Chapter 162: Who Kills, Who Pays With Their Life!

"What's all this noise? What are you yelling about so early?"

A rebuke rang out; a tall, white-haired, stately old man stepped slowly through the moon gate, his sharp eyes sweeping over Fang Hongtu and Fang Hongdao.

"Third Uncle!"

Fang Hongdao bowed deeply upon seeing the old man.

"Third Uncle, you've arrived just in time."

Fang Hongtu's face was flushed with rage; he pointed at Fang Hongdao and complained, "We've found the killer of Yuan Fu! I was about to lead men to seek revenge, but this bastard Fang Hongdao wants me to give up! Just because the killer is from the Town Guard Bureau? When did our Fang family's lives become so cheap? Who kills one of us, and we just swallow it?"

"I never said not to seek revenge."

Fang Hongdao said calmly, "Third Uncle, you don't know—the man who killed Yuan Fu is named Chen Mu, a patrol inspector of the Town Guard Bureau and also a prodigy of the latest 'Dragon's Nest List.' Such a genius will surely draw the attention of the Bureau's high-ups. If we storm in and kill him directly, the repercussions will be enormous and very likely engulf our entire clan."

"Dragon's Nest prodigy?"

Fang Ronghe frowned, his snow-white eyebrows knitting together. "That does complicate things."

"Third Uncle! Chen Mu the brat killed Yuan Fu—we can't let him off like this!" Fang Hongtu urged urgently.

"Of course we won't let it go." Fang Ronghe growled, "Whoever kills a member of our Fang family, they pay with their life!"

Fang Hongtu exhaled in relief, then said, "Then, Third Uncle, about Chen Mu the brat..."

"Hire an assassin!"

Fang Hongdao snapped, "For a genius like Chen Mu, hiring an assassin is the proper path."

"Exactly."

Fang Ronghe said gravely, "Wu Dao prodigies who make the Dragon's Nest List never lack enemies. Let an assassin handle it—that's how we minimize the fallout!"

"... Alright!"

Fang Hongtu's eyes flickered; he gritted his teeth and said, "I'm going to the Black Dragon Society branch right now!"

…

…

Lingwu City.

After meeting Huang Feiyang, Chen Mu had planned to leave.

But the five-yearly "Hardening Assembly" in Lingwu City begins in three days.

Due to the presence of the Giant Spirit Sect, Lingwu City has gathered the largest concentration of body-cultivation martial artists in the Zhou Dynasty; the "Hardening Assembly" arose naturally and, over a thousand years, has become one of the most renowned gatherings, drawing body-cultivation martial artists from all directions each time it opens.

The top three competitors in the assembly's duels will receive high-grade body-cultivation pills specially crafted by the Giant Spirit Sect.

Chen Mu has a powerful card and has no interest in pills.

But after a body-cultivation martial artist dies, he almost certainly drops a Body-Strengthening Card—and Chen Mu very much wants one!

So he decided to stay a few days and observe.

On the day of the assembly, the massive training ground in the city center was packed with roaring crowds; the stands were filled with martial artists and commoners, the atmosphere blazing hot.

On the enormous green stone arena, intricate patterns were engraved, forming a formation capable of withstanding tremendous force impacts.

The assembly's rules were simple and brutal...

Contestants voluntarily sign a life-and-death waiver, engage in sparring, fists and feet show no mercy—life and death are left to fate!

"Dong~"

A heavy drumbeat sounded, announcing the start of the assembly.

The first to ascend the stage were mostly Post-Nature body-cultivation martial artists.

These men were all massively built, muscles knotted like cast steel and iron, their bronze-toned skin glistening with oil under the sun.

Their fights had no flourishes—purely collisions of strength and physique!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Heavy fists slammed into solid flesh, producing dull, teeth-grating thuds.

Elbow strikes, knee thrusts, shoulder charges—various brutal close-quarters techniques emerged endlessly.

