gou Fugui stood a sword-browed big-eyed middle-aged man, exuding authority, sharp edge fully revealed; he was Gou Fugui's backer.

The Lei family head of the provincial capital, Lei Zhansheng, Ninth-rank Spirit Controller General.

Seeing Li Qingran ignore him, Gou Fugui let out a heh-heh laugh and looked at Ning Na: "Well well, turns out you're being kept by her — just don't suck him dry!"

Ning Na slammed the table: "Gou Fugui, watch your mouth! Don't spout nonsense at me."

Gou Fugui dropped his smile and said sternly: "Then I'll speak plainly — you want to move into Qingshan City? Impossible. Qingshan City isn't turf you, Ning Na, can meddle in!

Not only that, starting today, your Ning Group belongs to Lord Lei! As for you — you belong to me! Hahaha..."

Gou Fugui's lewd laughter echoed through the entire conference room; no one spoke, the atmosphere tense as drawn swords.

The subordinates behind Ning Na all revealed fierce glints in their eyes, ready to act.

Ning Na gazed coldly out the floor-to-ceiling window, at the pitch-black sea surface, and sneered: "Old Gou, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?

The place you're sitting right now is the Black Sea Hotel — it's my, Ning Na's, turf. Believe it or not, if you fall into the Black Sea tonight, no one will know!

Hand over Qingshan City now, and you might still keep a dog's life."

The threat in Ning Na's words was already plain.

But Gou Fugui didn't care in the slightest, merely looking respectfully at Lei Zhansheng to the side and saying: "They've gone too far! Please, Lord Lei, get justice for me!"

Lei Zhansheng's gaze was like a sword, killing intent on his face; his mind stirred, and behind him a plain-clothed spirit figure wielding a long sword slowly coalesced into form.

Guardian Spirit — Western Han Swordsman Lei Bei!

"Refuse good advice, then die! Lei Bei, kill everyone here for me!"

At Lei Zhansheng's command, Guardian Spirit Lei Bei flashed like lightning.

Powerful thunder sword qi coiled around the long sword, the strike aimed at Ning Na.

Ning Na's heart pounded wildly; she didn't dare be slow, summoning her Guardian Spirit — the Transforming Snake — at the first moment.

However, she knew very well.

She was absolutely no match for Lei Zhansheng; she could only hope Heiye and Li Qingran would act quickly to save her.

"Big Brother Heiye, Boss, save me!"

A streak of sword qi slashed out!

Lei Zhansheng seemed to see the next second — blood spraying on the spot, everyone bisected at the waist.

This bloody, cruel scene, Lei Zhansheng thoroughly enjoyed.

Whoosh!

However, the scene he imagined did not appear; only a strange sound was heard.

The sharp sword qi, and Lei Bei, like shattered glass, in a single instant turned into fragments, surging toward a corner of the conference room.

There, Li Qingran extended his palm into the void; a black vortex in his palm swallowed everything clean.

Lei Zhansheng's face showed terror; a mouthful of old blood sprayed onto the tabletop, his whole body trembling uncontrollably: "You... who are you?"

What kind of strength is this?! Instant-killing Lei Bei!

Li Qingran's eyes were indifferent: "Dead men don't need to know too much."

"No! You can't kill me! I... I'm Sword Immortal Li Tingzhu's nominal disciple! If you dare kill me, my master will surely..."

About to die, yet still daring to threaten me?

Li Qingran lightly pointed a finger.

Lei Zhansheng's eyes went wide; chair and man toppled backward together, crashing heavily to the ground, a blood hole appearing at the center of his brow.