Xuanqing Guard

Guangshun City.

Scar’s life these days was way better than a few months ago.

After finishing the last job, the settlement fee ended up in his pocket. Since he was the go-between, he got a ten percent cut straight off the top. That alone cleared all his gambling debts, and he even spruced up his leaky, crumbly old shack from inside out. Finally, it looked like a half-decent place people could actually live in.

His wife and kids were all crying—they were over the moon. But at the same time, they were scared, scared that their good man would fall back into gambling and turn into a worthless pile of dog shit again.

But when Master Zhang, a true hardcase, opened his mouth, his word was law. With just one sentence, no riffraff or hoodlum in all Guangshun City dared invite Scar to gamble a single coin. Because Master Zhang said, anybody who gambles with my brother, I’ll chop off their hands. So now, all the rotten scumbags are hiding from Scar, terrified Master Zhang might mistake them for troublemakers and cut off their hands for nothing.

Why both hands? Because Master Zhang never said which one—so usually, you’d be out of luck with both.

Truth be told, Scar had started to do some soul-searching himself—he realized picking up gambling was a real killer, quitting it was for the best. Living life quietly with wife and kids was pretty good. A while back, his wife even mentioned the house was a bit too quiet—he knew what that meant and wondered if he could manage another kid.

Raising children takes money and effort. Scar was the head of the household—if he didn’t nod, even if she got pregnant, she’d be out of luck.

"Let’s have one! The more the merrier!" Scar gritted his teeth and decided to give the "blessed with more kids" lifestyle a shot. Worst case, he’d just pull a few more scores. The Black Market’s not as messy as it used to be—now everyone follows one big brother, that’s Brother Feilong. Every job has to go through him. If you try to cut him out, you might as well just wait to die. And that Master Zhang who’s always been looking out for Scar? He’s Brother Feilong’s number one enforcer, the guy everyone’s terrified of—Iron Washer Zhang Lie isn’t a name you joke about.

Sure, they took a bigger cut now, but the gigs were way more frequent, and you didn’t have to worry about getting knifed by the competition. Life felt solid.

It’s just times weren’t great lately—rumor had it there’d be fighting down south, so Scar hadn’t landed much work at all. Just last month, he barely managed to flip a batch of Hundred Beauty Discs.

Two days ago, Scar’s much-anticipated big job finally came through. It was from "Third Master Ma," the very guy who got him out of the pit last time. Who cared if it was the guy’s real name—anyone bringing Scar money was a master in his books.

Last time’s experience made Scar welcome Ma San’s arrival with open arms. He asked what Ma San needed, and Ma San said he wanted to move another batch like before—anything from General Spirit Stones to pig iron and grain, price wasn’t an issue.

Scar was feeling confident. Not many in the Black Market can get their hands on big shipments these days—Brother Feilong was one, and anyone who not only got the goods but dared to sell them? Pretty much just Brother Feilong!

So if Ma San wasn’t coming to Brother Feilong, he had nowhere else to go. Time to squeeze a little extra—he’d make a killing for sure.

He’d just passed Ma San’s request up the chain yesterday. Today, there was already word back—Scar just needed to keep Ma San steady. Someone from up top would come see Ma San face-to-face.

Scar was pretty relaxed, he’d done this before. He just wondered who’d come down this time? If it was still Master Zhang, Scar was thinking about trying to treat Master Zhang to a good meal.

Near noon, Scar set up a pot outside a quiet little cabin in the woods outside town. Inside simmered a bone broth, with a basin of thinly sliced pork on the side—prime wild boar hind leg. Dip it in the boiling broth until just cooked, then roll it in the dipping sauce and take a bite—pure bliss. Washed down with some good liquor, Scar rarely enjoyed himself like this.

Seated at the pot with Scar was Ma San. Scar was the host today—eating, drinking, and waiting for the folks from up top to show.

It was a bit odd—they’d always met in the city before. Why out here this time? Was it because the city was under tighter watch lately? Scar wondered to himself.

"Third Master Ma, how’s the food suit you?"

"Really good. Didn’t think you had these skills."

"Ha! As long as you enjoy it, here—let me get you some more. Any longer in the pot, and it’ll get tough."

"Alright, you eat too. So, where’s your guy? When are they coming?"

"Looks like it’s almost mid-noon, so they should get here soon." Scar had barely finished speaking when he noticed the chopsticks in Ma San’s hand had stopped moving.

"Heh, Scar, you brought quite a crowd this time."

"More? What do you mean?" Scar was a bit dumbstruck, not seeing what Ma San meant. But the sudden surge in Ma San’s aura made Scar deeply uneasy. He knew Ma San was a Cultivator, but what was happening now? Was he about to make a move?

Within a few heartbeats, Scar heard dense footsteps all around—coming in from every direction, closing in.

What the hell was going on?!

In no time, shadows flitted everywhere. Scar recognized the man at the front—it was none other than Iron Washer Zhang Lie.

"Little one greets Master Zhang!" Scar hurriedly bowed low, but before he could straighten back up, some force wrapped around him and yanked him away, tossing him to the side.

When Scar came to, he realized the spot where he’d been eating and drinking was now a deep pit. Master Zhang had leapt high into the air, slammed down his palm—like an invisible sledgehammer—smashing the entire pot of food and all straight down into the earth, leaving a palm-shaped crater.

Why did the fighting break out?!

And not just Zhang Lie himself—there were easily over thirty people surrounding them, all Cultivators! Right now, they were wielding Magic Discs and Talismans to set up one bizarre formation after another, attacking Ma San dead-on from all sides. From the start, Ma San was totally suppressed.

Scar had always heard Brother Feilong’s got a crew of serious heavy-hitters to help him run things, and now he’d seen it with his own eyes. Still, he couldn’t work out why—they hadn’t even talked business yet, and they’re already throwing down! Aren’t we here to make a deal?

"Brother Zhang Lie, what’s the meaning of this? Didn’t we settle our score last time?" Ma San was struggling to hold on. The wound left from the Blood Escape Talisman last time still hadn’t healed. Now Zhang Lie’s Cultivation was even higher, and with all the Magic Discs and Talismans backing him up, Ma San could barely hope to run—losing was only a matter of time.

Like Scar, Ma San couldn’t make sense of why Zhang Lie was suddenly out for blood like this.

"You’re up to no good!" Zhang Lie was silent for a long moment before spitting out these words while attacking. Then he added, "Unless you use the Blood Escape Talisman again today, you’re not getting away, even if you had wings! Surrender now!"

As he finished, Zhang Lie—under cover of three Talismans’ explosive bursts—closed in on Ma San’s left, and threw out a Yin Lifting Palm, looking set to end Ma San for good.

Ma San broke out in a cold sweat, barely managing to leap back. But Zhang Lie clearly saw it coming—he was already there, and slapped a heavy palm straight for Ma San’s chest. Flustered, Ma San had no choice but to raise both arms to block, thinking to himself: Shit, I’m done for!

Bang! Zhang Lie’s palm smacked home, heat flooding out like a burning coal, searing through Ma San’s arms. In an instant, Ma San’s sleeves were ashes, and his skin was left with serious burns.

Pivoting on his feet, Zhang Lie pressed the attack, another fierce palm striking upward from Ma San’s side, landing on Ma San’s ribs near his left armpit—right at a deadly spot!

That blow made Ma San’s entire body shudder, a mouthful of blood sprayed out, and his consciousness shattered as he passed out on the spot.