NOVPUB
Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Be More Low-Key in the Next Life!
The North City Market is located north of Qishan City, covering thousands of acres. Within its boundaries lies everything—restaurants, gambling dens, brothels—whatever you can imagine, with a staggering daily income.
The management fees and dividends collected by the Lin Family each year amount to astronomical figures. The North City Market is also the cornerstone of the Lin Family’s foundation.
On usual days, the North City Market only has one or two squads of Lin Family guards patrolling to maintain order.
Today, however, things are different.
On the streets, Lin Family guards are everywhere, alongside numerous high-ranking members patrolling the area. Even the pedestrians can feel the piercing aura of killing intent suffusing the air.
At the entrance to the North City Market, two rows of Lin Family guards stood watch, chatting idly amongst themselves.
"Wonder if the Luo Family will dare show their faces today."
One Lin Family guard gazed toward the other end of the street.
"Probably not. Last time, they brought so many people and they were driven away utterly defeated. If they come again, they’re only asking to make fools of themselves."
A short, pudgy guard squeezed his fists, chuckling grimly. "If they dare come, we’ll make sure they leave flat on their backs! The rubbish from the Luo Family doesn’t know their limits—thinking they can swallow our North City Market. They’re not afraid of choking to death!"
"Exactly. Speaking of which, I still can’t understand how that Luo Cheng defeated young master Lin Yun when he clearly awakened a Wasted Martial Soul. A total nobody!"
With a sneer, the pudgy guard replied, "It’s obvious it’s thanks to the Ji Family’s elixir pills. The Luo Family is full of idiots, actually giving such precious spiritual medicine to someone useless! They’re destined to achieve nothing but empty promises!"
"Wait, isn’t that Luo Cheng over there?"
Someone suddenly pointed out.
At the far end of the street, two figures slowly approached.
Leading was a blue-robed youth, his sword-like brows and bright eyes lending him a handsome appearance. Beside him walked an old man in black robes, thin and frail, with deep socketed eyes as though he might tumble over with a gust of wind.
"It really is him! He dares come alone to the North City Market!"
The pudgy guard narrowed his eyes, his expression twisting into savage disdain. "Heh, this brat ruined young master Lin Yun and embarrassed the Lin Family. Our Family Head hates him to the bone! If we cripple him, the Family Head will definitely handsomely reward us!"
At those words, the other Lin Family guards’ eyes burned with anticipation.
Earlier today, the Lin Family Head had announced that any member of the Luo Family daring to approach the North City Market would be immediately crippled! Furthermore, anyone defeating them would receive five taels of silver! 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝑏.𝘤𝘰𝑚
Beating a Luo Family guard earned five taels of silver, but crippling their young master Luo Cheng—who knows how rich the bounty would be!
"But Luo Cheng has mastered the Body Tempering Extreme Realm. Even young master Lin Yun wasn’t his match. Should we call for reinforcements from the family’s experts?"
One of the guards hesitated.
Most were at the Middle Stage of Body Tempering, a few at Late Stage, and only two had reached the Body Tempering Ninth Layer Realm.
"No need."
The pudgy guard, a Ninth Layer martial artist himself, waved dismissively with a cold grin. "Extreme Realm? So what? It’s just a bit more brute strength. We’ve got numbers and weapons; taking him down will be easy! Why hand over the credit to others unnecessarily?"
The others were convinced.
After all, without advancing to the Transcendence Realm, a martial artist was still mortal flesh, vulnerable to blades and swords!
"Listen to my command. Strike all together. Cripple his limbs first!"
The pudgy guard led the charge with over a dozen men following him as they surrounded the pair.
"Something big’s about to go down!"
"Hey, isn’t that Luo Cheng over there? He actually dares show up here alone. He’s walking into a death trap!"
"It’s over for him! I heard that the Lin Family ordered that any Luo Family member approaching the marketplace gets their limbs broken. Luo Cheng is doomed!"
