Chapter 243: The Shadow and the Master

In the flower hall.

The lamps were burning brightly.

The Big Boss sat high up on a tiger-skin folding chair, specially moved here from his mansion.

He liked to sit in high places, as if looking down from the clouds at the common masses, with everyone under his control.

Although the events of the past two days had caught him somewhat off guard, he still possessed the confidence to control the overall situation.

This confidence did not come from the Big Boss himself, but from the two guests he had invited.

These two guests were also in the flower hall.

One of them wore Taoist robes and a dark cap, standing tall with a long sword strapped to his back; his pale face had upturned eyes, carrying an indescribable arrogance, and between his thick eyebrows, which almost met, there seemed to be a fullness of hatred.

The other had a head of graying white hair and a face full of wrinkles, looking to be about sixty years old. That pair of eyes was even more aged and weary, yet the occasional flash of sword-like sharpness could move anyone.

Besides these two guests, several corpses lay scattered across the floor.

These corpses, while they were alive, were all quite famous and figures who struck fear into the hearts of others.

They all came from the same organization, an organization called "Black Kill."

There were all sorts of people in Black Kill; their backgrounds were diverse, and their martial arts were equally diverse.

Among those who died were disciples expelled from famous orthodox sects like Shaolin and Wudang. There were also ronin from Fuso Island in the East Sea who had drifted to the Central Plains.

Not only were their martial arts quite good, but they were also shameless and reckless; people like this were usually difficult to deal with.

And now, these shameless, reckless people had all become corpses.

They had originally been invited by Bamboo Leaf Green to protect the Big Boss, but now they had all been killed by the two people standing there, killed very quickly, because the martial arts of the other two were far superior to theirs.

The Big Boss smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work this time, Great Teacher Mao."

The old man with the graying white hair said, "How can killing a few nobodies be considered hard work? If Chou Er had acted, these people would have died even faster."

The Big Boss said, "I have long admired Mr. Chou Er's peerless sword." When he was in a good mood, he never minded flattering others.

The young man in the Taoist robes and dark cap "humphed" and said with great arrogance, "My sword technique may not be invincible under heaven, but there are not many who can defeat me."

The Big Boss laughed loudly and suddenly turned to look at Bamboo Leaf Green.

This usually resourceful and calmly arrogant strategist in green was now ashen-faced.

The Big Boss said, "Did you hear that?"

Bamboo Leaf Green said, "I heard it."

The Big Boss said, "With Great Teacher Mao and Mr. Chou Er drawing their swords to help, I fear it will not be easy for anyone who wants my life."

Bamboo Leaf Green could only nod.

The Big Boss said indifferently, "If you want my life, I fear it will not be easy either!"

Bamboo Leaf Green said, "I..."

The Big Boss wore a smile of one who holds the winning hand: "Tiehu will also be back soon; with him joining forces with Great Teacher Mao and Mr. Chou Er, even if Yan Shisan were to walk the pugilistic world again, or Xie Xiaofeng were to return from the dead, they would never be able to harm me in the slightest..."

"It is a pity that Tiehu has already become a dead tiger; if you want him to protect you, perhaps you can only go down and accompany him." A voice came from afar.

The first word was still very far away, drifting and ethereal, as if at the edge of the sky. And with every word spoken, the voice became closer. By the time the final "him" fell, two people had already appeared in the flower hall.

The Big Boss had long heard of the reputation of the "Divine Sword Beyond the Heavens," who traveled the pugilistic world like a divine dragon; not only were his martial arts formidable, but he was also handsome, dashing, and possessed an imposing spirit.

But only upon truly seeing this person did he realize that all words and all writing could hardly describe even a tenth of his demeanor.

Yu Liancheng stood with his hands behind his back, his black hair draped casually, his handsome face appearing as if carved from fine jade, carrying an otherworldly temperament.

Li Zhenzhen, who stood beside him, was a rare beauty, and with her mist-like clothing, she was enough to attract any man's attention. But when she stood beside Yu Liancheng, she seemed to lose her luster, like stars compared to the bright moon.

The Big Boss was first captivated by his spirit, then hurriedly recalled what Yu Liancheng had said upon entering the flower hall, and exclaimed in shock, "What did you say? Tiehu has been killed by you? Has he not yet had time to rush back?"

Only Tiehu was his true confidant; he would not be sad if Bamboo Leaf Green died, and might even clap and cheer.

But if Tiehu were to die, it would be no less than losing one of his own arms.

"He is indeed dead, dead by my hand. As for why he died, perhaps you can ask your strategist."

Yu Liancheng's gaze had turned to Bamboo Leaf Green: "I know this was all arranged by you, but you must also know that whoever schemes against me must pay a price."

Bamboo Leaf Green lowered his head further: "You are joking, sir. I have no grudge against you; I was merely following the Big Boss's arrangements..."

Yu Liancheng looked at the Big Boss, his eyes seemingly filled with pity, and he sighed leisurely.

The Big Boss frowned. He was high and mighty, the most powerful person in this city, capable of deciding the life, death, honor, and disgrace of tens of thousands; when had he ever been looked at with such a gaze? "What do you mean by this?"

Yu Liancheng said indifferently, "Do you feel that everything in this city is under your control?"

The Big Boss snorted coldly, "Even if not, it is close enough."

Yu Liancheng shook his head and said, "In reality, you are nothing more than a puppet placed on the surface. Your strategist has long since hollowed you out; it is your strategist who truly holds the control."

Bamboo Leaf Green did not refute this time, keeping his head lowered, as if he were the Big Boss's shadow. But there is no shortage of stories in the world where the shadow becomes the master and takes their place.

The Big Boss looked at Bamboo Leaf Green, gritting his teeth: "I am not in a hurry. Once today passes, I will simply get rid of him."

Yu Liancheng said indifferently, "It is a pity that you are going to die here today."

The Big Boss's expression sank: "You want to kill me?"

Yu Liancheng said, "Even if I do not kill you, you will not survive."

"Oh?"

Yu Liancheng said, "Because Bamboo Leaf Green is a person of the Heavenly Venerable, and the Chou Er you invited is also a person of the Heavenly Venerable. The only person loyal to you, Tiehu, is dead. What trump card do you have left to resist the Heavenly Venerable?"

Once these words were spoken, it was as if the earth had shattered and the heavens had collapsed.

The Big Boss looked at the expressions of Bamboo Leaf Green and the others, and a sense of despair suddenly rose in his heart. He naturally knew the vastness of the Heavenly Venerable's power and the strictness of the organization.

For the Heavenly Venerable to crush him would be no more than crushing a bedbug.

All these years, the reason he had been able to sit securely in this position was merely as a puppet controlled by Bamboo Leaf Green to attract the attention of others.

Yu Liancheng said indifferently, "Alright, I have made things clear and plain; you should be on your way."

The Big Boss was struck as if by lightning, his expression changing repeatedly: "You... you must act against me? I have no grudge against you. If you are willing, I can even give this city to you."

"Kill you, and all of this will still be mine," Yu Liancheng said indifferently.

A flash of brilliance erupted on the Big Boss's face, a ferocious expression appearing, and as he pressed his hand onto the tiger-skin folding chair, only the sound of "shoo, shoo, shoo" rang out as a mass of black light exploded toward Yu Liancheng.

At the same time, the Big Boss's slightly obese body suddenly leaped up, flying toward the outside of the window like a meatball.

No one could have imagined that the Big Boss's lightness skill would be so brilliant.

If it were an ordinary person, they might truly have let the Big Boss escape.

But the one who wanted to kill him was Yu Liancheng.

Yu Liancheng flicked his sleeve; he had made his move.