Chapter 89 Approaching

“I wonder what trick Fortune Society is trying to pull this time!” Jiang Ying said gravely.

“Hmph, never mind what medicine Fortune Society is selling in their gourd, but look at this—here we all are, yet the main host is keeping us waiting. Is this his way of showing off?” Qi Feng grumbled with displeasure.

“Gentlemen, if Fortune Society means trouble for us, I hope we can stand together, at least for now. What do you say?” Zuo Hanshan suggested.

“Agreed,” Qin Yi nodded.

The others nodded in consensus as well.

After waiting another quarter of an hour, footsteps finally echoed from the staircase. Before long, a scholarly man in his forties, dressed in a brocade robe, ascended the stairs.

“So everyone has arrived. I was delayed by some matters just now and apologize for my tardiness,” the brocade-robed man greeted with clasped hands, a smile on his face.

“You must be the new leader of Fortune Society?”

“I am. My name is Qiao Bin.” Qiao Bin’s smile widened as he continued, “Thank you all for accepting my invitation. Shall we have a meal together first?”

With that, he clapped his hands for dishes to be served.

“Let’s set the meal aside for now. What exactly did you invite us here to discuss, Leader Qiao?” Jiang Ying was the first to ask.

“Yes, if there’s something to say, let’s hear it.”

“Very well, since you’re all so direct, I’ll come straight to the point,” Qiao Bin replied. “I wish to unify all the gangs in West City and hope you will join Fortune Society for my sake. Rest assured, I’ll grant each of you the rank of elder. What do you think?” His smile was all teeth and no warmth.

At these words, everyone’s expression changed instantly.

What a smiling tiger!

“Unify all the gangs in West City? Such arrogance! I’m the first to refuse!” Qi Feng, short-tempered as ever, stood up with a cold laugh.

“I refuse as well!”

“Sorry, I must decline!”

Everyone voiced their objections.

Yet Qiao Bin showed no anger. He kept smiling, “Fine, perhaps I was too forceful. No matter, let’s at least share a meal—as friends, if nothing else. Agreed?”

Qin Yi and the others exchanged meaningful glances.

Jiang Ying spoke first. “No need for the meal. I have matters to attend to at home. I’ll be taking my leave.”

He rose and left his seat.

Seeing this, the others tacitly stood and prepared to leave as well.

They had guessed correctly—this was a banquet with murderous intent.

“It seems you all fail to appreciate good intentions,” Qiao Bin’s smile darkened. “Then I must resort to force.”

Everyone tensed, on guard.

“What, you want a fight?” Qi Feng’s face hardened with anger.

“Not a fight—a beating!” The words had barely left Qiao Bin’s lips before he struck at Qi Feng, who was closest to him.

They were less than five meters apart.

In a mere fraction of a second, Qiao Bin closed the distance.

The next moment, a flurry of fists enveloped Qi Feng. The speed was so great that, except for Qin Yi, everyone’s pupils contracted in shock.

“You—!” Qi Feng was caught off guard and hurried to defend himself.

A series of violent impacts sounded.

With a muffled thud, Qi Feng was sent flying backward.

Fortunately, Jiang Ying reacted quickly, catching Qi Feng as he flew back, but even so, the force drove him back five full steps before he managed to halt.

The room fell silent, save for Qi Feng’s miserable groans.

Zuo Hanshan swallowed hard, unable to hide his shock. “Ninth Level!”

“Well? Will you submit, or die here?” Qiao Bin’s face twisted with savagery.

A mere two at the eighth level and several at the seventh—he didn’t consider them a threat. He, after all, was ninth level!

Suddenly, screams erupted from the first-floor hall.

Then from the second floor, and the third.

The cries grew in number.

A loud crash—like wooden doors being smashed open—reverberated through the building, causing a tangible tremor.

Another crash—now the fourth floor.

With the commotion approaching the fifth floor, Qiao Bin’s face darkened. “Who dares disrupt us?”

Heavy footsteps thundered upward.

With a final crash, a figure burst from the fifth-floor staircase.

Landing heavily amidst flying splinters, a burly man appeared before them.

“Who here is Qin Feng?” His voice was hoarse, laden with murderous intent.

“And who are you? Why have you slaughtered my people downstairs?” Qiao Bin’s face was grave—this newcomer was strong.

In the next instant, the burly figure vanished, reappearing before Qiao Bin as if by teleportation.

“I asked for Qin Feng. Who allowed you to speak?”

His shadowy palm strikes sealed off all of Qiao Bin’s possible retreats.

“You—!” Qiao Bin was thunderstruck; he hadn’t expected this man to attack without warning—such arrogance!

“Did you think killing a few of my men makes you powerful?” Qiao Bin lashed out in response.

Palm and fist shadows intertwined.

For the briefest moment—barely a second—the two exchanged countless blows.

But half a breath later, Qiao Bin was forced back a step.

Then a second, and a third...

By the seventh step, there was a sickening crack—not the sound of fists meeting palms, but of bone shattering.

The shadows faded.

Qiao Bin’s body crumpled lifelessly to the floor, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle.

The entire exchange lasted no more than three or four seconds—just like that, it was over.

The room was deathly silent.

Jiang Ying and Zuo Hanshan swallowed hard, terror filling their eyes.

Wasn’t the new Fortune Society leader supposed to be ninth level? How was he dispatched in only a few seconds?

Terrifying!

“At last, some peace and quiet.” Wu Yulong rolled his neck and fixed his gaze on Qin Yi.

“So, Qin Yi, do you feel afraid yet?”

Qin Yi frowned slightly and replied in a measured tone, “Who are you? I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“Of course you haven’t—but in Jiangning Prefecture, didn’t you kill a woman? That woman was my wife!” Wu Yulong’s eyes blazed with murderous rage.

“So you’ve come for revenge,” Qin Yi replied coolly.

Such was the way of the martial world—grievances settled by blood, with no right or wrong, only strength.

“You didn’t flee just now—you’ve got some guts. So, prepare to taste fear! I’ll kill you, then your father, and use your head to honor my wife’s spirit!” Wu Yulong erupted in deranged laughter.

“So much useless talk!” Qin Yi stepped forward, the floorboards shattering beneath him as he launched himself at Wu Yulong.