Chapter 301: Keep Killing!

Wulong Fucheng, headquarters of the Gold Coin Gang.

In the spacious yet Solemn council hall, the boss and Chen Yuesheng sat upright on the tiger-skin thrones at the head, faces grim.

The faintly radiating pressure of their Earth Altar realm made the air in the hall seem thick and viscous.

The three senior elders seated on either side—Deng Zhangtian, Jiang Feng, He Zhaokun—also wore grim expressions, silent and motionless.

One of the four senior elder seats stood empty; Wang Haocheng's chair looked especially glaring.

A suffocating silence enveloped the hall, broken only by the occasional soft crackle of candle flames.

"Report—!"

Suddenly, a gang member rushed into the hall, his expression frantic, voice trembling.

"R-Report, Boss, Senior Elders! All outposts in Santan Prefecture… were wiped out last night. The brothers left behind… none survived!"

"…"

Chen Yuesheng didn't lift his eyelids, only waved his hand.

The gang member, as if granted amnesty, bowed hastily and withdrew.

The atmosphere in the hall grew even heavier, as if it could drip with water.

Soon after, another gang member scrambled in, face pale as death.

"R-Report! Urgent news from Sanlin Prefecture! All our halls and outposts there were attacked last night. Our elite brothers… all… all dead!"

"…"

Chen Yuesheng waved again, motioning him to leave, expressionless as ever.

The faces of the three senior elders could no longer be described as merely grim.

Jiang Feng's fists clenched with audible cracks.

He Zhaokun's breathing had become noticeably Coarse and Heavy.

Even the usually composed Deng Zhangtian's eyelid twitched slightly.

Yet still, no one spoke.

Moments later, the third messenger crawled into the hall, nearly collapsed, voice choked with sobs.

"B-Boss! Sanlin Prefecture… is gone too! All outposts wiped clean. The brothers… all dead!"

"Boom!"

Jiang Feng could no longer contain himself—he slammed his palm onto the nearby tea table. The solid ironwood table shattered instantly, wood splinters flying.

He leapt to his feet, hair and beard bristling, roaring, "What does the Dark Moon Tower want?! Do they think the Gold Coin Gang is made of mud?!"

"Are you a Bai Chi?"

Deng Zhangtian glanced at him coldly, tone laced with undisguised mockery, "Is this merely the Dark Moon Tower's doing? They're just a knife! The real enemy who wants us dead is the one holding that knife from behind the scenes!"

"Regardless, we can't let the Dark Moon Tower off!" He Zhaokun growled through gritted teeth.

"Won't let them off?"

Deng Zhangtian sneered, turning to He Zhaokun, "Do you plan to launch a full-scale war against the Dark Moon Tower right now? With our broken remnants? Or with your personal fury, Elder He?"

"Deng Zhangtian! What do you mean?!" Jiang Feng glared, his aura pressing forward.

"You know exactly what I mean!" Deng Zhangtian shot back without yielding, coldly smirking.

"Enough!"

Chen Yuesheng finally spoke. His low roar echoed like thunder in the hall, the Earth Altar pressure instantly crushing the opposing auras of Jiang Feng and Deng Zhangtian.

He waved the nearly paralyzed messenger away, his gaze sweeping over the three below, voice low and icy.

"All of you shut up! We face a great enemy—this is no time for internal strife!"

He paused, then continued, "Five thousand elite warriors wiped out overnight—I naturally grieve. But what I fear most is the shadowy opponent clearly aiming to annihilate the Gold Coin Gang!"

Deng Zhangtian took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and bowed respectfully, "What is your intention, Boss?"

"Old Wang is likely already dead."

Chen Yuesheng's tone was calm, yet carried absolute certainty, "From today onward, including all three of you, no core member may leave the headquarters without my order!"

"Huh?"

Jiang Feng's face twisted with reluctance, "Boss, is this really necessary? We…"

"If you want to die, you may leave right now." Chen Yuesheng glanced at him coldly, eyes like blades.

Jiang Feng met Chen Yuesheng's gaze, a chill running through him—he swallowed his words.

He understood: losing so heavily in one night meant the enemy's power and resolve far exceeded imagination. To venture out now was no different from walking into death.

"Everyone remains at headquarters. Fortify and await reinforcements. Mobilize every resource to find the mastermind behind this!"

Chen Yuesheng made his final decision, voice firm as iron, "Once we find him, we proceed."

"Yes, Boss!"

Deng Zhangtian, Jiang Feng, and He Zhaokun dared not object further, replying in unison.

…

On the other side.

【Corpse detected. Pick up?】

"Yes!"

【Corpse detected. Pick up?】

"Yes!"

…

Chen Mu's figure moved like a phantom, traversing Santan, Sanlin, and Sanwater Prefectures, continuously picking up cards.

Hiring the Dark Moon Tower to eliminate five thousand people was indeed costly—but the rewards were immense.

This wave, though mostly Qi-stagnation cards, numbered over nineteen hundred.

There were also a couple dozen True Qi cards.

For once, he ate his fill!

Five thousand elite troops were dead.

The remaining nine hall masters had cultivation no higher than Ninth Stage Innate; Chen Mu decided to deal with them personally.

His first target was the hall master of Wulong Fucheng, Hua Xiaocong.

……

In the night, Chen Mu disguised himself as an ordinary martial artist and stormed directly into the hall where Hua Xiaocong was stationed.

Without the slightest hesitation, as True Qi surged, his thin, willow-leaf daggers gained life, becoming streaks of lethal cold light that whistled through the hall!

"Shiiii—shiiii—shiiii—"

"Puff! Puff! Puff—"

The muffled thuds of blades cutting through flesh came one after another, accompanied by brief screams.

The Qianjin Gang members stationed inside could not even make out the attacker's form before they fell one by one under the pinpoint daggers, littering the floor with dead and wounded in moments.

Hua Xiaocong, pacing nervously in the inner chamber, heard the strange commotion and screams outside; his face turned pale—his experience told him the intruder was no ordinary foe, but a terrifying force.

Without hesitation, he smashed through the back window and prepared to use Lightness Skill to flee toward the back courtyard.

Yet, before he had leapt ten meters—

Shhh!

A figure appeared like a ghost, flickering several times to cover dozens of meters, silently blocking the only path to the courtyard wall.

Hua Xiaocong slammed to a halt, staring at this stranger whose aura was ordinary but whose eyes were as cold as frost; sensing the other's unfathomable power, his heart was instantly filled with boundless terror.

He was quick to surrender, dropping to his knees with a "Ploof!" and raising his hands high, his voice trembling as he pleaded.

"Spare me! Great hero, spare me! I surrender! I'll hand over all my wealth—just spare my life, I beg you—"

"Chii!"

A condensed sword qi pierced the air, moving faster than his reflexes could follow.

Hua Xiaocong's plea cut off mid-sentence; a tiny blood hole appeared at his brow, blood slowly seeping out.

His wide eyes filled with shock and unwillingness; his body swayed, then collapsed face-down, dead.

【Corpse detected. Collect?】