"If Luo Cheng dies here, the Luo Family and Lin Family are bound to erupt into battle!"
The pedestrians sensed the tension growing and quickly dispersed, standing at a distance to observe what would unfold.
The blue-robed youth was indeed Luo Cheng. Watching the approaching Lin Family guards, he lowered his voice and said:
"Mo Lin elder, I only need you to handle any experts above the Third Layer of the Transcendence Realm."
Mo Lin’s eyes flickered as he glanced at Luo Cheng before silently nodding.
Clang!
Over a dozen Lin Family guards formed a tight circle around the two. The pudgy guard’s eyes glimmered with malice as he stared at Luo Cheng, sneering.
"Luo Cheng, you’ve got some nerve to show up here!"
Expressionless, Luo Cheng replied calmly, "At the Hunting Festival, Lin Yun lost the North City Market to me. The marketplace belongs to me now. Why wouldn’t I come to my own territory?"
"Your territory?"
The pudgy guard guffawed disdainfully. "You’re about to die, and you’ve still got the nerve to talk big. Boys, take him down!"
With a shout, the pudgy guard drew the saber from his waist and charged straight at Luo Cheng.
"Die! Next time, learn to keep a low profile!"
Grinning savagely, the pudgy guard slashed downward with a forceful strike aimed for Luo Cheng’s head!
Swish!
Beside him, several spear-wielding Lin Family guards attacked simultaneously, intent on killing Luo Cheng on the spot!
A flash of killing intent flared in Luo Cheng’s eyes as he dodged the pudgy guard’s downward slash, channeling essence energy to unleash a powerful sweep with his right leg.
Bam, bam, bam, bam!
With several thousand pounds of force, Luo Cheng’s kick snapped the spears in the hands of several guards who were sent flying, coughing up blood and writhing in pain on the ground.
The pudgy guard fared slightly better but was left with a fractured leg. Collapsing to the ground in pain, he coughed up blood and roared at Luo Cheng’s approach:
"Everyone, kill him!"
"Kill!"
The remaining guards charged forward in unison.
Luo Cheng didn’t retreat but dashed ahead instead, his fists slicing through the air like a hurricane of force.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Each time Luo Cheng threw a punch, a Lin Family guard fell to the ground, bones shattered, lifeless.
In the span of just a few breaths, only one guard remained standing from the original group.
"Ah!"
Letting out a terrified scream, the remaining guard dropped his spear and turned to flee.
Luo Cheng didn’t give chase but instead shifted his gaze to the fallen pudgy guard.
Gulp!
Swallowing hard, the pudgy guard stammered fearfully. "You—you’ve broken through to the Transcendence Realm! How is that possible?!"
Stepping on the pudgy guard’s chest, Luo Cheng looked down at him coldly and said, "I return your own words to you: In the next life, learn to keep a low profile."
"No! Don’t kill me!"
The pudgy man’s face turned deathly pale as he trembled and begged for mercy.
Crunch!
Blood splattered, and the pleas abruptly ceased.
Turning away, Luo Cheng walked toward the North City Market.
Mo Lin stayed silent, casting a glance at the corpses before leisurely following behind him.
Not until the two entered the marketplace did the surrounding onlookers finally come back to themselves.
"I—am I dreaming right now?!"
"A single punch for every kill! Not even Late Stage Body Tempering martial artists could withstand Luo Cheng’s strikes! Unbelievable!"
"Did he really break through to the Transcendence Realm? Isn’t he still under fourteen years old?!"
"A Transcendence Realm martial artist under fourteen years old! And he awakened a Wasted Martial Soul? Why do I feel like I’m the real waste here?"
"Look, Luo Cheng has entered the North City Market! Is he planning to storm the entire place alone?"
As people watched Luo Cheng enter the marketplace, they swallowed nervously, their hearts pounding, each struck by a singular thought:
Qishan City is about to change forever!