Sweat flew, blood occasionally sprayed, roars mingled with the thuds of colliding muscles, radiating the most primal, savage sense of power.

"Good!"

"Hit him! Kill him!"

"With that power, you dare step on stage?"

"..."

On the stands, cheers and murmurs rose and fell continuously.

Chen Mu arrived early and sat in a spot with good visibility, watching calmly.

Though the combat techniques and power-generation methods of these Post-Nature martial artists were crude, some of their innate instincts for wielding bodily strength gave him slight insights.

The assembly lasted two days; blood had already been spilled on the arena.

Five martial artists, slightly weaker or unlucky, were killed by opponents who couldn't hold back or by their own stubborn refusal to yield, sustaining fatal injuries and carried off—living proof of the cruel rule: "Life and death are left to fate."

Chen Mu picked up cards, but none were Body-Strengthening Cards.

On the third day, the atmosphere in the training ground suddenly turned solemn and intense.

Because those about to ascend the stage would be Innate Realm body-cultivation martial artists!

Their physiques were even more terrifying—their blood and qi like furnaces, every movement carrying immense force; their protective qi fused with their powerful bodies, granting astonishing defense.

"Pong~"

"Pong!"

On the arena, two Early Innate Stage body-cultivation martial artists were locked in fierce combat.

One had cultivated the "Iron Armor Art," his skin gleaming with a metallic luster.

The other excelled in "Mighty Ox Force," his strength boundless, each step causing the arena to tremble slightly.

"Boom~!"

The "Iron Armor Art" martial artist took the opponent's heavy punch head-on, a metallic clang ringing from his chest, yet he only swayed slightly, then countered with a cannon-fist strike aimed straight at the opponent's face.

The "Berserker Ox Strength" martial artist ducked to dodge, and at the same time slammed a ferocious body-check into the opponent's chest!

The two were like two humanoid beasts, attacking each other wildly, bursts of exploding air ringing without end, and the reinforced bluestone arena was even stomped with hairline cracks.

In the end, the "Berserker Ox Strength" martial artist seized an opening, locked his arms around his opponent's waist and belly, let out a heaven-shaking roar, and actually hoisted the "Iron Armor Art" martial artist up, then slammed him hard into the ground!

Rumble~~~

The arena trembled.

Though the "Iron Armor Art" martial artist's defense was formidable, such a tremendous impact was more than his internal organs could bear — he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, struggled a few times, and died on the spot.

【Corpse detected. Pick up?】

"Yes!"

With the card in hand, Chen Mu reached into his pocket to check.

Still not a Body-Strengthening Card, but a five-month True Qi Card!

……

Thud thud thud~

On the arena, two more Innate Realm body-tempering martial artists began their fight.

One of them was not especially tall, but his muscle lines flowed like refined steel, his gaze sharp as an eagle's.

The other was a man of few words, with dark skin, standing like an iron pagoda.

The moment the two stepped onto the arena, they crashed into each other wildly — the fight more intense and perilous than any before it.

Speed, strength, and damage resistance had all risen to a new level.

Hiss~ hiss~

Thud thud thud!

Fists and legs whistled through the air, dull thuds ringing without pause.

The shockwaves from their occasional collisions could even overturn the tables and chairs in the audience seats near the arena.

After nearly a hundred exchanges of fierce combat, the dark-skinned martial artist sold a deliberate opening, took a heavy kick from his opponent head-on, then seized the chance to lock tight onto the opponent's neck, his other arm clamping the joint like an iron vise!

"Crack!"

A hair-raising crisp snap rang out.

"Urk~!"

The once-fierce other martial artist's eyes bulged wildly, he struggled a few times, then his head lolled to one side, and he was gone without a sound.

【Corpse detected. Pick up?】

"Yes!"

With the card in hand, Chen Mu checked it as usual.

A Skill Card!

"Not a Body-Strengthening Card again… huh, wait!"