"Are we really not going to report the map we found to the White Dog Gang?"
"Shh! Didn't the boss say we're absolutely forbidden from speaking a single word about the map? Do you want to be killed?"
"But… when it's found out that we stayed silent about the map, wouldn't we be killed by the White Dog Gang anyway?"
"Just shut up!"
Hearing the hushed argument between the two guards stationed at the gate of the Red Dog Gang's stronghold, Shen Feiyu, who was hiding in the shadows some distance away, narrowed his eyes.
So the map might really exist.
If that was the case... should he make his move now?
The Red Dog Gang, while undeniably stronger than the Black Dog Gang, could still only be considered a mortal force. Their strength mostly came from sheer numbers, not cultivation. Only their leader was said to be a cultivator, and even then, a low stage cultivator.
That's why, Shen Feiyu understood that he needed to act quickly.
The longer he waited, the more likely it was that news of the map would spread. Others might get involved, and if the map fell into the hands of a true expert, then it would no longer be his opportunity to seize.
In the end, thinking that a rare pill, or perhaps even a treasure, that could help raise innate Qi affinity might be hidden within that tomb, Shen Feiyu chose to act.
He decided to wipe out the Red Dog Gang in one swift strike... before making his escape.
The moment the decision was made, he moved with decisive force.
Moving like a shadow, Shen Feiyu struck. And the two guards, though trained in martial arts, died in silence, their throats slashed in the blink of an eye. They didn't even have time to cry out.
Without giving the rest of the stronghold time to react, he infiltrated deeper and began eliminating the scattered members inside… one after another, like reaping weeds in a silent field. No screams. No clamor. Only quiet death followed in his wake.
He made sure to clean out the outer perimeter and all the small fry before approaching the heart of the stronghold, where the leader resided.
But just as he stepped near the courtyard of the main building, a thunderous voice erupted from within.
"Who's there?!"
"Who dares to move against my Red Dog Gang?!"
Two guards posted outside the leader's residence immediately tensed, scanning their surroundings in alarm. Then, from within, a third figure burst out with heavy, thudding steps.
He was powerfully built, with corded muscles visible even beneath his black vest. A vicious scar ran down his left cheek, twisting grotesquely when he scowled. His robust frame radiated menace, and a faint bloodlust clung to his presence like a second skin.
He didn't carry the composed aura of a refined Qi practitioner. Instead, he was a martial artist, who had only happened to step into the realm of cultivation.
Shen Feiyu frowned slightly. It seemed he hadn't been subtle enough. Some noise, some minor details must have betrayed him.
But that no longer mattered.
Stepping out from behind the wall, he walked boldly into the open, his gaze locked onto the Red Dog Gang's leader with unwavering calm.
He no longer cared about being seen.
After all, the man before him, despite technically being a cultivator, was only at the second stage of Qi Refinement.
Now, confident that he could take down the gang leader, Shen Feiyu prepared to end the fight quickly with his strongest move, aiming to finish him in a single strike… before searching for the map.
The gang leader's expression shifted slightly the moment he saw Shen Feiyu. Despite the other party's seemingly feeble appearance, he immediately sensed it… this man was a cultivator, and one at a higher stage than himself.
Still, he wasn't overly concerned. As a martial artist with years of brutal training and several accomplishments under his belt, he believed in the strength of his own body. He didn't feel much threat from the person in front of him too.
Even so, he didn't intend to go easy on him.
Instead, he planned to lull Shen Feiyu into a false sense of safety, then strike with full force in a surprise attack.
And so, with an amiable smile, he acted as if he didn't care at all about the death and carnage within his gang. He cupped his fists and greeted Shen Feiyu, saying.
"Fellow Daoist, are you here for the treasure map? If so, we could go to the tomb together and divide the gains equally."
"What do you think?"
Shen Feiyu's guarded expression seemed to soften at the man's words. With a faint smile, he returned the greeting, cupping his hands in return.
"Thank you for the invitation, fellow Daoist. If you'll allow me to accompany you to the tomb, I'm willing to take a step back, concede the larger portion of the gains to you, and accept the smaller share."
"I just hope you won't take offense at what has already happened."
Shen Feiyu didn't stop walking forward as he spoke. And the gang leader, seemingly oblivious to that detail, laughed aloud.
"Oh, how could I be offended by the death of a few useless trashes? They're replaceable anyway."
"Meeting a like-minded fellow Daoist is far more important!"
But the moment those words left his lips, the gang leader lunged forward with explosive force, roaring, "Die!"
"Kill!" Shen Feiyu shouted back, releasing the strike he had been secretly preparing all along.
His palm clashed against the gang leader's fist in a violent burst of Qi and raw strength. The gang leader had tried to compensate for his lack of spiritual energy with brute force, relying on the sheer resilience of his body.
But it wasn't enough.
Shen Feiyu still held the upper hand. His strike overwhelmed the gang leader's blow and sent him flying, crashing into a distant wall with a thunderous crack.
"Fellow Daoist," Shen Feiyu said coldly, walking toward the coughing and bleeding man, "it seems my hand slipped…"
"You won't take offense to that, will you?"
And like that, their battle continued…